VISUALIZATION SKETCH OF FOUNTAIN SQUARE AND TRANSPORTATION CENTER LOOKING WEST

PEDESTRIAN AREAS in order to be an effective element of a vital downtown core, must have character, scale, and atmosphere appropriate to their purpose. A pedestrian mall is not just a street from which automobiles and other vehicles have been removed but rather an entirely different urban space, designed to fulfill its specific functions and to offer opportunities for human activities that are generally banned from the vehicular thoroughfares.

One of the functions of the pedestrian ways is to provide for public uses which are presently not available in the City's Core. The public gathering place, symbolized in Colonial Days by the Town Square, can be recreated in Cincinnati's own plazas: Fountain and Government Squares illustrated above. Within the spaces freed from vehicular movement, open-air civic meetings and concerts should be encouraged in the warm summer months; pavilions and attractively designed announcement kiosks should be provided, as well as posters for civic and cultural attractions occurring in the City. Public information booths can also be maintained to aid out of town visitors and conventioners.

Where pedestrian areas are predominantly associated with retail-

ing frontage, they afford the opportunity for such activities as outdoor boating and sport exhibits, fashion shows, and special merchandising attractions for the holiday seasons. All of these should be encouraged and supported by retailers and the downtown business associations.

Pedestrian ways must acknowledge the needs and convenience of the pedestrian by providing rest benches and covered waiting areas. Landscaping can establish an urban atmosphere whose character will change with the changing seasons: Trees and shrubs in permanent planting beds and flowers in movable planting boxes can be combined to define spaces and areas of individual scale and character. Provisions for sculpture and fountains (perhaps contributed by art museums or other civic organizations) will play an equally important part in creating a pleasant and elegant environment.

Sidewalk cafes utilizing existing restaurant facilities, imaginatively designed paving of various patterns and textures, and colorful lighting for night-time activities, all will help in bringing to the City Core a full measure of activities at all times, and will establish again the inducement for people to come "to town" just for the enjoyment of the experience.

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Lytle Park

Welcome to Lytle, the park that was rescued from 20th Century progress. Discovered by Cincinnati's first settlers in 1788 as wilderness, then a grove of peach trees, it became the grounds to an elegant estate and, later, the city's first public playground. In the 1960's this little park was to become an expressway...until Cincinnati cried out. In 1972, a restored Lytle Park became the

first use of air rights over an expressway in Ohio. Because a lot of the children who once played here, and many who came after them, would not let progress take the park.

These plaques are a gift of the Park Board Volunteers, a division of the Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, and other public-spirited citizens.

ACCESS AND CIRCULATION: SOLUTIONS

The problems of access to and circulation within the city core have been analyzed in earlier pages of this report. In the following diagrams are described the major elements of solution to the problems. The specific and correlated measures of traffic improvement being proposed are designed to improve accessibility and circulation, and to obtain the maximum utilization of the traffic-carrying potentials of the existing street network of the city core, so as to minimize demolition and destruction of existing physical assets.

By assigning specific functions to different portions of the public thoroughfares, it has been possible to develop a logical and comprehensive solution to the complex traffic problems of the city core.

**A COMPLETE EXPRESSWAY LOOP.** The unnecessary penetration of downtown streets by traffic moving to and from expressways and the inevitable overload of the Fort Washington Way distributor can be relieved only by the ultimate completion of an expressway loop on the north side of the downtown area. Such a loop will help to eliminate the cross traffic movements which are a principal obstacle to the formulation of a sound core traffic solution. With the addition of this missing link, the motorist will be able to remain on the expressway system until he is at the point on the perimeter of the downtown area closest to his destination and leave the expressway to enter a parking garage without penetrating or crossing the retail and business core area. Such a traffic pattern, by eliminating the need for cross movement or the need for through streets to penetrate the core area, leaves the surface streets available exclusively for local circulation and service uses.

The wide right-of-way and the old canal channel on Central Parkway can accommodate a depressed expressway with one-way service roads on each side, permitting high speed circulation completely around the downtown area. Fortunately, such an addition can still be accommodated within the framework of the present design for the expressway system without materially affecting current planning. Other alternates for the completion of the expressway loop have been evaluated: the contemplated Liberty Street improvement is considered too far removed from the central area to adequately serve as an effective link for downtown distribution; a possible alignment north of 12th Street would involve far greater capital expenditures than will be necessary for the Central Parkway alignment, which requires negligible land acquisition costs.

