design visions for regional transportation corridors - madison design professionals workgroup

7/28/2019 Design Visions for Regional Transportation Corridors - Madison Design Professionals Workgroup

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M AD EPROWO

M A D I S O ND E S I G NPROFESSIONALSWORKGROUP



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Dedicated to Phil LewisWhose ongoing work improving the region continues to inspire

We dedicate this report to Phil Lewis,

renowned urban planner, Professor Emeritusof Landscape Architecture at the Universityof Wisconsin-Madison and member ofthe Design Professionals. For more thanhalf a century, long before sustainabilitycame into vogue, Phil provided visions andblueprints for how to design our regionsin a sustainable manner. He created theenvironmental corridor concept that is now areality in Dane County and a basic planningtool nationwide. His vision of regionalsettlement patterns along rail corridors,connected at the center, preceded current

transit-oriented development models and

continues to challenge us to make betterplaces.

We greatly appreciate Phils contributionsto the work of the Design Professionals increating visions for Downtown Madisonand his continued work with our group increating visions for regional transportationcorridors. Phil kept our dreams rootedin the big picture. He reminded us thatDowntown Madison has to be viewed as thetransportation, civic and cultural hub for theregion.

Phils vision places Downtown Madison,

the University of Wisconsin and the StateCapitol as the center of a local, statewide,and Midwestern regional context by virtueof its location. Phil created a unique andcompelling diagram that illustrates his vision.It is an image of the rail routes that serve ourcity that converge on a single destination:Downtown Madison.

Historically, these corridors grew fromthe economic demands and topologicalpossibilities of the time. Today theyindicate a way to build in the future. They

communicate a vision of more compact

settlement along transportation corridors,facilitating regional connections andpreserving natural, cultural and agriculturalresources and heritage outside the corridors.While recent development patterns havenot followed this model, the growing needfor more sustainable options keeps Philsvision relevant and prescient. Learn moreabout Phil Lewis and his regional vision at:

mywebspace.wisc.edu/phlewis/zoom.html

Madison Design Professionals Workgroup


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Contents

03Dedication

04Table of Contents

05Acknowledgements

06Introduction

08University Avenue

16East Washington Avenue

26Park Street

32Next Steps

34TOD Workshop

A1Appendix


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Acknowledgements

In 2006, Downtown Madison, Inc. created theDesign Professionals work group to assistthe City of Madison in the preparation of anew downtown master plan. T im Anderson,architect/urban planner and DMI Boardmember, led a volunteer team of architects,landscape architects, urban planners, urbandesigners and real estate professionals from

2006 to 2010 to generate ideas for a 20 yearvision for Downtown Madison.

Their ideas are summarized in the documententitled Design Visions for the MadisonDowntown Plan and can be found at:

www.envisionmadison.org

In 2011, the Design Professionals agreed tocontinue their volunteer work by creatingdesign visions for regional transportationcorridors leading to Downtown Madison.We wish to acknowledge the professionalswho contributed their time and expertise inthe preparation of the visions contained thisdocument:

Tim Anderson, Tim Anderson ConsultingSteve Arnold, City of FitchburgMike Cechvala, MPOChristine Chambliss, BWZ ArchitectsLucas Dailey, ArchitectRick Gabriel, ArchitectAmy Hasselman, Architecture NetworkMelissa Huggins, Urban AssetsArlan Kay, Architecture NetworkLori Kay, Transportation PlannerDavid LaGro, Urban PlannerJim LaGro, UW Department of Urban and

Regional PlanningJosh Levine, Urban PlannerPhil Lewis, Lewis Design CenterLisa Lewis. Lewis Design CenterEd Linville, Linville DesignDan McAuliffe, CARPCArchie Nicolette, City Planner/Urban

DesignerGary Peterson, Sustainable Services, Inc.Carol Richard, RWH DesignMary Roley, Landscape ArchitectEmily Scali, ArchitectJody Schimek, Landscape ArchitectSteve Steinhoff, CARPCBrian Weingold, ArchitectDan Williams, Lunde Williams, LLC

Special thanks to Hovde Properties or theirdonation o ofce space or our work andto Dane County or printing this document.


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The Madison Design Professionals arepleased to present their design visionsfor regional transportation corridors. Thisdocument is a follow up to their Design

Visions for Downtown Madison. It is the nextstep in visioning a sustainable region, wherethe downtown and region are connectedthrough transit corridors that are rich invitality, opportunity and quality of life. Theregional corridor planning visions presentedin this document build on the inspirationalwork of UW Professor Emeritus Phil Lewis fora sustainable region.

This project was undertaken by the MadisonDesign Professionals at the request of SteveSteinhoff, staff to the Capital Area RegionalPlanning Commission (CARPC). Steve askedthe Design Professionals to assist CARPCand the MPO, Metropolitan PlanningOrganization, with federally-funded studiesto assess the feasibility and market potentialfor implementing a Bus Rapid Transit system(BRT) and express bus system, and forpromoting transit-supportive developmentin the Madison metropolitan area. For moreinformation on the BRT study, managedby the Madison Area TransportationPlanning Board (the Metropolitan PlanningOrganization, or MPO, for the region), go to:

www.madisonareampo.org/BRT.cfm.

For more information on the market studygo to

www.capitalregionscrpg.org.

What is BRT?Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high-frequency,limited-stop service that offers an improvedcustomer experience on busy transitcorridors. Faster service is accomplishedby speeding passenger boarding, transitpriority at trafc signals, and expressservice. Station improvements, informationtechnology, and improved service reliabilityand vehicle comfort create a more user-friendly experience. BRT offers the benetsof light rail faster and friendlier service at a lower cost. The MPO BRT fact sheet isincluded in the Appendix of this report andcan be found at

www.madisonareampo.org/documents/BRTFactsheet090512.pdf

Role of the Madison Design ProfessionalsThe primary role of CARPC, the MPO andtheir consultants was to study the technicaland market feasibility for BRT. The primaryrole of the Madison Design Professionalswas to develop comprehensive long-termplanning visions for the BRT corridorsbuilding on their role as multi-modaltransportation corridors and the uniqueassets and opportunities that each corridorpresents and promoting the revitalization of

these regional corridors as vibrant, mixeduse, multi-modal places. CARPC and MPOstaff provided technical support to theMadison Design Professionals.

Madison Design Professionals PlanningProcessThe Madison Design Professionals metmonthly from January 2012 to April 2013to prepare planning visions for threeBRT corridors - East Washington Avenue,University Avenue, and Park Street. TheMadison Design Professionals began theirwork by researching other completedand proposed BRT projects across thecountry that could serve as precedentsfor the Madison BRT corridors. The groupthen divided into three corridor teamsto develop ideas for each corridor. Eachcorridor team shared their ideas with the fullDesign Professionals group at their monthlymeetings. The map on the following pageillustrates the BRT corridors that werestudied by the Design Professionals.

The Madison Design Professionals planningprocess for each corridor involved severalsteps:

1Each corridor team reviewed the BRTrouting proposed by MPO and theBRT Study Oversight Committee for theirrespective corridors and made somealternative recommendations. For example,a future extension of the Park Street/FishHatchery Road BRT corridor along EastCheryl Parkway was recommended to servea proposed medium density residential,commercial and employment districtbetween Fish Hatchery Road and Highway14.

2Each team identied long-termredevelopment patterns for theirrespective corridors based on severalfactors:

Sites identied in past and currentredevelopment plans

Sites with strategic transportationconnections bike trails, transit routes,key streets and highways

Sites located close to communitydestinations parks and greenways,libraries, community centers, businessdistricts, grocery stores

Underutilized sites and sites with non-functional buildings and incompatibleland uses

Sites adjoining existing redevelopmentareas

Other criteria identied in the CARPCInll and Redevelopment AssessmentStudy for BRT transit corridors

3In consultation with Mike Cechvala at theMPO, each team located BRT stationsas central features of redevelopment areasand spaced the stations at mile to mileintervals according to BRT guidelines.

