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Picture Main Street-Alternatives Forum slide deck-April 14, 2021AGENDA 1.Welcome & Announcements 2.Project Refresher 3.Recap of Last Meeting & Website Feedback 4.Review of Alternatives 5.Q&A 6.Next Steps WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Downtown Rapid Recovery Forum: Tues. April 27, 2021 @ 6PM Ongoing community surveys: Rapid Recovery Planning Municipal Broadband PROJECT REFRESHER Project Website: https:/tinyurl.com/PictureMainStreet Reconstruction of Main Street from building face to building face Currently programed for construction FY 2025 with funding support from the State and Federal government PROJECT GOALS Goal 3: Create a Functional, Enduring, and Sustainable Streetscape Main Street will support important resident, business, tourist and city functions with a renewed surface and underground infrastructure to reinforce its adaptability, resilience, and longevity. Goal 1: Provide Safety and Access for All Main Street will be safe and accessible for all people, regardless of their age, ability, or travel mode (walking, biking, transit, and driving). Goal 2: Promote a Vibrant and Attractive Downtown Main Street will support a wide range of businesses with amenities that make Downtown attractive to both business owners and locals and visiting customers. PROJECT TIMELINE – 2020 Winter 2020 •Jan 13 –Community Meeting •Jan 13 –Project Advisory Group Meeting •Jan 14 –Business Group Meeting •Jan 14 –Joint Parking and Bike/Ped Committee Meeting • Jan -March – Community Survey Spring 2020 •COVID-19 pandemic begins affecting life in Northampton Summer 2020 •Outdoor Dining on Lower Main Street installed •Received MassDOT Grant for Shared Streets and Spaces Project •Aug 20 –Temporary Project Installed on Upper Main Street •September 10 –Business Forum •Sep 14 –Temporary Project Removed on Upper Main Street Fall 2020 •Oct 20 –Transportation & Parking (TPC) •Oct 21 –Bicycle & Pedestrian subcommittee •Oct. 22-Planning Board •Oct 29 – Downtown Northampton Assoc •Nov 5 –Project Advisory Group •Nov 10 –Community Forum •November 20 – Chamber Economic Development PROJECT TIMELINE – 2021-2026 2021 •February –Launched Picture Main Street storymap website •Feb 23 –Community Forum •Developed alternatives based on February forum •Apr 14 –Community Forum •May –Preferred alternative selected •Develop preferred alternative • June –Community Forum •Prepare 25% plans • December -Submit 25% design to MassDOT 2022-2024 •MassDOT 25% formal public hearing •Advanced design and permitting 2024-2026 •Final Design •Project goes out to bid •Pre-construction meetings • Construction We are here RECAP OF LAST MEETING Took a step back to share information Launched website with information and data about previous studies/plans and existing conditions analysis Included several comment forms throughout the website WEBSITE FEEDBACK: WHEN YOU PICTURE MAIN STREET IN 2030 AND BEYOND, WHAT DO YOU SEE? Common Themes Safer and more inviting pedestrian environment (21 comments) More outdoor dining (19 comments) and outdoor seating (6 comments) Wide-ranging visions for parking from accessible, loading and short-term only to easy/convenient and affordable parking (16 comments) Less vehicular traffic (16 comments) and more non-vehicular transport (15 comments) More outdoor events / entertainment / performances (14) Safer and more convenient bicycling environment (13 comments) Less confusing driving environment with fewer distractions and smooth traffic flow (10 comments) More greenery (10 comments) and open/green space (4 comments) Better public transit or better connected to transit (4 comments) No empty storefronts (5) 70 responses to this question as of 4/7 Sidewalks as wide as the current travel lanes filled with people dining, hanging out, window shopping, socializing, enjoying street performances, arts and exhibits, popup kiosks, etc. Trees providing shade and separation from the transport lanes, beautiful plantings. Paradise City, right? As we come out of COVID, I imagine there will be people looking to start new businesses. Northampton should be prepared to welcome them. Think big. The town still has a reputation as an arts and entertainment destination but that reputation won’t last forever unless we nurture it. More and easier parking with close access to shops, much less panhandling and blocking of sidewalks by groups, crossing only at crosswalks, better visibility at crosswalks, rerouting of traffic to avoid Main Street if using as a pass through. Accessible handicapped parking spaces, more 15 or 20 minute parking spaces for picking up take-out food or other quick errands, street art. REVIEW OF ALTERNATIVES Goal Spring 2021: Select a preferred alternative for the section between New South/Sate & King/Pleasant