Route 104 Corridor Trail Feasibility Study - Genesee Transportation ...

ALTERNATIVES
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Route 104 Corridor Trail Feasibility Study
2. Alternative 2: Active Transportation Package
The second alternative is a very different solution to the need for a multi-jurisdictional active transportation corridor
between Webster and Sodus. Instead of creating a new trail, this alternative proposes a package of transportation
enhancements that would make Ridge Road more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. The proposal is a rural application
of complete streets principles (see Appendix G). In addition to improvements to Ridge Road, this alternative
recommends improving bicycle and pedestrian connections between Ridge Road and Route 104. These
improvements are recommended along Furnace Road in Ontario and Lake Avenue in Williamson.
From the Monroe-Wayne County line to Route 88 in Sodus, Ridge Road is a two-lane road that roughly parallels
Route 104, and is maintained by Wayne County. Ridge Road has less traffic than Route 104, and the traffic
generally travels at slower speeds. These characteristics make Ridge Road a good candidate for a shared roadway.
Bicycle Improvements. AASHTO describes a shared
roadway as ―a roadway which is open to both bicycle
and motor vehicle travel. This may be an existing
roadway, street with wide curb lanes, or road with
paved shoulders.‖ Placing signs and pavement
markings on Ridge Road will serve to advise motorists
that bicycles are present. In most places, Ridge Road
has existing road shoulders that can accommodate
bicycle use. In some areas, additional striping may be
necessary. Striped shoulders are not necessary for a
shared roadway, but will provide additional room for
cyclists and motorists to share space.
Existing Conditions, Ridge Road, Williamson
In some ways, a shared roadway on Ridge Road will function much like a rural bicycle boulevard. A bicycle
boulevard is a low volume street that has been optimized for bicycle travel through traffic calming and diversion,
signage and pavement markings, and intersection crossing treatments. Bicycle boulevards are shared roadway
facilities that are comfortable and attractive to cyclists with a wide range of abilities and ages. Bicycle boulevards
should be located on routes that serve major origins, destinations and travel corridors (often paralleling an arterial),
and should be as direct and intuitive as possible.
However, a complete application of the bicycle boulevard concept is not recommended, as Ridge Road still has a fair
amount of traffic. Traffic calming and diversion techniques are not suggested at this time, but signage and pavement
markings would be used to make the movements of both motorists and bicyclists more predictable. In the future,
striped bicycle lanes could be used to designate preferential or exclusive use by bicyclists. If bicycle lanes or
additional striping were considered, the work should be done in accordance with standards outlined by AASHTO and
the FHWA. See Figure 12 for an illustration of the route of Alternative 2.
Signage. The 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) recommends using a Share the Road with
Bicyclists sign assembly (W11-1 and W16-1). A ―Share the Road‖ plaque is mounted below a bicycle warning sign,
creating a sign assembly that advises drivers to watch for bicycle travel on the roadway. Section 9B.20 in the
MUTCD states that guide signing for shared roadways should be similar to that described for Bike Route Guide
signage. Signs may be provided along designated bicycle routes to inform cyclists of bicycle route direction changes,
and to confirm route direction, distance, and destination. If used, signs may be repeated at regular intervals.
Prepared for GTC and the Towns of Ontario, Sodus, Webster, and Williamson, NY Page 39