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State Highway Administration outlines steps to improve River Road safety; town to review study
Summary
At a recent SHA meeting, officials presented a crash history and proposed near‑term measures (speed reductions, bike lane delineation, signage, crosswalk enhancements) and a federally funded longer‑term plan for separated bike lanes connecting to the Capital Crescent Trail; councilors urged additional crossing lights and requested the study be circulated to the council.
Council member Kabir reported on a State Highway Administration meeting reviewing safety on River Road, where SHA presented a crash history and proposed a set of near‑ and medium‑term measures aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Kabir said SHA recommended immediate steps including reduced speed limits in choke points, plastic delineators to make bike lanes more visible, clearer signage, trimming vegetation that blocks sightlines, and upgrading at least one crosswalk to a continental marking. "Their assessment is this is gonna make a difference," Kabir said, summarizing the presentation (speaker 2).
A longer‑term plan—supported by a federal grant—would reconfigure bike lanes into a separated facility away from the roadway where possible and better connect to the Capital Crescent Trail. Council members asked whether SHA could install a light at the dangerous mid‑section crosswalk under the bridge and urged a faster implementation timetable where fatalities or severe crashes have occurred. Kabir agreed to circulate the SHA study and flagged pages of interest for council review.
No town commitments of funding were made at the meeting; the discussion centered on coordination with SHA and potential suggestions from residents for specific improvements.