Alternative 1A:Four vehicle travel lanes with a mix of expanded and reduced sidewalks, angled parking, and a mix of separated and shared bike lanes ALTERNATIVES Alternative 1B:Four vehicle travel lanes with expanded sidewalks, angled parking, and no bike lanes ALTERNATIVES ALTERNATIVES Alternative 2:Four vehicle travel lanes with expanded sidewalks, parallel parking, and a mix of separated and shared bike lanes ALTERNATIVES Alternative 3: Three vehicle travel lanes with expanded sidewalks, separated bike lanes, and angled parking PROJECT GOALS Goal 3: Create a Functional, Enduring, and Sustainable Streetscape Main Street will support important resident, business, tourist and city functions with a renewed surface and underground infrastructure to reinforce its adaptability, resilience, and longevity. Goal 1: Provide Safety and Access for All Main Street will be safe and accessible for all people, regardless of their age, ability, or travel mode (walking, biking, transit, and driving). Goal 2: Promote a Vibrant and Attractive Downtown Main Street will support a wide range of businesses with amenities that make Downtown attractive to both business owners and locals and visiting customers. GOALS & EVALUATION CRITERIA Goal 1: Provide Safety and Access for All GOALS & EVALUATION CRITERIA Goal 2: Promote a Vibrant and Attractive Downtown GOALS & EVALUATION CRITERIA Goal 3: Create a Functional, Enduring, and Sustainable Streetscape GOALS & EVALUATION CRITERIA Alternative 1A Primary Benefits •Travel lanes clarified •Crosswalks shortened to an average of 53 feet •3 loading zones provided •Separated bike lanes between Masonic and King/Pleasant •Adds ~16 new trees •Enhanced Courthouse bus stop Primary Trade-offs •Existing sidewalk narrowed on most blocks •Left turns become more dangerous •Precludes outdoor dining/seating •Vehicle delay worsens at some intersections •~20 existing trees removed •Loss of ~26% of parking •No formalized space for snow storage Alternative 1A Alternative 1B Primary Benefits •Travel lanes clarified •Crosswalks shortened to an average of 53 feet •Many sidewalks expanded •3 loading zones provided •Retain all but 1 existing tree •Adds ~25 new trees •Enhanced Courthouse bus stop Primary Trade-offs •Existing sidewalk narrowed on some blocks •No place for people to bike –likely not accepted for funding by MassDOT •Left turns become more dangerous •Vehicle delay worsens at some intersections •Loss of ~26% of parking BARRIERS TO ALTERNATIVE 1B Funding eligibility concerns Against City policy Demand MassDOT Potential for Everyday Biking Tool Bicyclist use in Northampton via Strava Heat Map ALTERNATIVE 1A Alternative 1B Alternative 2 Primary Benefits •Travel lanes clarified •Crosswalks shortened to an average of 53 feet •Many sidewalks expanded •3 loading zones provided •Separated bike lanes between Masonic and King/Pleasant •Adds ~16 new trees •Enhanced Courthouse bus stop Primary Trade-offs •Existing sidewalk narrowed on some blocks •~14 trees removed •Left turns become more dangerous •Vehicle delay worsens at some intersections •Loss of ~37% of parking Alternative 2 Alternative 3 Primary Benefits •Crosswalks shortened to an average of 38 feet •Most sidewalks expanded •Center turn lanes improve safety and traffic flow •3 loading zones provided •Retain all but 1 existing tree •Adds ~25 new trees •Separated bike lanes continuous throughout the project area •Enhanced bus stops at Courthouse and Pulaski Park Primary Trade-offs •Vehicle delay worsens on approach to Main Street from State St and West St •Loss of ~18% of parking Alternative 3 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES WHY CONSIDER 3 LANES? Reduced conflict points Similar vehicle carrying capacity to 4 lanes Easier and safer to make left turns Easier and safer for pedestrians to cross Less aggressive driving Affords space for other uses WHY CONSIDER 3 LANES? Clearer for emergency vehicles to navigate Provides clarity for snow storage operations during major snow events NEW ENGLAND EXAMPLE –CONCORD, NH The City of Concord, NH recently implemented a three-lane street in place of a four-lane street. The street carried 12,000 vehicles per day at the time the project was designed. NEXT STEPS Review alternatives and provide feedback via website: tinyurl.com/PictureMainStreet Available for smaller group meetings –get in touch! Based on feedback received in April prepare preferred alternative with more advanced details for presentation in June. Advance preferred alternative (including June feedback) to 25% Design submittal to MassDOT in December 2021 Q&A HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/ PICTUREMAINSTREET DIRECT SURVEY LINK: https://tinyurl.com/MainStSurvey Focus for Q&A: Selecting a preferred alternative for the section between New South/Sate & King/Pleasant