NEIGHBORHOOD AUDITREPORT

NORTHSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD WALK AUDIT

October 26, 2018

Report prepared by:

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion

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INTRODUCTIONOn September 28, 2018, a walk audit was conducted along three busy corridors in Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood along Oak, Butternut and Park Streets. The audit was planned by representatives from Interfaith Works, Northside UP, the local American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) chapter, Northside Learning Center, Hopeprint, Northeast Community Center and the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at Syracuse University. The organizations involved in the planning of the audit identified these streets as some of the busiest corridors in the neighborhood and location of schools, the public library and businesses and service providers utilized by many who reside in the area.

Utilizing a walk audit tool developed by the AARP, the event was organized in response to a recognized need for improvements to create a pedestrian friendly, safer Northside neighborhood. A walk audit is a simple tool that can be utilized to identify areas of a neighborhood that may be problematic for pedestrians, including people with disabilities, limited mobility or families with young children in strollers. The information collected during the audit can be shared with neighborhood stakeholders to advocate for improvements that result in a built environment that is safer and healthier for pedestrians.

A diverse group of nearly 40 volunteers made up of residents, neighborhood service providers, elected officials and police officers were divided into eight teams and assigned a block of either Oak, Park or Butternut streets. Their task was to observe and assess their assigned area using the walk audit tool and identify potential areas for improvement.

BUTTERNUT STREET CORRIDORLocation 1: Butternut Street between Park Street and Alvord Street

Location 2: Butternut Street between Alvord Street and Josephine Street

Location 3: Butternut Street between Josephine Street and Lodi Street

LOCATIONS

OAK STREET CORRIDORLocation 5: Oak Street between James Street and Lincoln Park Drive

Location 6: Oak Street between Lincoln Park Drive and Hawley Street

Location 7: Oak Street between Hawley Street and Manilla Street

Location 8: Oak Street between Manilla Street and Lodi Street

PARK STREET CORRIDORLocation 4: Park Street between Butternut Street and Oak Street

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AUDIT TOOLThe walk audit tool is comprised of questions that assess the built environment factors that affect how pedestrians can safely and comfortably use the streets for active transit or recreation. The AARP’s walk audit tool is comprised of six assignments to assess areas that might be problematic for pedestrians as it relates to: crossing streets and intersections, sidewalks, driver behavior, safety, comfort and appeal, and factors that make the place more human. The section that assesses the factors that make a place feel more human was derived from another walk audit tool known as Crime Prevention through Environmental Design or CPTED. The CPTED tool was used for an audit conducted earlier in 2018 in Syracuse’s Near West Side. A hybrid of both tools was selected to provide a comprehensive overview of the pedestrian experience on the Northside.

NeighborhoodPrompted by a series of questions in each of the assignments, volunteers were asked to record the use of intersections by pedestrians, make observations of sidewalk conditions and maintenance issues, and note areas that may present a health or safety risk or increase the potential for crime to be committed.The final section of the tool, Ratings and Observations allows the user to give the area an overall rating of either excellent, good, fair, or poor. The tool then asks the surveyor to comment on what seems to be working well and what areas could benefit from improvement, with suggestions of the types of improvements that could be considered.

Walk Audit Summaries by LocationThe summaries that follow have been drawn using the comments recorded in the audit tools by the team leaders and team members who completed the audit, as well as debrief comments made by all participants at the conclusion of the audit.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

CURB RAMPS ANDSIDEWALKS

TRAFFIC CONCERNS

POLLUTION

• Crossing intersections can be dangerous because some crossing signals cause pedestrians to wait too long between signals, are not audible, do not change automatically, and do not offer enough time for pedestrians to cross safely.

• The state of crosswalks and intersections are not clearly marked. Signage is complicated and crosswalks are inefficient or not clearly marked. Both drivers and pedestrians experience poor visibility in some areas, which is complicated by speeding vehicles. Some sidewalks are blocked by physical barriers that prevent pedestrians from accessing a safe walkway.