4Each team prepared maps for theirrespective corridors that illustratedrecommended BRT routing, stationlocations, redevelopment areas, andpedestrian, bicycle and street connectionsthat should be improved or added to

Introduction


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connect BRT stations to surrounding activitycenters. The maps also divided each corridorinto districts with a general descriptionfor density, scale, mix of uses, and designcharacter for each district.

5Each team prepared a concept land useplan for one emerging activity centeralong their respective corridors to illustratea possible redevelopment pattern. Conceptdesigns were based on the following guidingprinciples:

Multi-modal transportation choices thatprovide connections to neighborhood,community and regional destinations.

Appropriate density that allows publictransit to be a viable alternative to theautomobile and that, in combinationwith these other principles, will consumefewer resources per-person andcreate opportunities for vitality, civicengagement and job creation.

Vibrant, active, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly streets with a variety of safe,comfortable and attractive publicspaces for lively interactions, art, culture,commerce and recreation.

Fine-grained mix of living, working,arts, culture, education, parks and civicuses that can bring people of diverseages, ethnicities, and incomes into dailyinteraction, strengthening the personaland civic bonds essential for communitybuilding. Such a mix creates a diversityof activities that are needed for cultural,

economic and intellectual exchanges,and to foster social and economic vitalityday and night.

Sustainable architecture and landscapedesign that steadily reduces consumptionof fossil fuels, water, creation of waste,stormwater run-off, and use of toxicand unsustainably harvested or createdmaterials.

Planning based on social equity andenvironmental justice that allows forthe equitable distribution of impacts(benets, disadvantages and costs) foreveryone.

Planning for Equitable DevelopmentPlanning for BRT should includerecommendations for equitabledevelopment. A CARPC memosummarizing the Equitable DevelopmentBenets for Regional TransportationCorridors is included in the Appendix ofthis report. Engaging community groups,residents, affordable housing advocatesand developers early in the BRT planningprocess is critical to identify how residents ofall incomes can benet from BRT and helpprioritize station areas and redevelopmentdesigns based on greatest need.

Collaboration with UW Department ofUrban and Regional PlanningTwo 2012 Spring semester classes taught byProfessor Jim LaGro of the UW Departmentof Urban and Regional Planning joinedwith the Madison Design Professionals

Workgroup to study and prepare visionsfor BRT corridors. Students from JimsLandscape Architecture Housing and UrbanDesign class and his Urban and RegionalSite Planning class studied BRT corridors inother regions, conducted an assessment of

Madison area corridors, and prepared plansfor sites along the corridors. A selection ofthe student work is included in the Appendixof this report.

The map above highlights the arterial corridors that were studied by the Madison Design Proessionals. These corridorsinclude East Washington Avenue, University Avenue/Mineral Point Road, and Park Street/Fish Hatchery Road.


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The proposed University Avenue BRTcorridor runs along University Avenue/Campus Drive from Murray Mall to HillFarms, then jogs past Research Park andWest Towne Mall before ending at JunctionRoad just outside the Beltline. We alsopropose a leg that extends to Middleton justoutside the Beltline, as a future extension ofthe system.

The character of the University Avenuecorridor varies signicantly from one endto the other. Distinct segments along thecorridor are apparent.

Murray Mall to the intersection of CampusDrive and Old University (Camp Randall)is a bustling area. Pedestrian, bicycleand vehicular trafc is very heavy. It actsas a thoroughfare though it also servesas a primary commercial district for theUniversity, housing numerous restaurants,bars, and shops. Many different modesof transportation share the space withoutadequate separation. The hectic feeling ofthe road is compounded by the designationof University Avenue as a one-way street,encouraging fast moving trafc. This creates

an unsafe feel for pedestrians and bicyclists.There has been signicant developmentin the area primarily geared toward thestudent population. Development includesthe addition to the Chazen Art Museum atthe east end, The Wisconsin Institutes forDiscovery, the new Union South and UnionHotel, and most recently, the WisconsinEnergy Lab Building right at the intersectionof Campus Drive and University Avenue.This area will continue to experience inlldevelopment because of the campus and,as a result, will be further stressed due tocurrent trafc patterns.

Camp Randall to the intersection ofShorewood Blvd. is along Campus Drive - alimited access, raised roadway. It was createdto provide quick access for commuters fromMiddleton and west of the city to downtownMadison by avoiding the old UniversityAvenue. Unfortunately, this also resultedin a general decline of the commercialdistrict along the older road and due tothe nature of Campus Drive, there is nocommercial development along it. CampusDrive severed through-connections from athriving neighborhood to the lake and the

University campus. The damage is furthercompounded by the set of railroad tracksrunning alongside Campus Drive wheretrain cars are often stored for long periods oftime. There is a jumble of infrastructure andgrade changes at the intersection of railroadtracks, University Avenue, and CampusDrive, making for very difcult crossings forall modes of transportation.

The older University Avenue is seeing someresurgence in commercial developmentwith the addition of a new mixed-useapartment building and the continuing drawof Lombardinos. The street could use some

sprucing up, but the scale is conducive topedestrians and bicyclists.

From Shorewood to North Segoe Road(Sheboygan), the nature of UniversityAvenue is one of fast-moving trafc withvery uncomfortable pedestrian sidewalkson either side. Crossing the road isdifcult. There is signicant commercialdevelopment, but it is primarily accessed byautomobile. The commercial developmentis mostly small scale until arriving at MidvaleBlvd., where Hilldale Shopping Center and

University Avenue Corridor

Target are located.

The route jogs to Mineral Point Road fromthe intersection at North Segoe Road. Thisarea is comprised of the Department ofTransportation building, the Red Cross andnumerous multi-family units. The apartmentstock is aging, and the land around the DOTbuilding and the Red Cross is underutilized.This area has potential for massiveredevelopment, and more pedestrian- andbicycle-friendly improvements to the road.

Heading from this intersection the proposedBRT route runs along Sheboygan Avenue

to Whitney Way and to Mineral PointRoad. The area is dened by single-familyresidential. There is not much commercialdevelopment and there is little potential forlarge redevelopment projects.

Between Whitney Way and Gammon Roadalong Mineral Point Road, the nature of thecorridor changes to larger scale structures.To the south of the road is The UniversityResearch Park. The former farm is dottedwith two to four story buildings housinglabs and ofces associated with research.


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Other major developments include CUNAMutual, Madison College, Oakwood Village(a retirement village) and Memorial HighSchool. There are also numerous small-scale commercial projects along the road.

Between Gammon Road and JunctionRoad, one encounters major shoppingdevelopment. On the southwest side of theintersection lies West Towne Mall, a typical1960s mall surrounded by a sea of parkingand the typical outlying big box stores.There is tremendous automotive congestionin the area. The area has signicant andnumerous opportunities for catalytic

redevelopment utilizing undeveloped and/or underdeveloped properties. The routeends at Junction Road where there is alsobig box development. This area can servewell as a park and ride area for towns to thesouth and west of Madison, as well as thefuture University Research Park Phase 2.

Our proposed Middleton extension followsUniversity Avenue from the Sheboyganintersection to East Middleton. This isprimarily a thoroughfare with small-scalecommercial development along the road.

Single-family residential neighborhoodsabut the road to the north and south. Short-term redevelopment opportunities arelimited.

From East Middleton to Old and NewMiddleton, the nature of the road changessignicantly. Trafc slows down and thereare pedestrian ways along each side of theroad. There is a greater mix of commercialand residential structures. Old Middletonis charming and livable. The primarycommercial (walking) district of Middletonwas undisturbed by the development ofUniversity Avenue as a thoroughfare because

it is primarily located on Parmenter Streetrunning perpendicular to University Ave.

Old Middleton is a destination spot forrestaurants and shops. Just past OldMiddleton is the Beltline where there isagain a signicant change in the natureof the sector. This area is dened by newbig box development and an emphasis onautomobile accessed commercial areas.This area can serve well as a park and ridefor outlying western towns.

