To help describe available strategies to manage traffic and improve pedestrian safety, the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 13 hosted a traffic calming workshop in March.

Professional traffic engineering consultant Gonzalo Camacho moderated the workshop, first inviting the 23 attendees to physically map out intersections and walk paths where neighborhood traffic is a concern. Residents provided feedback related to their commutes and stroll patterns.

“I think many of the us discovered that sections of our small neighborhood face unique challenges we may also—or may not—be experiencing in our own daily travel experiences,” explained TIRZ board member Cynthia Card, who has been spearheading the conversation of the issue. “We need to be creative and work together to figure out ways to improve safety for everyone.”

Following extensive participant feedback, Comancho presented the pros and cons of nearly a dozen best-practice approaches used in other communities. He also pointed out that drivers anywhere tend to slow down when presented with an interesting or beautiful thing to view. He challenged residents to be innovative in thinking about grass-roots approaches that might be workable to implement.

Based on the group discussion and subsequent one-on-one conversations, Comancho created a Traffic Safety Workshop Summary Report that details and provides visuals of numerous strategies for traffic management as well as customized, potential approaches for the Old Sixth Ward. He also included a suggested list of relevant entities the neighborhood could pursue as partners for collaboration on implementing traffic calming measures.

The TIRZ funded the study to help inform community discussion about what is possible and to fuel further problem-solving ideas. The TIRZ is now evaluating the traffic calming measures suggested in the Traffic Safety Workshop Summary Report. Traffic calming measures remains on the TIRZ 10-year project list of potential improvements within the zone, but the board also encourages ideas and input from the community for avenues to help accomplish agreed upon approaches.

For more information about traffic calming solutions in the Old Sixth Ward, please view the Traffic Safety Workshop Summary Report.

For more information about the purpose of a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, please view What is a TIRZ, How Does It Work?