156 th Street Design in Bennington Public Open House Meeting October 28, 2009 City of Bennington, NE

Project Area Highway 36 Bennington Road City Hall 156 th St Bennington Elementary School

Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected

May 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document

May 2007 Sep 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held

Jan 2008 May 2007 Sep 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Preliminary Engineering

Jan 2008 May 2007 Sep 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental Documentation (NEPA) Preliminary Engineering

Jan 2008 Sep 2009 FHWA May 2007 Sep 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental Documentation (NEPA) City Preliminary Engineering

Jan 2008 Sep 2009 Public Open House FHWA May 2007 Sep 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental Documentation (NEPA) City Preliminary Engineering Oct 2009 Public Open House

Jan 2008 Sep 2009 Oct 2009 Public Open House FHWA May 2007 Sep 2007 Jan 2007 Project History Team Selected FHWA authorized preparation of a NEPA Environmental Document 1 st Public Information Meeting Held Environmental Documentation (NEPA) City Preliminary Engineering Environmental document is currently under review

Project Goals Improve Safety of Traffic flow (Vehicular and Pedestrian) Control Excessive Traffic Speeding Address Traffic Congestion and Queuing problems during School peak hours Improve Drainage and inadequate Storm Sewer system

Project Needs Excessive Speeding along 156 th Street 171 traffic citations (2006); 199 citations (2007); 150 citations (2008); 135 citations (Jan-June 2009) Speed Records along 156 th Street for mph for mph

Speed – Drivers Cone of Vision 40 mph  30 mph  20 mph

Project Needs Poor Traffic Operations and Queuing during school peak hours.

Project Needs Drainage – Open Ditches and existing storm sewer inadequate causing runoff and flooding.

Project Needs Roadway – 156 th Street Pavement rapidly degrading. No resurfacing or rehab done in the last years.

Project Alternatives No-Build Alternative No-Build Alternative Current 2-lane section along 156 th St 4-way stop at 156 th St & Bennington Rd Does not improve traffic operations, excessive speeding and queuing issues Does not improve safety of Pedestrian/ Bicycles Drainage problems will continue to exist

Project Alternatives Build Alternatives Build Alternatives Widen 156 th Street to a 3-lane roadway with a center left-turn lane Provides additional capacity to handle future volumes and queuing at School Provides a refuge lane for left-turning vehicles Provides a transition area for medians and landscaping – shorter pedestrian crossings Traffic Calming like Chicanes (curved roadway) can be effectively incorporated to slow traffic

Project Alternatives Incorporate ‘Traffic Calming’ elements to control excessive speeding Chicanes (Curved Roadway) Medians Landscaping, Trees Roundabouts etc.

Project Alternatives Build Alternatives Build Alternatives Install a Traffic Signal at 156 th St & Bennington Rd More Right-of-way needed to install exclusive left-turn lanes Volumes do not meet ‘Federal Traffic Signal Warrants’ till 2030 – No federal money can be used

Project Alternatives Build Alternatives Build Alternatives Install a Roundabout at 156 th St & Bennington Rd Excellent traffic control to reduce speeds (15-20 mph) Good pedestrian crossings – Shorter crossing distance with refuge medians (one lane at a time) ADA compliant design Eligible for federal funding Functions as a ‘Gateway’ from South

North Segment

Chicanes Curved Roadways to break drivers line-of-sight and Slow drivers

South Segment

Roundabout

Intersection Conflict Points

Roundabouts – How they work ? Source/ Credit: Kansas Dept of Transportation

Roundabouts (similar to the proposed one in Bennington) Test Drive a Roundabout in Omaha Happy Hollow Blvd & Elmwood Park Road ( near 60 th & Dodge)

Public Opinion about Roundabouts Source: Wisconsin Dept of Transportation

Project Area Stop Signs 3-Lane Section (Center turn lane + 1 NB thru lane + 1SB thru lane

Project Area Chicane

Project Area

Roundabout Design

Landscaping

Estimated Costs Project Total Cost - $ 3,7000,000 (approx.) 156 th St/ Bennington Rd Intersection Roundabout - $ 375,000 Traffic Signal - $ 550,000 Mill & Overlay Total Cost - $ 200,000 (approx.) (1” mill + 2” overlay to existing roadway – no drainage improvements or traffic signals or roundabouts )

Thank You Please proceed to any of the stations to Review the preliminary plans Ask questions

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