Eastern Inner Loop

Overview

Overview
The Eastern Inner Loop Project involves recommending a transportation solution to improve mobility and ensure better safety in the State College area. The three possible alternatives include alignments beginning at Park Avenue and University Drive intersection and ending at either Blue Course Drive-North Atherton Street connection, Vairo Boulevard, or Mount Nittany Expressway.

Objectives

-Develop a series of three conceptual alternatives in their preliminary design encompassing connections at Blue Course Drive, Vairo Boulevard, and Mount Nittany Expressway.

-Conduct a performance-based evaluation for each alternative including an environmental impact assessment, a safety evaluation, an operational evaluation, and a benefit-cost analysis.

-Choose a final design alternative to execute for the Eastern Inner Loop project and further study its corresponding characteristics.

Approach

-Develop a project purpose for the Eastern Inner Loop project.

Preliminary Engineering: Alternative Analysis
-Determine design controls and criteria using HCS program.

-Design preliminary horizontal alignments, vertical alignments, and typical cross-sections by generating CAD drawings.

-Identify, inventory, and prioritize existing environmental features.

-Perform quantitative crash safety analysis.

-Perform quantitative design consistency analysis.

-Estimate preliminary costs.

-Recommend a preferred alternative.

Final design: Preferred Alternative
-Perform life-cycle cost analysis of flexible and rigid pavements.

-Complete detailed construction cost estimate.

-Complete benefit-cost analysis using the Red Book Wizard.

-Develop conceptual intersection/interchange design.

Outcomes

-The overall analysis proves that the Blue Course Drive connection is the ultimate choice as the preferred alternative:

-Results show a good road design consistency with a design speed of 50 mph for a two-lane minor arterial road.

-Travel time reduced from 3-7 minutes for existing road to 1 min 45 sec for preferred alternative.

-Preliminary costs are about $3 million less expensive than the second cheapest alternative.

-Final total cost including construction, maintenance, and safety is around $10.1 million.

-Total User Benefits = $184.6 million

-Benefit-Cost ratio is 28.7, providing a much better alternative compared to existing conditions.