Streetmix.net

[FISHMANPET]

I feel like this fits here, since we play this game an awful lot here.
http://streetmix.net/
Layout your dream street. Let's see your Washington Ave streetmixes.

[matt91486]

I'm not sure it'd work for Washington, but let's say mine could be a hypothetical Hennepin.

http://streetmix.net/-/13139

[kellonathan]

My first attempt : http://streetmix.net/jonathan_ahn/1/s-washington-ave

This is a lot harder than I expected.

Some thoughts I put into the plan:
1. For me, Washington Ave is a major thru-traffic corridor. Let's put more bus routes, but I don't imagine having streetcars/LRT on Washington Ave at this point.
2. Aim to accommodate curbside cafe/dining seatings and encourage pedestrian usages. (A nice mix of Nicollet Mall around 10th St and Michigan Ave (so-called Magnificent Mile) in Chicago? or something along that image)
3. More trees! In the middle and along the sidewalks!
4. Do we REALLY need on-street parkings on Washington Ave? We have so many parking ramps (and awful lot of surface lots) on Washington.

[mattaudio]

Glad to see Streetmix has many more options than when I first used it a few months ago.

Here's my idea for Washington downtown, at least the 120' ROW sections:
http://streetmix.net/-/14268

Slip lanes are RIRO per blockface except for bikes which aren't forced off at each block.

Area between median and slip/bike lane can be bus/streetcar bulb (as shown), parallel parking, or bike corrals.
If ROW or land use doesn't warrant a slip lane, replace with a cycletrack instead and then you can turn 11' sidewalks into 17' sidewalks.

If developers wish to "woonerfize" their block, there could be a common pavement treatment (pavers, etc) for about 30' from the building face out to the MWB median. Since street would crown from outside and drain to MWB medians (curb/gutter both sides) there could be a curb-less transition between sidewalk and slip lane. Just add bollards. In these instances, it would make sense to have some sort of visual cycletrack within the woonerf space.

http://streetmix.net/-/14268

[min-chi-cbus]

My first attempt : http://streetmix.net/jonathan_ahn/1/s-washington-ave

4. Do we REALLY need on-street parkings on Washington Ave? We have so many parking ramps (and awful lot of surface lots) on Washington.

No. But isn't that why Washington Ave is currently being studied to be completely overhauled? I don't think we have to worry too much longer.