BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

POTSDAM — Three levels of improvements to traffic and pedestrian safety along Route 11 out to the Walmart and Tractor Supply intersection are now available for public comment.

Students from the Clarkson Construction Engineering Management Consulting Group (C3G) recently presented three sets of proposed improvements to the town board at its June 13 meeting.

The group, led by Clarkson Civil Engineering Professor Eric Backus, was tasked with studying traffic and pedestrian trends and patterns along the roadway and developing solutions to make the route more safe. The town, village, and the Health Initiative each chipped in funding for the study.

A walkability survey, and several public input sessions, were used to help develop ideas incorporated into the proposed improvements.

The potential redesigns, described as most robust, moderate, and least robust can be viewed online at https://tinyurl.com/2cjntt89 .

Each would incorporate more crosswalks, better lighting and bus shelters.

However, the most robust and moderate designs would designate lanes for pedestrians and bikers which would be separated from the main vehicle traffic lanes by a barrier.

The most robust design ideas also call for a roundabout at the nexus of Sandstone Drive, Clarkson Avenue and Pine and Maple streets, more extensive improvements to the Clarkson University back entranceway and the Walmart intersection, and a new access to the Potsdam-Morley Road direct off the Walmart intersection, with the current connection of Potsdam-Morley to Route 11 being closed off.

The state DOT has suggested the alternate access to Potsdam-Morley in the past and has a plan in place for it, Town Highway Supervisor John Keleher and Backus said.

Rebecca Kaminsky, one of the Clarkson’s C3G student team members, told the board that public feedback on safety improvements to the corridor thus far had included some concerns about maintenance, snow issues and pedestrian safety on the roundabout, and concerns about damage to the wetlands just outside of the village.

A survey for the public to comment on the proposals can be found online at https://forms.gle/9imhz1rdDq3AZEUj9 .

Backus said the group would like to leave that questionnaire open for responses at least through Potsdam Summerfest.

He anticipated the group presenting final presentations to the town and village in August or September.