Infamous death lane to be eliminated

The Class of 2010 will not have to cross Charles Street's "death" lane anymore to get to campus.

"Death" lane - the sole southbound lane on the east side of the median - will be eliminated by 2006 as part of the reconstruction of Charles Street.

Construction will begin in 2005 to redevelop Charles Street from 25th Street to University Parkway.

"[The project] will eliminate death lane and reduce traffic volume by [having] two northbound and two southbound lanes," said Lawrence Kilduff, University executive director for facilities management.

With more than 14,000 pedestrian crossings on Charles Street each day, "death" lane and the arrangement of Charles Street has long been a source of concern for the community.

"Right now there are too many lanes," said David Wallace, partner in RK&K Engineers, the group that has developed the reconstruction plans. "The horrifying piece is the suicide lane."

RK&K Engineers has developed two concept plans for the reconstruction of Charles Street after a prolonged dialogue with community, University and city representatives.

Both plans will eliminate "death lane," but only one plan would retain the East Side Service Drive, which is the parking lane on the east side of Charles Street.

A median would divide the two northbound and the two southbound lanes, Wallace said. Three lanes would be provided from Art Museum Drive to 33rd Street to accommodate greater traffic flow.

The project addresses three objectives: pedestrian safety, traffic timing and beautification, Kilduff said.

The project will cost $10 - $12 million, and the City has applied for federal grants to supply 80 percent of the budget.

The process has been placed on hold until the Charles Street Bridge opens this summer. Once regular Charles Street traffic flow resumes, RK&K Engineers will conduct additional traffic tests in Nov. 2003 before the final project plan is finalized.

"Right now we're in a bit of a hiatus because we're waiting for some more studies, some of which require the Charles Street Bridge to be opened again and school to be back in session so we can get accurate traffic counts," said Kristin Smith, community planner for the northern district. "For the traffic studies and count, we're really just counting the numbers of cars on different sections and how many cars are turning where."

While it has not been included in the project, Hopkins is also considering the implementation of a pedestrian crossing bridge after the Charles Street reconstruction project is complete.

"We are seriously considering a bridge as part of the development project," Kilduff said. "[It will be near] the new residence hall and retail beneath it [planned for Ivy Hall] so we could provide safe passage across Charles Street for the entire student body as well as the people who want to access the retail."

The project should also address pedestrian visibility at night.

"We want the city to reinstall lights that make [pedestrians] much more visible," Kilduff said. "All the pedestrian lighting will be new and redesigned to be somewhat in the character of the University's lighting."

The project has been a two-year effort.

"It's taken a fair amount of dialogue in pushing on the part of the University as well as the consortium that we've built with the neighborhood groups," Kilduff said. "It's really been a collaborative effort on the part of the University and all the community groups."

Stakeholders in the project include the BMA, the Charles Village Community Association, Condominiums Along Greenway, Friends of Wyman Park Dell and the University.

"Hopkins didn't drive this train," Kilduff said.