NAVIGATING THE DECK: WAYFINDING IMPROVEMENTS AT BARNES STREET PARKING DECK

PROPOSED

This concept shows the difference that clear, attractive wayfinding signage can make. A combination of painted and hanging signage options plainly indicate the path to the square.

PROPOSED

Replacing the small existing sign with this clear and coordinating wayfinding signage dramatically improves the visibility for pedestrians traveling from the deck to Adamson Square.

Carrollton residents love the freedom that comes with parking the car and walking to different destinations around the square. Being able to walk safely and comfortably to destinations, perhaps running into neighbors and friends, while enjoying the fabric of local life exemplifies why people choose to congregate downtown.

Local leaders have made significant investments in downtown pedestrian infrastructure to help make Adamson Square the safe and inviting destination it is. Attractive sidewalks and streetscaping, along with transformational projects like the GreenBelt network evidence the commitment that Carrollton leaders and citizens devote to prioritizing local quality of life. In Carrollton’s early days, the city drew textile mills based on the city’s location along the railroad, the proximity to cotton producers, and the abundance of comparatively inexpensive, non-union labor. In the 21st century, quality of life and economic development are virtually synonymous. In the article "Why some places thrive and others fail: The new formula for community revitalization," published in the Virginia Town & City Magazine, Senior Resident Fellow at the Urban Land Institute Ed McMahon states, "In the old economy, quality of place didn’t really matter, but today communities are in a global competition to attract and retain talented workers. Increasingly, these workers decide where they want to live and then they figure out their job situation. Creating a great place will pay dividends long after the initial investment.”

Quoting economist Joe Cortwright, McMahon highlights that “the unique characteristics of a place may be the only truly defensible source of competitive advantage for cities in a globalized world.”

Creating truly livable cities means prioritizing walkability. In his book Walkable City, noted city planner Jeff Speck calls pedestrians “the canary in the coal mine of livability.” If citizens do not feel safe navigating their own streets or walking their children to school, can a community truly be called livable? Nearly every community features highways and commercial corridors where no one with any viable options would choose to walk. That fact will not change any time soon. In contrast, downtowns are special places that necessitate different treatment and attention. In the dense fabric of downtowns, creating the right conditions can nourish a vibrant street life. Speck states that in order for a walk to be favored it must be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting. These qualities help illustrate why Carrollton residents enjoy walking around the square. Walking, rather than driving, from Corner Café to Horton’s Books is far and away the most useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting way to navigate the square. At any time of the day, visitors can see people crossing from one side of the square to another on foot. The presence of other pedestrians is probably the best indicator available to gauge overall walkability and safety.

As visitors move farther from the square, downtown streets become less pedestrian friendly. Many side roads lack consistent sidewalks and crosswalks. The major corridors radiating from the square generally widen as they move away from the area, encouraging unsafe vehicle speeds. As Adamson Square also serves as the high point of the area, vehicles traveling from the square down Bradley or Rome Street naturally increase in speed as they descend the hill. These conditions lead to dangerous travel speeds that create potentially deadly conflicts for pedestrians. According to a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as vehicle speeds rise from 20 mph to 40 mph, the likelihood of pedestrian fatality in the event of a collision rises from 5% to 85%.

In public input sessions during step one of the RSVP process, many residents shared the desire to prioritize pedestrian safety downtown. Residents praised improvements like the mid-block crosswalk at Carrollton City Hall and requested additional traffic calming measures along key corridors. Many also voiced support for constructing sidewalks and streetscaping along side streets to encourage walking between the existing rear parking areas and the square. Inspired by the input of local residents, the design concepts that follow extend walkability improvements from Adamson Square down the surrounding corridors, side streets, and parking areas. Together these concepts help illustrate how Carrollton can continue to prioritize walkability and quality of life downtown. By investing in these enhancements, Carrollton can continue creating an even more inclusive, lively, and connected downtown, preserving the qualities of downtown that residents love while bolstering 21st century economic development in the city.

