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Bridge Street corridor update: consultants present alternatives and BRT options; council favors bidirectional single‑lane concept
Summary
Consultants presented the Bridge Street visioning study with cross‑section designs, multi‑use paths, medians and several Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) strategies; several council members favored a bidirectional single‑lane BRT option that balances proximity to activity with limited traffic mixing.
Tammy Noble and consultant Jeff Speck updated council on the Bridge Street corridor visioning study, reviewing preferred alternatives, block‑by‑block cross sections, proposed medians, tree planting, multi‑use paths and sidewalk improvements. Speck emphasized context‑sensitive design to reduce design speeds, add walking and biking accommodations and preserve existing trees where curblines stay the same.
Speck outlined four BRT approaches for the central segment (mixing with traffic, single bidirectional lane with signaling, two dedicated lanes in the center, and a separated busway) and said option B (a single bidirectional lane with stations placed to favor High Street proximity) was his preferred bidirectional choice. Several council members expressed concern about eliminating particular westbound lanes in the west segment (near the Post Road interchange) and asked that staff perform traffic modeling; many members said they supported preparing the corridor for future BRT while not committing to immediate construction of dedicated lanes.
