I remember reading this on Metrojax somewhere, but here it is in the times union.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100408/met_340084651.shtml (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100408/met_340084651.shtml)
I still don't understand how a roundabout is pedestrian friendly when the traffic no longer stops but just slows down.
Laura Street will never be what people envision it to be as long as there are 100s of homeless people hanging around
Laura Street will be a real happening once it gets all done. I'm looking forward to this. Let's do it! :D
A recent story from the T-U:
Laura Street Plan Seen as Boost for Downtown Foot Traffic
By David Bauerlein, The Times-Union
At lunchtime, a rare sight materializes on Laura Street in downtown Jacksonville.
People strolling the sidewalk outnumber cars on the street.
The bustle of shoe leather and high heels is unusual for car-dependent Jacksonville, which has been ranked as
one of the nation's most dangerous cities for walking.
Now city officials have targeted Laura Street as the place to showcase how a street can be designed so walkers come first, vehicles second.
A $2.3 million plan calls for widening Laura Street's sidewalks and removing obstacles on them. To slow down cars, the one-way street between Hemming Plaza and The Jacksonville Landing would be converted to two-way traffic with narrower lanes. A traffic roundabout would replace the signalized intersection where Laura Street meets Independent Drive in front of The Landing.
The ultimate goal is to attract more businesses to Laura Street because merchants will get more walk-in customers from downtown's workforce, said Paul Crawford, deputy executive director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.
"The businesses that are already out there will thrive, and you'll get additional businesses because people will want to walk on walkable streets," Crawford said. "It's as simple as that. It's really setting the table for businesses and property-owners."
In Northeast Florida, St. Augustine's historic district regularly wins praise for being easy to travel by foot. AAA named St. Augustine one of North America's 10 most walkable cities in 2006.
Jacksonville landed on a different top 10 list in 2004, when the Surface Transportation Policy Project released a Mean Streets report ranking Jacksonville the eighth most dangerous city for pedestrians. The nonprofit organization, which advocates for spending on alternatives to more roads, said suburban areas with wide, high-speed streets are the distinguishing feature of cities that are dangerous for walking.
Crawford said downtown is sliced by suburban-style streets whose lanes are as wide as Southside Boulevard's.
The makeover won't be the first for Laura Street. Over the years, the city has installed features such as shade trees and brick pavers to make the street appealing to the eye. The JEDC plan would replace aging pavers and add metal "gateway" signs arching over Laura Street.
Valerie Corring, who works downtown, said she doesn't think there's a need for changes along Laura Street.
"I never find myself squeezed, but I come from New York City," she said while taking a break with co-workers on a Laura Street sidewalk.
"It's not Broadway or Fifth Avenue," added Marilyn Bentley, also a New York City transplant.
They agreed with Nicole Lundquist that they're more nervous about encountering an aggressive panhandler than an aggressive driver.
"If they want to spend $2 million, they could spend that helping the homeless get off the streets by educating them and getting them jobs," Lundquist said.
The plan for Laura Street still needs City Council approval. Crawford said the money would come from a city program for sidewalk construction and tree planting, combined with funds already earmarked for downtown projects. Construction could start in mid-2009 and wrap up in mid-2010.
In addition to Laura Street, the JEDC wants to convert other one-way streets to two-way traffic. Laura Street would be part of a "loop" of streets going by destinations such as The Landing, Hyatt Regency, Florida Theatre, the downtown library, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Hemming Plaza.
Benoit Desclefs, owner of the Magnificat Cafe at the corner of Laura and Monroe streets, said he'd like to see Jacksonville turn Laura Street into a traffic-free plaza. He said European cities have had great success with pedestrian plazas that attract shoppers and diners.
"It's very pleasurable," he said. "You can walk around and look from shop to shop. You have everything you need."
That's probably too big a change for Jacksonville, he said, but the JEDC proposal would be a step in the right direction.
david.bauerlein@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581
Wow, I didn't know that the price had ballooned to $2 million. While I look forward to seeing the improvements, the quotes from the New Yorkers are right to a degree. We could probably achieve the same goals by simply lighting up the street, placing a few wayfaring signs and addressing the perceived security issue. Also, one thing not mentioned in the article is private sector improvements.
I know when we dibbled and dabbled with the Lighting Laura Plan, there was more emphasis placed on private sector improvements and how to encourage those improvements to happen. Illuminated business signage (similar to The Ivy's sign on Bay Street) and uplighting buildings at night are things that can really enhance the visual appeal of the corridor.
Quote from: jeh1980 on October 05, 2008, 12:17:09 AM
Laura Street will be a real happening once it gets all done. I'm looking forward to this. Let's do it! :D
Reconstructing Laura Street is a good thing! Let's have a nice, big HD video jumbotron, digital signage, and the restoration of the old Barnett Bank electronic clock while we're at it!!! :D 8)
I've noticed a crap load of spray painted markings all over Laura Street. Could this be the start of Laura improvements?!
^^^LOL4X!!!!!! ;D
QuoteRe: Laura Street improvements coming
Laura Street will never be what people envision it to be as long as there are 100s of homeless people hanging around
This is a real stretch. As someone who is downtown every week I do see occasional homeless, one here, a couple over on a bench, etc... But it's never like one has to battle through this wastland of human debris. Go to any mission at 5 or 6 PM and you'll see 30-60 or so getting ready to go in for the night. Lighthouse is busy
with a long and orderly line. Walk right past them, nobody will care. Over on Houston Street, the former red light district, a few scattered groups sit in the half walls and stairwells of old buildings waiting for the Salvation Army to open. Drive in there some time. They'll all jump up and start saying "Oh I'm sorry, was I in your way, excuse me, I didn't mean to get on your stairs..." No go figure, how would this Old Hippie know this stuff?
BECAUSE I DO DRIVE DOWN THERE, to share, to care, to listen. Sometimes people just need a friend to become people again...
Just for the record, two of AMERICA'S MOST WANTED, were captured WORKING as top employees, one at the landing, another on Beach Blvd. Neither was "homeless". OCKLAWAHA
It looks like the bagel shop on Laura "Bread & Butter" in the Elks Building has closed down.__ :( :(
God bless you Ocklawaha; at least you have and show compassion. I run a social service agency in Southwest Florida and liaison with the needy and homeless everyday...and, I have been there myself. Forgive them for they know not what they do.......sometimes it takes experiencing the other side to truly understand. But I do also understand those that don't understand those that are in need or homeless.
Heights Unknown
Quote from: Ocklawaha on October 23, 2008, 08:53:53 PM
QuoteRe: Laura Street improvements coming
Laura Street will never be what people envision it to be as long as there are 100s of homeless people hanging around
... They'll all jump up and start saying "Oh I'm sorry, was I in your way, excuse me, I didn't mean to get on your stairs..." ...
OCKLAWAHA
A few years ago I worked the morning shift at Good Shepherd church as a life guard at the pool. There was a guy every morning sleeping in the doorway who said this exact thing without fail when I woke him up @ 5AM. Then he would go on about his day.