Pedestrian – Page 2

How to Get From Here to There: Access and Connectivity in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood

Posted on Jan 21, 2012Dec 20, 2017 by James Gittemeier, BPAC Vice-Chair

Transformative changes are taking place in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

View from the new Western Middle School — Looking down from the new Western Middle School site to the new Clyde Iron recreational facility (lower left)

A major redevelopment of the old Clyde Iron industrial complex was just completed. A new Western middle school is rising on the hillside. A segment of the Cross-City trail will be winding through this neighborhood in the next few years as it spans the city from east to west along the waterfront.

Here at the MIC, we see these exciting new community-oriented developments and start to think about…access, connectivity and land use.

We’re kind of geeky that way. Let me explain.

Access is about making sure that people, who have different mobility options and who need or want to use these facilities, can get to them easily and safely.

Connectivity is about making sure that usable and intuitive transportation links exist between the new developments and other destinations. At the base of this this neighborhood, popular destinations would include Wade Stadium, Wheeler Field and Harrison Park. And along the top of the ridgeline are Skyline Parkway and the Superior Hiking Trail.

Complicating the situation, the land uses for these facilities are distinctly at odds with each other.

The middle school is located on the edge of a traditional residential neighborhood that is easy to walk through, with square blocks, houses close together and minimal, slow moving traffic. It can actually be characterized as a semi-rural area, with few sidewalks and narrow streets, many of which dead end into large open spaces.

The Clyde Iron complex, in contrast, which also houses a Boys and Girls Club, indoor athletic fields, year-round ice rink, and in the future a nearby Duluth Children’s Museum—is located in an established industrial area, where a significant level of pedestrian traffic was not anticipated.

Last but not least is the huge barrier of the railroad tracks that run between the school and the Wheeler Field park space and the Denfeld neighborhood immediately west of the school.

So, a number of our current studies are taking a look at how people move around this neighborhood in light of the new developments. Creating a walking corridor between these facilities is a key transportation piece for this neighborhood.

The Lincoln Park Pedestrian Corridor Plan is focused on creating a walking route up and down the hill from the middle school to the Clyde Iron complex.

An upcoming Safe Routes to School site assessment will further examine the school and walking and bicycling routes to the middle school to the surrounding neighborhoods.

And a larger neighborhood wide transportation study, the Lincoln Park Multimodal Transportation Assessment will build off of the other 2 studies and focus on all modes of travel in the neighborhood.

Lots of work is ahead. We’ll keep you posted.

Photo credit: Scott Byykkonen

Co-writing credit: Rondi Watson

Central Entrance Survey Results Are In:

Posted on Jan 13, 2012Dec 20, 2017 by Mike Wenholz

Let’s Make Life a Whole Lot Easier for This Guy

The City of Duluth has an interesting long-term vision for Central Entrance. They, along with area residents and businesses, see it as having the potential to be an inviting and attractive destination within the City. They would like it to function as the “main street” of the Duluth Heights neighborhood and become more walkable with better access to area businesses.

Which is almost hard to imagine, if you agree with the many other residents who currently regard Central Entrance as basically unpleasant—as a road to be tolerated while running errands or going to work, if not outright avoided.

And there’s a reason for this. Central Entrance is classified as a principal arterial roadway, meant to efficiently move high volumes of traffic between urban areas. Although a vital cog in Duluth’s transportation system, Central Entrance is simply not conducive to modes of travel besides driving—to people walking or biking, as you would expect along a true “main street.”

The Transportation Experience

Our Central Entrance Corridor Study, currently underway, aims to identify ways to improve the transportation experience for everyone, drivers and non-drivers alike, who travels along that roadway.

Specifically, we are examining the transportation network in this area and identifying changes that will make the corridor more compatible with the vision for the future land use. The ultimate objective is to maintain traffic mobility and flow, while improving safety and that sense of livability that a “town center” or “main street” implies.

As part of our planning process, some of the data we’ve collected so far includes information about the roadway such as sidewalk locations, bike routes, transit routes and stops, driveway access points, traffic counts, traffic control locations and types, and crash information.

Traveler Survey – Baseline Attitudes

We also conducted a survey to assess people’s attitudes toward traveling on Central Entrance. Postcards were mailed to 3000 residents and businesses in the area, inviting them to go the MIC website and take an online survey and more than 100 people responded.

