Lexington Final Plan 090513

7/29/2019 Lexington Final Plan 090513

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Section One:Introduction..........................................................

Section Two:Background Inormation..

Section Three:The Enhance ment Pla n.... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .

Framework Plan................Enhancement Plan................

Illustrative Sketches..

Section Four:25 Ideas to Enhance Downtown Lexington....... 21

Section Five:Potential Funding Sourcesand Opinion o Probable Cost......... ......... ......... .. 34

Section Six:Appendix

Project Resource Review....... . 38

Parking Summary.................................... 44Rankings Charts & Public Feedback.............................. 45Concept Alternatives................... . 53Firm Background....................................................... .... 58

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Acknowledgements:

Many thanks to the sta members o the City o Lexington, theDowntown Enhancement Steering Committee, and the community oLexington or your inspiring ideas and commitment to the planningprocess that ormed this Downtown Enhancement Plan. Yourenthusiasm and dedication will take this plan rom vision to reality.

Downtown Enhancement Steering Committee Members:

Jon Ellestad, City ManagerMichael Zehner, Director o Planning and DevelopmentMayor Mimi ElrodBeth Knapp, ResidentSteve McAllister, Washington & Lee RepresentativeSammy Moore, Lexington Chamber o Commerce

David Grist, Downtown Business Representativeaylor Sanders, Resident (Former Planning Commission Member)

Sta Advisors:

Mike Kennedy, Public WorksCaptain Bucky Miller, Police Departmenty Dickerson, Fire Chie

Stakeholder Group Leaders:

Mobility-- Joan ManleyDowntown Businesses-- Ben GrigsbyPreservation-- Don Hasurther


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Cooper Planning : www.cooper- planning.com | City o Lexington - Downtown Enhancement Plan 1

Section One: Introduction

Where does community happen?

Nationally and internationally, many cities are deciding to reconsiderstreets and the public realm as places or people. In some cases, down-town districts have been completely converted to pedestrian spaces,while others creatively transorm parking spots to cae space or tem-porary public parks. Many cities have programs where certain streetsand trac lanes are given over entirely to cyclists during certain timeso the week or year. Common amongst all these eorts is makingdowntown space more livable and enjoyable or people.

Given the exceptional level o historic preservation and the compre-hensive investments in inrastructure, it is clear that the City o Lex-ington highly values its downtown area. Te next phase o planningor downtown will look at how to enhance what already exists. Evenin places o historic stature, the collective decisions o the communityconstantly shape the built environment. Likewise, we are shaped bythe environment in which we live. In this report, we will explore cre-ative ways to use the space you have. In eect, we strive to rebalancethe public realm o downtown towards a riendlier environment or

pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Saer streets and more comort-able public spaces benet people in all modes o transit.

Downtown Lexington is a popular destination or residents and tour-ists to enjoy cultural amenities, unique local shopping, and dining ex-periences. Like many other historic towns, narrow street widths leavelimited room or sidewalks and bike lanes. In 2011, a marketing planwas completed or the City o Lexington by the Southeastern Instituteo Research. Tis report ocuses on tourism trends and identiesstrategies to increase tourism and dollars spent within the Lexington

area. Some salient points to consider:

BabyBoomersarethemajortouristmarketforLexingtonHow can we make a downtown that appeals to anaging population?

IdentifywaystoenhancevisitorexperienceHowcanwe increase the comort and pleasure o the downtownexperience?

Cross-promoteattractionsandshowcaseassetsUsethepublic realm to build interest about the history and interestingplaces in Lexington.

VisitorCentersareimportantcontinuetoinvestinthisresource.

IncreasefamilyactivitiesandconsiderhowtoappealtoGen XandGenYHowcanwemakethedowntownareamore

appealing and user-riendly or all generations?

Te City o Lexington has contracted with Cooper Planning to createan Enhancement Plan that addresses a vast majority o the downtowncore. Te ocus o this project has been to explore physical improve-ments to enhance the pedestrian, cyclist and motorist experience oDowntown Lexington while respecting the existing conditions andhistoric character o this unique space. Te plan shows conceptuallevel physical improvements and an overall strategy or enhancingdowntown. Te Plan reects the unique setting, downtown vision,economic and physical realities, and values o the Lexington com-munity. Te public space can be actively shaped to provide sae and

unctional modes o movement as well as new spaces to linger andenjoy. People-based solutions or the downtown area will also createan economic boost or local businesses.

The Possibility o Transormat ion

Streets change over time in response to the changing needs o thiscommunity. In the 1850s, Main Street was lowered approximatelyten eet to create a better topographic transition rom the level o the

Courthouse to the existing grade downhill at the junction with Je-erson Street. Many buildings along the street reveal evidence o this


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Te City o Lexington has incorporated their numerous goals or thedowntown area into the singular statement listed above. As a start-ing point in the process, we can break the goal statement down intoits various components to gain a better understanding o the desiredoutcomes or this planning process.

CreatingImprovementstothedowntownareashouldbeacontinualand ongoing eort. In the planning process, we will create milestonesor implementation, but truly the needs o the community are con-stantly evolving so the process o planning is never over or complete.Tere is always room or improvement.

AttractiveeCityofLexingtonishometoawonderfulcombina-tion o historic architecture and natural resources. Within the Down-town Enhancement Plan, we will work to nd ways to reduce the

visual clutter within the study area and to provide improvements that

are harmonious with the architectural and natural legacy o the area.It is important that solutions are unique and customized to Lexington.

VibrantWemustseekwaystoincreasethevibrancyandsynergyofactivity downtown. Physical enhancements can provide more usablegathering and lingering space that can be utilized on a daily basis andalso during special events. Programming and Perormances in thedowntown area can bring more residents and visitors to the down-town area.

WalkableWhilesidewalksareavailableonmoststreetsthroughoutthe study area, the condition o many o the sidewalks is problematicto the pedestrian experience. o create a truly walkable downtown,pedestrians must eel sae and comortable. o ocus on the pedes-trian experience, we can think about what is needed to create theseconditions. For starters, sidewalks must provide minimum accessibil-ity standards. Adding shade trees creates a more comortable climate.Places to stop and sit, water ountains, public restrooms and sae streetcrossings can all contribute to a more walkable environment. Tisplanning eort can also look at how the pedestrian connects with therest o the City to bring more people downtown on oot.

massive change to the street. In some cases, original oundations werelef exposed due to the excavation. Other buildings have doors thatnow open into thin air. Even today with modern equipment, lower-ing the street to this degree would have been a major undertaking.Tis eort lets us know that transormation is possible or DowntownLexington because it has happened beore. I public spaces are notunctioning optimally, we have the opportunity the make them bettersuited or the needs o the community.

Te Lexington Downtown Enhancement Plan is part o an overallstrategy to build momentum, synergy and economic developmentdowntown. While this plan ocuses on potential conceptual levelphysical improvements that can bolster the economy, direct economicand marketing strategies can work in tandem with these suggestions.We will explore improvements to the public realm, but much o thedowntown is privately owned, so preservation and maintenance e-

orts must be upheld to the highest standard. A beautiul and com-ortable physical environment will set the backdrop or social and cul-tural activities downtown, thereore the City should actively promoteculture and nightlie as these improvements are installed.

Te Streetscape Enhancement Project was conceived with the primaryintent o improving the pedestrian experience within the downtowncore. By improving downtown or the pedestrian, we also improve theway the space unctions overall. Te project goal as dened by theProject Steering Committee or the Lexington Downtown Enhance-

ment Plan is as ollows:

Creating a more attractive, vibrant, walkable, bikeableDowntown to which local residents, students, visitors,shopkeepers and business people are attracted.


7/63Cooper Planning : www.cooper- planning.com | City o Lexington - Downtown Enhancement Plan 3

BikeableBikesoeragreatalternativemethodoftransportationthatcan reduce trac congestion and the need or excessive parking inthe downtown area. o encourage biking within the City o Lexing-ton, resources can be added to improve the biking experience such as:sharrows, signage, bike racks and trac signals that arent just gearedtowards cars.

