The project team just released an interim report (PDF) that discusses where the money comes from (the feds), why (border-area vehicle traffic flow), and what ideas are and are not being considered for the next phase of the project. They haven't decided exactly what they're going to spend their $3 million on, but they have ruled some things out. The whole push is for "Access Management" of the project area. They're looking at eliminating the center turn lane and installing a center median with a few left-turn pockets, and consolidating driveways. There are also several options under consideration as additional fixes for the stretch from I-5 to Bakerview.
They plan to make the decision on exactly what the project will include by the end of Sept.
From a bicycling perspective the report is disheartening. Because the funds are tied to vehicle mobility, the project team isn't even considering mobility improvements for non-motorized vehicles.
However, they are accepting comments on the interim report, and mine ask them (politely) to at least not make things worse by doing things that will get in the way of later projects to improve safety and mobility for all forms of transportation. I think they would be happy to hear from you, too. Just do read the report first...
Read my comments on the interim report after the break.
Kerri Woehler
WSDOT Project Manager
Ms. Woehler,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the interim report on the SR 539, Guide Meridian -- I-5 to Horton Road - Mobility Improvement Project. I live in the Lettered Streets Neighborhood and work at Whatcom Community College. My shortest route to work is along this stretch of SR 539, but I avoid it almost entirely because of the traffic. I'd like to bike along this most-direct route, but there is no cycling infrastructure for me and I don't feel it's safe as-is.
As you may know, Futurewise - Whatcom and Sustainable Connections held a public information session July 13 on the "Complete Streets" concept. The SR 539 project is a perfect opportunity to begin to put that concept into action here in Bellingham. SR 539 is one of our worst traffic messes, worst driving experiences, and absolutely one of the worst places for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders to be.
I am particularly pleased to see note in the Interim Report of the Legislature's goals (p. 9) addressing Safety and Mobility. They fall right in line with Complete Streets concept.
When moving forward with your project to improve safety and mobility through this corridor, please remember that the purpose of public right-of-way is not to move vehicles. Rather, the purpose of public right-of-way is to move people and goods, as the Legislature has stated. People and goods can use multiple methods of transportation, as long as the built environment lets them do so safely. Currently SR 539 south of Horton Rd. is built to serve motor vehicles almost exclusively. Let's fix that problem -- and by doing so, people and goods will flow better through the corridor.
Errors in the Interim Report
Errors of Fact
1. In the Existing transportation features section on p. 4: while there are "sidewalks and crossings at signalized intersections" in the corridor, it is incorrect to say they "are available throughout the corridor" because there are sections of road without sidewalks, and portions of some signalized intersections do not have marked crosswalks.
· no sidewalk on the west side of SR 539 between I-5 and Bellis Fair Parkway.
· no marked crosswalk on the south and west portions of the SR 539/Bellis Fair Parkway intersection.
· no marked crosswalk on the south and west portions of the SR 539/Telegraph Road intersection.
· no marked crosswalk on either portion SR 539/I-5 North on-ramp
2. In the Existing transportation features section on p. 4 and in Options not to be considered... on p. 23: "There are no bus stops on this part of the corridor." According to the WTA system map http://www.ridewta.com/files/file/wta10_system_map.pdf (and confirmed with Google Maps/Streetview) there are bus stops on both sides of SR 539 near the intersection with Stewart Rd.
Errors of Fact
1. In the Existing transportation features section on p. 4: while there are "sidewalks and crossings at signalized intersections" in the corridor, it is incorrect to say they "are available throughout the corridor" because there are sections of road without sidewalks, and portions of some signalized intersections do not have marked crosswalks.
· no sidewalk on the west side of SR 539 between I-5 and Bellis Fair Parkway.
· no marked crosswalk on the south and west portions of the SR 539/Bellis Fair Parkway intersection.
· no marked crosswalk on the south and west portions of the SR 539/Telegraph Road intersection.
· no marked crosswalk on either portion SR 539/I-5 North on-ramp
2. In the Existing transportation features section on p. 4 and in Options not to be considered... on p. 23: "There are no bus stops on this part of the corridor." According to the WTA system map http://www.ridewta.com/files/file/wta10_system_map.pdf (and confirmed with Google Maps/Streetview) there are bus stops on both sides of SR 539 near the intersection with Stewart Rd.
