Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road between Isabella Street and South Boulevard

Transcription

1 Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road between Isabella Street and South Boulevard Prepared for TranSystems Corporation for the City of Evanston Submitted by Regina Webster & Associates, Inc. Date: 08/15/2008 Regina Webster & Associates, Inc N. Cicero Avenue Suite 500 Chicago, Illinois phone fax

2 Table of Contents 1. SUMMARY EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK Sheridan Road Forest Avenue Forest Place HIGH ACCIDENT LOCATIONS CRASH ANALYSIS SECTION 1 - Sheridan Road, Sheridan Place To Campus Drive Sheridan Road Segment between Sheridan Place and Central Street Intersection of Sheridan Road and Central Street Sheridan Road Segment between Central Street and Lincoln Street Intersection of Sheridan Road and Lincoln Street Sheridan Road Segment between Lincoln Street and Noyes Street Intersection of Sheridan Road and Noyes Street Sheridan Road Segment between Noyes Street and Garrett Place Sheridan Road Segment between Garrett Place and Library Place Intersection of Sheridan Road and Foster Street Sheridan Road Segment between Foster Street and Chicago Avenue Intersection of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue Intersection of Sheridan Road and Hinman Avenue Intersection of Sheridan Road and Campus Drive SECTION 2 - Sheridan Road, Campus Drive to Forest Place; Forest Place, Sheridan Road to Forest Avenue; Forest Avenue, Forest Place to Dempster Street Intersection of Sheridan Road and Clark Street/Judson Avenue Intersection of Sheridan Road and Church Street Intersection of Forest Avenue and Davis Street Forest Street Segment between Davis Street and Dempster Street Intersection of Forest Avenue and Dempster Street SECTION 3 - Burnham Place from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road; Sheridan Road from Burnham Place to Main Street; Forest Avenue from Burnham Place to Main Street; Main Street from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road Intersection of Forest Avenue and Burnham Place Forest Street Segment between Burnham Place and Main Street Intersection of Forest Street and Main Street...25 Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 1

3 Table of Contents Con t Intersection of Sheridan Road and Burnham Place Sheridan Road Segment between Burnham Place and Main Street SECTION 4-Sheridan Road, Main Street to South Boulevard Intersection of Sheridan Road and Main Street Sheridan Road Segment between Main Street and South Boulevard Intersection of Sheridan Road and South Boulevard CONCLUSION FIGURE 1: LOCATION MAP. 32 COLLISION DIAGRAM..34 Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 2

4 1. SUMMARY This report presents the findings of a crash analysis for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 performed for the Sheridan Road Roadway Improvement Project, along Sheridan Road and Forest Avenue. The corridor being studied includes Sheridan Road from Sheridan Place to Church Street and from Burnham Place to South Boulevard, Forest Place from Church Street to Davis Street, Forest Avenue from Davis Street to Main Street, Burnham Place from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road, and Main Street from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road. See Figure 1. The three-year crash report data was obtained from City of Evanston Department of Transportation (EDOT). A total of 315 crashes occurred within the project limits from 2005 to The most common types of crashes were rear end, sideswipe, turning, and angle collisions, which accounted for approximately 37%, 18%, 12%, and 12% of the total crashes, respectively. The following Tables summarize the crash characteristics. The Tables also show the occurrence of crashes in relationship with their types, roadway surface, lighting conditions, and the severity of any injuries involved in the crashes. As shown in Table 1A, the predominant crashes accounted for a combined 79% of the total crashes. Of these 315 total crashes, 26 crashes involved injuries and no crash involved fatalities. Only one crash resulted in an incapacitating (Class A) injury. Table 1A - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road From Isabella Street to South Boulevard ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed Object % Head On 3 1.0% Other non-collision 2 0.6% Other Object 4 1.3% Overturned 1 0.3% Parked motor vehicle % Pedal Cyclist 8 2.5% Pedestrian 9 2.9% Rear End % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 9 2.8% Sideswipe (same dir.) % Angle % Turning % Total % As shown in Table 1B, 65.4% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 28.6% of the crashes were wet weather-related. Wet weather-related crashes occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surfaces. At locations where the wet/dry ratio is 33% or higher, the need for pavement resurfacing may be considered to reduce weather-related crashes. As shown in Table 1C, approximately 80% of the crashes occurred in daylight conditions and 20% of the crashes occurred Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 3

5 during night hours. The roadway is illuminated with varying lighting standards throughout the project limits. The general findings of this crash analysis suggest that there were no significant problems associated with wet weather type crashes or with crashes occurring at night. The predominant types of crashes are rear end, sideswipe, turning, and angle collisions. Table 1B - Roadway Surface by Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road From Isabella Street to South Boulevard ( ) Total Roadway Types Surface Dry Wet Snow/ Ice Unknown Total Table 1C - Daylight Conditions by Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road From Isabella Street to South Boulevard ( ) Total Roadway Types Surface Dawn Day Dusk Dark Unknown Total Improvements to consider in mitigating crash potential are as follows. Not all of these improvements would be feasible within the scope of this project. Providing storage bays for left turning vehicles, removing those vehicles from the through traffic stream and potential conflicts. Providing a more user-friendly environment in the vicinity of the university for pedestrians and bicyclists such as providing pedestrian signals, pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian signage, and raised medians to be used as a shelter for pedestrians crossing the roadway. Increasing sight distance at intersections by trimming down bushes and hedges at intersections. Providing retroreflective warning signs and raised reflective markers to alert motorists of changes in the horizontal alignment. Removing or relocating on-street parking to provide a wider travel way to motorists. Reconfiguring intersections using pavement marking to clarify lane usage. Improving signal timing and optimization along the project corridor, providing actuated coordinated signals. Performing signal warrants analyses and 4-Way Stop warrants analyses at some intersections to determine the need for traffic control devices. Relocating fixed objects or providing breakaway posts at intersections. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 4