Summary

All across the country and around the world, people are coming to theconclusion that streets should be rebalanced to eectively address theneeds o pedestrians and cyclists. Te quality o the public realm is es-sential to the success o any community. As is the case or Lexington,it is clear that the downtown is already highly successul, but there isstill room or improvement through simple and elegant solutions that

respond to the needs and desire o your community. By improvingand enhancing all o the areas above, a variety o user-groups will beattracted to the downtown area as a destination to linger and enjoy.

Section Two: Background InormationProject Approach

Cooper Planning, in collaboration with EPR and Sympoetica, ap-proached this planning and design process or Downtown Enhance-ments in our distinct phases. Te our primary phases o the projectare as ollows:

Phase One: Inormation Gathering

Phase wo: Development and Evaluation o Preliminary SketchPlans

Phase Tree: Selection o Preerred Downtown Enhancement PlanPhase Four: Preparation & Presentation o the Downtown

Enhancement Plan

Phase One o the Downtown Enhancement planning process waswholeheartedly ocused on gathering inormation rom a variety osources. Beore delving into any design work, the team spent sev-eral months working with the community, gathering necessary dataand reviewing pertinent documentation to understand the historicalcontext, the existing conditions, and the community needs as theyrelate to the downtown study area. We have documented conditionsduring various site visits and gathered up-to-date data or all o ourtrac analysis. Te community has been actively contributing ideasthrough our rst public orum, stakeholder group meetings, individ-ual interviews and email solicitation. Specic eedback can be oundlater in this document in the public eedback section.

UsingtheinformationandfeedbackfromPhaseOne,theteam


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created three schematic design alternatives or evaluation by the Steer-ing Committee and the community. Tree Alternative designs wereprovided that take the baseline eatures and incorporate additionalimprovements to the Downtown area. Te Sketch Plans and DesignMatrix were then reviewed with the Steering Committee or eedback.

In Phase Tree, the project eam and the Steering Committee closelyexamined the three design alternatives along with all o the publiceedback and rankings charts (see Appendix or more detail) to selecta preerred Enhancement Plan. Phase Four has been the detailing othe Plan and the creation o this report. Once the Enhancement Planis adopted, the City o Lexington can establish priority projects andmove orward with detailed engineered plans to ulll the recommen-dations o the Plan.

Existing Conditions Evaluation Framework

Te study team employed a systems approach to the evaluation o thestreet segments under review. For analysis purposes this approachorganizes the broad streetscape environment, which is quite ofen acomplicated mix o activities, physical conditions and elements, intoour key environmental systems: VehicularEnvironment PedestrianEnvironment VisualEnvironment

ActivityEnvironment

Tese our environments overlap, interrelate and at times complementand/or conict with each other. Te systems approach allows clarityo ocus by evaluating the key conditions o each o the environmentalsystems separately, but within an overarching study area ramework.

VehicularEnvironment:isenvironmentincludesthedomainofmotorized vehicles, bicycles and parking elements. Here we iden-tiy relevant unctional, connectivity, and saety aspects o the publicrights-o-way, as well as o-street linkages and parking.

Pedestrian Environment: Here we ocus on the multi-unction zonesbetween the curb and building rontages, where both pedestrians andwheelchair-users should be comortably accommodated. Key areas oocus include the unction, mobility and saety aspects o the environ-ment, particularly dealing with improved pedestrian crossings and theremoval o obstacles within the pedestrian domain. Te vehicular andpedestrian environments are in close proximity, and overlap at inter-sections and other street crossings.

VisualEnvironment:Importantaspectsofthevisualenvironmentinclude strong visual assets such as beautiul historic architecture,attractive storeronts, ower baskets and brick sidewalks. Anotherocus is the identication o needed enhancements in the visual envi-ronment, such as improved waynding systems, more street trees, anda reduction o signs within the downtown visual domain.

Activity Environment: Here we ocus on elements that make the Cityan attractive visitor environment, including existing assets such ashistoric buildings, museums, walking tours, carriage rides, outdoordining, and green space. However, key areas or improvement includethe need or more event space, more shaded seating areas, and better

visitor conveniences.


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Public Process

Te Public Process was a key component o this Enhancement Plan.By engaging with the public and the Steering Committee, the projectteam was able to explore a variety o ideas and create potential solu-tions that are customized or Lexington. Specic Stakeholder groups

were also created to address issues o Mobility and Preservation. ADowntown Business and Property Group met during Phase 1 to givetheir input on enhancement ideas. Te Alternative Sketch Plans andEnhancement Plan were developed afer extensive public eedbackand in direct response to many o the issues and ideas. Te primarycommunity eedback themes are listed below:

Community Feedback Temes PedestrianImprovements

CreatePeopleSpaces GreeningtheDowntown Activities&Programming ImproveWaynding StreetImprovements Parking IncreaseHousingDowntown HistoricPreservation MarketingtheLocalEconomy CodeEnforcement

Right: Community Feedback Sessions and meetings o the Steering Committee



Traic Considerations

An assessment o queuing was made and discussed through the study process. At present, queuing is not excessive at each o the our study inter-sections. Te inormation provided in the ollowing graphics indicates approximate lengths o queues (in eet) or each o the approaches, and bytime o day. Te rst number indicates the AM peak hour condition, and the second number, which is in parentheses, indicates the queuing thatoccurs in the PM peak hour o the day.

AM Peak(PM Peak)


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Field observations were conducted to observe trac ows and queu-ing within the study area. Tese observations are useul or validatingthe trac operational model results. Te manual turning movementcounts, along with the eld observations, were used to create a tra-c model as needed to examine existing levels o service and queuingat the intersections. Per the modeling eort, it was ound that theexisting levels o service are in the B range in the weekday afernoonpeak hour and there do not appear to be any major trac operationalconcerns with the existing laneage and signal timings. Te Main andJeerson intersections with Nelson were ound to have the great-est queuing. Queuing along Nelson extends nearly the length o theblock between Jeerson and Main. However, queuing on the Jeersonand Main approaches was ound to be moderate, with the 95th per-centile queue (queue is less than this length 95% o the time) around 5to 6 vehicles per lane.

Representative Road Geometry

Per eld measurements, it was ound that Main Street has a roadwaysection consisting o 36 eet o pavement between the curb aces. Je-erson Street has a 30 oot typical section between the curb aces. Tegure to the right il lustrates these measurements.

Right and Below: Measurements o the existing streetscape and a conceptual

diagram showing diagonalparking on Main Street.

The Question o Diagonal Parking

Veryearlyintheplanningprocess,theprojectteamexploredtheideao creating diagonal parking along Main Street. Due to the limitedspace within the streetscape and the space needed or angled park-ing, diagonal parking would leave only one lane o trac. Te publicresoundingly agreed that they did not want to sacrice travel laneson Main Street to parking or bike lanes. Tis design exercise allowedthe team to pursue other creative strategies that t within the limitedspace, preserve both trac lanes and create a more pleasant environ-

ment or pedestrians and cyclists.


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Two Way Trafc Flow Concept

For the preerred enhancement plan,the concept was explored or chang-ing the trac ow along Main Streetto allow or twoway trac south oNelson Street. Per the trac analysis,there is a potential reduction in theintersection level o service at Nelson/Main. Te trac modeling indicatedthat additional queuing would occur,especially in the southbound direc-tion. A queue comparison diagramwas utilized (see below) to illustratethe changes in queues that might beanticipated by reducing southbound

Main Street to one lane south o Nel-son Street.

In this graphic, the blue line represents the distances o the existing queueing, and the orange linerepresents approximate queue distances i the change in lane use is provided to the south o NelsonStreet along Main Street. Te red line shows what happens with one southbound lane, one throughlane and one turn lane or northbound vehicles. As shown, we might expect a doubling o thenorthbound queue (5 cars to 10 cars). Te eastbound queue between Jeerson and Main wouldremain as it currently operates with a ull block o queuing. Regardless o this change, cars couldstill make it through this intersection in one signal cycle.

Right: Queuing diagram that showsexisting and proposed conditions atthe Main and Nelson Street Intersec-tion.


