A ARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE 2017 BEST PR ACTICES
B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.� Margaret Mead
B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
INTRODUC TION
CONCEPT PLAN
In September 2017, AARP announced winners for its first-ever AARP Community Challenge, investing to create change and improve quality of life for people of all ages in communities across the nation. Through AARP’s extensive livable communities initiative staff and volunteers in every state are working in partnership with residents and community leaders CONCEPT PLAN to create Great Places for All Ages. The Community Challenge in roughly 300 communities builds on these extensive efforts and seeks to fund “quick action” projects that help create longer term change. Three of the 91 projects selected received additional support through the AARP and Team Better Block partnership including project design, city department negotiations, and organizing the community around project objectives. These three projects are located in Fort Worth TX; Buffalo, NY; and Fort Wayne, IN. All of the winning projects in this challenge deliver on one or all of the following: • Improve social connections through the built environment benefiting people of all ages and abilities in the community. • Expand opportunities for all residents, such as job, volunteer, and educational/training opportunities. • Drive inclusive community engagement and interaction across a diverse population. This report is an outline of the best practices from each project.
Visit www.aarp.org/livable to check out our resources and subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter at AARP.org/Livable-Subscribe 4
To contact Team Better Block: info@teambetterblock.com | (214) 883-9982 PO Box 4007 Dallas, TX 75208 info@teambetterblock.com
T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
HOW TO RE AD THIS REPORT ?
Team Better Block has worked with over 150 communities across five countries to develop Better Block projects. Looking at these past projects, the team identified four different types of Better Blocks according to their scale and urban context.
C ATEGORIES
M A I N S TR E E T
NEIGHBORHOOD
Main streets are a vital part of a city’s public open space system. They function as movement corridors for pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and vehicles. They also support many social and business activities. The projects in this category address the appearance and character of main streets that play a large part in determining the overall quality of life, economic health, and livability of the city.
The projects in this category focus on adapting low-density communities into sustainable, mixed-use spaces that reduce urban sprawl and the dependence on cars. Examples show how residential subdivisions can be reinvented and revitalized through changes in transit patterns, rezoning for mixed use, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings and roads.
PA R K S & P L A Z A S
OTHER
These projects try to answer how existing public spaces can be examined and reformed to produce new vitality to the city. Based on placemaking principles, this category approaches public space from the user’s perspective.
As urban conditions change, we are being challenged with more unique problems that do not fit into a single category. Projects in this category deal with dead shopping malls, underperforming industrial and business parks, empty big-box stores, worn-out strip malls, etc.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
TOOL S New technologies and manufacturing processes allow us to add elements to the street to slow drivers and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists without costly design processes and long construction period. Through different projects, Team Better Block identified a palette of interventions — a toolbox that can be used for rapidly deploying projects and testing ideas in any city. These different strategies embrace improvisation where locally sourced materials may be available to ďŹ ll the same functions as the commonly-used items. Tools listed here have the ability to create an entirely new environment within the space by using modular and portable components that change the shape or aesthetic of the space. The temporality of their use differs in each project and it depends on ambitions of the community and the reception of the city officials. Look for these colors when installations are identified in the following pages.
P E R M A N EN T I N S T AL L ATI O N
BIKE LANE
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CROSSWALK
T E M P O RA R Y I N S T AL L AT I O N
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
POP-UP SHOP
SEATING
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
LANDSCAPING
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BO X
T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
C A SE STUDIES The report is composed of case studies that demonstrate the principles of building a better block in practice. The primary aim of the section is to highlight the best practices from each project. Each case study includes basic summary facts and project statistics, a description of the design process, evaluation of the project’s success and limitations, lessons learnt and the value gained, and selected comments by clients, users and community groups. Following pages explain the layout that is used to guide the reader through the projects.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
B E FO R E B E TT E R B L O C K
WHAT?
TH I S I S W H ERE TH E N AM E O F TH E EVEN T G O ES. LOCATI ON
TH E M AP SH O W S TH E LO CATI O N O F TH E BETTER BLO CK.
TIME
TH E D ATE O F TH E EVEN T CATEGORY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
INTERVENTIONS
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PRO J ECTS ARE CATEG O RI Z ED ACCO RD I N G TO TH EI R SCALE AN D URBAN CO NTEX T. BLU E CO LO R I D ENTI F I ES TH E CATEG O RY FO R TH E PRO J EC T.
