Consultants assisting with a Lincoln Way pedestrian safety study in the vicinity of the Iowa State campus will present their improvement recommendations to university and city audiences Feb. 27. Staff from SRF Consulting Group, Omaha, will lead a public session at 3:30 p.m. in 2105 Pearson. They also will present during the Ames City Council meeting that evening, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers, Ames City Hall.
Presentation
Feb. 27: 3:30 p.m., 2105 Pearson
Since August, phase 2 of the joint city-university traffic study has focused on three ideas the consultants and city traffic staff believe could improve safety on Lincoln Way:
- Alter the timing of traffic signals on Lincoln Way to reduce wait times for all travelers (pedestrians crossing the road, bicyclists and drivers traveling through the corridor)
- Address the Welch Avenue-Lincoln Way intersection, which has a higher-than-expected severe crash rate
- Address the Stanton Avenue-Lincoln Way intersection, a heavily used pedestrian crossing site with a vehicle crash rate trending upward and no crosswalk or signal
Recommendations could include simple solutions such as adding lead time to walk signals for pedestrians before vehicles are allowed into an intersection. This practice recently was adopted at University Boulevard's intersections with Sixth Street and Stange Road. Solutions also could include physical modifications, for example altering street medians or curb corners to better protect pedestrians or adding a marked crosswalk where there isn't one.
Cathy Brown, assistant director for planning in facilities planning and management and a liaison to the city on this project, said student leaders, the university's transportation advisory council members and student affairs and university services representatives have been invited to the afternoon campus session. Other members of the campus community are welcome at either session.
Last month, Student Government also created a task force on pedestrian safety to study issues and solutions along Lincoln Way. Brown said the Lincoln Way study team shared its phase 1 data with task force members. The student group is supposed to submit its report to president Cody West by March 23.
Related stories
Lincoln Way safety study heads into solutions phase, Aug. 3, 2017
ISU, city team on Lincoln Way safety study, March 24, 2016