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Alternative Sketch Plans

During Phase 2 o the project, Tree Alternative Sketch Plans weredeveloped to explore dierent enhancement concepts and themes orthe Downtown Study Area. With the overarching goal to improve the

pedestrian environment, the plans each concentrate on a particulartheme and ocus area or improvements. For example, the rst alter-native really ocused the most energy on improvements within thehistoric core. Te second alternative moved the ocus down to the in-tersection o Main Street and Nelson as the modern gateway to down-town Lexington. Te third alternative expanded the ocus to SouthMain Street. Within each alternative, there was a consistent menu oimprovements that serve to enhance the our environments previouslydiscussedPedestrian,Vehicular,VisualandActivityEnvironments.Tese improvements are explored in more detail in Section Four o

this report. Te Alternative Sketch Plans and the Menu o Plan Con-cepts are both included in the Appendix o this report.

Project Resources

Below is a list o the primary project resources that were evaluatedduring the planning process. Additional inormation is provided ontheBicyclePlanandtheTracDatabelowandCityCouncilVi-

sion and Public Input are provided in the Appendix at the end o thisreport.

CityCouncil2026Vision(Revised4/19/11) CityofLexingtonComprehensivePlan 2010DesmanParkingStudy&Addendumhttp://www.lexing

tonva.gov/pds/Parking%20Final%20Mgnt%202010.pdhttp://www.lexingtonva.gov/pds/Parking%20Final%20Mgnt%20Addendum.pd

CityofLexingtonZoningOrdinance

SIRReport WayndingPackage CentralShenandoahBicyclePlan 2012TracDataCount RepresentativeRoadGeometry PublicForum#1PublicInput MobilityStakeholderBikePlan&Priorities PreservationStakeholderFeedback DowntownBusinessandPropertyOwnerStakeholderFeed

back


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Section Three: The Enhancement Plan

Evolution o the Preerred Plan

Te study team worked closely with the Steering Committee to de-

velop the three alternative sketch plans (see appendix). Te team andSteering Committee, with citizen stakeholder input received in thepublic orums, urther rened Alternative C as the oundation or thepreerred plan. Essentially, the preerred plan represents a hybrid oelements o the various alternative sketch plans. Large scale versionso the plan are attached and available at the City o Lexington oces.Notable characteristics o the preerred plan include:

Teme:

Te preerred plan oers an expanded concept combining theExpanded Main Street Corridor theme (rom Alternative C) and keyelements o the Historic City Center theme (rom Alternative A).

Te resulting theme eatures a look toward incorporating South MainStreet (Preston to Nelson) as the traditional Main Street, while ex-panding the Historic City Center thematic scope to include Wash-ington Street (Randolph to Jeerson).

Primary Area o Focus:

Te ocus or the plan combines elements o Alternatives A and Cto include Main Street (rom Preston to Washington), Nelson Street(Randolph to Jeerson), and Washington Street (Randolph to Je-erson). Tis ocal area includes the key intersections o Main andNelson, the vehicular/transportation center o the downtown, and oMain and Washington, the historic center o the original city plan.Secondary intersections proposed or streetscape improvements in-clude: Main at Preston, Nelson at Randolph and Jeerson, and Wash-

ington at Randolph and Jeerson.

Eastern Downtown Gateway:

Nelson Street, linking Interstate 81 and the downtown, remains as thepredominant gateway in the preerred plan. Te new Nelson Streetbridge gateway opportunity and the inclusion o the South Main

Street block rom Preston to Nelson as a two-way street both are keydeterminants here. Also, the proposed enhancement o the WellsFargo Bank plaza as a potential area or public art and private land-scape enhancements creates additional ocus on Nelson Street as a keydowntown gateway.

enortherngatewayfromInterstate64viaMainandJeersonStreets will be another key gateway. Te split at Jeerson and MainStreets is recommended as the potential site o a gateway and place-making opportunity, such as a ountain, in the longer term ramework

plan.

Intersection o Nelson and Main Street showing bulb-outs, landscaping, cross-walks and the potential or public art in the Wells Fargo Plaza.


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VisitorCenter:

Reecting guidance rom the Steering Committee and public input,considerationshouldbegiventorelocatingtheVisitorCentertoanappropriate site within the historic core o Downtown Lexington.Any new site would require easy pedestrian and vehicular access, high

visibility, a quality visual environment, adequate parking, and bus ac-

cess and drop-o capabilities.

AboveGroundUtilities:

Long-term, it is the Citys desire to place all remaining overheadutility lines to underground locations within the study area. TePreerred Plan calls or placement o existing overhead utility linesunderground along Jeerson Street at the intersections with Nelsonand Washington.

rac Patterns:

Te Preerred Plan calls or the evaluation o instituting a two-waytrac pattern on South Main Street rom White Street to NelsonStreet. Prior to any implementation o potential trac changes, arac Impact Study will be completed. It should be noted that theproposed streetscape improvements, including bulbouts at key inter-sections, will not be aected by either a two-way or one-way tracpattern along Main Street; thereore, should the City decide in the

uture to alter the trac pattern in this street segment, there will beno negative eects on the streetscape improvements proposed underthe Preerred Plan.

Chicanes were proposed under Alternative sketch plans B and C alongJeerson Street at the intersections with Nelson and Washington. Teintent was to provide enhanced pedestrian mobility at these intersec-tions through shifing the Jeerson Street alignment to the west. TeSteering Committees recommendation to place existing overheadutilities in this area underground achieves the overarching goal to

remove these obstacles., however this element o the plan will likely

be a uture phase due to cost and challenges associated with movingutilities underground.

In the interim, there is a sidewalk network on the western side oJeerson Street that unctions adequately or pedestrians. Ensure allsignage is removed rom the pedestrian through zone on this side othe street. Alternatively, the City could create small pedestrian bulb

outs around power poles and obstacles on the eastern sidewalk in theMcCrums block. Bulb outs would extend towards McCrums Parkinglot, requiring reorganization o the space and movement o landscapeelements and newspaper boxes.

While the Enhancement Plan ocuses just on the study area as denedor this project, it should be viewed and implemented within the con-text o the broader Framework Plan. Te Framework Plan providescontext and shows how the plan elements link to the rest o the City.

Te Plan shows systems and linkages; both pedestrian and vehicular.

Current Visitor Center and Washington Street Improvements


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Lexington Downtown Enhancement PlanStudy Area Framework Plan


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Illustrative Sketches


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Section Four: 25 Ideas to EnhanceDowntown Lexington

1. Achieve Minimum ADA StandardsAt the heart o this plan is the strong desire to make downtown abetter place or pedestrians. Te downtown area is ull o obstruc-tions. Buildings, poles, and signs obstruct the sidewalk and brickscreate an uneven surace. Ofentimes, pedestrians choose to walk inthe street to avoid these obstacles. Te minimum passage width oranADA-compliantsidewalkis36inches(3feet),butideally48incheswide. Te texture o a sidewalk must be rm, stable and slip-resistant.Curb ramps are required wherever a sidewalk crosses a curb. Tis isparticularly important at street intersections, where individuals willinteract with trac.

Mobility Bulb-outs will be provided in such areas where the mini-mum ADA standards cannot be achieved under exiting conditionsbecause o obstructions.

2. Curb Extensions and Sidewalk Paving

Bulb-outs, or curb extensions, help provide additional sidewalk spaceor sae pedestrian movement to and rom the sidewalks and streets.Full or partial bulbouts are recommended at key intersections perthe Preerred Plan. Benets include: improved saety or pedestrians& motorists at key intersections; increased visibility & reducing thespeed o turning vehicles; encouragement or pedestrians to cross atdesignated locations; prevention o vehicles rom parking at corners;

and, shortened pedestrian street crossing distances.A Mobility Bump-out is proposed in ront o Hess Jewelers on Main Street

Sections o Main St and Randolph St have majorobstructions to the sidewalk


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Consider cost reduction strategies such as: Allowing utilities toremain under sidewalk extensions, use o trench drains (channelscovered with metal grating), and allowing re hydrants to remainin place whenever reasonable; bulbouts keep area clear o illegallyparked cars, improving access to hydrants.

Design tree or planting boxes that take runo rom the street. In-

ltration and storage reduces runo volumes and attenuates peakows; stormwater is ltered through vegetation and soil. Perme-able Interlocking Concrete Pavers: Modular concrete paver systemsinstalled with gaps between them that allow water to pass through tothe base. An aggregate base or planters provides structural support,runo storage, and pollutant removal through ltering and adsorp-tion.

