The Market Street (Route 33) STARS Study (2018)
The objective of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s STARS (Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions) Program is to develop comprehensive, innovative transportation solutions to relieve congestion bottlenecks and solve critical traffic and safety challenges throughout the commonwealth.
The program, led by the VDOT Transportation and Mobility Planning Division, brings together planners, traffic engineers, safety engineers, roadway design engineers and maintenance specialists, along with local stakeholders, to jointly identify cost-effective measures aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion.
This STARS study identified strategies to reduce crashes, maximize existing vehicular capacity, and make spot improvements to this important corridor through analysis of existing and future conditions. The goal of this study was to identify targeted improvements that could be programmed into the VDOT Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP). Consideration was given to the likelihood that recommended improvements would perform favorably in the SMART SCALE project prioritization program or other available transportation funding programs.
Existing safety and traffic operational issues in the project area were identified and reviewed with a goal of developing improvements to maximize vehicular mobility through minimizing congestion and delay, reducing crashes and improving access management. In addition to these general improvement objectives, the study proposes improvement alternatives for 2025 conditions by addressing operational enhancements and capital improvement projects in the project study area. One area of focus was the proposed extension of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from its current terminus at US Route 33 to a new intersection with Country Club Road, as recommended in the City of Harrisonburg Comprehensive Plan. Another focus area was to provide city staff with recommendations for improving access management, including the configuration of uncontrolled crossovers and the impact of commercial entrances on safety and capacity.