by Leo Suarez

My Interview on This is Raleigh

Link – Click here to listen on SoundCloud – This is Raleigh: Leo Suarez

Embedded and linked above, you can listen to my interview on “This is Raleigh”, a show hosted by Ben McNeely that plays on Little Raleigh Radio. I enjoyed talking to Ben about transit, parking, and this blog. Make sure to follow the show going forward.

Speaking of radio, Little Raleigh Radio has started streaming their feed online while they wait for a chance to create a low-power FM signal. Make sure to give them a try and see if there’s something that interests you.

If you have a smartphone, the feed can be added using some helpful apps. For iOS devices, give FStream a try. I’m using ServeStream on my Android phone and the feed comes in just fine.

Here are two links to get their stream, whether it’s in a phone app or your browser.


http://listen.littleraleighradio.org:8000/lrr.aacp

Happy listening!

by Leo Suarez

First Downtown Plan Visioning Session on April 2

Crane in downtown Raleigh

Here’s an event that downtown enthusiasts should put on their calendars. The first public session for the downtown plan is coming up and your feedback is needed.

First Downtown Plan Visioning Session

Date/Time: Wed., Apr. 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Raleigh Convention Center Room 306
500 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-996-8500

Residents are invited to attend the visioning session to provide input and learn of emerging trends, key issues, challenges and analysis findings. These findings are being compiled by Sasaki Associates Inc., which is leading the consultant team for the Downtown Plan. The visioning session also will include breakout group discussions on how Downtown Raleigh’s role could evolve and transform over the next 10 years.

*First Downtown Plan Visioning Session Is Set for April 2

There will be more sessions in the future as the plan comes together throughout this nine-month process. Organizers are also taking a district-by-district approach with focused sessions on each one. Those are upcoming so stay tuned.

by Leo Suarez

Ongoing Moore Square Transit Station Study Reveals Future Plans

Buses at the Moore Square Transit Station.

Last week at a public information session, plans for Raleigh Union Station and the Downtown Bus Facilities Master Plan were shown off and discussed. While Union Station gets all the press, see the updated renderings (via N&O), plans for the Moore Square Transit Station are now unfolding. With less pizzazz, and less progress, compared to Union Station the question of how downtown will handle the hub of Raleigh’s future bus system is very important.

The problem revolves around one question. How will the rail networks serving Raleigh Union Station compliment a future expanded bus network, and vice versa? Our current Moore Square Transit Station, the central hub of the Capital Area Transit system, is nearing capacity. If it were located near Union Station, there’s still not enough room to incorporate all the future routes and riders.

What planners are trying to figure out now is how to use bus terminals at both Union Station and Moore Square so that they compliment each other effectively. During the meeting last week, I took some photos of the current thoughts on how the Moore Square Station may evolve over time.

Click on this image below to see a possible solution for the current, near future, and long-term traffic flow of Moore Square Station. Excuse the blurry cam.

Possible future plans for the Moore Square Transit Station.

The first image shows the current layout and bus flow through the station. Buses turn in to the station on Martin Street and depending on the route, they either leave on Blount or Hargett Streets.

As the system grows and Union Station is worked on, Moore Square will have to accommodate more buses and routes before Union Station can alleviate some pressure. The second image shows how that could work. The inner lane can be expanded and converted to two-way. After removing some planters and parking, there actually is room to make that expansion work. I had to go and see that for myself and sure enough…

Moore Square Transit Station

With another lane for buses, capacity is increased. At the same time, the station is pretty much maxed out.

The third image shows what the future of Moore Square Station could be once Union Station is up and running with bus routes circulating here and there. The one-way street and connection from the station to Blount can be removed, leaving only the two-way lane for buses.

There is still lots of work to do with planning routes, which stations they will serve, and how to effectively connect both Union Station and Moore Square Station. This just shows that Union Station could be one piece of a major transit network overhaul in Raleigh’s future.

by Leo Suarez

Pic of the Week

Elan Apartments construction in downtown Raleigh
A crane is up at the site of the Elan Apartments on Wilmington Street. This is one of the quietest projects I’ve ever seen with very little information about it out on the web.

