Community Meeting Number 2 Wednesday June 1st, 2011

ADISON STREET

“Streets are not just for moving traffic, they are our shared public spaces”.
 What are we presenting tonight?

An in-progress look at the work of a wonderful Steering Committee

of concerned citizens, business and property owners

who worked diligently for almost 6 months on

Concepts for a Renewed Madison Street

under the watchful eye of the Village Manger and Staff

How do we present 6 months of work at one meeting AND how did the design team get here?
Selection Process for Design Team

Request For Proposals Issued

Proposals Reviewed by Village

Interviews of Teams

and Final Selection by Village Staff

and Representatives of
The Madison Street Business Association
 The Project Team

PHASE I PHASE II PHASE III

Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd.

Christopher B. Burke P ROJECT ENGINEERS CONSTRUCTION

Engineering, Ltd.
Jason Souden, PE M ANAGER
Bryan Luke, PE W. Daniel Crosson, PE

RESIDENT
ENGINEERS
TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY DECORATIVE LIGHTING Lisa Gasperec, PE
John Murphy, PE, PLS John Caruso, PE Tracy Wais, EI
Anthony DeRicco, PE, LEED AP

thomas engineering
group, llc
.

Urban Design and Landscape Design

5 members of Altamanu live and/or were raised in Oak Park

Local Knowledge and Worked with the Community – 10 park master plans

High Standard of Urban and Streetscape Design

Streetscapes – City of Chicago, Winnetka, Batavia, many with CBBEL including first road diet in Chicago that has already become a model
ALTAMANU INC.

Sustainability

Green storm water management systems, Permeable pavement, storm water planters, bio-swales, constructed soils,
Silva Cells, Root Paths, Root aeration matting, Recycling materials Sustainable Planting. Native Planting, LED technology

Perm Bio native Underground

e-able
Green adapted
storm sustainable
Roof Swale Water materials
pavements plants retention

Worked with CBBEL and SSE on Sustainable Projects – Lawrence Avenue – University of Chicago – Chicago Ped Plan
 Founded in 1986, grown to 225 employees (Bryan Luke used to live on Ridgeland)
 88 PEs (4 with PhDs), 2 SEs, 5 PLSs, 1 ASLA, 18 CPESCs and 34 CFMs

 Full Range of Engineering, Surveying & Environmental Services

 Engineers with Expertise in Streetscape Design including:

 Environmental Studies  Traffic Signal Design

 Geometric Studies  Construction Engineering
 Traffic Modeling/Analysis  Sustainable Development
 Plans, Specifications and  Stormwater management
Estimates  Lighting
 Permitting  Re-use of materials
 Lighting Design  Designing to purpose/need of project

 Experience in Public Involvement and IDOT Coordination

 Extensive Municipal Engineering Experience

Recent Streetscape Experience

Phase I & II (Concept & Engineering Design)

Lawrence Avenue Sscp, Chicago
95th Street Sscp, Chicago
Devon Avenue Sscp, Chicago
• All with Altamanu

Phase III (Construction Services)

Ridgeland Ave Resurfacing, Oak Park
North Avenue Sscp, Oak Park

Phase I, II & III

Lockport Street Sscp, Plainfield
Old Main Street Sscp, Roselle
Franklin Street Sscp, Forest Park
Lawrence Avenue Sscp, Harwood Heights
Multi-Disciplinary – Innovative Solutions

90+ Employees

Engineers, Planners, Urban Designers

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York,
Newark, Philadelphia, Tampa, Washington, DC

Expertise
Traffic Engineering
Transportation Planning
Planning and Urban Design
Transit and Rail Services
Community Outreach
Construction Engineering + Inspection
Traffic Safety + Research
Pedestrian Management
Recent Streetscape Experience

Traffic Management
Instant space New York

Shared/Complete Streets
Bucktown Wicker Park
University of Chicago

Road diets, bike/Ped systems

Projects with Altamanu: Transportation Plan for the University of Chicago and The Chicago Pedestrian Plan
TONIGHT

• Differing Perspectives of the Street

Neighbors, Village Trustees, Business Association

• The Once and Future Street

The various incarnations of Madison Street

• Urban Design
Creating Spaces and Places

• Design Alternatives

• Discussion
How do Neighbors (a variety of groups) view Madison Street?

