Requests for Proposals Open to Transform Corridor
The North Avondale Road and East College Avenue area is poised to undergo a major transformation to create a more walkable, safe and attractive corridor that will connect the community and encourage downtown development. The design plans and right-of-way acquisition for the North Avondale/East College Complete Street project are now complete and the project is out for bid.
After advertising and reviewing the construction bids, the contract will be awarded, a process that will take a minimum of three months. If all goes according to plan, the project will start construction in the first quarter of 2024.
The city is committed to ensuring that the selected contractor completes the construction of one block before moving on to the next and works closely with businesses to mitigate the impact of potential disruptions. A regular communication channel will provide real-time information about schedules and plans when construction begins.
If you are a contractor interested in bidding, please see Request for Proposal below.
The project spans from Sams Crossing to Ashton Place and includes a landscape buffer, center median, pedestrian/bike crossings, a reduction in the lane configuration from five lanes to three lanes, road repaving and restriping, and replaced and upgraded traffic signals. The new design will be more efficient, attractive, safer and more accessible for cyclists and walkers. By implementing limited curb cuts, strategically placing left-hand turn lanes, and syncing the timing of signals, drivers will be able to move seamlessly through the corridor at slower speeds. Even with these changes, there will be less than a 20-second increase in travel time for drivers going from one end of the corridor to the other.
In addition to being more efficient and safer, slower speeds will save lives. Nine out of 10 pedestrians hit by vehicles traveling at 20 miles per hour or less survive, while less than half survive when hit at 30 mph and only one in 10 survives an incident involving speeds above 40 mph.
Creating a better place means better opportunities, and research shows that changing the corridor from a place that people drive through to one that they drive to will improve economic vitality for local businesses. By replacing vehicle travel lanes with more options to walk, bike or take transit, people will be encouraged to park once and visit. This project will also attract millennials with changing travel patterns. According to the Federal Highway Administration, millennials are taking 23% fewer driving trips and 40% more transit trips than previous generations.
