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Ideas, Challenges, and Alternatives

On November 16th, 2007 The BNA Halo LID core team, Erica Rooney (the Otak project manager), and Amanda Ownings Otak Civil Engineer walked both sides of SW Hamilton from SW 60th to SW39th to identify challenges, opportunities, solutions and alternatives for each section of the street. Below are a few of the many challenges, followed by one or two possible alternative pathway designs (from Table D-1.pdf, 284KB PDOT Alternative Pathway Concepts) that might be used.

These alternative pathway designs are meant to show what might be possible, and different solutions can be applied along the different sections of SW Hamilton depending on topography and other factors. The street widith between the yellow center line and the white fogline is 10', street right of way along Hamilton varies greatly from just a few feet to 15-20' outside of the white fog line. So the notes below each photo are just meant to be illustrative discussions of the types of challenges and issues with some of the improvements that might be used if there is sufficient right of way to accommodate them, neither are complete... how would you solve or balance them? Add your own solutions here (see bottom of page for how).

SW Hamilton between SW 60th and SW58, looking East.
SW Hamilton between SW 60th and SW58, looking East. The width of the lane (from the yellow line to the white fog line is 10', from the fog line to the embankment on the right/South along here is ~4' and part of that 4' is a drainage swale, on the opposite/North side the area from the fog line to the embankment is ~2' or less. On the both side of the street there are many large mature trees in or just above the embankment. This is the narrowest of the three road cuts along SW Hamilton. Photo by Marianne Fitzgerald.

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From Table D-1.pdf, 284KB PDOT Alternative Pathway Concepts.

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5100 SW Hamilton looking East. Besides the physical barriers, the embankment that goes above the roadway on the left and below the roadway on the right, this also gives a clearer picture how much closer the street may come to existing homes, and the impact adding improvements may have on existing landscaping. E.g. to accommodate the solution shown below, the hedge would likely be removed, and if the pathway cannot be made to wind between the two trees (to the right of the mailbox) one or both of them would have to be removed. In addition to cost of improvements, changes to peoples yards could also be a large obstacle to accepting improvements along Hamilton. Alternatively, a combined auto/bike lane 14' wide could just fit between the hedge and existing center line; but would having pedestrian improvement on just one side of SW Hamilton be enough? Photo by Victor von Salza

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From Table D-1.pdf, 284KB PDOT Alternative Pathway Concepts.

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4700 SW Hamilton looking East,Bridlemile Elementary School is on the left after the first telephone pole Saving these mature trees would require putting any improvement for the south side of the street to the right of them, and or cutting the embankment on the left and moving the street to the left. This stretch between SW 47th and SW Shattuck is both one of the most challenging and most in need of improvement. Photo by Victor von Salza

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From Table D-1.pdf, 284KB PDOT Alternative Pathway Concepts.

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From Table D-1.pdf, 284KB PDOT Alternative Pathway Concepts.

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Looking east from the Baseball diamond at the corner of SW 4700 and SW Hamilton. Should a pedestrian pathway go along the street below, or up here? Up here, besides separating pedestrians from traffic, and allowing for a bike lane in one or both directions below, it would also serve the school and park. But what about pedestrian access from the homes between SW 47 and SW 45th on the South/right side of Hamilton? - Photo by Victor von Salza

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From Table D-1.pdf, 284KB PDOT Alternative Pathway Concepts.

More/Your Ideas and Suggestions for improvements on SW Hamilton and SW Shattuck received to date:

• (added 11-15-2007): Use a low impact material/surface that its better for runners and walkers.

• Have signs put up saying, "This is a pedestrian-friendly area - watch out for pedestrians."or "Pedestrians use these streets too, watch out for them." - or something similar. It is sometimes hard to see pedestrians, and we want drivers to watch out for them.

• Use "Pott's dots" - reflectors on the center line and fog lines of streets - so drivers know where they are on the road.

• Educate pedestrians to use the safe side of the street when/if only one side of a street has been made pedestrian safe -even if it means walking with traffic instead of facing it, or walking on a side of the street you normally don't use.

• Make SW Hamilton and SW Patton between Scholls Ferry and Shattuck a one-way couplet, going East on SW Hamilton and West on SW Patton. This would free up half the existing streets pedestrians and cyclists, and would eliminate the no stoplight protected left turn from SW Hamilton onto Scholls Ferry and have people use SW Patton stoplight to get onto Scholls Ferry.

• Convert ditches along both streets to walkable swales.

Use the "add new comment" link below (you may need to request an account if you don't already have one) or subscribe to the HSPi email subscription list (144 neighbors) and share your ideas there.
Get inspired by more possibilities, read:
• PDOT Pedestrian Guidelines, see especially Table D-1 Alternative Pathway Concepts
• Safe and Sound Streets
This page last updated on 6-12-2008.