Traffic Congestion, Road Construction, & Improvement Projects

[ausrutherford]

And here is my next question what happens to the I385-I85-Woodruff road interchange and the awful exits for Laurens and Pelham?

[GVLbikeNboard]

I almost couldn't get off at Woodruff Rd from 385 today because there was so much traffic coming into the highway...I had to play Ricky Bobby for a few seconds to avoid being late to work.

[ausrutherford]

When they redo it, they better not have a way for drivers to get on the West part of Woodruff from 385. The whole get of Woodruff of I85 heading south is a traffic jam.

There is no need for it. People can either get on woodruff from the eastern exit on woodruff (fuddruckers) or using Roper Mt in the west.

Also, there should be no more roundabouts. Use overpasses for the whole connection.

[gman430]

The fourth (right) lane between I-85 and Pelham Road will be extended to those exits. Construction is slated to start later this year.

$50 million dollar interchange improvement for I-85 at Laurens Road was approved last year: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/committeeinfo/SenateTransportationCommittee/SCDOTPresentation090811.pdf (Page 12) I don't know when construction is slated to start on it though.

$240 million I-85/I-385/Woodruff Road interchange project is slated to start construction in Winter 2014.

When they redo it, they better not have a way for drivers to get on the West part of Woodruff from 385. The whole get of Woodruff of I85 heading south is a traffic jam.

There is no need for it. People can either get on woodruff from the eastern exit on woodruff (fuddruckers) or using Roper Mt in the west.

Also, there should be no more roundabouts. Use overpasses for the whole connection.

IMO, this idea would do nothing but cause even more traffic where there is currently no room for it. Have you seen Woodruff Road in front of Magnolia Park on a Saturday? Imagine twice as much traffic trying to go through there. That's what would happen if your idea came to fruition due to all the cars that used to get off at I-85/Woodruff shifting to there and I-385/Woodruff Road. Yikes. Keep the I-85/Woodruff interchange open on all sides I say. Closing even part of it would be a big mistake.

Edited June 20, 2012 by citylife

[ausrutherford]

The fourth (right) lane between I-85 and Pelham Road will be extended to those exits. Construction is slated to start later this year.

$50 million dollar interchange improvement for I-85 at Laurens Road was approved last year: http://www.scstateho...ation090811.pdf (Page 12) I don't know when construction is slated to start on it though.

$240 million I-85/I-385/Woodruff Road interchange project is slated to start construction in Winter 2014.

IMO, this idea would do nothing but cause even more traffic where there is currently no room for it. Have you seen Woodruff Road in front of Magnolia Park on a Saturday? Imagine twice as much traffic trying to go through there. That's what would happen if your idea came to fruition due to all the cars that used to get off at I-85/Woodruff shifting to there and I-385/Woodruff Road. Yikes. Keep the I-85/Woodruff interchange open on all sides I say. Closing even part of it would be a big mistake.

I didn't mean shut down the whole south I85 exit onto Woodruff. I85 traffic would still be able to get off there. Its just that I385 traffic should get off at the Woodruff-I385 or Roper Mt.-I385 exits. This would make so the the traffic from I385 to I85 south doesn't have to deal with people wanting to exit onto woodruff from I85.

The current way, there is only like a 300 ft area to get off the exit to woodruff if you want to head south on I85. Plus the turn there is awful.

[gman430]

When you mention this, you're talking about along the entrance and exit ramps, or what is already planted in the medians at Haywood & 385, or something else? Just curious.

Appropriation of funds or this project: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CouncilAgendas/minutes/2012/JUNE/Formal/6-25-2012/Item14b-Appropriaion%20for%20Landscape%20Improvements.pdf

[GvilleSC]

Appropriation of funds or this project: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/CouncilAgendas/minutes/2012/JUNE/Formal/6-25-2012/Item14b-Appropriaion%20for%20Landscape%20Improvements.pdf

That's great! I am glad the opportunity to do this as a part of the improvement plans was not overlooked!

[vicupstate]

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/assets/pdf/BS19163475.PDF

Article in today's Gville News on Church St. project. The DT Street Masterplan was on their website as well. I had not seen it on here previously.

[gman430]

Well, seeing how the Church Street improvement project is pretty much completely finished I rank it a solid C-. Reasons for my ranking include too many concrete medians and not enough landscaped ones, sidewalks not being wide enough, and overhead power lines still all over the place. They could have at least moved the power poles to the other side of the sidewalk and have them on one side of the street like you see on Fairforest Way instead of having them right next to the road. I also have noticed that almost half of the new taller decorative street lights appear to not work at night which definitely isn't good. While this project is an improvement than what Church Street was previously, I feel enough wasn't done for the price with the road still looking cluttered.

