09 - Toole Design Group MemorandumItem No. 9
TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: John Godwin, City Manager
SUBJECT: TOOLE DESIGN GROUP REPORT
DATE: October 1, 2018
BACKGROUND: We received the Toole Group's report last week. This report not an overall
master plan, but a memorandum recommending methods to slow traffic, increase walkability,
and create areas for public gathering. By dong these simple things, it has been shown that most
cities see additional investment, physical improvement, and higher visitor counts, and thereby a
growing downtown economy. The single most significant recommendation made by the Toole
Group is the elimination of all one-way streets. The city began this project a few years back, but
more progress is not possible without TXDOT buy -in and approval. Concurrent with the
elimination of the one -ways would be a dramatic reduction in pavement width, expansions and
improvements of walkways, and the replacement of the traffic signals in the immediate
downtown area with four-way stop signs. This makes traffic slower yet more efficient, and
greatly enhances safety for vehicles and pedestrians.
STATUS OF ISSUE: The major areas the memorandum addresses are the Plaza, 1St Street SE
from Clarksville to Lamar, and the Market Square/library/Bywaters area. The Plaza itself would
be expanded by twenty feet in each direction, approximately doubling the overall size of the
area. This additional space would come from eliminating the very inside lane of traffic, and
converting parking to parallel spaces. The outside sidewalks would be expanded by six feet
gained from also converting angled parking there. All the traffic signals would be eliminated
when the one-way streets are eliminated. This directional conversion may necessitate the city
taking over 1St SW and Grand as city streets instead of state highways. This brings more costs,
but also greater flexibility and control. We think taking over 1St is especially important to us in
order to complete standing plans we have for the plaza as well as Market Square
A one block segment of 1St SE, which is already planned for improvements, would be
reconstructed so as to allow it to be readily closed for pedestrian traffic, special events, etc.
Creating this "shared space" includes no raised curbs, new pavement, and lighting, electricity
and landscaping to make it look more like a planned public space and less like a street.
A third area we have been working on for a few years is the expansion of the Market Square, and
tying those improvements east to the library and Bywaters Park. The landscape architect from
Toole has put together a great concept drawing to help visualize the possibilities of this space
and to inspire investors and visitors alike.
Ultimately, the most important role assigned to the Toole Group was to prepare the engineering
and traffic data we needed to convince TXDOT and others of the validity of the suggested
changes. Specific and formal approval of many of the ideas in the memorandum and in the city's
extant downtown plan will take additional work, mush more time, and additional consulting fees.
However, the Toole Design Group met our expectations and directions in every regard, and we
appear to have support from our local TXDOT folks.
The memorandum's recommendations, with which we concur completely, include:
• Seek official City Council support;
• Incorporate the plans and recommendations into the City's Official Plan and other plans
as appropriate;
• Identify funding sources (including the State Transportation Improvement Program);
• Conduct a survey;
• Develop cost estimates;
• Incorporate recommendations into currently planned projects that alter the streets;
• Prioritize the projects that are not part of another project;
• Conduct additional outreach to the community and business owners;
• Work with the TxDOT on finding and implementing the recommended changes; and
• Design, engineer, and construct the projects.
BUDGET: This project is currently unfunded.
RECOMMENDATION: Include the memorandum in the updated comprehensive plan, and
work with city staff in developing a work plan and CIP to prioritize projects and identify funding
to ensure project components go forward.
