Sign Overload: Parking & Trees & GDOT

I think this one speaks for itself.  I feel bad for those poor trucks that may be looking for their handy Truck Route sign.  You may not notice but there is also a nice big tree behind all that signage.  YES there is a gigantic tree literally inches from the roadway.  On a side note, the reason Roswell could not put big trees along the newly redone Midtown Streetscape on Alpharetta Hwy just north of the historic district is because GDOT standards say trees too close to the road are dangerous...  So, you can have a gigantic tree along hwy 9 here for at least 50 years but you can't put one along hwy 9 two miles up the road?  Also, take notice that the historic wayfinding sign is actually closer to the road than the tree.. You can tell that the sign has been clipped by a passing vehicle.  Safety First GDOT... and let's not forget to remove the redundant brown parking sign.

Sign Overload: DO NOT.. I Repeat DO NOT Enter

This one annoys me to no end.  If you missed the one way sign because you are coming from the other direction, you aren't going to miss the two DO NOT ENTER signs.  Once again, this is in the heart of our historic district.  Is this really what we want decorating our historic landscape?

Why I Hate Density

This is an enhanced cross-post from my montly column, Community Design Matters, in The Current.  There may be some editorial differences.

How many houses per acre are in your subdivision?  How many are allowed?  How does that make you feel?  Should you feel anything at all?  I say no and here’s why. 

The numbers tell you the density of a given place.  The numbers associated with density tell you absolutely nothing about that place other than how many people or separate dwellings are located there.  It is a hollow word that says nothing about the charm and lovability of a place.

It can tell you nothing about the value of the homes, quality of the schools, demographics of the residents, congestion of the roads or vibrancy of the neighborhood.  The number requires context.  The entry for Density in Dhiru Thadani’s encyclopedic Language of Cities and Towns begins with the following paragraph:

Density is the number of individuals or dwelling units per unit of area.  The making of vibrant, diverse, and exciting urbanism is directly related to the concentration of population and activity. Density ensures the greatest range of people, buildings, public spaces, facilities, services, and choices.  It promotes the easy exchange of ideas and goods and services..

If density ensures the greatest range of people, buildings, public spaces, facilities, services, and choices, why do people generally flip out when anything more than 2 units per acre is proposed in their neighborhood?  The word has a stigma and it does so by failing to capture context.  The NIMBY response to density has its roots in many misconceptions about density’s relationship to social ills that have been associated with it such as crime, traffic, poor schools, low property values. etc.  The thing is, correlation and causation can often be miles apart.  Other misguided reasons people give such as they don’t want to be packed in like sardines and they aren’t going to give up the American Dream.  Once again, density does a poor job describing an environment.  Take Vickery Village or Seaside as examples.  These are places where single family homes dominate the landscape but the design increases the density and comfort of the place incredibly well.

The real reason for the NIMBY reaction, in my opinion, is that builders have done it so wrong for so long that virtually every building associated with density in a suburban setting is absolutely god awful, reprehensible, cookie cutter design that should be punished by revocation of architectural licenses.  You don’t see the ills in places where density has been done right.

Virtually all of the world’s top tourist destinations are highly dense areas where people live, work, learn and play in very close proximity.  With the exception of landscapes, people don’t take pictures and send postcards of places that don’t have some minimum amount of density.  You don’t get excited when you receive a postcard of Martin’s Landing, even the well photoshopped ones.  People like to see and visit highly beautiful, dense urban areas.  Think of Paris, Rome, Santorini, Prague, Seaside, Savannah or Charleston.  

So, people like density but they don’t like to admit it to themselves.  This is partially because in many cases, developers have put the cart before the horse.  Density does not create a successful place (unless you have hundreds of millions of dollars).  Chuck Marohn of StrongTowns recently stated,

..density is an expected byproduct of a successful place, not the implement by which we create one.

Maybe this is why Historic Roswell has the most examples of density done right in the northern suburbs.  The Bricks, Founders Mill and Canton St Walk/Providence are all excellent and complement the success of the neighborhood.   Unfortunately, there aren’t more.  Take away these three, and you have literally hundreds of poorly planned, improperly located and shoddily constructed condos, townhouse and apartments sprinkled all over the city.  We must do better and cities MUST stop allowing condos, townhouse and apartments to be built where they don’t belong.  They belong in the centers of our villages and towns and not anywhere someone can make a buck.

