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Project 10Tri-Party Downtown Street

Improvements

San Antonio, Texas

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Downtown

Major tourist attraction

Home of the Riverwalk

Declining retail center

Major office center

Streets in poor condition

Traffic congestion on major streets

Source: http://gosw.about.com/od/sanantoniotexas/ss/Riverwalk_2.htm

Successful CSS Examples – Texas and BeyondSuccessful CSS Examples – Texas and Beyond

DOA, VIA Desires Improve downtown business

environment

Improve transit attractiveness and operations

(VIA) Convert Houston Street to “streetcar” street

(City) Improve traffic conditions and appearance

(DOA) Streetscape and other aesthetics improvements

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Source: TTI

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Underlying Challenge

City, DOA, VIA challenged to coordinate

Partnership needed to succeed

Via had funding

DOA had stakeholder ears

City owned right of way

Many political agendas

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Source: http://photohome.com/photos/texas-pictures/san-antonio/downtown-san-antonio-1.html

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CSS Approach – Stakeholders

Tri-party agreement

Stakeholder committees

Policy (chair: DOA)

Executive (chair: City)

Technical (chair: VIA)

Project management firm to manage process

Public input to refine process

Convention center at night. Source: http://meetings.visitsanantonio.com/henry-b-gonzalez-convention-center-2

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CSS Approach – Stakeholders

Tri-party agreement

Stakeholder committees

Policy (chair: DOA)

Executive (chair: City)

Technical (chair: VIA)

Project management firm to manage process

Public input to refine process

Worked with each abutting property owner

Convention center at night. Source: http://meetings.visitsanantonio.com/henry-b-gonzalez-convention-center-2

Successful CSS Examples – Texas and BeyondSuccessful CSS Examples – Texas and Beyond 7

CSS Approach – Features

Adaptive design Different roles, priorities, features for each

street Multimodal Design flexibility Strategic construction sequencing

Reduce duration of project Maintain operations

Transit Traffic Walkways

Reconfigured intersection with transit center. (Google Earth)

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Design Features (70 blocks)

Converted 2 21-ways streets to 2-way

Narrowed Houston Street to 2 lanes, primarily for “streetcars”

Traffic improvements

Geometrics (eliminated offsets)

Signal timing, coordination

Reconstructed transit streets

Shelters

Sidewalk enhancements, streetscaping

Wayfinding sign system

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Commerce Street. Source: TTI

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Design Features (70 blocks)

Changed character of Alamo Street, Plaza Limestone pavers

Slow street

“Streetcars”

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Alamo Street at Alamo Plaza. Source: TTI

Alamo Street sidewalk showing alignment of old acequia which carried water to the area. (Source: Ben Brewer)