Transcript Unique Mobility Needs of the Charlotte Urban Area

East Boulevard Pedscape –
Scott Avenue to Kings Drive
April 6, 2005
Issues to Discuss
Tonight
1. Introduction
2. East Blvd. Pedscape Background &
Status Update
3. Why consider a 3-lane option?
4. Review 3-lane traffic model
5. Project Budget & Schedule (Proposed)
6. Project Implementation
7. Breakout Session and Questions
1) Introduction
• City of Charlotte staff:
• CDOT – Dan Gallagher, Debbie Self,
Josh Saak
• CMPC – Kent Main
• Engineering – Eric Bilsky
2) East Boulevard Pedscape
Plan Vision & Background
• Tree-lined avenue
• Pedestrians activity sidewalks
• Sidewalk cafés and public art
• Comfortable for bikes, peds, transit
users and motorists
• Pedestrian-oriented new development
mixed with historic fabric
East Boulevard Pedscape
Plan Vision & Background
and Implementation
Segment
East Boulevard Pedscape
Plan Vision & Background
3 crashes:
ped (2)
bike (1)
11 crashes:
ped (4)
bike (7)
What we know about this
area…
• Current corridor is not consistent with
vision
• Not pedestrian-friendly but lots of
pedestrians
• High travel speeds – wide range of
speeds (44 mph)
• 21,400 vpd….lots of slaloming
• Difficult to cross street
• High level of bike/pedestrian accidents
• Minimal congestion (few traffic signals)
East Boulevard Pedscape
Plan Vision & Background
Will occur over
time…
East Boulevard Pedscape
Plan Vision & Background
Are the “original” Pedestrian Islands with 4lane East Boulevard the best that we can do?
• Only 2 islands (Floral/Fountain View and at
Cumberland/Garden Terrace)
• Requires costly ROW because 4-lanes
• Eliminates planting strip (exchanges one ped
element for another)
• Will block some driveways
• Will not reduce high travel speeds
• Cannot include ped-refuge islands east of
Cumberland Avenue - (Freedom Park)
3) How can we accommodate
your vision….with a 3-lane
option for this segment?
• More consistent with corridor vision
• Better utilization of roadway space, is more
compatible with adjacent land uses and can
include better/more pedestrian islands.
• Will accommodate East Boulevard traffic
and maintain “Dilworth friendly” travel
speeds
• Should reduce accidents and severity of
accidents
Video description
Why consider a 3-lane option
for this segment cont’d?
• Eliminates higher speed, aggressive travel
and “slaloming” down the street.
• Will provide more locations for pedestrian
refuge islands (up to 5)
• Will reduce impacts on adjacent properties
(no ROW, no driveways blocked)
• Can be implemented more quickly than
original proposal because 3-laning can be
done within the existing curbs.
Why consider a 3-lane
section now?
• Provides a near-term opportunity to “re-think”
the 4-lane section.
• Proposed 4-lane section with ped refuge
islands will not fully accomplish the desired
vision.
• Moderate travel speeds in near-term…most
prudent driver….and on Dilworth’s terms.
• Bike lanes in the near term provides benefits
to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Can the 3-lane section
include ped-refuge islands?
• Yes, and they can be wider, landscaped
and create a more desirable pedestrian
treatment….and more of them.
Note: Landscaping will not include annuals
Conversion with ped-refuge island
Conversion with ped-refuge island