While bulbouts have advantages in terms o pedestrian comort andsaety, there is a potential implication relative to providing sucientroom in the intersections or large trucks to turn without encroach-ing over the curb. Prior to implementation o the bulb-out program,a study will need to be perormed that identies truck routing anddelivery policies relative to vehicle size. Tis will help to acilitate acompromise relative to where truck turns should be accommodatedwhile still allowing or curb extension improvements.

Tere are a variety o paving patterns throughout the Downtownstudy area. Te Plan recommends maintaining the brick paving pat-

terns where they currently exist within the Downtown Core. Newbulb-outs will match brick pattern within this core area. In areas oconcrete sidewalk, improvements will be concrete with a brick edg-ing pattern. Washington Street is recongured to eature brushedconcrete or the pedestrian through zone and decorative brick or theurnishing zone and bulb-outs.

Proposed enhancements or Main St showing bulb-outs, sidewalks, street trees,lighting and outdoor dining.


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4. UndergroundUtilitiesonJeersonStreeto reduce visual clutter and increase pedestrian mobility, utilitiesshould be relocated underground or key portions o Jeerson Street(asindicatedontheplan).UtilitiesarealreadyundergroundonMainStreet, reducing obstacles in the sidewalk and allowing the historicarchitecture to be highlighted.

Tis element o the plan will likely be costly and challenging giventhe many obstacles to placing utilities underground. However, thelong term benet or pedestrian mobility combined with the potentialgrant money unding sources make this an important component tothe long term updates or downtown.

Prior to this major commitment o unds, the City could createsome small bulb outs into parking areas around existing obstacles toachieve minimum standards or mobility. Te City should also care-ully consider the location and consolidation o newspaper boxes soas not to block the sidewalk.

5. Pedestrian Trough ZoneePedestrianthroughzonecreatesaconsistentcorridor,ideally48inches wide but a 36 inch minimum, in the sidewalk that is dedicatedspecically to the movement o people. Tis area will be completelyree o obstructions, including displays, poles, signs, merchandise,street urniture, etc.

6. NewColorSchemeBlackvs.BrownNew xtures and a new color scheme have the same eect as a reshcoat o paint on the outside o a building. Te Plan recommendsnew black xtures, poles, trash receptacles and seating to be in-stalled. Black xtures create a timeless and classic look and create aslight contrast rom the backdrop o buildings and storeronts. Tesextures will replace the existing brown xtures, which are ading andoutdated or current mobility and trac standards.

3. Sidewalk rees and Seasonal Plantings

AccordingtotheVirginiaDepartmentofForestry,urbantreecanopyprovides many benets to communities including improving waterquality, saving energy, lowering city temperatures, reducing air pollu-tion, enhancing property values, providing wildlie habitat, acilitatingsocial and educational opportunities, and providing aesthetic benets.

Te City o Lexington overall has a signicant tree cover, however theDowntown area is dominated by hardscape with very ew trees. Tiscreates a hotter microclimate downtown with very little shade. Side-walk trees could greatly enhance the pedestrian experience, especiallyduring the summer months.

Te Plan recommends adding trees to the Downtown area in selectlocations to provide shade while not blocking out views o the signi-cant historical architecture. For this reason, trees are dispersed andthe City should install tree types that dont overwhelm the architec-ture.

Seasonal Plantings create a major visual impact in downtown areas ora minimal investment. Plantings provide continually evolving visualinterest and pleasant aromas lending to the sensual experience o thedowntown area. Well-maintained plantings send a clear message thatthe downtown area is a priority. Lexington currently has hangingbaskets with seasonal plantings in the downtown area.

Te Plan recommends keeping the hanging baskets throughout thestudy area and adding ground level potted plantings are shown atmid-block crossings and bulb-outs. Te City could encourage busi-ness owners to adopt small areas or adding and maintaining suchplantings.


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7. Public ArtOpportunities exist throughout the downtown to inuse the spacewith public art. Artwork can bring a modern air to a historic set-ting. Public artwork competitions engage the creative communityand create dialogue about the look and eel o downtown Lexington.Artwork can be permanent in nature or more temporary so spacescontinue to evolve and provide visual interest over time. Te WellsFargo Plaza at the corner o Main and Nelson is one example o a

location where public art could be installed to create a positive visualimpact.

8. SmartArtTour/SoundsAroundVirginiaLexington should take advantage o smartphone technology and sel-guided audio tours available to help promote the story o this area. Bymaking the narrative o Lexington more accessible, visitors are likelyto stay longer and spend more money downtown. Programs such asthe Street SmArt tour o Ottawa allow visitors to move through theCityandlearninaninteractivetreasurehunt.Danville,VAsSoundsAroundVirginiawebsiteincludesaudiolesaboutkeysitestohelppeople become more amiliar with the area prior to visiting. Bro-chures and audio/smartphone tours could help to cross market all othe key attractions in the area.

9. Historical MarkersImplement local initiatives to place historical markers along MainStreet as insets into the existing sidewalk paving. Consider cluster-ing markers by historical topic or timerame. I possible, do not place

markers within the center o the pedestrian through-zone.

Te William Clarke Committee or Rockbridge County has proposeda sidewalk enhancement or Lexingtons Main Street o new graniteblocks with the names o historical gures o signicance to Rock-bridge County. Te granite blocks will be placed within the existingsidewalks connecting downtown to the Jackson Cemetery. We pro-pose grouping the blocks in clusters to provide the most visualinterest and least physical impact to the sidewalk.

o honor their contributions to mapping, Te National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA) has proposed to place a specialdisc in Lexington commemorating the journey o Lewis and Clark.Te suggested location or installation is plaza o the Old CourthouseGreen.

InformationKioskswillbeinstalledatkeylocations(VisitorCenter,Hopkins Green, and S. Main Street mid-block crossing) throughoutthe downtown area to orient visitors to shops, restaurants and at-tractions. Kiosks also provide an opportunity to display inormationabout special events and perormances.

Above: A NOAA Disc will be placed near the Old Courthouse. SmartArtour in Ottawa, Canada.


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10. Wall Mural Opportunity:

Te Grand Furniture Stores blank wall provides an excellent opportu-nity or a wall mural painting. Te sketch o Washington Street showstraditional storeronts recreated between the vertical elements othe wall, along with articulated roo lines, awnings or shading thesidewalk. Consider the creation o wall murals on highly visible, blank

building walls, as appropriate. Mural themes may vary, but local art-ists could be invited to create these downtown placemakers, and theycould change over time.

11. PublicGreenspaceUtilization:

Green space and public parks are minimal in downtown Lexington,thereore, spaces such as Old Courthouse Green should be redesignedas inviting spaces that welcome lingering and interaction. At a mini-

mum, new seating options should be added. Old Courthouse Greencan be transormed into a place where people spend their lunch break,eat an ice cream cone or enjoy a game o chess. Small concerts couldbe held here or in Hopkins Green. As reerenced previously, a NOAAdisc will be installed in the Old Courthouse Green to commemoratethe journey o Lewis and Clark.

Te plan also proposes upgrades to the green space in ront o theLibrary and the Old Firehouse Parking Lot. Tere is room in ront othe movie theater or seating and plantings. Public restrooms should

be provided in several locations Downtown as a standard visitor con-venience. Restrooms should be located within Hopkins Green andin the direct vicinity o the Old Courthouse Green. Hopkins GreenRestrooms should be designed to integrate architecturally with exist-ing structural arbor.

Le: Wall Mural idea or Washington St along the side o the Grand FurnitureBuilding and an idea sketch or additional seating in the Old

Courthouse Green


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14. GatewayImprovementsateSplit

eareaknownaseSplitcreatestheNortherngatewaytotheDowntownarea.LocatednearVMIandWashington&Lee,thesplitis so named because at this point Main Street splits and JeersonStreet is the one-way entrance to town and Main Street is the one-way

exit that joins together here. Right now, this part o Downtown is par-ticularly problematic due to lack o sidewalks, but this is a real oppor-tunity spot or a gateway eature and improved pedestrian amenities.Te plan shows new crosswalks and sidewalks in this important areanear the two colleges. Additionally, the area in the middle o the tworoads provides an ideal place or public art.

Right: A sketch showing potential gateway improvements including a watereature or public art, pedestrian improvements and signage. Above: Plan view

o improvements at Te Split.