Edited July 6, 2012 by citylife

[GvilleSC]

http://www.greenvill.../BS19163475.PDF

Article in today's Gville News on Church St. project. The DT Street Masterplan was on their website as well. I had not seen it on here previously.

Thanks for sharing the Street Masterplan! I love the ideas for the cultural corridor.

[Gville2012]

Well, seeing how the Church Street improvement project is pretty much completely finished I rank it a solid C-. Reasons for my ranking include too many concrete medians and not enough landscaped ones, sidewalks not being wide enough, and overhead power lines still all over the place. They could have at least moved the power poles to the other side of the sidewalk and have them on one side of the street like you see on Fairforest Way instead of having them right next to the road. I also have noticed that almost half of the new taller decorative street lights appear to not work at night which definitely isn't good. While this project is an improvement than what Church Street was previously, I feel enough wasn't done for the price with the road still looking cluttered.

Something to add is they also have not removed the old street lights that are connected to the old electrical poles. Maybe they will come through and do this at another time, but all the equiptment has already been removed.

[ausrutherford]

I would like to see the Academy and Church bridges replaces with new artistic suspension bridges like what Dallas is doing downtown. The current ones are just drab and do not fit in.

Also the overpasses of Academy (Near Bi-Lo center) and Church overpasses (like that over Stone) should be replaces also with the London Tower bridge feel from the Stone master plan. These overpasses are very old and need to be replaced anyway.

[ausrutherford]

Another idea I got from downtown Boulder, Colorado:

Shut off a piece of N.Main St to cars and make it only for pedestrian traffic. Would include shutting down from McBee to College St. Also E.Coffee St. from N.Main to N.Brown St.

This would increase traffic into the shops along the route. Pedestrian traffic would also increase just by proximity north on main where not as many shops reside.

Along the area they would have sitting areas, a fountain, playground, a boulder waterfall, and perhaps one of those water playgrounds where the water shoots out of the ground for the kids.

[vicupstate]

Someone on a different thread made reference to this.

Fair should not have stopped this singlehandedly and 'heavy-handedly'. This completely undermines the entire process. It's interesting how this occurred AFTER the recent primary as well. Tommie Reece was trying to collect signatures for her Petttion candidacy, maybe this will help her. Even if you don;t like th road diet, this is the wrong way to do things.

from Gville News:

Aborted plans for a “road diet” on Old Buncombe Road has some residents in the area’s redeveloping neighborhoods pointing fingers at elected leaders who they say nixed the plan to tame traffic while adding bike and pedestrian space.

At issue is a four-lane state road where crews have already begun chewing up asphalt to repave a piece of the stretch that runs from Pete Hollis Boulevard near downtown to near Furman University.

Petitions had circulated to put Old Buncombe on a “road diet,” restriping the new surface to create two driving lanes, a center turn lane and more bike and pedestrian space. The road appears to qualify for such a redesign under state rules, and residents thought they had a plan.

Now, though, the plan is off and at least one state senator said he was responding to local concerns about snarling car traffic.

J.D. Harrison, who lives on Old Buncombe, said he witnessed an accident in front of his house the day he moved in three years ago, and there have been four more since, one involving a wheelchair.

With four lanes and light traffic, cars tend to fly well beyond the speed limit, residents say, and supporters argue for more safety all around — for cars trying to turn left, for cyclists who use the stretch and for pedestrians who walk on the cusp of traffic.

“How many times does an accident have to happen before somebody begins to take notice?” Harrison said.

State Sen. Mike Fair told GreenvilleOnline.com today that he doesn’t support the road diet and intervened on behalf of County Council members who had concerns about congesting traffic.

The issue, he said, should be solved at the local level.

“I intervened, but not in a power role,” he said. “I don’t have that authority,” although he said he does have legislative seniority.

GreenvilleOnline.com is trying to reach Councilman Willis Meadows, who represents the area.

Fair, who is from the area, said he’s familiar with the traffic on Old Buncombe and has fielded complaints over the years about bikes getting in the way of cars.

“Bike paths aren’t a solution,” Fair said. “It just puts a line, and there’s nothing in that line on the side of the road that’s going to keep a car from plowing into a biker.”

