The Big Picture - Ballston Avenue Improvement

SARATOGA SPRINGS – On Tuesday, December 3 the Saratoga Springs City Council approved plans and transferred funds to effectuate the beginning of an important project to widen, beautify and generally improve Ballston Avenue (Route 50) from the area around the Price Chopper Plaza to the intersection of Broadway. The $2.29 million dollar project was primarily funded from State and Federal sources, with Saratoga Springs needing to pledge about $120,000 of that total. In addition to high daily vehicular, pedestrian and other traffic, this segment of Route 50 is currently among the most dangerous, with 42 accidents recorded in a 42 month period in a traffic study from 2008 to 2011. Among the most notable features of the improvement project are medians, left-turn lanes and a reconfigured (and possibly relocated) bus stop at Price Chopper Plaza for pedestrian safety. The intersections of Perry Street and the south side of Union Street with Ballston Avenue will have access closed, which, with a traffic light at Lincoln and Ballston Avenues, will help to improve traffic flow. The city is currently in the property and right-of-way procurement phase, after which the project will be bid in the Spring of 2014. If all goes well, construction will proceed in earnest around September, 2014 with a 6-9 month timetable, with completion in time for track season of 2015. Thanks to Tim Wales and Kate Maynard of the City of Saratoga Springs Planning Department for providing graphics and annotations.