Errors of Interpretation
A. In the Existing transportation features section on p. 4:
It is true there are "no bike lanes on the corridor." However, between Kellogg Rd. and Horton Rd. there is a marked shoulder that is wide enough for cyclists to use.
The reason why the Bellingham Bicycle Route Map doesn't identify Meridian/SR 539 as a preferred bike route is that it lacks dedicated cycling facilities. As soon as the route is fixed to provide bicycling facilties, it should be added as a preferred bike route. Cyclists and pedestrians do already use the corridor, partly because the alternatives are either too out-of-the-way (Northwest Ave. & Hannegan) or are no safer (James Street). Lack of listing as a bike route today does not mean SR 539 should not be improved for cyclists. In fact, it's the number one reason why it should be.
B. Regarding bus stops in the Existing transportation features section on p. 4 and in Options not to be considered... on p. 23:
There would be more than two bus stops in this corridor if there were bus pull-outs and a little less congestion. The 3, 4, 25X and 71X all go past the shopping center to the east between Telegraph Rd. and Bellis Fair Parkway, but none stop. The 15 and the 331 only serve the mall. Folks trying to get to businesses on the east side of SR 539 have a really difficult time of it. Let's help fix that.
A. In the Existing transportation features section on p. 4:
It is true there are "no bike lanes on the corridor." However, between Kellogg Rd. and Horton Rd. there is a marked shoulder that is wide enough for cyclists to use.
The reason why the Bellingham Bicycle Route Map doesn't identify Meridian/SR 539 as a preferred bike route is that it lacks dedicated cycling facilities. As soon as the route is fixed to provide bicycling facilties, it should be added as a preferred bike route. Cyclists and pedestrians do already use the corridor, partly because the alternatives are either too out-of-the-way (Northwest Ave. & Hannegan) or are no safer (James Street). Lack of listing as a bike route today does not mean SR 539 should not be improved for cyclists. In fact, it's the number one reason why it should be.
B. Regarding bus stops in the Existing transportation features section on p. 4 and in Options not to be considered... on p. 23:
There would be more than two bus stops in this corridor if there were bus pull-outs and a little less congestion. The 3, 4, 25X and 71X all go past the shopping center to the east between Telegraph Rd. and Bellis Fair Parkway, but none stop. The 15 and the 331 only serve the mall. Folks trying to get to businesses on the east side of SR 539 have a really difficult time of it. Let's help fix that.
Misleading Exhibits
The images on pp. 30 & 31 that are placed to illustrate the idea that trucks need a wider turning radius at the I-5 north off-ramp both show trucks that have successfully navigated the existing corner. The drivers are merging left immediately, even though they don't have to, probably to avoid the phantom right-turn-only at Telegraph. I'm not the only one who remembers when it actually was a right-turn only at Telegraph....
Comments on the Options
· "Realign Telegraph Road Intersection": see Additional Ideas below.
· "Eliminate northbound left turns onto Telegraph Road": see Additional Ideas below (but generally fine by me).
· "Remove center-turn lanes and add curb to restrict left turns": By all means get rid of it and restrict left turns. But instead of filling the center-turn lane with a median, eliminate the center-turn lane and use the recovered space for bike lanes on both sides of the road. Use a jersey barrier to divide north and south traffic. Where left-turn pockets are required, expand the right-of-way to maintain the bike lanes.
· I'm confused as to why "Eliminate southbound left turns at Telegraph Road" is not considered, but "Install curb between I-5 and Telegraph" is. It's very odd to consider eliminating a right-hand turn, but very normal to restrict left-hand turns. One of the reasons the weave between I-5 and Telegraph is so bad is that people still remember when it was a right-turn only lane. The existing signage does not do a good enough job of convincing drivers exiting I-5 that they don't have to immediately merge left. So fix the signage. Also, see Additional Ideas below.
· "Extend northbound lane between Bellis Fair Parkway and Bakerview Road--Business Access Lane": It may help with the weave off I-5, but I'd rather see you try fixing the problem with signage first. If there's going to be any widening of the roadway, it has to also add bike lanes.
· "Widen turning radius at northbound off-ramp": I've not seen trucks have difficulty with this turn since the radius was last widened. Both images provided as evidence of a problem show trucks that successfully made the turn, but whose driver choose to merge immediately. Fixing the signage would help the drivers know they don't have to merge immediately.
