Elm St Pedestrian Concept

[skyyy]

What are your thoughts on this sketch of what Davis would look like with Elm St turned into a pedestrian-only area?



Deliveries could drive through during off peak hours. Buses would get a huge boost with the bus lane and better symmetry and turnarounds.

I'd especially like feedback on bikability. I didn't manage to fit bike lanes in anywhere, and we'd lose the door zone lane on Highland, but that'd be made up for by having a smaller slower intersection. Perhaps bikes could also share the bus lane? Would a 2-way cycletrack through the pedestrian area be too disruptive?

I'm also discussing it on twitter: https://twitter.com/skyqrose/status/867314846957801472

Comments

[skyyy]

Hmm... It does make it harder to get a car back behind the post office without Chester st, but I think it would make it easier to get back there on foot. I've tried to make walkability a priority over drivability. Perhaps Bowers or Russell could be flipped to Southbound to compensate, or they could add a cut through through the Dover St lot?

A left from Highland to Dover would be allowed. Think of it like a normal 4-way where the 2 lanes of Dover/Day just have a really big median. From Day you could go left/straight/right, too. There might be room to squeeze in some waiting space so the left turn Highland->Dover doesn't block other westbound traffic.

I didn't know about the new grocery mart. Parking nearby is definitely important for that. There will be expanded parking at the end of Summer St 300ft away (comparable to the far side of the Star Market lot). With Chester now a dead end, there may be opportunity for parking there, if there's a reasonable way to turn around. I haven't been but I bet that in a location like this they're depending more on walking/biking than the average grocery store.

Thanks for your feedback. These are exactly the kinds of concerns I want to hear.

[pru]

Where is there supposed to be parking on Summer? I think I missed that.

I would argue that any time I'm going to the PO, it's for either dropping off something bulky I can't drop off in the mailbox at my office, or picking up priority mailers. Personally I already hate that our PO is both close to the main square but on a one-way so it's quite tiresome to get to, but, I don't drive by any more on my regular route to work.

Also, Fresh Mart (finally remembered its name) location would make it very difficult for its delivery vehicles, which at the Porter Square Star are always jamming up Davenport St behind it. they have to deliver the food somewhere.

I have always loved finding walk-only areas when I have traveled, so I imagine this would be popular -- the logistics of moving the street directions would need to be carefully considered.

[skyyy]

I guess I didn't draw that parking lot very clearly, sorry. The end of Summer St, where it connects to Grove St, will be turned into parking, approximately doubling the number of spaces in the small triangle. This is because all cars that would have used that small road can go Highland->Cutter->Summer now, instead of Elm->Summer.

It would still be possible to get to the Post office. From the intersection, it's about 700 feet longer to drive down Dover->Orchard->Day instead of Elm->Chester->Herbert. (1700' vs 1000', measured quickly on google maps).

Chester St will definitely be tricky. Lots of people have been concerned about it. There's lots of options to explore, from having a turnaround/loading zone that intrudes on the pedestrian space a bit, or pushing deliveries to off peak hours, or paving over the whole street with brick and sharing car/ped space there to gain the width of the sidewalks.

[ron_newman]

it's bfresh. Fresh Market is a different chain (which isn't in our neighborhood).

[pru]

true enough.