**DOUBLE INNER SURFACE LOOP.** The completion of the expressway belt loop will bring about a totally different pattern of circulation in the downtown than could otherwise be expected. The principal purposes served by surface streets will be to provide: (1) access from the expressway system to the parking garage closest to the driver's downtown destination, (2) internal service for facilities in the downtown itself, and (3) circulation from one destination to another. The illustrated double loop system, moving traffic in alternate directions around the Core and the Core Frame, will allow rapid movement with little or no interference by cross traffic. The inner loop, completely surrounding the "pedestrian core," will encourage continuous movement at high traffic capacities (achieved through progressive signalization at a controlled speed with minimum interruptions for pedestrians and vehicular cross movements). The secondary loop around the Core Frame will provide complementary movement in the reverse direction, creating maximum circulation flexibility by integration with numerous local auxiliary loops. Such a system can successfully eliminate most of the major cross traffic conflicts, providing maximum efficiency and clarity in place of the present confusion in traffic patterns.

**CONVENIENT PERIMETER PARKING.**

The actual placement of parking areas is perhaps more critical to the needs of the downtown than is the mere number of total parking stalls. Presently under-utilized sites in the downtown area make it possible to develop new, convenient parking garages in strategic locations to serve adequately the core area. As indicated in the schematic drawing, parking areas are proposed that will completely surround the Core Frame and the Core, be immediately accessible from both loop streets, require minimum walking distances for pedestrians, and be easily reached from the expressway system. Since these general locations are within easily acceptable walking distances of all points in the Core, there will be no necessity for costly mechanical pedestrian conveyors; a local transportation system, as later described, can be easily provided to fully serve the downtown.

**DIRECT TRANSIT ACCESS TO THE CORE.** Since a truly comprehensive transportation solution implies that public transit must provide a maximum of speed, convenience, and attractiveness in order to offer special advantages over private automobiles, reserved bus lanes and traffic controls are recommended for certain selected access routes by which buses

can be directed to the center of the core from the expressways. With virtually no delay, buses will move directly into the very heart of downtown, where passengers can unload at the underground Transportation Center, within one block of a major proportion of downtown destinations. Other passengers, with destinations beyond the acceptable walking distances, can immediately board specially designed downtown transit vehicles to reach any point within the city core in a matter of a few minutes.

**A PROPOSAL FOR USE CLASSIFICATION OF PUBLIC STREET SURFACES.**

Zoning legislation, the first planning step to be adopted in the United States as a measure for regulating land usage, has for many years controlled in varying degrees all building uses on private land. However, this device to create order and efficiency in cities has completely overlooked the single greatest category of land area in any urban complex: the streets and public rights-of-way. Within Cincinnati's Core, these amount to 40% of the entire downtown's land area.

It is recommended that, as zoning is applied for the regulation of use for private land, "use classification" be applied to regulate the functions of the public spaces of the "Business Core" and, to some extent, of the "Core Frame" as well. The schematic drawing, which represents a composite of all circulation categories, applies seven use classifications to the core area, designating each public way by categories of circulation use. In each of these separate classifications, emergency vehicles would be permitted at any time—including fire department equipment, ambulances and doctors' cars, and police vehicles.

Areas whose functional circulation requirements indicate they belong primarily to pedestrians are designated by such classification. Similarly, those streets which are assigned as routes for pedestrian carriers also have a special use classification. Routes for express buses and trucks (each of which require special streets) are designated exclusively for these vehicles. Most streets outside of the core area would remain, for circulation purposes, as a multiple-use classification, allowing automobiles, shuttle buses, trucks and pedestrians as well.

Such a use classification concept, if implemented, would assure peak efficiency in utilization of all public ways, and vastly relieve the present confusion which results from the indiscriminate mixing of buses, cars, trucks, pedestrians and emergency vehicles.

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21

PHASE III

4. Construction of additional office space above Transportation Center.

Underground facilities fully operational.

5. Reconstruction of "Dixie Terminal" to adjust for bus access from bridges to Transportation Center ramps and to include bus storage facilities.

6. Closure of Fifth Street to through traffic and construction of pedestrian plazas and malls.

7. Adjust traffic flow and signal controls for Fifth St. closure.

Realignment of intersection at Fourth and Sycamore and Fourth and Elm.

8. Institute "Downtown" shuttle bus service and pedestrian carriers along Fifth St.

Coordination of routing and scheduling with express bus and taxi operations within Transportation Center.