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
W I K I B L OC K
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
I N TERVEN TI O N S ARE CATEG O RI ZED I N TO TW ELVE D I F F EREN T ELEM ENTS . PERM ANEN T I N TERVEN TI O N S ARE TAG G ED W I TH G REEN CO LO R. TEM PO RARY I N TERVEN TI O N S ARE TAG G ED W I TH Y ELLO W CO LO R.
PARTNERS
PARTNERS O F TH E PRO J ECT ARE LI STED I N TH I S SECTI O N 8
T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
EACH PRO J ECT I S EX PLAI N ED TH RO UG H BEFO RE-AF TER PH O TO S. ‘BEFO RE’ I S SH O W N F I RST. PH O TO S F RO M TH E D AY O F TH E BETTER BLO CK FO LLO W S I M M ED I ATELY .
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
NOV.4T H , 2017
FORT WAYNE , IN - COLUMBIA AVENUE
OC T.28 T H , 2017
FORT WORTH, T X LINWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
OC T.21 S T, 2017
BUFFALO, NY FRUIT BELT NEIGHBORHOOD
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
C A S E S TUDY #1
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
INTRODUC TION
Buffalo’s project focused on one block in the Fruit Belt neighborhood. The Fruit Belt is largely residential, and is clearly defined by its borders: to the west is the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus; to the south the Kensington Expressway; to the east is Jefferson Avenue, the main commercial corridor for Buffalo’s African American community; and to the north are City Honors High School and the Masten Avenue Armory. The project site is centrally located within the neighborhood, at the intersection of Carlton and Lemon streets. Randy Hoak, Associate State Director of AARP New York says, “This innovative neighborhood project provides a great opportunity for Fruit Belt residents of all ages to engage and connect with their community in a new and more inclusive way.AARP New York partnered with Team Better Block, Mayor Brown and the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency to make this happen. Having this project here in Buffalo to beautify the Fruit Belt streetscape and the neighborhood will generate valuable insights for communities across New York State and the nation as the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities continues to expand and work in partnership with localities to make our communities more livable for all generations.”
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
W H AT ?
BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Seating Seating that is accessible, comfortable, wellmaintained, and located in the right places is critical to successful placemaking. Both movable and fixed seating options are provided in order to give residents a chance to sit comfortably together and talk. The event day proved that seating is instrumental in creating new gathering space for the community.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Stage Activities are the basic building blocks of a place. Having something to do gives people a reason to come to a place – and return. When there is nothing to do, a space will be empty and that generally means that something is wrong. The stage helped this Better Block to keep the park active throughout the day.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
W I K I B L OC K
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Solar Lighting New livable vibrant cities will attract people to walk and bicycle by getting out of their cars. Moving from roadway-centric lighting, the cities must begin to make light for people. With this ethos in mind, solar powered street lighting was experimented with in this project.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Community Garden / Farm Gardens and farms can be a powerful tool and are vehicles for re-imagining abandoned or marginalized places. Standing planters were the first step to create a community space that was ADA and age friendly. The community garden is something the neighbors can take pride in.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
D URING BETTER BLOCK
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Street Plaza The visibility of a plaza is important to signify that it is a public space. It permits users to watch street activity and it makes the space safer. Creating a sense of liveliness and excitement is key when it comes to plaza design. By adding color, seating and pop-up activity, it was demonstrated that this space can turn into a place where people can linger and spend time.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
FRUIT BELT BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
BUFFALO, NY
TIME
October 21st, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S
AARP New York, Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, Locust Street Art
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Colored Crosswalk Creating beautiful moments in our public spaces and streets enhances the walking experience and the area its in. Adding colored crosswalks between Futures Academy and the greenspace encourages pedestrian usage and creates greater awareness for drivers. Stencils used in this project portrayed oranges and peaches to signify the street names where streets were being crossed. This creates a neighborhood brand that can be repeated in future projects.
T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017 E VALUATION
The main challenge addressed was how to turn a vacant greenspace into an active area for people of all ages in the Fruit Belt neighborhood. Through community feedback, we formed a foundation for the Fruit Belt neighbors to use this space as a gathering area for daily use and public events. During the Better Block event, we recorded how some of the installations were used.
