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Pheasant Branch Road Safety
Current Conditions
NORTH of Whittlesey Road, most of PB Road is within the Town of Springfield, although Middleton shares the portion abutting the Redtail Ridge subdivision. This rural segment is significantly degraded, lacks shoulders, and is at most 20 feet wide. An crushed limestone trail with a short boardwalk section runs along the east side of the road and tends to be in poor condition following a heavy rain and during freeze/thaw cycles, prompting some trail users to choose to walk or bike along the road instead.
SOUTH of Whittlesey Road, PB Road is about 22 feet wide and is owned by Middleton. Prior to this segment's reconstruction two decades ago, city officials purposefully decided not to upgrade the road to an urban cross-section (with curbs, gutters, and sidewalks) so as to slow down driver speeds, minimize tree loss, and avoid the installation of retaining walls to overcome steep topography. This segment features two short sidewalks--one connecting Conservancy Lane with Old Creek Road, the other connecting several residences with Gaylord Nelson Rd). There is also a steep shared-use path connecting the conservancy overlook parking lot with Whittlesey Road and the West conservancy trail.
Middleton's "Complete Streets" policy
Like many progressive communities, Middleton is committed to developing a safer, comfortable, reliable, efficient, integrated, and connected multimodal transportation network that is accessible to all users regardless of age, ability, income, or access to personal vehicles. In 2022, the city adopted a "complete streets" policy to help achieve this vision.
A key component of the city's vision is to limit street width and other design components to only the extent necessary, not only to reduce costs but to foster better environmental stewardship. Widening Pheasant Branch Road, particularly south of Whittlesey Road, would necessitate clearing dozens of mature trees and the installation of a significant retaining wall system to overcome steep topography. The West Trail in the conservancy parallels Pheasant Branch Road and thus serves as an established connection between Whittlesey Road and the Century Ave./Branch St. intersection; however, some pedestrians and bicyclists cannot easily use this path due to its condition. Furthermore, it has been allowed to narrow from its installed 10 ft. width, resulting in greater conflicts between various user groups.
Options for improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety
The following options are influenced by feedback I have received in response to the concept I introduced. Regardless of which is chosen, it is imperative that Pheasant Branch Road, particularly north of Whittlesey, be repaved to eliminate potholes and uneven surfaces.
STATUS QUO: Expect pedestrians and bicyclists to use alternate routes, or to continue taking risks walking or riding along Pheasant Branch Road. By the end of next summer, High Road will have sidewalks and bicycle lanes between Century Avenue and Greenbriar Road. However, this means that residents who live near PB road would have to detour about half a mile west and then again half a mile east to access community services in eastern Middleton.
MODIFY THE EXISTING ROAD so that it prioritizes pedestrians and bicyclists over motorists. This could entail the use of speed humps and similar traffic calming devices, or using a barrier or bollards to separate peds/bikes from northbound-only traffic, etc. Downsides include enforcement challenges, continued poor sightlines at the sharp curve, and (if the one-way concept is chosen) southbound drivers needing to find an alternate route.
UPGRADE THE ROAD to an urban cross-section so that it includes curb, gutter, and some combination of sidewalk and bike lanes or shared-use path. This would entail a significant widening of the roadway, which would necessitate removal of dozens of mature trees and the addition of one or more retaining walls to help overcome steep topography. This option would be very expensive to implement and have the greatest environmental impact.
UPGRADE THE EXISTING TRAIL paralleling Pheasant Branch Road by restoring its original width and paving it so that it provides year-round accessibility to all users. The existing limestone surface is prone to erosion and runoff, yet it is compacted to such a degree that its imperviousness is comparable to asphalt. The key to minimizing user conflicts--the greatest concern about this option--is restoring the width and educating all trail. users how to share the trail with each other. Some cities, such as Fort Collins, CO, also enforce a speed limit along trails, such as 15 mph.
City review of the concept
On May 19, the Council requested that pertinent committees review the concept in the context of including it in the draft Active Transportation Plan, which remains under development.