## PHASE III

1. Construction of additional parking facilities, on "redevelopment" parcels "I" and "J" and Sycamore St.

2. Construction of professional office building and parking on "redevelopment" Parcel "B."

3. Creation of truck service roads within "Pedestrian Core."

Exclusion of through traffic from Sixth St., Opera Place, College St., et al.

4. Construction of Garfield Place residential and parking facilities.

(Expanded redevelopment project)

5. Realignment of street intersection at corner of Seventh and Elm.

Inner traffic loop fully operational.

6. Construction of expressway link along Central Parkway connecting eastside and westside expressways.

7. Creation of free-flow express bus lanes from periphery of Core to Transportation Center.

Exclude private cars from bus lanes on Vine and Walnut Streets.

8. Removal of all on-street parking within "pedestrian core" area and on inner traffic loop.

9. Adjust traffic controls for full utilization of inner traffic loop around "pedestrian core" and secondary loops serving "core frame."

PHASE IV

## PHASE IV

1. Completion of off-street parking program within "core frame" area.

2. Construction of mercantile office building, new retail facilities, and additional parking on "redevelopment" parcel "D."

3. Construction of new truck service facilities on lower Race St.

4. Construction or remodeling of hotel facilities on "redevelopment" parcel "C."

5. Removal of traffic on Race St. and construction of Pedestrian Mall.

6. Removal of all on-street parking within "Core Frame" area.

IMPLEMENTATION BY PHASES

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PHASE I

**DEVELOPMENT BY PHASES.** It will be essential that the transition from present conditions to ultimate accomplishment occurs through a series of successive steps so detailed and correlated that disruption, waste and inconvenience will be minimized.

Extensive interruption of day-to-day operations cannot be afforded by the City or by downtown commerce. However, through a careful phasing program, changes can be implemented with relatively little difficulty and can be readily assimilated by the community. As the ultimate circulation plan follows existing one-way traffic patterns, minor modifications in traffic flow that may prove necessary during development must respect the driving habits to which the general public is accustomed.

The following diagrams, considering only one of several possible sequences of phasing by which a smooth transition can be realized, indicate how the Ultimate Plan can be developed, over a period of years, with a minimum of inconvenience, without ever disrupting the presently established one-way street patterns and with effective integration of the program of new construction that will be generated by the "Redevelopment Program."

Although the precise sequence outlined here contains flexibility in detail, the general progression clearly outlines those steps that are necessary to the logical transition towards downtown's ultimate goals.

## PHASE I

1. Construction of first stage of Transportation Center, including first Office Tower facing Fountain Square.

2. Construction by City of Underground Bus and Truck Roads leading to Transportation Center.

Vine and Walnut Streets partially closed during construction.

3. Begin new parking construction program; Seventh and Sycamore Streets.

Coordination of development with intersection realignment to facilitate right turn movements.

4. Construction of Convention Center.

5. Construction of Federal Office Building.

6. Construction of truck service bays, using "redevelopment" parcels "K," "L," "M".

7. Institute inner traffic loop and interim secondary loops. Traffic movement following existing one-way patterns with minor adjustment in sign control and signalization.

Realignment of street intersection on Seventh and Sycamore.

## PHASE II

1. Continue parking construction program: "redevelopment" parcels "D" and "F" and on Seventh Street.

Coordinate with intersection realignment at Fourth and Elm.

2. Construction of first residential complex and ground floor shops on "redevelopment" parcel "E".

Coordinate construction with intersection realignment at corner of Fourth and Sycamore.

3. Construction of new motor hotel facilities on "redevelopment" parcel "G."

PHASE II

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PUBLIC TRANSIT CIRCULATION

MAJOR PARKING FACILITIES-EXISTING AND NEW

PEDESTRIAN CARRIERS

EASTSIDE AND WESTSIDE SHUTTLE

UNDERGROUND STREETS

INNER LOOP SHUTTLE

EXPRESS BUSES: LIMOUSINES AND TAXIS

STREET-USE CLASSIFICATION

PEDESTRIANS ONLY

PEDESTRIANS: LIMITED
TRUCK USE

TRUCKS ONLY

AUTOMOBILES: BUSES
TRUCKS: PEDESTRIANS

PEDESTRIANS: PEDESTRIAN
CARRIERS

EXPRESS AND LOCAL
BUSES ONLY

SHUTTLE BUSES:
TRUCKS: TAXIS
PEDESTRIANS

1. Slow-moving pedestrian carriers, shuttling on the primary pedestrian malls and public squares, will provide protection from inclement weather, and offer to shoppers with heavy bundles and to senior citizens, a method for reaching the front doors of commercial establishments at all points on either the Fifth or Race Street pedestrian malls.