M
OOLE
®
404 GEORGIA AVENUE 301 927.1900
D E S I G N
SUITE 000 TOOLEDESIGN.COM
SILVER SPRING, MO 20910
MEMORANDUM
Date: September 21, 2o18
To: John Godwin, City Manager
Organization: City of Paris, Texas
From: Addie Weber, AICP; Ian Lockwood, PE; Jesse Boudart, PE;
Stephanie Weyer
Project: Downtown Paris Visioning Charrette
Toole Design's urban design, landscape architecture, transportation, and traffic analysis services were
enlisted to help: 1) develop a community vision to help shape investments in the downtown; 2) enhance
the Downtown Square; 3) restore two-way operations on two pairs of one-way streets; and 4) envision
better connections between Bywaters Park, the Paris Public Library, Market Square Farmers Market, the
Paris Town Square, and the Downtown Community Park. The design concepts, which were focused on
the public realm, were developed during two, four-day, workshops that occurred during June 25-28,
2018 and August 13-16, 2018. During the process, there were many opportunities for City staff, County
officials, business owners, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), civic leaders, property
owners, and other members of the community to provide input and feedback. The process culminated
with a public presentation of the design concepts on the last day of the final workshop. There was broad
consensus to move forward with the recommended design concepts outlined in the presentation. The
purpose of this memo is to summarize the design process, design concepts, and augment the diagrams
and presentations that were developed during the workshops.
VI II° O
Over the course of the two four -day -long workshops, members of Toole Design collaborated with City
staff, TxDOT representatives, civic leaders, business owners, and other citizens to develop a vision to
guide downtown Paris.
The Discovery Workshop
The first collaboration with the community occurred June 25 -28th, 2018. The 4 -day community event
commenced with a Monday evening presentation. The presentation included:
• An overview of traditional transportation principles,
Highlights of the consultant team's walking tour of downtown Paris,
0 The benefits of a community vision,
The general purpose of cities and downtowns (i.e., to foster social and economic exchange), and
National best practices as they relate to one-way to two-way restoration and revitalizing
downtowns.
The meeting concluded with community members forming seven groups to answer the following
questions about the City and the downtown in particular:
• List key values that should shape Paris.
• What do you like and wish to preserve?
What do you dislike and want to change?
What is missing that you would like to see created?
During the remaining three days of the workshop, numerous stakeholders were engaged by the
consultant team in small group meetings and in one-on-one meetings to understand the key drivers,
opportunities, and challenges facing the community. A concluding Thursday night presentation captured
what we heard throughout the week. The presentation also included any starter ideas that were
developed during the workshop. Feedback and discussion followed the presentation.
Fiti�ore 1, Repw aP"?�ujfr'r,+es c4
'the th,sevo-�:n groups reported their fia°dmaf,' to �dhe broader cx�srnrunpi;y; dut inrf Me rear,°e � ing nigh t a:��"Ihe
firsf workshop,
The second collaboration with the community occurred August 13-16, 2018 and focused on building on
the starter ideas. The workshop concluded on Thursday evening with a presentation of the design
concepts, which included:
• Restoration of the one-way pairs to two-way operations, along with a traffic analysis,
• Addition of a separated bicycle facility on 1St Street and Clarksville Street,
• A new concept for the Downtown Square,
• A new concept for stronger connections between Bywaters Park, the Paris Public Library, and
Market Square Farmers Market, Paris Town Square, and the Downtown Community Park.
• A shared space on 1St Street, between Lamar Avenue and Clarksville Street.
The meeting concluded with an outline of next steps.
T1..III DESIGN C'01\101"ITS
Downtown Paris, Texas, is fortunate to have a walkable network of streets, a great building stock, and
community amenities such as Bywaters Park, the Culbertson Fountain, the Downtown Community Park,
2
and Market Square Farmers Market. It also has easy access to the nearby Northeast Texas Trail system,
which hosts races and events throughout the year. The design concepts focused on the core of
downtown, as identified during the Discovery Workshop by the community. The boundaries of the focus
area are: Price Street and the County Courthouse to the north, 3rd Street to the west, Church Street to
the east, and Sherman Street to the south.
Fgure 2Immles fs-tiwn the tour MorhetSquom innarr:rs Mara'kei (top blefPrMi �Dowrrrrrrmcn i::armr'narrnty Park (`lop Mc,ghtl�, and the
The design concepts outlined below are a foundation for the City of Paris to coordinate with various
local, County, State, and private entities to move the vision towards implementation.