Madison College master planning study

Study or redevelopment o a portion oShorewood Hills

University o Wisconsin health building

Revelopment plan or Westgate ShoppingCenter


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West Towne(60s mall)

densify mix of usesimprove pedestrian and bicycle access

vast redevelopment potential

Research Park(farm turned ofce park)

densify,improve pedestrian and biycle access


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Hill Farms(single/multi family residential)prime redevelopment potential

improve gateway to cityincrease mixed-use development

Shorewood/Hoyt Park(healthy single-family neighborhood separated by

fast trafc and commercial districts)pedestrian-friendly redevelopment potentialimprove cross-connections/pedestrian safety

provide bike path thru-route

West Campus/Townies(low-density campus on north/health neighborhood

on south w/ major division between them)drop Campus Drive to grade

knit neighborhoods back togetherenhance pedestrian, local trafc & connections to

Lake Mendota

Central Campus/Regent(high-density student area)

improve pedestrian and bicycle crossingsimprove campus drive/University Avenue intersec-

tionprovide land-bridge

University Avenue

HillF

arms

DMVFarmers marketDense residential

State office

Hilld

ale

GroceryMovie theater

Bike path connection

Retail hubDense residential

Shore

wood

Access into ShorewoodMixed-use cluster

Grocery

Hosp

ital

Employment hubRedevelopment

opportunity

Retail/Mixed-use cluster

Ice creamVet School

University Heights

connectionBike path connection

Football stadiumUnion South

Rail connection

Engineering campus

Major sMajor

M

Consouthern

Chazen

Unive

rsity

Bay

Hospital and ClinicsMixed-use clusterRedevelopment

opportunity

Dairy

Barn

Rand

all

Rese

archP

ark

Employment hub

Local bus and betlineconnection

Opera in the Park(Garner Park)

Rege

nt

Residential

Two churches

Sheb

oyga

n

Dense housing

Redevelopmentopportunity

Park access

Junc

tion

Retail hub

Redevelopment opportu-nity

Connection to VeronaResearch park west

Point

Retail hub

Movie theaterBeltline access

Residential and of-fices

Wes

tTow

ne

Retail hub

GroceryRedevelopment

opportunity

Yello

wston

e

High School

Soccer fieldsMadison college

Beltline access

CUNA

Community hub

OakwoodOffices

E-way connection

Employment hub

Research park westRedevelopment

opportunity

Memo

rial

ony ton

bor


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University Avenue Corridor Future Expansion OldMiddleton

DemingWay

Downtown hubDenser mixed-useCapital breweryMiddleton High

School

Park and RideCommerical hub

Access to Betline

EastMiddleto

Willy street Co-op(Grocery)Mixed-use

(retail, entertainment,restaurants)Residential

Redevelopmentopportunity

BranchSt

Commercial hubEntertainmentPark access

Allen

Major connection toNorthwest side

Retail/mixed-use hubPheasant branch

conservancyand Marshall Park

Bike path connection

CapitalAve

Brennans (Grocery)Mixed-useResidential

W

UW clinRetail and oRedevelopm

opportunBike path con

SpringHarbo

New Middleton(big box)

park and ride for towns to the west

Old Middleton(grown-up destination for dining and bars)

some inll development potential

East Middleton(car-oriented small-town residential)

improve pedestrian and bicycle cross connectionsdensify mixed-use development

Spring Harbor(healthy residential separated by fast-moving trafc)improve pedestrian and bicycle cross connections

improve access to Lake Mendotadensify mixed-use at major intersections


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The concept plan on the opposite pageillustrates the potential redevelopment ofUniversity Avenue between Camp Randalland Shorewood Boulevard by repairing thedamage to the existing urban fabric causedby the elevated highway.

As currently congured, Campus Driveserves little good since the limited accessspeedway is a very short distance thedamage it has done far outweighs itsusefulness. It should be redeveloped intoan at-grade, human-friendly street thatallows accessibility between the north andsouth sides of the road. The street shouldinclude bike paths and a planted medianstrip. There is also an opportunity to createa living wall on the existing tall retaining

walls on the south side of Campus Drive.

Coupled with this change, we recommendthat a below-grade roadway be developedat the intersection of Old Universityand Campus Drive. This intersection isparticularly troublesome because of thehigh level of pedestrian, bicycle, vehicularand train trafc all converging in an awkwardconnection. This would essentially provide aland bridge for pedestrians and bicycliststo reinforce the connections betweencampus, Camp Randall and commercialdevelopments.

There is also an opportunity to repairdamage to a buried creek in the area.Currently, Walnut Creek extends from Lake

Mendota to the existing Campus Drive andthen mysteriously goes underground. Thiscould become a nice water feature with miniparkland alongside it providing a respitefor bicyclists and pedestrians. It would alsoserve as a nice connection to Lake Mendotaand increase the value of adjacent apartmentdevelopment.

The area is prime for a variety ofredevelopment projects. With the CampusDrive at grade, commercial sites betweenCampus Drive and University Avenuebecome two-sided thus increasing theirvalue. There is opportunity for large-scalemixed-use projects between the two roads.There is also opportunity for low scaleresidential/commercial redevelopment

alongside the south side of UniversityAvenue, backing up to the existing residentialneighborhoods. Sites along the north sideof Campus Drive also benet with increaseddevelopment potential. Here, we envisionsmall retail ventures serving pedestrians andbicyclists as well as the adjacent hospitalsand University community.

This heavily populated area of the city couldbecome a model for urban repair. TheUniversity could be reconnected with theneighborhoods that support it through thereconguration of Campus Drive, connectingexisting bicycle paths along the road andrecovering streams. This would create theframework for enormous redevelopmentopportunity.

University Avenue from Camp Randall to Shorewood Boulevard

Emerging Activity Center Vision Statement


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Planning for Equitable DevelopmentPlanning or BRT station areas should include recommendationsor equitable development. A CARPC memo summarizing theEqutitable Development Benefts or Regional TransportationCorridors is included in the Appendix o this report. Engagingcommunity groups, residents, aordable housing advocates anddevelopers early in the BRT planning process is critical to identiyhow residents o all incomes can beneft rom BRT and help prioritizestation areas and redevelopment designs based on greatest need.

A Mixed Use Retail/Ofce Large Scale

B Mixed Use Retail/Residential Low Scale

C Multi-Family Residential

D Pocket Park

E Hotel

F Commercial

BRT

BRT

BRT

BMP

PED

CAMPUSDR

IVE

UNIVERSITY

AVENUE

HIGHL

AND

AVE.

UNIVE

RSITY

BAY

DRIV

E

WA

LNUT

STRE

ET

PD Parking Deck

BRT Bus Rapid Transit Stop

DS Dairy Store

LW Living Wall

U University

BMP Best Management Practices

Legend

N


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The proposed East Washington BRTcorridor runs along East Washington fromthe Capitol to East Towne Mall, jogging atWright Street to Madison College beforereturning to E. Washington on StoughtonRoad. The Design Professionals identied apotential long-term extension route throughthe American Center, Sun Prairies west sidedevelopment, Main Street to downtown SunPrairie and Cannery Square.

The character and use of East WashingtonAvenue transitions as it progresses eastwardfrom the Capital. The transition can berepresented in segments of similar character

and use. Looking at the corridor from westto east, the following segments emerge.

Capitol to Blount Street is an extension ofdowntown Madison with a mix of primarilycommercial (ofces, services and retail) andresidential buildings along a landscapedboulevard with lower trafc volumes.

BlountStreetto FirstAvenue (Capitol EastDistrict) is a former manufacturing andhighway commercial district that retainssome industrial uses (Madison Gas & Electricgenerating plant, Research Products Inc.).

