France Avenue Safety Study

The France Avenue/I-494 interchange experiences significant safety concerns. More than 150 crashes have occurred in the past five years which have had a negative effect on corridor safety and mobility. The corridor also lacks pedestrian access to destinations. The study included significant data collection and traffic analysis to understand issues and identify short- and long-term solutions. The primary goal was to increase safety while maintaining corridor mobility.

Recommended short-term improvements included lane reassignment, signing revisions, and intersection improvements. The improvements are intended to increase corridor safety for motorists and pedestrians by using available lanes, separating movements into separate lanes, guiding motorists to destinations, and improving pedestrian infrastructure. Long-term improvements focused on identifying interchange options. A collector-distributor roadway was deemed appropriate for the entrance ramps to separate access points onto the freeway. A pedestrian connection across the freeway was also identified.

Short-term recommendations are anticipated to improve corridor safety and mobility without major infrastructure improvements. Improvements are primarily on public right-of-way and low cost to implement. A future project is being developed with support from multiple agencies.