Rgurp n " gn r. u& 0pI /or doW«d'n i'PTIlm Ir':lariS, TeKi!!n,
i ii�ii? I%vomay I teto a d oii o 115S t II e e is 11VI a II Iri St re a ra d La ii r IIS r Ave r� u e /C' " I a II�. IIks; ide Il 11 I e St a e t
,4, BIIef fd.st Ryof Mine,,,."wr;y and 'IVO) -Wary"tti"idmets
Since the founding of cities in the United States, starting in 1565 with St. Augustine, until about 50 years
ago, all streets were two-way. Of course, for thousands of years before that, paths, trails, and streets in
Native American villages and along their trading routes were also two-way. There were lots of good
reasons for the two-way operations. The most obvious reasons are the convenience of being able to go
either way along a street, direct routing, and shorter trips. Such traditional reasons weren't widely
recognized, documented, assigned technical names, or even measured because that was just the way
things were for thousands of years. The basic idea of two-way streets was never in question. However,
4
I
6
YN.fm.
I
d
J
y
T
I
j
o
ie
i;
d
Rgurp n " gn r. u& 0pI /or doW«d'n i'PTIlm Ir':lariS, TeKi!!n,
i ii�ii? I%vomay I teto a d oii o 115S t II e e is 11VI a II Iri St re a ra d La ii r IIS r Ave r� u e /C' " I a II�. IIks; ide Il 11 I e St a e t
,4, BIIef fd.st Ryof Mine,,,."wr;y and 'IVO) -Wary"tti"idmets
Since the founding of cities in the United States, starting in 1565 with St. Augustine, until about 50 years
ago, all streets were two-way. Of course, for thousands of years before that, paths, trails, and streets in
Native American villages and along their trading routes were also two-way. There were lots of good
reasons for the two-way operations. The most obvious reasons are the convenience of being able to go
either way along a street, direct routing, and shorter trips. Such traditional reasons weren't widely
recognized, documented, assigned technical names, or even measured because that was just the way
things were for thousands of years. The basic idea of two-way streets was never in question. However,
4
I
6
YN.fm.
1
I
j
o
c'
, d
J
Id411ag'
3�
„�
I
/
i
�I
Rgurp n " gn r. u& 0pI /or doW«d'n i'PTIlm Ir':lariS, TeKi!!n,
i ii�ii? I%vomay I teto a d oii o 115S t II e e is 11VI a II Iri St re a ra d La ii r IIS r Ave r� u e /C' " I a II�. IIks; ide Il 11 I e St a e t
,4, BIIef fd.st Ryof Mine,,,."wr;y and 'IVO) -Wary"tti"idmets
Since the founding of cities in the United States, starting in 1565 with St. Augustine, until about 50 years
ago, all streets were two-way. Of course, for thousands of years before that, paths, trails, and streets in
Native American villages and along their trading routes were also two-way. There were lots of good
reasons for the two-way operations. The most obvious reasons are the convenience of being able to go
either way along a street, direct routing, and shorter trips. Such traditional reasons weren't widely
recognized, documented, assigned technical names, or even measured because that was just the way
things were for thousands of years. The basic idea of two-way streets was never in question. However,
4
due to five decades of experiencing undesirable outcomes with one-way streets, cities are rediscovering
the benefits of two-way streets.
Fast forward to 2018 and cities have been traffic calming, doing road diets, restoring one-way streets to
two-way, and adopting traditional measures of effectiveness to recapture traditional, city -friendly,
outcomes and to advance community visions. Many cities are in the midst of this evolution presently.
