A CHANCE TO “START SMALL” Even if you’ve done your homework, there is a moment where you’ll have to dive in and try a new materials or permitting approach that no one is totally sure about, yet. Many cities interviewed for this Guide shared that the key is starting small and expecting the first try to be a “test drive” that can be improved with feedback: »» The first parklets created in Los Angeles were put in place on a pilot basis, before the People St program was formalized. LADOT and neighborhood partners launched these early parklets to test the new project type and process before it was scaled up and formalized into today’s People St program. »» Local Motion and The Department of Public Works (DPW) in Burlington, VT sponsored a series of pop-up demonstration projects as part of the city’s first walk / bike master planning process. After permitting short-term interventions in public rights of way for the first time as part of a city-led project, DPW codified the process, creating a new permit structure to allow community members to lead their own demonstration projects. The draft permit will be further tested by community groups in 2017 so it can be refined before it is finalized. »» The Austin Department of Transportation (ADT) has used small-scale projects to test materials before scaling up to larger, corridorwide projects. For example, ADT has tested flexible delineators vs. concrete buttons as barrier elements at curb extensions at 6th and Waller Streets, evaluating how these materials perform in a small area to determine if they would be appropriate for use as protected bike lane barriers. 16 · INTRODUCTION
EXPECTATION THAT THE PROJECT CAN BE REFINED BASED ON PERFORMANCE Even after “test driving” a process or material on a small way, additional adjustments may be needed even after the change has been institutionalized. Most cities with parklet or plaza programs have iterated on their process and materials guidelines, as evidenced by nearly annual updates to their publicly available toolkits and guides. Examples include the Philadelphia Pedestrian Plaza Program, LADOT’s People St program, and San Francisco’s Pavement to Parks program. The key is to recognize that pilot processes needs maintenance as much as the projects do!
Kit of Parts for Plazas
Kit of Parts for Plazas
SpRING 2014
FALL 2015
Spring 2014 / People St Program / Kit of Parts For Plazas / page 1 of 32
W H AT I F YO U C O U L D
RECLAIM CONCRETE F O R YO U R C O M M U N I T Y ?
Image: Grays Ferry Triangles Committee
PEDESTRIAN PLAZA
P R O G R A M
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
PEDESTRIAN PLAZA GUIDELINES & APPLICATION
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA LIFE LIBERTY AND YOU
TM
FEBRUARY 2016
Most cities with parklet or plaza programs have iterated on their process and materials guidelines, as evidenced by nearly annual updates to their publicly available toolkits and guides. Examples include the Philadelphia Pedestrian Plaza Program, LADOT’s People St program (pictured above).