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Home My WebLink AboutItem 03 Downtown Circulation Study Final Report & Presentation AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 6/11/2012 Meeting Type:Work Session Staff Contact/Dept.: Courtney Griesel, CMO Kristi Krueger, DPW Staff Phone No: 541-736-7132 541-726-4584 Estimated Time: 90 Minutes S P R I N G F I E L D C I T Y C O U N C I L Council Goals: Community and Economic Development and Revitalization ITEM TITLE: DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION STUDY FINAL REPORT & PRESENTATION ACTION REQUESTED: Review the final report on downtown circulation from Kittelson and Associates and provide direction to staff on whether or not to pursue further recommendations included in the report. ISSUE STATEMENT: Circulation project staff have been working closely with Kittelson & Associates to analyze the Downtown Plan recommendation to convert Main Street, and possibly South ‘A’ Street, from one-way to two-way circulation patterns. Kittelson will be presenting their final study and analysis. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Completed Downtown Springfield Circulation Study Report 2. Letter of Support from Downtown Citizen Advisory Committee 3. Letter of Support from Downtown Main Street Organization 4. Kittelson & Associates’ PowerPoint Presentation DISCUSSION/ FINANCIAL IMPACT City staff have been working to progress the adopted 2010 Springfield Downtown District Urban Design Plan by moving forward with the Plan recommendation to analyze the two- way conversion of Main and South A Streets. Kittelson & Associates’ (KAI) completed the sketch-level analysis related to the potential conversion of Main and South ‘A’ Streets to a two-way configuration. KAI’s analysis identified a number of near-term and long-term trade-offs, including but not limited to, impacts on the redevelopment potential of key blocks, prioritization of fiscal resources, future EmX along Main Street/South A, impacts on freight and the local economy, and integrating land south of South A. At this time, the conversion of Main and South ‘A’ Street to a two-way configuration is not recommended based on the current cost estimate of $10 Million, not including right-of-way, for a Main/South A Street conversion. KAI is recommending a demonstration project to be implemented in the near term. This demonstration project would meet the current goals of the Downtown Plan by promoting revitalization while not precluding a two-way conversion in the long term. KAI’s analysis of near and long-term tradeoffs will help to frame the City’s future decisions about the feasibility and policy implications of a Main Street/South A conversion project and/or Downtown transportation demonstration projects. Staff presented KAI’s summary and findings to the Downtown Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) on May 17th. Feedback received from the CAC is included as Attachment 2. Similarly, representatives of the Downtown Main Street Organization have reviewed the report and provided feedback, included as Attachment 3. City staff support KAI’s analysis and conclusions for Downtown circulation. This report will conclude the conversion analysis of Downtown circulation at this time. KAI has identified a number of alternatives for a demonstration project. Should Council wish to investigate further what sort of project might be appropriate and how it might be funded, they may direct staff to develop further some of the KAI alternatives for discussion at a future work session. MOVINGFORWARDTHINKINGTM DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD CIRCULATION STUDY Springfield, Oregon March 2012 ATT 1, PAGE 1 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 2 OF 36 Alternatives Analysis Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study Springfeld, Oregon Prepared For: City of Springfeld City Manager’s Ofce 225 Fifth Street Springfeld, OR 97477 541-736-7132 Prepared By: Kittelson & Associates, Inc. 610 SW Alder, Suite 700 Portland, OR 97205 (503) 228-5230 Project Manager: Julia Kuhn, PE Project Principal: Brian Ray, PE Project No. 10861 March 2012 ATT 1, PAGE 3 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 4 OF 36 ExECutivE SuMMARy ATT 1, PAGE 5 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 6 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 5 Executive Summary the City of Springfeld is contemplating the con- version of Main and South A Streets to two-way within the Downtown. this report summarizes the opportunities and trade-ofs associated with this potential conversion. As discussed, converting the streets to two-way will likely be beyond the fscal resources of the City in the near-term. Over the long-term, the City could investigate if potential conversion of the streets to two-way maintains block depths that can support redevelopment, provides for excellent quality of experience for all travel modes, and leverages transportation invest- ments in a manner that supports the economic health and vitality of the overall community. in the near-term, a three-phase implementation plan could be considered. this implementation plan includes eforts that are lower in cost, support both two-way and one-way streets, and show mea- surable progress toward achieving the vision for downtown. these three phases include: Phase 1 – Main Street Demonstration Project and priority intersection and street lighting improvements on Main Street and South A Street. Phase 2 – Reconstruction of all key intersections along Main Street and South A Street to strengthen the pedestrian and retail environment and