by Kristina Gabalski
A grade-separated full diamond interchange like the one at the intersection of Route 531 and Union Street (Route 259) in Spencerport is one option for easing traffic in the Route 31/531 area in western Ogden.New York State DOT officials presented three final alternatives for easing travel conditions at the interchange of Route 531 and Route 36 in Ogden during a public information meeting June 27 at the Cosgrove Middle School in Spencerport.
Two new alternatives show an at-grade intersection and the third alternative includes a bridge to carry Route 531 over Route 36. Improvements to Route 31, which are also part of the project, were also discussed.
Kevin Bush, NYSDOT Regional Design Engineer, said officials have taken into consideration comments made during a public meeting held in September 2010. Those comments included concern over speeds downstream along Route 31 and the difficulty of getting out of side roads and driveways along Route 31.
ThumbnailDave Balthaser, an engineer with Stantec, discussed the three alternatives which he said would improve safety, reduce accidents and congestion.
The first alternative discussed was an at-grade conventional four-legged signalized intersection. Route 531 would connect directly to Route 31 and transition from a four-lane expressway to a two-lane rural arterial west of Route 36. Brockport-Spencerport Road would be severed approximately 2,000 feet west of Route 36, ending in a cul-de-sac.
All three alternatives include the severing of Brockport Spencerport Road and connecting Route 531 directly into Route 31 west of Route 36.
The cost of the first alternative is estimated at $13.8 million and would take two seasons to build.
The second alternative is an at-grade signalized superstreet median crossover intersection.
The median cross-over design would require Route 36 traffic to perform a U-turn in the median to progress either north or south through the intersection with Route 531. Drivers would not be able to progress straight through the intersection, but would have to turn right onto Route 531, make a U-turn and turn right back on to Route 36 (Washington Street).
Balthaser said this alternative “notably improves intersection operations and greatly reduces the opportunity for high speed, right-angle accidents.”
The current cost estimate for this alternative is $14 million and would take two seasons to build.
Many people at the meeting expressed doubts that drivers on Route 36 would be able to pull into Route 531 traffic to complete the U-turn. Officials responded that the design creates breaks in traffic to accommodate the turn.
The final and most costly alternative is a grade-separated full diamond interchange like the one at the intersection of Route 531 and Union Street (Route 259) in Spencerport. The cost of this alternative is $25 million and would take two seasons to build.
Several residents said they would prefer spending more money for the full diamond interchange. One resident, whose home will be taken to facilitate the project (officials say six re-locations are necessary) said that if he has to give up something precious to him, he wants the project to truly benefit those who use the roadway. “I’m hoping to have the best possible outcome for all of us,” he said.
Residents continued to express concerns about speed and accessibility to Route 31 from side roads.
Improvements proposed for Route 31 include realignment of the intersections at Hubbell and Gallup Roads. The Gallup Road intersection would be realigned to the south and incorporate a continuous two-way left turn lane along Route 31 between Salmon Creek Road and Gallup Road.
The Hubbell Road intersection would incorporate a channelized island slightly re-aligned to the north to provide left turn storage to Hubbell and an acceleration lane for a left turn movement out of Hubbell Road. A short segment immediately east of Gallup Road would provide a center lane refuge area before the proposed Route 31 raised median for storage and as an acceleration area for southbound Gallup Road left turn movements.
The purchase of property on the north side of Route 31 will eliminate access to Route 31 from Gallup to the Route 531 tie-in and curves will be added at both Hubbell and Gallup Roads to slow traffic and allow turns to occur in a widened median area at the intersections.
Officials said detours would be put in place during construction. Route 531 would be shut down at Union Street (Route 259) and traffic would be sent along Route 31.
When asked about a change in speed limit along Route 31, officials said there would be no change.
The DOT has $8 million which has been earmarked for construction for this location only, Kevin Bush said.
“We are short $6 to 16 million and have to identify funding,” he said.
He added that the Route 31 improvements now include an eight-foot shoulder which would accommodate bike traffic. The DOT had discussed building a multi-use trail along Route 31 to accommodate Bike Route 5. Bush said a trail is still a future possibility.
The DOT will hold a public hearing this fall to present its decision on the final alternative. Construction could begin in the spring of 2014.
