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Streetscapes and its importance in design.
- 1. Importance of streetscapes •A key element to the success of a downtown is the provision of an attractive • and inviting public realm. Improvements to the streetscape are essential for • creating an environment of tree-lined, pedestrian-oriented walking streets and • outdoor plazas with frequent gathering spaces, outdoor cafes and seating areas, • and unique design elements. These elements will ensure that streets are inviting • public spaces that will be used by the community, and that also set the stage for • new investment along its edges. Streetscapes refer to the visual image created by the buildings, signs,street furniture, landscaping, spaces and other features along a street. • In our automobile-dominated environments, these images are most often seen from a moving vehicle. • By unifying the treatment of one or more of these elements, a streetscape can have a coherent image and one that makes a strong statement within a city. • Sadly, many cities give scant attention to their streetscapes, resulting in a visually disjointed experience as one moves along the street.
- 2. Streetscape palette designprinciples • Side walks • Streetlights • Landscaping • Street Furniture • Information signage • Intersection treatments • Public transit • Constructability • Control cost • Public art
- 3. Amenity zone • Streetlights • Planters • Trees • Benches • Trash receptacles • Signages
- 4. Pedestrian zone • Asafe a comfortable walking area adjacent to the buildings free of constructions • Transition zones • Transition occurs between different street typologies and different district
- 5. Develop a promotional kioskthat can be used to highlight downtown events and activities. One or a number of information kiosks could be created to display information about downtown events. The kiosks should be placed at high pedestrian use intersections and on Festival Streets for special events. Implement a streetscape “Kit of Parts.” Benches, signs, bollards, planters, landscaping and streetlights are examples of streetscape elements that could be used to further establish the character of the City Center and to encourage pedestrian activity.
- 6. Benches. Use benchesto enhance the streetscape design and provide places for pedestrians to rest. Updated bench designs should be added to this plan as they become available. Benches should be combined with planters and waste receptacles to define outdoor spaces. Bollards. Use bollards to define crosswalks and to limit automobile access to plazas and sidewalks. The existing rounded concrete bollards should be updated and replaced, including the addition of lighted bollards at selected intersections. The footprint should continue in the Commercial Core area and along Railroad Avenue. Updated bollard designs should be added to this plan as they become available.
- 7. Planters. Ornamental plantings shouldbe installed throughout the City Center. This includes freestanding planters that are located in plazas at key intersections, as well as smaller containers that may be installed as hanging baskets on light poles. Updated planter designs should be added to this plan as they become available. A mid-sized planter could be included in the street furniture for broader application in the City Center. These are examples of compatible concrete planters that may be applied in a number of settings.
- 8. Street Lights. Thecontemporary bronze light fixture being used in some areas of the City Center should be replaced with a pedestrian scale fixture. The current fixture appears more appropriate for areas with high-speed auto traffic, rather than pedestrian and lower speed vehicular travel. Pedestrian scale light standards also minimize the amount of light pollution - the unnecessary light that does not focus on street activity, but rather washes out the night sky and can spillover into residential areas. Updated street light and banner designs should be added to this plan as they become available. This contemporary bronze fixture is used in the City Center.
- 9. Parking Everyone who workswith downtowns would place parking as a primary issue. A viable parking system involves factors beyond simple quantity calculations. Physical organization, distribution, pedestrian links, and screening are issues that should be addressed. Pedestrian Access Poorly designed and maintained routes of pedestrian access can significantly affect both perceptions and physical accessiblity of downtowns. On-Street Parking On-street parking is discouraged on Rice Street and Little Canada RoadIRice Street, and local streets within the commercial district. Encourage "parkway like JJ development along Little Canada Road. Where on-street parking is allowed on local streets (as opposed to collector or arterial streets), the City encourages recessed parking bays apart from driving lanes. All on-street parking to be parallel parking. Parallel parking space dimension to be 9 feet by 20 feet Off-Street Parking Vehicular Access The City encourages off-street parking areas that are interspersed with significant planting areas. Off-street parking areas to be set back and screened at the perimeter to keep focus on the buildings and pedestrian activity. Parking areas should be designed to provide minimum walking distance to shopping entries. Vehicular access The City encourages layout and design that provides unity, easy identification and access of the commercial areas from major roadways. 20 percent of all parking areas to be devoted to open space. Entry points on Rice Street and Little Canada Road are to be easily seen and recognizable and have a 30 foot sight triangle distance as per City requirements, and other applicable highway department standards.