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New age friendly planters were installed and filled with locally grown flowers. The painted planters and colorful flowers added more color and beauty for the community to enjoy.
PER M ANENC Y
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New tables were used for eating lunch and painting pumpkins.
Students from Futures Academy spontaneously took over the stage to show off their dance moves.
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Performers and Musicians from the African American Cultural Center Dance & Drum Performance Company performed an authentic African dance routine.
New benches were used for resting, eating, and enjoying performances taking place on the stage.
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LANDSCAPING During the build week for Better Block, volunteers built a total of 12 age friendly community garden planters that will permanently remain in the park. The planters were built at counter-heighth so that community members would not have to bend down to maintain the gardens. Futures Academy plans to grow fruits next Spring and vegetables for the community to enjoy this Spring.
CROSSWALK Although only temporarily installed for the weekend, City staff showed interest in permanently installing colored crosswalks at the intersections of Orange and Peach Streets. Colored crosswalks create a safer avenue for pedestrians to cross the street and add identity to a place.
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
STREET MURAL The centerpiece of this Better Block was a stage and mural that was created by a local resident through Locust Street Art. The mural brightened up the entire greenspace and the stage gave residents a space for performances and entertainment.
OUT-OF-BOX Solar lighting can be found all around the Fruit Belt neighborhood. We installed 2 permanent solar lights to increase visibility and safety of the gardens at night.
SEATING
Six new picnic tables were provided for the school and community to keep and enjoy for events, performances, potluck meals, and other community gatherings.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017 MOVING FORWARD
Fruit Belt Better Block was an important step for the City of Buffalo to engage the Fruit Belt neighborhood. Stakeholders of the greenspace need to determine who controls the layout, use, and maintenance of the land. Here are is a list of compiled needs for the garden to be successful: - The City of Buffalo should allow for a water meter to be installed in the gardens. Having a consistent source of water is vital for maintaining the plantings. - The current location of the community garden is located in a highly shaded area where plants receive little exposure to the sun. If the gardens stay in this location, the trees should be trimmed for more natural sunlight. - Leveling the ground of the greenspace will create a more ADA and age friendly place. - The fence where the community gardens are currently located should be removed to allow community members to access the gardens at any time. - The City should allow a storage structure to be placed in the garden area to store planting and maintenance equipment. - A committee of locals and experts should be created to manage the garden and grounds. All design decisions for the greenspace and garden should be made through this committee. This committee, or sub-committees, should also: - Award garden spots to neighbors - Host plant and harvest workshops and provide supplies - Consider moving a Farmers Market to this location - Continue testing and hosting special events to discover how the community wants to use the space - The recreational field aspect of the greenspace can be improved by adding turf. - The solar lighting currently in place should be further observed and more should be added where it seems necessary. - The City should remove the burm and potentially hazardous waste from the house demolition that lies in the greenspace. In its current state, the burm is not well maintained, and its size and location creates a potentially dangerous situation due to the area being closed off from the public eye. - Stakeholders should perform an audit on past and current expenses for operation and maintenance of the greenspace and gardens, and plan for future funding needs. - Locust Street Art is a great asset of the community and should continue to be utilized as a group that can add more public art to the greenspace.
