Outside the Box: Repurposing Parking for Placemaking, Sprawl Repair, and Better Transit MAPC’s sParking IdeasApril 8, 2014

WHAT?! In Lexington?Creating Massachusetts’s 1st Parklet & Bike Corral

Massachusetts Avenue – looking west Lexington, MA

The State’s 1st Parklet & Bike Corral

1720 Mass Ave

Grand Opening: June 15, 2013

Assembling the decking: Nearly 300 SF of renewed public space

THE RATIONALEPlacemaking & Economic Benefits

Placemaking

“Capitalizes on a community’s assets, inspiration, and potential- ultimately creating good public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well being” source: www.pps.com

William Whyte Jane Jacobs

A multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces

Average Monthly Customer Expenditures by Mode of Travel

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Bike Walk Auto Transit

$61

$76

$66

$58

Bicyclists & Pedestrians spend less per trip BUT the number of trips are greater = the overall expenditures are greater than auto users.Total expenditures at bars, convenience stores, and restaurants

Economic Benefits of Bikes & Peds

Economic Benefits

Economic Benefits

OUR 6-STEP APPROACHTo creating new bike and public space

1. Link to Economic Development Goals

Promote the vitality of the Center and small business

2. Partner with Local Businesses

UNDERUTILIZED:Placed in the front of lawn of

the Post Office

WELL- UTILIZED:Placed next to a café, froyo, running store

3. Collaborate & Build Support

Project Center Committee

Bike CommitteePolice

DPW

Local Business

Elected Officials Tourism

4. Pilot, Pilot, Pilot

UsePark(ing) DayAs a Pilot

Lexington Bike Activity:60% increase After Pilot Corral in 2012

BEFORE CORRAL AFTER CORRAL0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Bicyclists Counted

5. Document Success

194

311

6. Build on Success Parklet with seating & bikes for June 2013

Key Questions to Ask

1. How does the project align with your community’s economic development goals?

2. Who is your local business partner? Is it a compatible use?

3. How will you collaborate and build support for the project (and with who) ?