15. wo Way rac on South Main Street

Te Plan proposes that two-way trac on South Main Street romNelson to White Street be investigated urther. Tis is the only poten-tial change to existing trac patterns. Tis suggestion arose romdiscussions with the Downtown Business Stakeholder Group as aneective means or improving access to this part o town. wo way

trac on South Main allows direct access rom the Nelson Streetentry to Downtown businesses south o Nelson.


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16. Nelson Street Bridge & Gateway at Nelson and Main Street

It is important to create a sense o arrival to the Downtown area. Amajority o trac enters the downtown area rom I-81 to NelsonStreet. With the replacement o the Nelson Street Bridge, signageleading downtown should clearly lead visitors in this direction to-wards the many public parking options. Te bridge is an opportunityto make a visual statement with seasonal banners and plantings, newlighting and bicycle lanes. Te Nelson Street Bridge, like all o thegateways,servesaWelcometoHistoricDowntownfunctionlead -ing pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to the key intersection o MainStreet and Nelson, the arrival point.

17. VisitorCenterRelocation

Reecting guidance rom the Steering Committee and public input,considerationshouldbegiventorelocatingtheVisitorCentertoanappropriate site within the historic core o Downtown Lexington.Any new site would require easy pedestrian and vehicular access, high

visibility, a quality visual environment, adequate parking, and bus ac-cess and drop-o capabilities.

18. New Streetcape Furnishings:

New streetscape urnishings are proposed on all blocks as identied

in the Preerred Plan. Furnishings include: street trees, pedestrian/roadway street lighting, bollards, sign posts, trash cans, water oun-tains, benches, planters, and ornamental tree grates, where applicable.New urnishing areas should include electric outlets that are acces-sibleforSpecialEventVendors.

19. Pedestrian Scale Lighting

Provide new pedestrian lighting, with hanging ower baskets, alongthe street urnishings zone behind the curb. Lighting poles will con-orm to black color scheme. New light poles will be outside the pedes-trian through zone or enhanced mobility. Lighting will conorm tothe latest dark sky recommendations with appropriate shielding andpleasant down lighting.

Gateway improvements along the newly constructed Nelson Street bridge lead-ing into Downtown. Tis image shows new street signs, bike lanes, banners,

pedestrian scale lighting and waynding.


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20. UpdatedTracSignals

New vehicular and pedestrian signals are proposed at all intersectionsas identied in the Preerred Plan. Tese signals will be grouped onan ornamental metal pedestal, preerably black in color, designed inkeeping with the historic character o the downtown. Street signsand trac directional signs will also be clustered on the pedestal. All

signalsandsignagemustmeetVDOTandMUTCDdesignguidance.Specically, the existing trac lights are problematic because theywere designed or two-way trac on streets that are now one-way.Tis can be very conusing and unsae or motorists, cyclists andpedestrians. Community members also complained that the existinglights only change when activated by a vehicle; new lights could beactivated by a pedestrian or a cyclist. Te brown color scheme meansexisting lights tend to blend in with the background. While this maybe a positive eature or harmonizing with the historic architecture,we want an appropriate level o visibility or trac lights to create asae situation downtown.

Pedestrian Crosswalk Signals will be installed throughout the down-town study area to give pedestrians a clear indication as to when it issae to cross the road. Tis eature, combined with the updated cross-walks and bump-outs at the intersections, creates pedestrian comortand convenience.

Right: A scene showing a new trafc signal at the intersection o Main andWashington St. New signals will meet all current saety standards while alsoincorporating new signage and pedestrian crossing signals. Tis sketch also

shows new planters and street trees.


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21. Bike Accomodations

In general, more can be done to encourage cyclists in Lexington. Bikeparking is proposed at select locations downtown. Several o theuniversities and colleges oer bicycle parking areas (outdoor racks)on campus. People will be more encouraged to ride downtown i theyknow there is a convenient spot to park their bike. Bike accomoda-

tions can also reduce damage to lampposts and ensure that the side-walks remain clear or pedestrian mobility.

A sharrow is a shared lane street marking installed to indicate that abicyclist may use the ull lane. Sharrows are recommended or Main,Jeerson, Nelson and Washington Streets in the downtown. Shar-rows remind drivers that the presence o bicyclists is to be expected.Studies have shown that sharrows increase the separation betweenmotor vehicles and bicyclists, encouraging sae practices or cyclists

and motorists.

Community members elt strongly that the existing number o lanesor motorists should be maintained downtown, eliminating the pos-sibility or bike lanes except along the new Nelson Street Bridge andpotentiallyatthenorthernentrancetotheCitynearVMIonMainStreet(outsidecurrentstudyarealimits).MUTCDguidancestatesthat the centerline o the sharrow marking should be located 11 romthe curb when parking is present. Te regional bicycle plan and theMobility Stakeholder group both call or bike acilities within the

Downtown Study Area.

A cyclist heading north on Main Street. Sharrows, or a shared lane marking,are recommended throughout the Downtown Study Area to create greatersaety and awareness amongst cyclists and motorists.


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22. Outdoor People Places

A parklet is a small space serving as an extension o the sidewalk toprovide amenities and green space or people using the street. Park-lets emerged rom the streets o San Francisco where interested busi-ness owners built out their sidewalks onto platorms in parallel park-ing spaces. Te parklet is an extension o public space that requires

less investment than a ull revamping o street inrastructure, and maybe a way to test ideas, in a sense using the street as a public laboratory.It is this kind o thinking that will be helpul in imagining options orrebalancing the downtown Lexington streetscape.

Parklets are intended or people. Parklets oer a place to stop, to sit,and to rest while taking in the activities o the street. In instanceswhere a parklet is not intended to accommodate people, it mayprovide greenery, art, or some other visual amenity. A parklet mayaccommodate bicycle parking within it, or bicycle parking may be as-sociated with it.

Downtown Lexington currently has very ew outdoor dining areas.Tis is most likely due to the very limited area between buildings oron the sidewalk. By expanding some o the sidewalks downtown andallowingrestaurantstocreatediningareasintheformofparklets,outdoor dining can invigorate the streetscape with more humanactivity.

23. Mid-block Crossings (concept shown to the right)

Mid-block bulbouts with pedestrian crossings eaturing handicappedramps are recommended at three locations on Main Street and threelocations on Jeerson Street per the Preerred Plan. Key crossingelements include bollards and landscape buers between pedestriansand passing vehicles, all designed not to impede the drivers view opedestrians. Benets include shortened crossing distances or pedes-trians (improving saety) and enhanced opportunities or landscaping

and seating areas, thus reeing up o pedestrian through-zone area(improving mobility).

Example o a parklet in San Francisco that also provides an area or outdoordining.

Te mid-block crossing links with the pedestrian alley to McCrums parkinglot. Tis eature allows or pedestrians to saely cross the street while providingshade and creating areas to stop and linger. Tis sketch also shows sharrowsalong Main Street.


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24. WashingtonStreetPedestrianImprovements

Washington Street is a primary pedestrian corridor in the DowntownArea, connecting Washington & Lee to the Historic Core, shoppingand restaurants. Proposed removal o parallel parking on one side othe street provides space needed or widening sidewalks on both sides

o the street rom Randolph to Jeerson. Te block o Washingtonbetween Randolph and Main Street has numerous mobility issues thatwould also be resolved through widening the sidewalks.

New Street signs are proposed throughout the downtown study areato create a resh and updated look with signage that meets modernstandards.

According to the Desman Parking Study, Lexington has adequateparking downtown. In creating bulb-outs and mid-block crossings toenhance the pedestrian experience, the Enhancement Plan is careulto maintain a comparable count o on-street parking. In act, alongseveral blocks, one or two more spaces will be available because o amore ecient use o the space available. Overall, the plan creates a netdecrease in parking o only 12 total spaces due to Washington Street

pedestrian improvements.


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25. Placemaking Opportunities & Te Pedestrian Alley System

Te Downtown Enhancement Plan is ultimately one large placemak-ing process. By placemaking, we mean the creation o physical placesthroughout the community that allow or public enjoyment and plea-sure o the senses. We aim to create places o distinction that capturethe imagination and increase the vibrancy o downtown while har-

monizingwiththehistoriccontext.Publicartandgreenspacesareplacemaking opportunities. Pedestrian enhancements along the alleyswinding through Downtown can also create pleasurable and memora-ble places, thereby encouraging the use o these secondary pedestriansystems.Placemakingcanalsobeasbroadascreatingthebrandandlook o a place so that all eatures are coordinated and tie in with theoverall narrative o the place.