Not only do two-way streets provide about double the access compared to one-way streets, they also:
• provide direct routing/convenience for motorists, cyclists, and transit;
• result in slower and safer speeds;
• are self -enforcing (no motorists going the wrong way, less speeding, less bikes on sidewalks);
• provide flexibility and redundancy (which is very helpful during emergencies, special events,
parades, street repair/maintenance);
• reduce sign pollution (one-way streets need more signs);
• advantage economic exchange, retailing;
• result in more intuitive way -finding;
• create a better image (two-way streets eliminate the message that throughput is more
important than place, and avoid unwelcoming "do -not -enter" signs);
• result in easier and more direct bus -routing;
• provide better and additional views of buildings;
• respect the places' original intent and history;
• help crime reduction; and
• increase property values.
There is also consensus that downtowns, like Paris, would benefit by increased housing, social exchange,
economic exchange, local businesses, place -making, walkability, bike accommodation, transit, and so
forth that benefit from two-way restoration.
New U"OS-.Section
Downtown Paris has a well-connected network streets. The four primary streets (i.e., 1St Street, Main
Street, Lamar Avenue, and Clarksville Street) are under the jurisdiction of TxDOT. Two generations ago,
these streets were converted from two-way to one-way has resulted in excessive speeds, reduced
safety, difficulties for crossing the street, disinvestment, and an uncomfortable place.
F6mG"puM"a" 4' �ma
The restoration of both one-way pairs requires new cross sections. The current cross-sections vary
block -by -block in both right-of-way and curb -to -curb measurements. Therefore, a detailed survey will
need to be conducted prior to moving forward. The proposed cross-sections are based on the most
constrained conditions along each street. The design team recognized that a complete rebuild of the
street may not be feasible for financial or other reasons and have suggested both retrofit measures and
rebuilt cross-sections.
a a t Street
15t Street and Main Street are the primary north -south streets in downtown Paris. 15t Street NW
currently provides access southbound, while Main Street provides access northbound. Both streets
provide on -street parking and two travel lanes in their respective directions.
2
1st Street
The current configuration of 1" Street is two south -bound lanes with:
• Sidewalks on both sides of the street.
• Parallel parking on the west side of the street between Price Street and Houston Street.
• Front-end angled parking around the square.
• Front-end angled parking on the west side of the street between Grand Avenue and Austin
Avenue.
• Parallel parking on the east side of the street between Austin Avenue and Sherman Street.
The proposed retrofit for 1St Street includes:
• Bulbouts at each intersection and where appropriate along the corridor.
• 8'-0" parallel parking on the west side of the street.
• A 23'-0" travel way that includes one -travel lane in each direction.
• A 5'-0" planting strip, with curb, to provide separation for the separated bicycle facility.
• A 10'-0" separated bicycle facility that is at street level.
Should the finances become available for a more robust cross-section, it should include:
• Valley gutters between the on -street parking row and the travel way, and
• A sidewalk -level separated bicycle facility.
,s�`' 4-- -T,�4
raIW " p 5'0�1'et'° hx���bn , P'"r'a"rrsrared rWffi Retropt, and FuN Bad
. _w...,. $ �
of 4—� 4-3
1St Street was identified as the primary street for a separated bicycle facility due to having a larger curb -
to -curb cross-section than Main Street, and minimal impacts to business due to existing curb -cuts and
parking. Trail access to the Northeast Texas Trail, topography, and access to the Market Square Farmers
Market were also considerations.
Main Street
The current configuration of Main Street is two north -bound lanes with:
• Sidewalks on both sides of the street.
• Parallel parking on the east side of the street between Price Street and Houston Street.
• Front-end angled parking around the square.
• Parallel parking on the east side of the street between Grand Avenue and Austin Avenue.
• Parallel parking on the east side of the street between Austin Avenue and Sherman Street.
The proposed retrofit for Main Street includes:
• Bulbouts at each intersection and where appropriate along the corridor.
7
• 7'-6" parallel parking on both sides of the street
• A 23'-0" travel way that includes one -travel lane in each direction.
