Feasibility of the 100 Block of Allen Street as a Pedestrian Mall

Prepared for: Donald M. Hahn, President, State College Borough Council Allison Jaenicke, Instructor, English 202C

By: Colin Anderson Thomas Luff Alex Ortega

This report examines the feasibility of constructing a pedestrian mall on Allen Street between College Avenue and Beaver Avenue. Technical feasibility, managerial decisions and social impact are all major criteria for considering this project. To obtain our recommendation, information from other reports and local articles were used.

Executive Summary
The topic in question is whether the 100 block of Allen Street in State College, PA would be able to function as a pedestrian mall. The benefits, problems, and feasibility of this topic were researched in order to determine if this project would work. Several aspects of the idea were researched, including possible issues that could arise with traffic flow, the social and human impact of creating a pedestrian mall, and the managerial challenges that the Borough of State College and the business owners on Allen Street might encounter. Diagrams for solutions to the traffic flow are included in this report. The information we used to determine if the 100 block of Allen Street would be a good location for a pedestrian mall came from studies of pedestrian malls in large cities and smaller towns. The 100 block of Allen Street is a major hub of activity, with various types of businesses. The Corner Room, Chilis, Panera Bread, and Jersey Mikes are all popular restaurants which happen to be located there. Rapid Transit, Appalachian Outdoors, Freeze Thaw Cycles, and Abercrombie and Fitch attract various kinds of shoppers. This mix of businesses is very unique, and has proven to work in a pedestrian mall setting. Many students pass through this section of Allen Street on their way to classes every day, so there is plenty of potential for walk-in customers. The population in State College is what is considered a captive population, in that many residents actually live in town (in contrast to many big cities.) This has proven to be a key element in whether a pedestrian mall will lead to economic success for the businesses located there. Towns with similar populations, such as Burlington, Vermont, Madison, Wisconsin, and Ithaca, New York, have achieved a great deal of success with their pedestrian malls. Pedestrian malls can be expensive to maintain if they are large and contain many expensive elements. In a one block segment, there would not be a great amount of maintenance issues to deal with. Current public works employees or business owners themselves could take care of any trash bins or gardens without too much extra effort. Despite voting against a pedestrian mall in 2010, we recommend that the Borough of State College revisit the possibility of constructing one on the 100 block of Allen Street. Many residents and students support the idea, because it can bring great economic, cultural, and aesthetic improvement to the downtown.

ii

Table of Contents

Executive Summary..i List of Visuals....iii Introduction.1 Technical Criteria.2 Impact on traffic.2 Social Criteria..4 Human Safety..4 Beautification..5 Cultural Impacts....5 Transition Stage....5 Managerial Criteria....6 Organizational Impact...6 Staffing.6 Costs..6 Market/Interest.7 Summary of Conclusions7 Recommendation...8 Works Cited.9

iii

List of Visuals

Figure 1 (Current traffic flow).2 Figure 2 (Option 1 traffic flow)..3 Figure 3 (Option 2 traffic flow)..3 Figure 4 (Option 3 traffic flow)4

Introduction
Problem Pedestrian malls have been making reappearances in towns all across America; they are not a new idea by any means. Pedestrian malls are often modeled after European cities which are still centered on foot traffic. By giving preference to pedestrians over cars, towns have created a more shopper friendly, and culture rich, experience. Downtown State College is a small district full of history and rich in culture. Over the years it has grown with the ever growing presence of Penn State and the changing times. Like many older towns, it had to adapt to the influence of cars. Currently State Colleges answer to traffic and pedestrian safety is the use of one way streets and an efficient bus system. Since the late 1970s the idea of a pedestrian mall at the 100 block of Allen Street has been considered for a solution to pedestrian shopper needs and safety. By State College not acting on the opportunity to create a pedestrian mall, it misses out on many potential benefits. Creating a pedestrian mall at the 100 block of Allen Street would give shoppers a way to safely walk between businesses and have a place to congregate. This area could be used as a gathering place for the large volumes of pedestrian and bike traffic that State College receives every day. By having regularly scheduled events, shoppers would be persuaded to enter the town limits and the stores. Along with the economic purposes, pedestrian malls can have a positive effect on a towns sense of community. A pedestrian mall could be a huge benefit both economically and socially for State College. Research To obtain a solution to this problem, we researched the feasibility of a pedestrian mall on the 100 block of Allen Street. We considered the social, managerial, and technical criteria of a pedestrian mall. To obtain relevant information we used past examples and statistics of other pedestrian malls both successful and ineffective. Also, we cited information and opinions from newspaper articles considering the feasibility of an Allen Street pedestrian mall. Finally, we considered past instances of a pedestrian Mall being implemented in State College, such as during Arts Fest. After compiling all our resources and using generally accepted knowledge, we explored the ideas of three possible scenarios for the Allen Street pedestrian mall. Report Structure