6 Introducing access management control by either consolidating driveways or promoting right-in right-out at driveways located close to intersections, whenever possible. 2. EXISTING ROADWAY NETWORK 2.1 Sheridan Road Sheridan Road is a north-south urban arterial that is under the jurisdiction of the EDOT. Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard, Sheridan Road has a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour (mph) and provides a roadway width varying between 34 and 51 feet. Sheridan Road has an average daily traffic (ADT) which ranges from 10,000 to 24,000 vehicles per day (vpd). Along Sheridan Road, the roadway s horizontal alignment changes just east of Sheridan Place, at Chicago Street, and at Campus Drive. Through traffic is redirected through the Forest Place and Forest Avenue corridor between Church Street and Burnham Place. From Burnham Place southbound through traffic continues along Forest Avenue to Main Street, where it is redirected east at Main Street to Sheridan Road. Northbound traffic in this section uses Sheridan Road from Main Street to Burnham Place, where the alignment turns west to Forest Avenue. See Figure 1. The Sheridan Road horizontal alignment also changes again at Main Street and South Boulevard. Sheridan Road gives access to regional roadways in the area, including Lake Shore Drive (US Route 41). Generally, the land use in the vicinity of Sheridan is mixed and consists of residences, parks, schools, public works facilities, and churches. Sheridan Road runs adjacent to and through two Historic Districts of the City of Evanston. 2.2 Forest Avenue Forest Avenue is a north-south urban collector that is under the jurisdiction of the EDOT. Between Davis Street and Main Street, Forest Avenue has a posted speed limit of 30 mph and provides a roadway with a width varying between 30 and 34 feet. Forest Avenue has an ADT of 17,000 vpd north of Burnham Place and 7,000 vpd south of there. The Forest Avenue project limit is from Davis Street to Main Street and includes Main Street from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road. Through traffic from Sheridan Road uses Forest Avenue between Church Street and Burnham Place. Between Burnham Place and Main Street, Forest Avenue forms a couple with Sheridan Road, providing greater roadway capacity. Northbound through traffic uses Sheridan Road from Main Street to Burnham Place and southbound through traffic uses Forest Avenue from Burnham Place to Main Street. Both Forest Avenue and Sheridan Road are two-way streets between Burnham Place and Main Street, but southbound traffic is directed to Forest Avenue by being prohibited from turning left at Burnham Place. Forest Avenue gives access to regional roadways in the area, including Dempster Street, South Boulevard, and Sheridan Road. Generally, the land use in the vicinity of Forest Avenue is residential. Forest Avenue runs through the Historic District of the City of Evanston. 2.3 Forest Place Forest Place is a north-south urban collector that is under the jurisdiction of the EDOT. Forest Place has an ADT of 17,000 vpd. Between Sheridan Road and Davis Street, Forest Place has a posted speed limit of 30 mph and provides a two-lane cross section. On-street parking is prohibited and sidewalks are available on the west side of the roadway. Forest Place is the link which joins Sheridan Road on the north and Forest Avenue on the south. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 5

7 3. HIGH ACCIDENT LOCATIONS High Accident Locations (HAL) are intersections and segments of roadway where crash characteristics are substantially worse than those of other similar sites on the statewide roadway network. A HAL can be characterized by the following: The average frequency of crashes (accidents per mile) at the intersection or roadway segment exceeds a computed critical frequency for that location. The average rate of crashes (accidents per million vehicle miles traveled) at the given intersection or roadway segment exceeds a computed critical rate for that location. For this analysis, the statewide accident rate and frequency is taken from the Statewide Crash Statistics District 1 for a period of three years (2001, 2002, and 2003). Statewide rates were not available for more recent years. Depending on the number of lanes the critical crash rates range from to for a roadway segment, to for an un-signalized intersection, and vary between and for a signalized intersection. Depending on the number of lanes, the critical crash frequencies range from to crashes per mile for a roadway segment, to crashes for an un-signalized intersection, and vary between and crashes for a signalized intersection. 4. CRASH ANALYSIS For analysis purposes, the corridor was divided into four sections, which represent different characteristics in land use and traffic. Each section is comprised of signalized and un-signalized intersections and segments of roadway between studied intersections. The sections are defined as such: Section 1 runs along Sheridan Road and is bounded by Sheridan Place on the northwest end and Campus Drive on the southeast end and is the section of roadway with Northwestern University as the predominating land use. It is adjacent to the Northeast Historic District. Section 2 runs through the Lakeshore Historic District and is bounded by the intersection of Sheridan Road with Campus Drive on the north end and by the intersection of Forest Avenue with Dempster Street on the south end. Predominant land uses are residential and lakefront parks. Section 3 runs through the Lakeshore Historic District and is bounded by Burnham Place on the north, Forest Avenue on the west, Main Street on the south, and Sheridan Road on the east. Predominant land uses are residential, with the through traffic patterns divided between Forest Avenue and Sheridan Road Section 4 runs along Sheridan Road through the Lakeshore Historic District and is bounded by Main Street on the north and South Boulevard on the south. Predominant land uses are residential and lakefront parks. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 6