Should the finances become available for a more robust cross-section, it should include valley gutters.
ki or'4°rrrg
Parking is an emotional and contentious issue in most cities and Paris is no exception. People and
business owners may be accustomed to parking directly in front of their store or destination and
become frustrated or concerned when these spots are relocated, unavailable, or in a different
configuration. Some business owners believe that if patrons cannot park by the door, then they will go
elsewhere, jeopardizing their bottom line. The reality is different. Thriving downtowns have attractions,
restaurants, beautiful streets and soft spaces. Most importantly they are walkable places that foster
exchange. Parking by the door is not a large factor.
Given these perceptions and realities, the consultant team was mindful of the number of existing
parking spaces in downtown with an eye towards a future that included parking. As such, an inventory
of the on -street parking spaces was performed, which is shown in Figure 5. Each number indicates the
total number of on -street parking spaces that are adjacent to that block.
Price St
Houston St
Bonham St
Grand Ave
Kaufman St
Austin St
Sherman St
Exfstinrr rrn,'a r.a,P �uorlrra,rrspaces byI'V'e"Kk
A total of 326 on -street parking spaces were counted in the area, shown above. With the proposed
street modifications of two-way operations and stop sign traffic control, a total increase of 49 on -street
8
parking spaces for a total of 375 on -street spaces is anticipated. The streets immediately adjacent to the
Culbertson Fountain will see a decrease in on -street parking spaces due to the much-needed expansion
of the green space and the creation of more people -friendly streets. However, within one block of the
Square, on -street parking will increase from 160 to 174 parking spaces.
i..��1,�m .�l u� of 'icIl3,caselii��n
To support the thoughtful and implementable vision of Paris, that includes changing the street character
to be more pleasant, a traffic analysis was performed. Toole Design collaborated with TxDOT by
agreeing upon five traffic -related analysis criteria to investigate, including: i) safety; ii) travel time; iii)
traffic diversion; iv) queuing; and v) and maintenance. Other criteria related to fulfilling the community
vision included: i) increased accessibility throughout the downtown by all modes of travel; ii) developing
a consistent design vocabulary for the new cross-sections (i.e., sidewalk, furniture zone, on -street
parking, valley gutter, etc.); and iii) increasing accessibility (i.e., visually and for people with mobility
impairments). The arrival experiences into the downtown were assessed to help inform motorists of the
downtown context, help influence motorist behaviors (i.e., slow them down and increase safety), and
better distribute traffic.
Exi5ting i.
Paris' historical population and traffic volumes show notable trends. Table 1 illustrates the population of
Paris increasing since the 1890s until the 1970s, which then levels off to the present.
Mi
25,0W III a Mil n IN X -IM in VOM mMl is 1Mm 010IV
20,000
15,000
10,0()0
5,000
0
ErtWbt� _'L Pcirts lir torr"ailPopolof�oo
In the middle of the 1950s, "the loop" around Paris was constructed, enabling fast motoring around the
City. About a decade after that, Paris' downtown streets were converted from two-way into one-way
streets to speed up travel through the downtown. Table 2 shows downtown traffic volumes trending
0
downward; most likely due to the transfer of business, services, and economic activity from the
downtown to the loop.
Paris Traffic Counts
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,0 "
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 201.1 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
&Nba 2: Pans Traffic Votimies
The highway loop, around the City, is oval-shaped and spans approximately five miles, east -west, and
four miles, north -south. There are two primary ways to drive from one side of the oval to the other side.
You can drive through the City and downtown or drive along the loop. It is much faster take the highway
loop, compared to the streets through the City. Figure 7 illustrates the relative travel times.
P rrgwe T A,; is Lf, -, op rvxl Dmmtcvar
Because the proposed changes are focused within the downtown, the changes in travel are limited to a
small area; resulting in insignificant changes to travel time for motorists from one end of the city to the
10
other, through the downtown. However, travel times for short trips within the downtown, will be lower
due to direct routing. In other words, from a travel time perspective, the existing situation rewards long
trips through downtown and the proposed situation rewards trips within, to, and from the downtown.
However, for both through trips and for downtown trips, the changes in travel time will be small.
