Monadnock Perspectives V21 #1

VOLUME 21, NUMBER 1, 2000

Monadnock Perspectives Commentary on Rural and Urban Design

© 2000 Monadnock Perspectives

Keene/Swanzey Bypass Expansion Project: Time to Reconsider

BY LOUISE COOK AND ANNIE FAULKNER

T

Bicycle treatment

he Monadnock Region is a unique place. People are attracted to the region by its green hills and forests, clear lakes, modest pace of life and historic character. One of the reasons the Monadnock Region has remained a “quiet corner” in a rapidly growing state is that it is not very easy to get here. We do not have a well-developed east/west highway across southern New Hampshire, at least not yet.

In the past decade or two, local citizens’ groups have successfully thwarted efforts by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) to upgrade Route 101 from Milford to Keene into an expanded east/west highway. More recently, however, another NHDOT plan has emerged. Increasing traffic congestion on the existing Keene bypass prompted Keene city officials to involve the NHDOT in analyzing the problems and devising a solution. Frequent users of the bypass attribute congestion problems to the morning and evening commutes between home, work, school, and shopping—trips by local residents traveling into, around, and out of Keene.

The NHDOT’s solution is the planned Keene/Swanzey Bypass Expansion Project. The project would significantly alter and expand the Route 101 corridor from Optical Avenue to its

Counterclockwise circulation Central island

Circulatory roadway

Landscaping buffer Splinter island Yeild line

Apron Accessible pedestrian crossing

Key roundabout features. Kittleson & Associates, Inc. 1999 junction with Routes 9/10/12 west and north/east. The project involves seven phases of construction starting in 2000 with a projected completion by 2010.

The estimated price tag is an astonishing $66 million—for a city population of roughly 22,000 and a county population of around 70,000.

The NHDOT justifies the expense and project design by projecting future traffic volume growth for the Keene bypass. For the years 1990–2015, the projected traffic growth ranges from 71% to 217%, doubling and tripling 1990 traffic levels at the major bypass intersections. As of this year (10 years into

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the project period), there has been little or no growth in traffic volume around the Keene bypass, contrary to NHDOT’s expectations. Still, NHDOT remains committed to their projected 2015 traffic levels and to building the enormous project.

One component of traffic planning is induced traffic, the phenomenon by which “if you build it, they will come.”

Louise Cook and Annie Faulkner are members of Concerned Cheshire Citizens. For more information call 8479798, email care4keene@care2.com, or write: P.O. Box 1163, Keene, NH 03431.

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NHDOT projects that the expanded bypass, once built, will attract motorists from miles around and even from across state lines. This would increase through traffic on the bypass to 25% of the daily traffic volume by 2015, from the current 6%. The NHDOT also predicts that the usable life of the proposed design is only until 2015, by which time the bypass will be drowning in additional traffic congestion created by new retail growth and sprawl.

What will the NHDOT bypass expansion offer the Monadnock Region?

•A 30 foot high trumpet on/off ramp encased in concrete embankments at the Route 101 and Routes 9/10/12 junction (the “T”).

•A 26 foot high overpass and Single Point Diamond Interchange (SPDI) at Winchester Street, with braided on/off ramps extending in every direction and more overpasses along the ramps.

Tons of fill banked by high concrete walls will support the ramps and bridges, and roadbeds will be built high above existing grade level.

•The existing bypass bridge over four lanes of traffic on West St. demolished and replaced by a new four lane bridge spanning seven lanes of traffic on West St. •A new multi-lane connector road built from Route 12 south of Keene north to Optical Avenue.

•At least seven new traffic lights, including several stopping traffic on the expanded bypass.

•Eight to ten years of construction, during which there will be long delays and detours that will force traffic to alternate routes via city streets.

•Filling of 30 acres of vital wetlands and destroying 116 acre-feet of floodplain, replacing important wildlife habitat, flood control and groundwater recharge areas with asphalt. The proposed 30 foot high trumpet on/off ramp at the Route 9/10/12 and 101 “T” intersection would be built directly over the largest aquifer in Cheshire County.

•Expanded views of the industrial and commercial facilities along the bypass

as forested buffer zones are bulldozed congestion by allowing large volumes for added travel lanes. of traffic to move smoothly and freely •Mining of nearby hillsides and gravel through intersections. We believe Keene bars to produce the many tons of fill to could be the model city for roundabouts build up connecting roadways and to in New Hampshire and a showcase for create a 30 foot tall mound at the the nation. trumpet and a 26 foot tall mound at Modern roundabouts have been in Winchester St. use in the United Kingdom for decades; •Harm to the historic character of there are thousands of them in France downtown Keene. Historic buildings and Australia uses them extensively. In and stately old trees will be the United States, destroyed along Main St. The bypass expansion roundabouts are in Keene to allow for gaining popularity widening of the road ap- could quite literally and are already in proaching the Main St. and pave the way for an place in Colorado, Route 101 intersection.

