chosewood park: walk lane
“Chosewood Park walk lane is a great foundation for how we’d like to improve the neighborhood and build upon this work to promote walking, playing, conversing, random gatherings, and education in the most unique fashion.”
In 2019, a group of neighbors from the Chosewood Park neighborhood was awarded a grant through the Department of City Planning. The project scope for the grant includes traffic calming and a walk lane along Nolan Street to connect residents — especially children and individuals using wheelchairs or other assistive devices — to the park. The curb extensions and walk lane were installed in September 2020.
community survey and field assessments
A survey of residents prior to installation showed that there were concerns with speeding cars, attractiveness of the space, and safety. Another survey and field assessments taken post-installation indicated the following changes:
7 mph
in reduced vehicular speeds on Nolan St
7,080 sqft
of increased pedestrian and cyclist space
10 planters
used for herb gardens and beautification
6 mph
in reduced vehicular speeds at Federal Ter and Park Ave
26% of survey respondents feel safer crossing Nolan Street.
WHAT WE ARE LEARNING
Trade-offs: While the project received support from many residents, including the neighborhood association, the intervention is not without some direct trade-offs. The inclusion of a tactical walk lane means that on-street parking must be limited to one side of the street.
To ensure residents have sufficient on-street parking, City staff began a parking analysis prior to installation. Flex posts were installed along the walk lane to protect pedestrians along the walk lane from traffic flow. To make this key safety measure more pleasant, landscaped planters were added along the path.
