CRPLAN BLOG 3
Team Reimagined
Garrison, Brendan, Hayden and Sean
Some of the problems in which we discovered and discussed amongst our group was that there’s no bike lanes, the cross-walk signs are outdated, the sidewalks/streets are filled with trash, no place to take a break and sit, the Dunkin Donuts sign looks outdated and out of place, and the layout of the Dunkin Donuts, Joy Village, etc. is very awkward and doesn’t fit the location. The first solution we came up with was introducing a bike lane separated from the regular lane. Next we decided that the cross-walk signs could be updated by adding flashing lights to indicate people are crossing the street. The excessive trash problem would be resolved mostly by adding more trash/recycle cans along both sides of the street. Also, with nowhere to take a break and sit we planned on adding benches and different sorts of seating along both sides of the street. The last two problems can be resolved by changing the layout and updating the part of the block where Dunkin Donuts, Joy Village, etc. is located.
One of the largest issues that affects the High Street corridor between Lane Avenue and Woodruff Avenue is the lack of a dedicated bicycle lane. The addition of a dedicated bike lane on both the north and south bound sides of High Street would allow for better circulation of traffic, and would be a safer alternative than the current sharing of lanes. An example of a properly implemented dedicated bicycle lanes in Columbus, are the bike lanes on 4th Street and Summit Street pictured below. A proposed sketch of the bike lane is shown below (The bike lanes are shaded in white and yellow dotted lines).
Fourth Street bike lane shown on the right.
Another problem that could be addressed is the crosswalks located along High Street. In my experience as a pedestrian, it can be difficult to cross High Street using the crosswalks, especially when it becomes dark due to the low visibility. As a driver, I’ve found it difficult to see pedestrians waiting to cross the street, and a very simple and cost effective solution would be to add flashing lights to the crosswalk sign, that pedestrians could activate by pressing a button. This would make drivers aware that people are preparing to cross. This would make it safer for both oncoming drivers, and pedestrians crossing the street.
Current crosswalk signage on High Street.
(The sketch above; the street light up close is surrounded by alert lights to tell the driver that students are on the walkways)
Implementing one of these two plans would be rather costly. Adding in a dedicated bike lane would benefit the hundreds of students who ride their bikes down High Street, and between Lane Avenue and Woodruff Avenue, however the cost of modifying the roads and sidewalks would be a concern not counting in the wave of traffic that would occur during construction. For this to happen, planners would have to interact with students who use a bike, scooter, skateboard, to get around on the sidewalks, and others who are in support of the proposal. If there’s enough support, the planners who then collect enough funds to open way for construction. The flashlight crosswalk plan would be a very effective strategy, since many more people use the crosswalks to cross roads around campus or off campus. This would bring in tons of support from typical OSU students and other regular pedestrians, and could easily bring in funds for the project. It would also be very cost effective, as you wouldn’t need to shut down significant parts of High Street to install the lights onto the crosswalk signs.
OUTLINE
- Add bike lane to improve bicycle safety. Heavy traffic on High St. makes it unsafe for people on bikes.
- Improve crosswalk signs by adding flashing lights to indicate people are crossing the street.
- Add more trash cans and recycling bins on the OSU side of High St.
- Add benches or seating options to both sides of the street.
- Fix sign for Dunkin Donuts, Joy Village, etc.
- Fix sidewalk cracks and breaks.
- Wheelchair access/ramps from the front of the building to Dunkin Donuts, Joy Village, etc. and change layout/remodel.