Technical Criteria Social Criteria Managerial Criteria Summary of conclusions Recommendations

Technical Criteria
Impact on traffic If Allen Street is closed to all traffic at all times of the day, it can cause a significant impact on drivers. Right now Allen Street is a two way street, allowing cars that are driving on Beaver Avenue to turn left onto Allen and travel north, and cars driving on College Avenue to turn left onto Allen and drive south. If Allen Street was closed to all cars, motorists would not be able to access this street anymore. One block west of Allen is Fraser Street, which is also a two way street between Beaver and College. One block east of Allen is Pugh Street, which also allows two way traffic between Beaver and College. Because of these two streets that run parallel to Allen, closing Allen to cars would not be an inconvenience to cars travelling on Beaver that have to get to College or vice versa. One problem associated with closing Allen Street to cars is how to deal with Calder Way. Calder runs across Allen near College. Refer to the diagram for a better understanding:

Figure 2 (Current traffic flow)

There are three options for how to go about making Allen Street a pedestrian mall:

3 Option 1: Have all of Allen Street between Beaver and College closed to cars, no Calder Way through traffic.

In this scenario, Calder Way would be completely blocked to through traffic. This would pose a big problem for cars driving down Calder, and any delivery trucks delivering inventory to any businesses on Calder.

Figure 2 (Option 1 traffic flow)

Option 2: Have all of Allen Street between Beaver and College closed to cars, but have through traffic still allowed on Calder Way through Allen. In this scenario, cars would be able to drive from the east side of Calder Way, across Allen Street, and onto the west side of Calder Way. This would make Allen Street still a pedestrian mall, but some cars and trucks would drive across the mall. For this option to be successful, time constraints would have to be enforced on when vehicles could cross Allen Street on Calder Way. Trucks would be allowed to cross Allen at low foot traffic times, such as early in the morning and late at night, and not on the weekends.
Figure 3 (Option 2 traffic flow)

4 Option 3: Have Allen Street closed to cars only between Calder Way and Beaver Avenue.

In this scenario, the pedestrian mall would only be from Beaver to Calder. This would eliminate about 150 feet of the mall, the area between College Avenue and Calder Way. Although this would make less room for pedestrians, cars could move freely across Allen on Calder, and can also allow cars to turn onto Allen from College.

Figure 3 (Option 3 traffic flow)

All of these options have their pros and cons. The biggest problem is how delivery trucks are going to maneuver their way around this area of downtown State College. It would be very tough for these delivery trucks to have to deal with Calder Way being closed to their through traffic across Allen Street completely. Then Calder would have to be a dead end street, and it is so narrow that these trucks would not be able to turn around and make their way back out. If option 2 were to be used, trucks and cars going across Allen as they wish would be dangerous and would cut the mall into two sections if time constraints were not implemented. With time constraints on Calder Way, this could cause problems for freight trucks trying to drop off their loads. And if option 3 is selected, it takes off a big chunk of the pedestrian walkway.

Social Criteria
Human Safety By blocking traffic on Allen Street pedestrians gain a degree of safety from cars. Pedestrians would be able to safely commute through the downtown area via the Allen Street Mall. While in day this would be a benefit to pedestrians, it has been reported that pedestrian malls harbor loiterers and petty crimes at night due to its vacancy [1]. This would not be an issue in State College since students

5 live in town and are often walking the streets late at night. State Colleges police are already equipped to manage intoxicated citizens that would presumably congregate at the pedestrian mall.

