Quick comments on the Rt12 project.
The project description on the MHW website is 603331 and it is NOT correct. I've reviewed the 75% blue prints for the project at city hall and they certainly do not match the description. (75% plans include pretty much everything that happens on this side of the pavement)
Originally there were two project numbers 603331 and 603332 which are supposed to be combined in the 603331 project number.
The design is actually 4 lanes at 11 ft/lane. Two feet of runoff on each side. A 5.5 ft sidewalk on each side. That is a total of 48 ft of pavement and 11 ft of sidewalk making up the 59 ft ROW, up 9 ft from the current ROW.
The 25% plans for Bemis and Water showed 6 lanes for Rt12. That was to be two thru lanes in each direction, and a left/right turn lane for each water st approach. Three houses are to be taken in whole on the south side of bemis and access to the passway is eliminated. There will be multiple lanes on bemis going away from water st and the grade is to be reduced. The alignment of bemis with Manoosenoc will also be straightened.
Note, that the land for the widening of rt 12 at bemis can come from only 1 place. The railroad right of way. That means that both the rail trail and the rt 12 project are in competition for the same "temporary" easement.
Overall, the project is a joke. The justification for the project is improved safety and better traffic flow. The safety benefit is supposed to come from the installation of signals at Benson and Water, and at Water, Nichols, North Main, and Battles. It is a common misconception that signalization improves intersection safety. Improvements are generally the result of intersection redesign. In this project both Battles and Benson have obstructed view approaches with buildings on the North east corners of the intersections and stop lines set back from the intersections for "handicap ramp access".
The traffic improvement is supposed to come with the increase in the number of lanes. In reality traffic signals increase congestion and air polution. The additional lanes will be stressed to keep up with the additional delays induced by the signals.
Of course there will be a corresponding increase in air polution associated with the signals.
BTW: this project has been approved for CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality) funding despite the fact that it will almost certainly result in a net increase in air polution.
Originally there were two project numbers 603331 and 603332 which are supposed to be combined in the 603331 project number.
The design is actually 4 lanes at 11 ft/lane. Two feet of runoff on each side. A 5.5 ft sidewalk on each side. That is a total of 48 ft of pavement and 11 ft of sidewalk making up the 59 ft ROW, up 9 ft from the current ROW.
The 25% plans for Bemis and Water showed 6 lanes for Rt12. That was to be two thru lanes in each direction, and a left/right turn lane for each water st approach. Three houses are to be taken in whole on the south side of bemis and access to the passway is eliminated. There will be multiple lanes on bemis going away from water st and the grade is to be reduced. The alignment of bemis with Manoosenoc will also be straightened.
Note, that the land for the widening of rt 12 at bemis can come from only 1 place. The railroad right of way. That means that both the rail trail and the rt 12 project are in competition for the same "temporary" easement.
Overall, the project is a joke. The justification for the project is improved safety and better traffic flow. The safety benefit is supposed to come from the installation of signals at Benson and Water, and at Water, Nichols, North Main, and Battles. It is a common misconception that signalization improves intersection safety. Improvements are generally the result of intersection redesign. In this project both Battles and Benson have obstructed view approaches with buildings on the North east corners of the intersections and stop lines set back from the intersections for "handicap ramp access".
The traffic improvement is supposed to come with the increase in the number of lanes. In reality traffic signals increase congestion and air polution. The additional lanes will be stressed to keep up with the additional delays induced by the signals.
Of course there will be a corresponding increase in air polution associated with the signals.
BTW: this project has been approved for CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality) funding despite the fact that it will almost certainly result in a net increase in air polution.
posted by noway @ 3/30/2006 12:45:00 PM
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