· "Consolidate business access/driveways": Yes, please.
· "Setting speed limits": It should be 35 mph or less south of Stewart Road, and soon south of Horton.
Issues Not Addressed
· On northbound SR 539 at I-5, the left-turn pocket for turning onto the I-5 northbound on-ramp is too short, leading to vehicles backed up into the travel lane.
· Incomplete sidewalk network and unmarked crosswalks create challenges for pedestrians.
· Missing bike lanes create severe challenges for bicyclists.
· Few transit stops in the vicinity.
· The combination of the missing pedestrian, bicycling, and transit infrastructure make it difficult for non-drivers to access the businesses in the corridor. Anyone without a driver's license -- be they young, old, disabled, or have a suspended license; anyone without access to a motor vehicle; anyone who would choose not to drive were it possible; all these groups are largely cut off from access to the businesses and services in this corridor.
Additional Ideas
I know from driving this stretch of road (albeit as little as possible) that the Telegraph Road intersection is terrible, in every direction.
With the recent success of the roundabouts further north on SR 539, and the new one at Northwest Ave. and I-5, how about a roundabout at SR 539 and Telegraph Road? You'd have to close a couple movements at the I-5 interchange:
· end left-turns from SR 539 northbound onto I-5 northbound
· end left-turns from I-5 northbound offramp to southbound SR 539
Access to both I-5 northbound from SR 539 and to SR 539 southbound from I-5 would be available by going around the roundabout. It seems reasonable to expect that backups on the I-5 off-ramp would be mitigated since traffic should flow better, rather than moving in the fits and starts that the traffic signals currently force.
It would alleviate some of the weave at the I-5 North off-ramp since northbound vehicles would see that they don't have to get left before the Telegraph Road intersection. And it would allow for left turns from southbound SR 539 onto Telegraph.
And if trucks can handle the roundabouts on SR 539 further north, why not in town, too?
Final Comments
To improve mobility for all users through the corridor, add bike lanes; complete the sidewalk and crosswalk system; and work with WTA to add appropriate bus pull-outs. When you remove the center turn lane, that should free up enough space in the right-of-way to allow for bike lanes on both sides of the road (or at least extra wide sidewalks like on Sunset Drive from I-5 to Orleans).
I understand that the federal funding for this project are tied to 'vehicles,' not goods and people. My bottom line is that nothing done for this project should interfere with future efforts to improve this corridor in keeping with the Complete Streets ethos of transportation infrastructure that works for all modes of use. Visit www.completestreets.org for more information.
If the top priority here really is "reducing backups on the northbound off-ramp from I-5 (p. 37)", then why is "Realign Telegraph Road intersection" off the table? It's the traffic signal at Telegraph that backs up the off-ramp, along with the merging/weaving. I think a roundabout at Telegraph should be seriously considered as a potential solution.
The interim report is a nice PR piece for the idea of Access Management, and that is fine. Just don't make things worse for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users in the process. I have no interest in seeing traffic speeds increase by "15 to 20 miles per hour (p. 37)," for example, unless you're talking about increasing them from the 5 mph that we sometimes see during times of congestion.
The history of the road was interesting to review. I did learn one new thing from the report -- despite living here on and off since 1992, I did not know that Bellis Fair Parkway went through to Deemer. So, thank you!
The images on pp. 30 & 31 that are placed to illustrate the idea that trucks need a wider turning radius at the I-5 north off-ramp both show trucks that have successfully navigated the existing corner. The drivers are merging left immediately, even though they don't have to, probably to avoid the phantom right-turn-only at Telegraph. I'm not the only one who remembers when it actually was a right-turn only at Telegraph....
Comments on the Options
· "Realign Telegraph Road Intersection": see Additional Ideas below.
· "Eliminate northbound left turns onto Telegraph Road": see Additional Ideas below (but generally fine by me).
· "Remove center-turn lanes and add curb to restrict left turns": By all means get rid of it and restrict left turns. But instead of filling the center-turn lane with a median, eliminate the center-turn lane and use the recovered space for bike lanes on both sides of the road. Use a jersey barrier to divide north and south traffic. Where left-turn pockets are required, expand the right-of-way to maintain the bike lanes.
