High vehicle speeds and excessive lane weaving along the Loop 101 Frontage Road near Beardsley Road created safety challenges and operational inefficiencies for drivers entering and exiting the Escape at Arrowhead apartment complex in Glendale, Arizona. These issues also affected the performance of a two-lane roundabout in Peoria, just miles from the apartment intersection, where poor lane utilization was effectively reducing its capacity to a single lane. As a result of the high-speeds, erratic lane weaving and traffic congestion, this corridor experienced frequent crashes.
Burgess & Niple (B&N) partnered with the City of Peoria, the City of Glendale and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to study these issues and implement cost-effective traffic improvements. Since the study area crossed three jurisdictions, each with distinct infrastructure responsibilities, coordination was essential.
Data Analysis to Find a Solution
B&N conducted a comprehensive traffic study using innovative tools and data-driven techniques. Services included traffic safety and operational analysis, predictive crash modeling using the Federal Highway Administration's Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) and field verification using drone observations.
Using SSAM to evaluate simulated near-miss incidents, B&N evaluated current and future safety risks while drone footage helped validate vehicle movement patterns in the field. Based on this analysis, B&N recommended targeted restriping improvements to reduce conflict points, improve roundabout performance and enhance access safety for the apartment complex.
The design simplified traffic movements by reducing the lane configuration on the ramp from Beardsley Road to Loop 101 Frontage Road from two lanes to one. It also helped correct lane utilization issues and encouraged drivers to use both roundabout lanes. Additionally, dedicated right-turn entrance and exit lanes were added for the apartment complex to reduce weaving and promote safer speeds. These improvements were implemented in coordination with an ongoing pavement preservation project, minimizing disruption and maximizing cost efficiency.
B&N supported collaboration between Peoria, Glendale, ADOT and other stakeholders to ensure that design standards, signage and responsibilities were aligned across all jurisdictions.
Safer Traffic Patterns
The traffic weaving study and subsequent improvements led to safer vehicle movements, restored operational capacity at the roundabout and positive feedback from stakeholders. The strategic use of restriping and traffic modeling eliminated the need for costly infrastructure changes while effectively addressing the root causes of congestion and safety risks. The project was completed on a short timeline and set a precedent for data-informed, multi-jurisdictional traffic solutions.
Honors & Awards
The City of Peoria Beardsley Frontage Road Traffic Weaving Study has received the following recognition:
- 2025 ITE Mountain District Transportation Achievement Award in Traffic Engineering