With the potential for many more residents on this end of Peace Street it could significantly increase the pedestrian traffic. Glenwood South and Blount Street Commons are the bookends of Peace Street, the only real east-west connection in northern downtown. That funnel effect may make the street more urban over time, especially after the Capital Boulevard bridge is worked on.

by Leo Suarez

Municipography, Capital Boulevard, New Convention Hotel, and The Comprehensive Plan Update

Municipography is a summary of current issues going through the Raleigh City Council and other municipal departments in the city. The point is to try to deliver any video, photos, and text associated with the discussions happening at City Hall or elsewhere. Since this is a downtown Raleigh blog, the focus is on the center of the city.

Email readers, this post contains embedded video which you may not see in your inbox. I recommend jumping to the blog to see all the content.

Last week at the Raleigh City Council meeting, a few projects we’ve discussed on the blog were presented and discussed. The council approved the sale of the city-owned lot on Salisbury Street, known as “Site 4”, to Summit Hospitality Group, Ltd who plans to build a hotel. The plans for the new Capital Boulevard bridge over Peace Street were also discussed as construction on that project is planned for Summer 2016. Finally, an update on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan was given by the planning department.

Residence Inn on Salisbury Street

See Raleigh City Council – 2-18-14 – City of Raleigh and Summit Hospitality Group on YouTube.

In short, the council approved the sale of Site 4 to Summit Hospitality Group, Ltd to build a Residence Inn hotel. This sale was recommended by the Budget and Economic Development Committee last month and now makes it final.

From the city’s press release:

Following a Feb. 18 Public Hearing, the Raleigh City Council approved the sale of .52 acres on South Salisbury Street, between South Street and Lenoir Street, to Raleigh-based Summit Hospitality Group, Ltd. Approval of the $1.73 million deal will result in the construction of an 11-story Marriott Residence Inn with 140 to 154 additional rooms within walking distance of the Raleigh Convention Center. The site is also known as Site 4 and is considered to be “one of the most important infill sites within the Convention and Cultural District” in the City’s South End Master Plan.

*Sale of Downtown Site Approved

For more details on this project, jump to a recent post with all the details.

Capital Boulevard Bridge

See Raleigh City Council – 2-18-14 – NCDOT Capital Boulevard Bridge Replacement Projects on YouTube.

The Capital Boulevard bridge over Peace Street is slated for replacement in the next few years and designs have been in the works for quite awhile. The latest on this topic is covered in good detail in the post linked below, including some excellent conversation by readers.

Between the “base” alternative (cheaper) and the “enhanced” alternative (costlier) this is where the city has to step up. There is strong public support for the enhanced alternative but the feds only have enough money for the base alternative.

According to the presentation, in May 2014 an alternative will be chosen with construction planned for Summer of 2016.

From the city’s press release:

Each bridge is proposed for replacement under the Federal Highway Administration’s bridge replacement program. City staff has coordinated the replacement of these bridges with NCDOT to be consistent with the City’s adopted Capital Boulevard Corridor Plan. In each case, NCDOT has developed base alternatives that rebuild each interchange following the existing configuration, and enhanced alternatives that more closely follow the City’s corridor plan recommendations. In order to pursue the enhanced alternatives at either location, the City would be required to pay for the difference in cost above each base alternative.

*Council Reviews Alternatives for Capital Boulevard Bridge Replacement Projects

2030 Comprehensive Plan Update

See Raleigh City Council – 2-28-14 – 2030 Comprehensive Plan – January 2014 Progress Report on YouTube.

The 2014 Progress Report was presented to council and can be found on the city’s website. Some highlights from the presentation:

  • Our city’s comprehensive plan continues to be a national model for city planning.
  • Updates are meant to keep the plan up-to-date with emerging trends and any city restructuring.
  • Of the total 465 action items since adoption, 61 have been completed and now removed, 275 are in progress and 50 have still not been started.