· I'm confused as to why "Eliminate southbound left turns at Telegraph Road" is not considered, but "Install curb between I-5 and Telegraph" is. It's very odd to consider eliminating a right-hand turn, but very normal to restrict left-hand turns. One of the reasons the weave between I-5 and Telegraph is so bad is that people still remember when it was a right-turn only lane. The existing signage does not do a good enough job of convincing drivers exiting I-5 that they don't have to immediately merge left. So fix the signage. Also, see Additional Ideas below.
· "Extend northbound lane between Bellis Fair Parkway and Bakerview Road--Business Access Lane": It may help with the weave off I-5, but I'd rather see you try fixing the problem with signage first. If there's going to be any widening of the roadway, it has to also add bike lanes.
· "Widen turning radius at northbound off-ramp": I've not seen trucks have difficulty with this turn since the radius was last widened. Both images provided as evidence of a problem show trucks that successfully made the turn, but whose driver choose to merge immediately. Fixing the signage would help the drivers know they don't have to merge immediately.
· "Consolidate business access/driveways": Yes, please.
· "Setting speed limits": It should be 35 mph or less south of Stewart Road, and soon south of Horton.
Issues Not Addressed
· On northbound SR 539 at I-5, the left-turn pocket for turning onto the I-5 northbound on-ramp is too short, leading to vehicles backed up into the travel lane.
· Incomplete sidewalk network and unmarked crosswalks create challenges for pedestrians.
· Missing bike lanes create severe challenges for bicyclists.
· Few transit stops in the vicinity.
· The combination of the missing pedestrian, bicycling, and transit infrastructure make it difficult for non-drivers to access the businesses in the corridor. Anyone without a driver's license -- be they young, old, disabled, or have a suspended license; anyone without access to a motor vehicle; anyone who would choose not to drive were it possible; all these groups are largely cut off from access to the businesses and services in this corridor.
Additional Ideas
I know from driving this stretch of road (albeit as little as possible) that the Telegraph Road intersection is terrible, in every direction.
With the recent success of the roundabouts further north on SR 539, and the new one at Northwest Ave. and I-5, how about a roundabout at SR 539 and Telegraph Road? You'd have to close a couple movements at the I-5 interchange:
· end left-turns from SR 539 northbound onto I-5 northbound
· end left-turns from I-5 northbound offramp to southbound SR 539
Access to both I-5 northbound from SR 539 and to SR 539 southbound from I-5 would be available by going around the roundabout. It seems reasonable to expect that backups on the I-5 off-ramp would be mitigated since traffic should flow better, rather than moving in the fits and starts that the traffic signals currently force.
It would alleviate some of the weave at the I-5 North off-ramp since northbound vehicles would see that they don't have to get left before the Telegraph Road intersection. And it would allow for left turns from southbound SR 539 onto Telegraph.
And if trucks can handle the roundabouts on SR 539 further north, why not in town, too?
Final Comments
To improve mobility for all users through the corridor, add bike lanes; complete the sidewalk and crosswalk system; and work with WTA to add appropriate bus pull-outs. When you remove the center turn lane, that should free up enough space in the right-of-way to allow for bike lanes on both sides of the road (or at least extra wide sidewalks like on Sunset Drive from I-5 to Orleans).
I understand that the federal funding for this project are tied to 'vehicles,' not goods and people. My bottom line is that nothing done for this project should interfere with future efforts to improve this corridor in keeping with the Complete Streets ethos of transportation infrastructure that works for all modes of use. Visit www.completestreets.org for more information.
If the top priority here really is "reducing backups on the northbound off-ramp from I-5 (p. 37)", then why is "Realign Telegraph Road intersection" off the table? It's the traffic signal at Telegraph that backs up the off-ramp, along with the merging/weaving. I think a roundabout at Telegraph should be seriously considered as a potential solution.
The interim report is a nice PR piece for the idea of Access Management, and that is fine. Just don't make things worse for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users in the process. I have no interest in seeing traffic speeds increase by "15 to 20 miles per hour (p. 37)," for example, unless you're talking about increasing them from the 5 mph that we sometimes see during times of congestion.
The history of the road was interesting to review. I did learn one new thing from the report -- despite living here on and off since 1992, I did not know that Bellis Fair Parkway went through to Deemer. So, thank you!
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