the connections to the Washburne Historical District. Phase 3 – Extension of the Pioneer Parkway couplet south of South A Street. in particular, emphasis could be placed on creat- ing a Demonstration Project, such as on the block between Main Street, South A Street, 4th Street and 5th Street. in addition, South A Street could be converted to two-lanes rather than three-lanes to the east of Mill Street, while still preserving the right-of-way for future improvements to this sec- tion of roadway. Over time, all three phases of the implementation concept could be incorporated, while still preserving the option for two-way streets at some point in the future. DemonStrAtIon BloCK Main Street South A Street South 4th StreetSouth 5th Street ATT 1, PAGE 7 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 6 This page intentionally blank. ATT 1, PAGE 8 OF 36 iNtRODuCtiON i ATT 1, PAGE 9 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 10 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 9 introduction the City of Springfeld’s Downtown District urban Design Plan and implementation Strategy (herein referred to as the “Downtown Plan”) provides a vi- sion and a list of priorities for community invest- ment in the downtown. Fundamental to this plan is establishing downtown as a destination, rather than a “thoroughfare.” the Downtown Plan iden- tifes a number of transportation elements neces- sary to support this vision, such as: Providing pedestrian and bicycle-friendly streets; Reducing the impact of truck trafc in downtown; Providing safe and direct connections to the adjacent neighborhoods; and, improving access to the Willamette River and nearby parks and open spaces. the Downtown Plan emphasizes providing multi- modal facilities within the area defned as the “Re- tail Hot Spot”. the Retail Hot Spot is the area within a ¼ mile radius from the proposed Mill Plaza and is intended as a concentration of retail, commer- cial, employment and civic uses. As shown below, this radius is generally bounded by the Willamette River on the west and 5th Street on the east. the Downtown Plan identifes a two way Main Street as one of the seven fundamental concepts necessary to achieve the community’s vision. Per the plan, a two-way Main Street will support the vibrancy of the retail environment, strengthen the pedestrian environment, and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety within the downtown. Further, the Downtown Plan postulates trafc vol- umes on Main Street will reach levels (in the next fve to ten years) inconsistent with the type of pe- destrian and retail-friendly environment contem- plated within the community’s vision. Although the Downtown Plan does not cite specifc trans- portation-related defciencies, it provides a vision Retail Hot Spot (Source: Downtown Plan) ATT 1, PAGE 11 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 10 and a list of aspirational projects to transform the downtown overtime. the Downtown Plan recommends the City of Springfeld perform a transportation Study to analyze converting Main Street to two-way be- tween Mill Street and 10th Street, at a minimum. this study would also evaluate converting South A Street to a two-way mobility corridor through downtown. this report presents our preliminary recommendations related to the potential conver- sion of Main Street and South A Street to two way facilities. SCOPE OF StuDy this report summarizes opportunities and con- straints associated with converting Main and South A Streets to two-way in downtown Spring- feld. the following topics are discussed: Summary of issues gleaned as part of stakeholder interviews specifcally conducted for the study; Findings from an alternatives analysis, including: issues for consideration; Range of concept design footprints for Main Street and South A Street; Potential footprint impacts; Planning level cost estimates; A phased implementation concept, including a potential Demonstration Project. Recommendations for next steps. ATT 1, PAGE 12 OF 36 StAKEHOLDER iNtERviEWS ATT 1, PAGE 13 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 14 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 13 Stakeholder interviews to help establish the context and identify issues and priorities for the Downtown Circulation Study, we conducted stakeholder interviews in October 2011, prior to performing any alternative analy- ses. the stakeholder interviews identifed specifc transportation-related issues, needs and desires that could shape our study, and potential near and long-term priorities for the City’s transportation investments. the stakehold- ers interviewed represented downtown business owners, downtown property owners, transportation and utility ser- vice providers, regional freight operators, the school district, Downtown Citizen Advisory Committee members, and Main Street Committee mem- bers. PRiMARy tHEMES two primary themes emerged from the interviews relating to the prioritization of the city’s near-term economic investments. the majority of stakeholders believe near and long-term economic investments are needed frst and foremost for the downtown to be vibrant to- day and in the future. Further, the City needs to show visible progress toward meeting the goals and objectives articulated in the Downtown Plan. Some interviewees believed this could be accom- plished through incremental projects to improve the “charm” of downtown; others believe a large, visible project is needed. Many also felt now is the time to implement policy changes to shape the future of the downtown, such as minimum design and maintenance standards for buildings. these