The newest emerging trends that city staff will be studying are:

  • Community Resiliency – planning for extreme weather and emergencies and how the city continues to be responsive and can recover.
  • Innovation Districts – how to foster new growth nodes around unique ideas and innovation.
  • Autonomous Vehicles – how to plan for the upcoming use of self-driving cars and taxis.
  • Sharing Economy – services like bike share, car share, self-rental properties are a future trend. Examples include Airbnb, ZipCar, and B-Cycle.

by Leo Suarez

Confusing Parking Signs in Downtown Raleigh

Parking signs in downtown Raleigh.

Examples of parking signs. Hourly on the left, metered on the right.

I get asked for help all the time while walking the sidewalks in downtown Raleigh. People ask me for directions most of the time but sometimes for an ATM location or for a nearby place to eat. This happens either because I walk so often or I just have a friendly face. My bet is on the first theory.

Another question I get asked about a lot are parking related questions. You may have seen this exact scenario yourself. A person banging the buttons on the parking meter like it was an arcade machine. That person looks like they are losing. They are losing because it’s the weekend and it hasn’t hit them that parking is free.

The frustrated parker is a common occurrence in downtown Raleigh and the plethora of signs on each block are responsible for informing a visitor of the rules. I’m going to say it straight up that there is a lot of room for improvement in signage around downtown, not just for parking but we’ll stick to just one topic for this post.

This is why a project by Nikki Sylianteng caught my eye. Highlighted in The Atlantic Cities, the New York City designer is attempting to make the parking signs more informative there. Nikki built a prototype and put it out on the street with a comment box for real-world feedback.

Here are some photos of Nikki’s work, borrowed with permission.

New parking sign design by Nikki Sylianteng

Current city signs on the left and Nikki’s design on the right.

New parking sign design by Nikki Sylianteng

On her project page, Nikki writes:

My strategy was to visualize the blocks of time when parking is allowed and not allowed. I kept everything else the same – the colors and the form factor – as my intention with this redesign is to show how big a difference a thoughtful, though conservative and low budget, approach can make in terms of time and stress saved for the driver. I tried to stay mindful of the constraints that a large organization like the Department of Transportation must face for a seemingly small change such as this.

*Parking Sign Redesign via nikkisylianteng.com

I’ve always thought that the main problem with parking signs is that they do not tell the whole story. For example, the Raleigh signs indicate the hours of enforcement, those being from 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday. They do not indicate what to do outside of those hours. A more ideal sign leaves no doubt during any time of the day, any day of the week.

The Raleigh signs also emphasize the wrong information. “2 Hour Meter Parking” is in the largest font on the sign with the hours being smaller. To the eyes of a driver, the “2 Hour Meter Parking” is most likely all they can read while cruising down the street. With more distractions in downtown compared to the suburbs, drivers have only so long to look at small signs. This portrays that parking enforcement occurs always and the sign is not clearly informing drivers.

What Nikki’s designs show is a 7 day week, 24-hour picture indicating to a parker whether they should be there or not. While the sign is still difficult to read from the driver’s point of view, it more accurately helps someone after they have parked.

During hours of free parking in downtown, I’ve always felt that nervous parkers feel better if they are reassured in some way that what they did was legal. No one wants a parking ticket and this keeps new visitors on the alert because there’s the possibility of a ticket when parking in downtown. Signs must instill confidence in people that they know how the system works and they can avoid the big bad parking ticket.

So there’s clearly room for a design overhaul here. An alternative would be to rethink the parking enforcement system entirely or perhaps throw more technology at it, a suggestion one of our city councilors has brought up.

by Leo Suarez

New Downtown Plan Kickoff Event, Feb 11, 2014

Moore Square with Skyhouse Raleigh under construction in view.

Moore Square with Skyhouse Raleigh under construction in view.

The next downtown Raleigh plan is in the works and here’s your chance to participate. Next week is the kickoff event for a process that may take most of the year. Public comments on ideas and suggestions are needed to shape what downtown Raleigh strives to be over the next ten years.

Downtown Plan Kick-Off Event

Date/Time: Tues., Feb. 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Meymandi Concert Hall
2 East South Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-996-4641

You can see a lot more information about this on the city’s website. I’ll of course be following any released materials throughout the year and put them up on the blog for discussion.

Downtown Plan – City of Raleigh