Sidewalks. How do the sidewalks in the area feel? What sort of condition are the sidewalks in? Are there missing sidewalks or sidewalk gaps? What are some ways the sidewalks could be improved?
For the most important part, sidewalks felt even. Some areas had higher elevation than others but it wasn’t a massive difference. The condition of the sidewalks is good and they are well kept. The most you’ll find is a crack on the sidewalk but besides that nothing major. A way the sidewalks could be improved would be to make them more spacious. There are certain areas like in Cannon Dr where they seem to be too narrow.
Street width. Do streets appear to be an appropriate width? How does the street width affect traffic flow? Would it be better if the street were wider? How does the street width impact the existing character of the street?
There are certain streets where they are big enough to keep oncoming traffic moving. But then there are streets in which there is little space for cars to be able to move in without causing congestion. The way the width of the street impacts the character of the street is by showing the importance. By this, I am referring to how the major streets are the ones that tend to be wider, while the smaller streets aren’t nearly as wide.
Street safety. Do streets feel safe for pedestrian use? Are there sufficient safe street crossing opportunities? Is signal timing appropriate for pedestrian crossing phases? What are some ways street safety could be improved?
The streets do feel safe for pedestrian use. Throughout campus, there are various signs and lights that if followed provide an adequate amount of safety for the people walking. As for signal timing, I personally feel it is too short sometimes and cars tend to just run the red light if they don’t see students close to the crosswalk. A way the safety of the streets could be improved would be by finding a means of controlling the speed of cars on campus. One way this could be done would be by setting cameras to ensure cars aren’t speeding or running red lights.
Traffic flow. What are the traffic flow patterns? Is it one-way or two-way? Does this design seem appropriate for the area? Does the traffic speed seem safe? Do drivers appear to be adhering to traffic speed limits? What are some ways traffic flow could be improved?
The traffic flow seems to run rather smoothly in the smaller streets. While in the major streets there is a bit more congestion occurring. The smaller streets where different college buildings are located seem to be one way. Which is appropriate considering since it’s an area a lot of students would be using, minimizing the amount of traffic that occurs is the safest thing to do. Ways the traffic could be improved would be by blocking off more of the smaller streets within the campus or changing them to a one way so that they don’t get so filled with traffic.
Setbacks. Do the setbacks of properties seem appropriate? How do setbacks differ for different properties? How do these differences affect the character of the neighbourhood?
The setbacks for the buildings do seem appropriate considering the ones located on the main streets have larger setback areas. While the smaller buildings such as the ones by the oval have a smaller setback area. These differences affect the character of the neighborhood by allowing how much activity can go on there. For example, Knowlton has a large setback that allows certain classes to occur outside, as long as they are following the social distance guidelines. So the extra space adds to how much people will actually use that area on a day to day basis.
Building use. Does building use make sense? Does the use of any buildings seem to be out of sync with other uses in the area? Are building uses appropriate for the location? Why or why not?
The buildings for the most part do make sense and appear to be in sync with other areas. There are certain buildings that are taller and or longer but I feel that is directly related to how much students and staff use that building. As for their location, the buildings are in a convenient and accessible location for most students. There are streets that separate these buildings but even then they don’t pose any significant danger for students.
Parking. Does there appear to be sufficient amount of parking? Does the configuration seem appropriate and functional? Would you change anything about the parking layout? What are some ways parking could be improved?
Yes throughout campus there are various parking lots for cars to use. Even buildings have their own smaller parking lots that they can use. The way the parking lots are set does appear to be functional. Since they mainly appear in the major streets but if they appear in a smaller street it’s right in the entrance or close to where the street begins. If I could change/improve something about the parking lots would be to make them appear more pleasing to the eye since they all tend to look the same. As well as make a section that’s free parking for people to use.
Accessibility. How is the city designed in terms of accessibility for persons with disabilities? Are there sufficient curb ramps? Can you identify ways that the area can be more inclusive of diverse needs?
The city is designed in a way that could help people who have disabilities. But besides that, there aren’t a lot of buildings that appear to have curb ramps to get into them. While some are present when I was walking around campus it wasn’t that common for me to run into one. A way they are can be more inclusive is to have less steep or elevated areas where buildings are located. Since this could be an obstacle for people with certain disabilities.
Green Space. How much or how little is there in comparison to the buildings? How is the space available for use, that is, places to sit and stay in that space awhile versus paths for just walking through? What are the effects of having or not having adequate green/open space?
The green space throughout campus has a good ratio of the number of buildings that are present. The green space that is available has plenty of trees planted and open land that can be used for all sorts of recreation. The places in which you can stay and work have benches and tables set for people to use, while sidewalks or parts of the buildings that have green space just have trees and other plant life planted. The effect of having an adequate amount of green space is that it adds more life to campus. By this, I am referring to how the green space brings in more life to the school such as plants and wildlife. Not only that but it encourages people to go out and walk or do their work outside.