Road Safety Audits (RSA)

APPENDIX A
RSA CASE STUDIES

RSA NUMBER 1

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:
RSA OF IMPROVEMENTS TO CLEAR LAKE AVENUE AND DIRKSEN PARKWAY

PROJECT BACKGROUND:

Clear Lake Avenue connects the I-72/I-55 interchange east of Springfield, Illinois, with downtown Springfield.  Dirksen Parkway intersects Clear Lake Avenue just west of the interchange.  Views of Clear Lake Avenue and Dirksen Parkway are shown in FIGURE A.1.  In addition to functioning as major arterials, both roadways provide access to adjacent commercial properties. 

The intersection of Clear Lake Avenue and Dirksen Parkway was designated a high accident location for six consecutive years (1998 through 2003), and the intersection of Hill Street and Clear Lake Avenue was designated a high accident location in 2003.  In response, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) developed plans to upgrade Clear Lake Avenue between Dirksen Parkway and the I-72/I-55 interchange.   The scope of the planned improvements, shown in FIGURE A.2, included:

• access consolidation and construction of two new service roads intersecting Clear Lake Avenue at a new signalized intersection east of Dirksen Parkway;
• realignment of Hill Street (a local road) to intersect Clear Lake Avenue at new signalized intersection;
• dual left turn lanes on all legs of the intersection of Clear Lake Avenue and Dirksen Parkway, and dual right turn lanes on the southeast corner of the intersection.

Clear Lake Avenue (looking west toward intersection with Dirksen Parkway)	Dirksen Parkway (looking south toward intersection with Clear Lake Avenue)

FIGURE A.1  VIEWS OF RSA SITE (ILLINOIS DOT RSA)

FIGURE A.2 RSA PROJECT (ILLINOIS DOT RSA)

KEY RSA FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS:

The key findings and suggestions of the RSA are summarized in TABLE A.1.