CULTIVATECONNECTIVITY

As the hub of business and government in Central Georgia, the Urban Core has excellent local and regional vehicular connections through its grid network and interstate highways. The movement of vehicles to and from downtown has long been a priority of its transportation system; by comparison, the focus on amenities for pedestrians has been substantially lower. Pedestrian conditions in the Urban Core can be very challenging: pedestrians are faced with complex, multi-legged intersections, insufficient crossing times on high volume streets, and lack of shade or coverage, among other challenges.

Parking is another noted challenge in the Urban Core. Downtown has seen an increase in the usage of parking, which has led to the perception that it is difficult to do so. Parking availability and user preferences, however, are not at odds with each other. For example, nearly 75% of surveyed employees agreed that a fiveminute walk from where they park to where they work is reasonable, and with streetscape improvements, park improvements, new businesses, and new housing that help people feel safe and intrigued by an interesting urban landscape, that percentage would increase. This distance covers most of downtown; therefore, parking within a reasonable distance of their workplace is possible for employees. In particular, ample capacity exists outside of the area comprising Cotton Avenue to Third Street and Mulberry Street to Cherry Street. Improvements to parking management are necessary for this area, as the two-hour limit is often exceeded. Meanwhile, nearby parking garages are sparsely used –many are only 35% full during the day.

Furthermore, the Urban Core has limited options for those who would prefer to get around in other ways than by car or by foot. Terminal Station is a hub for bus transportation, but currently this mode primarily appeals to those who ride the bus out of necessity as opposed to choice. Moreover, bike lanes are sparse throughout the Urban Core: they can be found on the recently-implemented vision block on Second Street and several streets near Mercer University, some in the form of sharrows as opposed to dedicated bike lanes.

The Urban Core needs a different approach to transportation. Pedestrians are critical to the success of the Urban Core and their safety should be the highest priority in the design of its streets. A streamlined parking system will improve the downtown experience for residents, employees, and visitors. Improvements to public transportation and bike infrastructure will increase transportation choice. They will furthermore alleviate some of the challenges faced by drivers and pedestrians through the reduction of traffic, which in turn results in better parking and pedestrian conditions. While it is unlikely that expanded transportation choice will appeal to those that have been driving downtown for decades, it will help attract the next generation of residents, employees, and business owners. In the meantime, it is likely that these choices will require public investment before the market, demographics, and downtown can fully support private investment.

Among the themes this section addresses are:

- Parking: How can we manage parking to better serve residents, employees, and visitors?

- Safety: What approaches should we take to make the pedestrian experience safer on the busy streets of the Urban Core?

- Active forms of transportation and shared-use mobility: How can we increase local transportation choices?