Summary
It has been brought to the City's attention that crossing Seventh St at Washington St is uncomfortable for pedestrians. In the past few years, improvements to the intersection have included stop sign enhancements, upgrading the flashing beacon, tree trimming, and pedestrian crossing signage.
To further facilitate the pedestrian crossing of Seventh St at Washington St, the City is proposing to install a pedestrian refuge island on the south side of the intersection. The purpose of the refuge island will be to reduce the exposure time of pedestrians in the roadway, emphasize the crossing location, and add friction to passing vehicles resulting in slower speeds.
To see a general layout of the pedestrian refuge island, click here. Please note that this is a simple sketch and the exact location/impacts may vary. Vehicular turning movements and ADA-compliant grades must be accommodated in any final design.
Public Input Meeting
A public meeting was held on July 22, 2009 to gather input from interested citizens.
Of great concern was the excessive speeding on Seventh. Many people wanted this addressed by lowering speed limits or putting in other speed controls. Pat Cawley, the City's Traffic Engineer, explained how speed limits are set and enforced. In general, there was agreement that a pedestrian refuge island would improve the crossing of Seventh at Washington. If you would like a summary of the meeting, please email Elizabeth Rolla (contact information is below).
Based on the feedback received at the meeting, the City has decided to proceed with installing an island on the south side of the intersection, with no changes to the existing curb radii. This will require buses to use an alternate route for access southbound Seventh St from eastbound Washington. The sidewalk ramps at each corner will also be improved as part of this project.
Schedule
Weather permitting, the installation of the island and associated sidewalk work is tentatively scheduled to begin the week of September 8, 2009. While it would have been better to have this work completed prior to the start of the school year, the City was limited by the availability of the Contractors.
Construction will be performed under temporary curb-lane closures with the exception of two days when the intersection will be completely closed to allow for paving and installation of the island. Completion of the work is expected by September 18, 2009.
Contact Information
For questions, comments or concerns, please contact:
Elizabeth Rolla, P.E., Senior Project Manager
734-794-6410 ext 43636
erolla@a2gov.org
Last updated August 27, 2009