Florida, Maine east/west highway •Increased public expendiand Vermont; over tures for bypass mainte- across southern 100 new roundnance and repair. The abouts will be built New Hampshire. added blacktop will have this year alone. to be plowed in the winter Many in the Monand resurfaced regularly. Big bridges adnock Region are familiar with the will need big budgets for inspections, roundabout built last year in Brattleboro repair and upkeep. Traffic signals cost at the intersection of Routes 9, 5 and Iabout $6,000 a year per intersection 91. [For a great primer on roundabouts, just for maintenance. Additional visit www.kittelson.com/roundabouts.]

NHDOT staff will be needed.

The NHDOT maintains that roundThere is little doubt that the com- abouts will not be able to handle the pleted bypass expansion will bring year 2015 traffic volumes projected for about considerable change to Keene and Keene’s busiest intersections. The latest the entire Monadnock Region. The by- research, however, demonstrates that pass expansion could quite literally pave modern roundabouts and added lanes the way for an east/west highway across do have the capacity to provide Level of southern New Hampshire. These Service (LOS) A or B for the traffic volchanges contrast with growing public umes predicted by the NHDOT. concern about the impact of highways In addition to moving large volumes on our sense of place and community, of traffic, roundabouts have many other our quality of life, and the natural envi- benefits. Roundabouts can be built in ronment. Here in the Monadnock Re- three to six months each depending on gion, these concerns are inextricably size, and can be used while under conlinked to the planned bypass expansion. struction. Using roundabouts, we could have solutions to today’s traffic probALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS lems within a year or two, instead of There are ways to solve traffic con- waiting 8 to 10 years. gestion around the Keene bypass that Roundabouts can be built for a fracare better, cheaper and can be complet- tion of the cost of the proposed intered much more quickly than the design sections and bridge overpasses, reducing proposed by the NHDOT. Hundreds of government spending and saving tax communities nationwide—places much dollars. Compare a $1.5 million roundlarger than Keene, and with higher traf- about at Winchester St. and Rte. 101 fic volumes—have built modern round- with the $18 million for the proposed abouts to solve traffic congestion. The Single Point Diamond Interchange at modern roundabout is a state-of-the-art that location. A roundabout at Winintersection design that reduces traffic chester St. and Key Rd. could be built

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for about $1 million. A roundabout on either side of the West St. underpass could reduce congestion there without building a new $6.5 million bridge. A rough estimate is that roundabouts can be built at all major intersections of the Keene bypass for less than $25 million.

That’s $40 million dollars saved for all US taxpayers just on construction costs.

With roundabouts, accident frequency and severity is greatly reduced.

Roundabouts encourage slower speeds, and with slower speeds come fewer accidents, fewer serious injuries and fewer deaths. Roundabouts are part of a trend in highway design toward “traffic calming”: using roadway features to slow traffic down at intersections.

Local business vitality may also be affected. The NHDOT designed SPDI bridge will bypass existing Winchester Street businesses, yet the proposed new traffic signal at the proposed 475,000 square foot Konover mall would invite drivers on that part of the bypass to pause and shop. In contrast, roundabouts at major intersections would give equal opportunity to businesses at each location. If a driver misses a turn, a roundabout provides a convenient and safe U-turn.

The environmental benefits of roundabouts are enormous. When a traffic signal intersection is replaced by a roundabout, gasoline consumption is reduced by an estimated 200,000 gallons per year. This not only saves consumers about $400,000 per year per intersection (at $2.00/gallon), it also dramatically reduces vehicle emissions and air pollution at those locations—air

pollution that contributes to human health problems and acid rain.

Roundabouts at the bypass intersections could also reduce impacts to wetlands, floodplain, forests and farmlands.

Because roundabouts would fit into the footprint of our existing intersections, the road corridor would not have to be widened. Roundabouts also make it easier for pedestrian, bicycle and other nonmotorized traffic to negotiate an intersection. The multi-use trail planned by the NHDOT would be more attractive and user-friendly in conjunction with roundabouts.

And then there are aesthetic concerns and the fact that the vitality of Keene does not depend just on the downtown, but also on the appearance and functionality of the outer perimeter. Instead of an urban asphalt jungle on the outskirts of Keene, we could have beautifully landscaped roundabouts creating welcoming gateways to Keene.