2. A limousine shuttle bus, continually circling the inner traffic loop, will touch at one point the transportation terminal, stop approximately every block for passenger loading, and also have stations in front of all major parking facilities serving retail establishments. This inner loop shuttle will minimize the need for automobile drivers to leave one parking lot and drive around just to reach a destination on the opposite side of the downtown core.

3. A pair of special shuttle bus routes: one route serving the east side of the downtown and the other serving the west side. Transfer from express buses to either of these shuttles will be available within the Transportation Center, which both reach by utilizing the underground street system. These local bus routes also have stations at a large number of parking facilities - particularly along Third Street - affording direct connection between these parking garages and the heart of the pedestrian core, the Transportation Terminal.

Such a system of public transit will provide the downtown with an efficient, fast moving and attractive means of transporting people to any destination within the entire City Core. The circulating shuttles, together with the pedestrian carriers, provide complete transit access to all points of downtown, with walking distances never exceeding one block.

**STREET-USE CLASSIFICATION.** The drawing which illustrates the application to the Core of Cincinnati of Street-Use Classification approach discussed in a previous section, actually summarizes all of the circulation elements of the Plan and outlines a method of implementation as well. The category of "Emergency Vehicles" should be considered to apply to each of the seven classifications, inasmuch as circulation by any type of such vehicle is available on every public right-of-way. The functional distinction between the various types of street uses serves as the prerequisite from which follow efficiency and order in the patterns of downtown circulation.

The system of use classification, as proposed and as related to the circulation system, reflects recognition of already established traffic habits (several present day one-way movements have been maintained). The diagram clearly expresses the high degree to which the ultimate purpose of the street classification approach - complete separation of different access functions - can be realized within the framework of Cincinnati's existing facilities.

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PEDESTRIAN & AUTOMOBILE CIRCULATION

PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION AREAS

PARKING STRUCTURE ENTRANCES

AUTOMOBILE CIRCULATION

TRUCK SERVICE & EMERGENCY VEHICLE CIRCULATION

MAJOR TRUCK CIRCULATION ROUTES

SPECIAL EMERGENCY VEHICLE ROUTES

TRUCK SERVICE STREETS & LOADING AREAS

**PEDESTRIAN AND AUTOMOBILE CIRCULATION.** The plan indicating major pedestrian and automobile movements within the "Core" and "Core Frame" area schematically outlines the free flow traffic loop which will enable vehicles to move rapidly around the "business and retail core" in a far more efficient manner than is possible with the present grid system of one-way streets. Entrances to all parking garages, shown on the drawing, are easily accessible to the motorist from either the inner circulating loop or the secondary outer loop.

The pedestrian areas, which have already been discussed in some detail, include both open air malls and covered shopping arcades. Together they form a continuous system of pedestrian spaces, designed to take full advantage of the commercial facilities located within existing buildings.

Loading and unloading of pedestrians from private automobiles or taxis has been made possible at numerous points throughout the core area and on its perimeter. Access to all pedestrian areas and building entrances can be achieved without sacrificing the objective of clear separations of pedestrians from vehicles; at no time is it necessary, or possible, for through-traffic to congest the passenger loading areas located on the cul-de-sac streets.

**TRUCK SERVICE AND EMERGENCY VEHICLE CIRCULATION.** A series of truck roads and loading service areas are proposed which will provide an improved system for handling goods within the retail and business core. With the single exception of one new truck street, (located between Race and Elm Streets), all truck circulation will occur within the rights-of-way of the existing street and alley network. The creation of numerous well placed truck loading areas, in conjunction with the truck roads, will provide a comprehensive service system, to adequately serve all facilities in the downtown core without necessitating truck movement into or through the pedestrian malls. Under exceptional and singular circumstances, and subject to special permit, trucks may enter the pedestrian areas, utilizing the same points of access and routes of movement allowed for emergency vehicles.

**PUBLIC TRANSIT CIRCULATION.** A comprehensive system of public transit to serve the City Core is a necessary adjunct to the facilities provided by the Transportation Center and to the other elements of the plan. Such a system is readily achievable within the framework of the proposed circulation plan and by taking advantage of the underground streets serving the Transportation Center.

Transit passengers arriving at the Center will have three different modes of local transit available to reach all points within the downtown: