Downtown Springfield Missouri walkable streets program

The City of Springfield, Missouri, has been using streetscape projects for over 10 years to create walkable streets. The streetscape improvements parallel the rejuvenation of the downtown area which has experienced revitalization with an influx of new businesses and activities. The streetscape projects have created pedestrian-friendly walkways to link major activity centers in downtown with corridors that are clean, safe and attractive. These projects have provided the opportunity to redesign the streets to serve all users. At the heart of downtown is the public square located in the middle of an area called Park Central Mall. In 2007, the City retained a consultant to review the area and provide a new plan. The new design, which would have raised the elevation of the recessed plaza to street level, was approaching completion when a citizen reminded City Council that the Square could have historical significance. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the Square had been designed by Lawrence Halprin, one of the foremost Landscape Architects in the nation. Halprin had gained national recognition for his work on Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco and the FDR Memorial in Washington, D.C. Park Central Square was an excellent example of Halprin's work. This revelation resulted in Park Central Mall being added to the National Registry of Historic Sites. Working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the State Historical Preservation Office, a new plan was developed which would modernize the Square but also maintain the important elements of Halprin's original design.

• Record URL:
  http://www.ite.org/membersonly/annualmeeting/2011/AB11H3104.pdf
• 
• Authors:
  • Newman, E E
• Conference:
  • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Annual Meeting and Exhibit, 2011, St Louis, Missouri, USA
• Publication Date: 2011-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: ITE Annual Meeting and Exhibit, St Louis, August 13-16, 2011

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Landscaping; Pedestrian areas; Pedestrians
• Geographic Terms: Springfield, Missouri, USA
• ATRI Terms: Cultural heritage; Landscaping; Pedestrian; Pedestrian facilities
• Subject Areas: Construction; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01381527
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 12:15PM