Beautification If Allen Street were to be closed this would create an opportunity for many beautification projects. Projects can range from cobblestone walkways to potted plants and fountains. This would also open the door for residents to add their own art in the form of mosaics and murals which would create a sense of community. If businesses were to fail along Allen Street, this would make for a very negative visual. One of the sustaining elements of a pedestrian walkway is its positive aesthetics. Once a street becomes visually unappealing a negative cycle starts where pedestrians dont show, then shops close, resulting in more negative looks. Avoiding this is paramount and could be done by constant programing of music shows, events and attentive cleanup.

Cultural impacts Cultural impacts are one of the most significant features of a pedestrian mall. By permitting regular community programs and events, the mall acts as a meeting place for citizens. With functions ranging from music to holiday decorations, a pedestrian mall can act as an unofficial town center [2]. Furthermore, if residents are allowed to actively participate in scheduled events a sense of community will arise. A strong example of this effect is Arts Fest during the summer. During Arts Fest Allen Street is closed, allowing the community to partake in events and listen to music. Arts Fest has often been regarded as a success in its ability to build a sense of community and shopping. A concern with many pedestrian malls is the willingness for people to walk rather than drive to shops [1]. Too often pedestrian malls fail because shoppers are unwilling to walk from parking lots to store fronts. This will not be an issue for the Allen Street Pedestrian Mall since a majority of residents commute by walking or bicycle due to their localized residence [3]. Also there is an efficient bus system that stops directly at Allen Street, making it accessible to those who cannot drive or live too far away. Adequate public transportation has shown to be a key element in the survival of pedestrian malls. State Street in Madison, Wisconsin, is a good example of this [4]. Shoppers that do chose to drive into town can park conveniently at Frasier Street parking deck or Pugh parking deck, both of which are adjacent to Allen Street. These factors all result in easy access for shoppers at the proposed pedestrian mall.

Transition Stage During the transition stage there would be a significant amount of construction that would disrupt local residents that live down town. The noise and debris could also negatively affect business along Allen Street for that time period. While this is not uncommon, since roads do get repaved, this would most likely be a multi-month project.

6 The effects of the proposed Allen Street Pedestrian Mall on rent are undetermined. If the pedestrian Mall is a success rent could increase in a way that is similar to parks in a city. This would result in students being unable to afford down town residence and possibly pushing out small businesses for chain stores [1]. There are examples of success, like in Ithaca, NY, where small businesses thrive on their pedestrian malls. Another possibility is that the pedestrian mall could fail resulting in a loss of businesses and rent decreasing. In either situation there are those who benefit and those who fail.

Managerial Criteria
Organizational impact The construction of a pedestrian mall would require a number of actions to be taken by city/town leaders and the contractors. During and after construction of the mall, traffic signals would have to be reprogrammed by the city government. The mall would require some maintenance (i.e. watering plants, emptying trash and recycling bins.) In a study done involving existing pedestrian malls, 40 percent of the cities handled maintenance duties, while 20 percent of the malls were managed by the business owners themselves. The rest were managed by either a combination of the two or a completely separate organization [5].

Staffing There is no permanent staff needed to run a pedestrian mall. Maintenance work can be handled by current public works employees or the business owners themselves. The block of Allen Street between Beaver Avenue and College Avenue is only one block long, so there would not be very many gardens, benches, or waste bins to monitor. There would have to be a slight increase in police presence on the mall, however, because cities in the past have reported increased loiterers and fear of crime [1]. This might require the hiring of 1 more police officer for the borough.

Costs Costs can vary greatly when considering the construction of a pedestrian mall. Depending on the length of the mall and quality of the materials used, the construction project can cost anywhere between 100,000 to several million dollars [6]. In the case of the proposed one block segment of Allen Street, the cost of construction would be towards the lower end of this spectrum. Maintenance costs can also vary greatly depending on the complexity of the pedestrian mall. According to an old study on pedestrian malls Adepoju Onibokun, maintenance costs varied from $500 at the lowest to upwards of $20,000. The cities which had maintenance costs upwards of $20,000 had multiple block pedestrian malls with many features [5]. Maintenance costs for a mall on the 100 block of Allen Street would fall towards the lower end of this spectrum, as it is only one block long. If an extra police officer was hired to help with monitoring the mall, that cost would have to be factored in.