We avoid Madison unless we are travelling across town

It is a barrier between neighborhoods
Madison is for outsiders we do not use it very much
(Regional versus Local, No perceived ownership)
Safer to use side streets because of speeding traffic
Not ped friendly
Traffic is too fast
Scary and Dangerous, Slow traffic down

What will be the return on our investment?

It doesn't need to be like Forest Park (uses not appearance)
Some of the Comments by Trustees

Change is needed
It is not working well now
It needs economic regeneration
Many empty sites
If we are going to do it we do it well
We need to set the stage for redevelopment

Madison Street should be:

Progressive, Dramatic, Distinctive, Forward looking

Pedestrian friendly, Promote Health
Cutting edge, Sustainable, Welcoming,
Make a regional and national statement,
Put Oak Park back on the map

but
Keep or add to parking …….
And give us a good return on our investment
 Some of the Comments by Business Community

Forest Park is a good example

If I hear about Forest Park again I will scream

• Safety and Security, lights will help

If we got new lighting it would be a victory
Consensus on
• Sustainable, walkable, ped friendly, healthy, sense of community
these issues
• Slower traffic, better for business

• Need pedestrians and vibrancy

• Connect North South across Madison

Was auto and lively but that’s gone, what will bring vibrancy?

If redeveloped we will need more parking (Example Al’s Grille)

Tough just trying to stay in business, taxes,

Need more density

Madison Street – Once and Future Street

Some of the many incarnations of Madison Street

1903
85 years

1988
Some of the many incarnations of Madison Street

Recognize the View?

Wendy’s and Jiffy Lube and sidewalks – Are they invested in the community?
Some of the many incarnations of Madison Street

Auto Row Sales, Service and Parts

 What is Waning What is Coming

Auto Row Standard American

Sales and Service Commercial Strip w/
Drive-Through or Large Parking Lot

Many sites “Await the Impetus to Change” and maybe that is what we can supply
However………………Chicken and Waffles is doing well and uses street parking
Though drop-off is an issue. What happens if other similar business’s open?

?
So which way do we go?
 Many undeveloped Sites
“Await the Impetus to Change
and maybe that is what we can supply”

Member of the Madison Street Steering Committee

So what can streetscape treatments do for our local economy

and for our residents
• Our streets establish our image of our community. What does Madison say to us?

• Our streets instantly communicate our shared identity to resident and visitor alike.
(What others think about us? Particularly if they use Harlem and Madison)

• Streetscape treatments instantly convey the level of commitment a community is

willing to undertake to assist development.

• Our streets and their character attract visitors and enhance the lives of our residents.

Streetscape treatments effects the health, vitality, safety, quality of life, connectivity
and therefore the economic welfare of all of us
Cross section is 72 ft
What does this streetscape say - Harsh environment would you stroll and shop here?
no trees and sidewalk is 8’-10” at Chase on south side and 8‘-3” on north at District 97.
It was a Parking /Auto corridor The parking certainly remains but the buildings are going

Individualized Parking Lots Some Grandfathered In

Parking lot for Comcast Building Parking for Leona's and Schools
Parking lot for Walgreens

Looking East from Carpenter

Village did a great job with screening the Walgreen’s Lot

But Parking Lots create long stretches of negative space and no development.
Why would anyone walk along here?
 120 ft cross section

Much wider cross section (+48 ft) 120 versus 72 ft but what does it feel like to be on Madison?
 Lets look at the street

Some streets do not go through - Staggered Intersections make traffic movement more difficult

Staggered intersection and cul-de-sacs

Cul-de -sac
Who counts at a Typical Staggered Intersection? Cars, Pedestrians, Bikes?
The work of the transportation engineer is not easy

Staggered intersection at Scoville

Here are the movements accommodated

Staggered intersection at Scoville

Now add in Pedestrians and Cyclists

Staggered intersection at Scoville

The Result…………………………………..

“We have made it safer for cars and trucks than for our kids” Resident
 Why do neighbors dislike the Street?

