Working closely with the City of Northampton, Nitsch designed improvements for the roadway and sidewalks along Pleasant Street, as well as the separated bike path and connection to Manhan Rail Trail. Our design was developed in accordance with the Complete Streets policy adopted by the City and the guidelines published by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
Pedestrian and bicycle improvements were a key challenge for this project, as they required substantial modifications to drainage infrastructure. These modifications were performed with only minor impacts due to early reconnaissance and field observation by our land surveyors, as well as coordination with the City.
Nitsch’s services included land surveying, transportation engineering, and resident engineering. After our land surveyors performed a street line and topographic survey of Pleasant Street, we developed design documents in accordance with the City’s Complete Streets guidelines. Design features included the reconstruction of sidewalks, installation of raised crosswalks, a raised intersection and roadway at the Manhan Rail Trail crossing to improve pedestrian safety, and the application of an access management approach by closing off several unused curb cuts. The design also included the installation of a one-way raised cycle track on each side of Pleasant Street to improve multimodal access. The project also included the installation of green spaces along the street, the usage of flexible pavements in areas where tree roots remained, and the installation of three bioretention areas.
Nitsch prepared preliminary design plans, detail sheets, and construction quantities and cost estimates for review by several City departments. As the project progressed into construction, we prepared and coordinated the distribution of bid documents and provided construction administration services, where our full-time resident engineer was present during construction.
Key Collaborators
Owner: City of Northampton