• Crosswalks may be too close to traffic, which poses a danger to pedestrians trying to cross the street safely.

PEDESTRIAN CONCERNS

• Curb ramps are damaged in several locations.• Sidewalks throughout the audit areas are

narrow, cracked, broken, and trees, grass, and bushes block the walkways in some areas. There are an inadequate number of curb ramps , or curb ramps that do not direct pedestrian traffic in the direction of another sidewalk.

• There is high vehicle and pedestrian traffic at most intersections of the walk audit. Vehicle traffic self-creates two lanes, and drivers do not always watch for pedestrians or stop at crosswalks.

• Drivers do not always adhere to posted stop signs, or Do Not Enter signs. This was especially apparent in the school zone near Dr. Weeks Elementary.

• All three corridors experienced traffic traveling higher than the posted speed limit.

• Noise pollution as a result of heavy traffic and loud music

• Litter and graffiti is a concern throughout the walk audit area.

• Some areas lack shade trees • Construction debris and other obstacles

blocking sidewalks pose a risk to pedestrians.

SAFETY• There are several abandoned lots, buildings,

and overgrown plant life throughout the area that provide potential places for people to hide and threatens the safety of pedestrians.

• Not all lights are working,• There is one drainage grid loose at the corner

of Gertrude and Oak Street. • The existence of abandoned or shady

businesses make residents feel unsafe at night.

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LOCATION 1Butternut Street between Park and Alvord Streets(This area is comprised of commercial lots; some of them vacant.)Overall Rating: Fair

STRENGTHS

CHALLENGES

This section of the walk audit enjoyed relatively well-preserved sidewalks. The presence of crossing guards for school children improved foot and vehicle traffic. However, while they were monitoring traffic, drivers did not necessarily adhere to their guidance or pay attention to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Crosswalks are clearly marked.

There is no audible crossing signal at the corner of Butternut and Park Streets and the button is only available for one direction. The light does not change automatically and the traffic signal makes pedestrians wait too long. Both crossing signals allow fewer than 20 seconds for pedestrians to cross. People need to walk more than 300 feet to cross the street safely.

The sidewalks in front of Balwi Food Market, the old KFC, and the vacant lot at 817 Butternut are broken / cracked, and the sidewalk ramps at Butternut Park are damaged. There is puddled water on the curb ramp near Wings Over Syracuse.

Traffic from Park Street is congested and drivers self-create two lanes at the corner of Butternut. Drivers do not stop behind the crosswalk at the corner of Butternut and Alvord, or at the corner of Park and Butternut. People tend to drive faster than the 30 MPH speed limit. The street lacks benches and places to rest, water fountains, bathrooms, shade trees, and maintained landscaping. There is litter on the street and sidewalks. Parking on both sides of the street makes the street feel crowded. Bus stops do not provide shelter or lighting. There is graffiti, litter, and several vacant lots and boarded-up buildings on Butternut Street, which makes the street feel abandoned and uncared for. Some lights in this area do not work. Recessed entries on store fronts pose as possible entrapment areas for pedestrians.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The priority for this stretch of street should be to improve the safety of crossing the road and the overall feel of the place. Adjusting the waiting time for the lights to change and extending the length of time the signal allows for someone to cross the street to 20 seconds or more could be easy ways to make a big difference. Basic amenities, such as places to rest and shade trees would help to improve the overall environment.

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LOCATION 2Butternut Street between Alvord and Josephine Streets(This area is mostly commercial with a few residential areas.)Overall Rating: Fair

STRENGTHS

CHALLENGES

This section of the walk audit provides ample green space and trees between the library and community garden. The sidewalks are of notably good quality and this section of street was considered by Team 2 to satisfy criteria in Factors that make the place more Human, such as green space and mixed-use buildings.

Team 2’s observations of the street crossings and intersections returned poor feedback, due mainly to poor driver behavior. A traffic accident was witnessed and many vehicles travelled past with excessively loud music. Although these were not determined to be typical behavior, the proximity to Franklin Elementary School gave reason for concern.