More importantly however, people need to understand that density isn’t the issue.  Design and location the things that should concern you. 

Community Design Matters Especially if you want "Density Done Right."

This video is a fun exercise to see if you can guess the density.  You will quickly learn that the number isn't the issue.  

Sign Overload: No Left Turn. NO LEFT TURN.

GDOT really really doesn't want you to turn left here.  So much so that they have two signs to tell you so.

This is our historic square folks.  It should be beautiful, peaceful and inviting.  There are numerous other examples of unnecessary clutter in the form of signs and signals that just aren't necessary. 

Who is in charge of removing redundant signs?  

Chattahoochee & Pine - It Could be (a lot) Better

Up front, I have to give thanks to an interested neighbor for this post.  I didn't even realize that there was a development in the works less than a quarter mile from my front door.  The development is at Chattahoochee St and Pine St.  

The developer, Acadia Homes & Neighborhoods, is looking to deveop the 3.3 acres by building 16 small lot single family homes on the site.  Up front, I have zero problem with those numbers (I'd prefer about 5 more homes actually) and I welcome new development in my neighborhood.   

I believe at Acadia thinks they are doing the right thing and it appears they have been very up front with their intentions by involving the surrounding neighborhood.  That being said, I belive the plan lacks creativity and limits the upside for the neighborhood.  Of course, it could be much much worse but we won't worry about that.  Below is the New Urban Roswell critique on the Chattahoochee and Pine subdivision as proposed.  We also offer an alternative view on what that land could be.

Up front, the design of the homes leaves a little to be desired.

Historic Homes Don't Have Garages in the Front

If we are truly looking to keep an historic feel in Historic Roswell, we need to recognize that historic homes do not have front loader garages.  I am of the opnion that front loader garages should only be used when a side, back or separate garage is not an option.  A home should say "People Live Here" not "Cars Live Here." Homes in the Historic District should maintain some semblance of a historic feel.  More than 50% of a front facade devoted to a garage is not in any way historic or charming.  Below is a side-by-side comparison of a proposed home in C&P and an almost mirror image of a home in Vickery Village.  You be the judge:

The Site Plan Adds Little to the Neighborhood

The second major issue with C&P is that the site plan adds very little value to the surrounding neighborhood.  It simply adds 16 homes.  Part of a developer's obligation to any neighborhood should be a willingness to integrate the newly developed homes into the fabric of the existing neighborhood.  That said, one of the best ways to do that is to create a walkable environment with an allocation of public space for the surrounding neighborhood to enjoy.  Below are two images.  The first is the existing site plan and the second is a rough sketch of an alternative.

Up front, this suggested alternative is purely conceptual.  It does not take into account setbacks, buffers and elevations.  It is meant purely to show that barring typical zoning baloney, that we can create fantastic places that add to neighborhoods rather than take away from them.  This type of development would actually add value to the surrounding homes.  The existing proposal would not reduce value but it does little in the way of increasing amenity and charm.

This alternative plan would have 7 smaller single family homes and 3 townhome buildings surrounding a small public square.  The townhomes could be subsituted with smaller cottages.  The square at Glenwood Park in Atlanta is a good example of a small square surrounded by townhomes that is a community amenity.

courtesy: BuildABetterBurb.com

courtesy: Tunnel Spangler Walsh

The neighborhood should have narrow streets with back alley entrances for cars.  In order to accomplish a better design, the lots would likely need to be slightly smaller than those proposed in Acadia's diagram.  The main roads should have 9 foot travel lanes which significantly reduce speeding thus increasing safety for the neighborhood.  

There could be a small playground for the neighborhood.  Currently, one does not exist in that part of Historic Roswell.  Additionally, it would be ideal to connect the new development to S Atlanta St with a sidewalk or gravel path.  This could be done by purchasing a slight amount of land along the property line between the two empty commercial properties to the east of this site.  

My point with this post is not to sink a development but to argue that with a little thought and effort, we can build much better places.  Land developers should be required to consider things like public space, playgrounds, connectivity and future connectivity in their plans. 

Please feel free to add your comments.

Sign Overload: Bulloch Hall x 2

Can you find the redundant sign?

Okay, so, you may need to look twice but there are literally two signs withn 15 feed of eachother pointing toward Bulloch Hall.  One is your standard historical brown sign and the other is on our wayfinding poles.  The only difference is that the historical sign has "open for tours" on it.  

Do we really need both of these signs?  Really?  Let's take one down and clean up sign clutter around our historic center.  If we really need to have the "open for tours" message, we can just add a tasteful hanging addition below the one on the wayfinding sign.  

Sorry for the glare on the image.

Welcome to West Roswell... Where We Hate Pedestrians

I came across this sign today and it absolutely drove me crazy.  This spot is along highway 120 just west of the Coleman Rd traffic light on the north side of the highway at the entrance to Willeo Creek Apartments and Roswell Pointe condominiums.

First, as you probably know, I think we have too many redundant signs here in Roswell.  When you are in a lane that has a gigantic right arrow painted on it that ends after the intersection, do you really need a sign to tell you that the lane is a right turn only?  COME ON!

Next, you probably won't notice but there are at least 7 different signs in this photo: Right Lane Must Turn Right, No Walking on Grass, Do Not Enter (faces the other way), Stop, Divided Highway, Yield, No Outlet.

HOLY MOLY!!  This is sign overload.  Are we as a society so stupid that we need this kind of signage to keep us safe.  A driver can figure everything that is indicated in each one of those signs from context.  In my opinion, there are two necessary signs here.  The Stop sign and the Yield sign.  All others could and should go.

Those issues are both secondary however.  The sign that I have the biggest issue with though is the NO WALKING ON GRASS sign.  There are no sidewalks here but the intersection you are looking at serves as the only access point for Willeo Creek Apartments and Roswell Pointe condominiums.  It is less than a quarter mile walk from a Kroger, Starbucks, Texaco and multiple restaurants.  

It would probably be nice to walk over to those businesses every once in a while and I'm sure some people do.  In fact, I witnessed a forbiden pedestrian actually walk on that grass while I was there taking the picture above.  I was only there two minutes. 

What this No Walking on Grass sign (and ther are others on the property) is suggesting is that pedestrians either shouldn't walk here or they should take their chances on the road.  Whatever entity put this sign up, is implying that they care more about the look of their grass than they do about a human life.  

I have two requests:

• First, the signs suggesting that people cannot walk on grass that abuts a major state road where sidewalks are not an option should be removed immediately.
• Second, a sidewalk should be installed asap.

If you feel this is unwarranted or if you agree with me, please feel free to chime in in the comments.

2013 Outlook - What Will the New Year Bring for Roswell?

Here's a look into our crystal ball at what will happen in Roswell and around the metro area in 2013.  Up front, is a recap some of the bigger changes we've seen in and around the Historic District in 2012.  It's shaping up to be an interesting year in many ways.  Check out our recap, thoughts and predictions in each of the areas below:

2012 Recap - Keep up the Good Work Roswell!

Last year was another great year in and around Roswell.  Here are some of the more notable stories.

