\whb\pro\Bedioni\$2700.00 Nashua
Circulation Studyireports\Final Report Final
Repor.dock
@ Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
2
way east-west couplet with East Pearl Street and West Pearl Street. Similarly, West
Hollis Street forms a one-way east-west couplet with Kinsley Street. There are also
numerous north-south one-way couplets such as Pine Street with Palm Street, Ash
Street with Vine Street, and Chestnut Street with Walnut Street. Other one-way
streets include School Street, Cedar Street, Eldridge Street, Spring Street, Foundry
Street, South Street, Cottage Avenue, Court Street, and Park Street.
The Downtown is well served by public transportation with the Nashua Transit
Center located on Elm Street in the heart of the Downtown. The Nashua Transit
System runs Citybus (a daytime fixed route service); After 7 (an evening fixed route
service); and City Lift (a paratransit senior citizen service, with routes throughout the
Downtown,
Pedestrian mobility is accommodated primarily with the presence of sidewalks,
crosswalks, pedestrian phase actuation at traffic signal controlled intersections, and
off-road facilities such as the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail and the Nashua Riverwalk.
Sidewalks are provided along nearly all streets within the study area with only
minor exceptions. Crosswalks are present at major roadway intersections while
midblock crossings are present along East Pearl Street, Main Street, Temple Street
Pine Street, and Palm Street.
The Nashua Heritage Rail Trail, which runs parallel to West Hollis Street, provides
access to both pedestrians and bicyclists. While the trail has some roadway crossings,
it provides an important alternative to the high traffic volume route of West Hollis
Street.
Other than the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail, there are few defined bicycle facilities
within the study area. Defined bicycle lanes are provided on Temple Street, between
Spring Street and East Pearl Street, and on East Pearl Street, between Spring Street
and Temple Street. Bicycle lanes are marked and include both diamond and bicycle
shaped identification markings. Bicycle shoulders are also provided along Pine
Street, Palm Street, and will be provided along the soon-to-be completed.
Also, the Nashua Heritage Rail Trail and the defined bicycle lanes along such
roadways as Temple Street and East Pearl Street are not well connected. This absence
of connectivity tends to discourage recreational bicyclists and young bicyclists from
using the existing bike facilities. Additionally, no bicycle racks were observed.
However, the City has recently purchased bike racks as part of the City’s sidewalk
reconstruction project. The City is currently considering where best to locate the bike
racks,
A review of crash data over the nine-year period of 2002 through 2010 showed the
Main Street / West Hollis Street /East Hollis Street intersection to have the most
reported crashes with an average of over 10 crashes per year. This intersection also
showed the highest occurrence of pedestrian related crashes with a total of eight
pedestrian related crashes over the nine-year period. Also of note, 70 percent of all
pedestrian related crashes within the study area occurred at signalized intersections
that have pedestrian crossing signals.
Executive Summary