eforts would show the community at-large that the City is willing to invest in business and provide an envi- ronment that people desire to live, work, and visit, and con- sistently feel safe and secure during the day, the evenings and on weekends. Second, many felt major pub- lic investment in downtown transportation infrastructure should be a low priority for the city as it would not be a catalyst for economic devel- opment. the one exception to this was a strong desire for additional lighting on many of the streets, especially those that run north-south. the other primary themes expressed are high- lighted below. Defnition of Downtown Downtown is most often defned as the area be- tween Mill Street and 7th Street, and between North A and South A Streets. this defnition is consistent with the fve minute (one-quarter mile) walk radius identifed from the “Retail Hot Spot” in the Downtown Plan. the majority of stakeholders believe near and long- term economic investments are needed frst and foremost for the downtown to be vibrant today and in the future. ATT 1, PAGE 15 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 14 Connection to the Adjacent Neighborhoods the City can better capitalize on the relationship between the Washburne Historic neighborhood and the downtown uses. infusing neighborhood residents into the downtown for shopping, dining, entertainment and employment purposes could have mutual benefts for both areas. South A Street Some stakeholders expressed a desire to facilitate through trafc on South A Street and to transform Main Street into a local circulation and access street (primarily between Pioneer Parkway and 10th Street) by converting both streets to two- way. Others viewed this conversion as unneces- sary and in some cases, as a signifcant obstacle to redevelopment to the south of South A Street. Freight in the Downtown Several of the freight users interviewed have been part of the community for more than 50 years and are frequently associated with industrial and logging operations near 28th Street as well as the land uses along 2nd Street, south of South A. there was varied opinion amongst the interview- ees on the impact of freight downtown. Several do not view freight as a constraint or a problem. Most stakeholders acknowledge the role of freight in providing a healthy and diverse economy but there is varied opinion as to what routes should be used. those viewing freight as problematic on Main Street cite issues related to aesthetics and noise. No one identifed specifc safety-related is- sues associated with freight. Pedestrian and Bicycle travel Some stakeholders highlighted cyclists do not feel comfortable riding on street along Main Street or South A Street today. No one was able to identify specifc safety-issues but felt it was more related to comfort and perception. Most stakeholders noted walking along Main Street generally feels safe during the day. there are pockets of downtown adjacent to less desir- able businesses where people feel uncomfortable walking at night but these areas are improving. Most stakeholders also noted Main Street cross- ings generally feel safe for pedestrians. Some ex- pressed a desire for improved crossings of Main Street at 6th and 7th. Several stakeholders noted walking along South A Street does not feel comfortable because of trafc volumes and speeds. they expressed a desire for improved pedestrian crossings, especially near the Lane transit District station. Most stakeholders felt vehicular speeds on Main Street are not problematic. Downtown Parking Most stakeholders believed there is ample parking downtown today. However, many also cited lack of enforcement of duration of stay limits on down- town streets negatively impacts businesses. Many of those interviewed perceive City Staf park in the neighborhoods and on downtown streets in areas that could and should be available parking for re- tail customers. NEDCO NEDCO has had a positive infuence on making progress toward stability and economic devel- ATT 1, PAGE 16 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 15 opment in the downtown. Many view the eforts of NEDCO’s four Main Street commit- tees as key to carrying the community’s vi- sion forward. CONCLuSiONS FROM StAKEHOLDER iNtERviEWS Based on the outcomes of the stakeholder interviews, we explored the following issues in more detail as part of the alternatives analysis: the potential for a phased solution enabling transportation investments that would complement either continued one-way or eventual two- way confgurations on South A and Main Streets. Additional pedestrian-scale lighting, especially along Main Street between 2nd Street and 7th Street. Strengthened pedestrian connections on the north-south streets to the Washburne neighborhood. Focused near term transportation investments on the areas in the vicinity of the Wildish theater to capitalize on the momentum associated with the community’s investments. A Demonstration Project to show progress toward achieving the transportation elements of the Downtown Plan vision. Pedestrian Scale Lighting ATT 1, PAGE 17 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 16 This page is intentionally blank. ATT 1, PAGE 18 OF 36 ALtERNAtivES ANALySiS ATT 1, PAGE 19 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 20 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 19 Alternatives Analysis the following section describes the alternatives analyses we conducted to evaluate the potential conversion of Main Street and South A Street to two-way in the downtown. We did not conduct any detailed operations analyses as part of this