duluth sidewalk inventory - dsmic€¦ · possible using these funds. the city also coordinates...

Dul

Duluth SidewalkInventory

January 2002

uth-Superior Metropolitan InterstateCommittee

Intera

Duluth Sidewalk InventoryJanuary 2002

Prepared by theDuluth-Superior

Metropolitan Interstate Committeective Dultuh Sidewalk Mapping Site: http://maps.ardc.org/duluthsidewalk

Funding sources for this study include:

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)

Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC)Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC)

Copies of this plan are available from the Duluth-Superior MIC:221 West First StreetDuluth, MN 55802

(800) 232-0707 Toll Free(218) 722-5545 Phone(218) 529-7592 Fax

www.ardc.org

Duluth-Superior urban area communities cooperating in planningand development through a joint venture of theArrowhead Regional Development Commission

and the Northwest Regional Planning Commission

http://maps.ardc.org/duluthsidewalkhttp://www.ardc.org/

iii

Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Committee

Member and Staff Listing

December 2001

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Transportation Advisory CommitteeDavid Allen, City of Hermantown Jim Benning, City of DuluthEd Anderson, Superior City Council Jim Foldesi, St. Louis County (Chair)Nick Baker, City of Superior (WI Co-chair) Martin Forbes, WisDOTTom Brekke, St. Louis County Suburban Twps John Foschi, City of ProctorRussell Carlson, Douglas County Board Paul Halverson, Douglas CountyMike Conlan, City of Duluth Bryn Jacobson, Bike/Pedestrian RepDavid Conley, Douglas County Board Dennis Jensen, Duluth Transit AuthorityBill Eckman, Douglas County Board Denny Johnson, MnDOTEarl Elde, St. Louis County Suburban Townships Paul King, City of SuperiorBob Finsland, Superior City Council Ray Klosowski, Duluth Airport AuthorityFrank Ingram, Douglas Co Suburban Townships Richard Larson, City of DuluthRichard A. Kieren, City of Proctor Walter Leu, MnDOTDonny Ness, Duluth City Council Bill Majewski, City of DuluthIsobel Rapaich, Duluth Transit Authority Mike Metso, City of Duluth Carol Reasbeck, City of Superior Joel Peterson, MN Pollution Control AgencyPatricia Ryan, Douglas County Board David Salo, City of Hermantown Rob Stenberg, Duluth City Council (MN Co-chair) Jason Serck, City of SuperiorPeg Sweeney, St. Louis County Ray Skelton, Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Vacant, Rail RepresentativeARDC / MIC Staff: Vacant, Trucking RepresentativeRon Chicka, MIC DirectorHolly Butcher, PlannerConnee Kimball, InternAndy McDonald, Senior PlannerKirk Skoog, PlannerRondi Watson, Division SecretaryKendis Willet, Planner/GIS Specialist

NWRPC / MIC Staff:Sheldon Johnson, MIC Deputy Director

“Guiding the Future of Transportationand Planning for the Twin Ports Area”

Duluth-SuperiorMetropolitan Interstate Committee

iv

Map Disclaimer

The information contained in the following maps is acompilation of data from various federal, state, county,regional, and municipal sources. Geographic information haslimitations due to the scale, resolution, date and interpretationof the original source materials. Users should consultavailable data documentation (metadata) to determinelimitations and the precision to which the data depictsdistance, direction, location or other geographiccharacteristics. These maps and/or data are not legal surveydocuments to be used for describing land for the purpose ofownership or title.

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .............................................................................................................1

Planning Districts Overview ...................................................................................8

1: FondDu Lac/Gary-New Duluth/Morgan Park/Riverside-Norton Park....13

2: Fairmont-Irving/Bayview-Spirit Valley-Oneota-Denfeld .......................29

3: Lincoln Park.............................................................................................39

4: Piedmont Heights/Duluth Heights ...........................................................45

5: Downtown/Park Point..............................................................................53

6: East Hillside-Endion ................................................................................63

7: Endion-Congdon......................................................................................69

8: Woodland-Hunters Park ..........................................................................81

9: Lakeside/Lester Park................................................................................87

10: UMD/Park...............................................................................................97

Conclusion ................................................................................................................101

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Sidewalk Usage ...........................................................................11

Figure 2: Planning District 1a: FondDu Lac...............................................15

Figure 3: FondDu Lac: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas .........................14

Figure 4: Planning District 1b: Gary-New Duluth......................................19

Figure 5: Gary/New Duluth: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ...............18

Figure 6: Planning District 1c: Morgan Park ..............................................23

Figure 7: Morgan Park: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ........................22

Figure 8: Planning District 1d: Riverside/Norton Park...............................27

Figure 9: Riverside/Norton Park: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas .........26

Figure 10: Planning District 2a: Fairmont/Irving ........................................33

Figure 11: Fairmont/Irving: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas...................31

Figure 12: Planning District 2b: Bayview/Valley/Oneota/Denfeld .............37

Figure 13: Bay./Valley/Oneota/Den.: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ...36

vi

Figure 14: Planning District 3a: Lincoln Park .............................................43

Figure 15: Lincoln Park: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas .......................42

Figure 16: Planning District 4a: Piedmont Heights .....................................47

Figure 17: Piedmont Heights: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ...............46

Figure 18: Planning District 4b: Duluth Heights .........................................51

Figure 19: Duluth Heights: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas....................50

Figure 20: Planning District 5a: Downtown Duluth/Central Hillside..........57

Figure 21: Downtown Duluth: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ..............56

Figure 22: Planning District 5b: Park Point .................................................61

Figure 23: Park Point: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ...........................59

Figure 24: Planning District 6a: East Hillside/Endion.................................67

Figure 25: East Hillside/Endion: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas...........66

Figure 26: Planning District 7a: Endion/Congdon.......................................73

Figure 27: Endion/Congdon: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas.................72

Figure 28: Planning District 7b: Congdon ...................................................79

Figure 29: Planning District 8a: Woodland/Hunters Park ...........................85

Figure 30: Woodland/Hunters Park: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas .....83

Figure 31: Planning District 9a: Lakeside....................................................91

Figure 32: Lakeside-Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ..............................90

Figure 33: Planning District 9b: Lester Park ...............................................95

Figure 34: Planning District 10a: UMD/Park ..............................................99

Figure 35: UMD/Park: Key Sidewalk Preservation Areas ..........................98

Figure 36: Duluth Sidewalk Assessment Matrix .........................................103

1

Good pedestrian facilities serveeveryone. Whether you walk to yourcar, to the bus stop, or even to yourdestination, you are at some pointutilizing a pedestrian facility. Forevery trip a community can getsomeone to walk, there is one lesscar on the road and less congestionfor those who do choose to drive.Walking is also a pleasant form ofexercise for many and encouragessocial interaction with others in thecommunity. Communities can onlybenefit by ensuring that pedestrianfacilities are not a secondary issue,but an equally important part of thetransportation system.