8 4.1 SECTION 1-SHERIDAN ROAD, SHERIDAN PLACE TO CAMPUS DRIVE Traffic in this section is characterized by the presence of Northwestern University, which represent a major trip generator. The analysis of this section covers five signalized intersections, two unsignalized intersections, and five segments of roadway. The characteristics of Sheridan Road along this section are described as follows: At its intersection with Sheridan Place, Sheridan Road forms a T-intersection with Sheridan Road on the west and east approaches and Sheridan Place on the north approach. East of Sheridan Place, Sheridan Road turns south. At the east-south curve, the 34-foot roadway provides one through lane in each direction with a painted median. Sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. On-street parking is prohibited. Between Ingleside Place and Central Street, Sheridan Road is a 36-foot roadway that provides two through lanes in each direction. On-street parking is prohibited and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. Between Central Street and Chicago Avenue, Sheridan Road is a 44-foot roadway that provides two through lanes in each direction. On-street parking is prohibited and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. At its intersection with Chicago Avenue, Sheridan Road forms a Y-shaped intersection with Sheridan Road on the north and east legs and Chicago Avenue on the south leg. The intersection provides two through lanes in each direction on the north leg. The east leg provides one lane in each direction except during the peak hours when two westbound lanes are provided. The south leg provides one lane in each direction. On-street parking is also permitted on the north side of Sheridan Road, between Chicago Avenue and Hinman Avenue, except during the peak hours. At its intersection with Hinman Avenue, Sheridan Road is a 41-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction on the east approach with no permitted on-street parking. On the west approach, the roadway provides two through eastbound traffic lanes and one through westbound traffic lane with permitted on-street parking. A pedestrian crosswalk is located on the east approach of the intersection. At its intersection with Campus Drive, Sheridan Road forms a Y-shaped intersection with Sheridan Road on the west and south legs and Campus Drive on the northeast leg. The roadway provides one through lane in each direction with an exclusive left turn lane on the west approach. On-street parking is prohibited and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway Sheridan Road Segment between Sheridan Place and Central Street During the three-year analysis period, a total of 14 crashes occurred along the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Sheridan Place and Central Street. The most prevalent crash types were rear end and fixed object collisions, which accounted for a total of 58% of the total crashes. Of these 14 crashes, only three crashes involved minor injuries. All of these crashes occurred at intersections. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities. Table 2 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. Of these 14 crashes, nine occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Sheridan Place. The crash analysis indicated that 64% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 36% of the crashes occurred on wet roadway surface. The wet/dry ratio is over 33%. The wet crash statistic could be mitigated by the pavement resurfacing which will occur as part of the project scope. About 29% of the crashes occurred during the night. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 7

9 The crash rates for the intersections in the segment were compared to the statewide critical rates and frequencies. Both rates and frequencies were below the critical values for the years Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Sheridan Place and Central Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 2 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Sheridan Place and Central Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Bicyclist 1 7.1% Fixed object % Rear end % Head-on 1 7.1% Sideswipe (Same dir.) 1 7.1% Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 1 7.1% Angle 1 7.1% Turning 1 7.1% Total % Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, and new pavement markings. Other remedial measures to consider would be increasing sight distance near driveways by trimming down shrubs, adding raised reflective pavement markers in the horizontal curve and exploring the possibility of providing left turn channelization at intersections. Improvement of or moving the area where the two through lanes merge into one at Sheridan Place should also be considered Intersection of Sheridan Road and Central Street A total of 17 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Central Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were 11 rear end collisions, which accounted for 64.7% of the total crashes. Table 3 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 1 depicts the occurrence of the crashes at the intersection. The crash analysis indicated that only 53% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 47% of the crashes were wet weather related. As shown in Exhibit 1, they occurred on a wet, snowy, or icy road surface. The wet/dry ratio is over 33%. The high wet/dry crash ratio could be mitigated by the pavement resurfacing which will occur as part of the project scope. About 24% of the crashes occurred during the night. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 8

10 Table 3 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Central St ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed object % Rear end % Head-on 1 5.9% Sideswipe (same dir.) % Turning 1 5.9% Total % The number of crashes per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide critical rate of for the years 2001, 2002, and The crash frequency is also below the critical value of for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Central Street is not classified as an HAL. The predomination of rear-end collisions at the intersection may be attributable to traffic congestion and the lack of a left turn lane. While the frequency of crashes is relatively low, some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization Sheridan Road Segment between Central Street and Lincoln Street During the three-year period, only two crashes occurred along the section of roadway on Sheridan Road between Central Street and Lincoln Street. There was one sideswipe same direction and one fixed object collision. Table 4 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The general findings of this crash analysis show that one crash is wet weather related, no crashes occurred at night, and no crashes involved pedestrians or bicyclists. The number of crashes per million vehicle-miles of travel on this section of the roadway is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value of ( crashes per mile times a segment length of 0.14 mile) for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Central Street and Lincoln Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 4 - Total s by Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Central Street and Lincoln Street ( ) Percent Total Types Sideswipe (same dir.) 1 50% Turning 1 50% Total 2 100% Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 9

11 Since only two crashes occurred along this segment during the three-year period, it is our opinion that these data will not provide a predominant crash type for this segment. While the frequency of crashes is relatively low, some of the improvements which are part of the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization Intersection of Sheridan Road and Lincoln Street This intersection is the northernmost intersection on the Northwestern University campus. A total of 18 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Lincoln Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were six turning collisions and six sideswipe collisions, which accounted for 33.3% of the total crashes, respectively. There were two crashes involving injuries and no crash involving fatalities during the study period. There was one pedestrian crash with an injury. Table 5 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 2 depicts the occurrence of crashes at the intersection. The crash analysis indicated that 72% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 28% of the crashes were wet weather related. Only 17% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of crashes per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value of for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Lincoln Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 5 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Lincoln Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Other non-collision 1 5.6% Parked motor vehicle 1 5.6% Pedestrian 1 5.6% Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 1 5.6% Turning % Total % While the frequency of crashes is relatively low, some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization. In addition, because pedestrians and bicycles cross at this intersection, the use of pedestrian signal heads with countdown timers should be considered when modernizing the traffic signals. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 10

