Route 2 in Islands: Better Shoulders, No Rumble

From LocalMotion

We've heard from a number of folks expressing concern about the Route 2 repaving project from Colchester out into the Islands.  People asked whether the shoulders would become narrower or get rumble strips as part of the project. We did some investigating, and are happy to report that the Route 2 project is being designed specifically to improve conditions for bicycling!

 

Here's what we learned from our contact at VTrans:

• The road will have 11 foot lanes and 4 foot shoulders throughout
• A portion will be paved this fall, with the remainder to be paved in the spring
• Temporary striping will go down this fall, with the same lane widths (4'-11'-11'-4') as the permanent striping
• Rumble strips will be installed ONLY in the  centerline, NOT on the shoulders
• Even then, rumble strips will go in primarily where there is a history of crashes, and will specifically NOT be installed at intersections, in densely developed village/commercial areas, in areas where the speed limit is below 45 mph, or in places where there is a lot of turning traffic

Thank you, VTrans, for using bicycle-friendly design on the repaving of this key route!  If you like to bike in the Islands, send a quick note of thanks to Erik Filkorn, VTrans' public outreach manager, at Erik.Filkorn@state.vt.us.