Infrastructure Improvements Represent A Pivotal Opportunity For Edgewood Ave

In order to tie in the isolated areas between the First Block and Theatre clusters and encourage redevelopment north of the Theatre cluster, Edgewood Avenue would greatly benefit from a context-sensitive street redesign. A simple rechannelization of the existing roadway offers a business-friendly way to reduce vehicle speeds, increase parking supply and accommodate a higher concentration of pedestrian and bicycling users without reducing traffic capacity along Edgewood Avenue. These simple changes can not only physically tie in the roughly 1-mile commercial district, but similar efforts in countless other peer communities have been shown to increase property values, generate additional local tax revenue, spur business development opportunities and enhance the quality of life within the neighborhood.

Is such a change appropriate for Edgewood?

Locally, one can see that places like KING STREET and San Marco Square have experienced unquestionable benefits from a street redesign. Both Edgewood Ave and King Street share similar physical similarities. The commercial district along King Street from Herschel to Roselle measures approximately 0.75 miles (3,800 feet), while the commercial district along Edgewood stretches roughly a little over a mile (5,700 feet) between Roosevelt Blvd and I-10. One notable difference is the abundance of contiguous storefront space is greater along Edgewood than the supply of available building stock along King St- indicating that there is an even greater opportunity to redevelop areas in Murray Hill to a higher and greater use.

Traffic studies have consistently shown that context-sensitive street redesigns will not worsen traffic congestion under the appropriate conditions. Statistically speaking, streets with less than 20,000 daily vehicle trips represent a threshold under which a street redesign is suitable. According to the City of Jacksonville’s 2016 Road Link Status Report, used to measure traffic capacity and roadway congestion, Edgewood Avenue has been determined to possess a large amount of excess traffic capacity. Between Cassat Avenue and Post Street (covering the West Block area with half of the Theatre Block area), Edgewood has a maximum daily capacity of 31,121 vehicles but only 7,344 daily vehicle trips. Only 23.6% of the available traffic capacity is used. Between Post St and Roosevelt Blvd (covering half of the Theatre Block area along with the Mid Block and First Block areas), of the 24,336 maximum daily vehicle capacity available, only 10,080 vehicle trips are generated. Even along the busiest stretch of the roadway, less than half of the available traffic capacity is used. Based on these numbers, Edgewood Avenue is statistically suitable for a roadway redesign.

A good example of what could result from a redesign of Edgewood Avenue is the success of the BLVD in Lancaster, CA. Edgewood Avenue and Lancaster Blvd share remarkably similar land use characteristics and a strikingly comparable quantity of building stock/fabric. However, the surrounding socioeconomic characteristics along Edgewood Avenue suggest that Murray Hill represents an even greater opportunity than ever existed within Lancaster, CA. According to the latest US Census data, Lancaster has a population density of 1,656 people per square mile. The Murray Hill neighborhood in Jacksonville has a population density of about 5,671 people per square mile, while the adjoining Riverside/Avondale neighborhoods have a population density of about 7,057 people per square mile.

Downtown Lancaster was platted by the Southern Pacific Railroad in the late nineteenth century as a simple grid of streets, much like many other California railroad towns. Over the next century, and while Lancaster became a sprawling suburb with Lancaster Boulevard as its Main Street, the City lost much of its traditional downtown character. The nine-block stretch known as the Boulevard (BLVD) suffered from high-speed traffic, poor pedestrian facilities, excessive parking and reduced retail activity.

In 2008, the City of Lancaster retained retained Moule & Polyzoides to redesign the Boulevard’s streetscape. The Moule & Polyzoides vision focused on establishing a new image for downtown Lancaster. It is centered on reconfiguring the Boulevard into a rambla and designing adjacent streets, plazas, paseos to generate a superior public realm.

‘Ramblas’ feature a hardscape promenade with a double row of trees, occupied by angled parking most of the time and periodically a public market and other special events. The ramblas feature highly visible and well marked crosswalk plazas, providing pedestrians a safe refuge in between on-street parking facilities that also produce a convenient series of replicating sidewalk grids between stretches of long blocks.

Among the Plan’s key elements are wide, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, awnings and arcades, fewer travel lanes, enhanced crosswalks, abundant street trees and shading, and added lighting, gateways and public art.

Lancaster Boulevard has been transformed into an attractive shopping destination, a magnet for pedestrian activity and a venue for civic gatherings, which will help ensure long-term economic prosperity.

(Sources: Moule & Polyzoides, Sargent Town Planning, Fong Hart Scheider + Partners, Swift & Associates and the City of Lancaster)

Public Benefits:

The overall number of traffic collisions has been cut in half, while injury-related collisions have plummeted 85% as a result of the new streetscape and traffic pattern. Traffic speeds now average 10 to 15mph along the BLVD. New public amenities include American Heroes Park, a 13.5-acre, $7 million facility, and the Lancaster Museum of Art & History, a three-story, 19,246-square-foot complex. The $5.1 million, 21-unit affordable housing development Arbor Artist Lofts opened to provide affordable housing for working artists. Public art such as street pianos, sculptures and street pians also adorn the public right-of-way.

Economic Benefits:

Revenue from the downtown area is up 119% in 2012 compared to 2007, the year before revitalization efforts began. Just over 800 housing units have been constructed or rehabilitated. Over 145,000 square feet of commercial space has been constructed or rehabilitated. More than 40 new businesses have opened along the BLVD. In the midst of the economic recovery the City of Lancaster’s overall assessed property values fell 1.25% during the period after BLVD construction was completed, however property values in the downtown area rose 9.53%. The project has generated an estimated $280 million in economic output and tax revenue from the downtown area is up 96%. These returns are even more impressive when one considers that the public investment for this street redesigned project was $10-million ($41 million was invested in total when the redevelopment of City-owned facilities like the Lancaster Museum of Art and History, etc are included).

Murray Hill’s infrastructure, building fabric and physical location provide it with the opportunity to take advantage of national mobility trends. While there are several urban neighborhoods in Jacksonville that feature walkable commercial districts, very few are like Edgewood Avenue. Edgewood’s building stock offers several opportunities for new businesses while also being anchored by many long time retail institutions.

Article: Mike Field Cover Photo: Heather Whitson Blackwell of Geek Chic Photography , via Community Loaves