Many former industrial buildings now houseother businesses. For example, the formerGisholt Manufacturing plant (later Marquipfacility) now houses ShopBop, an onlineclothing retailer. Other sites became vacantas businesses left for sites and facilities betterlocated and designed for industrial andhighway commercial purposes. The formerDon Miller automobile dealer and repairshops, the Klueter Warehouse building, andformer Mautz Paint site are vacant.

After decades of decline, the district isshowing its rst sign of reinvestment, inlarge part due to planning and economic

development efforts. Years of planninggenerated agreement among City, propertyowner, and neighborhood groups on a visionand design standards that provide a level ofcertainty for review of development proposalsalong East Washington Ave. Land bankingand Tax Increment Financing (TIF) makeland and incentives available. The rst large-scale development in decades, a 12-storyresidential tower and commercial groundoor building, is now under construction inthe 700 block of E. Washington Ave. byGephardt Development. Other sites areunder consideration for redevelopment,

including the city-owned parcels on bothsides of the 800 block.

This segment also includes assets of theYahara River Parkway and proximity to vibrantneighborhoods and shopping districts.The Yahara Parkway includes the river,walking and biking path and greenspacethat connects Lakes Mendota and Monona.Williamson Street in the MarquetteNeighborhood is about a half mile from EastWashington and includes many shops andrestaurants including the Williamson StreetGrocery Coop. The Johnson and PatersonStreet intersection in the Tenney-Lapham

neighborhood is another neighborhoodactivity center.

First Street to Milwaukee/North Streetis primarily residential with detachedhouses lining the street. East High Schoolis a prominent civic use about midwayalong this segment. The WinnebagoStreet and Atwood Avenue commercialdistrict is nearby to the south, and a smallneighborhood activity center is a coupleblocks up North Street at Johnson. The largeUnion Corners site anchors the segment tothe east at Milwaukee and North Street. The

Gorman Company was selected by the Cityof Madison to develop a mix of uses on this11-acre site, including a UW medical clinic.

Milwaukee/North Streets to Highway 51is primarily older highway commercial usessuch as fast food restaurants, strip shoppingmalls, auto parts stores and other retailuses. Unlike older segments to the west,properties in this segment were built fartherback from E. Washington with parking infront. Buildings are typically single storyand occupy a smaller portion of the lots. Inaddition to retail there are some civic uses,such as a library and church, industrial uses

such as the Gardner Bakery (at Wright/FairOaks Streets) and some residential (betweenHighway 30 east to Wright/Fair Oaks). Thissegment includes some low-income areas

just west of Highway 30 and along WrightStreet where housing owned by MadisonsCommunity Development Authority (CDA)is located. Within this segment the BRTroute jogs north at Wright Street to serveMadison College at Anderson Street, a majorinstitutional anchor, and other commercialuses, before returning to E. Washington atHighway 51.

East Washington Avenue Corridor


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There are near-term fewer redevelopmentopportunities in this segment because manysites are smaller with angled alignments toaccommodate bends in E. Washington Ave.Primary redevelopment opportunities occurat the intersections of Highways 30 and 51although the prospects are mostly mid- tolong-term. The CDA plans to add housingat its Wright Street location, and MadisonCollege plans to expand its campus.

Highway51toInterstate90/94/39 is newerhighway commercial, dominated by EastTowne Mall, the surrounding big box usesand other highway-related businesses.

Commercial sites are much larger andserved by frontage roads and internal roadsystems. The East Towne Mall and adjacentcommercial properties comprise over100 acres. Large areas of surface parkingcreate opportunities for inll development.However, the large scale of the commercialdistrict and low vacancy rate indicate thatsuch inll development potential is longerrather than shorter term.

Long-term extension of BRT beyond EastTowne Mall includes potential service toAmerican Center, Sun Prairies west side

developments (at Hoepker Road, GrandAve and West Prairie Village, and MainStreet from Highway 151 to downtown SunPrairie. The American Center is a newer andstill growing business park serving ofcetenants. The west side of Sun Prairie is anemerging development designed withsome New Urbanist principles. Main Streetincludes WalMart and garden apartmentcomplexes at Highway 151 beforetransitioning to urban arterial character withmany strip commercial centers and otherretail formats. Civic uses such as schoolsand library are along Main Street as well.The City adopted a Main Street Corridor

Plan recently that calls for redevelopmentalong the Street. Downtown Sun Prairie hasexperienced recent revitalization with newcivic uses such as City Hall and plaza, andnew residential and commercial buildings.The opinion of the Design Professionals isthat the BRT should be extended to servethese areas and better serve as a regionaltransit system.

The Constellation, 745 E. Washington, openingAugust 2013

Union Corners development proposal, MilwaukeeStreet and East Washington

Promotion or Capital East District along E. Washington rom Blount to First Street


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h d h ssing

erica

n

ilyerica

nter st

Prairie

gendAve

rmar

lker

t Towne

pker


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American

Family

Hoepker

Grand Ave

West Prairie

Village

Clarmar

Walker

Sun Prairie Westside NeighborhoodBuild at transit supporting densities

(12 + du/ac) within ve minbute walk of BRT stopsEncourageneighborhoodretailandservices surrounding BRT

stopsEnsurepedestrianfriendlystreets

connecting neighborhoods to stops

West Main StreetEncourageredevelopment

along West Main StreetImprovestreetconnectivity with

surrounding neighborhoods wher possible

East Washington Avenue Corridor Future Expansion High

Cross

Amer

Family

Amer

Cente

West

Villag

Gran

Clarm

Walk

East

Potential Route Extension ProvidenceNeighborhoodNortheast Park

Hoep

Neighborhood GroceryRedevelopmentOppurtunities

Residential ClusterNearby Commercial

Mixed Use Neighborhood(Under Development)

Praire LakesCommercial CenterGolden Meadows

Nieghborhood


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The concept plan on the opposite pageillustrates the potential redevelopment ofthe intersection of East Washington andAberg Avenues (Highway 30) as a settingfor Transportation Oriented Development(TOD).

Current land use in the area around theintersection is somewhat sparse andunderutilized. There stands a greatopportunity to introduce higher densities aswell as provide a balanced mix of housingand ofce retail growth while strengtheningconnections with bordering neighborhoods.

East Washington Avenue frontage cansupport mid-rise ofce buildings with

underground or structured parking. Thesehigher density structures can also houseretail/commercial on lower levels and provideexpanded parking quantities to includestalls for intercity and localized bus systemusers. With direct access to buses linkingMilwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis, thesite offers an opportunity to create a hub fortransferring riders to local transportation,such as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), freeingup current congestion downtown created byawkward stationing and routes.

The existing mid-density housing hasbecome outdated and could potentiallybe re-organized with higher density and beconstructed with sustainable architecture in

mind. Strategies for assisting low incomefamilies and rst time home buyers coulddevelop with assistance from revenuesgenerated by the substantial ofce/retailsquare footage added to the area. A balancedresidential core with new opportunities foremployment and centralized retail couldcreate a more vibrant neighborhood.

Expanded park land can occur in thecorridor with the addition of higher,planned, densities. The existing multi-use trail with bridging of Aberg and EastWashington would be a benet to and fromthe BRT and intercity bus hubs as well asa TOD development. The StarkweatherCreek corridor expansion, providing a

East Washington Avenue at Highway 30

recreational greenway, and Worthingtonpark redevelopment, including active openspace elements such as an eastside pool,would provide the neighborhood muchneeded and desirable outdoor amenities.

The East Washington and AbergAvenueintersection has many elements tocreate a successful model for development.

Very few areas of Madison have the levelof multi-model transportation connectionsas this area. Opportunities for sustainabledevelopment are high in this location.



