Input sought for highway design project

The Town of Amherst recently initiated the Context-Sensitive Highway Design Project, a joint effort with the New York State Department of Transportation to study and formulate "context-sensitive" guidance that could be applied by the state and county to the design of future highway construction projects in town.

The project is a key recommendation of the town's Bicentennial Comprehensive Plan. Context-sensitive highway design is an approach to transportation planning that emphasizes collaboration to develop transportation improvements appropriate to local conditions.

The Technical Project Advisory Committee will meet on a monthly basis with the project consultant, Wendel Duchscherer Architects & Engineers, PC, to review technical products, provide community perspectives on growth and development issues, and evaluate plan recommendations.

Nine corridors, illustrating various situations in the town, have been selected by the committee for study during the project. Design solutions developed for these roadways will then be applied to other, similar roadways throughout the town. Selected roadways:
• Main Street, through the Village of Williamsville
• North Bailey Avenue, Sheridan Drive to Maple Road
• Bailey Avenue, Main Street to Eggert Road
• Millersport Highway, North Forest Road to North French
Road
• Klein Road, Hopkins Road to Paradise Road
• Maple Road, North Forest Road to Youngs Road
• Sheridan Drive, Niagara Falls Boulevard to I-290 exit
• East Robinson Road, Niagara Falls Boulevard to Sweet Home
Road
• New Road, Millersport Highway to Tonawanda Creek Road

The project is expected to be completed by fall 2008.

Interviews with town stakeholders who live, work or travel along these corridors are being arranged to assist the project team in identifying key characteristics and future concepts for each highway.

Call 631-7051. Visit www.amherst.ny.us for updates throughout the process.