Shelburne Street Traffic Circle

PROJECT STATUS
At their October 2 and 30, 2008 meetings the Transportation Energy and Utilities Committee (TEUC) of the City Council, reviewed the Public Works Commission's recommendation to design and construct a single lane roundabout to address the traffic safety issues identified at this intersection.

The TEUC then scheduled a public hearing on the recommendation to be held at 6:30 Thursday evening November 13, 2008 at the Greek Orthodox Church Community Room 600 South Willard Street (access from Ledge Road.)

The TEUC will hear a presentation from the project consultants, Resouce Systems Group (RSG) and solicit comments from those attending before making their determination of a preferred alternative.

RSG developed a single lane concept:

Shelburne Street Traffic Circle Single Lane

and a hybrid concept:

Shelburne Street Traffic Circle Hybrid
.
Both will be subjected to further analysis reviewing safety, capacity and compliance with the VTrans Highway Safety Program.

At their September 10, 2008 meeting the Public Works Commission reviewed the work of CCMPO consultants RSG and reiterated their preferrance for a single lane roundabout. The Commission instructed staff to relay their action along with the RSG summary study to the TEUC.

RSG Summary Study:
RSG Summary


PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY
In March of 2002 Public Works staff working with consultants had developed design alternatives and estimated project costs for improvements to the intersection of Shelburne Street, Saint Paul Street, Locust Street, South Willard Street and Ledge Road - the Shelburne Street Traffic Circle -. Two alternatives with variations: a roundabout accommodating four or five of the streets and a signalized intersection accommodating four or five of the streets were identified and described. The City has pursued inclusion of the project in the CCMPO work plan to secure funds sufficient to position the project in the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) either as a highway project or with funds provided by the State of Vermont Enhancement program. In early spring of 2007 the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) notified the City that this intersection had risen in prominence on the list of the State's high accident locations and that there were funds available to take corrective action.

At their March 19, 2008 meeting, the Public Works Commission selected a roundabout concept as the preferred alternative to address the traffic safety issues identified at this intersection. The Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee (TEUC) of the City Council reviewed the proposed alternatives and concurred with the DPW Commission selection of the preferred alternative further requesting that staff continue to work with the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) and their consultants Resource Systems Group (RSG), performing additional analysis on the potential for traffic to backup south along Shelburne Street. Staff will report to the DPW Commission and TEUC once this work is complete.

RSG developed a single lane concept:

Shelburne Street Traffic Circle Single Lane

and a hybrid concept:

Shelburne Street Traffic Circle Hybrid
.
Both will be subjected to further analysis reviewing safety, capacity and compliance with the VTrans Highway Safety Program.

At their September 10, 2008 meeting the Public Works Commission reviewed the work of CCMPO consultants RSG and reiterated their preferrance for a single lane roundabout. The Commission instructed staff to relay their action along with the RSG summary study to the TEUC.

RSG Summary Study:
RSG Summary


PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED
The Purpose and Need Statement for the project was developed in the initial 2002 Study
Shelburne Street Traffic Circle 2002 Study

The purpose of this project is to improve the junction of Shelburne Road (Route 7) and South Willard Road at the southern entrance to the City of Burlington, Vermont, for autos and pedestrians alike.

The need for this project is evidenced by the traffic back-ups that occur during peak commuting hours due to increased local traffic and commuters from adjacent towns; increase in traffic speeds; and the difficulty in crossing the roadway by pedestrians.

Pursuant to VTrans' identification of the circle as a high accident location the need to address the specific deficiencies that generated that designation safety was elevated in importance in the purpose and need statement.

PROCESS
Funds for the project are provided through the State's Highway Safety Program, and are programmed in the CCMPO TIP. They provide for 100% of project costs that demonstrate a cost benefit based on State developed criteria. Safety project development process is streamlined. It attempts to make use of existing right of way (ROW) and certain elements normally found in highway projects such as landscaping and amenities unless an integral part of the project are not funded. City staff met with VTrans and CCMPO staff to review the prior study and identify actions required to update that work. Subsequently, CCMPO secured the services of Resource Systems Group (RSG) to execute a study to consist of: 

• Review past studies and intersection analyses
• Prepare 2009 and 2019 Design year traffic volumes
• Evaluate intersection traffic scenarios including signalized and roundabout design options
• Prepare Interim Study Memo
• Prepare detailed conceptual design drawings over orthophotos for the options that adequately improve traffic flow and safety through the study area
• Present refined traffic analyses and conceptual designs to the Steering Committee
• Finalize conceptual designs and prepare order of magnitude cost estimates
• Meet with the public
• Issue Final Study Report
• City staff and staff from the CCMPO along with RSG will present the results of this work and identify a preferred alternative at a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday December 11 at 6:30 in the DPW Main Conference Room at 645 Pine Street.

Click here to link to the CCMPO Shelburne Street Circle web page.

FINAL PRODUCT
Recommendation of preferred alternative to Burlington Public Works Commission and Burlington City Council and construction of the improvements by Sate of Vermont.

PROJECT CONTACT: Erin Demers, 865-5831