We asked them to rate the following characteristics— traffic congestion, passing other vehicles, pedestrian safety, speeding traffic, making turns and accessing local businesses— on a scale of very bad, bad, acceptable, good and very good.

Here’s what we learned.

How do you travel along Central Entrance?

An overwhelming number (95%) travel the corridor by car and over 90% make at least two trips through the corridor per week. Over 55% make at least six trips per week and 28 % make 10 or more trips per week.

What are your destinations on Central Entrance?

Many people traveling through the corridor have multiple purposes for their trip. Access to shopping and services was the top weekday trip purpose chosen by 85% of respondents. Work and social activities were destinations identified by just over half of the respondents.

Travel times during the week were heavily weighted toward morning (6-9am) and afternoon (4-6pm) peak travel times for work destinations and toward evening times (4-10pm) for those heading to social activities. Weekday shopping travel was evenly spread throughout the day.

Weekend users of the corridor indicate that shopping, social activities and recreation were the primary destinations. Travel times on the weekend were mostly during the daytime hours of 9am – 6pm.

Do you ever avoid traveling on Central Entrance ?

80% of respondents replied that they did. When asked why, almost 90% listed congestion as the primary reason and 72% had concerns with excessive travel time.

Biggest Issues?

Pedestrian safety was rated the lowest—between “Very Bad” and “Bad”. Traffic congestion, speeding traffic and making turns were three other areas that ranked low.

Overall rating of Central Entrance?

Almost 65% chose “bad” or “very bad.” Only 6% chose good or very good and almost 30% chose acceptable.

It’s fair to say that those surveyed do not view Central Entrance in a favorable light.

So our job—finding ways and making recommendations to make pedestrians (like the fellow in the picture, above!), bicyclists and transit users, as well as drivers, feel more comfortable along that corridor.

Are these survey results consistent with your view of that roadway? Do you share the City’s future vision for the corridor as a neighborhood center—not place to be avoided but an attractive destination?

My Awesome Walk to Work

Posted on Nov 16, 2011Dec 20, 2017 by Rondi Watson

My Facebook post today reads: “Another awesome walk to work this morning on the Superior Hiking Trail—despite the snow—or maybe because of it!”

Within seconds a friend (an actual friend, in this case) responded “I did the same. I love Chester Park.”

Another commented “You are the luckiest commuter ever!”

This exchange reminded me of the simple, real-life benefits of one of our favorite concepts here at the MIC: multi-modal transportation networks.

It’s all about options

From a transportation planning perspective, a multi-modal transportation network refers to a balance of infrastructure that supports multiple modes of travel — a mix of roads, air, marine/port, rail, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian facilities (including paved and non-paved trails). This mix is plainly visible on any given day in the Duluth-Superior area.

From a societal and governmental perspective, multi-modal transportation networks have been widely supported because a balanced transportation system encourages economic growth, reduces congestion and environmental impacts, and improves mobility and access to transportation.

From my personal perspective, though, a multi-modal transportation network means that I have options. It was just too nice of a morning to get in my car and drive (the very walkable distance of) two and a half miles.

Trails as commuter pathways

One big advantage of living in Duluth, Minnesota, is the proximity of urban areas to green spaces. A multi-modal system, in this city, means that I can walk out my back door onto the Superior Hiking Trail, which in turn intersects with our urban streets infrastructure across Skyline Parkway (as scenic a walk as you could ask for), down through a couple of local neighborhoods and to our downtown office.

And a community-wide vision is emerging for Duluth to become the premier trail city in North America. Developing an inter-connected trails system will provide not just outstanding recreational opportunities but compelling transportation options as well.

Quality of life improvement

Bottom line, I don’t have to get in my car and drive every time I need to go somewhere. I’m able to travel on foot (or by bike or by bus), and I consider that a big quality of life enhancement.

How about you?

Do you have an awesome walk to work of your own? Would you like to be able to walk or bike more often in your daily life? Does it make sense to continue to fund multi-modal transportation networks? (More on that topic to follow…)

Our Love/Hate Relationship with Central Entrance

Posted on Sep 2, 2011Dec 20, 2017 by Rondi Watson

Just last week I dropped a friend off near Arrowhead Road and Highway 53 just before 8 a.m. and headed toward my office in downtown Duluth. I glanced at the dashboard clock and it said 7:58. I had anticipated a congested trip but traffic was fairly light.

Love It

I made my way downtown thinking about my upcoming work day, scored a (free) parking spot, and to my surprise saw my car clock said 8:05. Seven minutes to go five miles on Central Entrance, of all routes. I had to admit that was an easy and direct commute.

