HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 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
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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
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ExECutivE SuMMARy
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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
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iNtRODuCtiON
i
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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)
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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.
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StAKEHOLDER iNtERviEWS
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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.
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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-
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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
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ALtERNAtivES ANALySiS
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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)
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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.
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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)
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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)
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Downtown Springfeld Circulation Study
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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