re- view; rather, we focused on potential right-of-way impacts, geometric considerations, and overall system needs. KEy CONCEPtS FROM DOWNtOWN PLAN the primary circulation elements from the Down- town Plan include: Re-establishing Main Street as a “pedestrian-oriented retail destination.” Converting South A Street to an automobile and truck mobility street. Creating “plaza streets” adjacent to the proposed Mill Plaza. these streets would be curbless, would incorporate signifcant street furniture and landscape elements, and could be closed to travel during special events at the Mill Plaza. Strengthening connections to the neighborhoods to the north via Mill Street, 5th Street, 7th Street and 10th Street. these connections would include a minimum sidewalk width of six feet, providing protected bikeways, bike lanes or bike boulevards, and ladder-striped crosswalks. Providing protected bikeways along North A Street, 10th Street, South A Street, Pioneer Parkway East, and S 2nd Street. Constructing a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge north of the existing Main Street bridge, and providing a 10-foot separated pedestrian and bicycle facility on the existing bridge. Adding Bus Rapid transit (BRt) lines along South A Street and Pioneer Parkway (east and west), creating a new high-speed rail station in downtown, and providing a new bus and BRt transit street between Pioneer Parkway East and 8th Street. Example of Pedestrian-oriented improvements ATT 1, PAGE 21 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 20 We reviewed all of these elements in detail to in- form the context of our alternatives analysis. Fur- ther details of the Main Street and South A Street visions articulated in the Downtown Plan are dis- cussed below as they pertain to the analyses of potential two-way confgurations on both streets. the Circulation Diagram presented in the Down- town Plan is shown below. MAiN StREEt the Downtown Plan identifes a two-way Main Street between Mill Street and 10th Street, at a minimum. under this vision, Main Street facilitates local, destination-oriented trafc and all through trafc and freight would be directed to South A Street. the primary design elements for Main Street include: Preserving the existing curbs, street width, and sidewalk width. Preserving the on-street parking. Removing the Main Street truck route designation. Enhancing intersections to facilitate shorter pedestrian crossing and provide additional crosswalks with ladder striping, and the use of “tabled intersections” to raise the grade of the street at specifc intersections to provide trafc calming. Adding pedestrian-scale lighting, street furniture and landscaping elements. under this vision, the typical right-of-way for Main Street is approximately 65 – 66 feet with a 40-foot curb-to-curb width. SOutH A StREEt As a primary mobility route, the Downtown Plan envisioned South A Street would facilitate the ef- Circulation Diagram (Source: Downtown Plan) ATT 1, PAGE 22 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 21 fcient movement of people and goods to and through the downtown. under this vision, the pri- mary design elements of South A Street include the following: Providing a contra-fow truck lane under the existing one-way confguration until such a time that South A Street is converted to a two-lane mobility street; Creating a shared BRt lane from the bridgehead to the LtD transit center and a dedicated BRt lane east of 8th Street; Providing eastbound left-turn lanes at the South A Street/Pioneer Parkway East intersection; Providing fve to six travel lanes on South A Street between Mill Street and 10th Street; and, Creating an eastbound and westbound truck route designation to encourage freight travel around the downtown core. SyStEM iSSuES FOR CONSiDERAtiON Based on our stakeholder interviews as well as a detailed review of the Downtown Plan, we identi- fed a number of broader system issues need that could be incorporated into a potential re-design of the downtown streets, as discussed below. Fig- ure 1 illustrates some of the system issues for con- sideration. Western terminus of the two-way Confguration As shown in Figure 1, Main Street and South A Street could be converted to two-way operations along the entire couplet route from Mill Street to 20th Street over the long-term. West of Mill Street, the streets would need to maintain their existing one-way confguration over the Willamette River Bridges. the one-way to two-way transition could occur at a single intersection near the existing Mill Street although Mill Street would need to be closed to any vehicular trafc when this reconfgu- ration occurs. the City could consider modifying the conceptual intersection design presented in the Downtown Plan. in the Plan, eastbound through vehicles were aligned toward Main Street; drivers destined to South A Street would become eastbound right- turns at the new intersection. to promote through trafc on South A Street, the eastbound through movement from the Bridge should have direct continuity to South A Street instead. Drivers wish- ing to access Main Street at this western intersec- tion would do so via an eastbound left-turn move- ment. this alternative confguration is also shown in Figure 1. Eastern terminus of the two-way Confguration Over the long-term, the two-way operations on Main Street and South A Street could continue to 20th Street. At this eastern terminus, a round- about or trafc signal could be used to transition between South A/Main Streets in the downtown and Main Street to the east. the details of the street connections at 19th Street will need to