Walkable communities have beenshown in studies to be friendlier andsafer places to live. When streetsand roads are safe and comfortable,communities enjoy an enhancedquality of life. Of specialimportance is the role sidewalks playin the lives of the community’schildren. Children must utilizesidewalks to get to all of theirdestinations such as neighborhoodhomes and schools. A safe facility ingood condition encourages kids tostay on the sidewalk and provides abarrier (generally a boulevard) fromtraffic in the street.

Unfortunately, many communitiesthat were at one time “walkable” arebecoming less friendly forpedestrians through neglect and

improper redevelopment that fails totake pedestrians into account.Modern day development has shiftedfrom a multimodal approach toserving the automobile almostexclusively. A traditionalneighborhood is highlighted by smalllot sizes connected with a network ofwalkways. In contrast, many newdevelopments have large lots, widestreets, and no sidewalks for thecommunity to travel on.

The same can be said of commercialdevelopment. Old commercialdistricts at one time were built withstorefronts directly abutting thestreet, and all were connected bywalkways that separated stores fromthe street. Pedestrians could accessthese areas easily and safely. Nowcommercial development has shiftedto large buildings fronted not bysidewalks or streets, but by largefields of asphalt parking lots that aremany times difficult if notimpossible for a pedestrian to crosswithout any concerns for safety.

City of Duluth Sidewalk InventoryIntroduction

“The successful City of SuperiorSidewalk Inventory spurred the City ofDuluth to request a similar inventory.”

2

Introduction

A pedestrian entering the Burning Tree Shopping Plazain the Miller Hill Mall area.

Replacing sidewalk sections versus entire blockscan result in varying aging conditions.

History of this PlanThe successful City of SuperiorSidewalk Inventory spurred the Cityof Duluth to request a similarinventory. The City of Duluthsidewalk policy, as defined in thecity charter, describes how sidewalkimprovements are to be made andassessed. The policy calls fornecessary replacement when publicsafety is at risk. Approximately tento twelve years ago sections of thecity’s sidewalk were reviewedannually and property owners werenotified by mail of necessaryimprovements. The City Councilwould then order sidewalkimprovement projects, via voting,and properties were assessed for thereplacement or leveling of hazardoussidewalks. Property owners wereassessed for the work done in frontof their property and assessments

varied greatly as the project mightreplace all or none of the sidewalkdepending on condition. As costsincreased, this process was perceivedas unfair and became politicallyunpopular. The sidewalk programthen became voluntary. Noticeswere sent with water and gas billsexplaining how to request sidewalkrepairs. The amount done each yearvia this method continually declined.

Community Development BlockGrant (CDBG) funding has helpedfund sidewalk replacement projectsin one or more eligibleneighborhoods annually. EligibleDuluth neighborhoods include: Eastand Central Hillsides, Lincoln Park,West Duluth and Morgan Park.These areas are determined bycensus tracts and block groups withpopulations over 51% low tomoderate income. These funds are

3

Introduction

granted to central cities (ofmetropolitan areas) of 50,000 ormore in population to revitalizeneighborhoods. Eligible activitiesinclude improving affordablehousing, economic opportunities,community facilities and services.City of Duluth received $3.7 millionin CDBG funding for 2001. On state or federal aid street projects,sidewalks are eligible for eitherreplacement or new installation. TheCity of Duluth is adding andrepairing sidewalks whereverpossible using these funds. The Cityalso coordinates with St. LouisCounty and MnDOT on projectswithin Duluth to include sidewalkswhere needed.The city’s residential StreetImprovement Program (SIP) beganin 1994. For the first six years ofthis program, sidewalk replacementwas done only at the request ofproperty owners and assessed tothem directly at 100% of the cost.SIP street projects were subsidizedby the city so that the propertyowners pay only 25% of the streetimprovement cost. This policy wasalso unsuccessful and few sidewalksystem improvements were made.Two years ago (1999), the policywas further refined to allow sidewalkimprovements to be incorporatedinto SIP cost estimates. Thesidewalk costs are now included intothe overall SIP for the year and only

add about $40,000 to a $6 millionproject budget. Sidewalkimprovements are socialized into theoverall program, everyone pays thesame cost per front foot whether ornot their sidewalk is replaced. Withthis policy, property owners now payjust 25% of the total improvementcost (both street and sidewalk). Thisprogram has been successful asresidents have been getting a betterfinal product and failinginfrastructure is being tended to.This condition inventory andassessment will aid the program andthe city will now have a GISdatabase depicting sidewalkconditions and can update thisinformation as improvements aremade to the system.

National PolicyThe Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) was signed into law on July26, 1990 with the intent of makingAmerica more accessible to thosewith disabilities. In addressing theintent of ADA, agencies allocatingfederal funding must ensure personswith disabilities are notdiscriminated against. Disabledpopulations must have access toemployment, public services andprivate facilities through improvedtransportation services.

There are five titles (sections) toADA including: employment, publicservices, public accommodations,

4

Introduction

telecommunications andmiscellaneous. This sidewalk plan isconcerned with two of these titles,public services and publicaccommodations. Public services,such as public transit buses, must beaccessible to the disabled.Additionally state and localgovernments, commuter authoritiesand railroad corporations can notdeny services, programs or activitiesto people with disabilities. Publicaccommodations (hotels, restaurants,grocery stores, retail, privatetransportation systems, etc.) must beaccessible to the disabled. Thismeans all new construction must beaccessible to the disabled andmodifications should be made tofacilities that are not accessible asreasonably expected. A primarymodification that enables sidewalksto be accessible are curb ramps.Curb ramps allow people withmobility impairments to gain accessto sidewalks and pass through centerislands in streets. The lack ofnecessary curb ramps is still aproblem as safe and convenienttravel for the mobility impaired isnot always possible and they areforced into roadways. To achieveADA compliance it may benecessary to establish an ongoingprocedure or program to ensure curbramp installation is occurring inareas frequented by these individualsas residents, employees, or visitors.When streets, roads, or highways are

newly built or altered, they musthave ramps or sloped areas whereverthere are curbs or other barriers toentry from a sidewalk or path. Also,they must contain curb ramps orsloped areas wherever they intersectwith streets, roads or highways.Resurfacing beyond normalmaintenance is an alteration. Merelyfilling potholes is considered normalmaintenance.

The Transportation Equity Act forthe 21st Century (TEA-21)encourages the use of disadvantagedbusiness enterprises. Provisions ofADA require agencies using FederalTransit Administration (FTA) andFederal Highway Administration(FHWA) funds to make an effort toutilize Disadvantaged BusinessEnterprises to perform a percentageof their work. It requires that effortsbe made in the planning and designof mass transportation facilities toensure that elderly and disabledindividuals have facilities availableto effectively utilize.

