ALTERNATIVE B: ROAD LANE REDUCTION
This option was been removed from consideration following the Alternatives Evaluation due to the traffic congestion issues caused by removing a travel lane from Carpenter Road to Hewitt Road. The congestion has spillover effects to transit service that would cause massive travel time delays for riders.
Carpenter to Hewitt
Carpenter to Hewitt
Carpenter to Hewitt
Hewitt to Oakwood
Hewitt to Oakwood
Hewitt to Oakwood
Alternative B reallocates space along the corridor from vehicles to nonmotorized users by changing the five-lane cross-section to a three-lane cross-section outside of the major intersections. The extra space made available by the lane reduction allows for 10-foot-wide shared-use pathways to be added on both sides of the street from Carpenter Road to Mansfield Road. Transit-only queue jumps are also added at the major signalized intersections. At Mansfield Road, the street remains three lanes, outside of the intersection, where it widens to five. Shared-use pathways continue on both sides of the street.
Pros:
Limited right-of-way acquisition
Less costly to construct
Shared use paths on both side of the street add dedicated space for pedestrians and bicyclists
Transit queue jumps improve transit reliability
Safer roadway conditions due to slower traffic speeds
Enhanced transit facilities and operations
Cons:
Potential for increased traffic congestion
No reduction in pedestrian crossing distance
Shared use paths mix pedestrians and bicyclists
Little space for trees and plants to be added