NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS

Goal: Create a safe, functional and attractive street system that balances the needs of automobiles with the needs of pedestrians, mass transit and bicycles.

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Objectives:

• Reduce cut-through traffic by introducing a comprehensive traffic-calming program in the neighborhood.
• Encourage and promote alternative modes of transportation.
• Encourage outdoor dining and street activity such as vendors and musicians on the sidewalks of 2^nd Street SW.
• Invest in the public realm and make streets safe, comfortable and attractive for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles.
• Increase public safety and street vitality by creating and maintaining human scale design elements through the placement and orientation of buildings, parking and streetscape materials.
• Reduce traffic speeds to an average of 20 mph through traffic calming measures.
• Reduce the amount of non-resident parking on residential streets.
• Provide an appropriate mix of parking to meet the needs of residents and businesses.

Recommendations:

• Work with Public Works to develop a long-range plan to phase in the following traffic-calming measures as a part of City's Capital Improvement Plan:
• Return First Street SW, Center Street West, First Street NW and Second Street NW to two-way traffic.
• Create a basket weave of stop signs and traffic circles throughout the neighborhood.
• Add mid-block chokers, neck-downs on strategic corners, and painted parking lines.
• Add pedestrian street crossing elements (such as bold, white reflective paint, special colored paving, etc.) through a hierarchy of crossing treatments based on street type.
• Narrow streets where feasible to slow traffic and preserve existing street trees.
• Add bike lanes where appropriate to facilitate safe bicycle transportation.
• Provide wide, accessible sidewalks, street trees, landscaping, decorative lighting and street furniture to selected enhanced streetscape areas.
• Design building openings that are oriented to the street, including well illuminated windows and welcoming entrances.
• Develop an on-street parking strategy that uses the following criteria:
• Provides for parking on both sides of street in mixed-use, commercial and high-density residential areas
• Provides for parking on only one-side in low-density residential areas
• Encourages the use of angle parking in mixed-use and commercial areas
• Encourage the development of a St Mary's parking facility to accommodate employee and visitor parking needs and relieve demand on neighborhood streets.
• Utilize permit parking where needed.