Projects

Chestnut and Elm Neighborhood Greenway Study

Study

Through the 2019 Traffic Calming program the West Central Neighborhood Council requested improvements to Chestnut Street to reduce through traffic and improve the bicycle route. This request morphed into an allocation of $40,000 to fund a study of the corridor and select appropriate Neighborhood Greenway type treatments. A Neighborhood Greenway is a type of bicycle facility on a low speed, low volume neighborhood street. Sometimes known as a ‘Bicycle Boulevard,’ this facility enhances arterial crossings and wayfinding elements for ease of travel by cyclists of all ages and abilities, while adding traffic calming elements to discourage continuous travel by motorists.

The City’s Bicycle Master Plan has identified N Chestnut Street-Belt Street and N Elm Street as bicycle routes connecting the Centennial Trail to A.M. Cannon Park and the West Central Community Center. The two corridors are parallel and have different characteristics regarding the curb-to-curb width, on-street parking, connectivity within the street grid and existing crossing improvements. The study will evaluate both corridors to determine which one is better suited for a future Neighborhood Greenway. The project will look at existing conditions, host discussions with local stakeholders, create conceptual designs, and make a recommendation on a preferred route during the course of the project.

The final report and concepts are available below. The recommendation is a hybrid approach that includes pedestrian and bicycle improvements to both corridors. Chestnut Street-Belt Street would benefit from targeted pedestrian improvements to create more comfortable arterial crossings. Elm Street is the more readily feasible bicycle route and is proposed for improvement with Neighborhood Greenway treatments.