Streetscape improvements and "road diet" for Cleaver Blvd

[chrizow]

http://midtownkcpost.com/2013/01/09/lea ... evard-4273

Changes are ahead for Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard from Rockhill Road to The Paseo.

The Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department and the architectural firm of Bowman Bowman and Novick (BBN) are spearheading the improvements. According to BBN’s project manager Scott Bingham, the proposed project includes new curbs, sidewalks, lighting, street surfacing, and landscaping.

He also says the boulevard will undergo a “road diet” by eliminating all on-street parking and by reducing the six lanes of traffic between Troost and the Paseo down to four.

The design includes green strategies such as storm water treatment planters, designated bike lanes, solar power bus shelters and replacing pavement with landscaping.

This project is slated to begin this spring and conclude by late fall.

The public is invited to view the plans at a meeting on Wednesday, January 16th from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery of Art in the Lens 2 Room.

RSVP to carries932@aol.com.

[kboish]

http://midtownkcpost.com/2013/01/09/lea ... evard-4273
The design includes green strategies such as storm water treatment planters, designated bike lanes, solar power bus shelters and replacing pavement with landscaping.

RSVP to carries932@aol.com.

This is a great sign. I'm glad the parks and rec board is finally putting in some bike lanes along the streets in oversees. Hopefully its new funding stream will help it start implementing this throughout our blvd system.

[pash]

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[DaveKCMO]

Nice. Is this the first "road diet", or have they're been others?

i would consider the addition of angled parking on baltimore and mcgee in the crossroads both road diets. some bumpouts have even been added on baltimore to make the narrowed street "permanent".

[aknowledgeableperson]

Broadway between Linwood(?) and 39th(?) years ago.

[flyingember]

a great project but one block short

try crossing from the Nelson to Theis Park sometime.

[KCMax]

Plan to give Cleaver Boulevard the identity it deserves

One of the main features of the new plan calls for taking out street parking, and reducing the width of outer traffic lanes to make room for bike lanes.

The street will also get new lighting, upgraded pedestrian crossings, and new solar-lit buses shelters.

[kboish]

Plan to give Cleaver Boulevard the identity it deserves

One of the main features of the new plan calls for taking out street parking, and reducing the width of outer traffic lanes to make room for bike lanes.

The street will also get new lighting, upgraded pedestrian crossings, and new solar-lit buses shelters.

The project is expected to begin in March and be completed in the fall.

This is the part I like.

[DaveKCMO]

removing on-street parking is a mistake. it's one of the easiest ways to calm traffic.

[pash]

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[slimwhitman]

So the number of lanes will go from six to four. Removing parking, but addig a bike lane. ... They must also be adding a grassy buffer between the street and sidewalk.

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. I have a feeling it will be all about the landscaping, about making the street look green and "boulevardy" as you drive by. But that's what happens when you let this parks department designs your streets.

I have not seen the plans, but I see no problem with it being landscapey or boulevardy. This segment is currently too fast and suburban feeling. This route should continue to be park-like, not urban, but lose the semi-highway wideness feel. Adding a safe bike corridor makes it that much better. Seems like it could be a winner to me.

[pash]

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[slimwhitman]

"Park-like", "lanscapey", and "boulevardy" to me all correlate strongly with fast traffic and a suburban atmosphere. As Dave pointed out, on-street parking slows traffic. Conversely, wide grassy strips bordering the road seem to speed up traffic, and I think they also make drivers more oblivious to pedestrians and contribute to a general suburban driving attitude.

Your assumption is fair, but I will argue that a properly designed boulevard can keep traffic at reasonable speed, be safe for pedestrians, and not feel suburban. It's all in the details. Does Ward Parkway or The Paseo feel suburban? Are they safe for pedestrians? Do these travelways promote speeding more than a traditional urban KC street? I would argue that the parts of The Paseo without on-street parking feel safer and are more attractive than the parts with on-street parking, by the way. Cleaver is one of the few streets that would be better without on-street parking.

The details revolve around having a tight curb radii at intersections, frequent street trees in a generous tree lawn between the sidewalk and curb and narrow lane widths. If those are designed to a more historic level, then the roadway will be a success. If they engineer it to suburban standards, then they fail. I think the remodeled Penn Valley Drive (in PVP) is a successful example. Keep in mind that both Penn Valley Drive and Cleaver Blvd were built/rebuilt in the 1950s or ‘60s to a fast engineering standard.

One thing I feel that sets KC apart from most other cities is the network of parkways that work with the urban grid to provide a balance in street types and environments. The parkways are vital in breaking up an otherwise endless monotony in the grid. I love getting out my old roadster and cruising the parkways on a pretty spring day. These parkways also need to be better designed for the pedestrian and cyclist, not just the Sunday cruise.

