Pawtucket Downtown Design PlanDesign Concepts8 September 2010

Thurlow Small archiTecTure

L + A Landscape ArchitectureMcMahon Associates Horsley Witten GroupHighchair designhaus

WHAT’S HAPPENING

RIPTA Rapid Bus - 2011

Bridge 550 - 2013

Blackstone Valley Bike Path - 2017

Commuter Rail Stop - 2020

Downtown Plan - ties all of this together

how Do i get to Downtown Pawtucket?

project 1project 1

how Do i get to Downtown Pawtucket?

follow The Turnpike

project 1

ALL ROADS LEAD TO MAIN STREET

Re-establish the natural routes to the historic city:

Valley Falls Turnpike 1813Norfolk Bristol Turnpike 1800Mineral Spring Turnpike 1827Providence East Turnpike 1825Providence Pawtucket Turnpike 1806The Boston Post Road 1753

project 1

Valley Falls TurnpikeLink to Central Falls & Cumberland

Norfolk Bristol TurnpikeLink to South Attleboro & Boston

Mineral Spring TurnpikeLink to North Providence & Connecticut

Providence East TurnpikeLink to east side of Providence

Providence Pawtucket TurnpikeLink to North Main in Providence

Boston Post RoadLink from New York City to Boston

project 1

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Rules for the Turnpike:

• Two-way traffic• Street parking neutral or positive• Bike accommodations• Special historic route signage• Special paving and striping

How does the system work?

Phases to get it built:

Short-term:• wayfinding signage• signal improvement

Medium-term:• intersection diet• bike accommodations

Long-term:• full street identity

project 1

Two-Way Main Street with On-street Parking

Raised shared space area•on-street parking neutral•Parking on both sides of street•Enforce on-street parking time limits•Public garage renovation & signage•Summer becomes local & safe•

project 1

project 2

how Do i move arounD Downtown Pawtucket?

project 2

how Do i move arounD Downtown Pawtucket?

Take exchange boulevard

ExCHANGE BOuLEVARD

Turn route at edge of downtown into a beautiful, functional, multi-transit, movement loop.

project 2

project 2

How does the system work?

Clear traffic protocolsIntersection diets•Preserve parking•Bicycle system integration•Sustainable plantings & trees•RIPTA buses on Roosevelt & Exchange Streets•Pawtucket-specific RIPTA bus shelters•Improved crossings across at Tolman High School•Normalize intersections & pedestrian signals•

ExcHANgE STREET coRRIdoR

BRoAd / goff / ExcHANgE INTERSEcTIoN

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RooSEvELT AvENuE & ExcHANgE STREET

RooSEvELT AvENuE & ExcHANgE STREET

HIgH STREET & ExcHANgE STREET

HIgH STREET & ExcHANgE STREET

project 3

i want to stoP, where Do i Put my car?

project 3

i want to stoP, where Do i Put my car?

ShorT Term? on The STreeT

long Term? look for The blue p

THE BLuE P

Historically, edges were for buildings.

The city is saturated with environmentally hostile surfaces that generate almost no tax revenue.

project 3

P

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How does the system work?

Create standard P signage at long-term parking spotsLots can show “public” “free” informationRenovate public parking garageImprove pedestrian linkages between lots and public space

Increase On-street parkingEnforce on-street time limitson-street parking must be parallel

Decrease Impermeable surface parkingchange downtown parking requirementsNew rainwater standardsuse permeable paving for future lots

project 3

How does the system work?

Create standard P signage at long-term parking spotsLots can show “public” “free” informationRenovate public parking garageImprove pedestrian linkages between lots and public space

Increase On-street parkingEnforce on-street time limitson-street parking must be parallel

Decrease Impermeable surface parkingchange downtown parking requirementsNew rainwater standardsuse permeable paving for future lots

project 4

where Do i go to exPlore? where is it safe to riDe my bike?

project 4

where Do i go to exPlore? where is it safe to riDe my bike?

Take a bike circulaTor

BIkE CIRCuLATORS

Link visitors to historic downtown, link students to schools.

Blackstone valley Bike Path becomes spine for two loops that connect it to important historic landmarks and local schools. Safe Routes to Schools as possible funding source.

project 4

HUB

HUB

project 5

where is recreation?

project 5

where is recreation?

The pawTuckeT riverway

PAWTuCkET RIVERWAY

Originally the source of power. Then damage. Now, an opportunity.

project 5

project 5

PAWTuCkET RIVERWAY

Originally the source of power. Then damage. Now, an opportunity.

Push for the coming Blackstone Valley Bike Path and leverage it by establishing a park system made of existing public property along the river.

project 6

how Do i move a business or DeveloP ProPerty?

project 6

how Do i move a business or DeveloP ProPerty?

uSe downTown guidance

Zoning & Land-use Housekeeping

Zoning and regulation should allow mixed use by right

goals to establish consistent heights limits and setback restrictions to create continuous street edge.

Coordinate City & Foundation efforts to focus on Main Street

with fire code requirements and reluctant owners, filling the buildings on Main Street is the hardest job in downtown, but it is the most important.

Make Development Guidelines Available

online resource supported by PBdc that allows for easy access to development guidelines, procedures, and regulatory documents.

Encourage open facades, street edge alignments, rehabilitating old buildings, contextual aesthetics, limited pavement.

Encourage PADS to be come a DID and support their streetscape efforts

Revolving fund for building facade improvements - owners get funding if they follow guidelines.

Streetscape improvement must flow with economic growth.

project 6

PDDP Outcomes

Project Vision Plan - the big picture

Design to 30% of 6 intersections - the immediate picture

Main Street focus,

Exchange Street focus, or

Riverway focus

Agency partnerships - everything in between

city of Pawtucket - leadership & mechanism

Pawtucket foundation - business community

RIdoT - bike path, bridge construction, TIP

RIPTA - rapid bus development

dEM - bike path & riverfront

federal level - funding programs