To analyze street network and traffic control modifications, daily traff=ic counts received from TOOT
(2017-2018 data) were compiled. A peak hour of traffic was found to be at 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. These
hourly volumes were used to assess a theoretical "worst case" scenario, which is shown in Figure 8.
A theoretical "worst case" scenario was created by assuming that all the traffic from all four
intersections converged at one intersection, with two-way streets and no turn lanes. Using Synchro 9
Software and the Highway Capacity Manual methodology, 18 seconds of delay per vehicle was
calculated, which indicates the intersection would operate acceptably. This compares to 11 seconds of
average delay per vehicle for the existing intersection. This relatively small change in travel time
indicates that there is sufficient flexibility to modify the street network to achieve a vision for Paris'
downtown.
The "worst case" scenario does not depict actual conditions of restoring the one-way to two-way streets
because, motorists will use more than one street to travel to their destinations. Drawing from previous
experience, national best practices, and discussions with TxDOT, the future traffic on the formerly one-
way pair will likely split in a ratio of 60/40 between the two two-way streets. The reassigned traffic
11
volumes were applied to all streets and the traffic conditions at the four main intersections surrounding
Culbertson Fountain were analyzed. The results indicated that traffic signals were not warranted and
therefore, stop sign traffic control was evaluated.
With stop sign traffic control, an increase of seven seconds delay is anticipated at each intersection at
the square from the existing traffic condition. Therefore, a vehicle passing through the square's two
intersections would, on average, experience 14 total seconds of increased travel time during the peak
hour. Vehicle queueing was also analyzed and on average, two to four vehicles are anticipated to be
queued during the peak hour. The results for changes in travel time and queueing are both acceptable.
In fact, the stopping of motorists at the intersections around the Square, where many pedestrians are
desired, and slower speeds within the downtown, are desirable for safety and comfort reasons. The
current speeding and crash problems should be ameliorated nicely.
Finally, traffic diversion was assessed. The highest traffic movement in the "worst case" was only 460
vehicles per hour in the eastbound direction during the peak hour. Obviously, only a small percentage
of the 460 vehicles are travelling across the entire City. Even if it were as high as 10%, or 46 vehicles
over the hour, the team anticipates that only a fraction of those vehicles would change habits and use
the loop road due to the small change in travel time in the downtown. At the same time, it is likely that
some motorists, who currently use the bypass, might be interested to see some of changes and activities
in the downtown and would use the downtown streets. Therefore, the increase and decrease of
diverted trips would likely involve small numbers of motorists and, more or less, cancel each other out,
amounting to a negligible change due to traffic diversion.
Benefits of Two-way Streets and Stop Sign Traffic Control
There are several benefits that will likely occur by restoring two-way travel and installing stop signs
downtown.
• Safety. Fewer crashes are anticipated with stop signs and two-way streets because both traffic -
related modifications eliminate stale green lights and the ability to do drag racing between
traffic signals. By not having one-way streets with two or more adjacent lanes going in the same
direction, weaving between lanes will be eliminated. Wrong way travel cannot happen on two-
way streets. Shorter pedestrian crossing distances will increase safety.
• Improved Access. Motorists will be able to drive directly to businesses rather than circulating
around the block in a one-way system.
• Simplified Wayfinding. Providing directions and finding destinations will be easier with two-way
streets.
• Visibility. Access and visibility of businesses will double because of motorists can approach from
both directions. Stop -controlled intersections will also ease parking operations due to the
slower speed environment created.
• Redundancy. Two-way streets will naturally create a redundant street network which will
improve emergency vehicle access. It will also make hosting special events easier and allow
street maintenance to occur without system -wide disruptions.
• Cost. Stop signs are inexpensive to install and cost less to maintain as compared with the
approximate $5,000 annual maintenance cost for a single traffic signal. Also, the traffic signal
poles, mast arms, and signal cabinets are unattractive street features and result in obstacles in
the sidewalks.
