Downtown revitalization plan includes river walk, traffic changes

A pedestrian-friendly downtown with changes to traffic patterns, parking and the streetscape were brought up as part of a presentation on a conceptual plan for the development of the Springfield downtown area by Carolyn Radisch on Monday.

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2017-06-14 / Front Page Downtown revitalization plan includes river walk, traffic changes By KELSEY CHRISTENSEN kchristensen@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A pedestrian-friendly downtown with changes to traffic patterns, parking and the streetscape were brought up as part of a presentation on a conceptual plan for the development of the Springfield downtown area by Carolyn Radisch on Monday. The town commissioned Radisch, who works for Greenman Pedersen, Inc., an engineering and construction firm in White River Junction, through a Stronger Communities, Better Connections grant provided by the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and VermonTrans. The grant is meant to help towns improve economic development and connectivity. Also in attendance at Monday’s Springfield Selectboard meeting were Sens. Alice Nitka and Dick McCormack, and Rep. Alice Emmons, as well as Springfield Regional Development (SRDC) Director Bob Flint, and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Caitlin Christiana, who have been involved with the conceptual plan. The conceptual plan for the downtown addresses Main, Clinton, Marble and South Streets, extending from the Edgar May Recreational Center on Clinton Street through Main Street. The conceptual plan identifies the Black River as an important natural asset to the future townscape. “The river is the most stunning asset the community has,” Radisch said during the meeting. The conceptual plan reintegrates the Black River into the townscape by recommending a river walk facing the Woolson Block on Main Street. Radisch explained that, currently, Main Street is wide enough to accommodate a 10-foot-wide pedestrian river walk, diagonal municipal parking spaces, and a bike a lane in addition to the existing two lanes for traffic. The plan also proposes demolition of 5, 6, and 7 Main St. for the purpose of opening up the view to the Black River for pedestrians. The plan also encourages pedestrian friendliness, recommending strategies such as pedestrian-activated signs, which increase yielding rates, mid-block pedestrian refuge islands, and “bump-outs,” so that pedestrians are more visible to traffic as they’re trying to cross. The majority of visitors in Springfield, currently, are made up of through-traffic. Radisch says putting pedestrians first is one way to encourage more business in downtowns. “User-friendly downtowns make it easy for people to park their car, and park themselves somewhere nice,” Radisch said. Identified as a high-use area for Phase 1 of VTrans’ bicycling initiative, the plan includes a road diet that would extend curbs, integrate bike paths on each side of the road, and decrease Clinton Street lanes — where crash data shows a higher rate of accidents than the rest of the downtown — down from four to two with a middle turning lane, eliminating possible points of conflict. Additionally, the intersection of South, Marble, Main, and Clinton streets would be replaced with a roundabout. Sustainable efforts in the plan include recommendations on reclaiming rainwater before it filters into the river, with features such as rain gardens. Radisch also recommends lining sidewalks with disease-resistant elm trees to make the downtown more attractive to pedestrians. Another core fixture of the plan is enhancing gateways to the downtown, including better signage at the north and south entrances to the downtown area. “There are great things about your story that can be told visually,” she said, adding that the Precision Tool Industry, the Steampunk Festival, and Springfield’s status as the “home of the Simpsons” are all identifying traits that may be reflected in public art and design features. Now, the town will have to determine what aspects of the conceptual plan with which it most wants to move forward, and secure funding. “At this moment, and for this summer, we’re looking at grant applications to do a small section of pedestrian improvements at the northeast corner of traffic lights near Valley Street,” said Town Manager Tom Yennerell. Yennerell indicated that a treescape buffer between the walkways and road, and an expansion of parking on Park Street could be the next steps in achieving the vision presented by Radisch. Following Radisch’s presentation, Fred Kenney, executive director of the Vermont Economic Progress Council, presented information on becoming a TIF (tax incremental funding) district, which provides funding beyond what a normal municipal budget and debt capacities can leverage, for compact and dense infrastructural development that encourages private sector development. Some of the development proposed in the conceptual downtown plan could be funding through TIF, if Springfield were to designate the downtown a TIF district. “Thirteen municipalities have expressed interest in becoming a TIF district,” said Kenney. “But none have done the imagining you have already done.”