Market/Interest Interest within communities varies when it comes to pedestrian malls. Many students support the idea of a pedestrian mall, because it gives students and other residents a place to relax after shopping, eating, or. It also serves as an area to host small festivals and musical performances [2]. Some studies have shown that pedestrian malls can hurt businesses, though. In a study done for the Main Street Pedestrian Mall in Memphis, TN, retail businesses reported a decrease in sales in the long run. Also, many cities that had pedestrian malls reported a shift in retail focus from destination goods to convenience goods [1]. The 100 block of Allen Street has both types of businesses, as McLanahans sells convenience goods, and Appalachian Outdoors, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Rapid Transit sell destination goods. Also, the cities that reported these negative effects are much larger than State College, and had pedestrian malls that were much larger than one block. The State College Borough Council did not believe in the great potential of a pedestrian mall, however, as it was voted down 4-2 in 2010 [3].

Summary of Conclusions
Technically speaking, creating a pedestrian mall on the 100 block of Allen Street would not be an incredibly difficult undertaking. While traffic flows would be altered downtown, the effect would not be too damaging. By employing one of three realistic traffic flow options, a pedestrian mall there could succeed. In regards to the social impact of a pedestrian mall, the benefits outweigh the risks for a State College. Human safety would most likely be improved, especially in light of recent pedestrian/car accidents. The mall would likely improve the overall appearance of the downtown area, because a pedestrian mall would bring gardens, benches and possibly fountains. The possibility of buildings become vacant shops and eyesores would not be likely, given the kind of population in State College. The transition state during the actually construction of the mall could temporarily drive customers away from the businesses on the 100 block of Allen Street, but the reward of bringing in the mall would most likely outweigh this risk. Finally, from a managerial/organizational standpoint, the project seems reasonable for State College. The mall could be easily managed by the current public works staff, by the business owners themselves, or by a combination of the two. Costs for a one block pedestrian mall have historically been low for other similar towns, so it should be no different for State College. The unique mix of businesses existing on the 100 block of Allen Street would most likely succeed, since studies have shown that successful pedestrian malls need to offer a variety of goods to survive.

Recommendation
When considering the feasibility of a Pedestrian Mall at the 100 block of Allen Street, we recommend that borough of State College implement the fallowing ideas: Employ traffic option 2 where Calder Way is open to cross Allen Street only at specific times. These times would include early morning delivery hours when pedestrians are unlikely to be around. Have regularly scheduled events at the pedestrian mall to draw in shoppers. Allow residents to make additions to the beautification of Allen Street in the form of art and renovations. Have the construction be done as quickly as possible, in order to lessen the impact on residents and businesses during the transition period. To provide maintenance on the mall use the current public works department and additional help from businesses located on Allen Street. Maintain the current police system, unless loitering becomes an issue.

Works Cited
[1] "Pedestrian & Transit Malls Study." Get Downtown Memphis. Center City Commission of Memphis, June 2008. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.indydt.com/ Pedestrian_and_Transit_Malls_Study.pdf>. Pipenberg, Nathan. "Pedestrian mall needed in State College." The Daily Collegian 22 Feb. 2012: n. pag. Collegian Online. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2012/02/22/ pedestrian_mall_needed_in_state_college.aspx>. Posocco, Emily, et al. "Community could cut loose at pedestrian mall." Centre Daily Times 26 Apr. 2010: n. pag. centerdaily.com. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. <http://www.centredaily.com/2010/04/26/1936170/ community-could-cut-loose-at-pedestrian.html>. Robertson, Kent A. "The Status of the Pedestrian Mall in American Downtowns." Urban Affairs Quarterly 26.2 (1990): n. pag. SAGE Journals Online. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://uar.sagepub.com/content/26/2/ 250.full.pdf+html>. Onibokun, Adepoju. "A Comprehensive Evaluation of Pedestrian Malls in the United States." Appraisal Journal (Apr. 1975): 205, 207-11. Business Source Premier. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/ pdfviewer/ pdfviewer?sid=ccd02227-24d1-4aaa-be3022e2445390f0%40sessionmgr12&vid=4&hid=11>. "Pedestrian Streets/Malls." walkinginfo.org. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.walkinginfo.org/ engineering/traffic-pedestrian.cfm>.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]