• Groveway Hybrid Form-Based Code - The city passed the hybrid form-based code which was a huge move in the right direction for human-scaled development.
• DPZ Master Plan - A MP for Historic Roswell was completed by the innovative and influential firm DPZ.  This MP wasn’t adopted officially by the city.  However, the ideas generated from the plan, in classic Andres Duany form, have generated momentum to change where there was none before.
• TSPLOST Fails - The hopes for easy money and quick upgrades to infrastructure faded as the TSPLOST referendum went down in flames in July. Roswell lost out on a complete renovation of Holcomb Bridge/400 ($46M) and full funding of the Historic Gateway Project ($21M).
• GM Jobs - General Motors is opening a software development campus in the old UPS Innoplex building off Mansell and will bring about 1,000 jobs. (not real 2012 news but it’s already announced)
• Roswell NEXT - A new organization aimed at energizing young professionals, entrepreneurs and visionaries in Roswell was founded.  (Shameless Plug, I am a on the board of Roswell NEXT)
• Historic Square Upgrades - Some nice additions were made this year by completing the sidewalk network in and around the square and also putting up traffic light masts that match others around HR at 120/9 intersection.
• Code Studio Selected for UDC - This was a fantastic selection for our Unified Development Code.  New Urbanist firm, all about walkability and contextual development.  (translation.. they care about how things look and function)
• Info Kiosks - We finally got some content added to them and they look great.
• Little Alley Steak - The guys behind Salt Factory and INC opened their third concept and it’s fantastic. One request though guys, dress up the bathrooms.
• Pure Taqueria - The Alpharetta based chain has opened a spectacular new location just north of the Historic District.  
• Alive After 5 Canton St Closure - The world did not end! This was a needed change for the popular event.
• Food Trucks - We approved a food truck ordinance and now they are regulars at Alive After 5.  Awesome addition.
• Alive at the Square - The Alive After 5 party migrated south this year and was very successful at the Historic Square.  This spot allows for a little more space and is really good for families.
• Pedicabs Approved - In a move that I’m not sure was necessary, a hypothetical business would be able to run pedicabs in the Historic District.  Eventually, this will be cool.
• Bond Referendum Passed - This was a mixed bag but overall was good for walkability.
• Fire Engine Red on Canton Street - In a controversial move, the new tenant of the former Pastis location, Mac McGee, painted the entire facade fire engine red.  I love it. Now can we get rid of those ugly black awnings with the block lettering?  Just a horrible look for Canton St.

A couple items from around the region:

• Beltline Eastside Trail - Opened in Oct and is AMAZING! We need to model the Roswell Loop after it.
• New Falcons Stadium - Completely unnecessary.  Go Falcons though!
• Ponce City Market - Going to revolutionize in-town living.
• Avalon Site Plan Approved - Alpharetta eating our Lunch.
• Alpharetta City Center Plan Approved and Funded- Alpharetta eating our Lunch part 2.
• Sandy Springs City Center Plan Approved - This is a very nice master plan done by new urbanist firm Goody-Clancy.

Roswell 2013 

Food

Food Access - One of the biggest obstacles to making the Historic District a vibrant living spot is the lack of a walkable or bikable grocery store.  Last year, we thought there might be an announcement sometime in 2012 about a small(er) grocery store going in somewhere near the HD.  We did get something but it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting.  It came in the form of a request to demolish the property at 1056 Alpharetta Street.  The owners are looking to build a small gourmet grocery store called Baba’s Gourmet.  We don’t have any additional info aside from what is in the notes from the HPC request.  The new building will be a welcome addition and will improve the streetscape along that stretch.

insert photo Babas Gourmet Roswell Rendering

Restaurants - We have several exciting restaurants opening up around HR in the near future.  MacMcgee Irish Pub will be opening in the freshly painted former Pasti’s location on Canton St.  Soccer fans rejoice!  Borocco is building out space in the Chaplin’s shopping center.  I’m hoping this one is successful to add a little life to my immediate neighborhood.  On the other side of the square, the owners of McCray’s Tavern (Smyrna & Lawrenceville) are opening a restaurant in the old Relish/Pico spot.  I’m a little unsure of the name since the HPC modifications request is under McCray’s Tavern but the liquor license was applied for as The Mill.  Either way, that spot will be solid with the right concept.  Osteria Mattone is the new venture on Canton Street from the guys behind Table & Main which in my opinion is the best restaurant north of Buckhead.  I have a bold prediction that Oteria Mattone will jump into at least one of the top of Atlanta lists in 2013.  Just seeing the pics on twitter (@oteriamattone) from their food scouting trip in Italy is making me hungry.  

We reportedly have two of our home grown restaurants, Salt and Nine, making the jump up to Alpharetta with second locations.  Salt will be in the old KFC location on Main St and Nine will be in the former Bistro 52 location behind Mitties Cafe on 9.  Honestly, I don’t like either of the locations.  I think Salt will be successful due to the name recognition and the food quality.  The success in Roswell has partly been due to fact that they have an Incredible location in the most walkable part of our city.  We believe, Nine will miss the mark.  The food quality is suspect and that location doesn’t have the foot traffic that is required to sustain a restaurant serving marginal food.  