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LegendA Multi-Family Townhouses

B Mixed-Use Ofce

C Mixed-Use Ofce

D Greenway

E Mixed-Use Ofce

F Multi-Family Townhouses

G Multi-Family Townhouses

H Multi-Family Townhouses

I Multi-Family 8 Plex

J Neighborhood Park


PD Parking Deck

RTC Regional Transportation Center

BRT Bus Rapid Transit Stations

Rapid Transit Route

Regional Bike Path/Trail

Existing Trafc Lights

Planning for Equitable DevelopmentPlanning or BRT station areas should include recommendations or equitable develomemo summarizing the Equtitable Development Benefts or Regional Transportaincluded in the Appendix o this report. Engaging community groups, residents, aadvocates and developers early in the BRT planning process is critical to identiy hoincomes can beneft rom BRT a nd help prioritize station areas and redevelopmentgreatest need.

N


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24

The concept plan on the opposite pageillustrates the potential redevelopment ofthe East Towne Mall area which comprisesa highly visible commercial district borderedby East Washington Avenue, Lien Road andInterstate 39/90.

East Towne could become a communityin itself with the addition of ofce space,hotel rooms and residential units. Thecore, centered on the mall itself couldbecome Towne Center for the village. Thesite also offers a unique connection with

Starkweather Creek which is underutilized asa natural feature, potentially adding valueto surrounding landuses.

Many urban malls today are being subdividedand intertwined with gridded road systems.Density is then added to the remainingstructures with inll of multileveled ofce,hotel and parking structures. East Townecould benet from this model, adding morethan twice the current square footage andproviding new open space and parkland toenhance the development, becoming moredesirable for pedestrians.

A new boulevard centering on the site couldlink East Washington with the Lien Road

roundabout, aligning east to west. A series ofroundabouts would create a park like settingthrough the development. Another centralspine roadway could connect north to south

from a new roundabout at Thierer Road withHigh Crossing Boulevard. Addition internalroads could create a village grid system.

Open land currently exists along the southside of the triangle. The addition of multi-family and single family homes offers aresidential component to round out thevillage. The residential area provides atransition to existing neighborhoods alongLien Road.

Starkweather Creek meanders along a low

area bowing into the site. The low, wetareas could be developed into a regionalstormwater drainage system utilizing BestManagement Practices (BMP) and become

East Washington Avenue at East Towne Mall

a model for overland conveyance as adesign feature. Channels and ponds couldbe designed throughout the developmentproviding a connection with the StarkweatherCreek valley. With the addition of a regionalmulti-use trail, Starkweather Creek has thepotential to become a greenway corridorconnecting Madison with Sun Prairie..



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Legend

A Retail/Hotel Mix

B Retail

C East Towne Center/Retail

D Ofce/Hotel Mix

E Retail Mix

F Multi-Family Residential

G Single Family Residential

H Multi-Family/Single Family Residential

I Greenway Park/Stormwater Management

J Fire Department Safety Center


PD Parking Deck

Rapid Transit Route

Regional Bike Path/Trail

Existing Trafc Lights


N


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26

The proposed Park Street BRT line starts inthe heart of the UW-Madison campus andheads south for 5 1/2 miles to the FitchburgCity center and potentially beyond. Theline acts as a gateway between these twodistinct and separated communities. Thisseparation is partly due to the bisectionof this area, and the Park Street line, bythe Beltline highway, which has been animpediment to development, continuity,and holistic planning of the area. The ParkStreet line will help to bring these two areascloser together and will strengthen anddensify the entire corridor.

Medical CorridorThe line starts at the pedestrian oriented EastCampus Mall set within the UW-Madisoncampus. Huge numbers of students andcampus employees move through this areaeveryday by foot. The mall is sandwichedin between the two main east-west autothoroughfares downtown: University Avenueand Johnson Street. Consequentially, themall makes a perfect multi-modal hub andtransfer point connecting all four corridorswith each other and with UW-Madison. TheGreenbush stop lies in between the Meriterhospital complex and adjacent medicalbuildings. It is also near the UW-Madison

welcome center and within walking distanceof the Kohl Center and Camp Randall.

Medium to high density student housing aswell as restaurants and bars catering to thenearby sports venues round out the contextof this stop. St Marys hospital anchors theMonona Bay stop. Pedestrian oriented oneto two story buildings with small retail shops,restaurants, and empty storefronts line ParkStreet in this area with single-family homeson small lots in the neighborhoods beyond.

This district is already a relatively dense area oftraditional neighborhoods whos boundariesare limited by the ecological frameworkof the little isthmus between Monona Bayand the UW-Arboretum / Lake Wingra. It

is characterized by a mix of educational,entertainment, and medical uses. With itsproximity to campus, downtown, MononaBay, and the UW-Arboretum, as well asits own mix of amenities, redevelopmentinterest in this district has been high.

Little Isthmus DistrictDensity starts to fall off in the Little IsthmusDistrict. The traditional storefronts of upperPark Street are gradually replaced by amix of car-oriented strip malls, fast foodrestaurants, manufacturing and maintenancefacilities, and small locally owned businessesthat reect the multicultural character of

the surrounding neighborhoods. Theneighborhoods behind Park Street are still

quite dense traditional single-family homeson small lots.

Large areas of land in this district havethe potential for being redeveloped. TheBancroft Dairy site at Park & Fish Hatchery,currently being redeveloped for UWsWingra Clinic, is the second major projectin the Corridor in the last ve years (afterthe Villager). Its high visibility should leadto both general new development andfurther branding of this district and the bio-medical nature of this corridor. Other currentdevelopment projects in this district include:Ideal apartments/retail space, Lane Bakery,

and Access health clinic. Almost the entireimmediate area around the Wingra stop isripe for redevelopment and is the next logicallocation for extending redevelopment southof Bancroft Dairy. The former ThorstadChevrolet dealership is prime among thesesites because of its large size and locationnext to Wingra Creek, the Wisconsin andSouthern rail line, and the bike path leadingto the UW-Arboretum, the Goodman pool,and the Coliseum. The Madison DesignProfessionals Workgroup has suggesteda design for this area featuring mixed-use buildings overlooking the creek andconnecting to the bike path and BRT stop at

the creek and Park Street.

Badger Road & North Fish HatcheryDistrictsPark Street continues to become moreauto oriented as it moves south to thebeltline and beyond. The Villager Mall,purchased by the city in 2000 and next towhich the Villager stop will be located, isa neighborhood anchor containing manywell-used city and social services as well aslocally owned small businesses. It is adjacentto the main South bus transfer point andsurrounded by low density car orientedbusinesses and ofce buildings. Vibrantmulticultural neighborhoods containing amix of small single-family homes and multi-

family housing are served by this commercialstrip. The Park Street line veers west alongBadger Rd through residential parts of theneighborhood and makes stops at FishHatchery and Stewart to pick up workersfrom the manufacturing businesses in thisarea. The Leopold stop is sited at a bikepath connection and is close to the Leopoldelementary school.

The car-oriented character of this area,particularly along the beltline, affords plentyof space for inll development. The beltlineitself has been and will continue to be adriver of development in this area although

increased population and additional transitoptions such as BRT will allow for greater

Park Street Corridor


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density in the future. Other areas adjacentto the beltline, such as at Todd Drive andRimrock Rd, are already seeing denserdevelopment even in the absence of masstransit options. The Wisconsin and Southernrail line as well as the beltline will continueto appeal to the existing and to new inllmanufacturing businesses around theBadger Road stop. The North Fish HatcheryDistrict, because of its location immediatelysouth of the beltline, has the potential tobecome a revitalized economic center forthe City of Fitchburg.

Hatchery Hill District

Hatchery Hill is the current focus of commercein Fitchburg, with many new car oriented 2to 3 story business developments and onestory retail establishments and restaurants.The City of Fitchburg has built a pedestrianand bicycle overpass at Fish Hatchery andHighway PD to help tie in the large natureconservancy, the E-Way, to the community.

The car oriented character of thisdistrict leaves lots of extra space for inlldevelopments, while still respecting theexisting borders of the plentiful natural areaswithin the district. Indeed, both the E-Way,with its bike paths and pedestrian trails, and

the Nine Springs Golf Course are draws forfurther development.