be ATT 1, PAGE 23 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 22 considered in a future evaluation that will also consider access management needs near the new intersection. As an alternative, the two-way confguration could transition back to the existing couplet at 10th Street. to the east of 10th Street, the existing one- way system could be used. the area to the east of 10th Street is outside of the Retail Hot Spot and in an area where the land uses generally transition to be more auto-oriented in nature than pedestrian- scale. the conversion could be accomplished us- ing raised islands supported by complementary signing and striping. Future BRt Needs in the downtown the existing BRt lane currently terminates at the transit center near South A Street/4th Street. in the future, the Lane transit District and City of Spring- feld envision extending BRt east along Main Street, possibly out to thurston. the Downtown Plan identifes future BRt service but recommends creating a transit-only street to the south of South A Street between Pioneer Parkway and 8th Street. there are other mentions in the Downtown Plan of auto/bus only lanes on South A Street when the street is converted to two-way operations. A clear defnition of the preferred BRt alignment and associated right-of-way requirement must be established prior to conversion of South A Street to two-way confguration. ultimately, the selected lane numbers and arrangements will infuence the right of way impacts and the pedestrian crossing distances of South A Street. Weaving on South A Street between Pioneer Parkway East and West today, 2nd Street connects to South A Street op- posite the Pioneer Parkway West intersection. Sec- ond Street serves a variety of industrial users as well as neighborhoods to the south. Northbound travelers on 2nd Street who desire to continue north onto Pioneer Parkway or to head west across the Willamette River must weave across three lanes of trafc in one short block on South A Street to turn left onto Pioneer Parkway East. Stakeholders have reported difculty in making this maneuver in such a short distance, especially for freight and other large vehicles. Some northbound travelers on 2nd Street today divert to 5th Street to access the existing couplet, thereby avoiding the weave maneuver. in the future, the City may consider extending the Pioneer Parkway couplet south of South A Street to avoid this weaving maneuver. this extension, as shown in Figure 1, would work under the existing Main Street/South A Street one-way confgura- tion as well as an eventual conversion to two-way operations on those streets. this confguration promotes connectivity to areas south of South A Street. in the northbound direction, we envision transit signal priority to favor BRt trafc at the transit center. ATT 1, PAGE 24 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 25 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 26 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 25 Phased implementation with Main Street as two-Way and South A as One-Way the Downtown Plan suggests that Main Street could be converted to two-way operations prior to the converting South A Street. under this sce- nario, the Downtown Plan envisioned eastbound through trafc would use South A Street and only those eastbound travelers destined for the down- town would use Main Street. All westbound travel would continue to use Main Street, with the excep- tion of freight. under this phased implementation, the Down- town Plan envisions creating a contra-fow truck lane on South A Street to remove through freight travel from Main Street. the contra-fow truck lane proposal is not common and will require special consideration of its geometric design including lane widths, turning radii, and separation distance from general purpose lanes. the number of lanes on South A Street will afect properties be- tween South A Street and Main Street. POtENtiAL CONCEPt DESigN FOOtPRiNtS AND iMPACtS As discussed previously, the Downtown Plan articulated a vision for the eventual cross- section and related design footprint for both Main Street and South A Street when they are converted to two-way operations. We evalu- ated a range of footprint options, based on the Downtown Plan vision. MAiN StREEt CONCEPtuAL DESigN For Main Street, the Downtown Plan envisions the existing curb lines, sidewalks, on-street parking, and travel lanes widths will stay the same as they are today. the southern travel lane would be converted to facilitate eastbound travel but would remain in its same location. to make this change, the existing trafc signals would be converted. No new right-of-way or street widening is required. under this confguration, the intersec- tions along Main Street would be re-designed to accommodate shorter pedestrian crossings. this is shown in Exhibit 3. Based on our analyses, no modifcations to the Main Street conceptual footprint are needed. Fur- ther, the redesign of key Main Street intersections to facilitate shorter pedestrian crossings and to incorporate landscaping and street furniture ele- ments could occur under the existing one-way confguration. the same intersection design would work under either one-way or two-way confgura- tions, thereby leveraging scarce city resources if a phased implementation plan is used. Main Street (Source: Downtown Plan) ATT 1, PAGE 27 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 26 SOutH A StREEt CONCEPtuAL DESigN the conceptual cross-section and footprint needs for South A Street, from the Downtown Plan, are shown above. As discussed previously, these cross- sections refect the