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
C A S E S TUDY #2
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
INTRODUC TION
For the second project, AARP Texas teamed up with residents of the Linwood neighborhood of Fort Worth and the City of Fort Worth to create a “Better Neighborhood�. In November 2017, the City of Fort Worth was presented with a certification as an AARP Livable Community. AARP continues to work with volunteers and other local residents throughout Fort Worth in making the city an even more age-friendly community. Linwood is a post-World War II neighborhood on the near west side of Fort Worth. It was originally built as military housing, and in recent years, has undergone considerable redevelopment following tornado damage in 2000. Linwood Better Block demonstrated and implemented several, simple traffic calming and place-making elements to an area in transition, that addressed safety and connectivity concerns from new and old residents asking for more attention from the city.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
TIME
October 28th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S AARP Texas, City of Fort Worth, Linwood Neighborhood Association
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
D URING BETTER BLOCK
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
TIME
October 28th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S AARP Texas, City of Fort Worth, Linwood Neighborhood Association
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Rubberform Traffic Circle Traffic calming is a key piece to the project, and the City requested a traffic circle be tested. A semi-permanent traffic circle using rubber form, paint and signs from the city for traffic control was installed safely.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
TIME
October 28th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S AARP Texas, City of Fort Worth, Linwood Neighborhood Association
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
TIME
October 28th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S AARP Texas, City of Fort Worth, Linwood Neighborhood Association
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Movie Screening Sometimes, smaller efforts can make a big impact on a place. As part of the event, the community organized an outdoor movie screening. The main entrance provided shade from legacy oak trees, and gave organizers a location to project the movie against the adjacent neighbor’s home.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
TIME
October 28th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S AARP Texas, City of Fort Worth, Linwood Neighborhood Association
44
T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Ping-Pong Providing simple and accessible activities for residents of all ages to participate in community life within the public realm is an important factor in creating a better neighborhood.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
DURING BETTER BLOCK
W H AT ?
LINWOOD BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WORTH, TX
TIME
October 28th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
OTHER
I N T E R V E N T IO N S
B I K E L AN E
C R O S S WA L K
TRAFFIC CALMING
PARKLET
P O P - UP SH O P
S E AT I N G
FOOD TRUCK
ACTIVITY
L A N D S C A PI N G
WIKIBLOCK
SIGNS
OUT-OF-BOX
PA R T N E R S AARP Texas, City of Fort Worth, Linwood Neighborhood Association
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
Crosswalks The Linwood Park entrance is a part of a key pedestrian corridor for the neighborhood. Providing a safer pedestrian crossing for students and seniors is essential in addressing residents concerns.
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B E S T PRACTICES | 2017
E VALUATION Permanent traffic calming demonstrations within the Linwood Neighborhood focused heavily on providing basic methods of slowing traffic and testing new one’s. Identifying missing stop signs, stop bars, and crosswalks were quickly made permanent. Installing a semi-permanent traffic circle slowed speeds down for pedestrians using the ROW to walk and purchase their groceries. The demonstrations were used to educate community members, city staff and officials how we can work together to create safer, more walkable and healthier communities. Eva Bonilla, Linwood Neighborhood Association President, describes the changes as follows: “The traffic circle and new stop signs have decreased speeds and motorists are more cautious when they interact with them. They are a great traffic calming addition to the neighborhood. Our new pedestrian crosswalks are appreciated by the residents and motorists are beginning to respect pedestrians. The red paint at corners has definitely improved sight lines at intersections, entering crowded streets, and see pedestrians crossing. The solar lights are definitely helping walkers in the park since the sun sets so early. It is also a safety feature and deters vagrants. Thanks to Team Better Block, our neighborhood has a better feel of being safe and walkable.”
CROSSWALK City staff immediately gave organizers the go ahead and provided referrals for installing permanent crosswalks and stop bars with volunteers at identified dangerous intersections. Permanent stop signs were coordinated and installed by the city. Neighborhood branding was added using the cities longhorn logo, affectionately known as “Molly” by residents, and a neighbors old classic car. TRAFFIC CIRCLE The new traffic circle continues to work to calm and reduce traffic speeds, and provide a safer route for pedestrians.
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T E A M BE T T E R B L O C K
LIGHTING Better lighting throughout the park and along neighborhood streets was a concern for neighbors. City park staff were supportive of Better Block implementations, however wouldn’t allow temporary lighting to be erected. A work around was established by installing solar lighting along private property that lit areas of the park sidewalk. Furthermore, cafe lighting was installed at the entrance among the old pecan trees for warmth and safety.
MOVING FORWARD For the City of Fort Worth, the Better Block process has been fully embraced by most of city staff and it’s elected officials as a measured and effective way of planning for long-term infrastructure projects. To date, four other Better Block projects have all implemented and constructed permanent projects within their focus areas or are planning permanent projects using the data collected from a Better Block. As for the Linwood neighborhood, Team Better Block is currently working with city staff on permanent designs for a shared lane on Wingate, installing new traffic signs throughout the neighborhood, making crosswalks and stop bars permanent, working with the parks department to re-align a curb cut and adding a crosswalk at Wingate and Wimberly, and permanently installing the traffic circle at Wingate and Foch St. Here are some recommendations for moving forward: - Continue funding and encouraging city staff to use the process to test new ideas and find missing pieces in it’s public infrastructure. - Develop a city-wide guide for implementing and permitting Better Block projects quickly and effectively. Create a neighborhood resource for residents to paint identified and approved crosswalks and stop bars within their neighborhood. This will encourage and educate people about basic traffic control tools. - Further test rubber form as an alternative to concrete installations in other public work projects. - Educate all city staff departments about the Better Block process.