City Center District, Greentech Village, &Northeast NeighborhoodThe City Center District encompasses theFitchburg Center development, at theCivic Center stop, as well as residentialand future development at the Fahey Glenstop. Fitchburg Center contains the Citysmunicipal services, some retail, as wellas several large company headquarters,including Promega, a large bio-techcompany. Quick connections to Madisonhospitals and the UW campus by BRT as wellas adjacency to Promega should promotefurther bio-medical development in thisarea and all along the line.

The Park Street BRT line stops at the CivicCenter stop. A future expansion of the lineis sited on Cheryl Parkway to encouragea continuous line of dense developmentinstead of the hopscotch pattern typical ofmost greeneld sites. Similar to the littleisthmus at Park St., the E-Way and theCitys of Fitchburgs growth boundary atthe power line near Lacy Rd sandwich andcontain development along the extensionof the BRT line from the C ity Center stop tothe end of the line. The lines proximity tothe E-Way will be a draw for development inthis entire district.

We have shown a potential expansion

near the Fahey Glen development andthe proposed developments of Greentech

Village and the Northeast Neighborhood.Both proposed developments are designedfor greater density and contain a centralcommercial district, which will be ideallysuited to BRT. The Syene Road stop is sitedclose to a rail line and has the potential tobe a multi-modal stop in the future.

ConclusionThe Park Street BRT line traces a line ofafliative connection between the UW-Madison and its research facilities, throughtwo major hospital complexes, Meriter and

St Marys, and ends at the bio-tech hub nearFitchburgs Civic Center. Supporting Bio-medical development within a mixed-usecontext along this corridor will be a greatdriver of connection, growth, and densitystarting now and continuing well into thefuture.

The Park Street line is the shortest and mostcompact corridor of those studied. Theentire line is in close proximity to downtownMadison. The speed and ease of use ofthe BRT line should appeal to downtown,campus, and Fitchburg commuters. Of thethree studied corridors, this line has the

greatest opportunity for density along itsentire route.

Developer proposal or Ideal Body Shop siteat South Park Street and Drake

Aerial view o the Meriter Hospital complexon South Park Street between Regent andChandler. The hospitals uture expansionplans are shown in orange, purple and red

Partially realized plan or Villager Mall com-plex on South Park Street near Badger Road

Redevelopment scheme or land betweenSouth Park, Fish Hatchery, and WingraCreek.

Developer proposal or a medical center onthecorner o South Park and Fish Hatchery.This project is currently under construction.


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30

The concept plan on the following pageillustrates the potential redevelopment ofthe properties located betweenWingraCreek and the Villager Mall including theformer Thorstad auto dealership and agingindustrial properties in the Town of Madison.

Properties located south of Wingra Creekand west of Park Street, including the formerThorstad auto dealership and the Townof Madisons aging industrial properties,represent a signicant redevelopmentopportunity along the proposed Park Street

Corridor BRT route. This area represents alargely open canvas for new connectionsand uses that, when integrated with existingassets, can create an economically vibrant,culturally diverse, sustainable and affordablemixed use neighborhood and activity center.Existing assets surrounding this site includeWingra Creek, community bike trails,

parks and open space, schools, affordableneighborhoods, a diverse retail and businessmix, and city sponsored redevelopmentinitiatives including the Wingra Triangle tothe north and Villager Mall to the south.

The concept plan illustrates a possibleredevelopment approach which wasconceived in large part by Jody Schimek, aUW Landscape Architecture student, as partof Jim LaGros 2012 Spring semester urbandesign class that focused on redevelopmentopportunities for Madisons proposed BRT

corridors. A selection of student projectsfrom Jims class can be found in the Appendixof this report.

Key features of this concept include:

A pedestrian friendly street networkthat discourages through trafc and

enhances connections to Wingra Creekon the north, Wright Middle School andBowman Field on the west, Park Streeton the east, and Lincoln School, VillagerMall and existing neighborhoods on thesouth.

Compact design based on new urbanismand sustainable architectural designprinciples.

A mix of affordable and market raterental and ownership housing with higherdensity residental bordering WingraCreek and lower density residential

on the south bordering the existing SFneighborhood.

Mixed use retail, ofce and residentialuses bordering Park Street.

New BRT stations on each side of ParkStreet anear Wingra Creek.

New community gardens, playgroundsand public open spaces.

Preservation of existing wooded areasto serve as a buffer between proposedresidentail uses and Bowman Field.

Permeable surfaces to promotesormwater management and waterquality.

New pedestrian bridges over WingraCreek to to connect uses to the northand south.

Extension of North Street to serve as anew collector street between Park andFish Hatchery Road.

Redevelopment of the Beld Street

commercial district with new communityand neighhood supporting usesincluding new street connections to ParkStreet and the elimination of the existingawkward merge intersections on thenorth and south ends of the street.

Park Street from Wingra Avenue to North Avenue



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Legend

A Arboretum

B Wingra Creek

C Wright Middle School

D Bowman Field

E New Development

F Recreational Trails

G The Villager Mall

H Lincoln School


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WINGRADRIVE

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North Avenue


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32

As we complete our work on envisioningthe future of our arterial corridors as vibrantplaces supported by new transportationoptions, the Design Professionals are nowconsidering their next project. In reectingon our past work together - rst in creatinga vision for Downtown Madison andsecond in creating a vison for our regionaltransportaion corridors we continueto look to Phil Lewis and his vision for asustainable region for inspiration.

We started this report with a diagram

that illustrates Phils vision for how amulti-spoked statewide rail system canconnect Downtown Madison with DaneCounty communities to create corridors ofopportunities and a compelling rationalefor growth. The Design Professionalsbelieve that it is important to reserve ourrail corridors for future transportationoptions. However, we also understand thatBus Rapid Transit and express service usinga network of regional highway corridors can

be a viable option for addressing our shortterm regional transporation needs andachieving Phil Lewis vision for a vibrant,connected and sustainable region.

Phils vision of vibrant, connected regionsis widely recognized as the primaryorganizing unit of the global economy, andthe key focus for achieving sustainability.Metro regions throughout the U.S. arebecoming increasingly integrated andorganized to achieve common goals andcompete more effectively for talent and

capital. As the majority of the worldspopulation now reside in metro regions for the rst time in human history how we plan for future metro-regionalmanagement of natural resources willexpand or constrain opportunities for futuregenerations.

Our next step is clear we must now lookat ways to strengthen the connectionsbetween Madison and all Dane County

communities that collectively make ourregion a special place and that individuallycontribute to the natural, cultural, andeconomic identity of the region.The Design Professionals propose thefollowing steps to begin a planningprocess to create a sustainable region ofconnected, vibrant, green centers:

Strengthen Downtown Madison as thecivic and cultural hub of the region.

Identify multi-modal transportationoptions for interconnecting regional

destinations. Identify assets and opportunities along

transportation corridors. Undertake a community placemaking

process to create regional vibrantcenters and destinations.

Begin a dialogue for a shared regionalvision.

Promote Phil Lewiscontributions toMadison and the region and his visionfor a sustainable region.

The map of Dane County on the followingpage depicts the study area for a regionalplanning process showing the cities,villages and towns situated in expandingconcentic rings around Downtown Madisonand interconnected by a network ofhighways, rail corridors and environmentalcorridors. The inner ring represents centralMadison and the Madison metro area withthe middle and outer rings representingthe rst and second tiers of communitiessurrounding Madison.

Next StepsCreating a Region of Connected, Vibrant Green Centers

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34

The Madison Design Professionals

Workgroup provided local input andplanning support for the Dane CountyTransit-Oriented Development (TOD)Market Study Design Workshop that washeld at the Mautz Building located at 945East Washington Avenue in Madison on April9-11, 2013. The workshop was undertaken bythe Capital Region Sustainable Communitiesconsortium led by the Capital Area RegionalPlanning Commission with funding throughHUDs Sustainable Communities RegionalPlanning Grant Program, part of the federalPartnership for Sustainable Communities.