It is important not to blur the lines between what a good urban street looks like and a good “urban” parkway. They are both very important, and serve very different purposes.

[slimwhitman]

removing on-street parking is a mistake. it's one of the easiest ways to calm traffic.

I hate this response being used as a rubber stamp for all streets, all the time. Yes, on-street parking is an excellent tool to have in a 'better street toolbox', but it is one of many tools. Will on-street parking heavily benefit the uses that front this corridor? No. Will on-street parking be heavily used here? No. So this “tool” may not be applicable here. If you provide a parking lane that is rarely used, you increase the perceived travel lane width and INCREASE travel speed. Oops!

The proposed bike lane could have the same car speed effect if it is merely a painted lane between the right car lane and the curb. There are more creative ways to design bike lanes that are safe for cyclists and keep car speeds down and I hope the designers here use those creative tools.

The hammer is a great tool and my plumber is a craftsman, but when he used that hammer to blow thru my drywall to access the plumbing, the outcome was not very good.

[bobbyhawks]

I will argue that a properly designed boulevard can keep traffic at reasonable speed, be safe for pedestrians, and not feel suburban. It's all in the details. Does Ward Parkway or The Paseo feel suburban? Are they safe for pedestrians? Do these travelways promote speeding more than a traditional urban KC street?

Yes. There are 35 MPH streets downtown where the traffic is rarely above or is barely above 35 MPH. Ward Parkway speeds are 40 to 45 MPH at rush hour. It is designed to flush a number of cars through a part of the city that has no freeway or highway. It does it in a most elegant and beautiful manner, though. I absolutely love Ward Parkway, but there is no part of Ward Parkway that could be considered pedestrian friendly other than for long walks or jogs down the grassy park area.

[slimwhitman]

I will argue that a properly designed boulevard can keep traffic at reasonable speed, be safe for pedestrians, and not feel suburban. It's all in the details. Does Ward Parkway or The Paseo feel suburban? Are they safe for pedestrians? Do these travelways promote speeding more than a traditional urban KC street?

Yes. There are 35 MPH streets downtown where the traffic is rarely above or is barely above 35 MPH. Ward Parkway speeds are 40 to 45 MPH at rush hour. It is designed to flush a number of cars through a part of the city that has no freeway or highway. It does it in a most elegant and beautiful manner, though. I absolutely love Ward Parkway, but there is no part of Ward Parkway that could be considered pedestrian friendly other than for long walks or jogs down the grassy park area.

Is it fair to compare speeds on a downtown street with traffic signals at every intersection and maximum density to Ward Parkway? Troost seems a better comparison.

[flyingember]

one interesting thing about this project is Clever is a major commuter route from the Plaza to the suburbs.

I wonder how many people will change to using Volker? That street is certainly more of a through street

[shinatoo]

For its size, Cleaver might be the most underused route in the city. (Behind James A Reed).

[bobbyhawks]

I will argue that a properly designed boulevard can keep traffic at reasonable speed, be safe for pedestrians, and not feel suburban. It's all in the details. Does Ward Parkway or The Paseo feel suburban? Are they safe for pedestrians? Do these travelways promote speeding more than a traditional urban KC street?

Yes. There are 35 MPH streets downtown where the traffic is rarely above or is barely above 35 MPH. Ward Parkway speeds are 40 to 45 MPH at rush hour. It is designed to flush a number of cars through a part of the city that has no freeway or highway. It does it in a most elegant and beautiful manner, though. I absolutely love Ward Parkway, but there is no part of Ward Parkway that could be considered pedestrian friendly other than for long walks or jogs down the grassy park area.

Is it fair to compare speeds on a downtown street with traffic signals at every intersection and maximum density to Ward Parkway? Troost seems a better comparison.

I don't know. I was responding to your comparison.

On each end of the spectrum, though, there are clearly things that make a street more walk-friendly and more driver friendly. To me, a walk-friendly street, like those in the Plaza, is one where cars rarely reach a 30-35 MPH speed limit during the day. One of the biggest problems right now with Cleaver II and that entire snafu between Main and Broadway is that modifications need not only make the drive look nicer, but that modifications must change years of learned behavior. Perhaps this area, from Main to Gates, could have a KCK-style 20-25 MPH limit to slow things down. It should be one of the showcases of the city to have folks meander by the museam, both via car and on foot. People in a hurry should be moved elsewhere.

[flyingember]

For its size, Cleaver might be the most underused route in the city. (Behind James A Reed).

not a chance.

I have never once been on that road where there was no one else on it.

I've seen less people on 8th St downown during rush hour on a regular basis than on Clever