Re: NJDOT FY11 grant

[rcsh...@aol.com]

Nicole,

 

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute ideas for the Township to submit as part of a NJDOT application of bikeway and transit access improvements. 

Please let me know the time and date of any meetings you hold to receive or discuss these and other ideas, including the date and time of any "Way to Go" committee meetings where this will be on the agenda.

 

The Safer Route 70 Committee report contains many general and specific recommendations for improving safety and access for pedestrians (the key to improved transit access) and bicyclists on Township, County, and State Roadways that intersect with and along Route 70 that the Safer Route 70 Committee continues to strongly recommend.  The full report "Safer 70 Plan 10.27.07.doc" and Appendix ("Appendix Safer Route Plan.doc" )can be read or downloaded at:  http://groups.google.com/group/safer70/files

 

I've extracted summary information on the Report's recommendations, including the attached Excel spreadsheet which lists our recommendations geographically along Route 70 (i.e. from East to West in the same manner that Mayor Platt's Route 70 Committee listed its recommendations) and coded to show when the same recommendations were also made by others (e.g. "Key 1") and by "Type" (e.g. Key 2 which associates a recommendation with a specific type, such as a "1" - Paint Crosswalks.  

 

The Safer Route 70 Plan (the “Plan”) recommends ways to improve the quality of life and the environment in Cherry Hill by improving Route 70, Cherry Hill’s “main street.”  The Plan’s primary focus is on safety.  The Plan’s recommendations, listed in Table 1, would reduce traffic and pedestrian accidents and make the road safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.  They will also improve motor vehicle travel at safe speeds and better manage peak hour congestion.  While the Plan was initially prepared in reaction to a proposal to widen Route 70 by adding additional travel lanes between Haddonfield Road and Route 73, the New Jersey Department of Transportation has informed Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt that it has no plans to add additional lanes in the near future.  The Committee therefore desires to find common ground with others, including Mayor Platt’s Route 70 Task Force and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Route 70 Corridor Study, to urge state and local officials to proceed with its safety and congestion management recommendations.  The first eleven Committee recommendations listed in Table 1 were also made by Mayor Platt’s Task Force, the DVRPC, or both.  The Committee recommends that the Cherry Hill Township Mayor and Council and NJ DOT implement these and the following priority recommendations, which include traffic safety as well as improved bicycle and mass transit access  that would make Route 70 through Cherry Hill and the adjacent residential streets that connect to it safer and less congested:

 

1. Synchronize and actively maintain all traffic signals, especially during peak hour travel, to allow smooth travel at 30-35 miles per hour and vigorously enforce the current speed limit using best available practices and technology.

 

2. Deploy a variety of traffic calming measures, approved by local residents, to slow traffic and discourage commuter cut-through use of residential streets adjacent to Route 70, especially along Kingston Drive, Chelten Parkway, Ranaldo Terrace, Edison, Cooper Avenue, Miami Ave (East and West), Ormond and Maine Ave.

 

3. Install a west-bound, vehicle-triggered traffic signal at Old Cuthbert Road along with other intersection geometry changes to reduce hazardous traffic entry point.

 

4. Paint 7 pedestrian crosswalks at 5 existing and 2 new signalized intersections. (see report for locations)

 

5. Add pedestrian push buttons to activate traffic signals at all signalized intersections. (see report for locations)

 

6. Upgrade all existing pedestrian crossings using 20 foot advance stop lines, median refuges signs, and markings that improve pedestrian safety.

 

7. Install sidewalks that are missing along 50 percent of Route 70 and correct numerous sidewalk deficiencies.

 

8. Upgrade deficient 10 foot lane widths to 12 feet (NJDOT’s standard) by re-painting lane lines where possible.

 

9. Repaint all lane lines to taper to 11 feet widths at pedestrian crossings.

 

10. Install 3 new traffic signals at turning and crossing locations with a high history of accidents (Cooper Landing Road, Ranaldo Terrace, and Greentree Road).  A new, split-phase traffic signal and intersection at Ranaldo Terrace along with extensive, resident-approved traffic calming measures will relieve demand for left turns coming out of Kingston Drive and Frontage Road and provide another eastbound Route 70 outlet for the Kingston neighborhood.  It would also provide U-Turns and protect left turns into the Barclay shopping center.  Together with other measures, the new signal would eliminate the need to widen the intersections of Route 70 with Kingston Drive and Frontage Road.

