“Road Diet” Will Enhance Safety Along Promenade BoulevardBRIDGEWATER – Freeholder Patricia L. Walsh announced that Somerset County has been awarded federal funding under the Local Safety Program to implement safety measures along Promenade Boulevard, County Route 685.
The goal of the project is to reduce the occurrence of right-angle crashes and to improve pedestrian safety and access along the corridor. Road signs are posted alerting residents and motorists that construction will start on or about Monday, March 9. The project is expected to be completed in about four months. Promenade Boulevard will remain open during construction. A travel lane in both directions will be maintained at all times.
An analysis of the types of collisions that occurred along Promenade Boulevard between 2008 and 2010 showed that most were right-angle crashes. To reduce the number of accidents, Promenade Boulevard will be reconfigured according to what the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) refers to as a “road diet.” The current four-lane roadway will be converted to two through lanes and a center twoway left-turn lane. Construction will include the removal of medians at driveway intersections, repaving and restriping. According to FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures, the resulting benefits will include a crash reduction of about 29 percent.
To improve pedestrian access between Bound Brook and Promenade Boulevard, a sidewalk will be constructed on the north side of East Main Street. Installation of the ADA-compliant sidewalk will require the removal of the dedicated right-turn lane at the intersection of East Main Street and Promenade Boulevard. Analysis has shown that the dedicated right-turn lane is not required for vehicle capacity.
Other design improvements will include the installation of ADA-compatible sidewalk ramps, mid-block crossings with medians and a bicycle-compatible shoulder along Promenade Boulevard. When construction is completed, pedestrians will have safer access to commercial sites along the corridor, including restaurants and stores. The new sidewalk also will support game day crowds crossing Main Street.
Construction, which was awarded to Topline Construction, will begin with the removal of the right-turn lane and installation of new sidewalks along East Main Street (across from TD Bank Ballpark). Work will then move onto Promenade Boulevard with modifications to medians, curbs and sidewalks. Paving, which will be conducted between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., and striping will follow.
A web page dedicated to the Promenade Boulevard project can be found at http://bit.ly/PromenadeBlvd.
Visit the Federal Highway Administration website to find out more about “road diets.” (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/)
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