RIDOT and Town Center Committee talk Portsmouth traffic

Carol Dietz addresses Town Center meetingMore than 150 residents endured a sweltering evening in the Portsmouth High School auditorium to hear and discuss the proposal by the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Town Center Committee for dealing with traffic on East Main Road. The solution takes the form of three roundabouts: one at Town Hall, one at Foodworks/Brooks, and one at BankNewport/Clements; it seems like the right idea, but residents had a lot of questions.

Why is the Town Center connected with the traffic project? According to the presenters, the goal is to anticipate and plan for desirable growth. "It's chicken and egg," said Carol Dietz, the chair of the Town Center Committee, who led off the evening with a description of the Town Center project. "We know there's going to be development" on that stretch of East Main Road. But in order to achieve the goals of walkability and character, careful planning is required. "Without traffic calming," she noted, "There is no Town Center."

Is this just more horrible rotaries, like down by the Pell Bridge? Nationally-known traffic consultant and roundabout expert Howard McCullough was on hand to get the residents up to speed on the ideas behind roundabouts. Unlike rotaries many may be familiar with from trips to the Cape, a roundabout is significantly smaller, and this reduction in size actually increases traffic flow by reducing speeds and opening up gaps. Compared to old-fashioned rotaries, said McCullough, "We doubled capacity by making the roundabouts one-third of the size." The key, he said, is "low speed, but continuous movement."

Is it safe? Yes, said McCullough, safety is the reason roundabouts have been picking up momentum across the country. "They are by far the safest at-grade intersection," he said, with astounding data on reductions in both severe and minor accidents, including zero fatal pedestrian or bicycle crashes at US roundabouts. "I can't do anything else to get a 76% reduction in crashes without closing the road."

If roundabouts are so great, why don't we see more of them? Robert Smith, a road design engineer with RIDOT admitted that it had taken their department some time to warm up to the notion of roundabouts, but that it had rapidly become a preferred solution. The only way to really fix East Main, he said, is to "Completely change the character of this road, and that's what we think needs to be done to address this problem."

How will this work? The plan Smith showed, with four 11-foot-wide travel lanes, a center median that would provide a stopping place for pedestrians, and wider shoulders would be 56 feet in total, an increase 16 feet, and there is continuing refinement of just how the roundabouts would be oriented to minimize impact on abutting propoerties. At present, the plan is in the study and development phase, and the next step, getting on the State's Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) and proceeding to a 30% design phase could take up to three years.

Town Center chair Dietz stressed the need for citizens to reach out to our Congressional delegation, and even had pre-printed postcards available to contact Kennedy, Reed, and Whitehouse. "It won't happen anytime soon without your help," she added.

The presentations lasted only an hour, but the Q&A went on until 10pm. There were a lot of great questions and observations. Questioned about the width of the road and eminent domain, Smith stressed that RIDOT aimed to do projects with a minimum of impact, and that there was no financial impact on the Town in cases where there was a need to reimburse homeowners.

The question of short-term fixes came up more than once, especially the urgent problem of pedestrian crossings. Bob Roccio, a RIDOT traffic engineer got up to field that one, and stressed that an infrequently used press-to-walk signal can lull pedestrians into a false sense of security, and that local drivers who rarely see it red are most likely to run it.

Given that the roundabout proposal seemed to be the right answer, Town Councilor Len Katzman urged RIDOT to act quickly. "We need a comprehensive solution. With the injuries and fatalities, I don't know how there could be a higher priority."

Sal Carcellar made the excellent point that we have Route 24 dumping traffic into Portsmouth, and the real solution to the pass-through volume is a highway that connects all the way through to Newport. Smith agreed wholeheartedly: "It would give you back East and West Main," he said, but noted that when RIDOT proposed it — twice before — they were "run off the island."

Asked if solutions for East Main are really either/or, (for example, could there be a traffic light at East Main and Hedley in the short term) Smith seemed open. "If it gets into the TIP, we'll still look at the short term," he said. "In the past, we have taken interim measures."

While the general sense of the questions was pretty positive about the roundabout proposal, there was also a lot of frustration about the 7-10 year timeframe. While I think we should all do what Carol Dietz proposed, and contact our congresscritters, I think there are probably still tactical measures that need to happen in the short term. But at least RIDOT heard this firsthand, and the citizens of Portsmouth did a good job tonight getting their concerns out on the table.

