This project was identified in the 2022 Homewood Mobility Plan as the Frankstown Avenue CMAQ Project. CMAQ stands for Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding.

The Homewood Mobility Plan was recommended as a critical next step in the2020 Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan, which identified goals for creating consistent sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ensuring Homewood residents have access to high-quality transit, and creating safe routes to school.

Specifically, the Homewood Mobility Plan identified several individual projects and recommendations which are being incorporated into the Frankstown Avenue CMAQ project:

• Frankstown Avenue Traffic Calming
• Intersection improvements at Frankstown Avenue & Sterrett Street
• Intersection improvement and traffic calming at Frankstown Avenue & Oakwood Road.
• Crosswalks, ADA improvements at Frankstown Avenue & Homewood Avenue.
• Crosswalks at Frankstown Avenue & Murtland Street.
• ADA improvements along Frankstown Avenue.

Extensive public involvement took place as part of both the 2020 Homewood Comprehensive Community Plan and the 2022 Homewood Mobility Plan.. These efforts led the City to apply for Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding.

The city has secured a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant of approximately $4.3 million, which will support traffic signal replacement and safety improvements along the Frankstown Avenue corridor.

On January 23, 2024, a public meeting was held specifically to discuss the Frankstown Avenue CMAQ project. This meeting was attended by 70 members of the community. Additional public meetings will be held in the future as the project progresses into final design.

Follow this EngagePGH page to be notified of future meetings.

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program(CMAQ) Improvement Program provides grants for transportation projects designed to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality, particularly in areas of the country that do not meet national air quality standards.

CMAQ funding cannot be used for maintenance projects such as:

• roadway resurfacing
• sidewalk repairs
• street lighting maintenance
• streetscape type projects such as street trees, landscaping, and parks

CMAQ funding can be used for projects that create multi-modal transportation improvements that can lead to more mobility with fewer personal vehicles.

The City seeks to improve motorist safety, pedestrian safety and mobility through updated signal infrastructure and strategically located concrete bump-outs.

To meet these goals, the City is considering several types of improvements:

• Traffic Signal Replacement: Existing traffic signals along Frankstown Avenue are at the end of their useful life. Replacing these signals will reduce maintenance costs and provide new equipment that is more reliable and meets current traffic signal standards.

• Traffic signal replacements will incorporate pedestrian signal improvements, ADA improvements, high visibility crosswalks, curb extensions, and improved street lighting. New accessible pedestrian push buttons and countdown pedestrian signals will be included with the traffic signal replacements on this project. The intersections will also be programmed to provide a three-second leading pedestrian interval, giving “head start” to pedestrians.
• ADA improvements: ADA compliant curb ramps will facilitate pedestrian crossings at all improved intersections and mid-block crosswalks.

• High Visibility Crosswalks: High visibility crosswalks will be installed to better delineate the pedestrian crosswalks at all improved intersections.
• Curb extensions: Sidewalk will be extended into the parking lane at the intersection to create a larger sidewalk space for pedestrians, and to shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians at intersections.

• Curb extensions are traffic calming devices that slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety by narrowing the road width at intersections.

• Improved street lighting: Improved street lighting will be provided at all signal replacements, at each all-way stop intersection, and at the mid-block raised crosswalk for pedestrian safety.

• Traffic Signal Removals: Some traffic signals are unwarranted, meaning they exist at an intersection where the signal may not be or no longer is the best tool. Unwarranted signals tend to be ignored and have high incidents of crashes when a motorist runs a red-light. These signals also lead to excessive delay for both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Removing unwarranted traffic signals reduces the amount of time vehicles and pedestrians are stopped waiting at a red light when there is little to no cross traffic.

• All-way stop control: All-way stop control requires all vehicles to stop at an intersection. The all-way stop control is implemented at intersections where traffic signals are not warranted. At these locations, enhanced street lighting, raised intersections, and curb extensions will also be provided.

• Raised intersection: This traffic calming device is similar to a speed hump that extends across an entire intersection. On this project, raised intersections will be combined with all-way stop control.

• Raised intersections create a safe, slow-speed crossing and create a public space at an intersection. Similar to speed humps and other vertical speed control elements, raised intersections reinforce slow speeds and encourage motorists to yield to pedestrians at the crosswalk. Enhanced street lighting is also provided at a raised intersection.

• Daylight intersection: This is simple pedestrian safety measure achieved by removing parking spaces around an intersection, increasing visibility for pedestrians and drivers and minimizing conflicts.

• Raised Crosswalk: This is a traffic calming measure which combines a speed hump with a crosswalk. On Frankstown Avenue, the raised crosswalk will be combined with flashing pedestrian lights and improved street lighting.

