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A worker with the Even-Preisser company, the
city's concrete contractor for the Walnut/Bijou 2C work, is shown during that
stage of the project on Walnut near Platte Avenue in June.
Project to 'road-diet' segments of Walnut and Bijou streets nears completion
Westbound vehicles navigate the recently
restriped lane configuration for Bijou Street between Spruce Street (foreground)
and Walnut Street (just past the white car in the background).
Westside Pioneer photo
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A 2C project to “diet” traffic is nearing completion on Walnut Street from Colorado Avenue to Boulder Street and Bijou Street from I-25 to Spruce Street.
Walnut is scheduled for final paving by the city contractor, Martin Marietta Materials, in the first week of October, after which it will be striped for one lane each way, with a bike lane and parking on either side.
The Bijou segment was recently restriped from four lanes to two. Bike lanes were added, but not west of Walnut.
In conjunction with the traffic-lane reduction, the Walnut/Bijou intersection now sports a four-way stop, with a left-turn lane for westbound Bijou traffic (see photo/graphic on this page). The other westbound lane can go straight at the stop sign or turn right (north) on Walnut. Previously this intersection had been configured with stop signs for all traffic except westbound.
One effect of the changes will be less of a free flow for westbound traffic. Although a few critics have predicted Bijou back-ups as a result,
A city graphic shows a cross-section of Walnut
Street between Colorado Avenue and Boulder Street and how the lanes will be
restriped from the former four lanes to two, leaving space for bike lanes and
parking.
Courtesy of Colorado Springs Traffic
Engineering
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Colorado Springs Transportation officials announced the Walnut/Bijou project plans after a generally supportive neighborhood meeting in April. A resident had led a petition effort for traffic safety after she said one of her family's cars was hit while parked on Walnut and she saw a bicyclist knocked down.
The city's prompt response to the petition was partly due to fortuitous timing, the April meeting revealed. The Colorado-to-Boulder segment of Walnut was already scheduled for repaving in 2018 under the city's sales-tax-supported 2C road improvement program.
In addition, city officials said their studies showed that not only did the segment lack the traffic volume to justify four lanes, “road-dieting” it down to two would lessen speeding.
Walnut was also identified for bicycle-related roadway changes in the city Bicycle Master Plan that City Council approved this year.
Westside Pioneer article
(Transportation:
Major Roads)
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