Proposed Concepts FAQs

The West Lisbon Avenue project, between N. 100thStreet and W. Burleigh Street (including the Lisbon Avenue and Burleigh Street intersection), will completely reconstruct the roadway pavement and base, curb and gutter, sidewalk, ADA pedestrian ramps, driveway aprons, traffic signals, street lighting, and some drainage structures.

The roadway will be reconstructed with concrete pavement.

• There will be modifications. The complete reconstruction of the roadway offers a good opportunity for the project team to evaluate improvements, including safety, operations, and multi-modal transportation needs. 
• The project team evaluated traffic needs and determined that rebuilding with two travel lanes in each direction would be considered overbuilt. It also wouldn’t meet most of the project goals. Therefore, the team is proposing to rebuild West Lisbon Avenue with one travel lane in each direction. This reconfiguration is known as a “road diet.” A similar road diet was constructed on South 60thStreet from West Cold Spring Road to West Kinnickinnic River Parkway. 
• This reconfiguration also provides room for other uses such as bicyclists. Bicycle alternatives included various on-street and off-street bicycle accommodations. 

•  West Lisbon Avenue is proposed to be rebuilt with one travel lane in each direction. Left turn lanes would be added in the median. This configuration would have safety benefits for motorists and other users. 
• Separated (raised) bike lanes would be added between the sidewalk and the new roadway curb. The bike lanes would be approximately where the existing parking lane is located. Separated bike lanes provide more comfort for bicyclists of a variety of ages and abilities, and generally provide more comfort for motorists and pedestrians as well.
• Some median openings and driveways would be closed with the project, where they are too close to intersections. Some driveway aprons will be modified to better line up with driveways.
• In addition to the road diet, other traffic calming and pedestrian improvements would be made such as curb extensions (bumpouts), pedestrian refuges, high visibility crosswalks, and raised pedestrian/bicycle crossings. Speed tables are also being considered. 
• Spot safety improvements are being evaluated, such as at the curve near North 100th Street. 
• Steel monotube traffic signal poles are being proposed as a safety improvement. 
• Bioswales are also being evaluated to improve stormwater management. Specific locations will be determined as the project progresses.

•  After extensive evaluation of traffic signals and roundabouts, the project team has decided to move forward with roundabouts at the North 92nd and North 84th Street intersections. They would be single-lane roundabouts, which are easier for various users to navigate. A variety of factors were evaluated and compared in order to make this decision. These included, safety, traffic operations/capacity, transit accommodations, traffic calming, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, truck turning movements, driveway/access impacts, as well as other impacts, costs, and public input. 
• The North 76th Street and West Burleigh Street intersections will have traffic signals.  

• For most factors evaluated, the traffic signals and roundabout alternatives were similar. The main reasons for selecting the single-lane roundabout alternatives were:
  • Safety: Roundabouts are designed to help slow vehicle speeds, which in turn would reduce severe and fatal crashes. Roundabouts generally reduce crashes by approximately 35% for all crashes and 76% for injury crashes, when converted from a signalized intersection or intersection with stop signs. Single-lane roundabouts generally offer greater safety than multilane roundabouts due to fewer points of conflict.  
  • Multimodal needs: Roundabouts have the ability to provide shorter crossings for pedestrians and separated bike lanes for cyclists. There are also fewer conflict points between pedestrian/bicyclists and vehicles.
  • Public input was mixed between support for roundabouts and signals, with slightly more support for the roundabouts. 
• The roundabouts are anticipated to operate acceptably for motorists at these locations. 

• The current posted speed is 35 mph. The new reconfigured street design is anticipated to result in some reduction in traveling speeds, and it's important that the city can evaluate how much of a speed reduction that is. Therefore, the posted speed will remain as 35 mph after construction. The speeds will be further monitored, and the posted speed can be modified later if appropriate. 

• All of the sidewalk along West Lisbon Avenue will be replaced. 
• Sidewalk will be added along the area next to the Holy Cross Cemetery.

• Adjacent property owners will be responsible for mowing the grass areas and removing snow and ice from sidewalks.
• The city would remove the snow and ice from the separated bike lanes. The city will use smaller snow removal equipment for the bike lanes and anticipates removing the snow within up to approximately 72 hours, depending on the snowfall amount. 

• Some trees are anticipated to be removed, generally in the median or on the outside of the roadway near intersections. 
• The project team will continue to evaluate the design and minimize tree impacts to the extent feasible, and plant new trees where possible.

•   The proposed design provides a “flex space” lane along each side of the street. In many areas, the flex space would be used for parking, as it is now. The flex space can also be used for emergency stopping, residential or business deliveries, business loading zones, and food trucks. 
• Some intermittent flex space will be provided along the area by the cemetery, so vehicles can pull over for emergency stopping purposes or to allow for emergency vehicles to pass. 
• Some parking spots will be eliminated where turn lanes are being added or where curb extensions are being added. 

• Minor side streets with stop signs will have minimal reconstruction right at the intersections with Lisbon Avenue. 
• Side streets at the major intersections (92nd, 84th, WIS 181/76th, and Burleigh streets) would have more substantial modifications extending further along the side street. 

•  Additional stop and yield signs are not planned to be installed. Placing stop signs where they are not warranted can cause safety issues.