Supporting alternative designs for the Keene bypass is not about clinging to the past; it is about preparing for the future. Concerned Cheshire Citizens is working with the Keene City Council, Advisory Task Force, the NHDOT and other groups to determine the best way to pursue better alternatives. When one considers the tremendous opportunity for us to direct the future of the Monadnock Region and to preserve our quality of life and sense of place, one can see the wisdom of applying alternative designs along the Keene bypass system. Please call us to find out how to join the effort.

PERSPECTIVE

The Succinct Case for Roundabouts

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he New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s (NHDOT) bypass expansion plan will destroy 30 acres of wetlands. High speed turning lanes will increase the risk of rollovers atop southwest New Hamp-

shire’s largest aquifer. The DOT plan will contribute to sprawl by moving more traffic to the periphery of the city. This plan will result in just as many traffic lights as today, along with the consequent emissions from idling vehicles. This

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Monadnock Perspectives, Inc. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David Weir, President, Peterborough John J. Colony, III, Treasurer, Harrisville H. Meade Cadot, Jr., Hancock Howard Mansfield, Hancock Daniel V. Scully, Dublin ADVISORY BOARD

Robert P. Bass, Jr., Concord Christopher V. Bean, Jaffrey Michael B. Beebe, Hollis Paul O. Bofinger, Concord Eleanor Briggs, Hancock Daniel M. Burnham, Dublin Bruce Clement, Westmoreland Thomas S. Deans, Gorham John W. Derby, Sharon Jennifer DuBois, Peterborough H. Kimball Faulkner, Stoddard Mary Louise Hancock, Concord Nancy P. Hayden, Marlborough Mary E. Monahon, Harrisville Richard Monahon, Harrisville Karl G. Robinson, Marlborough Robert B. Stephenson, Jaffrey NEWSLETTER EDITOR

David Weir TYPESETTING AND DESIGN

Jill Shaffer Monadnock Perspectives, Inc., P.O. Box 95, West Peterborough, NH 03468-0095; (603)924-9114; e-mail: perspec@monad.mv.com. web site: www.mv.com/ipusers/monad/ Membership in Monadnock Perspectives, which includes a subscription to this quarterly newsletter, is deductible for Federal Income Tax purposes and available as follows: Student/Senior Citizen $3, Individual $5, Couple $7.50, Family $10, Regular $15, Sustaining $100, Benefactor $250 or more.

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plan will require 8-10 years to implement—that’s a decade of construction related delays, detours and pollution.

And this plan will cost New Hampshire and U.S. taxpayers $66 million.

The modern roundabout (not to be confused with rotaries or traffic circles) is a proven alternative. It has been in use in Europe for several decades. In the last 5 years, over 100 roundabouts have been constructed in the U.S. Roundabouts handle heavy traffic volumes by constantly moving traffic at low speeds, rather than releasing ‘platoons’ of traffic at higher speeds, as do lights. This results in a 40-60% reduction in emissions compared to signalized intersections. Again owing to their reduced speed, roundabouts are dramatically safer than signalized intersections.

Applied to Keene, roundabouts would require about 10% of the space required by NHDOT’s large intersections with their braided lanes, ramps, bridges and lights. Thus use of round-

abouts would obviate the need for any wetlands destruction. The Brattleboro, VT, roundabout was recently constructed for $1.4 million, and this was considered expensive by roundabout experts. DOT’s plan for just three of the major Keene intersections would cost over $30 million. The potential for savings to state and federal taxpayers is enormous.

NHDOT must recognize that the

people of this region have a right to call for reconsideration given the growing awareness of alternatives to conventional traffic design and engineering. We need assurance that NHDOT will sincerely engage with state-of-the-art design options. And the city of Keene needs to know that DOT will not draw tight its purse strings and head for greener pastures, instead of making an honest reconsideration.

–Bob King

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

A Monadnock Region Challenge: The Convergence of State Highways on Keene Program will be held from 7-9 PM in the Antioch Graduate School's Community Room, Avon Street, Keene.

This informational meeting will discuss the proposed bypass expansion, threats to natural resources, and straight talk on roundabouts as a safe solution for Keene's traffic congestion. Sponsors include Monadnock Perspectives, the Harris Center, Concerned Cheshire Citizens, the Conservation Law Foundation, the Monadnock Group of the New Hampshire Sierra Club.

For more information, contact Annie Faulkner at 847-9798 or d9cat@cheshire.net.

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