12 4.1.5 Sheridan Road Segment between Lincoln Street and Noyes Street A total of eight crashes occurred on Sheridan Road between Lincoln Street and Noyes Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were rear end collisions, which accounted for 50% of the total crashes. Table 6 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The general findings of this crash analysis show that three crashes are wet weather related, one crash occurred at night, and no crash involved pedestrians or bicyclists. Of these eight crashes, seven occurred near or at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Colfax Street. Table 6 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Lincoln Street and Noyes Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed Object % Other non-collision % Rear End 4 50 % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) % Turning % Total 8 100% The number of crashes per million vehicle-miles of travel on this section of the roadway is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value of ( crashes per mile times a segment length of 0.19 mile) for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Lincoln Street and Noyes Street is not classified as an HAL. While the frequency of crashes is relatively low, some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization Intersection of Sheridan Road and Noyes Street A total of 10 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Noyes Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were seven rear end collisions, which accounted for 70% of the total crashes. Table 7 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 3 depicts the occurrence of crashes at the intersection. The general findings of this crash analysis show that two crashes occurred on a snowy pavement, seven crashes occurred at night, and no crash involved pedestrians or bicyclists. There were no injuries or fatalities during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 11

13 Table 7 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Noyes Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Rear End 7 70% Sideswipe (same dir.) 1 10% Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 1 10% Turning 1 10% Total % The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value of for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Noyes Street is not classified as an HAL. While the frequency of crashes is relatively low, some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization. Since pedestrians and bicycles cross at the intersection, the use of pedestrian signal heads with countdown times should be considered when modernizing the traffic signals Sheridan Road Segment between Noyes Street and Garrett Place During the three-year period, a total of three crashes occurred along the section of roadway on Sheridan Road between Noyes Street and Garrett Place. There were two rear end and one sideswipe collisions. Table 8 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The general findings of this crash analysis show that all crashes were wet weather related, no crash occurred at night, and no crash involved pedestrians or bicyclists. There were no injuries or fatalities during the study period. The number of accident per million vehicle-miles of travel on this section of the roadway is s compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Noyes Street and Garrett Place area is not classified as an HAL. Table 8 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Noyes Street and Garrett Place ( ) Frequency Total Types Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Total 3 100% Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 12

14 Since only three crashes occurred along this segment during the three-year period, it is our opinion that these data will not provide a predominant crash type for this segment. While the frequency of crashes is relatively low, some of the improvements which are part of the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization Sheridan Road Segment between Garrett Place and Library Place During the three-year period, a total of 22 crashes occurred along Sheridan Road in the vicinity of Northwestern University between Garrett Place and Library Place. The most prevalent crash types were six rear end collisions, which accounted for 27.3% of the total crashes. There were two crashes involving injuries with no fatality during the study period. Five crashes involved pedestrians and bicyclists. Table 9 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The crash analysis indicated that 77% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 14% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surfaces. About 5% of the crashes occurred at night. Table 9 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road in the vicinity of the Northwestern University Area ( ) Frequency Total Types Pedestrian % Pedal Cyclist % Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Angle % Turning % Total % All but two of the 22 crashes occurred at either the intersection of Library Place and Sheridan Road (6) or Garrett Place and Sheridan Road (14). The remaining two crashes occurred at the entrance to the Northwestern University parking lot. Traffic counts were not available for two of the three Sheridan Road intersections in this segment: Library Place and Garrett Place, but volumes similar to nearby cross streets were assumed to calculate intersection crash rates. The rates for the intersection crashes are approximately 0.07 to 0.5 versus the statewide rate of The frequencies are below the critical values of for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road in the vicinity of the Northwestern University between Garrett Place and Library Place is not classified as an HAL. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing and new pavement markings. Other remedial measures to consider would be performing signal warrants analyses at either Garrett Place or the Northwestern University Entrance and evaluating the removal of unmarked crosswalks Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 13

15 at the remaining unsignalized intersections. If signals are warranted, evaluate the pedestrian access plan to consider consolidating the pedestrian crossing at the signalized intersection. It may also be necessary to widen the sidewalk on the West side of Sheridan Road to accommodate higher pedestrian usage Intersection of Sheridan Road and Foster Street A total of 27 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Foster Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were nine rear end and eight sideswipe collisions, which accounted for 33.3% and 29.6% of the total crashes, respectively. Of these 27 crashes, four crashes involved injuries. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. Table 10 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 4 depicts the occurrence of crashes at the intersection. The crash analysis indicated that 56% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 30% of the crashes were designated as wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surfaces. The overall wet/dry ratio is over 33%. The wet crash statistic could be mitigated by the pavement resurfacing which will occur as part of the project scope. About 22% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, intersection of Sheridan Road and Foster Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 10 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Sheridan Road and Foster Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Pedestrian % Pedal Cyclist % Fixed Object % Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Turning % Total % Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion. Consideration should also be given to adding pedestrian signal heads with countdown timers when modernizing the traffic signals. In addition locate new poles outside the clear zone. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 14

