Ever go 100 mph in the wrong direction? This can be a problem among roadway improvement projects. Sometimes the jurisdiction maintaining the roadway will receive complaints about an intersection and in an effort to provide good customer service will quickly make decisions based upon: the complaints, aerial photos, intersection observations, and meetings. Then they quickly jump into “fix it” mode. Sometimes this approach works well. However, sometimes they discover that a lot of time and resources were spent only to find it would have been better to go a different direction.

It can be challenging to predict the outcome without having good data. What worked well for one intersection in the past may not be the best solution for another intersection; even if they have similar characteristics. For example, Kellar Engineering (KE) is currently designing one project near a large high school in Colorado where a multi-lane roundabout was the best intersection option. KE is also designing a project at another large high school in Colorado where a signalized intersection was best. What was best for one intersection near a high school was not best for another intersection near a high school.

Therefore In order to determine the best roadway improvement for your situation, KE is offering feasibility study services. In a feasibility study, KE will: set up data collection cameras; obtain 24-hour video counts; obtain real data for all modes of transportation (vehicles, bicycles, & pedestrians); review crash data; and then analyze the data by creating traffic models. The feasibility study is useful because it: is inexpensive, compares intersection improvement options, and gives the client the tools to make decisions based upon good data before moving forward.

To find out if a feasibility study would be appropriate for your project, please feel free to contact Kellar Engineering at: (970) 219-1602 or skellar@kellarengineering.com for a free consultation.