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There are very few opportunities to safely
cross Prince using a crosswalk. Yet there are a number
of businesses that are encouraging foot or cycle traffic (the
BottleWorks,The Grit, Daily Groceries Co-op, etc.). There are
also many side streets adjacent to Prince Ave. where cars consistently
block the way of pedestrians. Crosswalks provide a visual reminder
to drivers to be aware of pedestrians, give pedestrians a legal
right to cross the street and create a simple speed deterrent. Pictured
above are artist renderings of visible crosswalks leading to
Daily Co-op and the Grit restaurant.
Georgia Code states that cars
entering or leaving driveways should not block the sidewalk. Also,
autos leaving a business to enter a main thoroughfare such as
Prince Avenue must stop before crossing the sidewalk. Failure
by the majority of motorists to stop before the sidewalk is a
major deterrent to the safety and comfort of pedestrians. This
frequent auto behavior also provides an excellent reason of why
cycling on the sidewalk is less safe than cycling on the street.
The business model for developments
such as the Bottleworks is contingent upon encouraging more
walking and cycling. However, a major impediment for the long-term
success of these types of developments is the characteristic
of surrounding land uses. For example, on the three
corners opposite Bottleworks there are auto-oriented businesses,
which do not contribute to a human-scale development pattern
or walking and bicycling. Wendy's* is a glaring example of
the kind of development that makes Prince unpleasant and unsafe
for walking. Would a development such as Wendy's be supported
by the neighborhood today? Would the planning office rule
that the drive-thru orientation of Wendy's be appropriate
for Prince Avenue? And is the land use on the three corners
the highest and best use (in terms of both land rent value
and neighborhood quality)? What sorts of development would
you envision as more appropriate?
* Note, this is not to berate Wendy's per se, but rather to
consider what other formats even a fast food business could
take to fit in more with the neighborhood. IF Wendy's must
have a drive thru then it is in the wrong place; but if Wendy's
were on the ground floor of a mixed-use development, would
it need a drive thru?
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