West Main Street streetscape improvements

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This is a sketch showing revisions to the streetscape improvements proposed by the Town for the intersection of West Main and Pierce Streets. Construction is scheduled to begin after Memorial Day, so the Bike Friendly Community committee reviewed the plans and suggested the changes shown in red. The basic idea behind these changes is to make the intersection where cyclists using the trail will make an important turn on the on-road portion safer to do so. The crosswalk was moved to the west side of the intersection and pinched down by the "bump outs" on either side so as to slow motor vehicle traffic. Also proposed, but not likely to be included in the construction of the improvements, is the sloped area on either side of the crosswalk, (essentially a "speed hump")  that would physically alert motorists to a change in road conditions (the presence of cyclists). The sharrows and Share the Road signs also alert motorists to this change. A similar treatment is proposed for the East Main Street and Neal Court, even though this intersection does not involve any critical turns in the proposed on-road route. Stay tuned for more information on this first attempt to cooperate with the Town on what we hope will be a successful portion of this important trail section.

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