• Flashing Pedestrian Lights: This measure is also known as a “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon” (RRFB). Pushbuttons at the crosswalk will activate flashing yellow lights when a pedestrian is ready to cross. This feature will be combined with a raised crosswalk and enhanced street lighting.

Since this project is being funded by the Federal Government, the design process is required to follow federal project development requirements. This also means there is Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversight of the project to ensure that both Federal and State design requirements are met. There are several design submissions and design clearances required before the project can begin construction.

See the righthand side of the page for the most up-to-date timeline.

Project Timeline

May 2023 - begin preliminary engineering

January 2024 - hold first public meeting

April 2024 – obtain environmental clearance

September 2024 - begin final design

September 2025 – Bid for construction

January 2026 – construction begins

Designing a major project like this might seem simple but there are any number of challenges that may be encountered during design and construction:

• Right of Way constraints
• Unmarked, unknown or abandoned utility lines that interfere with construction
• Unknown condition of existing utilities
• Abandoned trolly tracks under pavement
• Basement vaults that extend under sidewalks
• Maintaining access for pedestrians and adjacent businesses when replacing sidewalks

If any of these come up, we will address them accordingly.

Summary of Proposed Changes

Frankstown Avenue & N. Murtland Street

• Full replacement of the traffic signal with pedestrian signal improvements
• New signal timings
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Updated street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & N. Lang Avenue

• Full replacement of the traffic signal with pedestrian signal improvements
• New signal timings
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Updated street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & N. Homewood Avenue

• Full replacement of the traffic signal with pedestrian signal improvements
• New signal timings

• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Updated street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & Sterrett Street

• All-Way Stop
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Raised intersection (larger version of speed hump across intersection)
• Updated street lighting
• Daylight intersection

Homewood Healthy Active Living Center (mid-block crosswalk)

• Raised Crosswalk (similar to speed hump)
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Flashing Pedestrian Lights (require person to push button when crossing)
• Enhanced street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & Collier Street

• Full replacement of the traffic signal with pedestrian signal improvements
• New signal timings
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks

• Updated street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & N. Braddock Avenue

• Traffic Signal Removal
• All-way stop control
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Raised Intersection
• Updated street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & Brushton Avenue

• Full replacement of the traffic signal with pedestrian signal improvements
• New signal timings
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Updated street lighting

Frankstown Avenue & Blackadore Avenue

• Full replacement of the traffic signal with pedestrian signal improvements
• New signal timings
• Curb extensions, ADA ramps, High Visibility Crosswalks
• Updated street lighting

Other traffic calming measure along Frankstown Avenue

• One speed hump between Blackadore and Tokay
• Two speed humps between Oakwood and Blackadore

A “traffic signal warrant” is the minimum criteria that an intersection must meet for engineers to consider installing new traffic signal. There are nine recognized traffic signal warrants (threshold conditions) outlined in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), The MUTCD is a federal publication that provides guidance for state and local agencies for the use and installation of traffic control devices.

The threshold conditions (warrants) were not met at the intersection of Frankstown Avenue and Sterrett Street, and the existing four-way stop control appears to mitigate the crashes that were occurring.

The Federal Highway publication, “User Guide for Removal of Not Needed Traffic Signals” was used to screen all existing traffic signals along Frankstown Avenue within the project area.

The signal at Frankstown Avenue and N. Braddock Avenue is the highest-ranking candidate for signal removal based on a number of factors:

• Braddock Avenue does not continue as a through street north of Frankstown Avenue. Braddock Avenue is one-way southbound street from Idlewild Street to Frankstown. Other cross streets along Frankstown Avenue (such as Murtland, Lang, Homewood, Sterrett, and Collier) serve as through streets from Hamilton Avenue and Bennett Avenue south of Frankstown, through to Hermitage Street north of Frankstown.
• The other cross streets along Frankstown Avenue have higher traffic volumes compared to Braddock Avenue.
• This intersection had the lowest side-street volume during the morning peak hour: 40 vehicles in one hour were observed from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• This intersection had the second-lowest side street volume during the evening peak hour: 6 vehicles in one hour were observed from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• This intersection had the lowest crash rate along the corridor: 0.6 crashes per year.

• The intersection is centrally located between the series of proposed speed humps at Oakwood Street and Tokay Street and the all-way stop and raised Intersection proposed at Sterrett Street.

Based on all these factors, we’re recommending removal of this traffic signal.

To reinforce vehicles stopping, and to emphasize pedestrian safety at Frankstown Avenue and North Braddock Avenue, a raised intersection will be installed at this intersection.