Study MethodologyA comprehensive sidewalk inventorywas necessary to determine problemareas within the city and supportrecommendations. In meetings withDuluth City Planners and Engineers,a data collection list was developedfor integration into GeographicInformation Systems (GIS). Thefinal list included:

5

Introduction

A well-worn pedestrian path locatedadjacent to a bus stop.

The location andcondition of all sidewalks(including worn paths)

Location of pedestriangenerators including:

a) Schoolsb) Churchesc) Parks and

Recreation Areasd) Clinicse) Hospitalsf) Community

Centersg) Senior Centersh) Retail

Bus Routes & Shelters

Functional Classificationsof adjacent roadwayfacilities

In analyzing neighborhood mapinformation, an assessment matrixwas developed displaying

recommendations in two categories:sidewalk system gaps (missingsidewalk segments and areas whichcould connect neighborhoods) andkey sidewalk preservation areas(poorly rated and highly usedsidewalks near multiple pedestriangenerators). Within this assessmentmatrix, Figure 36, three tiers of datawere used to assess sidewalkimportance: functional classification,pedestrian generators and transitservice.

Poor sidewalk conditions within atwo-block radius of multiplepedestrian generators wereconsidered priority areas forsidewalk repair. These areas wereidentified using GIS overlay analysisin Spatial Analyst. This was done inan effort to correlate the most highlyused sidewalks that were in the worstcondition. These areas wereidentified as “Key PreservationAreas” within each Duluth PlanningDistrict.

Planning DistrictsThe sidewalk data is presented byDuluth Planning Districts and insome cases is subdivided intoneighborhoods. The City of DuluthPlanning Districts are as follows:

Planning District 1—Covers theneighborhoods of FondDu Lac,Gary-New Duluth, Morgan Park,

6

Introduction

An example of a sidewalk rated as Good.

Smithville, Riverside and NortonPark.

Planning District 2—Containsthe neighborhoods of Fairmont,Irving, Bayview Heights, SpiritValley, Cody, Oneota andDenfeld.

Planning District 3—Encompasses the neighborhoodof Lincoln Park.

Planning District 4—Takes intoaccount the neighborhoods ofPiedmont Heights and DuluthHeights.

Planning District 5—Includesdowntown Duluth, CentralHillside and Park Point.

Planning District 6—Iscomprised of the East Hillsideneighborhood.

Planning District 7—Covers theneighborhoods of Endion andCongdon

Planning District 8—ContainsHunters Park and Woodlandneighborhoods

Planning District 9—IncludesLakeside and Lester Parkneighborhoods

Planning District 10—Encompasses the University ofMinnesota-Duluth (UMD) andPark area

Data Collection MethodRating sidewalk condition issubjective in nature and all effortswere made to ensure sidewalks wererated equally and fairly. Sidewalkswere assessed visually by surveyorswhile driving down Duluth citystreets. Sidewalks were given one ofthree ratings based on the following:

Good—sidewalk is structurallysound and provides a safe routefor pedestrians. Examplesinclude newly repaired orconstructed sidewalk segments.

Fair—sidewalk is showingsigns of structural deteriorationand may need attention withinfive to ten years. Minoruplifting and cracks may bepresent but safety of thewalkway is not compromised.

7

Introduction

Poorly rated sidewalk, which is heaving.

An example of a sidewalk rated as Fair.

Poor—sidewalk is in need ofimmediate repair. Areas on thewalkway have succumbed tosinking, heaving, or presentmultiple tripping hazards.Neglected sidewalks overgrownby grass were considered poor.

To ensure consistency, surveyorsspent time together rating the samewalkways in order to standardizetheir rating methods. Surveyorswere used to gather all informationin the city. Once the inventory wascomplete, surveyors field-checkedthe entire city to standardize theratings given to the sidewalks.

An example of poorly rated sidewalkwhich is overgrown with grass.

8

Planning Districts

Above is a sidewalk abutting a road.

An example of a non-abutting sidewalk(doesn’t abut a roadway).

The following section contains therecommended sidewalkimprovements and maps displayingall the information gathered aboutsidewalk conditions in Duluth’s tenplanning districts. In some casesneighborhoods were separatelydiscussed within the planningdistricts. Each planning district wasanalyzed in the same manner byexamining the overall condition ofthe district’s sidewalks, identifyingthe gaps in connectivity of theexisting neighborhood sidewalknetwork and lastly pinpointing themost highly used sidewalks in thepoorest condition.

Overall ConditionsThe overall conditions of eachplanning district’s sidewalks wereexamined in the following terms inGIS:

Total sidewalk mileage

Mileage of sidewalks in Good,Fair or Poor condition

Percentage of sidewalks in Good,Fair or Poor condition

Total mileage of recommendedsidewalk construction

Sidewalk System Gaps &CharacteristicsFigure 36 displays the criteria of thesidewalk assessment matrix, whichformed the basis for recommendedsidewalk improvements. Thesespecific recommendations wereidentified with beginning and endpoints. The location ofrecommended improvements arefollowed by a detailed explanation.Reasons for recommending theconstruction of these segmentsinclude:

Planning Districts - Overview

9

Planning Districts

Pedestrians are forced to walk in roadwayswhen sidewalk facilities are not provided.

Gaps exist in the current sidewalknetwork, therefore the city shouldconsider constructing these missinglinks to provide the neighborhoodswith a comprehensive sidewalksystem.

Land use characteristics adjacent to

these areas without sidewalks aresuch that constructing sidewalks is anecessary safety consideration(functional classification, transitroutes and shelters, retail, etc.).

Neighborhoods lacking connectivityto other neighborhoods with asidewalk network that isolatespedestrian travel.

Key Preservation Areas Using GIS technology, specificallyoverlay analysis in Spatial Analyst,priority sidewalk preservation areaswere identified. This was done in aneffort to correlate sidewalk conditionand use. Sidewalks in poor

condition located within or adjacentto these highly used locations (indark green) were considered priorityfor repair. In a few instancessidewalks were absent in locationswith multiple pedestrian generatorswhich was pointed out as well.These areas were listed for eachplanning district under “KeyPreservation Areas.” Figure 1displays the findings from thisanalysis for the entire City of Duluth.Ten criteria were used to determinehighly used sidewalk areas and thenbuffered (two-block radius), criteriaincluded:

Functional classification Schools Churches Parks Clinics/Hospitals Community Centers Senior Centers Retail Transit Routes Transit Shelters

Areas with multiple pedestriangenerators within a two-block radiuswere identified using a shadinggradient from gray (low use) to green(high pedestrian use). Green anddark green shaded areas wereconsidered concentrated pedestriangenerator locations. All poorly ratedsidewalks within these green anddark green locations were identified.