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C A S E S TUDY #6
COLUMBIA AVENUE BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
FORT WAYNE, IN
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INTRODUC TION
As part of the 2017 AARP Community Challenge, Team Better Block partnered with the City of Fort Wayne and the Active Living Coalition, along with local residents, stakeholders and volunteers to improve the quality of life for people of all ages along a block of Columbia Street just north of the City’s downtown. The project focused on a two-fold initiative: the first component involved creating a traffic calming plan in a high profile, highly traveled area that connects downtown Fort Wayne with the adjacent neighborhoods. The second component of the project brought activity to the area with the help of parklets, pop-up stage and art gallery. Through the grant, an ‘Active Living Project Facilitator’ is hired to take necessary steps to make the changes of the Better Block permenant in the mission to create an active, livable community.
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BEFORE & DURING BETTER BLOCK
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COLUMBIA AVENUE BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
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November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
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PA R T N E R S AARP Indiana, Active Living Coalition, Purdue Extension School, City of Fort Wayne, Northside Neighborhood Association 52
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BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
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November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
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D URING BETTER BLOCK
Participatory Art Installation Public art is a communal activity. Its reach can be powerful for communities and neighborhoods. The team provided 100+ pool noodles to the plaza for the visitors to interact with. The installation quickly became a backdrop for Instagram photos and a source for children to play with.
Rubber Form Curb In order to frame the plaza and make it safer for pedestrians, rubber form curb system is used. This is a durable, high performance traffic separator that provides an efficient and cost-effective channelization of traffic. It only took half a day to install and city engineers agreed to keep it after the event.
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BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
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COLUMBIA AVENUE BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
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TIME
November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
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PA R T N E R S AARP Indiana, Active Living Coalition, Purdue Extension School, City of Fort Wayne, Northside Neighborhood Association 56
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DURING BETTER BLOCK
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TIME
November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O R Y
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
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PA R T N E R S AARP Indiana, Active Living Coalition, Purdue Extension School, City of Fort Wayne, Northside Neighborhood Association 58
Street Plaza Like a successful building, a plaza requires a program of use and a strong concept. A plaza should also reflect and reinforce the character of its location. The location of the event was referred to as “Three Rivers Confluence” by the local community so the design illustrates this concept. It is foreseen this plaza will accommodate different activities once the traffic calming efforts are finalized.
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Bike Ride & Racks Fort Wayne has a strong network of walking trails but the bike network still needs some work. It is not just enough to have bike lanes. Among the necessary supports for bicycle transportation, bike parking stands out for being both vital and easy. For this event, in addition to bike parking, a local bike shop was present at the plaza to demonstrate different types of bikes for all ages.
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BEFORE BETTER BLOCK
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November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
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DURING BETTER BLOCK
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COLUMBIA AVENUE BETTER BLOCK L O C AT I O N
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TIME
November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O R Y
M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
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Crosswalks Residents of Columbia Avenue had complaints about speeding cars and noise. To address this issue, crosswalks are used to improve pedestrian safety in a high traffic area, and also improve the appearance and desirability of the block. Of these three crosswalks, the city engineers agreed to make one of them permanent after the event.
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Floating Parking Lane As part of the street design, floating parking lanes have improved safety for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as reduced reckless driving and illegal speeding. During the demonstration, people used the spaces in this lane just as they would any other parking space.
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November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
Bioswales M A I N S TR E E T N E I G H B OR H O OD PARK & PLAZA
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Streets, medians, and sidewalks comprise a significant percentage of city-managed land, and when rain hits concrete and asphalt it becomes runoff that is funneled directly into the combined sewer system. By constructing bioswales in sidewalks, the cities can absorb this water and introduce sustainable cobenefits like cleaner air and cooler temperatures into the community
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Purple Trail The multi-use trail is the perfect place to go for a jog, ride your bike, or take a peaceful stroll through the neighborhood. For this project, a parking lane is retrofitted into a purple trail that created a safe zone for pedestrians, cyclists and scooters.
