The Trustee-endorsed proposal to study pedestrianizing Main Street is based upon a preliminary engineering analysis that showed wait times and traffic congestion throughout the village center could be dramatically reduced by routing Main Street traffic onto the Crescent Connector and converting Five Corners to a standard four-way intersection. A major cause of traffic backing up on Park Street, Pearl Street, Main Street and Maple Street is the unusually long light cycle required by the five-way intersection. This preliminary study was based upon data collected for the Crescent Connector project. The Crescent Connector project is fully funded and will move forward in the summers of 2016 and 2017. The Main Street closure concept is still entirely conceptual and must receive a thorough engineering and environmental analysis before any further steps are taken. That analysis also requires the Crescent Connector be Completed first.
If further analysis shows the Main Street concept is correct (it must clear many hurdles first) the Village government would need to collaborate with downtown businesses to address the impacts before proceeding. For example, we would need to find a way to replace the parking spaces for Main Street businesses. That would require a long range strategic planning program that affects other parts of the Village center as well.
No further actions on the Main Street pedestrianization concept can occur until the Crescent Connector is in place after 2017. If further analysis indicates a significant traffic benefit, the Village would need to initiate a comprehensive public outreach campaign. The simulation at right shows how the conversion of Five Corners to a four-way intersection would work with the Crescent Connector in place. Note that the concept requires additional signaled intersections at Maple Street and Park Street. However, because they are standard four-way intersections, the cumulative wait times are still significantly less than for the current five-way model, which is why traffic moves more efficiently on all roads with reduced vehicle stacking. The removal of traffic from Main Street at the five-way intersection also reduces the lanes entering the intersection from 16 to 12, and provides more room and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. It would also allow room to expand the size of Veterans Memorial Park and connect it to a pedestrian area.
To see the larger version of the simulation copy, please click on the "YouTube" icon on the bottom right hand of the simulation.