12
Transitions into Downtown
Consideration was given to improving the arrival experience into the downtown as well as the
distribution of vehicles to the street network. Due to how traffic flows, on multiple streets, in and out of
the eastern and southern parts of Paris' downtown today, no substantial changes are needed to the east
and south. Also, Clarksville Street and Lamar Avenue carry traffic in different directions to the City's
exterior which naturally helps distribute traffic. Minor signal modifications are anticipated at the
Clarksville Street/12th Street and Lamar Avenue/12th Street intersections. At the downtown's south end,
the City is re -designing the Church Street/Hearne Avenue intersection, which will allow motorists to
choose between 15t Street or Main Street to travel to their desired downtown destination.
West of Paris' downtown, a new roundabout was recommended west of the Bonham Street/7th
Street/Grand Avenue intersections, which is shown in Figure 9.
Figure 91 Roundabout "transition on the vW er T r'Pnid of Pans
The roundabout will allow motorists to easily choose between Bonham Street or Grand Avenue as they
enter Paris' downtown. The roundabout's location will require the purchase of some additional right-of-
way.
13
A transition point north of Paris was identified at the Main Street/Santa Fe Street intersection, which is
shown in Figure 10.
The proposed roundabout would also help distribute traffic to both 1St Street NW and Main Street
depending on the motorist's destination.
There are likely other unwarranted traffic signals on the approaches to downtown. The City and the
TOOT should reconsider the balance of the traffic signals and determine which ones should be
removed.
7ralfi :Ir r,r'rrrt
Downward trending traffic volumes allow for flexibility to modify Paris' downtown street network. The
analysis has shown that restoring a two-way street network is feasible given current traffic volumes. A
sensitivity analysis showed that if traffic volumes were to increase, there is plenty of ability to handle
additional traffic. Stop sign control and no turn lanes are recommended at the four intersections
adjacent the Culbertson Fountain. Maintenance of the street will be easier due to the redundancy of the
two-way streets and there will be less street surface to maintain due to the streets being narrower. The
14
combination of a two-way network and stop sign traffic control will result in numerous benefits in
safety, access, and cost.
D ow'II°'i "V" o vj r'� a q U a QIP'"d I. "t c'w't`: t' e e :
Culbertson Fountain was gifted to the City of Paris to commemorate its rebirth after the 1916 fire. It is
the historical centerpiece of downtown and a community gathering spot for numerous residents and
visitors to the City. The Fountain sits on approximately a half acre civic green, that is surrounded by
front-end angled parking and fast-moving traffic. It is currently elevated with ADA access on one of the
four corners (i.e., the northeast corner).
Universal access, comfort, usable and flexible space, business -friendliness, walkability, and views were
the major design objectives, expressed by the community for the heart of downtown. To advance those
objectives, several design elements were recommended, including:
• Flush, brick, streets on the streets around the Square and the block east of the Square;
• Streets that are useable and flexible for all types of events;
• Separated bike facility along the south side of the square extending to the Downtown
Community Park;
• Large, uninterrupted awnings along the entire frontage of the buildings that face a flush street,
and highly encouraged for one block off of the flush streets;
• Bulbouts are used on the corners to self -enforce parking and shorten crossing distances;
• View corridors on the diagonal and cardinal directions; and
• Increased sidewalk width for more retail -oriented space and a legible furnishing zone.
The design concept also eliminates front -in angled parking around the square in favor of parallel
parking. This allows the open space in the square to almost double in size to one acre.
Currently, there is a 10 -foot -wide walkway around the fountain that is at a higher elevation than the
sidewalks around the Square. The change in elevation is currently addressed with sloped lawns on all
four sides. The slopes make the lawns less usable for events, compared to level lawns. On the north,
west, and south sides of the Square, we suggest leveling the lawns and addressing the slopes by adding
three perimeter steps between the 10 -foot -wide walkway and the lawn. We recommend leaving the
east side as is, with its sloped lawn. These topographical changes preserve the historic fountain and the
historical intent of the fountain being prominent, increase the accessibility and usability of the
greenspace, provide plenty of informal seating, keep one slope for kids to play on, and does not
negatively affect the large trees.
