The Town of Arlington recently received a commitment of funding from MassDOT for $290,000 to improve safety at the intersection of Mass. Ave. and Route 60 for all travelers including, pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. A major challenge is the gap in the Minuteman Bikeway between Swan Place and Route 60 which results in some cyclists riding on the sidewalk. Short-term measures were taken last summer which included new signs and increased enforcement. This new funding allows the Town to look at long-term safety solutions for this heavily traveled area.
Project Background
Last spring (2011) the Town hired Howard/Stein-Hudson, an experienced traffic engineering firm to work with an Advisory Group with Town representatives from Public Works, Planning, Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), and the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee (ABAC). Together they have developed five options to improve the area for all users and will present them at this public meeting.
“There are real safety issues at this intersection,” said Clarissa Rowe, Board of Selectmen Chair “We are pleased to have an opportunity to address them. The options presented by the project team are promising and we’d like to review them with the public to gather feedback to create the best solution for the future.”
The five options were presented at the November 21 meeting of the Board of Selectmen by Public Works Director, Michael Rademacher. Residents can view the presentation online, in the DPW Projects section under Arlington Center Safe Travel Project, at arlingtonma.gov/dpwprojects.
Residents can also view a broadcast of the presentation given to the Selectmen online at ACMi website, in the Video on Demand section, at acmi.tv (10:50 into the November 21, 2011 meeting).
Below are materials from the public input meeting held at Town Hall Auditorium on Jan 10, 2012.
Funds come from a MassDOT program called Clean Air and Mobility Program (CLAMP) and are targeted to actions that will reduce air pollution by encouraging walking and biking and decreasing congestion. The priorities cited in the grant application include:
• Design and implement a Bikeway connection through this intersection.
• Reduce idling time by adjusting medians to accommodate longer left turn vehicle queues.
• Improve efficiency and reduce congestion by adjusting signal timing.
• Shorten pedestrian crossing distances by changing crosswalk alignments.
These funds can be used for construction in 2013.
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