A three-laning clarification
If you read my objections to three-laning Prince Avenue a day or so ago, you might think that I'm an anti-three-laning fella, which isn't the case.
I think the three-laning of Lumpkin Street has been very successful, and, though it generates considerably more traffic, the three-laning of Hawthorne Avenue isn't something I'd like to see undone in the immediate future. Why? Because those roads were incredibly narrow to start with and, particularly Lumpkin, feature large volumes of heavy foot traffic.
I don't think that's the case with Prince Avenue, which offers this community a unique opportunity. It's true there is a strong presence of pedestrians, namely down toward the Bottleworks end of things, but it's also true this is one of the wider roads in Athens-Clarke County. Coupled with the impending move of Prince Avenue Baptist Church, we've got real chance to create some special along that corridor ... one that preserves the existing lane of traffic for commuters from the westside of town, as well as ones from out-of-county, and/ creates a safe and special district for pedestrians and cyclists.
I think the three-laning of Lumpkin Street has been very successful, and, though it generates considerably more traffic, the three-laning of Hawthorne Avenue isn't something I'd like to see undone in the immediate future. Why? Because those roads were incredibly narrow to start with and, particularly Lumpkin, feature large volumes of heavy foot traffic.
I don't think that's the case with Prince Avenue, which offers this community a unique opportunity. It's true there is a strong presence of pedestrians, namely down toward the Bottleworks end of things, but it's also true this is one of the wider roads in Athens-Clarke County. Coupled with the impending move of Prince Avenue Baptist Church, we've got real chance to create some special along that corridor ... one that preserves the existing lane of traffic for commuters from the westside of town, as well as ones from out-of-county, and/ creates a safe and special district for pedestrians and cyclists.
posted by Jmac at 7:03 AM
3 Comments:
So what possibilities do you see for improving this area while avoiding a reconfiguration? Do you think it is possible to create a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly corridor while preserving Prince's status as a major four-lane artery?
My feeling is that it comes down to a functional decision: Is this a street that can handle shared priorities (safer for walking and bicycling, while remaining efficient in automobile circulation), or will we resign to it excluding all but the most brazen cyclists and pedestrians?
By the way, even ACC Transportation Public Works has said that three-laning, where appropriate, is better not only for people walking and cycling, but also driving. A reconfiguration will make the road safer for cars - though accident rates may rise, serious accidents/injuries have dropped significantly in the past.
Just my thoughts...
Good thoughts.
Again, my perception of what do for this road is colored by the fact that I use it quite frequently, and I happen to think the current set-up is conducive to our transportation needs. However, I can recognize there is a strong sentiment to amend the road to meet the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.
Now, will it be efficient in automobile circulation if we three-lane it? No one knows. I don't think Hawthorne is that efficient, but I happen to think that Lumpkin and Baxter work just fine.
Those three streets, however, don't see the volume of traffic that Prince Avenue does. As I've stated before, this is a primary corridor for folks coming in from Jackson County and the westside of Athens-Clarke County. The ability to preserve that, in my opinion, needs to take precedent (for a variety of reasons ranging from economic development/sustainance to appropriate transportation efficiency for commuters).
Which is why I say we have an opportunity with Prince Avenue Baptist Church's move. The majority of Prince Avenue, at least the majority of the portion discussed to be three-laned, is considerably wider than most streets in this community. This is primarily because of the existence of parking slots which are used most frequently by the church.
I would propose eliminating those parking spots following the move and converting those lanes into wider-than-normal bicycle lanes.
However, as we get closer toward downtown (by the Bottleworks and near The Grit), the road narrows. This appears to be the area of most concern from what I can gather. I'd like to see additional options on setting up a pedestrian-friendly environment down there (though, I will say, having frequented there much, I don't think it's not pedestrian-friendly now) through some possible traffic-calming procedures.
My main concern is that I don't want to see an essential transportation corridor which impacts a large portion of the community, and those outside it as well, amended to their detriment before we explore all the options.
It seems like you're failing to recognize transportation as a system: it includes more than roads, which usually feature more modes than cars. (This is just a note, and not a justification.)
You mention that you use Prince quite frequently; do you mean to say that you drive on it often? If so, saying that it's conducive to "our" transportation needs is largely biased on your experiences. I've driven, walked, and cycled quite a bit up and down Prince, and it only fits my needs well when I'm driving. Even then, I feel that traffic moves too fast. Imagine how someone like me, who will ride on almost any street or brazenly (sometimes obnoxiously) cross traffic on foot, feels when not protected by all that steel. Point is, streets serve people, whether they're in an automobile, on foot, or riding a bicycle.
Regarding the other streets that we've three-laned: I think the reason Hawthorne is seen by many as a failure is that one intersection with Broad. My reasoning for why it's a failure is that the sidewalks and bike "areas" (not wide enough or delineated in the correct way to be called "lanes") are completely inadequate. The others shine as examples of how to incorporate various modes, and ACC TPW should be congratulated on a job well done (although Baxter's bike areas leave some to be desired as well). Traffic congestion is something that we have to live with, and I don't think it's appropriate to sacrifice safety for ALL users for a couple minutes saved over a commute from Jackson County. Additionally, slower speeds might encourage more folks (admittedly, those who live in town) to commute by bike or on foot, as they're not losing as much time compared to the car, and it's just safer.
Also, it's not completely true that these streets have lower traffic volumes than Prince. Hawthorne's is actually higher, according to MACORTS's most recent online data (http://www.athensclarkecounty.com/%7Eplanningdept/macorts/MACORTS_Traffic_Counts_2004.pdf), both in the 2004 count and in the four-year average. Granted, Baxter's and Lumpkin's are lower...
Finally, the church doesn't occupy such a long stretch of Prince, and therefore wouldn't create opportunity for a decent span of bike lanes. But there's a lot of other parking that can be taken out along the road to do this, and really, what does the loss of an average of (just a guess) one to three parking spots per business do to the local economy?
I would agree, for the most part, that sidewalks on Prince are generally acceptable (with a few exceptions), but have you crossed the street on foot? What a mess, especially at the two "dummy sign" crosswalks that keep getting nailed by cars that continue to go way too fast regardless of whether someone is trying to cross. In terms of overall pedestrian-friendliness, the area gets big points for land use (setbacks, mixed uses, etc.) and aesthetics.
Not to be a jerk, but the last paragraph of your response really hit a nerve. Again, I'm not sure whether you're referring to "transportation" multi-modally - if you are, and you're saying changes to Prince aren't visibly necessary, that's an entirely different problem - but if not, it's just another example of ignorance (I mean that in the least offensive way possible) about urban issues. This includes planning, policy, economic development, social justice, and environmental quality.
Driving fast is not always the best way from A to B. Three-laning is one way (one of the only ways as of yet in Athens) to make things better for everyone - yes, usually even for cars - and could work very well on Prince.
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