We would recommend locating low plantings around the base of the large trees and move the seating
under the large trees so that people can sit in the shade. The seats should be oriented to the diagonal
walkways and back onto the low plantings. As an option, it would romantic and fun if the benches could
gently swing. We suggest that the plantings on the corners be removed or relocated to allow view
corridors on the diagonals to the fountain.
Providing for special events should be incorporated into the new design of the Square. For example,
care should be taken to place the new street trees so that they do not obstruct potential stage locations,
in the cardinal directions for concerts, jazz festivals, etc. Notice the street trees on the inner side of the
15
streets have been arranged to leave an opening for viewing purposes. In -street and in -ground
handholes with electric power should be placed in any likely location for a stage. Potable water spigots
and electric services should be located where food trucks operators or other temporary users might
need them. This avoids noisy generators and the like from spoiling events. Finally, small parts of the
open spaces should be available for areas informal gatherings (e.g., a place with movable chairs, tables,
and umbrellas), chess boards with humans -sized pieces, art installations with seating, and so forth, as
long as those uses compliment large events. Consideration should be given to creating public restrooms
in a building on the Square or in a building just off of the Square but where the restrooms can be found
easily.
Caguas llDctA,Wcm,n SqF aieand I" Street NEdessgn CrMcr,pL
Creating a shared space along 1st Street NE between Lamar Avenue and Clarksville Street capitalizes on
events already occurring in this space. A shared space operated low -speeds and allows all users—
vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists to move throughout the entire space rather than assigning designated
areas. It also provides complete flexibility in how the space is used. We recommend paving the shared
space from building to building.
16
N/lark t S uie Fairneirs IIW Market, Tl w ParisFlu bliic Uoirw. and Bywateirs"au".Ik
Market Square Farmers Market, the Public Library, Bywaters Park all play significant roles within the
Paris community. Unfortunately, despite these civic uses being located across the street from one
another they are disconnected and treated as separate places. The potential to provide a strong
connection between all three civic uses and encourage activity in this area of town led to a design
concept that:
• Expands the existing farmers market structure,
• Implements a universally accessible transition between the library and the Farmers Market,
• Creates a flexible event space with a great lawn and a flush street along 1St Street and Main
Street, and
• Provides play and picnic areas along with restrooms where the Skate Park is currently.
Route 3: 1";torket-Square O�ur er,Market, the Paris.Fl ublir Library, and Bywat:ers Park design concept.
Some of the subtle changes in the concept for the southern civic area include:
• Increased on -street parking through the use of back -in angled parking on one or both sides of
the side streets;
• The ability to have no stage, multiple stages, or differently oriented stages;
17
The ramps, steps, and seating by the Library create an informal amphitheater library for
readings, plays, etc. or back -row seating for large concerts that use the street and great lawn;
and
• The parking lot next to the library should be designed like a plaza so that people can park on it
on a typical day, but the space can be easily used for outdoor events that need a hard space.
IIPNJ III � X T STE 1:°)
Consensus for positive change within the community was strong at the end of the second workshop.
That energy should continue to grow as the City, County, and State move forward with the next steps.
The following next steps should be explored to keep the momentum going:
• Seek official City Council support;
• Incorporate the plans and recommendations into the City's Official Plan and other plans as
appropriate;
• Identify funding sources (including the State Transportation Improvement Program);
• Conduct a survey;
• Develop cost estimates;
• Incorporate recommendations into currently planned projects that alter the streets;
• Prioritize the projects that are not part of another project;
• Conduct additional outreach to the community and business owners;
• Work with the TxDOT on finding and implementing the recommended changes; and
• Design, engineer, and construct the projects.
18