 

11. Configure 2 existing signals (at Georgia/Edison and Frontage/Covered Bridge Roads) to be split-signals to reduce crossing conflicts for traffic emerging from the minor streets.

 

12. Eliminate left turn stacking lanes and left turns from Route 70 at the intersection of Route 70 and Georgia/Edison Avenues.

 

13. Convert 3 left turn stacking lane openings (at Whitman, Cooper Avenue, and Sawmill) to mid-block openings and re-designate as “U-Turn” only to discourage left turns into neighborhood streets

 

14. Add 2 new pedestrian activated traffic signals at Maine Avenue and Lakeview Drive where pedestrians lack an alternative crosswalk opportunity within a reasonable walking distance.  .

 

15. Install 17 missing bus shelters and related amenities at Route 70 bus stops in Cherry Hill.

 

16. Restore left turns from Route 70 onto Haddonfield Road (Rt 644), Kings Highway (Rt 41), and Springdale Road (Rt 673) to reduce cut-through traffic in residential streets and modify traffic signals to protect such turns.  Eliminate hazardous, artificial jug handles, especially the Fulton Street/ Wynnwood Avenue and Penn Avenue/ North Park Drive “jug-handles” at the Route 70/ Haddonfield Road intersection that pass through or that cause commuter traffic to short-cut through residential neighborhoods.  Dedicate one or two lanes to the protected left turns and eliminate the current hazardous conditions where three or four lanes merge into two lanes over substandard distances after these intersections. 

 

17. Provide additional incentives to encourage carpooling, mass transit, and bus use for commuting and provide new linkages to the Woodcrest and Haddonfield PATCO High Speed Line stations.

 

18. Paint bicycle lanes on all of Route 70 through Cherry Hill, smooth the road and shoulder surfaces, and fill in missing bike lane “gaps” between I-295 and Springdale Road.

 

Bikeway and transit access improvements may not be effective and will certainly be more most efficiacious if coupled with improvements that make walking to transit (transit access) and bicycle use more safe by calming traffic and reducing traffic speeds. 

 

Pedestrian safety (especially with advance stop lines) and transit access could be improved by implementing the following projects:

 

  

Number	Rec			Key 2
	#	Page				Specific		Recommendations
1	22	66	M	1	Paint crosswalk across Route 70 from east corner of Greentree with 20 foot ASL and pedestrian activated call for red.
2	1	53		1	Paint crosswalk and 20 foot advance stop line (ASL) at Donahue Ave.
3	8	57		1	Paint two crosswalks across 70 at Georgia/ Edison intersection and paint 20 foot advance stop lines on Route 70
4	16	63		1	Paint crosswalk and 20 foot ASL at new Ranaldo intersection with pedestrian activated call for red.
5	18	65		1	Paint missing crosswalk and ASL 20 feet from crosswalk on westside of Covered Bridge Road/ Route 70 intersection. .
6	25	68		1	Paint crosswalk + 20 foot advance stop lines across Route 70 at the signalized intersection of Old Orchard and Route 70.
7	20	65	M	2	Install a westbound traffic signal at Old Cuthbert to allow for entering vehicles into Route 70.
8	21	66	M	2	Install split phase traffic signal to allow protected right turns from Greentree westbound onto Route 70
9	12	59	D	2	Paint crosswalk +  20 foot ASLs + pedestrian signal across 70 from the southeast corner of Maine Avenue
10	4	54	B	2	Add traffic signal at Cooper Landing Road to protect left turns and control westbound Route 70
11	16	62	B	2	Add eastbound left and U-Turn stacking lane and split phase signal at Ranaldo/ Rte. 70 intersection
12	24	68		2	Install traffic signal for Lakeview entrance

43	16	62		10	Install traffic calming measures recommended by neighbors on Ranaldo.
44	23	67		10	Study causes of crashes at Old Orchard intersection and effect safety mitigation strategy from study.
45	7	56	D	11	Add a split phase signal configuration at Georgia and Edison intersection to protect left turns onto Route 70 from them.
46	17	63	D	11	Add a split phase signal configuration to intersection with Frontage Road
47	19	65		12	Correct “bicycle gap” from I-295 to Springdale Road; construct safe bikeway under bridges and across ramps
48	5	49	B	13	Install missing sidewalks and safe pedestrian crossings at channelized right turn lanes

While the Safer Route 70 Committee recommended correcting the "bicycle gap" from I-295 to Springdale Road by constructing safe bikeways under I-295 bridge and across related ramps, the same recommendation applies to other state roadways that connect the East and West sides of Cherry Hill, including the bridges crossing I-295 and the NJ Turnpike on Kresson Road and on Haddonfield/Berline Road.  It is currently almost impossible to ride a bike from the West or East side of Cherry Hill to the other side of town without taking your life in your hands on both a bicycle and by foot.  Correcting this should be a state responsiblity and a high priority. 