As a vehicle approaches the stop signs, it will be required to drive up onto the raised intersection, which will act as a speed hump to slow the vehicle. The interior of the raised intersection can be decorated with pavement markings or a different colored pavement to create a public space at the intersection. The raised intersection will also act as a deterrent to running the stop sign as the vertical hump will be noticeable and uncomfortable to drive across without first stopping at the intersection.

Design enhancements to mitigate the removal of the existing traffic signal include all-way stop control with a raised intersection, curb extensions, ADA ramps, high visibility crosswalks, and enhanced street lighting.

Crash Data along the corridor

There are an average of 28 crashes per year at this corridor (the latest data available is from 2018 to 2022).

Half (50%) of these crashes are angle crashes at intersections where a vehicle crashed at an angle to the object (not head-on or from the rear).

• Frankstown Avenue & N. Murtland Street 1.4 crashes per year
• Frankstown Avenue & N. Lang Avenue 1.0 crashes per year
• Frankstown Avenue & N. Homewood Avenue 3.4 crashes per year
• Frankstown Avenue & Sterrett Street 6.8 crashes per year
• Frankstown Avenue & Collier Street 1.4 crashes per year
• Frankstown Avenue & N. Braddock Avenue 0.6 crashes per year

• Frankstown Avenue & Brushton Avenue 3.4 crashes per year
• Frankstown Avenue & Blackadore Avenue 0.8 crashes per year

Volume Data at Intersections

Morning Peak Hour Volumes (counted on May 25, 2023 and June 1, 2023)

Frankstown Avenue & N. Murtland Street

Counted 418 vehicles, 37 pedestrians from 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 231 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 99 vehicles
• North-bound N. Murtland 31 vehicles
• South-bound N. Murtland 57 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & N. Lang Avenue

Counted 393 vehicles, 9 pedestrians from 7:15 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 249 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 88 vehicles
• North-bound N. Lang 17 vehicles

• South-bound N. Lang 39 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & N. Homewood Avenue

Counted 445 vehicles, 44 pedestrians from 5 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 271 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 89 vehicles
• North-bound N. Homewood 27 vehicles
• South-bound N. Homewood 58 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & Sterrett Street

Counted 448 vehicles, 23 pedestrians from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 273 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 105 vehicles
• North-bound N. Sterrett 23 vehicles
• South-bound N. Sterrett 47 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & Collier Street

Counted 445 vehicles, 19 pedestrians from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 281 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 106 vehicles
• North-bound N. Sterrett 16 vehicles
• South-bound N. Sterrett 42 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & N. Braddock Avenue

Counted 422 vehicles, 13 pedestrians from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 280 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 102 vehicles
• North-bound N. Sterrett 33 vehicles
• South-bound N. Sterrett 7 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & Blackadore Avenue

Counted 371 vehicles, 2 pedestrians from 7:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 226 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 87 vehicles
• South-bound Blackadore 56 vehicles

Afternoon Peak Hour Volumes (counted on May 25, 2023 and June 1, 2023)

Frankstown Avenue & N. Murtland Street

Counted 526 vehicles, 37 pedestrians from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 203 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 201 vehicles
• North-bound N. Murtland 31 vehicles
• South-bound N. Murtland 91 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & N. Lang Avenue

Counted 544 vehicles, 13 pedestrians from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 215 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 222 vehicles
• North-bound N. Lang 27 vehicles
• South-bound N. Lang 80 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & N. Homewood Avenue

Counted 607 vehicles, 65 pedestrians from 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 208 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 266 vehicles
• North-bound N. Lang 69 vehicles
• South-bound N. Lang 64 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & Sterrett Street

Counted 598 vehicles, 22 pedestrians from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 260 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 228 vehicles
• North-bound Sterrett 58 vehicles
• South-bound Sterrett 52 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & Collier Street

Counted 582 vehicles, 17 pedestrians from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 228 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 269 vehicles
• North-bound Collier 54 vehicles

• South-bound Collier 31 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & N. Braddock Avenue

Counted 558 vehicles, 33 pedestrians from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 211 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 282 vehicles
• North-bound N. Braddock 55 vehicles
• South-bound N. Braddock 10 vehicles

Frankstown Avenue & Blackadore Avenue

Counted 565 vehicles, 6 pedestrians from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• West-bound Frankstown 209 vehicles
• East-bound Frankstown 309 vehicles
• South-bound Blackadore 47 vehicles

Discussions have been held with Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) regarding the project, and existing bus routes and existing bus stops. Coordination will continue through the design process to ensure proper amenities are included along the PRT routes and stops.