Locally Grown Food - Will 2013 be the year that we get a real community garden in the Historic District... maybe at Barrington Hall?

Farmer’s Market - The Saturday farmer’s market at City Hall formerly known as the Riverside Farmer’s Market did well in 2012 and we think the same will hold true in 2013.  Although, the fact that it is in a parking lot is a huge turnoff.  If they could somehow find a way to move it to one of the parking lots right along Canton Street, the visibility would be huge and potentially bring even more vendors.  The only other suggestion I have would be to move it to the circle in front of the steps at city hall.  Most people who shop at farmers markets are inherently interested in sustainability and it is counter-intuitive for those people to feel great about shopping in a parking lot.  Just saying..

Mobility

Sidewalks - We are slowly but surely connecting missing teeth in our sidewalk network.  We will connect Diesel to Canton St with a sidewalk along the north side of Norcross Street early this year.  Not that anyone really walks there but the gap in front of the self serve car wash on the west side of Hwy 9 just south of Holcomb Bridge will get a sidewalk either this year or next.

Historic Gateway Project -  Option 3a will be approved and the people at Creekview Village condos will go berzerk because they will lose their tennis court...  The anti-roundabout camp will come out in full force and there will be a prolonged battle to get this redevelopment project going.  The truth is, this design has the potential to be truly transformational for the HD.  However, one thing that is a MUST is on street parking.  We'll probably know this year whether GDOT will allow that.  If they don't, everyone should oppose this option as it won't work.

Building a Network - Work will continue on the plans for the Oxbo Rd realignment and Elm Street Connection to Oxbo.  However, no actual work will start for another couple of years.  We are very excited about this initiative.  Additional talk will occur about the Oak St extension through Waller Park to connect with Grimes Bridge.

Bridge over 400 - We will see some designs at some point in 2013.

Planning & Development

Historic Gateway Master Plan - The DPZ plan that was completed in 2012 will serve as a guide for other projects, see below, that will come out in 2013.  The DPZ plan will not be followed completely rather, it is serving as inspiration that was not there before.  

Unified Development Code - We have a top notch firm in Code Studio helping us put together our new UDC.  We think the public will get its first glimpse of a ‘finished’ product toward the end of the year.  This will revolutionize development in Roswell.  There will be several meetings that the public can attend throughout the year.

Downtown Development Authority - The DDA will finally bring a big project to the table.  Maybe something around Canton Street and Highway 9.  

Boutique Hotel - It is becoming more and more obvious as Historic Roswell becomes a more popular destination that we are severely lacking in quality lodging options.  Is 2013 finally the year that a big hotel group takes note and steps in to build the boutique hotel concept?  We think that’s still a few years off.  However, a more likely scenario is a B&B opening in the Canton St area.  

Civic & Community

Alive After 5 - The expansion to the Square was a big hit in 2012.  Especially for those with smaller children.  This year, the proximity to McCray’s tavern will make the Alive at the Square piece even more fun.  The Food Truck addition made a big deal and enabled people to go to the event and eat there rather than having to leave early due to restaurant overcrowding.  This event is a cornerstone for years to come. 

RoswellNEXT - This newly formed civic group will host 12 events for members and the public in 2013.  We think it will be a huge success and the Town Hall | Roswell events will prove to be innovative and informative.  By the way, they are having a fundraiser on Jan 31st.  For more information go to their website (www.roswellnext.org) or their Facebook page.

Charlie Brown Part Deux or Trois?- Nothing will happen that is large scale on the old Charlie Brown parcel on the southeast corner of 400 and HBR.  We will continue to hear of plans to bring MARTA to exit 7 and beyond but nothing beyond dreams will materialize.

Parks

Riverside Park Area - We thought this would move faster but we believe in 2013, plans will be finalized for two projects.. the extension of the riverside trail will be approved despite NIMBY andEnvironmental Concerns.  The design plans for the bike/pedestrian bridge over the Chattahoochee River will be finalized and approved. 