16 Sheridan Road Segment between Foster Street and Chicago Avenue During this three-year period, a total of 21 crashes occurred along the section of roadway on Sheridan Road between Foster Street and Chicago Avenue. These crashes occurred in the vicinity of the intersection of Sheridan Road and Emerson Street, which is the only intersection in the segment. The most prevalent crash types were rear end and sideswipe collisions, which accounted for 42.9% and 28.6% of the total crashes, respectively. Of these 21 crashes, two crashes involved injuries. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. Table 11 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. Table 11 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Foster Street and Chicago Avenue ( ) Frequency Total Types Pedestrian % Fixed Object % Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Turning % Total % The crash analysis indicated that 71.4% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 19% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surfaces. The wet/dry ratio is less than 33%. Approximately 14% of the crashes occurred at night. Of the 21 crashes, 15 were intersection crashes at Emerson Street. The remaining six were segment or non-intersection crashes. Traffic counts were not available for the Emerson Street/Sheridan Road intersection but volumes similar to nearby cross streets were assumed to calculate intersection crash rates. Therefore the rate for the non intersection crash is approximately 2.28 versus the statewide rate of The rate for the intersection crashes is approximately 0.54 versus the statewide rate of The frequencies are below the critical values of for the non-intersection crashes and for the for the intersection crashes. Thus this segment is not classified as an HAL. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization at the Chicago Avenue intersection to reduce congestion. In addition, consideration should be given to providing a Do Not Block Intersection sign at Emerson for southbound traffic. Also, consider trimming overhanging tree branches to provide better visibility of the signs Intersection of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue A total of 12 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue during the three-year analysis period. The most prevalent crash types were rear end collisions, which accounted for 66.7% of the total crashes. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 15

17 Table 12 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 5 depicts the occurrence of crashes at the intersection. Table 12 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue ( ) Frequency Total Types Parked motor vehicle 1 8.3% Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) 3 25% Total % The crash analysis indicated that 50% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 50% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surface. The wet/dry ratio is over 33%. No crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue is not classified as an HAL. Field Observations We made the following observations during our field inspection: No signs to warn motorists that there is a change in the horizontal alignment and that the through traffic is being diverted to the east. There is a lane drop for the southbound Sheridan Road traffic (from two through lanes to one left turn lane) and there is no warning sign. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion. Consideration should also be given to adding pedestrian countdown signals as part of the signal modifications, and providing southbound advance signage for lane usage and the Sheridan Road alignment change Intersection of Sheridan Road and Hinman Avenue A total of 7 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Hinman Avenue during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were turning and side swipe collisions, which accounted for 57.2% of the total crashes. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. Table 13 summarizes the predominant crash types and their relative frequency during the study period as well as injuries and their severity. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 16

18 Table 13 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Hinman Avenue ( ) Frequency Total Types Parked motor vehicle % Rear End % Head On % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Turning % Total 7 100% The crash analysis indicated that 74% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 14.3% of the crashes occurred on wet pavement. The wet/dry ratio is less than 33%. About 43% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, this segment is not classified as an HAL. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal interconnection and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion. Consideration should be given to removal of the on street parking for westbound traffic Intersection of Sheridan Road and Campus Drive There were no crashes at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Campus Drive during the three-year period. Since no crashes occurred along this segment during the three-year period, these data will not provide a predominant crash type for this intersection. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the segment, namely resurfacing, and new pavement markings. 4.2 SECTION 2- Sheridan Road, Campus Drive to Forest Place; Forest Place, Sheridan Road to Forest Avenue; Forest Avenue, Forest Place to Dempster Street Traffic in this section is characterized by the presence of the Lakefront Park, which represents a major trip generator. The section includes the analysis of one signalized intersection, three unsignalized intersections, and one segment of roadway. Possible countermeasures along this section are identified for each intersection or roadway segment. The roadway characteristics along this section are described as follows: Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 17

19 Sheridan Road At its intersection with Clark Street and Judson Avenue, Sheridan Road is a 46-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. This is a four-legged intersection with Sheridan Road on the northwest and southeast legs, Clark Street on the west leg, and Judson Avenue on the south leg. On-street parking is permitted on the east side of the roadway on the northwest leg and both sides of the roadway on the southeast leg. Sidewalks are available on the west side of the roadway. At its intersection with Church Street, Sheridan Road is a 51-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted on the north leg and prohibited on the south leg of the intersection. Sidewalks are available only on the west side of the south leg of the intersection. Pedestrian crosswalks are located on the east and west approaches of the intersection. At its intersection with Forest Place, Sheridan Road is a 49-foot roadway that forms a Y- shaped intersection with Sheridan Road on the north and southeast legs and Forest Place on the southwest leg. Southbound through traffic will move through Forest Place into a residential neighborhood. Northbound through traffic will also come from Forest Place. On the southeast leg, Sheridan Road serves the parking area adjacent to Lakefront Park. On the southwest leg, Forest Place provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is prohibited on both sides of the roadway. Sidewalks are available on the west side of the intersection. Forest Place Between Sheridan Road and Davis Street, Forest Place has a posted speed limit of 30 mph and provides a two-lane cross section 33 feet wide. On-street parking is prohibited and sidewalks are available on the west side of the roadway. Forest Avenue Forest Place and Forest Avenue form an off-set intersection with Davis Street. Forest Avenue alignment connects to Forest Place via a reverse curve. Forest Avenue, the south leg, is a 34-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted and sidewalks are available on the both sides of the roadway. Between Davis Street and Dempster Street, Forest Avenue is a 34-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. At its intersection with Dempster Street, Forest Avenue is a 34-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction with an exclusive left turn lane on the north and south approaches. On-street parking is prohibited and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway Intersection of Sheridan Road and Clark Street/Judson Avenue A total of 13 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Clark Street/Judson Avenue during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were sideswipe collisions, which accounted for 38.5% of the total crashes. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. Table 14 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 18

20 The crash analysis indicated that 74% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 22.5% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surface. The wet/dry ratio is less than 33%. About 15% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Clark Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 14 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Clark Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Pedestrian 1 7.7% Pedal Cyclist 1 7.7% Fixed Object 1 7.7% Parked motor vehicle % Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 1 7.7% Total % Field Observations During our field inspection we noticed that there is no channelization provided for this very wide intersection. Consideration should be given to providing crosswalks, pedestrian crossing signs and geometric improvements to the intersection such as providing better roadway delineation on the northwest quadrant of the intersection, eliminating direct movements from northbound Judson Avenue to Sheridan Road, so that all northbound movements from Judson Avenue would be from Clark Street. In addition, consider restriping and removal of parking to provide a northbound left turn lane from Sheridan Road to Clark Street Intersection of Sheridan Road and Church Street A total of 11 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Church Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were rear end collisions, which accounted for 45.5% of the total crashes. Of these 11 crashes, two crashes involved injuries. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. Table 15 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 19