Traditional Street Design

We want to change this

“Often pedestrians are not even seen as legitimate users of the road. Until recently they
were referred to as ‘traffic flow interruptions’ in the Highway Capacity Manual, the
primary road design reference book for traffic engineers.”
Caught in the Crosswalk, Surface Transportation Policy Project, 1999
 The larger community has expressed the need and a desire for change
We do not want to be ‘traffic flow interruptions’

“Our health is the issue”

Walkable Communities
 But Oak Park is known as a place to raise kids right????

“We have made it safer for cars and trucks than for our kids” Resident
Amazing how many major schools are north of Madison

St Catherine's/ St Lucy
 Let’s go to Julian, We care about
our kids…………………………...right?
Right hand turn lane 8 turns per hour

Path is cut by turning lanes, blocked by signs, have to walk in CVS property, has no island refuge.
So what is really important at this intersection?
And Fenwick……………………………………………………
No pedestrian refuge
The Once and Future Street – Which way to go

The street is not pedestrian or bike friendly

Is seen as a barrier and unsafe by community and the by

business community

We want the community to use it more

(Village and Business Community)

And for the community to take ownership

Then it will have to change

It lacks a clear identity

25 to 30% of users go straight through and do not stop

Is Madison Street merely a traffic bye pass for I-290?

What should Madison Street be?

From the Master Plan – Minimal Impact Scheme

Trees only at new setbacks, new lights, signage…………………….this we can do as one alternate
We want to have a more positive impact
From the Master Plan – Minimal Impact Scheme – No Major Change
We set out to see if we could do more

Lights, enhanced median, areas for outdoor seating – no major change

Working with The Madison Street Steering Committee

We have looked at many, many, many Design Alternates

Consensus that Madison Street should be a complete street

What is a complete street?

The entire right of way is designed and operated to enable safe access for all users

And we would add with RESPECT for all users

But we went further

A highway has only one function: traffic circulation.
City Streets and plazas have many functions they are
our public spaces.

You show what is important by how you layout a space

If it is laid out for speed and traffic that is what you will get!!!

And if you consider other functions besides auto/truck traffic,

then you persuade people by the layout to behave differently

Madison is wide and people speed

 Should bikes be on Madison or on Side streets?
Could become a very important link from Prairie Path to the City

Federal Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood

LaHood’s encouragement of more urban biking

has been echoed by incoming mayor Rahm Emanuel
who has pledged to create a “world-class bike network”

and has hired Gabe Klein, former head of Washington

D.C.'s Department of Transportation, to fill that role in the
Windy City.
 Should bikes be on Madison?
Could become a very important link from Prairie Path to City

• Oak Park Bike Map

Remember
We want to change the image of Madison Street
We want to give a different message

The Oak Park Bicycle Plan calls for bike routes

through the other commercial corridors in Oak Park,
why not Madison St. as well?

A protected bike lane would provide a strong east-

west bicycle connection on the south side of town

“But for this to happen we would need a very

different street”
Discussion on regional bike system : Jackson mentioned as the preferred route regionally
But Madison bike lanes could connect to system at Home and Lombard
and we could work with the City to make more connections
We looked at using the median for bike lanes and a linear park but too many turning
movements and too broken up

Bike Lanes in Center Median

 LOMBARD TO OAK PARK
Dedicated protected bike lane
(Cycle Track)
- Along edge of the parkway
- Reduced parkway
- Potential access issues
- Lose some parkway trees
- Bike/Auto service conflict

Buffered Bike Lane –

Could be rumble strips –
No change in overall dimensions
But could be issue for
Emergency Vehicles
 If Madison is too wide, a barrier, traffic too fast, scary

Maybe we can change the entire format of the street.

Then we began examining the possibility of a Road Diet

What is that?
Narrowing a roadway
Reducing the number of lanes or lane width and adding
it to pedestrian realm and/or adding bike lanes

Benefits include:
Increased safety,
Cross the road more easily
Reduced vehicle speeds
Reduced collisions and injuries, and
Improved livability and quality of life
New image for the entire street
El Cajon, CA

•Completed road diet in their downtown (4 to 2 lanes)

•Slowed traffic and widened sidewalks
•Property values increased 181%
(compared to citywide increase of 75%)
•179 new businesses opened and 746 jobs were created
•Much safer with fewer collisions

Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA

•Completed road diet (4 to 3 lanes with bike lanes)

•Majority of merchants thought that slowing

traffic down had been good for business

•73% of merchants believed that it had improved

the attractiveness of the street
 Yeah, Yeah that’s
California what about
in a climate like ours
Research on Road Diets Canada is way ahead

Cities like Toronto have been doing it for twenty years

Typically, three- and four-lane roads

narrowed to two or three lanes.

