Monday, August 10, 2015

Could this be the future of Dixie Hwy in Lake Worth, FL?

Click here for an article about a complete re-do of a four lane (with a center turn lane) highway through Lancaster, California. Good-bye stroad?

Here are a few excerpts from the article:
The City of Lancaster, California, converted a drab, automobile-oriented arterial at the heart of downtown into a lively, pedestrian-friendly center. The nine-block makeover of Lancaster Boulevard has become a regional draw and attracted significant economic development in its first two years.
And this:
Space for automobiles along the corridor has been drastically reduced, but not eliminated, since the boulevard’s completion in 2010. Five lanes of traffic, including a center turn lane, were reduced to two lanes, with a wide, tree-shaded public ramblas in the center of the thoroughfare. A true ramblas was provided only for the busiest blocks, with stylistically consistent angle-in parking anchoring the outer blocks.
And then this:
     During the planning phase, skepticism about the project was rampant, Caudle says. “It was going to be a great success or the biggest waste of money ever. I don’t think there was any in-between. Any time you change as drastically as we did, you consider a possible negative outcome. Fortunately the design and the way we implemented it and engaged the community caused it to be a success.”
     Other cities could “absolutely” do a similar project, says Caudle. “There’s nothing unique about Lancaster — they could replicate the design. What is difficult to replicate is our leadership — the mayor and city council — and private partners.” Lancaster is welcoming to business and development, which Caudle says is unusual in the region.