The crossing guard at the corner of Butternut and Josephine made the traffic situation more complicated by stopping traffic at green lights.

LOCATION 3Butternut Street between Josephine and Lodi Streets (Busy commercial area with well-known stores; some residential areas dispersed)Overall Rating: Poor

CHALLENGES

This stretch of Butternut Street was considered by Team 3 to be unsafe, largely to the layout of the intersection between Butternut St., Lodi St., and Catherine St. and the volume of traffic using the intersection. The design and use of the entrances to a strip mall on one side of the street, and a fast food restaurant on the other side, only a few feet from the intersection further compound this problem. Fundamental safety concerns include the absence of an audible pedestrian signal; an unmarked crosswalk; high foot and vehicle traffic volume; and excessive road width on the Lodi St./Catherine St. exit that drivers illegally use as a dual lane approach. Curb cuts have been refurbished, the position of the curb cuts feeds pedestrians into the intersection’s traffic, rather than across the street. Curb cuts were flooded, making some crossings inaccessible for people in wheelchairs.

There were several instances of jaywalking in this area, especially among children walking alone or with an adult.

STRENGTHSTeam 5 felt that the presence of a crossing guard on Butternut Street and Lodi Street was helpful.

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The street markings on the approach to the intersection should be re-painted and the pedestrian crossings need to be more clearly defined. A greater level of traffic enforcement presence by the police would prevent drivers from illegally turning the approach to the intersection into a two lane road. The entrances to the strip mall and fast food restaurant could also be re-designed to make access possible only from their respective sides of the street. The curb cuts should be altered to feed pedestrian traffic into the correct direction and improve drainage.

RECOMMENDATIONS

LOCATION 4Park Street between Butternut and Park Streets (Mostly residential areas with some businesses located at intersections).Overall Rating: Fair

STRENGTHS

CHALLENGES

Drivers in this section were generally cautious and courteous. Curbs and crossings have recently been refurbished, making crossing safer. The volume of pedestrians was reasonably low in this area. Overall, the Safety and Comfort and Appeal of this stretch of street were judged to be fair.

The most pressing concern for the team in this location was the state the sidewalks, which were in very poor condition along this stretch of Butternut St. Two intersections appeared to have crosswalks too close to oncoming traffic. This section requires improvement to sidewalks and properties, and an increase in the number of shade trees on the route.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Re-surfacing the sidewalks on this stretch of Butternut is essential and should be combined with an adjustment of the positioning of the crosswalks to create a bigger space between the traffic and pedestrians crossing the road

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LOCATION 5Oak Street between James Street and Lincoln Park Drive(Mostly residential with a few medical offices located in James Street)

Overall Rating: Fair/Poor

CHALLENGESThere is a high volume of pedestrian traffic in this area, and there are areas of improvement needed to enhance walkability. Drivers use single lane roads as a dual lane and markings and signage around crosswalks are unclear. Additionally, the crossing at James Street does not allow ample time for pedestrians to cross safely. Traffic patterns around local businesses are confusing. Driver and pedestrian behavior needs to be better enforced. Implementing trash cans and more lights will also help to improve this section’s environment.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Like group 1’s recommendation, adjusting the waiting time for the lights to change, and extending the length of time the signal allows for a pedestrian to cross the street to 20 seconds or more, would quickly make a significant difference. Road markings should also be defined more clearly to prevent drivers illegally using the single lane as a dual lane. Positioning trash cans and more lights will also help to improve this section’s environment.

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LOCATION 6Oak Street between Lincoln Park Drive and Hawley Street(Fully residential area; except for the partly located Dr. Weeks’ Elementary School)Overall Rating: Fair/Poor

CHALLENGESDriver and pedestrian visibility on this stretch of road is poor because of a curve at the top of the hill, parked cars, and utility poles that force pedestrians and vehicles to enter Oak Street traffic before determining whether it is safe to turn. The only marked crosswalks in this section are in the area immediately surrounding Dr. Weeks Elementary School. A majority of cars appeared to be driving above the 25 MPH speed limit.