10

Planning Districts

The intent of pulling out thesesidewalk segments was to ensure:

Sidewalks adjacent to multiplepedestrian generators aremaintained in good condition.

Conditions around and leadingup to pedestrian generator areashave safe and adequate access toneighborhood locations and otheridentified destinations.

PlanningDistrict

Miles ofPoor

Miles of Fair Miles ofGood

TotalSidewalkMileage

PercentPoor

1 18 16.3 4.7 39 46%2 19 19 18.1 56.1 34%3 15.9 14.4 3.6 33.9 47%4 1.9 6.6 4.3 12.8 15%5 20 19.6 9.9 49.5 40%6 13.3 16.7 5.6 35.6 37%7 16.4 16.9 10.9 44.2 37%8 8.7 7.9 4.1 20.7 42%9 23.9 13 4.3 41.2 58%10 6.9 8.4 4.5 19.8 35%

TOTALS Total Milesof Poor

Total Milesof Fair

Total Milesof Good

Total Milesof sidewalkin Duluth

Total CityPercent

Poor88.1 92.6 46.2 226.9 39%

City of Duluth Sidewalk Conditions by Planning District

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13

Planning Districts

Approximatemiles based onaverage lengthof blocks in theneighborhood

Percentage ofneighborhoodsidewalk milesbelonging to

each categoryrating

Sidewalks rated as"Good"

4.7 miles 12%

Sidewalks rated as"Fair"

16.3 miles 42%

Sidewalks rated as"Poor"

18 miles 46%

Total Miles ofexisting sidewalk

Approx. 39 miles

Areas withoutsidewalks thatwarrant newconstruction

Approx. 6.12 miles

Planning District 1Overall ConditionsPlanning District 1 covers theneighborhoods of FondDu Lac,Gary-New Duluth, Morgan Park,Riverside, Smithville and NortonPark. These neighborhoodscomprise some of the oldest sectionsof Duluth with FondDu Lac beingthe first settlement and Morgan Parkoriginally built as a U.S. Steelcompany town. The neighborhoodsin this planning district are spreadapart and remain somewhatindependent of one another. Theoverall conditions of the sidewalks inthe district are poor (46%) to fair(42%). There is minimal sidewalkinfrastructure, only 39 miles, whichcan be attributed to the geographicseparation of the neighborhoods.Approximately six miles of newsidewalk construction wererecommended for the district.

Planning District 1

14

Planning Districts

W 5th St

Hwy 23

W 9th St

Water St

W 3rd St

W 6th St

128

th A

ve W W 8th St

1st St W

133

rd A

ve W

State H

Sidewalk ConditionGoodFairPoorPath

Sidewalk UsageLow

High

Figure 3This shows the correlation between sidewalk condition and sidewalk usage. Sidewalk usage was defined by the ten criteria located on page 9. Poor sidewalks within or adjacent to dark green areas are considered high priority sidewalks.

System Gaps & CharacteristicsThere are few sidewalks in theFondDu Lac neighborhood and whatfacilities exist are almost exclusivelyin poor condition, see Figure 2. Themajor sidewalk corridor runs alongHwy 23 and provides connections toparks, churches and a communitycenter. Areas where new sidewalkconstruction should be consideredinclude:

Grand Avenue from existingsidewalk west to ChambersGrove ParkThis segment of sidewalk doesnot exist and would providepedestrians with an option totravel to Chambers Grove Park.

133rd Ave W from Grand Avenuesouth to existing sidewalk This is a system gap that shouldbe connected, also notesurrounding sidewalks are inpoor condition.

Key Preservation AreasFondDu Lac has several parks, acommunity center and church.Transit service routes run along Hwy23. Figure 3 displays the keysidewalk preservation areas inFondDu Lac. Poorly rated sidewalkswithin the green shaded areasindicate facilities abutting or within atwo-block radius of multiplepedestrian generators. Thesesidewalk segments were consideredpriority to repair and include:

Grand Avenue from 133rd AvenueWest to 130th Avenue West Sidewalk conditions are poor andare used by pedestrians to accesstransit services (shelter present),a park, community center andchurch.

131st Avenue West from GrandAvenue to 5th Street Sidewalks are in poor conditionand provide direct access to apark, the FondDu LacCommunity Recreation Centerand a church.

5th Street from 131st Avenue Westto 130th Avenue West This incomplete sidewalksegment is in poor condition andleads to a park, communitycenter and church.

4th Street from 131st Avenue Westto 130th Avenue West This poor sidewalk is within twoblocks of a park, communitycenter, church and transit service.

Planning District 1: FondDu Lac (Map 1A)

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Planning Districts

Planning District 1: Gary-New Duluth (Map 1B)

16

System Gaps & CharacteristicsIn the 1950’s, Gary-New Duluthneighborhood was a growing areawith major retail and the strongpresence of US Steel in MorganPark. Prior to this time, (when theneighborhood had recently formed) asteamboat used to transfer peopleinto downtown.

The neighborhood is well servedwith sidewalk infrastructure howevera significant portion is in poorcondition, see Figure 4. Althoughwell served, there are still missingsegments that hinder the connectivityof the sidewalk system. Thosesegments include:

Goodhue from Vintage Acres to97th Avenue WestThis gap in the sidewalk system,if constructed, could potentiallyserve transit, retail and provideneighborhood connectivity.

House St from 98th Avenue Westto CommonwealthThis is a system gap andsurrounding sidewalk is in poorcondition. This potential linkcould provide access to retail, acommunity center and transitservice.

101st Avenue West from Stowe toGoodhueWould provide access to aschool, park and offerneighborhood connectivity.

Bowser from Commonwealth to97th Avenue WestThis segment gap would provideaccess to a church as well astransit service.

E McGonagle from existingsidewalk to 95th Avenue WestThis area could improve accessto transit service and provideneighborhood connectivity.

98th Avenue West from Stowe toBowserThis sidewalk system gap, ifconstructed, would better connectthe neighborhood and is locatedwithin two blocks of transitservice.

99th Avenue West from Heard toMc Cuen This segment is incomplete andwould improve residential accessto public transportation.

Peary from 103rd Avenue West toCommonwealth (gaps)If constructed this section wouldprovide neighborhoodconnectivity.

17

Planning Districts

Gary St

E Mc Cuen St

101st Ave W

Peary St

E Gary Stth A ve W

W House St

Heard St

W Mc Gonagle St

95th Ave W

E Bowser St

E Goodhue St

E Stowe Ave

Com

mon w

ealth Ave

99th Ave W


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


97th Avenue West from Goodhueto Bowser This is a gap in the neighborhoodsidewalk system that ifcompleted would provideconnectivity.