Reclaiming Streets for People: Sidewalk Café's in Halifax

Business owners use enlarged sidewalks,

The goals of the St. George Street revitalization were to

calm traffic on this street, to increase pedestrian and
cycling amenities, and in general, to create a more
pleasant area.

4 lanes on St. George Street were reduced to 2

sidewalks were widened and greenery was added.
Speed and traffic collisions have decreased

Road diet in Toronto

gives spaces for pedestrians
Prior to construction of the first bicycle lanes in the early 1990s, the
Toronto Police had regular speed traps .

When road narrowed

Speed was automatically reduced.
Drivers also slowed down at pedestrian crossings.
(change in perception and behavior)

Traffic collisions decreased.

The six-year period following road
narrowing saw a decrease of 40%

BUT………………………………………

By 2003, in 6 years Narrow Sidewalks

virtually the same number of cars enlarged, bike lanes,
travelled on the road. raised crosswalks,
plazas, seating, trees
and planting added,
Road used for community events.

Since 2001, the city has closed a section of St. George as part of its annual Car Free Day, and
other community and city events. (we thought of that for in front of Village Hall)

Domino effects. Based on the success of the St. George road diet, the city narrowed other roads
 From report on Valencia Street Road Diet

Although the project was initially controversial within the local department of
transportation and some members of the community, the general consensus is
that the project is a success. Bicycling along the street has increased dramatically
and has made the street the second most heavily used bicycle route in the city.

The merchants association has shown support for the road diet that has made the
street seem like more of a destination rather than a drive through arterial

SEEM FAMILIAR?
Some of the Schemes we looked at
 LOMBARD TO OAK PARK
No Road Diet

+ Cross section as is
No Road Diet
Dedicated protected bike lane
- Reduced parkway
- Potential access issues
- Lose some parkway trees
- Bike/Auto service conflict

+ Cross section as is
No Road Diet
Buffered Bike Lane –
Could be rumble strips –
No change in overall dimensions
LOMBARD TO OAK PARK ROAD DIET

Road diet
+ Dedicated and protected bike lane
- Maneuverability for Emergency vehicles
- Parking maneuver uses thru lane could
back up
- Drainage and snow clearing issues

Same but bike lane and sidewalk flush

This one is not considered a good
solution as peds and bikes mix
 AUSTIN TO OAK PARK

Road diet
+ Dedicated protected bike lane
- Bike/Auto/Services conflict but
limited to north side of street
- May lose some median trees since
median shifts
- Parking maneuver uses thru lane

Committee felt this was too strange

Then we took another approach and widened the Parkways

LOMBARD

Road Diet with Bike lane and wider parkway +6.5’

Emergency vehicles?
The extra pedestrian space could be used for a naturalized linear park setting – as in Master Plan
Or used for events, outdoor restaurants, mini plazas
 We seemed to be heading in this direction
and then we reviewed Home to Oak Park again
We would like trees, maybe wider sidewalks
Concept of wider sidewalks with trees, and a center turning lane and a single through lane
But if we keep the sidewalks at the same width we could have bike lanes to Home
Add trees and Remove obstacles in the pedestrian environment including large scale signage
However way finding will still be important
A dedicated bike lane was examined and was decided it took up too much space
A shared lane for bikes was decided on instead
 Comments from the Committee

“If we have a three lane cross section from Home to Oak Park Avenue
could we have the same cross section of roadway all the way”
That way all users would know what to expect

But that would mean taking out the Median.

Median improvements cost $250,000 in 2004-5

But we could reuse the Pre cast Planters and save most of the grasses and
some of the trees

Big move but what would the benefits be?

