Bike Ped Advisory Board handout re: Duckpond Park

This is a project that I have presented to the local Neighborhood Association and the City of Gainesville Bicycle & Pedestrian Board. It has been recommended that we continue to refine a set of improvements that all neighbors can agree upon, and then it can be recommended for funding. See http://historicduckpond.com/ for more information.

Duckpond Park Enhancement: pedestrian/cyclist focus
Jay McLeod
jay.w.mcleod@gmail.com

Duckpond Park Headwaters Vision (at NE 10^th Ave and NE 1^st St): A new water feature and increased pedestrian and cyclist facilities.

Justification

The historic Duckpond Park is a local gem. Many people enjoy it daily whether to feed the ducks, see the creek, or admire the historic architecture. Although there has been significant recent investment to upgrade the park, much work is still needed. The park is still very fragmented, and does not facilitate pedestrian, or cyclist enjoyment. Pedestrians have no internal walking path, and instead have to rely on an unconnected sidewalk that crosses many busy roads. Cyclists have no designated areas, and have to cross the same busy roads, which lack pedestrian-awareness signage. However, with a few minor enhancements, Duckpond Park is an ideal place to implement pedestrian/cyclist design strategies to create a more accessible linear pedestrian park with city-wide access and appeal.

Goals of the Enhancement

The Duckpond Park Enhancement can be implemented as an integrated whole, or in separate stages that may have less function than the whole, but will still improve upon present conditions.

· Prioritize a pedestrian and bicycle environment conducive to physical exercise, passive recreation, and interaction with nature.

· Restore a linear connection for the neighborhood, park-goers, cyclists, wildlife, and the creek.

· Create a regional connection for pedestrians and cyclists that links to other greenspaces and provides opportunities for alternative commuting.

· Keep the project achievable in the short term by having multiple levels of implementation and using combinations of low-tech and high-tech solutions, as well as low-cost and high-cost alternatives.

Design Integration

1. Internal, pervious pedestrian walking path, painted crosswalks (with speed bumps as appropriate to facilitate pedestrian crossings), and the addition of benches, trees, a riparian buffer, trash cans, doggie-bag stands, and pedestrian-oriented street lamps. The first step in creating a linear park is to make it accessible and useable for people. Strictly delineated areas for pedestrian movement are necessary to facilitate safety and park-usage.

a. Low-cost option: Add an internal, pervious pedestrian path, and maximize bench and garbage can location to provide for the majority of users. Add doggie-bag stands to prevent stream pollution.

b. High-cost option: Add an internal, pervious pedestrian path that can be used at night with low-energy, LED street lamps. Make benches, garbage cans, and doggie-bag stands available frequently. Provide painted pedestrian crossings, pedestrian priority, and speed bumps along NE 8^th Ave and NE 10^th Ave as necessary to facilitate pedestrian movement, especially across the busy roads. Explore the use of “crossing flags” (as in Salt Lake City) and motion-activated flashing lights to increase pedestrian visibility. Use tree plantings and riparian buffer plantings to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment. Add signage detailing local features, history, and the historic architecture. Add a water feature at the headwaters of the park (near Main St; see graphic above) to provide an entry feature/anchor for the park. Address the need for increased sidewalk connectivity surrounding the park.

2. Addition of bike lanes surrounding the park. Provide a painted bike lane around Duckpond Park, flowing counter-clockwise along the inside of the traffic lane, abutting the park. Provide crossings and signage where appropriate to prevent collisions. Remove portions of speed bumps to facilitate unhindered bicycle movement.

a. Low-cost option: Stripe the bike lane on the inside of the road surrounding the park.

b. High-cost option: Stripe the bike lane on the inside of the road surrounding the park. Provide crossings and signage to prevent collisions, with flashing lights and cyclist priority. Physically separate the bike path from traffic at potentially dangerous areas. Raise some intersections as necessary. Remove portions of speed bumps to facilitate cyclist experience.