Hate It

Fresh in my memory, however, are recent after-work trips to Miller Hill to run errands where I waited out more than one cycle of traffic light changes at Arlington Road and Central Entrance. I–like everyone else–get frustrated by sitting in traffic.

But I think that we get frustrated much quicker than big city drivers who have horror stories about the amount of time they get stuck in traffic. Relatively speaking, we have it pretty good. So what is it about Central Entrance that makes many of us want to avoid it?

The Bigger Picture

From a transportation standpoint, it’s not just about reducing vehicle congestion on this road, but about balancing the needs of all users. In transportation planning, we think about improving Central Entrance from many perspectives, including:

Mobility (getting travelers through the area)
Access (getting customers to local businesses)
Multimodal (accommodating pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users)
Safety (for all)
Livability (for neighborhood residents)

Someday (The Vision)

The City of Duluth has been thinking about these things as well. A long term vision for Central Entrance was recently identified, with input from businesses and residents, in its Central Entrance-Miller Hill Small Area Plan. The vision for the corridor is for a more walkable area that would regain its focus as the “main street” for the Duluth Heights neighborhood.

Where We Come In

As a step toward implementing the plan, the City has asked the MIC to examine the transportation challenges on the Central Entrance corridor. We will be collecting data, surveying residents, and making recommendations that will help in achieving the goal of eventually transforming Central Entrance into a more comfortable and attractive part of town.

There will be more information posted via this blog as our work progresses, but meanwhile, you can get more information about the Central Entrance Corridor study on our website.

Your Thoughts?

So what do you think about Duluth’s neighborhood-oriented vision for Central Entrance? Can you picture a balanced transportation system like I describe above?

You Have Feet. Walkable Neighborhoods Encourage You to Use Them.

Posted on Jul 28, 2011Dec 20, 2017 by Rondi Watson

In our previous post about the Lincoln Park Pedestrian Plan, we talk about the goal of making it a “walkable” neighborhood. And you might be asking (with good reason) what does “walkable” or “walkability,” mean, anyway?

Walkability is basically “planner-ese” for how easy and safe it is for a pedestrian to move through an area. And now you might ask, so what?

Walkability = A Whole Range of Benefits

When a street is welcoming to walkers, a whole range of benefits to society appear. Be they health, environment, or social—getting people out of their cars and onto their feet does our community good. When everyday travel can be done on foot, people exercise without ever technically “working out.” With fewer cars on the road emitting toxic fumes, the whole community breathes cleaner air. And with more people out in the community chatting with each other, community bonds are strengthened.

Why Don’t More People Walk, Then?

Walking is, well, not always the easiest option in Duluth. Aside from the fact that the city is located on a giant hillside (some avenues gain as much as 700 ft of elevation), there are other problems. In some places the sidewalk network is obstructed by overgrown vegetation or missing sections. In other places there are roads that pedestrians frequently need to cross but lack crosswalks, signals, or signage at the intersections. Our freezing-cold winters and piles of snow don’t make it any easier, either.

The benefits are clear though, and well designed streets to can go a long way toward the city comfortable and safe for people on foot.

Safety

Personal safety and security is perhaps the greatest concern for most people as they consider walking over driving. Most people won’t walk in settings in which they feel a threat, real or perceived, to their personal well-being.

Heavy, speeding traffic and big, wide roads can create an environment that is downright hostile to pedestrians. That is why it is so important to have a pedestrian infrastructure such as a complete, well maintained sidewalk network and crosswalks.

Walkability Audit

An important tool that planners use to understand—and improve—the walkability of a neighborhood is called a walkability audit. This is an actual, physical walk through the neighborhood along a predetermined route. The planners carefully observe the street and evaluate what they see according to a set of criteria (Sidewalks? Crosswalks? Obstructions? Safety hazards?). Once these observations are noted, they are discussed and eventually serve as the basis for recommendations for how to improve walkability of the study area.

These recommendations will ultimately be included in the final pedestrian plan, which, like others, will be used by local government and community groups for how public improvements and private developments should be planned for from this point forward.

Stay Tuned

We’ll be conducting a walkability audit for the Lincoln Park Pedestrian Plan later this week. The hope is that if we can determine and encourage the best route up and down the hill, many more kids will be able to walk and bike to school and other popular destinations.

Check back soon to see the group’s findings.

photo credit: Ian Britton