FAQ
- Improve pedestrian safety.
- Address speed issues for safety.
- Ensure adequate freight and local access for business.
- Four-lane with parking on east side only.
- Four-lane with no parking.
- Three-lane with parking on both sides.
- Adequately accommodate Riverfront Drive traffic volumes (today and future).
- Do not require diversion to parallel routes.
- Keep existing traffic signals at Plum and Elm streets.
- Add new signals at Spring and Rock streets.
- Coordinate signals for traffic flow.
- Two additional signals would improve pedestrian/bicycle crossing of corridor.
- Design is familiar to users. There would be minimal change for vehicles and trucks compared to today’s design.
- Parking would be maintained on east side of corridor.
- Parking would provide buffer between pedestrians on the sidewalk and moving traffic.
- Sidewalk width would stay the same as today (9-10 feet).
- Less opportunity for traffic calming.
- Less safety benefit with a four-lane undivided roadway design (compared to a three-lane).
- Two additional signals would improve pedestrian/bicycle crossing of corridor.
- Removing parking would allow for wider sidewalks (10-14 feet).
- Familiar to users - minimal change for vehicles and trucks from today’s design.
- On-street parking would be removed from front door of businesses and relocated to side-streets and off-street parking lots.
- No buffer from parked cars between pedestrians on the sidewalks and moving traffic.
- Less opportunity for traffic calming.
- Less safety benefit with a four-lane undivided roadway design (compared to a three-lane).
- Two additional signals would improve pedestrian/bicycle crossing of corridor. The overall distance to cross the corridor is less with this design.
- Travel lane would be reduced in each direction allows for wider sidewalks (10-14 feet).
- Safety benefit with a dedicated left-turn lane at each intersection.
- This option provides most opportunity for traffic calming.
- Maintains parking on both sides of the corridor for front door access to businesses.
- Parking would provide a buffer between pedestrians on the sidewalks and moving traffic.
- Trucks turning right onto Riverfront Drive will need to encroach into the left-turn lane. Although this conflict is infrequent, when it occurs trucks need to wait to move until the turn lane is cleared.
- Traffic traveling on Riverfront Drive will need to stop and wait for vehicles that are parallel parking. Although this is not anticipated to have a negative effect on overall corridor, this can be an item for consideration.
What is Riverfront Drive designed to do?
As a minor arterial roadway, Riverfront Drive serves both local and regional traffic. Maintaining efficient mobility on Riverfront Drive while also providing adequate access to businesses, freight users, neighborhoods, pedestrians and bicyclists requires a fine balance.
What are traffic volumes today and what's expected in the future?
Traffic volumes today (2020) are more than 18,800 vehicles, and it’s expected to increase to 19,500 by 2040.
What are the average speeds on Riverfront Drive?
A 2017 corridor study found that on average, speeds were five to nine miles per hour above the posted speed limit (30 miles per hour) through Old Town.
What are improvement goals of the Riverfront Drive Corridor reconstruction project?
What options are being considered?
What do all improvement options provide?
What are the pros and cons of the four-lane with parking on the east side of the street option?
What are the pros and cons of the four-lane street with no parking option?
What are the pros and cons of the three-lane with parking on both sides?
Pros:
Cons:
What is the difference in travel time between the three-lane and four-lane design option?
The three-lane design results in approximately 30 seconds more travel time through Old Town in comparison to a four-lane design.
Could there be additional options or variations of the three options under consideration?
When is the final design expected to be complete and Riverfront Drive project work begins?
Final design is anticipated in 2021, and estimated start date for reconstruction is planned in 2022.
Are bicycle facilities being planned for as part of the Riverfront Drive reconstruction project?
No. A dedicated on-street bike lane exists on Broad Street (parallel to Riverfront Drive two blocks to the east). Improvements on Riverfront Drive will focus on crossings for bicyclists and pedestrians.