EHEI Award: Enhancing the Environment for Human Activities

Goodwin Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvements

Map of University of Illinois with project area.
Source: City of Urbana Public Works Department

Illinois

Goodwin Avenue in Urbana, Illinois passes through the University of Illinois campus. The street runs north to south and receives high vehicle, transit, pedestrian, and bicycle use. During the City of Urbana's road safety audit, Goodwin Avenue was identified as a high-risk corridor for pedestrians and bicycles. The City of Urbana Public Works Department installed several roadway modifications to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety. The improvements met the University of Illinois Campus Area Transportation Study mission statement: "To better accommodate pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and vehicle movements in a more user-friendly environment."

The design improvements included:

• Bump-outs that shortened wide intersection crossings and the distance pedestrians walk across the street, which in turn make pedestrians more visible to traffic
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant ramps at corners that improved pedestrian accessibility and safety for disabled persons
• More visible, Continental-style crosswalks along the corridor that improved pedestrian visibility and safety
• Dedicated bicycle lanes that improved bicycle safety and kept bicyclists off the sidewalks
• Traffic signals with protected permissive left-turn lanes, pushbuttons, and countdown timers that improved pedestrian safety
• New streetlights that met roadway lighting standards for the vehicle and bicycle lanes and prevented upward light pollution

The streetscape modifications improved bicycle and pedestrian circulation and safety on Goodwin Avenue and met the transportation goals of the adjacent campus.

For more information, contact Jennifer J. Selby, Project Manager, City of Urbana Public Works Department, at jjselby@city.urbana.il.us.

View of Goodwin Avenue.
Source: City of Urbana Public Works Department