On March 27, we published a guest column by Dayton architect Matt Sauer that argued for rebuilding U.S. 35 through downtown as a street-level boulevard, with an eye toward restoring bisected historic neighborhoods and spurring development. Today, we offer an opposing argument from another local urban planner, James Wahl. Your thoughts? Email rrollins@coxohio.com.
‘Perhaps a grand boulevard concept from downtown Dayton past Miami Valley Hospital, the Fairgrounds, and UD property on to Oakwood could have been a real opportunity for enhancement and development opportunity.’ — James Wahl
The recent Dayton Daily News article guest column by architect Matt Sauer about turning U.S. 35 through downtown into a boulevard was thought-provoking. It presented an alternative view of the function and role of interstate limited-access highways in urban areas, as well as the specific conclusions regarding a different future for the roadway.
The concepts and general philosophy represent a discussion that has been going on in a number of cities, with urbanists, social scientists, activists, academics, bureaucrats and citizens leading the conversation. The general theme of this debate has been that such high-capacity highways damage our central cities and should be redesigned and rebuilt. European cities are often cited as examples, and representation of how American cities should be transformed to a new vision of transportation and urban design. Indeed, Mr. Sauer reports that this trend is happening across the nation.
I would offer an opposing view.
Cars rule in America
Comparing Dayton to European cities is a false narrative. America is not like Europe with respect to how our cities have developed over the past 100 years, auto-dominated since the era of the Model T, and generally low-density. American cities have been built in response to the market place of citizen/consumer demand, which is not European. Suburban-style living, which developed after WWII, met consumer preferences, and it is also important to note that such development continued for 20 years before urban freeways were completed. Americans have continued to prefer and enjoy personal transportation that is flexible and convenient.
Design and development of attractive high-density urban living, as well as rehabilitation of historic neighborhoods, is now becoming increasingly popular. Part of the attraction of such living are amenities which include urban features that are not only utilitarian and functional, but enjoyable and visually rewarding. This type of design requires new approaches to the need to maintain and enhance the automobile as part of the urban environment. With respect to urban living and redevelopment, there are certainly projects underway in downtown Dayton, but the numbers are relatively small, and appeal is to very specific audiences.
Of course, a certain audience of consumers is increasingly attracted to amenities offered in the more dense urban core, even in smaller urban areas. These residents may choose to forgo car ownership if they live in San Francisco, New York City, or Washington, D.C. U.S. cities are adjusting to this new market opportunity, and older urban areas are making some progress by “building a better mouse trap,” even though they continue to lose population to the suburbs and even ex-urbs way out in the country.
The utility and functionality of urban freeways continues to be important to cities who need convenient access so that those suburbanites can come downtown to work and recreate. Converting some of these roadways to boulevards or other uses may be practical and desirable in some particular circumstances. However, these kinds of conversions most likely will have to be driven by private development and funding. Despite the proclamation, “you didn’t build that … the government did,” the fact is that private developers provide much of the funding for enhanced roadway designs and projects — which are becoming increasingly popular — as well as standard highways like freeway access roads and expansion of major thoroughfares.
Would Dayton development result?
Regarding the conversion of U.S. 35 to a boulevard, there appear to be several issues of significance. There is no expectation that this area of Dayton could become a magnet for private development that might drive roadway enhancement. And given the tight highway funding budgets, where would we find the dollars for a project that is more about beautification than utility? Perhaps the proposal to add $10 to the price of a barrel of oil will help the highway funding dilemma, but I am skeptical that the driving public wants the price of gasoline to increase.
In addition, it is not clear how such a boulevard design would deal with the sort of traffic-safety issues that already exist on U.S. 35 in Greene County, which are the result of a limited-access, high-speed road suddenly becoming a local road with traffic signals.
I do think Mr. Sauer has pointed out the valid conclusion that the U.S. 35 pedestrian underpasses and sidewalks are ugly and unpleasant urban experiences. Ditto that same situation for railroad overpasses, embankments and abandoned industrial property, which create undesirable impacts on many places in Dayton urban neighborhoods. Perhaps a design project, prioritization, and funding effort could be put together to deal with the reality of the adverse impact of auto and rail facilities on our neighborhoods?
Mr. Sauer has suggested that redevelopment of U.S. 35 could open up numerous sites for redevelopment. First of all, I would consider that this area of the city has few attractions that would significantly enhance development opportunity. There is no riverfront, prominent feature, or magnet that could be a real focal point. There are plenty of other properties adjacent to downtown Dayton that are developing very slowly. The residential market is in no position to utilize a 100-acre area that might open by changing U.S. 35 as proposed, when other sites, such as the Fairgrounds, are moving slowly, and residential projects are coming in dribs and drabs. I would suggest that the cost of the boulevard project as described simply puts it in the category of not affordable. Not only are highway funds limited, but there is likely no developer interested in stepping forward to fund this project, as took place to a great extent at Austin Landing and the Greene.
Columbus a good example
However, there are examples of good urban highway design from which Dayton might learn — such as in Columbus, where economic development impact can be seen downtown. In the 1970s, the north end of downtown Columbus was a railroad yard, abandoned railroad station, and backwater industrial area. Working with Nationwide, and our planning and design team at the City of Columbus, the Nationwide Boulevard concept was fashioned. From Columbus Technical Institute past the soon to be developed Columbus Convention Center, through what is now the Arena District, and on to Neil Avenue, the boulevard concept was envisioned. Many critics panned the idea, which included the highway going through the Ohio State Penitentiary.
This plan and dream for downtown Columbus was accomplished when the private sector stepped forward to ensure what has been the transformation of the north end of downtown Columbus over the past 40 years. I might add, that a companion proposal to turn Broad Street into a similar grand boulevard did not advance since there were no funds for such an expensive project, and although there was development coming along Broad Street, it did not compare with what Nationwide and the Convention Center could generate.
Perhaps a grand boulevard concept from downtown Dayton past Miami Valley Hospital, the Fairgrounds, and UD property on to Oakwood could have been a real opportunity for enhancement and development opportunity. After all, this is the “Main Street corridor” in the city of Dayton, not a companion corridor to Xenia Avenue and Fifth Street (the U.S. 35 corridor). Instead, we have a very efficient and well designed Main Street that carries traffic well, which of course, is the primary function of our road system. I am sure that eventually new development will spring up at the Fairgrounds and UD, but perhaps more could have been accomplished with an imaginative design and enhancement of the Main Street Corridor.
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