Roswell Area Park Rebranding - An effort will be initiated to rename Roswell Area Park.  What in the world is an “Area” park anyway?  

Ace Sand Company - Something will happen with the property currently occupied by Ace Sand Company.  This has huge development potential and could be a great addition to our park system.

Retail

A Little Movement - We don’t need ANY more thrift shops.  I think we’ve reached saturation in that market.  There will be some strip center renovations finishing up in 2013 and we might see some announcements for more in the midtown area.  I’m thinking we will hear something about the Southern Skillet shopping center.  That’s purely a hunch but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.     

Employment

Large Employer Void - We didn’t expect any major announcements in 2012 but we got a huge one to begin 2013 with the news that GM was opening an IT center and hiring 1000+ high paying jobs at the former UPS Innoplex building off Mansell.  This isn’t the most New Urban location.  We would love to see an employer come into the Groveway area and infuse some jobs into the Historic District.  However, I think we are 18-24 months out from anything of that nature.  The RBA will continue to do great things

Small Business Incubator - We feel that the best opportunity for Roswell exists in cultivating smaller startups.  Alpharetta a lock on large corporate IT.  Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Buckhead have a stranglehold on large and mid-size companies.  The opportunity here in Roswell is to leverage the strengths of our neighbors and work to create smaller businesses that are not as prevalent in the neighboring areas.  We have an atmosphere that is much more desirable to that demographic.  But, we need to nurture it.  A full fledged startup incubator in Roswell would work but it would need the support of the city and partner organizations.  I don’t see it happening in 2013 but it could.

Housing

Housing in the Historic District - There will be at least three projects announced in 2013 that will bring new housing stock to the historic district.  These will be in the form of single family homes, townhouse and even apartments.  

Development Revitalization - Several developments will get new life.  We are guessing that there may be some action on foreclosed Vickery Falls development just south of Chaplain's on South Atlanta Street due to the prime location and the added focus on cleaning up the area around the square.  This could push out into 2014.  

Goulding Estate for Sale - The $8.75M, 16 acre Goulding Estate didn’t move last year as expected.   However, when it does in 2013, the land will be subdivided into ridiculously expensive smaller lots.  We think the the original building will remain intact and potentially become another event facility or potentially a B&B.  The bigger question is whether they will figure out a way to connect the road to the road to the west and build out our network, more.    

Around the Metro Area

The Beltline - We predicted correctly that the eastside trail would be a huge hit and when it opened in Oct of last year, it was an instant success.  News about additional funding for the Beltline transit component will come out toward the end of the year with a public-private partnership being the finance tool of choice.

The Stadium - The stadium will be approved and ground breaking will occur in early 2014.

Ponce City Market - Additional shops will open up in Ponce City Market.  The unfortunate decision not to offer for sale units will not hurt the overall speed of the development and may actually increase it.  However, this will prove to be the ultimate saturation of the apartment boom in that area.

Avalon Alpharetta - Ground breaking will occur in January.  The parking deck will come down quickly and we will see actual structural development in 2013.  It won’t be ready for showtime until late 2014 though.

Alpharetta City Center - The new configuration of Haynes Bridge Rd from Old Milton to Academy St opened recently making way for the new library.  We will see work start on the Library and City Hall in 2013 and the new road grid and parking deck will begin to take shape.  We love this project.

Sandy Springs City Center - The plans have been approved and we will see a small bit of development start in 2013 but the bigger changes will start to become evident in the next 2-3 years.  

The Atlanta Streetcar - Love it or Hate it, construction will be almost complete by the end of the year and we will see streetcars rolling through downtown again in early 2014.  

The Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal (aka The Gulch) - We will see the final renderings will be approved this year and work will start in late 2014.

Old Malls Will Close - We think at least two malls in the metro area will close completely this year.  Crazy we know but retail is getting crushed by Amazon and aside from the half-dozen high quality malls around the region, the mall is dying. 

Well, that's it!  If you made it this far, you're a true NUR fan.  Thanks and have a great (rest of) 2013!

Another Demolition Approved in Historic District

Another demolition has been approved by the Historic Preservation Commission in Roswell's Historic District.  This little house is very run down and has been vacant for 15+ years.  If you aren't familar with it, it is the southernmost house on the east side of Highway 9 as you head south toward the river.  Hopefully something nice is in store here.