The sidewalks were broken and cracked throughout, and were not wide enough in some places for two people to walk side-by-side. Low-hanging trees, grass and bushes grow into the sidewalk, which may prove inaccessible to people with mobility issues and provide a place for people to hide that may threaten the safety of pedestrians. Lighting in the area is fair, but could be improved to increase the safety of pedestrians walking at night. There was only one curb ramp on each corner, and several were not level with the road. Drainage grids along the roadside were loose.

Stop signs were poorly placed and drivers do not always adhere to them. The stop sign at the corner of Oak Street and Gertrude is covered by trees and is not located close enough to Oak see oncoming traffic.

The imposition of parking restrictions around the intersections for greater visibility would solve many of the visibility issues. The curb cuts should be refurbished for easier access to the crosswalk, especially for people using wheelchairs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

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LOCATION 7Oak Street between Hawley and Manilla Streets(Residential areas and most of Dr Weeks’ Elementary School)Overall Rating: Fair

STRENGTHS

CHALLENGES

The sidewalks and plantings on the Dr. Weeks Elementary School side of Oak Street are in great condition. The corner of Oak and Hawley on the school side of Oak Street has an ADA accessible curb ramp and detectable

The intersection at Oak and Hawley is unsafe due to complicated signage, inefficient crosswalks, and confusion with the Dr. Weeks crossing guard partially directing traffic when children get out of school. The crossing guard is inconsistent in which vehicles are allowed down Hawley Ave., which may be confusing for some drivers. Driver behavior on this portion of Oak Street poses a threat to pedestrians. Cars sped past the “Do Not Enter” signs on Oak Street and several school bus STOP signs.

The west side of Oak Street is in poorer condition, with several portions of the sidewalk being asphalt rather than concrete. Curb ramps do exist on Hawley Ave, but do not direct pedestrians in the direction of the crosswalks. The curb ramps on the west side of Oak Street are generally in poor condition and do not have detectable warning signals. Major considerations for this portion of Oak Street include redesigning the crosswalks to be more efficient for pedestrians (e.g. avoid making pedestrians cross two streets if they can only cross one street). Clearer signage as well as monitoring (police or other) of the bus area on Oak Street should be implemented.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The imposition of parking restrictions around the intersections for greater visibility would solve many of the visibility issues. The curb cuts should be refurbished for easier access to the crosswalk, especially for people using wheelchairs.The crossing guard may need a training refresher to clarify his traffic directions. A greater level of traffic enforcement may also be necessary by the police in order to prevent excessive speeds on the road. The warning signals at the intersection also need to be replaced, and a redesign of the crosswalks to be more efficient for pedestrians (e.g. avoid making pedestrians cross two streets if they can only cross one street) should be developed. The road signage also needs clarifying to reduce confusion and increase the safety of the road and intersections.

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LOCATION 8Oak Street between Manilla and Lodi Streets(Somewhat residential area; one corner store and some vacant places.)

Overall Rating: Fair

STRENGTHS

CHALLENGES

Members of this walk audit team felt that this section has well-maintained lawns and trees, which added greenery to the area and made the section feel more human.

This section of the walk audit needs basic repairs and cleanup to enhance walkability. There are broken down road barriers on the sidewalk next to the abandoned Tiffany’s catering company that prevent pedestrians from utilizing that section of the sidewalk.

Another obstacle to walkability in this section is the presence of the “Lucky’s” convenience store. Local residents indicated that this area feels unsafe at night.

Driver behavior and heavy traffic during school pick up and drop off times makes it less safe for the school children walking there. Although there is a clear crosswalk, crossing Lodi Street from Oak Street is considered unsafe because signage is confusing and there is heavy and speeding traffic on Lodi Street that does not stop for pedestrians.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This section could be improved by removing the broken barriers across from “Lucky’s” corner store; adding a bus shelter to existing bus stops; and improving signage to prevent erratic driver and pedestrian behavior.