desire for South A Street to serve as the primary vehicular mobility route. As such, South A Street is envisioned to be fve to six lanes wide between Mill Street and 10th Street. Based on our analyses, there are a number of design issues that need to be resolved prior to mak- ing the decision to convert South A Street to two-way. these issues have the potential to afect right- of-way needs and the depths of the adjacent blocks, potentially compromising the amount of re- development that can occur adja- cent to South A Street. Examples of these issues are discussed be- low. the quality of service for pedes- trians and cyclists traveling along and across South A Street needs to be further analyzed. Creating a 6-lane mobility street along South A Street may not support a pedestrian friendly-environment and may not result in a strong connection between existing and future land uses south of South A Street and the existing down- town. these issues may be espe- cially acute related to preserving/ establishing a strong connection between the downtown and the transit center, a future high speed rail station, redevelopment of the Booth Kelly property as well as other redevelopable proper- ties to the east. the future alignment needs of the BRt need to be better understood. Would future eastbound and westbound BRt occur along South A Street, Main Street, a transit only street or some combination thereof? South A Street (Source: Downtown Plan) ATT 1, PAGE 28 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 27 the need for future turn lanes at key intersections needs to be further analyzed. As shown be- low, the Downtown Plan does not show left-turn lanes on South A Street between Pioneer Parkway East and West. the need to pro- vide reasonable mobility consis- tent with the Downtown Plan vi- sion would likely necessitate turn lanes in both directions on this block. Adding these turn lanes would widen the right-of-way impact beyond that shown in the Downtown Plan. Based on our analyses, Figure 2 illustrates the pos- sible range of footprint impacts along South A Street. As shown in this fgure, resolution of the above issues could result in a 60 foot width on the blocks between Main Street and South A Street. this reduced block depth could pose constraints to achieving the type of land uses envisioned in the Downtown Plan over time. the functional block depths could be assessed in the future by others familiar with building footprint design experience. PLANNiNg LEvEL COSt EStiMAtES Based on the Downtown Plan vision and the Circu- lation Study Alternatives Analyses, we estimate the order of magnitude capital re-construction costs for converting South A Street and Main Street to two-way operations to be $9.5 - $10 million. these costs do not include right-of-way acquisition. South A Street intersection Concept Phase i (Source: Downtown Plan) the planning level cost for converting South A Street and Main Street to two- way operations is estimated to be $9.5 to $10 million ATT 1, PAGE 29 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 28 Possible Footprint impacts ATT 1, PAGE 30 OF 36 PHASED iMPLEMENtAtiON CONCEPt ATT 1, PAGE 31 OF 36 ATT 1, PAGE 32 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 31 Phased implementation Concept Prior to converting Main Street and South A Street to two-way, the City could consider a phased im- plementation approach to demonstrate progress toward the Downtown vision and to capitalize on the community momentum occurring, especially near the Wildish theater and the A3 Schools. these phases would be compatible with either one-way or two-way operations on both streets and are dis- cussed below and illustrated in Figure 3. iMPLEMENtAtiON PLAN PHASE 1 Phase 1 would focus near-term transportation im- provements on the following: Establishing a Main Street demonstration block(s) near 5th Street. this block could include enhanced bulb-outs and pedestrian crossing improvements, street furniture, pedestrian-scale lighting, hanging baskets, etc. as well as building maintenance/aesthetic improvements. this is conceptually illustrated in Figure 4. the concept could be applied on adjacent blocks, customized to the confguration, opportunity, and constraint of each subsequent block. identifying priority locations for enhanced street lighting on Main and A Streets as well as some of the key north-south streets. in particular, Main Street between 3rd and 7th Streets and 1 – 2 of the north south connections into the neighborhood may be a higher priority for street lighting. identifying priority locations to reconstruct the bulb-outs/curb-extensions to improve pedestrian crossings of downtown blocks. in the near-term, these priority locations may be on Main Street between Pioneer Parkway and 8th Street as well as on South A Street near Pioneer Parkway. identifying the potential for public-private partnerships involving the City, business owners, and the A3 students to improve the aesthetic appeal of downtown. identifying a consistent branding and way- fnding confguration for downtown streets related to pedestrians, parking, and bicycle routes. Converting South A Street to two travel lanes throughout its length in downtown. Providing gateway treatments on South A Street west of Mill Street and on Main Street east of 8th Street to indicate to drivers the impending downtown environment, rather than a “thoroughfare.” these treatments could support with speed transitions from a higher to lower speed environment and could incorporate landscaping, hardscaping, visual design elements, etc. iMPLEMENtAtiON PLAN PHASE 2 Phase 2 would include continue