Ambler Borough Council discusses options to prevent Butler Avenue accidents

Ambler Borough is looking to make improvements on one of its busiest streets in the area.

Bowman Consulting Group (Bowman) has completed a review of the traffic data collected on Butler Avenue (between Bethlehem Pike and Race Street/Park Avenue) to evaluate potential traffic calming measures that may be considered by the Borough. The length of roadway consists of around two tenths of a mile.

Based on data, Butler Avenue, a two-way street with parking on both sides of the street, experienced a total of 11 reportable crashes within the study area from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2023. There were also 11 non-reportable crashes during the same five-year period that involved vehicles traveling along Butler Avenue and striking vehicles parked along the northern and southern sides of Butler Avenue within the study’s limits.

    Butler Avenue in Ambler (Image courtesy of Google StreetView)
  

Due to these crashes, Bowman and the Borough are now discussing – along with public input – what improvements should be made.

“Nothing has happened yet,” Ambler Borough Manager Mary Aversa said. “We are discussing recommendations and deciding what we are going to do, what we can afford to do, and how to handle improvements … There will be lots of conversations as we figure out how we’re going to pay for this.”

Improvements are being evaluated to help calm traffic, enhance pedestrian facilities, and manage on-street parking.

Short-term improvements could include:

• Replacing the existing painted 25 mph pavement marking legends on Butler Avenue in the westbound direction to the east of Rosemont Avenue and in the eastbound direction to the west of Race Street/Park Avenue with thermoplastic markings to increase visibility and extend the life of the markings;
• Consider the installation of transverse rumble bars on Butler Avenue near the existing speed limit pavement marking legends referenced above rumble strips;
• Replace the three existing painted continental crosswalks along Butler Avenue between Race Street/Park Avenue and Hendricks Street with thermoplastic crosswalk markings to increase visibility and extend the life of the markings;
• Install a “PED XING AHEAD” pavement marking legend on eastbound Butler Avenue in advance of the crosswalk to the west of Park Avenue and on westbound Butler Avenue in advance of the crosswalk approaching from the east on Butler Avenue.

According to the study, the existing 34-foot curbed cross-section within the study limits does not provide sufficient width for parking on both sides of the street and two-way traffic to simultaneously occur on Butler Avenue. Possible solutions for this could consist of shifting the existing double yellow line on Butler Avenue approximately four feet to the north; adding a white lane marking on the north side of Butler Avenue resulting in a 12-foot through lane and four-foot buffer area between the travel lane and sidewalk for westbound Butler Avenue.

Long-term improvements, which would be completed after the short-term improvements are done, will require further engineering evaluations to determine the feasibility. These improvements could include:

• Providing a designated pedestrian crossing on Butler Avenue in the area of Rosemont Avenue or Woodland Avenue. The pedestrian crossing should be provided with a continental crosswalk and pedestrian warning signs and must include ADA curb ramps;
• Providing a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at one of the existing designated pedestrian crossings located between Park Avenue/Race Street and Hendricks Street;
• Providing additional street lighting as needed on Butler Avenue. Pedestal street lighting currently exists along Butler Avenue on both sides of the street between Bethlehem Pike (S.R. 2018) and Park Avenue/Race Street. The Borough should evaluate whether supplemental lighting could be installed at designated pedestrian crossings.

“If the Borough would like to pursue any of these improvements further, Bowman can provide additional services that may be required including additional engineering evaluations, conceptual plans, pavement marking/construction plans, permitting, etc.,” said Chad Dixon, Bowman’s project manager.