The purpose of the workshop was toproduce conceptual designs for threesample sites located along proposed busrapid transit (BRT) routes. The designs foreach site are intended to serve as models forTOD development elsewhere in the region.The selected sites included proposed BRTstations planned for East Towne Mall, theintersection of Wingra Creek and Park Street,and the intersection of Post Road and FishHatchery Road in Fitchburg. The workshoprelied on the principles of a traditionalcharrette, a type of workshop specicallystructured to encourage interaction betweendesigners and community stakeholdersutilizing a series of feedback sessions. Thesessions were tiered, with some open to acore group of 25-40 identied stakeholdersand others open to the general public.

The workshop was led by Seth Harry and

Associates, urban design and town planningconsultants from Baltimore, MD and theCenter for Neighborhood Technology (CNT),market research consultants from Chicago,IL. The Madison Design ProfessionalsWorkgroup assisted the consultant teamin engaging stakeholders and preparingconcept designs, contextual maps for theselected sites and support graphics suchas green design techniques for publicstreets. The results of the workshop willbe summarized in a separate report andincluded as part of the CARPC market study.

The graphics to the right represent someof the illustrative images prepared at theworkshop. Figures 1 and 2 are context mapsfor the Wingra Creek/Park Street, Post Road/Fish Hatchery Road and East Towne TODsites with each context map illustrateingthe key features and connections that arepart of the neighborhood area surroundingeach site. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are conceptualplans that were developed for each of theselected sites. Figure 6 is a conceptualsketch of a new entrance and public spaceenvisioned for the East Towne Mall. Figure7 is a conceptual street x-section illustratinga natural stormwater management systemapplicable to all sites.

TOD Workshop

Neighborhood context map or the Wingra Creek and Post RoadTODs. Illustration by Tim Anderson, Madison DesignProessionals Workgroup

Neighborhood context map or the East Towne TOD. Illustrationby Tim Anderson, Madison Design Proessionals Workgroup

East Towne TOD Concept Plan. Illustration by Seth Harry andAssociates

Post Road/Fish Hatchery Road TOD Concept Plan. Illustration bySeth Harry and Associates

East Towne Mall Entrance Concept Design. Illustration by SethHarry and Associates

East Towne TOD Street X-Section Green Design. Illustration bDan Williams, Ma dison Design Proessionals Workgroup

Wingra Creek/Park Street TOD Concept Plan. Illustration by SetHarry and Associates


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Appendix

A2CARPC BRT Data Sheet

A4CARPC Equitable Development

A7Student Projects Introduction

A8University Avenue Student Project

A12

East Washington Avenue Student Project

A16Park Street Student Project

S d i B R id T i

Project Approach

Initiate ProjectPerform Initial

ScreeningCollect & Analyze Existing

ConditionsInformation

1 2 3


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A2

The BRT Study is a project of the Capital Region Sustainable Communities Partnership,

which is being led by t he Capital Area Regional Planning Commission.

www.capitalregionscrpg.org

Contact: Madison Area Transportation Planning Board An MPO

MPO Staff: William Schaefer or Mike Cechvala

121 S. Pinckney St., Suite 400, Madison, WI 53703

Tel: (608) 266-4336 | Fax: (608) 261-9967 | www.MadisonAreaMPO.org

Studying Bus Rapid Transitin the Greater Madison Area

The greater Madison community

has been studying high-capacity

transit solutions, including high-

speed rail, commuter rail, and a

streetcar system, for many years.

Bus rapid transit is a similar

transit mode that can provide

fast service, increase ridership,

and have a positive impact on the

environment. The intent of the

Transit Corridor Study is to develop

and evaluate system-level and

corridor-level concept plans for

BRT along Madisons four primary

transit corridors: North, South,

East, and West.

Investing in Met

and Regional Tr

Implementing a BRT system

in faster, more frequent, and

service that will attract new

will provide a framework for

oriented development and a

to accommodate increased

volumes. BRT systems have

short project development ti

meaning that high-capacity could be up and running in t

term to meet Madisons grow

demand.

jScreeningConditions Information

Define System-wideComponents of BRT

Develop BRT Corridor Concepts

Estimate Benefits, Costs &Impacts

Eva lua te Alte rn ativ es Pre pare Do cum entati on

Define stakeholderengagement process

Affi rm project goals,deliverables, & timeline

Review past studies

Transit service data

Transit utilization data

Roadway corridor data(geometric, ROW, signals)

Roadway characteristics (lanes,speed, volumes, parking)

Current land use patterns

Potential development

Demographics

Alignments

Stations

Downtown

Tr affi c SignalPriority

Park-and-ride

Underlyingbus serviceintegration

Express busconnections

Ridership

Capital costs (fleet,runningway, stations, TSP, etc.)

O & M costs

Community impacts (userbenefits, people who dependon transit)

Integration with future railtransit

Summarize results of conceptdevelopment

Evaluate alternatives based onproject goals

Summarize technicalanalysis

Prepare materials forpresentations

Prepare final report

Travel times

Typical sections

Visualizations

Assess routingalternatives based onexisting conditions anddevelopment potential

Span and frequency

Stop spacing

Stop amenities

Runningway

Fare collection

Vehicles

Branding

For:

CorridorBRT

FixedguidewayBRT

45

6 7 8

Workshop with Stakeholders

Public Meeting 1:

Sept. 10, 2012

Public Meeting 2

February 2012

Generate

What is Bus Rapid Transit?

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is high-frequency, limited-stop service that


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p ( ) g q y, p

offers an improved rider experience on busy streets and highways.

Faster service is accomplished by reducing rider boarding time, trafc

signal delays, and by express service. An improved rider experience

is achieved by building stations, using information technology, and

improving service reliability and vehicle comfort.

BRT Components

Rapid Bus: Every 15 minutes

Local Bus: Every 30-60 minutes

Service

Route Structure Fare Collection Intelligent

Transportation

Systems (ITS)

Identity/Branding

BRT service typically runs every

15 minutes or better, throughout

most of the weekday and on

weekends.

Stations are spaced at similar distances

to LRT stops, generally one stop every half

mile, to provide express service. Local bus

service, with stops spaced generally every

quarter-mile, can be maintained along a

BRT route.

Innovative fare collection methods such

as electronic pre-pay smartcards and pre-

payment kiosks allow for off-board fare

collection to speed boarding and increase

convenience.

ITS components

such as transit signal

priority and real-time

arrival signs make the

system faster, more

reliable, and more

user-friendly.

A system brand is develo

differentiate BRT transitw

transit service.

BRT can use dedicated or preferential

lanes to allow buses to move more quickly

through trafc. Runningways signicantly

impact travel speeds, reliability and identity

in a system. Minor intersection treatments

can make a big difference in a mixed trafc

environment

Bus stops are often upgraded to

premium transitway stations with

enhanced amenities and information

kiosks. BRT Stations can be simple or

complex, but they offer passengers

increased comfort, safety, and security.

BRT vehicles should h

look distinct from reg

express service and c

alternative fuels.

Runningways Stations Vehicles

Capital Region Sustainable Communities Partnership | www.Mad

Levels of BRT Service

BRT can be successfully implemented at different levels of service. The Capital

Region Sustainable Communities Partnership is exploring where and how to

implement BRT in the Madison metropolitan area. A Madison BRT system will be

designed using different levels of service in various geographic areas depending

on the local context.

Both levels of BRT use frequent service, identity branding, and unique vehicles to

offer transit riders a convenient and comfortable ride. The differences between the

two levels of BRT being considered in this study are detailed below:

Corridor BRT

Corridor BRT uses preferential lanes, off-board fare payment and transit signal

priority to allow buses to move more quickly through trafc. Corridor BRT spacing

is typically 2-4 stations per mile.

Fixed Guideway BRT

Fixed Guideway BRT uses fully dedicated transit lanes to ensure smooth running

times in conjunction with the full s uite of BRT elements and amenities. G iving

BRT vehicles a physically separated lane means trafc congestion has less effect

on transit operation. Fixed Guideway BRT stop spacing is typically between 1-2

stations per mile.

