th 156 Street Design in Bennington Public Open

th 156 Street Design in Bennington Public Open House Meeting October 28, 2009 City of Bennington, NE

City Hall Bennington Elementary School Project Area 156 th St Bennington Road Highway 36

Project History Jan 2007 Team Selected

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Sep 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Sep 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document Jan 2008 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Preliminary Engineering

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Sep 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document Jan 2008 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Preliminary Engineering Environmental Documentation (NEPA)

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Sep 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document Jan 2008 Preliminary Engineering Sep 2009 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental Documentation (NEPA) City FHWA

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Sep 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document Jan 2008 Preliminary Engineering Sep 2009 Oct 2009 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental Documentation (NEPA) City FHWA Public Open House

Project History Jan 2007 May 2007 Sep 2007 Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document Jan 2008 Preliminary Engineering Sep 2009 Oct 2009 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental document is currently under review Environmental Documentation (NEPA) City FHWA Public Open House

Project Goals l Improve Safety of Traffic flow (Vehicular and Pedestrian) l Control Excessive Traffic Speeding l Address Traffic Congestion and Queuing problems during School peak hours l Improve Drainage and inadequate Storm Sewer system

Project Needs l Excessive Speeding along 156 th Street l l l 171 traffic citations (2006); 199 citations (2007); 150 citations (2008); 135 citations (Jan-June 2009) Speed Records along 156 th Street l l for 2008 - 81 mph for 2009 - 59 mph

Speed – Drivers Cone of Vision 40 mph 30 mph 20 mph

Project Needs l Poor Traffic Operations and Queuing during school peak hours.

Project Needs l Drainage – Open Ditches and existing storm sewer inadequate causing runoff and flooding.

Project Needs l Roadway – 156 th Street Pavement rapidly degrading. No resurfacing or rehab done in the last 15 -20 years.

Project Alternatives l No-Build Alternative l l l Current 2 -lane section along 156 th St 4 -way stop at 156 th St & Bennington Rd Does not improve traffic operations, excessive speeding and queuing issues Does not improve safety of Pedestrian/ Bicycles Drainage problems will continue to exist

Project Alternatives l Build Alternatives l Widen 156 th Street to a 3 -lane roadway with a center left-turn lane l l Provides additional capacity to handle future volumes and queuing at School Provides a refuge lane for left-turning vehicles Provides a transition area for medians and landscaping – shorter pedestrian crossings Traffic Calming like Chicanes (curved roadway) can be effectively incorporated to slow traffic

Project Alternatives l Incorporate ‘Traffic Calming’ elements to control excessive speeding l l Chicanes (Curved Roadway) Medians Landscaping, Trees Roundabouts etc.

Project Alternatives l Build Alternatives l Install a Traffic Signal at 156 th St & Bennington Rd l l More Right-of-way needed to install exclusive left-turn lanes Volumes do not meet ‘Federal Traffic Signal Warrants’ till 2030 – No federal money can be used

Project Alternatives l Build Alternatives l Install a Roundabout at 156 th St & Bennington Rd l l l Excellent traffic control to reduce speeds (15 -20 mph) Good pedestrian crossings – Shorter crossing distance with refuge medians (one lane at a time) ADA compliant design Eligible for federal funding Functions as a ‘Gateway’ from South

North Segment

Chicanes Curved Roadways to break drivers line-of-sight and Slow drivers

South Segment

Roundabout

Intersection Conflict Points

Roundabouts – How they work ? Source/ Credit: Kansas Dept of Transportation

Roundabouts (similar to the proposed one in Bennington) Test Drive a Roundabout in Omaha Happy Hollow Blvd & Elmwood Park Road ( near 60 th & Dodge)

Public Opinion about Roundabouts Source: Wisconsin Dept of Transportation

Project Area Stop Signs 3 -Lane Section (Center turn lane + 1 NB thru lane + 1 SB thru lane

Project Area Chicane

Project Area

Roundabout Design

Landscaping

Estimated Costs l Project Total Cost l 156 th St/ Bennington Rd Intersection l l l - $ 3, 7000, 000 (approx. ) Roundabout - $ 375, 000 Traffic Signal - $ 550, 000 Mill & Overlay Total Cost - $ 200, 000 (approx. ) (1” mill + 2” overlay to existing roadway – no drainage improvements or traffic signals or roundabouts )

Thank You Please proceed to any of the stations to l Review the preliminary plans l Ask questions

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