Toward a better Stockbridge intersection

Here is another idea for the infamous Stockbridge Main Street intersection. Per the attached Intersection Plan, my traffic and pedestrian ideas are illustrated:

No Rotary

• A rotary solution works for some towns and intersections but not this intersection in Stockbridge.
• Very-very difficult for pedestrians to cross various lanes of traffic.
•  Difficult for trucks turning east on Main Street from Rt 7 south.
• An intrusive solution for this chaotic intersection.
• MA DOT requires so much signage approaching the rotary and within the rotary. It will be an eyesore for the Town.

Instead, create a traditional intersection that creates logical and easy turning situations by:

1. Running Route 7 south intersection through the current Cat & Dog Foundation. Keep the two north bound lanes, one for turning right / east and one for going straight onto Pine street or left / west onto Main Street / Route 102.
2. Eliminate one parking space at the NW corner of the Red Lion Inn to have the correct turning radius for a semi-trailer, that will not force the truck into the west bound lane of Main Street.
3. Also create a bumped-out pedestrian landing, to shorten the crosswalk on Main Street and make pedestrians more visible. Add a streetlight at this bump out corner.
4. Add a bike lane along the Red Lion Inn road edge.
5. Relocate fountain to the west side of the Red Lion and make a small parklet there. Do this by widening the landscape area between the Red Lion Inn and Route 7.  Right now the fountain is very difficult to enjoy by pedestrians and not ADA accessible.
6. Add shade trees between Route 7 and the sidewalk along the Red Lion Inn.  This will soften the vehicular noise for the Inn’s rooms on this western wing.
7. Bring the east bound Main Street / Route 102 stop sign/line much closer to the intersection. This creates better visibility for drivers to see other traffic in the intersection. This also reduces the length of the crosswalk to the Red Lion Inn.
8. Plant a new town Christmas Tree on the NE corner of the Abdella property (with their permission of course).