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Parklets Often parklets act as visual and physical buffers between the street and the sidewalk and as places for people to congregate. In the Fort Wayne case, two parklets are designed to beautify and increase the walkability in the neighborhood. A seating parklet is built using milk crates and zip ties with the help of 15 high school students.
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November 4th, 2017 C AT E G O RY
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PA R T N E R S AARP Indiana, Active Living Coalition, Purdue Extension School, City of Fort Wayne, Northside Neighborhood Association 66
Parklets Parklets can transform people’s daily routine into experiences. Ping pong has the unique ability to create a conversation between two people through the action of play.
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E VALUATION Pop-up traffic calming demonstrations within the Columbia Avenue showcases proven methods of slowing traffic and increasing safety with traffic calming designs. The demonstrations are used to educate community members, elected officials, and citystaff on how they can work together to create safer, more vibrant,and healthier communities. 23
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PER M ANENC Y CROSSWALK During the negotiations with the city staff, the engineers agreed to permanently implement one of the three proposed crosswalks. This crosswalk is now being used by the neighborhood residents.
STREET PLAZA Street murals are used to reclaim unused road spaces in order to create safer crosswalks for the pedestrians. This curb extension will also help people driving to follow the speed limit. Rubber form material is used to prevent unauthorized left turns which created crash risks. 68
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STREET PLAZA The biggest legacy of the Better Block is the Three River Plaza that is created with the help of the volunteers. The plaza not only created an identity piece for the neighborhood, it will also be a crucial step towards active public spaces that are built for walking, playing, and catching up with our neighbors. Approximately 90’ of rubber form traffic calming material is implemented permanently in order to make the plaza safer.
TRAFFIC SIGNS Within a few days after the event, the city officials have taken the first step to make demonstrated traffic plan permanent. The turn arrows are implemented in order to help drivers navigate.
MOVING FORWARD Columbia Avenue Better Block was an important step for the City of Fort Wayne to implement Complete Streets policy and Team Better Block is glad to help them push this along. Here are some recommendations from our team to help you with the next steps: - Continue holding meetings once in a month and bring more people into the conversation. Advertise demonstration details at common gathering spaces. - Survey and collect speed data on non-demonstration days using a speed gun. Combine this data with demonstration day data and discuss with city officials. - Start looking for other locations! Walk audits are an optional tool to use when researching which area would be best to implement a traffic calming demonstration. These guided walking tours allow residents, health professionals, and planners to evaluate how the built environment affects communities and their health while sparking discussions on potential improvements. - Gather input from individuals about perception of safety and feeling of street design. Once the traffic calming measures are taken, start thinking about how to activate the plaza. - Engage with artists and performers to activate the newly formed plaza and vacant lots in the area. Don’t forget these steps: 1- Give it a name 2- Set a Date and 3-Do it together 69
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Reclaiming cities for the public good, one block at a time.
Helping neighborhoods, towns and cities to become great places for people of all ages.
AARP Livable Communities understands that working to provide safe, walkable, age-friendly housing and transportation options, access to needed services, and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life begins at the local level. This is where many decisions about community design, development and infrastructure are made. Recently, a new model of planning for cities has taken hold. Like many disruptive methods it goes by many names: tactical urbanism, creative placemaking or Better Block. Essentially, these methods seek to transition transformation of the city from experts to citizens. Team Better Block has been conducting these types of projects for seven years in over 150 communities around the globe. Now a new partnership with AARP will provide this transformative planning tool to member communities with new resources and consulting services. Together, we are searching for communities that want to rapidly revitalize main streets, downtowns and commercial areas. Ideal candidates will already have a network of people interested in community revitalization and are ready to get started this year with a demonstration. AARP will be providing cities with consulting and implementation resources to host a Better Block.
@TEAMBETTERBLOCK 70
@TEAMBETTERBLOCK
WWW.TEAMBETTERBLOCK.COM
INFO@TEAMBETTERBLOCK.COM
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