21 Table 15 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Church Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Pedal Cyclist % Parked motor vehicle % Rear End % Other 1 9% Total % The crash analysis indicated that 88% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 18% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surfaces. The wet/dry ratio is less then 33%. Approximately 9% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Church Street is not classified as an HAL. Field Observations We made the following observations during our field inspection: Roadway signage (southbound traffic) was hidden under tree branches. No proper signage for the lane drop for southbound traffic turning onto Forest Place. Some of the improvements which are part of the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing and new pavement markings. Consideration should be given to providing retroreflective warning signs in advance of the curve on Sheridan Road south of Church Street and raised reflective markers in the curve. In addition, consider prohibiting parking on the east side of Sheridan Road for 100 feet north of the intersection in order to improve the sight distance for westbound traffic. Also consider providing a striped taper in advance of the on street parking for northbound traffic and delineating the on street parking area with striping. Since the section of Sheridan Road south of Church Street and north of the horizontal curve has a wide pavement, consideration should be given to reducing the pavement width by striping or adding more parkway Intersection of Forest Avenue and Davis Street A total of six crashes occurred at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Davis Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were sideswipe collisions, which accounted for 50% of the total crashes. Table 16 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 20

22 Table 16 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Forest Avenue and Davis Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) % Turning % Total 6 100% The crash analysis indicated that 33.3% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 50% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surfaces. For 16.7% of the crashes the roadway surface was unknown. The wet/dry ratio is over 33%. About 66.7% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Forest Avenue and Davis Street is not classified as an HAL. Field Observations We made the following observations during our field inspection: Sight distance is restricted for northbound and westbound traffic. The S curve at this location has tight radii. Some of the improvements which are part of the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, and new pavement markings. Consideration should be given to providing retroreflective warning and speed advisory signs in advance of the curve on Sheridan Road and raised reflective markers in the curve, as well as providing increased lighting at the intersection Forest Street Segment between Davis Street and Dempster Street During this three-year period, a total of 21 crashes occurred along the section of roadway on Forest Avenue between Davis Street and Dempster Street. The most prevalent crash types were angle and rear end collisions, which accounted for 47.6% and 33.3% of the total crashes, respectively. Table 17 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 21

23 Table 17 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Forest Street between Davis Street and Dempster Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Rear End % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 1 4.8% Sideswipe (same dir.) 1 4.8% Angle % Turning 1 4.8% Other 1 4.8% Total % The crash analysis indicated that 72% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 24% of the crashes occurred on wet pavement. The wet/dry ratio is 33%. Approximately 19% of the crashes occurred at night. The 21 crashes occurred at two intersections, with ten of the intersection crashes at Lake Street, and 11 at Greenwood Street. Traffic counts were not available for the intersection but volumes similar to nearby cross streets were assumed to calculate intersection crash rates. The rates for the intersection crashes are approximately 0.5 versus the statewide rate of The frequencies are below the critical values for the same years. Seven of the angle collisions involved eastbound vehicles from Greenwood Street waiting to cross Forest Avenue or make a left turn. Five of the rear-end collisions involved stopped or slow moving northbound vehicles waiting to make a left turn onto Lake Street. Field Observations During our field inspection we noticed that there is congestion during the PM peak hour with southbound queues backing up from Dempster Street blocking Greenwood Street and sometimes going beyond Lake Street. Some of the improvements which are part of the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion at Dempster Street. Consideration should be given to possibly widening Forest Avenue at Lake Street to accommodate an exclusive left turn lane Intersection of Forest Avenue and Dempster Street A total of three crashes occurred at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Dempster Street during the three-year period. There were two rear end and one overturned collisions. Table 18 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 6 depicts the occurrence of the crashes at the intersection. The general findings of this crash analysis show that: no crash is wet weather related, two crashes occurred at night, and no crash involved pedestrians or bicyclists. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 22

24 The number of accidents per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Forest Avenue and Dempster Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 18 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Forest Avenue and Dempster Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Overturned % Rear End % Total 3 100% Since only three crashes occurred along this segment during the three-year period, there is not a significant enough number of crashes to recommend corrective countermeasures. 4.3 SECTION 3-Burnham Place from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road; Sheridan Road from Burnham Place to Main Street; Forest Avenue from Burnham Place to Main Street; Main Street from Forest Avenue to Sheridan Road. Traffic in this section is characterized by the presence of predominantly residential trip generators. The section includes analysis of two signalized intersections, one un-signalized intersection, and two segments of roadway. Possible countermeasures along this section are identified for each intersection or roadway segment. The characteristics of Sheridan Road along this section are described as follow: Sheridan Road Between Burnham Place and Hamilton Street, Sheridan Road is a 50-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. Between Hamilton Street and Main Street, Sheridan Road is a 40-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. At its signalized intersection with Main Street, Sheridan Road forms a T-intersection with Sheridan Road on the north and east approaches and Main Street on the west approach. The intersection provides one right turn and one left turn lane on the north approach and one through lane with an exclusive right turn lane on the east approach. Southbound through traffic will turn left onto eastbound Sheridan Road and turn right onto southbound Sheridan Road. At the east-south curve, the 36-foot roadway provides one through lane in each direction with a painted median. On-street parking is permitted only on the south side of the east approach of the Sheridan Road/Main Street intersection. Sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 23