reconstructing in- tersections along Main Street and South A Street to shorten pedestrian crossing distances by con- structing bulb-outs, enhancing crosswalk striping and adding other design elements. in addition, Phase 2 could expand pedestrian-scale lighting in the downtown and emphasize north-south streets that connect to the adjacent neighborhoods, in- cluding the Washburne Historical District. ATT 1, PAGE 33 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 32 Phased implementation Concept ATT 1, PAGE 34 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 33 Potential Demonstration Project ATT 1, PAGE 35 OF 36 Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study March 2012 34 in addition, Phase 2 could improve South B Street and extend 5th Street south of South A Street to enhance connections to Booth Kelly and the neighborhoods to the south. iMPLEMENtAtiON PLAN PHASE 3 Phase 3 could include extending the Pioneer Park- way couplet south of South A Street to remove the weaving maneuver that occurs today on South A Street between the two couplet blocks. this couplet extension would provide enhanced ac- cess into the neighborhoods and industrial areas served by South 2nd Street and would comple- ment either one-way or two-way operations on South A Street. RECOMMENDAtiONS the cost to convert Main and South A Streets to a two-way confguration will likely be beyond the fscal resources of the City in the near-term. Over the long-term, the City could investigate if poten- tial conversion of the streets to two-way confgu- rations maintains block depths that can support redevelopment, provide for excellent quality of experience for all travel modes, and carefully con- sider how transportation improvement dollars are invested in a manner that supports the economic health and vitality of the overall community. A number of eforts can be undertaken in the im- mediate future that are lower cost, would support both two-way and one-way streets, and would show measurable progress toward achieving the Downtown Plan’s vision. in particular, emphasis could be placed on creating a Demonstration Proj- ect on the four blocks between Main Street, South A Street, 4th Street and 5th Street. in addition, South A Street could be converted to two-lanes rather than three-lanes to the east of Mill Street, while still preserving the right-of-way for future improvements to this section of roadway. Over time, all three phases of the implementation con- cept could be incorporated into the downtown, while still preserving the option to convert the streets to two-way operations at some point in the future. ATT 1, PAGE 36 OF 36 ATTACHMENT 2, PAGE 1 of 1 MMaaiinn SSttrreeeett PPrrooggrraamm 221122 MMaaiinn SSttrreeeett SSpprriinnggffiieelldd,, OOrreeggoonn 99 77447777 May 19, 2012 Dear Mayor Lundberg and Members of the Springfield City Council: At the May 17th meeting of the Downtown Citizen Advisory Council, there was a presentation and discussion of the downtown traffic study for changing Main Street to two-way traffic and incorporating other infrastructure improvements, including build outs to slow traffic, adding plants and landscaping, benches and lighting. There was much discussion and enthusiasm for moving forward with the idea of a demonstration block. The Main Street Committees joins the DCAC in enthusiastically supporting the idea of the City moving forward with a demonstration block. We believe that action is needed now. Downtown needs help now. The Committee believes creating a demonstration block would: • Create some momentum, enthusiasm and excitement for downtown • Give property and business owners and citizens a vision of what is possible • Create positive environment for pedestrian traffic which will help downtown business • Help attract new business to downtown The Committees feel any demonstration block should incorporate these essential components: 1. A demonstration area of 3 consecutive blocks on Main Street in order to slow traffic and creating the desired visual impact; alternatively one or two blocks as a beginning point, 2. Adding pedestrian level street lighting, 3. Pedestrian crossing improvements, 4. Street furniture, 5. Incorporate plants and hanging baskets, and 6. Façade improvements Respectfully, Main Street Steering Committee Dan Egan Courtney Griesel John Lively Bethe Hayes Karen Hagemen Jeff Heriot Downtown Circulation Study June 2012 ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 1 of 27 Today’s Agenda •Stakeholder Interview and Context •Alternatives Analysis •Phased Implementation Plan •Discussion and Next Steps ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 2 of 27 Downtown Plan “Fundamental Concept Diagram” Capitalize on Retail Hot Spot Downtown as a destination Provide pedestrian and bike friendly streets Reduce impact of trucks on Main Street Provide safe and direct connections to neighborhoods Increase access to River Add BRT Lines ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 3 of 27 Stakeholder Interviews •Most view city’s near-term priority should be on economic development, not transportation •Need to show visible progress toward Downtown Plan •Transportation investment near-term is lower priority, with exception of lighting on key streets ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 4 of 27 Stakeholder Interviews (continued) •Definition of downtown consistent with “retail hot spot” from plan •Several would like city to implement building upkeep/maintenance standards •Capitalize on Washburne District to north and potential neighborhoods to south of South A Street •No parking constraints today, except lack