Key Preservation AreasThe following segments wereinventoried in poor condition andfound abutting or within twoblocks of multiple pedestriangenerators. See Figure 5.

Commonwealth from Gary toMcGonagle StCommonwealth is the highestfunctionally classed route inGary-New Duluth. Poorsidewalks in this section provideaccess to transit (and a shelter), acommunity center, park andchurch.

101st Avenue West from Stowesouth to midblock Poor sidewalk conditions hereserve a school, church, park andprovide access to transit (shelterpresent).

Stowe from Commonwealth to99th Avenue West Deficient sidewalk facilities offeraccess to a church, park, seniorcenter and transit facilities(shelter as well).

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Planning Districts

System Gaps &Characteristics

Morgan Park, a traditionalneighborhood with curvilinearstreets, was built by J.P. Morganas a U.S. Steel company town.Many of these original homes arenow on the historical register andthe neighborhood is eligible touse CDBG funding to improvearea sidewalks. Pendingapproval from the CommunityDevelopment Committee andDuluth City Council, CDBGfunding will be used in 2002 toimprove sidewalks aroundMorgan Park School. MorganPark is relatively well servedwith sidewalk infrastructure mostof which is in fair or poorcondition, see Figure 6. Systemgaps that were found in theneighborhood include:

Grand Avenue from north ofGlencrest Ct to Zimmerly AvenueGrand Avenue is functionallyclassified as a principal arterialand if constructed this segmentwould serve to connect MorganPark to Gary-New Duluth andimprove access to transit service.Portions of this segment showdirt paths indicating high use.

88th Avenue West from Concordto Falcon (Gaps)The functional classification of88th Avenue West is major

collector. Connecting the gaps inthis section would provide accessto retail and transit in MorganPark’s central business district.

Idaho/93rd Avenue West from 91stAvenue West to FalconThis system gap would connectthe neighborhood and providetransit access.

Grace from 90th Avenue West to93rd Avenue West If constructed this segmentwould provide neighborhoodaccess to Morgan Park Schooland improve residential access topublic transportation.

Hilton from 91st Avenue West to93rd Avenue West This system gap would improveresidential access to a nearbytransit route.

Falcon from 90th Avenue West to93rd Avenue West This is a gap in the continuity ofthe Morgan Park sidewalksystem.

Planning District 1: Morgan Park (Map 1C)

21

Planning Districts

Gra

nd A

ve

Hilton St

Falcon St

Idaho St

86th Ave W

Beverly St

92n

d Av

e W

89th Ave W

84th Ave W

Grace St

93rd Ave W

90t

h Av

e W

91s

t Ave

W

84t

h Av

e W

88th Ave W

Edward St


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


Key Preservation AreasThe following segments wereinventoried in poor condition andfound abutting or within twoblocks of multiple pedestriangenerators. See Figure 7.

88th Avenue West from Falcon toHilton The functional classification of88th Avenue West is majorcollector. Sidewalk here is inpoor condition and providesaccess to a school, clinic,community center and transitservice.

Falcon from 88th Avenue West to87th Avenue West Sidewalks along this local streetwere found in poor condition andserve a park, clinic, communitycenter and transit service.

Hilton from 88th Avenue West to86th Avenue West Deficient sidewalk conditionshere provide access to a park,community center and transitservices.

86th Avenue West from Edward toFalcon Poor sidewalk conditions in thissegment provide access to a parkand transit service.

87th Avenue West from Edward toFalcon Sidewalks along this local streetwere found in poor condition andprovide access to a park andtransit service.

90th Avenue West from Falcon toGrace Substandard sidewalk conditionsalong this local street serveMorgan Park School and transitservices.

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24

Planning Districts

System Gaps & CharacteristicsThe Riverside and Norton Parkneighborhoods have a somewhatdisconnected sidewalk system, seeFigure 8. Recommended segmentsfor construction include:

Grand Avenue: from Spring to85th Avenue West; from west ofBessemer to 84th Avenue West;from Clyde to Swenson (gaps) Grand Avenue is a principlearterial and transit route withseveral shelters. If constructed,these sidewalk segments couldconnect neighborhoods andprovide pedestrians with a saferoute along a busy roadway.

Caldwell from 78th Avenue Westto northeast of 76th Avenue West This area serves a church andnearby transit facilities.

Industrial from Lenroot to 85thAvenue West There are worn pedestrian pathsin this area. If constructed,sidewalks here would provideneighborhood connectivity andaccess to transit service.

Grand Avenue Place/93rd AvenueWest from Swenson to Gogebic This local route has a gap in thesidewalk system and ifconstructed, it would serve localretail and connect existingsidewalk segments.

Keene from Grand Avenue to93rd Avenue West This segment, if constructed,would provide access to publictransportation and connectexisting sidewalk segments.

Pulaski from Grand Avenue to72nd Avenue West This missing segment wouldprovide linkage to transitservices.

St. Louis Court/View CrestAvenue from Industrial to end This area has well wornpedestrian paths and if sidewalkswere constructed here, residentswould have improved access totransit and the nearby MungerTrail.

66th Avenue West from Fremontto NatchezThis section gap should becompleted to provide networkconnectivity.

84th Avenue West/Coleman fromexisting sidewalk to 83rd AvenueWestThis section is a gap in thesidewalk network and should becompleted to provideneighborhood connectivity.

Planning District 1: Riverside/Norton Park (Map 1D)

25

Planning Districts

Cole

man S

t

Pulaski St

N 79th Ave W

76th Ave W

S 7 2n d A ve W

N 78th Ave W

N 77th Ave W

N 83rd Ave W

S 71st Ave W

S 69th Ave W

Gran

d Ave


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


Key Preservation AreasSidewalk areas identified in poorcondition and adjacent or withintwo blocks of multiple pedestriandestinations include (Figure 9):

Grand Avenue: from 78th AvenueWest to 75th Avenue West; fromwest of 85th Avenue West toBessemer (key area with nosidewalks) Nearby pedestrian destinationsinclude a park, retail and transitservice (shelter).

80th Avenue West from GrandAvenue to Coleman This poor sidewalk segment is inthe vicinity of a park, communitycenter and transit service.

78th Avenue West from GrandAvenue to Coleman This segment of poor sidewalk isclose to a church and transitservice.

76th Avenue West from GrandAvenue to Caldwell This segment is near a transitroute (shelter).

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Planning Districts

Overall ConditionsPlanning District 2 covers theneighborhoods of Fairmont, Irving,Cody, Bayview Heights, SpiritValley, Oneota and Denfeld. Withinthis district, the West Duluthneighborhood is eligible to useCDBG grants to improve sidewalks.The area has a good system ofsidewalk infrastructure with an evensplit of sidewalks in good, fair andpoor condition. Approximately twomiles of sidewalk construction wererecommended.

