The Springfield X Intersection

The intersection of Sumner Avenue, Dickinson Street, and Belmont Avenue in Springfield, MA, often referred to as “The X”, ranks number 16 on MassDOT’s top 200 most dangerous intersection. It is a bustling area filled with shops, restaurants, and pedestrians, but also serves as an important corridor for regional transportation. The Sumner Avenue corridor is also the primary gateway to Forest Park, a 735-acre nature and recreational park, yet the corridor offers limited pedestrian and bicycle connections. Transportation engineers and landscape architects implemented a conceptual design to transform the area into a fully integrated and connected multi-modal transportation system that will create neighborhood connectivity and placemaking.

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Challenge

Our team needed to create solutions to improve traffic flow, bicycle and pedestrian safety, and accessibility to Forest Park (as well as area schools and businesses) in an increasingly auto-centric corridor. We were asked to address existing and future deficiencies associated with the increase in traffic demand while improving safety and efficiency. To do this, we had to create a design that balanced the mobility and access needs of roadway users as well as one that enhanced safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Collaboration

A large component of the design was public outreach, focusing on project constraints, concerns, and the overall project scope. Public meetings began during the Improvement Planning Study Phase. Additionally, we presented a pre-25% concept plan to the Forest Park Civil Association and a solicitation of comments for the 25% design plans.

Practice Areas Involved

Design

The Fuss & O’Neill team was responsible for making the area more pedestrian and bicycle friendly while slowing down vehicular traffic. The goal is to make The X a destination. A fully integrated and connected multi-modal transportation system is important for maintaining residential quality of life and for a thriving economy. The City of Springfield requested that our team focus on downtown and neighborhood revitalization, recognizing an opportunity to improve safety while creating neighborhood connectivity.

Impact

This project is currently in the 25% design stage. Construction is anticipated for 2024. Through our design, The X will balance mobility and access needs of roadway users while enhancing safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It will no longer be an intersection that motorists simply pass through – it will be a destination.