What does a 'smart-growth' pedestrian-friendly community look like? In Millcreek, Pa., it means "a general store that reduces the need to drive and it features behind-the-home garages, sidewalks, walking trails, homes with front porches and acres of usable open space. In addition, single-family detached homes and townhouses are located on the same streets," according to an article on the National Association of Homebuilders Web site.
It's not simply about dense development. Even communities with traditional densities can be "smarter" growth and more pedestrian friendly by the way they're designed. One key is not to have an endless row of large garage doors as major frontage to the street -- that's really offputting to walkers. Have inviting doorways fronting a pleasant sidewalk -- like the Victoria Gardens townhouses in Saxonville (thumbs up) and NOT like the latest prefab developments just down the street which are walled off from the streetscape and present an unappealing pedestrian vista (thumbs down).
It's a shame that builders of the new townhouses on Nicholas Road chose to have ENORMOUS garage doors as what most fronts the street (not only are the garages not tucked out of view; they're even closer to the road than the doorways) along with a lot of pavement but no sidewalk. Sigh. The larger apartment complex across the street is actually more pedestrian friendly.
July 14, 2004
July 13, 2004
Pedestrian Advocacy
Many communities now have groups that advocate for more pedestrian-friendly development and municipal policies. Framingham, for example, has the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee -- which, by the way, meets tonight, Tuesday July 13, 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall (the public can attend).
In surfing around the Web, though, I was impressed with the site of one of our committee's West Coast counterparts, Pedestrian Friendly Alameda. It's an attractive, well-done site, for a group lobbying for making their community a safe and enjoyable place to walk.
Safety is only part of the equation. Simply creating sidewalks that meet certain width and curb-cut codes is not enough, as sidewalks currently along Rte. 9 and Speen Street in Framingham make all too clear. ENJOYABLE is really important, too! Wide enough, screened from traffic, attractive streetscape -- these are all vital for a community that is truly walkable.
In surfing around the Web, though, I was impressed with the site of one of our committee's West Coast counterparts, Pedestrian Friendly Alameda. It's an attractive, well-done site, for a group lobbying for making their community a safe and enjoyable place to walk.
Safety is only part of the equation. Simply creating sidewalks that meet certain width and curb-cut codes is not enough, as sidewalks currently along Rte. 9 and Speen Street in Framingham make all too clear. ENJOYABLE is really important, too! Wide enough, screened from traffic, attractive streetscape -- these are all vital for a community that is truly walkable.
July 12, 2004
Another Town Seeks Pedestrian-Friendly Downtown
The town of Malta, N.Y., hoping to emulate popular Saratoga Springs, has approved new zoning aimed at making its downtown more appealing to walkers.
"Lauded by Town Board members and county officials, the overlay [zoning district] calls for Malta's new downtown development to put parking in the back, encourage outside dining areas, line the streets with trees and add lamppost lighting," according to an article in the Saratogian.
Parking in the rear, encouraging outside dining, lining streets with trees and adding attractive lighting. All great ideas for Framingham to think about in its revitalization efforts!
"Retail uses will be on the ground floor with setbacks less than 35 feet from the edge of the pavement," the article notes. "And, like Saratoga Springs, owner-occupancy is encouraged."
"Lauded by Town Board members and county officials, the overlay [zoning district] calls for Malta's new downtown development to put parking in the back, encourage outside dining areas, line the streets with trees and add lamppost lighting," according to an article in the Saratogian.
Parking in the rear, encouraging outside dining, lining streets with trees and adding attractive lighting. All great ideas for Framingham to think about in its revitalization efforts!
"Retail uses will be on the ground floor with setbacks less than 35 feet from the edge of the pavement," the article notes. "And, like Saratoga Springs, owner-occupancy is encouraged."
July 10, 2004
Hawaiian Town Residents Want More Pedestrian-Friendly Living
"Residents of Kailua want better walkways, more bicycle routes and evening recreational activities for their town, according to survey results released by Kane'ohe Ranch this week," a Honolulu newspaper reports.
"Kane'ohe Ranch also hired an expert in transportation planning to help resolve issues with pedestrian circulation. James Charlier said people opt to walk because of subconscious decisions about comfort, safety and convenience. The environment shapes these perceptions, and if Kailua is to be more pedestrian-friendly, shade, wider sidewalks, protection from passing cars and eliminating long blank walls and overhead wires will help, he said."
The same things work up here in colder climates, too.
"Kane'ohe Ranch also hired an expert in transportation planning to help resolve issues with pedestrian circulation. James Charlier said people opt to walk because of subconscious decisions about comfort, safety and convenience. The environment shapes these perceptions, and if Kailua is to be more pedestrian-friendly, shade, wider sidewalks, protection from passing cars and eliminating long blank walls and overhead wires will help, he said."
The same things work up here in colder climates, too.
July 8, 2004
$4M Natick Mall Mitigation To Include Pedestrian Access
The Natick Mall will pay close to $4 million to improve area roads under a draft plan discussed by the Planning Board last night," the MetroWest Daily News reports. "More than $2.4 million will go to roadwork and pedestrian access on Speen Street...."
Woo-hoo! Some thought is indeed being given to pedestrians as part of the Natick Mall expansion plan. However, I hope that "pedestrian access" will mean a LOT more than sticking in sidewalks that no one would actually want to use. P-L-E-A-S-E, let's include sidewalks that have some kind of screening between walkers and traffic, and that are pleasant to be on, instead of feeling like you're drowning in a sea of concrete and barely separate from a river of speeding cars, trucks and SUVs.
Woo-hoo! Some thought is indeed being given to pedestrians as part of the Natick Mall expansion plan. However, I hope that "pedestrian access" will mean a LOT more than sticking in sidewalks that no one would actually want to use. P-L-E-A-S-E, let's include sidewalks that have some kind of screening between walkers and traffic, and that are pleasant to be on, instead of feeling like you're drowning in a sea of concrete and barely separate from a river of speeding cars, trucks and SUVs.
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