Planning District 2



each categoryrating


18.1 miles 32%


19 miles 34%


19 miles 34%


Approx 56.1 miles


Approx. 1.9 miles

Planning District 2

29

Planning Districts

System Gaps & CharacteristicsThe sidewalk conditions inFairmont/Irving are displayed inFigure 10. Recommended segmentsfor construction include:

Grand Avenue from 66th AvenueWest to Raleigh (gaps) This system gap along a principlearterial serves transit and retail.Additionally, a well-wornpedestrian path is present herewarranting this recommendation.

57th Avenue West from Main toRaleigh This missing sidewalk segmentserves a park, community centerand transit.

72nd Avenue West from GrandAvenue to Fremont If constructed this sidewalksegment would provide directaccess to a park and transitservices.

52nd Avenue West from Ramseyto Bristol This gap in the sidewalk systemis near retail and transit.

63rd Avenue West from Raleighto Grand Avenue There is a break in the sidewalksystem here, which should beconstructed as the area providesaccess to transit services.

Sherburne from 69th Avenue Westto 71st Avenue West This system gap provides accessto transit services.

70th Avenue West from Redruthto Sherburne This section has a gap in thesidewalk system and ifconstructed it would providegreater connectivity forneighborhood pedestrians.

Main from Grand Avenue to 67thAvenue West (gaps) This section has a gap in thesidewalk system and ifconstructed it would providegreater connectivity forneighborhood pedestrians.

Nicollet from 64th Avenue West to63rd Avenue West This section gap, if constructed,would provide greaterconnectivity for neighborhoodpedestrians.

Raleigh from 67th Avenue West to68th Avenue West This section is the only gap in theexisting sidewalk system alongRaleigh and if constructed itwould provide greaterconnectivity for neighborhoodpedestrians.

Planning District 2: Fairmont/Irving (Map 2A)

30

Planning Districts

Gran

d Ave

Raleigh St

63rd Ave W

S

Nicollet St

Bristol St

57th Ave W

64th Ave W

53rd Ave W

58th Ave W

56th A ve W Waseca St

S

65th Ave W

66th Ave W

62nd A ve W

S Central Ave

Redruth St

I- 35

Main St

t

velt St

Ramsey St

Bristol St

52nd Ave W

Main St


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


Roosevelt from 66th Avenue Westto 65th Avenue West This section is the only gap in thesidewalk system along Rooseveltand if constructed it wouldprovide greater connectivity forneighborhood pedestrians.

Westgate Boulevard from Codyto 65th Avenue West This section gap, if constructed,would connect existing sidewalksegments and improve theneighborhood sidewalk network.

Key Preservation AreasKey areas identified in poorcondition and adjacent tomultiple pedestrian destinationsinclude (Figure 11):

57th Avenue West from Nicollet toMain This section of poor sidewalk,along a local street, is criticallyimportant to maintain in goodcondition as it is in the vicinity ofa church, park and communitycenter.

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33

Planning Districts

.

System Gaps & CharacteristicsThis neighborhood is well servedwith sidewalk infrastructure, whichvaries in condition (Figure 12).Recommended segments forconstruction include:

Grand Avenue from 46th AvenueWest to 44th Avenue West Grand Avenue is a minor arterialand the construction of thissegment would serve retail andtransit (including a shelter).

40th Avenue West from 2nd St toSuperior This gap in connectivity along aminor arterial roadway wouldprovide direct access to retail andtransit.

46th Avenue West from 1st St toGrand Avenue This gap in connectivity along aminor arterial roadway wouldprovide direct access to retail andtransit.

4th St from 54th Avenue West to48th Avenue West This gap in the sidewalk systemprovides access to a senior centerand is within two blocks oftransit service.

39th Avenue West from 2nd St toSuperior This break in sidewalkconnectivity abuts retail and iswithin two blocks of transitservice. A well-worn pedestrianpath is visible indicating high useand need for sidewalkconstruction.

Medina from Central to 57thAvenue West This is the only gap in thesidewalk system along Medinaand if constructed would improvesystem connectivity andresidential transit access.

Lexington from 63rd Avenue Westto 64th Avenue West If constructed this segmentwould connect existing sidewalksand improve the neighborhoodsidewalk system.

Key Preservation AreasKey areas identified in poorcondition and adjacent or withintwo blocks of multiple andimportant pedestrian destinationsinclude (Figure 13):

Grand Avenue: from 44th AvenueWest to 42nd Avenue West; 47thAvenue West to 48th Avenue West

These poor sidewalk segmentsserve churches, clinics, retail andtransit (shelter as well).

Planning District 2: Bayview/Spirit Valley/Oneota/Denfeld (Map 2B)

34

Planning Districts

Cody St

Co la lil lo D

r

W 1s

t St

S 46

Mich

igan S

t

N 46th Ave W

ve W

n St

St

N 48th Ave W

ve

Albion St

Medina St

N 51st Ave W

N 59th A

ve W

Ramsey St

I- 35

N 56th A

ve W

W 4t

h St

Gran

d Ave

W 7t

h St

W 6t

h St

N 48th Ave W

N 56th A ve W


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


Elinor from Central Avenue toGrand Avenue This poor sidewalk segmentserves a school, park, communitycenter and transit service(shelter).

54th Avenue West from 4th Streetto 5th Street Poor sidewalks here are in thevicinity of a school, park,community center and seniorcenter.

4th Street from 44th Avenue Westto 42nd Avenue West; 48th AvenueWest to 47th Avenue West Poor sidewalks in these areas arenear a school, retail and providetransit access.

5th Street from 44th Avenue Westto 43nd Avenue West Sidewalks rated in poor conditionhere adjoin a school, retail andtransit routes.

43rd Avenue West from GrandAvenue to 5th Street Sidewalks inventoried as poor inthis area are near a church, retailand transit.

44th Avenue West from 4th Streetto 5th Street This poor section of sidewalk isnear a school, retail and transitservice.

48th Avenue West from GrandAvenue to 4th Street This poor sidewalk segmentserves a clinic, retail and transit.

6th Street from 56th Avenue Westto 57th Avenue West This segment of poor sidewalkprovides access to a school andchurch.

56th Avenue West from Elinor toCody Poor sidewalk here is near retailand transit service.

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Planning Districts



each categoryrating


3.6 miles 11%


14.4 miles 42%


15.9 miles 47%


approximately 33.9 miles



Planning District 3

Overall Condition Planning District 3 fullyencompasses Lincoln Park, one ofDuluth’s oldest neighborhoods. Themajority of sidewalk conditions inthis neighborhood are in poor to faircondition. Approximately two milesof new sidewalk construction isrecommended.

