Maintain bulb shape of cul-de-sac or straighten? 4

[zhaostein1]

A 14-house subdivision is being presented to the planning board in the town where I live. This sub-division will ultimately connect two existing cul-de-sacs (1- 40’ diameter, 2- 50’diameter). The connection will create a “rat run”, facilitating residents from a larger development (500 homes) to funnel out to the main road through our smaller development (this shortcut will be appealing to many, including area commuters). The members of the planning board insisted the 14-house sub-division have two access points. This battle is already lost (highly political in my town).

Residents of area are divided 2:1 to maintain the shape of the bulbs rather than remove the bulb shape and straighten the roads. Personally, I live directly on the 50’ cul-de-sac bulb and wish the cul-de-sac straightened to minimize potential liabilities (children playing in bulb), easier snow removal (plow does not dump cul-de-sac snow, salt and sand on my property), and more green lawn vs. pavement. I see no reason to keep the bulb shape of the cul-de-sac.

Should these cul-de-sacs be straightened, or maintain their bulb shape character when they are opened. I would greatly appreciate if someone can provide me with an unbiased opinion with this type of scenario. Are there any benefits from the town point of view to maintain the bulb shape of the cul-de-sac, even if they become flow through streets?

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and respond to this message.

 

[Maury]

Keeping the bulbs will encourage u-turns and would make snow removal more difficult. Pedestrians would be more likely to take a straight route across the pavement rather than follow the sidewalk around the bulb. If the bulbs are removed, will there be enough frontage along the straightened curbs for all of the driveways?

Maury

 

[roncity]

Better check the drainage and slope for any new curb. Typically, the crown of cul-de-sacs is higher due to wider roadway . Any new curb to cut off the bulb will have to climb the crown and may not drain. You may have to tear out and rebuild most of the existing cul-de sac to meet minimun drainage slopes...

 

[zhaostein1]

Maury and Roncity,

I greatly appreciate you commnets.

There is ample frontage on the cul-de-sacs, since the land used for them was taken from the properties that reside on the cul-de-sacs (technically, the land in the cul-de-sacs is part of the properties that border the cul-de-sacs; but this is another matter).

Also, the cul-de-sac, at least in front of my house, will be completely re-graded since the road being conected to the existing cul-de-sac requires major work (regrading). Additionally, the cul-de-sac is constructed on an uphill slope where water naturally flows down the street into storm sewers. When the cul-de-sac is rebuilt (if town planners vote in favor of filling in the cul-de-sacs), I am sure that the minimun drainage needs will built into the project. However, this is a good point that you brought up.

This application will come to vote early next year. Concerning the fate of cul-de-sacs, the members of the planning board will base their vote on the residents wishes. As it stands now, the majority of residents (mostly from residents that do not live or have property on the actual cul-de-sacs) want to keep the bulb shape of the cul-de-sacs. Do you, or anyone know of any precedent for this type of scenario? The builder is willing to pay for all work to straighten the cul-de-sacs. Therefore, I see no cost to the town to build an attractive, safe, easy to maintain street, versus keeping a wide open, cumbersome, potentially unsafe cul-de-sac.

Thanks again for you your comments.

zhaostein1

 

[KRSServices]

Is this in a private development or are the lots individually titled? How old is the subdivision? Are there existing homes where the new right of way will be taken? Is it possible to scan a sketch of the proposal and email me?

The reason is that perhaps I am not quite understanding how the road alignment is being proposed. With reference to the road alignment relative to the bulb, the new alignment, in general, will obliterate the old curbing and sidewalk in favour of the new cross section. It is the fact that the road is to be joining two cul-de-sacs, and that this is to be a collector road that I find a little odd.

KRS Services

http://www.krs-services.com

 

[ienjenier]

Another option that may be discussed is to place
landscape features in the center of the cul-de-sac
creating a small round-about. This will keep the
traffic moving but at a slower pace and at the same
time, enhance the "looks" of the roadway, minimizing
the loss sustained by the residents already living
there. We use these as traffic calming devices.

 

[zhaostein1]

jenjenier,

Creating small round-abouts was discussed, however, maintaing them is a problem. In our township, the municipality refuses to accept the responsiblity of maintaining them. Therefore, this task is up to the homeowners in the area. We have a similar situation in another area of our development where we spend $5-$25/year/home to manage the area (Someone has to water the plants, prune the shrubs, sometimes cars hit island, snow plow hits island, moving trucks cause damage, etc..: Essentially, area residents are responsible for upkeep). Area residents never agree on anything (in fact some are so cheap, they do not even pay). We do not want to create another one of these islands that lead to more arguments than actually slowing down traffic.

Nevertheless, I think that these landscaped dampeners do work and are useful. If the the township was willing to pay for the upkeep of the island, the area residents might go for it. Thanks again for your reply.

zhaostein1

 

[trafficPro]

If thye upkeep of round a bouts makes them unpopular, but some traffic calming devices are needed to prevent rat race speeding, why not make use of the wider ROW at the two now joined cul bulbs. create a chicane by jogging the alignment first from one side of the wider ROW to the other side. This way you have no island, but you do have a kink in the speedway. It can cause some problems as properties on one side of the street get more of the now unused cul land.
If the alignment is favorable, you may even get a left and then right jog.