Hwy 5/West Seventh Street

Design concepts for all segments

No build

A no-build alternative focuses on continuous maintenance to preserve the existing West Seventh St. conditions. It does not address any of the pavement, pedestrian accessibility, or safety issues that exist.
No-build alternatives are typically included as an option in order to evaluate and compare potential improvements.

Pedestrian improvements

Identified improvements could include curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, leading pedestrian signals, and pedestrian-activated signals.

Curb extensions at curb ramps

• Reduce pedestrian crossing distance
• Improve pedestrian visibility

Pedestrian activated crossing beacon

• Improve pedestrian safety
• Locations under consideration
• Between Homer St. and Dealton Ave.
• Rankin St. intersection
• Ann St. and Goodhue St. intersection

Stormwater treatment and environmental sustainability

• Introduce permeable surfaces, including rain gardens in boulevards, curb extensions, and medians
• Use native pollinator habitat where possible
• Introduce native plantings and street trees
• Introduce stormwater pretreatment
• Locations to be determined

Roadway improvements

Four- to three-lane

• Crash reduction
• Reduce rear-end and left-turn crashes
• Fewer lanes for people to cross
• Space for bicycle lanes
• Improves left turns from side streets
• Improves traffic flow
• Less lane weaving

Center median

• Creates physical buffer between head-to-head traffic
• Creates an opportunity to reduce the impervious surface by using green space in the median
• Creates opportunity for aesthetic improvements
• Creates an opportunity for access control by introducing right-in / right-out access along West Seventh St.
• May calm traffic
• Improves traffic safety

Owner driven driveway consolidation or removal

• Reduce conflict points
• Improve traffic safety
• Improve walkability
• Increase available on-street parking

Segment 1

1 – St. Paul Ave.

Option 1

Modify existing two-way connection between St. Paul Ave. to more typical one-way free right-turn lane

• Improved driver expectations by moving West Seventh St. left-turn movements to the signalized intersection

Option 2

Add a pedestrian median refuge island on St. Paul Ave.

• Improves walkability

Option 3

Reduce intersection skew by reconstructing and realigning St. Paul Ave. approach

• Eliminates unsignalized two-way connection
• Improves walkability

2 – Add sidewalk or shared-use path between St. Paul Ave. to Montreal Ave.

• Improves walkability
• Impacts to Section 4(f) protected land
• Significant grading and excavation due to the existing topography

3 – Raised median on West Seventh from St. Paul Ave. to Montreal Ave.

4 – Reduce intersection skew on I-35E southbound exit intersection

• Reduces or eliminates intersection skew
• Improves walkability
• Improves traffic safety
• Significant grading impacts adjacent to I-35E

5 – Enhanced pedestrian crossing

Pedestrian crossing between Homer St. and Dealton Ave.

• Replace in-place temporary island with permanent refuge island
• Increased pedestrian crossing safety
• Potential pedestrian activated crossing beacon

Rankin St. pedestrian crossing

• Relocate westbound bus stop and crossing to west side of intersection
• Add pedestrian refuge island
• Increased pedestrian crossing safety
• Potential pedestrian activated beacon

Montreal Ave. pedestrian crossing

• Improves walkability
• Improves traffic safety
• Opportunity to reconfigure eastbound lanes
• Significant grading impacts adjacent to I-35E

Segment 2

1 – Convert free right-turn lane into traditional right-turn lane at I-35E northbound exit/entrance

• Adversely affects traffic operations
• Improves walkability and accessibility

2 – Realign Chatsworth St. to intersect with Rogers St. north of West Seventh St.

• Improves walkability
• Potential right-of-way impacts

3 – Update traffic control at Victoria St.

• Improves traffic safety
• Improves walkability

4 – Add pedestrian refuge islands

• Locations considered:
• Montreal Way southwest leg
• Thurston St. southwest leg
• Perlman St. southwest leg
• Eleanor Ave. northeast leg
• Canton St. southwest leg
• View St. southwest leg
• Watson Ave. southwest leg
• Armstrong Ave northeast leg
• Erie St. northeast leg

Access management

5 – Add restricted access with median on minor approach of intersection

• Locations considered:
• Right-in/right-out from Milton St.
• Right-in/right-out from Day St.
• Reduces conflict points
• Improves driver expectations
• Improves traffic safety

6 – Add restricted access with median on West Seventh St.

• Locations considered:
  • Tuscarora Ave. and View St.
  • Armstron Ave. and Bay St.
  • Toronto St.

7 – Access closures.

• Locations considered:
  • Palace Ave.
  • Oneida St.

Segment 3

1 – Convert road from four-lane to a three-lane

2 – Add pedestrian refuge.

• Locations considered:
  • Goodhue St. and Ann St. southwest leg
  • Goodhue St. and Ann St. northwest leg
  • McBoal St. southwest leg

3 – Traffic signal removal and pedestrian crossing enhancements at West Seventh St. and Ann St. and Goodhue St. intersection

• Reduces pedestrian crossing distance
• Creates opportunity for green infrastructure
• Creates opportunity for aesthetic improvements

Access management

4 – Right-in / right-out restricted access with median on West Seventh.

• Locations considered:
  • Michigan St. and Western Ave.
  • Ann St. and Goodhue St.

5 – Access closure or modification

• Locations considered:
  • Dousman St. north leg between West Seventh St. and Goodrich Ave.
• Leech St. north leg
• Reduces conflict points

Segment 4

1 – Convert road from four-lane to a three-lane

2 – Add bicycle facilities

• One-way bicycle lanes on both sides of the road
• Two-way bicycle lanes on one side of road with barrier curb and bollards
• Improves bicycle network and connectivity between downtown and more residential and commercial areas to the west
• Potential impacts to on-street parking for the existing four-lane configuration

Segment 5

1 – Convert road from four-lane to a three-lane

2 – Add bicycle facilities

• One-way bicycle lanes on both sides of the road
• Two-way bicycle lanes on one side of road with barrier curb and bollards
• Improves bicycle network and connectivity between downtown and more residential and commercial areas to the west
• Potential impacts to on-street parking for the existing four-lane configuration

3 – Curb realignment between Wall St. and Broadway St. parallel to road centerline

• Opportunity to introduce green infrastructure

4 – Add sidewalk connection on bridge over I-94

• Improve walkability
• Would need to eliminate a driving lane to accommodate

5 – Kellogg Blvd. to Sixth St. area

• Eliminate channelized free right-turn lanes at both intersections
• Evaluate alternative pavement options to replace deteriorating red concrete
• Development of “sense of place” alternatives are in progress and may include green infrastructure, vegetation, and landscaping