System Gaps & CharacteristicsLincoln Park has been targeted forrevitalization efforts by the cityparticularly regarding housing(“Hope in Lincoln Park”). LincolnPark is eligible for CDBG fundingand has utilized these fundseffectively to improve ailingsidewalks. Lincoln Park has anextensive business district and parksystem. Although the sidewalksystem is well-formed, there are afew gaps impeding the system frombeing comprehensive (Figure 14).Those areas include:

Superior from 34th Avenue Westto 28th Avenue West (gaps) Superior Street is a majorcollector and if sidewalks wereconstructed here pedestrianswould have a safe route along abusy street as well as access totransit service and retail.

3rd Street from 18th Avenue Westto east of 17th Avenue West(existing sidewalk) If constructed, this segmentwould improve neighborhoodconnectivity between LincolnPark, Piedmont and ObservationHill and would link existingsidewalk systems.

26th Avenue West from 1st Streetto 3rd Street No sidewalk exists in thissegment and a well-worn

Planning District 3: Lincoln Park (Map 3A)

37

Planning Districts

pedestrian path is visible. Thisarea provides access to transitservice and would benefit fromsidewalk construction.

Piedmont from 5th Street to 7thStreet This area serves retail and ifconstructed would allowpedestrians safety along a busyroadway as well as access tothose facilities.

27th Avenue West from Skyline to15th Street This one block segment is theonly missing link along 27thAvenue West and if constructedwould complete this gap in thepedestrian network.

Atlantic Avenue from Wellingtonto Exeter This is a gap in the pedestriannetwork and if constructed itwould connect existing sidewalksegments.

Michigan Avenue from 6th Streetto Devonshire (gaps) These two missing blocks ofsidewalk would help completethe Lincoln Park sidewalknetwork.

Pacific Avenue from 7th Street toWellington If constructed, this segmentwould connect existing sidewalks

and aid neighborhoodconnectivity.

Piedmont from 18th Avenue Westto 3rd StreetThis is a gap in the connectivityof the pedestrian network ofLincoln Park. The terrain mayimpede the construction of thissegment, however the newalignment of Piedmont willreopen this route to travel andmay necessitate the constructionof a safe sidewalk route.

Winnipeg Avenue from GrandAvenue to ExeterThis is a gap in the connectivityof the pedestrian network inLincoln Park.

Key Preservation Areas It is critical to first fix those poorlyrated areas that are used the most andlocated near various pedestriangenerators (Figure 15). Thosesegments include:

Piedmont from Garfield to 1stStreetPiedmont is a minor arterial andthis poor section of sidewalkserves a church, park, retail andtransit (shelter present).

Michigan Street from 18thAvenue West to Lower MichiganMichigan Street is a minorarterial and poor sidewalks in

38

Planning Districts

this section serve retail, a churchand provide access to transitservice (via steps up to Garfield).

1st Street from 22nd Avenue Westto 14th Avenue WestFirst Street is a minor arterial andpoor sidewalk in this area servesa park and retail.

3rd Street from Devonshire to 21stAvenue WestThird Street is a major collectorroute and poor sidewalksegments here serve a church,park, community center, retailand transit service (shelter).

21st Avenue West from Superiorto 2nd Street Sidewalks here run along a majorcollector and serve a church,retail and transit service (shelterpresent).

27th Avenue West from 3rd Streetto 5th Street Sidewalks along this majorcollector were in poor conditionand provide access to a church,park and transit service (shelteralso present).

Superior from Garfield to LowerMichigan Poor sidewalks along this majorcollector serve a church, retail

and provide access to transit toservice (shelter nearby).

20th/19th Avenue West from 1stStreet to 4th Street Poor sidewalks along this majorcollector serve a senior centerand retail.

Michigan Avenue fromDevonshire to 3rd Street Sidewalk here was found in poorcondition and serves a park,community center, retail andtransit service (shelter nearby).

Vernon/30th Avenue West from 1stStreet to 3rd Street This poor section of sidewalkprovides access to a park,community center and transitservice (shelter nearby).

23rd Avenue West from 4th Streetto 5th Street Poor sidewalks here provideaccess to a school, church andtransit service.

28th Avenue West from 1st Streetto 3rd Street Sidewalk here was found in poorcondition and provides access toretail and transit service.

Chestnut from Winnipeg toGrand Forks Sidewalk here was found in poorcondition and providespedestrians with access to a park,

39

Planning Districts

W 1s

t St

I- 535

Piedmont Ave

Ave W

W 2n

d St

Garf ield Ave

Cou

rtland

St

W 6t

h St

W 3r

d St

23rd Ave W

Lincoln Park Dr

W 7t

h St

W 5t

h St

W R

ailro

ad S

t

21st Ave W

W 8t

h St

26th Ave W

d

Exeter St

W 4t

h St

18th Ave W

Devonshire St

19th Ave W

e

26th Ave W

29th Ave W 30th Ave W

25th Ave W

th St

St

W 5t

h St

Ave W

W 6th St

W 9t

h St

28th Ave W

24th Ave W

W 1

st St

W Su

perio

r St


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


community center and transitservice.

Grand Forks from Chestnut toVernon Poorly rated sidewalk segmentshere serve a park, communitycenter and transit service.

Devonshire from Pacific Avenueto Winnipeg Poorly inventoried sidewalk hereprovides access to transit serviceand a shelter facility.

Exeter from Grand Forks toMichigan Avenue Poor sidewalk here providespedestrians access to transitservice.

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Planning Districts

Miller Hill Mall sidewalks beingconstructed along Maple Grove Road.

New Miller Hill sidewalk abuttingMaple Grove Road.

Overall Condition Planning District 4 serves theneighborhoods of Piedmont Heightsand Duluth Heights. Few sidewalks exist and the majorityare in fair condition. New sidewalkswere recently installed in the MillerHill Mall area. Approximately fourmiles of sidewalk construction wererecommended for the district.

Planning District 4



each categoryrating


4.3 miles 34%


6.6 miles 51%


1.9 miles 15%





Planning District 4

42

Planning Districts

Piedmont Ave

Hutchinson Rd

Morris Thomas Rd

Harvey St

Springvale Rd

Ensign St

Hagberg St

Hillc

rest D

r

Tyrol St

W 15

th St

Asbury Dr

Nanticoke St

Catskill St

W 24

th St

Gearhart St

Ozark St

Pershing St

N 24th Av

W 22

nd St

W 23

rd St

a u Rd

16th

St

Karl Ave

3th St

Spri

ngva

le Ct

Leonard St

23rd Ave W

Cha

mbe

r sbu

rg A

ve

2nd A ve W

Karl Ave

Leonard St

Trin

ity R

d


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


System Gaps & CharacteristicsPiedmont Heights has little sidewalkinfrastructure and what existsfollows main roadways, see Figure16. There are gaps within theexisting sidewalk network inPiedmont Heights, including:

Piedmont Avenue from Hillcrestto Chambersburg Piedmont Avenue, a minorarterial, lacks sidewalks betweenHillcrest and Chambersburgwhich is a safety hazard forneighborhood pedestrians. Ifconstructed this segment wouldserve various retail shops, transitservices and provideneighborhood connectivity.

