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The biggest and most fundamental problem with converting suburban strips into boulevards is the surrounding dendritic street network. What that means in plain language is, the major arterial has collector streets branching off of it; the collector streets have a lot of cul-de-sacs branching off of them.

The net result is that everyone has to get on the major arterial (Rockville Pike) in order to go anywhere. Traffic congestion is built in because there are no alternatives. That makes it very hard to put the Pike on a "road diet" and dedicate lanes to transit, medians and frontages with street trees, and generous sidewalks.

In contrast, street networks that are well connected, like DC's, provide alternative routes and thereby distribute the traffic. DC's avenues are 4-6 lanes plus street trees and sidewalks, sometimes on-street parking, and rarely get completely gridlocked. Rockville Pike is 6-8 lanes and commonly is gridlocked during peak periods.

Here are a couple of other local strip-to-boulevard retrofit proposals.

Fairfax Boulevard Partnership Master Plan

http://fairfaxboulevard.com/

New Hampshire Avenue Corridor Concept Plan

http://www.takomaparkmd.gov/gateway/

by Laurence Aurbach on Jun 27, 2008 7:05 pm • link • report