While the primary pedestrian network is along the sidewalks border-

ing the streets, a secondary pedestrian system could be encouragedby upgrading the alley network in the key blocks o the study area.Opportunities exist or enhanced pedestrian alleys in a number olocations within the downtown, particularly those alleys that connectto public parking lots.

Consider improvements to pedestrian alleys: remove vertical obstaclesas is easible; remove existing light poles and attach new pedestrianlighting to building walls. Create sae pedestrian landing zonesat parking lot entries. Locate pedestrian waynding maps at alley

entries.

It is also suggested that signature, ornamental gateway elements becreated to identiy and enhance these entries. Incorporate the nameand destination o each alley as an aid in downtown waynding. Art-ist competitions may be held to increase interest and energy in im-proving the downtown visual environment.

Le: McCrums Alley existing and with proposed placemaking concept. Actualalley entraces are recommended to be designed by local artists to encourage

usage o this secondary pedestrian system.


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Section Five: Potential Funding Sources andOpinion o Probable Cost

Tis section provides a toolbox o strategies that could be utilized orimplementation o the plan recommendations. Te strategies

generallyentailvariousVDOTorgrantfundingopportunities.


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MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act

Purpose MAP-21 is a milestone for the U.S. economy and the Nations

surface transportation program. By transforming the policy

and programmatic framework for investments to guide the

systems growth and development, MAP-21 creates a

streamlined and performance-based surface transportation

program and builds on many of the highway, transit, bike, and

pedestrian programs and policies established in 1991

Funding $105 Billion for 2013-2014 (divided amongst a variety of

programs)

Eligible Projects MAP-21 continues the Surface Transportation Program,

providing an annual average of $10 billion in flexible funding

that may be used by States and localities for projects to

preserve or improve conditions and performance on anyFederal-aid highway, bridge projects on any public road,

facilities for nonmotorized transportation, transit capital

projects and public bus terminals and facilities.

The Highway Safety Improvement Program emphasizes a data-

driven, strategic approach to improving highway safety on all

public roads that focuses on performance. The foundation for

this approach is a safety data system, which each State is

required to have to identify key safety problems, establish

their relative severity, and then adopt strategic andperformance-based goals to maximize safety.

MAP-21 establishes a new program to provide for a variety of

alternative transportation projects that were previously

eligible activities under separately funded programs.

Eligible Applicants State and Local governments

Contact Additional information related to MAP-21 is available on the

Federal Highway Administration website at

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21.


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Section Six: Appendix

Project Resource Review

City Council 2026 Vision

(Revised4/19/11)

eCityCouncil2026Visionprovidesasnapshotofthelongtermgoals and vision as expressed by Lexingtons City Council. While theComprehensive Plan provides a more extensive analysis o long termstrends and goals, this document provides the essence o what makesLexington so distinctive and the many qualities that City Councilwould like to promote. Te vision states, Lexington is a city or liv-ing, loving, learning, lingering, growing, remembering, and adapting.

For each category, there is a description and specic goals to enhanceeach particular quality.

Tis vision statement contains numerous goals and priorities thatrelate to the Lexington Downtown Enhancement Plan. For example,each o the subject areas mentioned above could tie into any improve-mentsforthedowntownarea.Withinthelivingcomponent,thereis mention o strengthening the retail base downtown as well as morepromotionofthelocalfoodculture.elovingcomponentspeci-cally prioritizes creating bike lane along Main Street and /or Nelson

Street within City limits. Installing bike racks and bike signage arealso a priority.

Within the Downtown Enhancement Plan, a major goal is to promotelingeringandpeopleplaces.WhiletheVision2026haslingeringasone o its primary categories, this section ocuses more on healthcareandothercommunityservices.egrowingsectionofthedocu-ment elaborates on recreational opportunities throughout the City.Within the enhancement plan, we strive to promote more opportuni-ties or recreation within the City while also capitalizing on connec-

tions to parks and trails within the larger natural context o Lexing-ton.

Lexington has done an excellent job in protecting and preservingitsheritageandarchitecturalresources.Withintherememberingsection, there are specic priorities to create a grant program orenhancement and preservation o downtown buildings. Tis section

also reerences the desire to bury utility lines on Randolph Street. Inthenalsectiononadapting,Lexingtonislookingtothefuture.Onepriority is to open the R.E. Lee hotel, a property within the heart odowntown. Tis property is currently under renovation and is slatedto be reopened as a hotel. Tis type o development activity has apositive impact on downtown while providing a variety o accom-modations or tourists and visitors. Tere is also reerence to assess-ing narrow streets to ensure sae passage o Fire and Rescue. Anyenhancements to the downtown area will not only be sae and unc-tional, but they will also consider the aesthetic qualities and historiccontext within the core o Lexington.

Central Shenandoah Bicycle Plan

A Bicycle Plan (Plan) was prepared by the Central Shenandoah Plan-ning District Commission in 2006. Te ollowing issues were identi-ed as being important or the uture o bicycling:

safety desireforbikelanes connectivity placesforfamiliesandnewriders sharingtheroad recreation/tourism

Te Plan is intended to ensure that bicyclists can use the roadway

network in the uture. Te Plan details a comprehensive network o


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cycling acilities connecting neighborhoods, communities, and keydestination points. Creating bike lanes or paths is the number onestrategy or accommodating bicycles, but in Lexington, such oppor-tunities are limited by narrow street widths, on-street parking, andlimited building setbacks. Nevertheless, painted sharrows, markinga lane shared by cars and bicycles, where there is not enough spaceto create separate bike lanes, would suit many Lexington streets. Tis

could connect residents with their identied destinations, includingRockbridge County High School, grade schools, public libraries, andshops.

A bicycle route within the city could also connect Lexington withother cities and towns via Route 11. Route 11 is becoming a bicyclecorridor and ultimately would require bike lanes and paved shouldersalong its entire length; but within Lexington, the route could be cre-ated inexpensively by clear marking with sharrows.


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City o Lexington Comprehensive Plan

(Excerpts)Te City o Lexington Comprehensive Plan is the primary longrange planning tool and guide to decision making or City sta, thePlanning Commission and City Council. Te inormation below isexcerpts rom the Comprehensive Plan that relate to the goals and

eedback thus ar or the Downtown Enhancement Plan. Some state-ments have been underlined by our team or emphasis. As we moveorward with design recommendations, more synergy is created whenthe conceptual plans or downtown are aligned with the overlappinggoals and recommendations o other planning documents.

ransportationEncourage street and pathway design that moves persons, goods, andservices saely and eciently, with minimal trac congestion. Exploitor enhance the Citys distinctive walkable character and ready ac-cess to natural resources. Support energy-ecient alternatives to thesingle-occupancy vehicle, such as public transportation, walking, andbicycling. Acknowledge present limitations in state and local undingwhile allowing or uture opportunities and new unding mechanisms.

GOAL: Increased commercial activity and tourism in Lexington.GOAL: Easier, more obvious, and attractive access to downtown,parking,Washington&Lee,VMI,andspecialdestinationsforthoseunamiliar with Lexington.

Walkability and Waynding Recommendation: Public restroomsavailableforusebycyclistsandwalkerssuchasthoseplannedforJordansPointParkwillbeclearlyindicatedwithinthissystem.

GOAL: A more walkable City seen as a destination or non-vehiculartourism.

A comprehensive waynding system oers an opportunity to create aconnected system o sidewalks, paths, and trails and to make the City

streets saer and more welcoming or non-vehicular transport. Lex-

ingtons planning has traditionally emphasized convenient parking, ascritical to downtowns economic health; however, since the Citys lastComprehensive Plan, studies have established that walking matters asmuch, or more. Tey have shown that:

1) Te most successul shopping districts are those which provide themost comort and pleasure or walkers.

2) Improving walking conditions in a community signicantly in-creases retail sales.3) Such improvements raise property values.

