Phase II: Transportation
South Campus
Roadway Network
The internal roadway system of the South Campus is limited and does not adequately access all points of the campus. Therefore by reconfiguring the roadway and making an internal roadway loop through the campus, vehicles can access the buildings and parking lots without disrupting the pedestrian and cyclist’s movements. By adding a new 4 foot wide bicycle lane adjacent to the reconfigured roadway, better bicycle routes and access can be created.
Bicycle Facilities
Bicycling is an integral part of the transportation system resulting in cleaner air, safer streets and healthier living. A bicycle station is a facility that seeks to improve the quality of life at UB through the development and operation of bike-transit centers and related infrastructure. Bicycle stations/Car Sharing/Transit Information Centers can offer one stop shopping for parking, repairing and obtaining transit information and taking out a shared car. Ideally, this center would be located in a highly visible place, with convenient student, staff and faculty access.
This facility will provide the following services:
- Attended bicycle-parking
- Bike-sharing and rentals
- Bicycle repairs
- Shower/Locker rooms
- Retail sales for parts and accessories
- Transit and bicycle information
- Car-sharing access
Parking
Depending upon specific campus growth scenarios another 1,000 to 3,000 additional parking spaces may be required, if TDM strategies are not implemented. By implementing TDM policies and subsequently reducing SOV market share the university can reduce this number significantly.
Since some level of additional parking is necessary for growth, various urban design elements can be added to parking lots and structures to help mitigate the impact on the environment.
Portions of the proposed parking strucutures can be built partially underground or feature retail space at sidewalk level. All parking structures shall also provide bicycle parking and security stations. To lessen environmental impacts, parking lots can be built with landscaped islands and permeable materials.
Main Street and Bailey Avenue Intersection
The intersection of Main Street and Bailey Avenue currently prohibits left hand turns when travelling east along Main Street; motorists have to bear right onto the Main Street extension to make a left on Bailey Avenue. The intersection currently has dedicated left turn lanes in all other directions but Main Street eastbound, therefore adding left turn lanes on eastbound Main Street will not alter the current signalization. Providing double left-turn lanes for motorists travelling eastbound on Main Street will allow for the removal of the additional signal at the Main Street extension and Bailey Avenue intersection, thus facilitating traffic flow and freeing up valuable land at this important gateway location.
Transit Expansion
Extending rail transit to North Campus has been a long sought goal as it provides a high capacity, quick link that can help focus growth along the extended rail corridor, and finally join the UB campuses.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a new concept that combines some of the benefits of rail, but at lower cost as existing streets are used to save the expense of building a new track system. The UB campus master plan does not recommend a specific mode at this stage, but instead, keeps the options open by proposing how all three modes can serve South Campus. Each mode also has different alignments for routings within South Campus that correspond to each mode’s strengths. For instance, the modern streetcar can thread between buildings, while LRT can operate directly into the tunnel and through to Downtown. BRT can use a reconfigured campus roadway to circulate around South Campus.
Transit Options
Modern Streetcar Pathway (left) vs. BRT Pathway (right)