Bridgeport Way Case Study

• Published by:  Context Sensitive Solutions

Bridgeport Way Case Study: Context Sensitive Solutions, [Online] http://contextsensitivesolutions.org/content/case_studies/kentucky_bridgeport/resources/kentucky_bridgeport_pdf/

      This case study combines access management techniques (supporting network connections, medians, U-turn treatments), a road diet, roundabouts, multimodal improvements, and innovative public involvement strategies. Bridgeport Way is a major urban arterial that could be considered a “Main Street” of University Place – a suburban community in Washington. The project involved reconstruction of an existing five-lane road into a four-lane divided roadway over a distance of approximately 1.5 miles. The purpose of this project was to address the safety concerns due to the high number of crashes over the past years. At the same time it was viewed essential to the vision statement of the City Council to improve the quality of life in the community by creating a town center.

      The goal of the project is to develop Bridgeport Way as a corridor that will improve traffic safety, increase the mobility and cohesiveness of the community, enhance the appearance of the corridor, and control traffic growth. Local network concepts were examined, as shown in Figure 11. Additional strategies included:

• An extensive public involvement process to solicit input on how the street should be redesigned, including design charrettes, public meetings, open houses, meetings with neighborhood groups, and one-to-one meetings.
• The use of flared intersections to accommodate U-turns for long vehicles at signalized intersections due to the use of the divided median to improve access management and reduce traffic crashes.
• Landscaped median with specially designed streetlights.
• Planter strips along the entire corridor with streetlights matching the median lights.
• Bike lanes along the entire corridor.
• Mid-block pedestrian crossings with in- pavement flashing lights at two mid-block crosswalks. (Because of reduced driver compliance over time and five vehicle-pedestrian collisions, the in-pavement lights were replaced with pedestrian traffic signals. The signals are interconnected with other signals along the corridor to optimize traffic progression and minimize vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.)
• Placing utility wires underground to enhance aesthetic appearance of the roadway.
• Integrating all modes of transportation, (passenger cars, public transportation, bicyclists, and pedestrians).

Figure 11. Bridgeport Way/University Place corridor network concepts.