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CONSIDERATIONS

Though volunteers were highly engaged and enthusiastic, the audit tool was rather lengthy and different teams approached the completion of the tool differently. As a result, some teams took more robust notes than others and the length of time necessary to complete the tool varied by the size of the team as well as the size of and traffic along the assigned block.

For future audits, we recommend that users develop a strategy for completing the tool based upon the number of volunteers completing the audit and can divide assignments among team members. Providing some advance training may help users feel more familiar with the questions presented in the tool.

LIMITATIONS OF THE AUDIT

NEXT STEPSFINDINGS FROM THE AUDIT

The areas for improvement range from short to long term issues. Most of the improvements recommended fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works, or the Syracuse Police Department. However, it was noted by many of the teams that other solutions, such as property maintenance, and even some of the maintenance of green spaces is the responsibility of local businesses and property owners.

The recommendations from the Neighborhood Audit Report serve as a platform for follow-up conversations with the responsible entities at the City of Syracuse and private building owners. The findings from this tool create an advocacy agenda for the neighborhood.

Conducting this audit created a space for residents and stakeholders in the neighborhood to engage and share their ideas and solutions for improving the neighborhood. The discussions that occurred in the debriefing after the audit highlighted the value of communication and the diversity of stakeholder participation. The energy from the audit inspired other groups to use this tool to assess other areas of the neighborhood for improvement.

This report and a similar report of findings from an audit conducted in the Near West Side neighborhood in early 2018 serve as a template that can be used by other neighborhood groups who wish to advocate for improvements in their neighborhoods. Versions of the audit tools can be found on AARP’s website, listed at the end of this report. The report template is available through the Lerner Center.

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

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APPENDIXPARTICIPANTS

Stasya Erickson NorthsideUPJonathan Link Logan NorthsideUPLeah Moser Lerner Center for Public Health PromotionAngie Mejia Lerner Center for Public Health PromotionSteph Spera Lerner Center for Public Health PromotionSean Withington Lerner Center for Public Health PromotionKatie Mott Lerner Center for Public Health PromotionChief Richard Schoff Syracuse Police DepartmentOffice Carolyn Syracuse Police DepartmentOfficer Paul Syracuse Police DepartmentNicole Watts HopePrintLori Klivak InterFaith WorksBob Sackel AARPPeter Sarver AARPToma Tracy Interfaith WorksTysha Martin Syracuse Northeast Community Center (SNCC)John Driscoll AARPPat Body Danforth / Pond / Butternut TNT Task Force and Northside TNTRobert O’Connor AARPRenate Dunsmore White Branch LibraryAaron Lester SNCCAndrea Wandersee NEHDASamuel Semafurebo community memberTheresa Mukankusi community memberBuregeya Mugarukira community memberAngela Mukamusinga community memberBlake Carter representative of Assemblywoman Pam Hunter Ellen Schwartz InterFaith WorksMarilyn Charles community memberTasmin Thomas Whole MEMark Cass Northside Learning CenterHussein Yerow Northside Learning CenterPeter King community memberAnn Peterson AARPRick Hatem community memberAbdirizak “Zak” Noor Northside Learning Center

Special thanks to Fayetteville Target for providing water and to Chad Ryan for donating granola bars and fruit to the walk audit teams.

LINK TO AUDIT TOOLhttps://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/documents-2016/Walk-Audit-Tool-Kit/AARP-Walk-Audit-Tool-Kit-100416.pdf

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ABOUTTHE LERNER CENTER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTION

The Lerner Center was established at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 2011. The Center’s mission is to improve the health of the community through service, research, education, as well as advocacy and policy. The Center seeks to address a wide range of community health issues and opportunities, in partnership with residents and public and private partners. For more information, visit http://lernercenter.syr.edu.