Better walking conditions also strengthen tourism, since many tour-ists select destinations precisely because they oer opportunities orwalking, rather than driving. With gas prices soaring, communi-ties that allow visitors to avoid driving can only grow in popularity.Tough the automobile is the principal means o travel in Lexington,almost everyone does some walking and/or cycling daily. Walking

serves as a basic means o transportation or those who do not driveor own cars, especially school-aged children, seniors and persons withdisabilities.

Within the City, walking and cycling are ofen the astest and mostecient ways to perorm short trips. Many residents who live withinwalking distance o downtown or their work places choose to walkor bike rather than drive. Some simply enjoy healthy exercise and thecasual opportunities or people to meet and interact that attractive

streets with sae walking and cycling provide. Studies have shownthat walking is up to three times more common in a community withpedestrian-riendly streets. As a result, communities that improvewalking conditions can signicantly reduce vehicular travel, which, inturn, reduces trac congestion, demand or parking, and the need tolocate parking on the commercial districts valuable land. Improvingwalking conditions thus is the cheapest way to bring more shoppersinto downtown without the inrastructure costs associated with auto-mobile use. Many o Lexingtons narrow streets already eel pedestri-an-riendly. Wide roads, ast vehicular trac, and high trac volume

discourage walking.


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walkers and strollers.

Pathways and railsCity residents and visitors enjoy access to a number o walking trailsboth in the City and extending into the county. Tese include:

eWoodsCreektrail-a2.4milewalkingtrailalongWoodsCreek

through the heart o Lexington, extends rom Waddell ElementarySchool,throughthecampusesofWashingtonandLeeUniversityandtheVirginiaMilitaryInstitutetoJordansPointParkonthebanksofthe Maury River.

eBrushyHillsPreservewalkingtrails-anetworkofhikingtrailsthrough the preserve located approximately 3 miles west o Lexington.

eChessieTrail-a6milewalkingtrailalongtheMauryRiverex-tends rom the north side o the Maury River opposite Jordans Point

ParktoBuenaVista.istrail,presentlyownedbyVMIwascon-structed on the abandoned C&O railroad corridor. Tere have previ-ously been bridges across the Maury River at Jordans Point whichutilized the abandoned piers or the railroad bridge and trestle whichspanned the river and the Point to connect the Woods Creek andChessie rails. Tese bridges have all been lost to oods. Eorts con-tinue to construct a new bridge or develop another means o access.

Te City should continue to support and encourage eorts to link

these extensive, signicant and beautiul trail systems. In addition to aconnection across the Maury River, there may be possible additionalextensions to current trails which have not yet been considered. TeCity should continue to be alert to opportunities to expand its trailnetwork. Extending the trail network has immediate benets or resi-dents o the Rockbridge area.

BicyclesGOAL: A network o sae and convenient bikeways within Lexingtonthat allows residents to substitute bicycles or cars and attracts bicycle

tourism.

Another way to move more people without additional automobilesis to provide a network o sae, convenient bikeways. Many peoplealready ride bicycles in and around Lexington. Some adults and manyyoung people use their bikes as a basic means o mobility, riding themto and rom schools or jobs. Many recreational riders cycle or un as

well as a way to exercise. Lexington already hosts many bicyclists whoparticipateinorganizedrecreationalridesthroughtheValley.

At present, thanks to the age o the City, its many narrow streets andlimited rights o way, and extensive use o streets or automobile park-ing, Lexington lacks sae routes or bicycles within the City and espe-cially within the downtown. Te very limitations that make Lexingtondangerous or bicyclists make improving routes within the City verychallenging.

Nevertheless,newpoliciesurgesuchimprovements.In2004,theCommonwealth ransportation Board adopted a new state policyor integrating bicycle and pedestrian accommodations into roadwayprojects.ispolicyessentiallyreversedpreviousVDOTpolicieswhich required substantial public and political support or bike-ways and sidewalks to be considered or inclusion in transportationprojects.enewpolicystatesthatVDOTwillinitiateallhighwayconstruction projects with the presumption that the projects shallaccommodate bicycling and walking.

It essentially requires bikeways and sidewalks whenever a roadwayproject occurs in an urban or suburban area. For the past 10 years,Federal transportation policies have provided a consistent source ounding.

ankstotheVDOTpolicysleadandincreasinginterestincycling,Lexington has an opportunity to build a reputation as a destinationforpeopleseekinganactivevacation.eCentralShenandoahValleyis positioning itsel as a bicycle touring destination. Bicycle touring is

a low impact tourist activity that brings dollars to small town


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businesses, museums, and other cultural institutions, but does notaddtoautomobiletracandpollution.ACentralShenandoahValleyBicycle Plan (Plan) was prepared by the Central Shenandoah PlanningDistrict Commission in 2006 with input rom representatives romeach political jurisdiction within the Planning District, including Lex-ington and Rockbridge County.

Te Plan details a comprehensive network o cycling acilities con-necting neighborhoods, communities, and key destination points.Te Plans study concludes that bicycling has the potential to be veryconvenient in established urban areas such as Lexington, Stauntonand Waynesboro because these jurisdictions have higher buildingdensities, streets with lower motor vehicle speeds and a concentratedmix o oces, stores, parks and residences. Te downtown streets andnarrow neighborhood streets o these communities are most ofentwo-lane roads with parking on both sides and speed limits set at25mph. Nevertheless, proper planning can create sae bicycle routes.Paintedsharrowssymbolscombiningabikeiconandachevronthatindicatesthedirectionoftravelmarkalanesharedbycarsandbicycles, where there is not enough space to create separate bike lanes.Sharrows alert motorists to expect and accept cyclists as users o theroadway. Tis treatment would suit many Lexington streets.

Parking Studies suggest, however, that while parking matters, itshould be viewed as subservient to the needs and unctions which

draw people downtown. People come downtown not or parking, butor the wide variety o unctions conveniently clustered there, includ-ing stores, restaurants, entertainment, tourist attractions, services,housing, government unctions and oces.

Concentrating activities, buildings and services and cultural activitiesin a small area increases eciency and maximizes economic health byattracting large numbers o people and minimizing the distances theymust travel. Tese concentrated downtown entities succeed in partbecause o the synergistic benets that downtown proximity to other

nearby activities provides. Many small businesses depend on walk-

in trac which is highest in the downtown. Providing downtownparking requires balancing the increasing demands o those need-ing a place to park, while sustaining and enhancing the qualities o ahealthy downtown, including a higher density, a pedestrian-riendlyenvironment, and a strong sense o place. Providing parking shouldnot detract rom the unique eatures that make the downtown a lively

place to visit, work, shop and live.


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Preferred Plan / On-Street Parking Summary Draft 5/22/13

Lexington Downtown Plan Sympoetica

Preferred

Current Plan Gain

Block Location: Parking Parking or Loss Note:

Main Street

Preston to Nelson Streets 36 38 2 Currently, parking both sides.Planned, parking both sides.

Nelson to Washington Streets 24 22 -2 Currently, parking both sides.Planned, parking both sides.

Nelson Street

Randolph to Main Streets 8 10 2 Currently, parking on one side only.Planned, parking on one side only.

Main to Jefferson Streets 10 10 0 Currently, parking on one side only.Planned, parking on one side only.

Washington Street ( Reconfigured for Wider Sidewalks)

Randolph to Main Streets 13 7 -6 Currently, parking both sides.Planned, parking on one side only.

Bus parking included.

Main to Jefferson Streets 18 10 -8 Currently, parking both sides.Planned, parking on one side only.

Total 109 97 -12

General Notes:Current on-street parking counts from field observation or aerial photography review; counts are approximate.

Estimated parking space counts under the Preferred Plan include opportunities for inclusion loading zones,

and bus parking in appropriate locations.