Asked about the safety value of creating more space, he said, “It creates less space for the cars.”

Within city limits, road diets have been credited on East North Street and Washington Street with lower car speeds and creating safer spaces for bikes and pedestrians without significantly delaying commute times.

Old Buncombe would have been the first diet in the county, Fair said, adding that just because traffic engineers say it will work doesn’t mean it’s a better design.

Neighborhood leaders are meeting this afternoon on the issue, and GreenvilleOnline.com is developing this story.

Edited July 11, 2012 by vicupstate

[StrangeCock]

Why am I not surprised that Mike Fair is opposed to things like bike lanes? He probably believes in the eeeeeevil "Agenda 21" myth.

[scgubers]

What an unintelligent man. How can he debate the validity of traffic studies done by engineers who went to school to become experts?

[sc smitty]

Here's another great quote from today's Greenville News:

“I don’t agree with road diets,” said John Edwards, who represents the Greenville area on the state Transportation Commission and who said he intervened on the idea. “I think we’re tasked with keeping the roads to move people, and trucks and cars. I don’t think it’s a place for bicycles because I think it’s dangerous.”

It's sad that people like this are in charge of our road system. I hope these short-sighted people don't end up stopping a project like this. Seems like a great idea to me for a road that does not have heavy traffic.

[GvilleSC]

Here's another great quote from today's Greenville News:

“I don’t agree with road diets,” said John Edwards, who represents the Greenville area on the state Transportation Commission and who said he intervened on the idea. “I think we’re tasked with keeping the roads to move people, and trucks and cars. I don’t think it’s a place for bicycles because I think it’s dangerous.”

It's sad that people like this are in charge of our road system. I hope these short-sighted people don't end up stopping a project like this. Seems like a great idea to me for a road that does not have heavy traffic.

Based on that, I think it's pretty amazing that the City of Greenville has been able to do so many road diets.

[vicupstate]

Here's another great quote from today's Greenville News:

“I don’t agree with road diets,” said John Edwards, who represents the Greenville area on the state Transportation Commission and who said he intervened on the idea. “I think we’re tasked with keeping the roads to move people, and trucks and cars. I don’t think it’s a place for bicycles because I think it’s dangerous.”

It's sad that people like this are in charge of our road system. I hope these short-sighted people don't end up stopping a project like this. Seems like a great idea to me for a road that does not have heavy traffic.

This section only has 6,000-8,000 cars per day, which is less than East North at 10,000. The other sections of Old Buncombe are only two lanes anyway (with no turn lane) as well. This is a very good candidate for a road diet, especially considering 400 people signed a petiton for it.

Uninformed, close minded and power hungry, Edwards and Fair need to go.

[Galley]

There's definitely some shady things going on.

[gs3]

Uninformed, close minded and power hungry, Edwards and Fair need to go.

The thought process of these two people aren't isolated cases, sadly. Their thought process is fairly typical of many in this area.

[Greenville]

While I don't agree with Edwards and Fair in this particular instance, I do think they bring up a valid point. And that point is that we can't give every road a road diet. It is appropriate in many situations and I think Greenville has done a great job of that.

But for road diets to work, there must be other roads designed to handle the overflow and move people efficiently. There has to be a balance. Too many two-lane roads in busy areas of a metro area of our size would cause huge traffic problems.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Greenville

[johnpro318]

While I don't agree with Edwards and Fair in this particular instance, I do think they bring up a valid point. And that point is that we can't give every road a road diet. It is appropriate in many situations and I think Greenville has done a great job of that.

But for road diets to work, there must be other roads designed to handle the overflow and move people efficiently. There has to be a balance. Too many two-lane roads in busy areas of a metro area of our size would cause huge traffic problems.

I see that point but this road is definitely a perfect candidate for a road diet. Not to mention it will make the road designed to handle traffic in a safer way with with two lanes and a middle turning lane. In many cases, a two lane road with a turning lane median is way better than a four lane road with no turning lane. This would help make this area safer for residents and visitors.

[vicupstate]

• City Council Meets tonight to appropriate $68k to add landscaped medians to Wade Hampton Blvd between Church St and Bob Jones.
  
• Council will also appropriate $150k for Heritage Green Master Plan
  

[Greenville]

I was in Greenville this past weekend, and noticed that most of the areas along the interstate look very overgrown. I think it potentially makes a bad impression on visitors. Is there anything that can be done about this, from a concerned citizens' perspective?