Taking a calculated approach to pedestrian safety.
Preparatory to making improvements at two of the campus’s busiest pedestrian crossings (6th Street where it intersects the campus mall and Deakin Avenue where pedestrians cross the road between the Bookstore and Student Union Building), the BWA team conducted an intensive traffic study. Guided by the results, BWA designed traffic-calming features to slow vehicle traffic and improve pedestrian safety. Visual, tactile and elevation-change cues indicate that something special is happening at the crossings. Each intersection incorporates a speed table and plaza space. A landscaped median integrated in the speed table at each location narrows vehicle travel lanes, further slowing traffic. As a signal to pedestrians, the pavement changes from a brick pattern to decorative colored concrete back to a brick pattern. The curb-high speed tables make ramps unnecessary, facilitating crossing for those with disabilities. A post-construction traffic study confirmed the improvements significantly reduce vehicle speed.
Specifications
- Client: University of Idaho
- Location: Moscow, Idaho
- Size: 52,000 square feet and 615 linear feet of roadway improvements
- Completed: 2015