3. Closing or reducing traffic at the bridges on NE 6^th, 7^th, and 9^th Avenues, and instead create nodes of pedestrian interaction, potentially reorganizing the surrounding roads and intersections to facilitate pedestrian movement. The closing of these avenues and subsequent creation of 3 pedestrian nodes of activity (possibly a playground, gazebo, community garden, or orchard) represent a fundamental paradigm shift in reclaiming the linear Duckpond Park for people. The Duckpond would then balance pedestrian interests (at 6^th, 7^th, and 9^th Avenues) with automobile crossings (5^th, 8^th, 10^th Avenues, and 2^nd St). These intersections have been chosen because they have very low traffic volume and do not provide any significant local automobile connectivity. Tearing up the pavement at the aforementioned bridges, and replanting with native plants or grass would be a significant step toward protecting the creek and increasing storm water quality. Any reorganizing of surrounding roads and intersections must maintain pedestrian and bicycle access, and bioretention/rain gardens can be created in strategic locations to accept and treat storm water from the surrounding areas. This is the lynch pin to creating a pedestrian-centric park.

a. Low-cost option: Reduce the traffic lanes on the bridges to greatly slow traffic, effectively eliminating non-local traffic. Traffic could also be discouraged by placing cumbersome speed bumps on the bridges. Or place bollards or large concrete planters where NE 6^th, 7^th, and 9^th Avenues cross Duckpond Park. These obstructions will prevent automobile traffic, but will maintain pedestrian and cyclist access. Bridges can be temporarily closed as a trial.

b. High-cost option: Tear up the pavement on the NE 6^th, 7^th, and 9^th Avenue bridges and create pedestrian nodes of activity: a large, event gazebo on 6^th Ave (overlooking the duck pond), a children’s playground at 7^th Ave, and a community orchard at 9^th Ave. Reorganize the road intersections surrounding these areas to maintain pedestrian and cyclist connectivity, and re-route automobile traffic around the park. This will create a promenade around the park that will allow automobiles to circulate, but will not prioritize them. Add strategic rain gardens.

4. City-wide integration of Duckpond Park bike path with the 6^th Street Rail-Trail (to the west, via NE 10^th ave), the 2^nd Avenue Bike-Trail (to the south, via NE 5^th St), and eventually to Depot Avenue Rail-Trail (further south, via the GRU downtown property purchase along Sweetwater Branch). By extending the Duckpond Park bike lane westward along NE 10^th Avenue, a connection can be made with the 6^th Street Rail-Trail, creating a city-wide bicycle recreation and commuting opportunity. By making NE 5^th Street a north-running, one-way street from University Ave to Duckpond Park, and using the remaining space for a two-way bike lane, a connection can be made with Sweetwater Park downtown, which will soon connect all the way to Depot Park and the Rail-Trail. A one-way street is recommended because of the low-volume of traffic on NE 5^th Street, as well as the necessity to maintain a cyclist prioritized trail. This regional connectivity will create the opportunity and allure to safely use bicycles for work-commuting, recreational, family-oriented, and shopping-related cycling. Between these four bike trails, a user can grocery shop, patronize downtown businesses, experience local parks and historic venues, visit the library, and visit friends or family.

a. Low-cost option: Use signage and striping on NE 5^th St and NE 10^th Ave to indicate bicycle presence and priority, without changing the flow of traffic.

b. High-cost option: Use signage and striping on NE 10^th Ave to indicate bicycle presence and priority, without changing the flow of traffic. Make NE 5^th St a northern-only, one-way road, and convert the decommissioned lane into a two-way bike path, possibly with pedestrian area also. Remove portions of the speed bumps to facilitate bike traffic. Create a pedestrian crossing, median refuge, “Yield to Pedestrian” signs, and flashing light on University Ave to alert drivers to pedestrian/cyclist presence.

Gainesville’s climate and demography make it ripe for the creation of a substantial park system focused on ecosystem services, and connected by a cohesive pedestrian/cyclist network.