A Pedestrian Refuge Island at the back entrance to the athletic fields on Wescot Road will make crossing to the fields much easier for families.
Evesham Township has announced a partnership with the Cross County Connection and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission for a Complete Streets Temporary Demonstration Project through the end of May.
Cross County Connection is the designated Transportation Management Association for the seven-county South Jersey region, namely Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
The connection assists local governments, schools, businesses, social service organizations, residents and employees with mobility needs by fostering the use of sustainable transportation modes. It specializes in high-quality South Jersey transportation services to meet diverse needs.
With support from grant funding, the Complete Streets Temporary Demonstration Project uses temporary materials like paint, posts and planters to test improvements that make township streets more safe, walkable and bike friendly. The installations are temporary, but can help residents and the township imagine how permanent improvements might operate.
On Wescot Road, there will be a Bicycle Boulevard to prioritize cyclists with painted “sharrows” or shared-lane markings and signage to create a comfortable route on the low-speed street. There will also be curb extensions or bumpouts that will improve visibility and shorten crossing distances while naturally slowing down vehicle speeds.
At the back entrance to the athletic fields on Wescot, a Pedestrian Refuge Island will be a safe landing space in the middle of the street to make crossing to the fields much easier for families. At the intersection of Brick and Evans roads will be a Curb Radius Reduction to help prevent wide, fast turns.
The testing features are a low-cost way for the township and residents to jointly discover what actually works. The results will also help the township apply for grant funding to make permanent improvements.
“The goal of this temporary project is to encourage modes of transportation other than driving to reach destinations in Evesham, by studying the safety effects of this new infrastructure,” a press release announcing the project read. “Throughout this temporary demonstration project, Cross County Connection and Evesham Township representatives will collect feedback from neighbors and travelers through online surveys to assess what elements work and what can be improved upon for consideration and implementation as we consider permanent improvements.”
Representatives will collect feedback on the project via online surveys regarding walking, biking and driving through the selected areas. To learn more, visit the township website.