Comments

Portsmouth citizens "did a good job in getting their concerns out on the table"...As usual. However, I don't believe that,roundabouts,flashing lights,more signs...is the total solution(helpful,maybe),but not the solution. Sadly to say I'm not sure there ever will be one. But I do have my own idea of what could help,and I'm wondering why I haven't heard any mention of it yet...Why not stick it to the speeders,and maniac drivers? Instead of (in too many cases) giving them a, warning, a slap on the wrist,a pay by mail(reduced) fine(simply because a lot of the cops don't want to spend a day in court). The laws of the road here need to be much more strictly enforced, lets start there! One would imagine that if these people were nailed with a HUGE fine for the first speeding offense,made to spend big bucks,and waste a day of work in court,get their name in all the papers,and better yet given a sticker by the cops, that is applied to their vehicles,saying something to the effect that they are "ass hole speed demons"...(ok,maybe not in those words), but you get my meaning...only to be taken off the car after a year of good driving record. They might just think twice about it?
You can blow all the horns ,whistles,and flash all the lights you want...it will not stop them. What we need is to enforce much stricter laws. Say what you mean,and mean what you say!
We don't have enough police officers to do the job? Gee...I have to ask once again...where are ALL of our tax dollars going?

Hi, Delilah...
Agree completely that huge financial impacts can change behavior; and that proper driving is insufficiently incented (to talk like the capitalist I am for a minute.) Bigger fines — and maybe, a special "How's my driving? Call 555-1234" bumpersticker as you suggest to prompt people to drop a dime if they get out of line.

But enforcement is only part of it. Please read this paragraph from the Taylor & Partners study from 2003:

Along East Main Road, the vehicular speed is high because the current road widths and geometry encourage drivers to travel 40-50 mph, rather than the posted 25 mph. In order to create a viable Town Center, in which pedestrians can cross Route 138, it will be necessary to slow traffic to less than 20 mph.
Town Center Study , p 2-10

This is not about education, or enforcement. This is about the physical design of the road. When a manufacturer produces a defective product and it kills people, they are held liable. RIDOT is responsible engineering our roads for safety, but they have allowed conditions to persist on East Main Road which are, obviously, unsafe.

Here's what I'm asking: If the PCC gets so cheesed off about the State mucking about with our Town and its sacred Charter, how come they aren't up in arms about the State running a road that literallly splits our town in half?

As someone once said, "Fight the real enemy."

Cheers.
-j

And whatever has to be done to make our roads safer. Make no mistake about that one. That is why I would like to see more tax dollars used in this way.
As for the PCC? Are you suggesting they should take on this fight too? Yes...I do believe you are onto something now...Perhaps it will take the PCC to get this battle won,as well! I'll ask Larry,and the PCC, to see what they can do for us. Thanks for the brilliant idea!

Have a great weekend,and a Happy(safe) 4th!

Hi, Delilah...
Thanks very much. If the PCC is willing to help here, then we truly do have some common ground.

But, just as a caveat, not on the terms advocated by Cheshire Kathy Melvin, who breezed into the Town Center meeting late, and even though she hadn't heard the presentation, attacked the DOT plan [note, not the DOT for any failure to act, but rather, the plan on the table] saying, "you still have a lot of questions to answer," and says that she doesn't understand "how a walkable Town Center hand in hand with roundabouts enhances public safety."

If this is the kind of reactionary, knee-jerk ideology they plan to bring to the table, that's not so helpful.

Kind Regards.
-j

Have I missed something? Has Mrs. Melvin been dubbed the grand poobah of the PCC? Does everything Mrs. Melvin has to say,or think, represent what Larry,and the entire PCC think,to you? Talk about ...generalizing!

Hi, Delilah...
People who publicly advocate the PCCs positions in the way that Ms. Melvin does, yes, do run the risk of having their words interpreted as indicative of the organization's position.

Are we to assume that only Larry Fitzmorris himself speaks for the PCC? Too bad he didn't bother to show up at the Town Center meeting.

I didn't even mention Forrest Golden suggesting the DOT put "speed bumps" on East Main Road.

Cheers.
-j

Speed bumps on east main rd! I don't know ...maybe a few members of the PCC are getting a bit confused?,maybe even a little senile?What would you have the PCC do with her,kick an old lady to the curb? I will be nice, I was raised to respect my elders.
Please give Larry the benefit of the doubt, he may have a very good reason why he couldn't make it, but I can't say. Thanks for the laugh...I'm getting a visual of driving over hundreds of speed bumps on east main rd., while yellow lights are flashing everywhere above my head,and reading signs saying...10mph,as it takes me an hour to get to Clements market for an over priced watermelon!

Bye now. Catch ya another time.