Parking Summary2010 Desman Parking Study & Addendum

http://www.lexingtonva.gov/pds/Parking%20Final%20Mgnt%202010.pd

Te Desman trac study was reviewed. Particularly salient inorma-tion rom this document includes the ollowing:

currentestimatedsurplusof214parkingspaces(574of876were utilized in the peak hour)

underawhatifscenariosucientparkingisavailableifall commercial space downtown were utilized

Somecorecityblocksareatornearpracticalcapacitylevels

(i.e. over 85% utilized)

MajorityofthesurplusisintheRoySmithLot(County Courthouse Garage)

Suggestedsomeoperationalchangesmanyhavebeenimplemented (parking times, signage, layout o various lots,enorcement, permit parking, parking zone ordinance, pay orparking scenarios)


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Rankings Charts


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Public Feedback

Lexington Downtown Enhancement PlanPublicForum#1 August28th,2012,6-8pm

op 5 Ideas

Group 1:

1. Improve interior blocks2. Stay true to historical identity (no cookie cutter design)3. Focus on tourism4.Parklets(small,parklikespaces)5. Live music downtown

Group 2:

1. Outdoor business environment2. Evening hours/nightlie3. Connectivity to adjacent attractions (natural and business)4.Visitorfriendlyactivitiesevents,attractions5.Improvethenorthentrance(hookem)

Group 3:

1. Centralized parking garage

2. Abundant seating - everywhere3. Mid-block street crossing4.BikelanesonRandolphSt.5. Improved / updated signage

Group4:

1. More shade trees and oliage2. Wider side walks3. 2 lane o trac on Main Street

4.Deliverytrucks-betteraccess

5. Pride o ownership: care o acades

Group 5:

1. Pedestrian riendly, sidewalks / atmosphere, more welcoming, utili-ties underground2. Keeping businesses open, attracting new business and nancial

entity to help owners maintain and improve acade3. Promote historical aspect4.Collegebuysintoviabilityofdowntown5. rolley? o bring visitors rom hotels or horse center to downtown

Others: more cooperation rom businesses to work together or eventsand evening hours-more ull time residents above stores-deliveries o main street.

Group 6:

1. Dene a clear identity and underscore economic impact on down-town business2. Maintain 2 lanes trac - Main and Jeerson3. Explore pedestrian mall on Washington Street4.PlanmustincludeVMIVCSJCGarageandDavidsonparkculture5. Relieve parking pressure critical commercial parking zones busi-ness owners and employees

Group 7:

1. Better Signage and Waynding2. Friendlier Environment (daylight and dark) or youth and olderlingering3. Greening and Cleaning spaces4.DowntownEmployeeandownereducationonparking5. More space and attractions (movie in Hopkins, street perormers)


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Why is it important to accommodate pedestriansand encourage walking in the community?

1. We'reallpedestriansWhetherforrecreationorpracticalpurposes, most people make several trips a day on oot, even i it'sonly a block or so rom a parked car to the entrance o a building.

2. ItwillmaketheroadsaferMakingstreetssaferforpedestri-ans, the most vulnerable road user, usually makes the roads saer oreveryone, including bicyclists and drivers.

3. ManycannotorchoosenottodriveNon-driversincludepeople who choose not to drive; children; adolescents; people withphysical, visual, and mental disabilities; people with nancial con-straints; people who are temporarily disabled; and many older adults.

4. It'scheapertowalkerearemanycostsassociatedwithdriving (e.g., cost o vehicle, gas, insurance, annual inspection andregistration, maintenance, parking ees, trac violation ees, etc.), but

virtually none with walking. Additionally, walking can save money byimproving health and reducing health care costs.

5. It'sgoodforbusinessProvidingpedestrianaccesstoretailersand commercial centers provides economic benets and can promotetourism and urther economic development.

6. OthermodesdependonwalkingTogetfromplacestotheircars, bicycles, buses, or trains, people need to be able to walk.

7. WalkingisgoodfortheenvironmentUnlikedriving,walk-ing does not contribute to air, noise, or water pollution.

8. Walking can reduce the demand or existing and new road-waysManystreetscarrymoretracthantheyweredesignedtohandle, resulting in gridlock, wasted time and energy, and pollution.Providing opportunities to walk can help get more people out o rus-

trating trac congestion.

9. Walkingcanimprovepeople'shealthRegularwalkingcanaid in weight loss; lower blood pressure; improve cholesterol, bloodsugar, immune system unction, and insulin dynamics; preventbone-loss; reduce the risk o coronary heart disease, stroke, and oth-er chronic diseases; and improve mood and mental perormance.

10. WalkingimprovesthequalityofourlivesWalkingpro-

vides intangible personal benets (such as a sense o independenceand reedom o choice), as well as social benets (such as opportu-nities to interact with others and build community closeness andtrust) that enrich the lives o children, amilies, and neighbors.

Source: Pedestrian and Bicycle Inormation Center, http://www.walkingino.org.


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Firm Background Inormation Sympoetica / Creating Community


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Firm Background Inormation

Cooper Planning

CooperPlanningisaCharlottesville,VAbasedplanningrmthatspecializes in property analysis, project management, and communityacilitation. Cooper Planning was established by Ashley Cooper in

2008tosuccessfullymanageprojectswithoutoftheboxresponsestomodern needs. Cooper Planning provides the highest quality services,rom visioning and consensus building, to identiying and assess-ing various strategies, incorporating property and zoning analysis, toentitlements and plan implementation. Given Ashleys backgroundin public sector planning, she maintains a rm commitment to thepublic good and a special understanding o the needs and perspec-tives o elected and appointed local ocials, as well as communitystakeholders. A primary goal o Cooper Planning is to create projectsand proposals that are rooted in community values.

Cooper Planning has a variety o experience serving cities, counties,and communities. We also work with private development interests,on a selective basis, to bring creative solutions to the realm o landdevelopment. Cooper Planning works to bring the most eectiveplanning process, while ensuring that projects conorm to applicabledevelopment goals and regulations. Our ocus is in creating lastingplaces o value as well as lasting relationships within communities inwhich we work. We believe in helping communities grow and evolve

in the most benecial ways. For more inormation, please visit ourwebsite at: http://www.cooper-planning.com/

Contact Inormation:Cooper Planning3047thStreetSWCharlottesville,[email protected]

Sympoetica / Creating Community

Sympoetica was established in 1986 as Strategic Land Planning, Inc.In 2001, in celebration o the companys 15th anniversary and the be-ginning o 21st Century, we changed our name to Sympoetica, a namethat reects our collaborative approach to community planning. BarryCarpenter, ASLA, and Phoebe Kilby, AICP, ounders and principals,

beganthepracticeinAlexandria,Virginia.In1994,wemovedtoWoodstock,Virginia,wherewehaveexpandedourpracticetoserveclientsthroughouttheShenandoahValley,VirginiaandtheUnitedStates. Our web page at www.sympoetica.net provides additionalbackground on our rm, our experience and planning philosophy.

Dedicated to land use planning and community design that is respon-sive to local community needs, we specialize in plans and initiativesthat create quality places to live and work while preserving the uniquehistoric, recreational and natural resources o each community. Our

practice oers expertise in new and innovative planning and designorms, such as traditional neighborhood development and ContextSensitive Solutions (CSS) thoroughare design. Sympoetica employsthe latest in community involvement techniques to identiy andresolve conicting issues and goals in the public planning environ-ment. We have a real knowledge and appreciation o the developmentprocess, regulatory controls, zoning techniques, and political sensitivi-ties that can come into play in community planning and developmentimplementation eorts. Our private-sector community design workinorms us o the market and nancial impacts o public plans andordinances.

Contact Inormation:Sympoetica2073 Saumsville Rd.Maurertown,VA22644(t)540-459-9590(f)888-418-7381

EPR


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EPR

EPR is a civil and multimodal transportation engineering and plan-ningrmfoundedin2004.EPRsstafocusontheindividualneedso each project and work closely with the project owners to helpidentiy goals, objectives, and an eective project approach that leadsto a successul project outcome. EPR has experience in working with

agencies, communities, and the private sector throughout the mid-Atlantic and Florida on diverse projects that address the gamut odesign and planning challenges. Within the planning realm, EPR hasa unique ocus on integrating transportation, land use, and urbandesign considerations to create eective and lasting plans and designs.EPR is a DBE/WBE rm.

EPR Specialized Services:rac Engineering Operational Analyses Community PlanningLong Range ransportation Planning Innovative Public Involvement

rac Engineering Analysis and Design Geometric DesignBicycle and Pedestrian Planning Parking StudiesStormwater Studies and Design Roadway, Civil, and Site DesignIntegratedLandUseandTransportationCorridorPlanning

Contact Inormation:637 Berkmar CircleCharlottesville,VA22901Tele:(804)647-7700Fax:(866)233-8801 WWW.EPR-CORP.COM

Lexington Final Plan 090513

Documents

Transcript of Lexington Final Plan 090513