25 Forest Avenue Between Dempster Street and Main Street, Forest Avenue is a 33-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. At its intersection with Main Street, Forest Avenue forms an off-set intersection. Main Street provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted and sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway Intersection of Forest Avenue and Burnham Place A total of five crashes occurred at the signalized intersection of Forest Street and Burnham Place during the three-year period. There were four rear end and one parked motor vehicle collision. Table 19 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 7 depicts the occurrence of the crashes at the intersection. The general findings of this crash analysis show that: no crash is wet weather related, no crashes occurred at night, and no crash involved pedestrians or bicyclists. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Forest Avenue and Burnham Place is not classified as an HAL. Table 20 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Forest Avenue and Burnham Place ( ) Frequency Total Types Rear End 4 80% Parked motor vehicle 1 20% Total 5 100% Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely the provision of new pavement markings and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion from Dempster Street. In addition, consideration should be given to providing retroreflective wayfinding signs and raised reflective pavement markings in the curve Forest Street Segment between Burnham Place and Main Street During this three-year period, a total of 17 crashes occurred along the segment of roadway on Forest Street between Burnham Place and Main Street. The most prevalent crash types were angle collisions and parked motor vehicle collisions, which accounted for 47.1% and 23.5% of the total crashes, respectively. Table 20 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. Of these 17 crashes, only one crash involved injuries. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 24

26 Table 20 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Forest Avenue between Burnham Place and Main Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed Object % Other non-collision % Parked motor vehicle % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Angle % Turning % Total % The crash analysis indicated that 64% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 24% of the crashes occurred on wet pavement. The wet/dry ratio is over 33%. About 18% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of crashes per million vehicles is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Forest Street between Burnham Place and Main Street is not classified as an HAL. Most of the angle collisions occurred at the intersection of Forest Street and Greenleaf Street, which had 5 of the 9 angle collisions. Field Observations We made the following observations during our field inspection: Through lanes on Forest Avenue are less than 11 ft wide. Sight distance is restricted at Greenleaf Street by tree branches. Between Greenleaf Street and Main Street the width of the pavement is reduced to approximately 30 feet. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, such as the provision of new pavement markings. Consider evaluating whether four-way stops are warranted at the intersection of Greenleaf Street and Forest Avenue and removing the on-street parking on the west side north of Lee Street Intersection of Forest Street and Main Street There were no crashes occurring at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Main Street during the three-year period based on the data collected Intersection of Sheridan Road and Burnham Place During this three-year period, only two crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Burnham Place. They were both rear end collisions. Table 21 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. The general findings of this crash analysis show that: both crashes occurred on dry pavement, in daylight Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 25

27 conditions, and did not involve pedestrians or bicyclists. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, this segment is not classified as an HAL. Table 21 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Burnham Place ( ) Total Types Frequency Rear End 2 100% Total 2 100% Field Observations During our field inspection we noticed that sight distance is restricted for eastbound motorists. The parking lane is located just after the curve. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal timing optimization at Burnham Place and Forest Avenue to reduce congestion. Consideration should be given to providing raised reflective markers in the curve. In addition, consider providing a striped taper for southbound traffic in advance of the on street parking on the south leg of Sheridan Road Sheridan Road Segment between Burnham Place and Main Street During this three-year period, a total of 25 crashes occurred along the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Burnham Place and Main Street. The most prevalent crash types were angle and rear-end collisions, which accounted for 32% and 24% of the total crashes, respectively. Table 22 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. Table 22 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Burnham Place and Main Street ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed Object 1 4% Parked motor vehicle 4 16% Rear End 6 24% Sideswipe (same dir.) 2 8% Angle 8 32% Turning 4 16% Total % Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 26

28 The crash analysis indicated that 80% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 20% of the crashes occurred on wet pavement. The wet/dry ratio is less than 33%. About 20% of the crashes occurred at night. The number of accident per million vehicle-miles of travel on this section of the roadway is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Burnham Place and Main Street is not classified as an HAL. Field Observations We made the following observations during our field inspection: Sight distance is restricted for vehicles entering the intersection from Hamilton Street, Lee Street, and Greenleaf Street due to parked vehicles and tree branches. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes in the area, namely resurfacing, and new pavement markings. Other remedial measures to consider would be improving sight distance near intersections by trimming tree branches and prohibiting parking within 100 feet of the intersections. 4.4 SECTION 4-Sheridan Road, Main Street to South Boulevard Traffic in this section is characterized by predominantly residential trip generators. The section includes the analysis of two signalized intersections and one segment of roadway. Possible countermeasures along this section are identified for the intersection and the roadway segment. The characteristics of Sheridan Road along this section are described as follow: At its signalized intersection with Main Street, Sheridan Road forms a T-intersection with Sheridan Road on the north and east approaches and Main Street on the west approach. The intersection provides one right turn and one left turn lane on the north approach and one through lane with an exclusive right turn lane on the east approach. Southbound traffic will turn left onto eastbound Sheridan Road and turn right onto southbound Sheridan Road. At the east-south curve, the 36-foot roadway provides one through lane in each direction with a painted median. On-street parking is permitted only on the south side of the east approach of the Sheridan Road/Main Street intersection. Sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. Between Kedzie Street and South Boulevard, Sheridan Road is a 36-foot roadway that provides one through lane in each direction. On-street parking is permitted on the west side of the roadway. Sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. At its signalized intersection with South Boulevard, Sheridan Road forms a T-intersection with Sheridan Road on the north and east approaches and South Boulevard on the west approach. The intersection provides two unmarked lanes on the north approach and one through lane with an exclusive right turn lane on the east approach. Southbound traffic will turn left to continue onto eastbound Sheridan Road. Westbound traffic from Sheridan Road will turn right at the intersection to continue north on Sheridan Road. On-street parking is permitted on the west and south sides of Sheridan Road. Sidewalks are available on both sides of the roadway. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 27