of enforcement regarding duration of stay ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 5 of 27 Stakeholder Interviews (continued) •Freight is important to healthy and diverse economy; differing opinions about routing of trucks •South A is not friendly to cyclists or pedestrians •No safety issues highlighted for any modes •Mixed opinion on 1-way versus 2-way long-term ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 6 of 27 Conclusions from Stakeholder Interviews •Develop phased solution for transportation system investments that work for 1-way or 2-way configuration •Add pedestrian-scale lighting on Main Street •Strengthen pedestrian connections to north •Focus near-term transportation investments near Wildish Theater to capitalize on City’s Investments •Demonstration Project can show progress toward vision ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 7 of 27 Today’s Agenda •Stakeholder Interviews and Context •Alternatives Analysis •Phased Implementation Plan •Discussion and Next Steps ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 8 of 27 Key Design Elements from Dowtown Plan •Main Street –Preserve existing curbs, on-street parking, and sidewalk width –Remove truck route designation –Enhance intersections –Add pedestrian-scale lighting •South A Street –Accommodate trucks and “through mobility” –Add BRT lane –Add turn and through lanes through corridor ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 9 of 27 Downtown Circulation Plan ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 10 of 27 Key System Issues for Consideration •Western Terminus of Couplet –Transition to one-way bridges –Configuration of Main/South A/Mill intersection •Eastern Terminus of Couplet –Long-term – roundabout or signal at 20th Street –Alternative transition occurs at 10th Street to one-way configuration •Future BRT Needs –Extension of BRT to Thurston –Need to define alignment to determine ROW impacts and pedestrian impacts (transit only street or use of South A Street) ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 11 of 27 Key System Issues for Consideration •Weaving between South A and Pioneer Parkway –Possible extension of Pioneer Parkway couplet to south •Phased Implementation with Main Street as Two Way and South A as One-Way –Only eastbound travelers destined to downtown on Main Street –Contra-flow truck lane on South A – impact on ROW and driver perceptions ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 12 of 27 Potential Concept Design Impacts •Main Street –No changes to right-of-way – Requires conversion of intersections and traffic signals –Can make intersection improvements that improve pedestrian crossings •South A Street –Quality of experience for pedestrians and cyclists –Future alignment of BRT –Need for turn lanes at Pioneer Parkway Intersections –Right-of-way impacts –Block depth impacts ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 13 of 27 Main Street “Before” Main Street “After” ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 14 of 27 Existing (View on South A looking west from 3rd- 4th) Proposed Mobility Street (View on South A looking west from 3rd- 4th) Transit Center Transit Center Images from Downtown Plan ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 15 of 27 Downtown Mobility Concept- Phase 1 (Image from Downtown Plan) 5 to 6 Lanes (Two-Way) 6 Lanes (Two-Way) 5 to 6 Lanes (Two-Way) Plaza 2 to 3 Lanes 2 Lanes No Trucks (Possible Two-Way) Transit Center Shared Auto/BRT Lane ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 16 of 27 Possible Footprint Impacts ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 17 of 27 Planning Level Cost Estimates •Re-construction and conversion of Main Street and South A approximately $10 million ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 18 of 27 Today’s Agenda •Stakeholder Interviews and Context •Alternatives Analysis •Phased Implementation Plan •Discussion and Next Steps ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 19 of 27 Three-Phase Implementation Plan •Phase 1 –Main Street Demonstration Block –Enhanced Street Lighting –Reconstruction of intersections to improve pedestrian crossings –Public-Private Partnerships to improve downtown aesthetics –Consistent branding and wayfinding –Convert South A to two lanes –Provide gateway treatments on South A ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 20 of 27 Three-Phase Implementation Plan •Phase 2 –Continued reconstruction of intersections to improve pedestrian crossings –Pedestrian scale lighting on north-south blocks •Phase 3 –Extend Pioneer Parkway couplet south of South A Street ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 21 of 27 Demonstration Block from Downtown Plan ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 22 of 27 Phased Implementation Concept ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 23 of 27 Potential Demonstration Project Elements ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 24 of 27 Recommendations •Primary Findings –Cost to convert streets to two-way beyond fiscal resources in near-term –Future evaluation should consider •Impacts on block depths •Quality of service for all modes •Investment choices that support economic health and vitality –Near-term Priorities •Demonstration Project •South A conversion to two lanes •Pedestrian crossing treatments •Pedestrian-scale lighting ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 25 of 27 Today’s Agenda •Progress to date •Primary Findings •Discussion and Next Steps ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 26 of 27 Questions? ATTACHMENT 4- PAGE 27 of 27