City of Danville, Illinois
February 16, 2010 Update
The design team continues to work on the issues raised at public meetings. For details, click here.
Combined Jackson and Voorhees Street Public Informational Meeting: July 8, 2009, 6 PM
The next step in the Jackson Street Corridor Community Design Project is to decide on the final configuration of the offset intersection of Jackson and Voorhees. The City of Danville had two intersection designs performed to follow up the desires expressed at previous stakeholder meetings. The first design is a traditional intersection with turn lanes and an all way stop. The intersection could be upgraded to a signalized intersection in the future if there is a need. The second design is a roundabout. Since the intersection is part of the Voorhees Street Improvement Project, the intersection type needs to be determined so the City can get State and Federal approval for the Voorhees project. The approval will also mean the intersection improvement can be eligible for State and Federal funding.
The meeting will be held at the new Public Works Facility at 1155 E Voorhees (the old IP building). Public comments will be gathered and incorporated into part of both projects.
Official Public Notice: Notice.pdf
Voorhees Street Improvement Project
Aesthetics Stakeholder Meeting: March 4th, 6 PM
Twelve citizens and five City staff members participated in the first Aesthetics stakeholder meeting. The group reviewed the consensus items from the Hard Surfaces stakeholders and discussed the impacts of those decisions on the Aesthetics group. The discussion focussed mainly on the north section, the area between Voorhees and Ridgeview.
The key issues brought up were:
1. Drainage needs to be accounted for.
2. Maintenance of landscaping.
3. Trash control.
4. Overhead utilities.
5. Costs.
6. Vehicular speed.
Various ideas were discussed to resolve the issues with the following direction given to the design team:
1. Maintain the functionality of the existing stormsewer system, especially at sidestreets. This will be accomlished during detailed design to insure that drainage patterns are accounted for. The decrease in the amount of pavement will decrease the amount of rainwater runoff entering the storm sewer system.
2. Incorporate landscaped parkways between the back of curb and the shared us path on one side and between the back of curb and the right of way on the opposite side. The designer should work with each property owner as to what type of landscaping to install. Some property owners would want only grass. Others may desire landscaped drainage swales with salt tolerant plants. The landscaping will also decrease the amount of stormwater runoff. Perforated tiles should be installed in drainage control areas so that no standing water occurs.
3. Trash control was a major concern. There is already a trash problem in the area. It was discussed that providing landscaping will not increase the amount of trash and even could help decrease the amount of trash by raising the standards of appearance in the corridor. The design team will look at strategic placement of decorative trash receptacles and work with property owners for their maintenance.
4. Although burying overhead utilities would be desired, the cost of doing so could be prohibitive. If the design team can find a mechanism to offset the cost of burying the utilities, they should do so. Otherwise, the landscaping and overall change of the cross section should improve and help hide the utilities. The utilities should be relocated outside the shared use path.
5. Project costs, can we afford it. At a minimum, the sidewalks and curbs need to be rebuilt. The street pavement needs major rehabilitation. Rebuilding to the existing cross section would be the most expensive alternative. The proposed street cross section decreases the amount of new pavement and decreased the pavement area that the city has to maintain. The design team will look at the most economic rehabilitation methods, but one idea that has been considered is to rubbilize the existing pavement, leave it in place and use it as a base for the new pavement.
6. Vehicular speed. The group discussed high speeds and the need to lower speeds. The reason for using smaller travel lanes to reduce speeds was explained. The group came up with the idea of using trees and other vertical landscaping elements along the parkways to make the street feel narrower to help slow vehicles.
The design team will meet next with the Schools Stakeholder group. After that meeting another Hard Surfaces Stakeholder meeting will probably be needed. A final summation meeting in mid summer should be feasible.
Hard Surfaces Stakeholder Meeting: Feb. 18th, 6 PM
Seven citizens and eight City staff members participated in the first stakeholder meeting.
The group reviewed the public comments received since the November 12th meeting and focused on evaluating the north section of the project between Voorhees and Ridgeview. The group reached a consensus that the most desireable cross section to develop consists of 2-11 foot lanes, curb and gutter, and a 10 foot off street shared use path on one side of the street. This concept would shrink the face to face of curb width from the existing 36 feet to 24 feet. Sidewalk on the other side of the street would be replaced with green space and off street parking provisions where needed. The group reviewed traditional versus roundabout intersections and noted that the overall space required were not that much different. The group asked engineering to further develop a roundabout concept at English and Jackson.
With the typical cross section in hand, the next steps are to meet with the Aesthetics stakeholders and the School stakeholders. Staff will also develop typical cross sections to consider for the mid section between English and Voorhees.
Jackson Street Corridor Community Design project
Project Need: The public has made known their feelings about the condition of Jackson Street via telephone, email, ward meetings, council meetings and through the street repair survey. We receive more input about Jackson Street than any other in the City showing that the community thinks Jackson Street is the highest priority street for us to address. Concerns about the pavement, curb, and sidewalk conditions were common as well as intersections, vehicular speed, and pedestrian accomodations. Be a part of shaping Jackson Street for future generations to come, sign up to become a stakeholder.
Summary of the November 12, 2008 Community Design Meeting
After reviewing the existing conditions and a slide show that included current trends and designs in traffic calming, pedestrian accomodations, intersection safety and green drainage; participants were asked to assess the existing strengths and weaknesses of the corridor and to list their desired improvements. The results of this worksheet and the general comment forms received thus far show the following commonalities:
- Pedestrian / bicycle accomodations separated from traffic were the most common desired improvement. This concern also included pedestrian crossing improvements at the schools (Edison, Northridge, and Danville High School).
- Intersection improvements to address pedestrians, alignment, and capacity. The improvements should consider roundabouts if they are a viable alternative.
- Pride in ownership in the northern section between Voorhees and Ridgeview was seen as a strength.
- Vehicular speed. Narrower lanes widths and other traffic calming devices should be evaluated.
- Improvements to aesthetics by burying the overhead utilities.
- Pavement condition. Asphalt was the most common preferred new pavement type to improve rideability.
- Improvements to aesthetics and the environment by using bioswales and othe green drainage techiques with the cooperation of homeowners.
- Sight distance issues in the northern section related to the vertical curves on the street should be addressed.