Adapted from the “Ten Steps of Walkability” found in Jeff Speck’s Walkable City , the following principles could help guide local leaders and create an even more walkable downtown Carrollton:

1. PUT CARS IN THEIR PLACE. When cars first became popular, people rightly saw them as a transformational tool that brought freedom and expanded economic opportunities to millions. In the decades since cars became a dominant force, we have transformed our built environment to fit their needs. This experience has hollowed out American cities, devastated public health, and even eroded the social bonds that made communities strong. To combat the urban decline initiated by sprawl, many cities made downtowns more like suburbia in the 1950s onward, with wide roads designed to move vehicles as quickly as possible. In dense downtown areas, leaders can put people first by reclaiming excess space devoted to cars. Practical changes like removing excessive curb cuts and shrinking oversized lanes and corner radii can make a measurable difference in pedestrian safety, bring benefits like expanded sidewalks and bike lanes, and help relegate the car to its proper role.

2. MIX THE USES. To encourage a walkable community, walking must serve a purpose. A long walk in a residential neighborhood may be enjoyable and healthy, but without a destination, a walk is not a useful way to explore a community. Downtown Carrollton features a diverse number of businesses, restaurants, and cultural institutions. Continuing to grow the diversity of uses downtown will help ensure that downtown serves as a walkable community hub well into the future. Encouraging options like a small grocery store, mixeduse infill development, and a mix of housing options could make the area even more walkable.

3. GET THE PARKING RIGHT. Although downtown features approximately 1,300 public parking spaces within a five-minute walk of Adamson Square, residents often brought up parking in public input sessions. While some residents feel that parking is free and abundant, others feel that parking needs improvement, particularly during events and at peak times. Many suggested improving the look and function of rear parking areas, enforcing time limits on high-demand spaces, and directing visitors to existing parking with better signage. Local leaders should look to city codes to determine what, if any, parking requirements exist downtown. These requirements have no place in a dense, walkable downtown area.

4. LET TRANSIT WORK. Speck notes that while walkable neighborhoods can thrive without transit, transit is essential for truly walkable, car-optional cities. While this rule mainly applies to larger cities, reliable transit service can bring significant community benefits.

Some residents may be unaware of the existing Carroll Connection shuttle service and UWG’s community and safe ride shuttles that transport students to Adamson Square Thursday-Saturday. Promoting these resources could encourage a more walkable and vibrant downtown and free up premium downtown parking spaces for more visitors.

5. PROTECT THE PEDESTRIAN. Pedestrians choose to walk when they feel safe and protected. Travel speeds, lane width, sidewalk width, and more all impact pedestrian safety. Encouraging on-street parking and planting street trees between the sidewalk and travel lanes can create barriers between pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Reducing travel lanes to 10-11 feet can help slow traffic to manageable speeds.

6. WELCOME BIKES. Carrollton has done a phenomenal job developing the 18-mile GreenBelt trail network. Biking and walking are mutually beneficial activities, and encouraging one can help support the other. Creating connections to the GreenBelt from downtown as planned will further enhance downtown walk- and bike-ability.

7. SHAPE THE SPACES. Like the building edges that define Adamson Square, humans crave places that provide a sense of enclosure. Spaces without well-defined edges, such as long stretches of parking lot or unprogrammed green space, make walking uninteresting.

8. PLANT TREES. Particularly in the South, trees are an essential ingredient to a walkable city. Trees help slow traffic speeds and can lower the surrounding temperature by up to 18° F. Trees are also among the highest impact, lowest cost improvements that a city can install.

9. MAKE FRIENDLY AND UNIQUE BUILDING FACES: Boring blank walls and parking lots offer little stimulation for pedestrians. Encouraging attractive and inviting buildings through design codes and responsible land use planning can help stitch together the fabric of downtown and create the visual interest necessary to encourage more pedestrian activity. Carrollton takes pride in the city’s reputation as an artistic community. Local leaders should see every blank wall as an opportunity to expand public art downtown.

10. PICK YOUR WINNERS: Areas like US-27 will never foster a vibrant pedestrian experience. Investing in extensive pedestrian infrastructure in similarly carcentric areas is a waste of resources that could pay dividends elsewhere.