Van Ness Avenue (San Francisco)

An example of dedicated runningways

bl l f l d


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A4

Regional corridors served by high capacitytransit service, such as BRT, benetcommunities economically in two overallways. First, transit systems provide directsavings to riders, who save money bydriving less, in general, than non-transit

riders. Second, high capacity transitsystems can spur increased development.

Travel Cost SavingsGood transit systems increase peoplesability to affordably travel to jobs and otherdestinations. This increased connectivityhas multiple economic benets to theregion as a whole, and provides specicopportunities to lower-income householdsand areas.

First, transportation consumes a signicantshare of household and regional incomein the Madison area. The regions 238,000

households spend over $3 billion ontransportation a year (average $12,700 perhousehold). The cost of transportation isrising faster than income and housing (seechart below).

Figure 1From 2000-2009, Regional Area Median Income Rose 19percent, Housing Costs 28 percent and Transportation Costs 41

percent

Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology

Providing attractive, efcient and affordabletransit service that attracts more ridersand replaces some single-user automobiletravel, saves households and the regionmoney. A reduction in single-user car travelthat saves 10 percent on transportation

costs, would save $300 million a year.Since most spending on automobile travel(vehicle purchase, fuel, parts) leaves theregion, most of this savings would translateinto more local spending that supportslocal businesses and jobs.

Reductions in transportation costs canespecially benet low-income households.As the charts below shows, lower-incomehouseholds spend a much greater portionof their incomes on transportation. Almostall of their spending is on automobiles.The BRT routes under consideration forMadison area would serve a number of

transit-dependent populations (see mapbelow), better connecting them to jobsand other activities, thus providing moreattractive and affordable travel options.

Figure 2Portion of Household Income Spent on Transport (BLS 2000)

Transportation expenditures are highest as a portion of incomefor lower-income households, indicating that automobiledependency is a nancial burden to the poor.Source: http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm106.htm

Transit-Oriented DevelopmentIn addition to the transportation andcost saving benets, BRT also benetsregions and communities by fosteringinvestment and developments along thetransit corridors. The potential for suchtransit-oriented development, or TOD,is the focus of the Design Professionals

report. BRT that runs in dedicated lanes(xed guideway), and stops at elevatedand signicant stations, can attract privateinvestment in housing and commercial

development. Public policies that supportsuch TOD also play an important role infostering these developments.

TOD is a win-win for riders, communitiesand the environment. Riders andcommunity residents both benet frombetter access to housing, jobs, services

and amenities near transit stations. Suchlocation efcient housing offers easy andaffordable access to station area, as wellas regional, jobs and amenities. Location

Equitable Development Benets for Regional Transportation Corridors


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2,040 2,250,000

3,7804,010,000

1,380 850,000

8,3407,880,000

7,2007,110,000

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

Housing Units Commercial Space

(1,000 sf)

Infill and Redevelopment Potential:

All Corridors

Short-term Intermediate-term Long-term Alt Routing

Inll and Redevelopment Assessment: An evaluation of the

potential for inll and redevelopment along the four corridorsbeing studied for future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Final Draft,CARPC, 2/18/13.

The Assessment identies physical capacityof development along the corridors. ATOD Market Study commissioned byCARPC examined the potential demandfor housing and business space alongthe BRT corridors. The study identiedpotential demand for 15,788 units andbetween 115,000 and 490,000 square feetof space from 2010 to 2035, if BRT lineswere developed and supportive publicpolicies adopted.

TOD offers both promise and peril for low-income residents. Promise comes in theform of increased access to jobs, services

and amenities created through inll andredevelopment at areas around transitstations. The peril comes from the threatof displacement when new developmentsincrease property values, which can thendrive up rents to unaffordable levels.

The graph below shows property valuechange along the planned Central CorridorLight Rail, currently under constructionbetween the downtowns of St. Paul andMinneapolis. Values dropped close to10% overall for St. Paul between 2007 and2010, the planning period for the rail line.In contrast, values within a half mile of theCentral Corridor increased slightly, andthose even closer to the Corridor (1/4 mile)increased even more. Most station areassaw increases; some signicant.

Source: Healthy Corridor for All: A Community Health ImpactAssessment of Transit-Oriented Development Policy in SaintPaul, Minnesota (http://www.policylink.org/site/c.lkIXLbMNJrE/b.7841971/k.7BB/The_Healthy_Corridor_for_All_Health_Impact_Assessment.htm)

Realizing the promise of TOD, whileminimizing the peril, requires a mixed-income development strategy. A mixed-income strategy means designing TODwith a range of housing types and pricepoints. Strategies for achieving mixed-

income will vary based on different existingconditions. For example, in neighborhoodswith existing affordable housing andsignicant potential for value increase,a preservation strategy is important.In areas with low levels of affordable

housing, mixed-income developments,including units affordable to low-incomehouseholds, will be needed. The PugetSound area developed a variety ofstation area strategies, based on differentexisting conditions, to ensure equitabledevelopment along planned transitcorridors (see below).

efciency and good transit access alsomeans fewer car trips, which translates tolower emissions of greenhouse gases andother pollutants, as well as reduced needfor surface parking and the contaminatedstormwater run-off it creates.

Staff from the Capital Area RPC, withassistance from City of Madison and DaneCounty staff, assessed the potential forTOD, through inll and redevelopment,potential the proposed BRT corridors.They identied 160 inll-redevelopmentsites and estimated that those sites couldaccommodate approximately 7,200 housingunits and more than 7 million square feetof commercial space (see chart below),not including East Towne and West Townemalls.


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Two 2012 Spring semester classes taught by

Professor Jim LaGro of the UW Departmentof Urban and Regional Planning joinedwith the Madison Design ProfessionalsWorkgroup to study and prepare visions forBRT corridors.

The following pages include a selection ofprojects created by juniors in the Bachelor ofScience in Landscape Architecture programat the University of Wisconsin-Madisonduring the spring semester of 2012.

Precedent StudiesThe student work began with the preparationof case studies of transit-oriented corridor

projects from other cities including the

Atlanta Beltline (Atlanta, GA), Columbia Pike

(Arlington, VA), St. Paul Central Corridor (St.Paul, MN), and Great Streets Initiative (St.Louis, MO). These studies examined a rangeof possibilities for reshaping major urbancorridors through integrated transportationand land use planning and policies.

Contextual AnalysisFollowing the precedent studies, the studentbroke up into corridor teams to analyzethree transportation corridors in Madison.Existing conditions were assessed forsegments of a) East Washington Boulevard,b) University Avenue, and c) south ParkStreet. The contextual factors examined

included:

land uses (e.g., housing, auto-oriented

businesses) property values (e.g., land value,

improved value, and ratio of improvedvalue/land value);

buildings (e.g., setbacks and heights,quality of construction, materials andstyles);

transportation (e.g., modes, dimensions,connectivity);

parks, open spaces, and communityservices (e.g., grocery stores).

The corridor teams also assessed site-specic redevelopment opportunitiesand constraints, including the potential for

strengthening multi-modal transportation

linkages with areas surrounding potential

BRT stations.

Schematic DesignIn the nal part of their work, each studentprepared a conceptual land use plan andmore detailed schematic designs for aspecic site along their respective corridorsincluding a potential BRT station andassociated TOD.

Collectively, the student projects illustrateda broad range of possibilities for creatingtransit-served urban villages within theCity of Madison. Three of the studentprojects are highlighted on the following

pages.

UW Department of Landscape Architecture Student Projects

University Avenue Student Project


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University Avenue Student


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University Avenue Student Project


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University Avenue Student


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East Washington Avenue Student


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East Washington Avenue Student


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Park Street Student Project


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Park Street Student


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Park Street Student Project


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Park Street Student


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design visions for regional transportation corridors - madison design professionals workgroup

Documents