Editor’s Note: This story is part of a month-long series that highlights 31 ideas included in the “Mansfield Rising” plan. The 67-page document was created by 15 local leaders after attending the South by Southwest Conference last March in Austin, Texas.
Idea 14: Invest in our streets
MANSFIELD — The “Mansfield Rising” plan suggests the city adopts and implements a complete streets policy in the downtown area.
The plan explains complete streets make it easier to cross the road, walk to shops and bike to work. Meanwhile, traditional streets are designed to enable cars to move quickly and efficiently.
“A well-designed multimodal roadway infrastructure should be a vision of the future to satisfy the growing desire for an enhanced quality of life less dependent on the automobile,” the plan states.
To achieve this vision, the plan identifies a need to improve the bicycle and transportation network and to make transit more convenient and safer, encouraging alternatives to vehicle travel. The multi-modal improvements could be a phased approach over time.
The plan states the success of many of the strategies and action items will depend on the ability and ease of people to travel within the downtown area.
More than 1,325 entities across the nation have adopted a complete streets policy as an approach to align community goals with better outcomes for all modes of transport.
The plan asks Mansfield to adopt a complete streets policy in order to promote equal access to its transportation network for all users and ultimately provide varied options to access downtown conveniently and safely.
“By formal adoption of the complete streets policy, the city will reaffirm its commitment to improving the quality of life for residents,” the plan states.
Cost: As this is a policy goal, there would not be any cost associated with this idea unless a consultant is hired. The policy can be drafted by using templates and available online resources to adapt Mansfield to it.
Partners: The city engineer and Richland County Regional Planning Commission could provide the technical expertise to draft the policy. The Mansfield city council would need to adopt the policy.
Timeline: The timeline would be 12 to 18 months with public involvement and input.
Implement traffic calming measures
The “Mansfield Rising” plan includes an idea about implementing traffic calming measures as a safety precaution for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The plan says street development throughout the district should look to eliminate on-street parking, create narrower driving lanes and wider sidewalk standards.
It argues that the street space, including the pavement between the curbs, should be considered as a shared vehicular- and pedestrian-oriented space.
“Rather than design our streets and traffic flow to give favor to moving cars through as quickly as possible, traffic calming measures should be implemented to reduce traffic speed, reduce collisions and improve safety for other users,” the plan notes.
Lights could be timed to promote safety of pedestrians, the distance between the curbs could be reduced through curb extensions, and crossing islands could be placed at appropriate locations. Walking paths should be well-lit while respecting dark sky principles to prevent light pollution. Colorful sidewalks and crosswalks might contribute to a sense of playfulness, which in turn could increase a sense of safety.
The plan notes that “perception of safety is as crucial as actual safety” when looking at creating a network of spaces people will use to navigate downtown Mansfield. The “Mansfield Rising” team believes traffic calming and control will play an important role in successfully implementing this strategy.
The key locations for consideration include:
– Park Avenue for narrowing driving lanes, dedicated bike lanes, timing of traffic lights, elimination of on-street parking and crossing islands.
– Priority intersections include Main Street, Diamond Street, Mulberry Street and Sturges/Marion/Bowman streets at the five-way light.
– West Fourth Street to eliminate on-street parking, dedicated bike lanes, sidewalk expansions, and curb extensions, particularly at Walnut and Diamond Streets.
Cost: About 15 to 20 curb extensions will be needed at $15,000 to $25,000 apiece. Six to eight crossing islands are needed at $6,000 to $20,000 apiece. An additional $10,000 to $15,000 will be needed for two to three miles of road.
Partners: City of Mansfield, Richland Moves!, Regional Planning Commission, Ohio and U.S. Department of Transportation.
Timeline: The timeline is two to three years.
Enact car-free zone
Within five to eight years, the ‘Mansfield Rising’ plan proposes the implementation of car-free zones.
“We do a disservice to treat our streets purely as a utilitarian means to convey cars. Rather, we should promote a system of developing street infrastructure as a setting for public life,” the plan says. “Giving over 80 percent of our transportation infrastructure to accommodate the least efficient mode of transportation, namely the automobile, has a high cost to society.”
The plan says that infrastructure is more expensive to maintain and people tend to be less healthy.
It suggests car-free zones be considered in the transformation of downtown Mansfield streets. It cites the benefits of dedicated car-free zones as a “more robust economy” and “better health and safety.” Further, it could reduce exposure to air and soil pollutants and would allow people to move freely through the city without a car.
“Relegating vehicles to the perimeter of downtown also provides a safer environment and frees up significant space to accommodate a variety of activities, planned or impromptu,” the plan says.
The long range plan would be to integrate car-free zones with a system of pedestrians and bicycle paths throughout downtown.
Cost: As this is largely a policy change, the direct cost of enacting car-free zones are minimal. However, there could be substanital indirect costs. These are related to providing appropriate infrastructure for alternative means of transportation and making public transportation a bigger part of every day life.
Partners: Richland County Transit, Richland Moves!, Richland Public Health and the city of Mansfield
Timeline: Temporary car-free zones are already occurring during certain events. These will continue with greater frequency until such a time the permanent car-free zones could be enacted.
The plan notes, the success of permanent car-free zones are dependent on providing alternative means of transportation such as public transit and dedicated bike lanes.
Permanent car-free zones are expected to be enacted within the next five to eight years.
To start, one day could be identified as a car-free day, held in conjunction with a “Better Block Project.”
Join us for a live discussion of the “Ideas of March” series and the “Mansfield Rising” plan on Thursday, April 4.