29 4.4.1 Intersection of Sheridan Road and Main Street A total of four crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Main Street during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were rear end collisions, which accounted for 50% of the total crashes. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. Table 23 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 8 depicts the occurrence of the crashes at the intersection. The general findings of this crash analysis show that: no crash is wet weather related, no crash involved pedestrians or bicyclists, and 25% of the crashes occurred at night. There were no crashes resulting in injuries or fatalities during the study period. The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and Main Street is not classified as an HAL. Table 23 - Total s by Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and Main Street ( ) Percent Total Types Rear End 2 50% Sideswipe (opp. dir.) 1 25% Turning 1 25% Total 4 100% Field Observations One of the two westbound through lanes becomes an exclusive right turn lane at the east approach of Sheridan Road and Main Street. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion. Also consider providing westbound advance signage for lane usage and the Sheridan Road alignment change Sheridan Road Segment between Main Street and South Boulevard During this three-year period, a total of 28 crashes occurred along the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Main Street and South Boulevard. The most prevalent crash types were 12 rear-end collisions, which accounted for 42.9% of the total crashes. Table 24 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. The crash analysis indicated that 60.7% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. Approximately 32% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surface. The wet/dry ratio is over 33%. About 21% of the crashes occurred during the night. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 28

30 Table 24 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries on Sheridan Road between Main Street and South Boulevard ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed Object 2 7.1% Other non-collision 1 3.6% Parked motor vehicle % Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Angle % Turning % Total % The number of accident per million vehicle-miles of travel on this section of the roadway is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the segment of roadway on Sheridan Road between Main Street and South Boulevard is not classified as an HAL. Field Observations During the PM peak hour southbound traffic backs up from South Boulevard to north of Kedzie Street and sometimes to Edgemere Court. During the AM peak hour northbound traffic is congested from Main Street to South Boulevard. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal timing optimization to reduce queue backups from South Boulevard and Main Street Intersection of Sheridan Road and South Boulevard A total of 19 crashes occurred at the intersection of Sheridan Road and South Boulevard during the three-year period. The most prevalent crash types were rear end collisions and sideswipe collisions, which accounted for 36.8% and 31.6% of the total crashes, respectively. Table 25 summarizes the crash types and their relative frequency as well as injuries and their severity during the study period. The Collision Diagram in Exhibit 9 depicts the occurrence of the crashes at the intersection. There were no crashes resulting in fatalities during the study period. The crash analysis indicated that 58% of all crashes occurred on a dry roadway surface. About 42% of the crashes were wet weather related; they occurred on wet, snowy, or icy road surface. The wet/dry ratio is less than 33%. Approximately 16% of the crashes occurred during the night. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 29

31 Table 25 - Total s by Frequency and Types of Injuries at the Intersection of Sheridan Road and South Boulevard ( ) Frequency Total Types Fixed Object % Parked motor vehicle % Rear End % Sideswipe (same dir.) % Sideswipe (opp. dir.) % Angle % Turning % Total % The number of accident per million vehicles entering the intersection is as compared to the statewide average of for the years 2001, 2002, and The frequency is also below the critical value for the same years. Thus, the intersection of Sheridan Road and South Boulevard is not classified as an HAL. Field Observations During the PM peak hour southbound traffic backs up from South Boulevard to north of Kedzie Street and sometimes to Edgemere Court. During the AM peak hour northbound traffic is congested from Main Street to South Boulevard. Some of the improvements which are already incorporated in the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential for crashes at the intersection, namely resurfacing, new pavement markings and signal timing optimization to reduce congestion. Also consider providing southbound and westbound advance signage for lane usage and the Sheridan Road alignment change. 5. CONCLUSION The findings of this crash analysis revealed that the predominant crash types were rear end and sideswipe collisions. About 74% of the total crashes occurred on dry roadway surface while 67% occurred during daylight hours. Of the 26 segments or intersections analyzed eight locations had more than one third of the crashes occur on a wet pavement surface. These locations are as follows: Sheridan Road, Sheridan Place to Central Street; Sheridan Road and Central Street; Sheridan Road and Foster Street; Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue; Forest Avenue and Davis Street; Forest Avenue, Davis Street to Dempster Street; Forest Avenue, Burnham Place to Main Street and Sheridan Road, Main Street to South Boulevard. It is anticipated that resurfacing which is part of the project scope could aid in mitigating the potential wet pavement crashes. None of the segments or intersections analyzed was classified as HAL within the project limits. It is anticipated that many of the proposed improvements associated with the project scope will decrease the potential for crashes throughout the project corridor. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 30

32 Other improvements to consider in mitigating crash potential are as follows. Not all of these improvements would be feasible within the scope of this project. Providing storage bays for left turners, removing them from the through traffic stream. Improving safety in the vicinity of the university for pedestrians and bicyclists such as providing pedestrian signals, pedestrian crosswalks, pedestrian signage, and raised medians to be used as a shelter for pedestrians crossing the roadway. Improving sight distance at intersections by trimming down bushes and hedges at intersections. Providing retroreflective warning signs and raised reflective markers to alert motorists of changes in the horizontal alignment. Removing or relocating on-street parking to provide a wider travel way to motorists. Reconfiguring intersections using pavement marking channelization to clarify lane usage. Improving signal timing and optimization along the project corridor, providing actuated coordinated signals. Performing signal warrants analyses and 4-Way Stop warrants analyses at some intersections to determine the need for traffic control devices. Relocating objects or providing breakaway posts at intersections. Introducing access management control by either consolidating driveways or promoting right-in right-out at driveways located close to intersections. Accident Analysis of Sheridan Road Between Isabella Street and South Boulevard 31

33 Figure 1: Location Map 32

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