 

The Safter Route 70 Committee also strongly supported improving transit access by installing sheltered bus stops at all locations and through the following:

 

 

Provide greater incentives for travelers to use alternate transportation modes
						Provide express bus service to Philadephia from 3 Cherry Hill locations.
Encourage employers  to provide incentives for carpooling and mass transit use.

Thank you.

 

Roxane Shinn

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicole Hostettler PP, AICP <NHost...@chtownship.com>
To: lori braunstein <gob...@aol.com>; Lori Braunstein <lori.br...@sustainablecherryhill.org>; berg...@yahoo.com; Susan Colilla <scol...@yahoo.com>; rcsh...@aol.com; yaron....@gmail.com; saf...@googlegroups.com; ruthie...@aol.com; sssli...@aol.com; sdav...@comcast.net; shelle...@msn.com; rucr...@aol.com; worker...@yahoo.com; rbl...@comcast.net; emwi...@hotmail.com; eco...@computer.org; g...@parsupply.com; iburk...@comcast.net; db...@comcast.net; cmma...@drpa.org; bigc...@hotmail.com; brooke...@gmail.com; wsilv...@comcast.net; dreamcui...@verizon.net; b...@blueskypowerllc.com; David Cohen <daven...@gmail.com>; Lewis Gorman III <lew.g...@yahoo.com>; Jeanne Barnum <jsba...@schnader.com>
Cc: Maris Kukainis <MKuk...@chtownship.com>; Natalie Shafiroff <NShaf...@chtownship.com>; David Benedetti <DBene...@chtownship.com>; Ari Messinger <AMess...@chtownship.com>; Kevin McCormack <KMcCo...@chtownship.com>; Steve Musilli, C.P.W.M. <SMus...@chtownship.com>; new...@driveless.com; Andrew Levecchia <and...@camdencounty.com>
Sent: Thu, Jul 15, 2010 9:57 am
Subject: NJDOT FY11 grant

Good Morning,

 

Township staff are soliciting ideas for the submission of a NJDOT application of bikeway and transit access improvements.

Grants will be issued for construction only, not planning or operating costs.  Connectivity to activity centers (schools, parks, transit stations, etc.) and local or regional bicycle systems (i.e. Cooper River Park, Voorhees Township Bicycle Routes, etc.) will be given preference.

 

We are seeking project recommendations from interested stakeholders, specifically from the SCH Way To Go committee members.

Please email me specific project suggestions at nhost...@chtownship.com that meet the grant criteria.

Applications are due soon, on August 13, 2010, so please send all ideas no later than next Friday, July 23^rd.

 

Some existing plans and maps that may be helpful include:

http://www.cherryhill-nj.com/MasterPlan.asp

http://www.driveless.com/pdfs/bikebook_camden.pdf

http://www.phillymap.com/images/regionalmap_p1.jpg

 

These projects will be collected and discussed at an upcoming meeting.

Is it possible to meet before the scheduled Way To Go meeting this Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 7pm? Or another convenient time?

 

More information about the grant can be found at:

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/business/localaid/stateaid.shtm

 

Bikeway - This program is intended to fund bicycle projects. It is available to all counties

and municipalities. The Department continues to work toward the goal of achieving 1,000

miles of dedicated bikeways in New Jersey. Special consideration will be given to bikeways

that are physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier, but

on-road bike lanes and other bike routes and facilities are also eligible for funding.

 

Safe Streets to Transit - The intent of this program is to encourage counties and

municipalities to construct safe and accessible pedestrian linkages to transit facilities, in order

to promote increased usage of transit by all segments of the population.

 

Thanks,

 

Nicole

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nicole Hostettler, PP, AICP  |  Senior Planner  |  Department of Community Development

820 Mercer Street  |  Cherry Hill, NJ 08002  |  Work: (856) 661-4737  |  Fax: (856) 661-4746  |  nhost...@chtownship.com

 

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