Albany Mayor Kathy M. Sheehan, New York State Assembly Member Patricia Fahy, New York State Department of Transportation officials, as well as cyclists and local residents gathered on Thursday, August 25th to celebrate the launch of the first phase of the Madison Avenue Traffic Calming Project, which includes the striping of new bike lanes and the restriping of road lanes to make it safer for all users. During the event, officials announced that funding for Phase 2 of the Traffic Calming Project has been secured from state and federal funding sources.
The project’s first phase, which stretches from Allen to Partridge Streets, will make Madison Avenue more friendly and safe for cyclists, mass transit users, motorists, and pedestrians, including seniors, children, and the disabled.
The project, which resulted from 4 years of public meetings, includes:
- The addition of 2 bike lanes, one in each direction, to make cycling more inviting
- Reducing 4 lanes to 3 lanes, including 1 turning lane, to make the road easier to cross and safer
- Timed traffic signals to keep traffic flowing steadily, but more slowly
- New ADA compliant pedestrian crossings with countdown times
While the striping of the first phase is largely done, the completion of the pedestrian signals will continue through the fall. The second phase, which will bring the same amenities from Partridge to Lark Streets, will begin in 2017. Eighty percent of the first phase, which cost $723,000, is funded by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration through the New York State Department of Transportation, with the remainder being funded by a City of Albany bond. The second phase, will be funded with $1.4 million from the Federal Highway Administration through the New York State Department of Transportation.
Click here to read the full article on the City of Albany website