Ensign from Piedmont Avenue toChambersburg The presence of a church, retailand access to transit servicewarrants the construction of thismissing link.

23rd Street from PiedmontAvenue to the PiedmontCommunity Center This missing section of sidewalkif constructed would serve apark, community center andaccess to transit service.

Key Preservation AreasIt is critical to first fix those poorlyrated areas that are used the most andlocated near multiple pedestriandestinations (Figure 17). Thesesidewalk areas include:

Piedmont Avenue from Skyline toHutchinson This section of sidewalk alongPiedmont Avenue, a minorarterial, was found in poorcondition and serves a church,park, retail and transit service(shelter also nearby). Note thesecond pedestrian generatorcenter in Piedmont Heights doesnot have sidewalk infrastructure.

Planning District 4: Piedmont Heights (Map 4A)

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Planning Districts

System Gaps &CharacteristicsThe Duluth Heights sidewalk systemis shown in Figure 18. The networkappears to be sparse and irregular.Areas where new sidewalk facilitiesshould be considered include:

Central Entrance from Andersonto Maple Grove (both sides);Myrtle Place to Pecan Central Entrance is a principalarterial with heavy traffic and is amajor retail corridor. Althoughthis area is built to accommodatethe automobile, pedestrians dofrequent the area and it is unsafeto have them walking along thehighway. This segment wouldconnect the existing sidewalksystem of Duluth Heights toshopping districts east of theMiller Hill Mall Area includingthe Stone Ridge ShoppingCenter. The second segmentwould provide direct access tovarious retail destinations alongCentral Entrance as well astransit service.

Upham Road from Stroll Avenueto Pecan.This gap in the sidewalk system,if constructed, would improveaccess to various retaildestinations and transit service.

Basswood from Orange toQuince This missing sidewalk segment,if constructed, would help tocomplete the existing sidewalknetwork in Duluth Heights andimprove neighborhoodconnectivity.

Orange from Arlington to Robin Various sidewalk gaps existalong this stretch and should becompleted so that it’s contiguous.

Palm from Oregon to Robin(gaps)Gaps exist along Palm Street andshould be completed to form acontiguous sidewalk network.

Quince from Arlington toBasswood Sidewalk segments along Quinceare disconnected from the rest ofthe neighborhood sidewalksystem and should be connected.

Robin from Central Entrance toOrange Sidewalk segments terminate atRobin. To complete the sidewalknetwork, facilities should beconstructed along Robin toconnect pedestrians to sidewalksalong Central Entrance.

Key Preservation AreasThere were no poorly ratedsidewalks within highly concentrated

Planning District 4: Duluth Heights (Map 4B)

45

Planning Districts

N B

asswood A

ve

W Orange St

Gilead St

Willow St

E Orange St

W Palm St

E Locust St

Com

o A

ve

N B

lack

man

Ave

N Ebony A

ve

Myrtle St

N R

obin Ave

S B

lack

man

Ave

Quince St

E Central Entrance

N H

ugo Ave

W Quince St

S T

eak

Av e

W Mulberry St

Arlin gto n A ve


Sidewalk UsageLow

High


pedestrian generator areas. This isbecause few sidewalks exist inDuluth Heights. Figure 19, displaysthe overlay analysis findings, whichindicate that the neighborhood’scenter of pedestrian activity has nosidewalk facilities. Presentpedestrian generators include a park,community center, church, seniorcenter, transit service and animportant functionally classifiedroadway.

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48

Planning Districts



each categoryrating


9.9 miles 20%


19.6 miles 40%


20 miles 40%





Planning District 5

Downtown Duluth is a major pedestriandestination therefore sidewalks are generallyfound in good condition.

Canal Park is a majortourist destinationand sidewalks hereare maintained ingood condition.

Overall Condition Planning District 5 encompassesDowntown Duluth (including theCentral Hillside neighborhood) andPark Point. The district is drasticallydiverse with some of the highest andlowest property values and incomes.The Central Hillside neighborhood iseligible to receive CDBG funding toimprove sidewalk conditions.Within the district is Duluth’sLakewalk Trail, the city’s majorpedestrian attraction. There is agood system of sidewalkinfrastructure in this district,however the majority of it is in fairor poor condition. Sidewalkconditions were generally good inDowntown Duluth and Canal Park,as they are major employment andtourist destinations. Approximatelythree miles of sidewalk constructionwas recommended for the district,primarily to connect existingsegments.

Planning District 5

49

Planning Districts

System Gaps & System Gaps &CharacteristicsDowntown Duluth has an incrediblycomprehensive sidewalk system(Figure 20) however some gaps doexist including:

Central Entrance from Blackmanto Pecan Central Entrance is a busyprinciple arterial and serves suchpedestrian generators as achurch, retail and transit service.

Mesaba Avenue from 4th Street to2nd Avenue West This gap in the sidewalk systemalong Mesaba, a heavily traveledprinciple arterial, provides accessto retail and transit.

9th Street from 5th Avenue East to8th Avenue East Ninth Street is a minor arterialand this missing sidewalk areaabuts retail and a transit route.

6th Avenue East from 9th Street to13th Street This major collector route is atransit route and provides accessto retail. If this segment wereconstructed it would improveneighborhood connectivity.

3rd Street from Mesaba to 8thAvenue West This major collector is a transitroute and provides direct accessto a church.

7th Street from Skyline to 3rdAvenue West Seventh Street is a majorcollector and transit route.

Observation Rd from Skyline to6th Street Observation Road is a majorcollector and transit route. Thissegment would complete thesidewalk system alongObservation and connect it tosidewalk along Skyline.

West Skyline Parkway from 7thAvenue West to 8th StreetSkyline Parkway is a majorcollector and transit route. Ifconstructed, this segment wouldconnect existing sidewalk.

7th Avenue East from 1st Street to2nd StreetSeventh Avenue East is a majorcollector and this is the onlysidewalk gap along the street.

Key Preservation AreasPoorly rated sidewalks which fallwithin the green shaded areasindicate facilities abutting or within atwo-

duluth sidewalk inventory - dsmic€¦ · possible using these funds. the city also coordinates...

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