The Roswell Loop... A Project We Should Get Behind

This is an enhanced cross-post from my montly column, Community Design Matters, in The Current.  There may be some editorial differences.

 

I brought this up last month and wanted to expand on it. From what I can tell,much of Roswell is completely unaware of the Roswell Loop. It’s time to change that. Imagine a project that would completely transform the way our city gets around, a project that would change the way you connect with your neighbors, a project that would spur significant economic development. Imagine feeling comfortable letting your kids ride their bike a couple subdivisions over because they can get on a trail through neighborhoods instead of having to ride their bikes out to a main road to get to a friend’s house. Imagine being able to commute to work by bike without risking your life while choking on exhaust. Imagine safely riding your bike to get somewhere where you can safely ride your bike instead of driving your car to get to that place where you can safely ride your bike.  Novel idea...

The Roswell Loop makes all of this possible. It was hatched back in 2006 as part of a brainstorming session with the city and a consultant. The idea was to create an innovative solution to connecting our schools, parks and neighborhoods. It grew some legs and actually made it into our Transportation Master Plan. As an interconnected series of five loops that create a larger loop through our city, it would link our parks, schools, neighborhoods, natural amenities and historic center together to form a safe network of connectivity. It would also tie in with other trail networks like the Big Creek Greenway and Lower Roswell Rd Trail leading into Cobb County.

With a commitment and evidence of investment, developers would begin to develop along the trail network unlocking value in areas of the city that are stagnant. We have a number of examples of extremely popular multi-use trails around the region that have done just that. The PATH Foundation has been working to build these trails in the region for 20 years. They have built over 160 miles of trails to date. Many of these trails are nothing short of amazing. Adjacent neighborhoods and businesses use these trails as amenities and the trails themselves encourage development.

Think of the Big Creek Greenway, Silver Comet Trail or the Stone MountainTrail. These are all fantastic trails but most people, even those who live near them, still have to drive to get there. The Loop would enable people to ride or walk to the trail instead of hopping in a car to get there. Perhaps the most transformative trail in the region is the newly opened Beltline Eastside Trail that stretches from Piedmont Park to to just south of Inman Park in Atlanta. It is ar elatively short stretch at almost 2.5 miles but it connects a number of amenities and neighborhoods in a way no one in Atlanta would have imagined ten years ago.

In the past seven years, there has been more than $775 million in private investment within half a mile of the new trail. Visiting the trail on a weekend, it’s obvious why businesses that back up to the old deserted railroad tracks are now working to open new entrances to front the trail. Check out this time-lapse video from the Streets Alive event in October.  This was a week before it's offical opening.

Just eight weeks after it's official opening, the Woodruff Foundation committed $3M to extend the path further south.  The trail has created instant value in the form of a useful alternative route by foot or bike and given adjacent businesses additional visibility from passers by that are much more likely to stop by serendipitously than a car would be. Recent studies have actually shown that bicycle commuters tend to spend more when they visit local stores. It’s all starting to make sense.

So, back to this Roswell Loop idea. How do we make it a reality? First, according to Roswell DOT, we actually have about 15% of it in place. Those are parts of Old Alabama Rd, Willeo Rd, Azalea/Riverside Rd and Mimosa Blvd along with another two miles that are in design that should be completed in the next couple of years. In order to complete the remaining 85%, there are a couple of things we should do.

First, following the Beltline model, we should identify the segments that would see the most traffic and start those ASAP. We should consider offering incentives to developers who are interested in building along the trail as well as property tax incentives to residents who want to open up their property lines to create trail connections with neighboring subdivisions. We should market this project and get the Downtown Development Authority involved and consider bringing in partner organizations like the PATH Foundation. Additionally, the city should commit to the project by creating an official Pedestrian and Bicycle planand budget accordingly.

Finally, the loop should be branded and we should label the trails that already are in place. This network would increase quality of life by making the city easier to get around for all our citizens not just those who are fortunate enough to be able to drive. It would make Roswell more desirable to potential residents and business and we could become a model for suburban connectivity.