In Peoria, Arizona, a traffic study completed by Burgess & Niple (B&N) is being used to revitalize the city’s historic Old Town into a vibrant multimodal hub.
The study evaluated short- and long-term transportation and parking improvements to strengthen pedestrian, bicycle and transit-oriented characteristics while maintaining vehicular access. The study area included Old Town businesses and surrounding residential neighborhoods that will be at the core of the redefined and integrated downtown setting.
B&N evaluated two scenarios based on a 10-year forecast. Multimodal transportation recommendations were developed and categorized as short-term (5-year) and long-term (10-year) options. These recommendations include:
- Roadway – Right-in/right-out intersection conversions, a new right-turn lane, new traffic signals and/or new roundabouts, and a new roadway connection.
- Transit – A new transit center concept based on an existing Peoria Multi-Modal Transportation Plan.
- Bicycle and Pedestrian – New bike lanes, new sidewalks, two new pedestrian bridges, streetscape improvements and pedestrian lighting.
- Additional Improvements – A new entry feature that may include a mini-roundabout with landscaping, time-limited parking and moving utilities underground.
As part of the study, B&N developed a sub-area model of Old Town Peoria that was extracted from the Maricopa Association of Government’s (MAG) TransModeler model and recalibrated to local conditions. Different land use scenarios were analyzed using the TransModeler multi-resolution framework.
The study’s recommendations will be used to guide the programming of capital improvements in the Old Town area.