Section 3 Town wide inventorySECTION 3 TOWNWIDE INVENTORY
The Glens Falls Transportation Council'
Long Range Plan, 1995 - 2015 cited the
Northway Exits, major intersections, and
County roads near the Northway — Dixon
Road, Sherman Avenue, and Luzeme Road
— as areas of concern. The following
sections summarize some of those major
concerns.
Route 9 and 254 (Quaker Road)
Intersection and Kcinity
This intersection just east of Exit 19 of the
Northway is one of the busiest in
Queensbury. A traffic study completed in
1992 found that approximately 45.000
vehicles per day (VPD) used the
intersection, and that use had been growing
at a rate of two percent per year for the
previous seven years. Highway capacity
measured during 1993 peak traffic hours
showed a level of service (LOS) "D" on a
scale of A to F. The LOS at unsignalized
intersections in the vicinity was generally
rated "E". Northway access points also had
extremely poor levels of service.
The number of access points from
businesses along the Route 9 and Quaker
Road corridors was also studied. It was
found that on Route 9 from Foster Avenue
to Sweet Road there was a high number of
access points, with separation distances of
75 to 125 feet. The frequency was similar
along Quaker Road.
Some of the suggested solutions to improve
the Rte. 9/254 situation were:
• Build a connector road from Route 9 to
Route 254 to divert traffic from the
intersection.
• Build a road from the Aviation Mall to
Foster Avenue to reduce traffic at the
intersection (This could alco provide
internal access for more potential
commercial areas/
• Create access management guidelines to
reduce curb cuts on both Route 9 and
Route 254.
The GFTC Long -Range Plan states that:
"A stringent policy of access management
should be applied to limit intersections onto
Quaker Road as development occurs. In
addition, agreements should be made xith
new developers to require them to contribute
to the improvements to Quaker Road in the
area. "
Corinth Road CorridorlNorthwat• Exit 18
A study coordinated by the Adirondack
/Glens Falls Transportation Council durine
the summer and fall of 1998 will seek
solutions to the multitude of issues facing
this corridor. It is a main commuter.
commercial and industrial traffic route.
Dense residential and small commercial uses
line the route to Glens Falls, making access
management important. Those who attempt
it do not consider bicycle and pedestrian use
safe.
Options with regard to exit ramp
configurations, road widening, and dedicated
bike and pedestrian paths are being studied.
Land use recommendations may also be
made as a part of the study.
Upper Route 9 to Route 149
Upper Route 9 is the major access between
the Quaker Road/Exit 19 area and the
commercial areas to the north in Queensbur
and Lake George. It also carves truck and
tourist traffic from the Northway (I-87) to
Page 23
SEMION 3 TOWNWIDE INNTNTORY
State Route 149, which connects New York
State to Vermont. Traffic is heavy all year.
but is greatly impacted by the seasonal
tourist influx. Destinations such as the
Great Escape Amusement Park and the
outlet malls are the major attractions on the
route.
Route 9 has been the subject of study by the
New York State Department of
Transportation and by private consultants
hired by the Town and by the Adirondack
Glens Falls Transportation Council.
Recommendations for access management
will be implemented soon, as road
improvements are undertaken.
Recommendations for the outlet center area
involve a combination of public agency and
private commercial efforts.
(See Neighborhood 4)
State Route 149
Route 149 is a major travel corridor for east -
west interstate travel. Large trucks and
buses share the two-lane road with travelers
whose destination may be the local area or
points more distant.
Road improvement plans are underway.
Modification of horizontal and vertical
curves. and improved intersection design are
elements of the proposed improvements
being planned by the NYSDOT. Major
relocation or widening of road is not
planned.
Dix Avenue
Dix Avenue (County Route 32) carries
traffic between the City of Glens Falls.
Queensbury. Washington County and
Vermont. The segment of Route 32 between
Routes 254 and 4 (in Washington County)
has shown the highest growth of traffic
volume in the Greater Glens Falls area in the
last ten years.
Development has been occurring alone Dix
Avenue. The K-Mart Superstore added
traffic and spurred some additional
commercial and services development. It
will be important to implement access
management. service roads. and good
internal circulation patterns for development
on this major interregional connector road.
The National High µ•at• System
The National Highway System is a federal
designation that includes roads that provide
inter -regional transportation. Routes 149.
254. and 32 are so designated. Queensbur%
Avenue. which provides a link from Route
32 to the Warren County Airport and the
lb'arren-Washington Industrial Park. is a
possible future addition to the National
Highway System. Roads within this system
are to have a limited number of access
points in order to assure the effective use of
the road for commercial transportation.
Page 24