Lets take a look
Existing Typical
With Road Diet and Cycle Track
• Easier and safer
to cross

• Less of a barrier

• Increased
synergy between
sides of street

• For retail and

access to parking
Certainly announces Oak Park and gives a message
Respect for all
Gives the street back to the community

Draws the two sides of the street together

Aid to synergy between businesses and parking

Slows traffic
Easier to cross
Safer
Aesthetically pleasing
And
We could reuse the Precast Planters and we could save some of the the trees/plantings
Alternate 1 a scheme that really makes a change

Road Diet, Median removed, Curbs move into road,

Cycle Track with larger parkway (22” becomes 29.5’)
Notice there are roadway lights and separate Ped. lights
With bump outs at the corners the
crossing distance is reduced to 32 ft.
Making street feel much narrower
crossing reduced from 76’ to 32’

Comparison with EXISTING

Reuse of the Planters and we could save some of the the trees and plantings
Road Diet, but curbs do not move, Bike Lane with larger parkway (22” becomes 26’)
With bump outs at the corners the
crossing distance is reduced to 52 ft.
Making street feel much narrower
Crossing is an extra 20ft but bikes and autos together
2 Alternates
Both road diets
Parkways increased in width
Crossing distance reduced

One has a cycle track

The other has a bike lane

Create Identity

Divide the street into recognizable/walkable zones

Bring down the scale to human scale

“It seems to just go on and on”

“To infinity and beyond”

Create identity: We have to break down the scale and give the street more of a
memorable personality Divide street into walkable/recognizable zones
Divide it in two

2 different characters along corridor

Use Major Gateways to Subdivide into three

Major Gateways Divide Overall Length

Subdivide again Amazing how many schools are north of Madison

St Catherine's/ St Lucy

Institutions- important crossings near school zones - Civic Center

And again

St Catherine's/ St Lucy

Potential Crosswalk Plazas

The Entryway to Oak Park from the West
Major Gateways – Harlem - Preliminary
•The Harlem Intersection is controlled by IDOT
•Create Gateway
•Remove parking and create a mini plaza/ landscape on 1st block south side
•Close entry/exit to Wendy’s on to Madison
•Add bump outs to assist with crossing
•Add trees and colored cross walks
•Queuing turn lane extended
•Widen sidewalk in front of Belmont Residences
•3 lane cross section
•Add bump outs – makes it easier to cross
•Add trees and colored cross walks
•Expand sidewalks in front of Belmont Village
•At Home shared bike lane begins
• Bike box at Home gives cyclists safe access to bike route along Home
Clinton to Oak Park Avenue

Crossing Plazas
lead to Brooks

•Add bump outs

•Add trees, colored cross walks.
•Colored paving (crossing plaza to Brooks) at Clinton mid-block crossing
•Add bump outs
•Add trees, colored cross walks.
•Colored paving at Clinton mid block crossing
Crossing Plaza to Brooks and at Day Care Center

•Add bump outs

•Add trees, colored cross walks
•Create a gateway at Oak Park Avenue
Major Gateways – Oak Park Avenue
Major Gateways – Oak Park Avenue - Temporary Structure
Oak Park to East

Alternate A

Alternate B
Variation of spaces in expanded Parkways
 Looking at Euclid

Alternate A

Alternate B
Alternate A with Cycle Track, mini plazas, bump outs, parking remains
Alternate B – Bike Lane, bump outs and mini plazas, parking remains
 Euclid

Alternate A Alternate B
Hopefully Fenwick will have a Green Campus opening onto Madison

Alternate A East to Ridgeland In both schemes there is a crossing plaza at Jewel

Alternate B East to Ridgeland

Alternate A at Clarke Gas Station
Alternate B at Clark Gas Station
Alternate A Alternate B
 Looking at Billy’s

Alternate A East to Ridgeland In both schemes there is a crossing plaza at Jewel

Alternate B East to Ridgeland

Alternate A Note the reuse of the Planters and we could save some to the trees and plantings
 Ridgeland

Alternate B
Lombard to Austin
Create a
Distinct Public Space
Example
Major Gateways – Lombard – Civic Plaza
A CIVIC PLAZA/CENTER
Bump outs for crossing, double row of trees, planters, and sculptural gateway
Civic Plaza – Imagine festivals, Community Events, Join to Plaza in Village Hall
Alternate 1
It was suggested
Austin that to
– “Connect weChicago”
should reach
wasout and join both sides of Austin with a Gateway
a request
Austin
Lawrence Avenue Road Diet – Same Design Team working on this- Lets do it in Oak Park First
• End of Presentation