Traffic Calming and Pop-up Park on MLK
On September 10, 4theVille hosted a pop-up park on MLK and North Sarah to celebrate the Ville’s heritage, highlight talented Black artists and history, and imagine the Ville’s potential.
Trailnet helped out with a traffic calming demonstration with brightly colored tires, traffic cones, and tape to create bump-outs on MLK & North Sarah and MLK & Whittier in the Ville. The temporary curb bump-outs and high-visibility crosswalks create a safer and more comfortable street for all users by making a safer and shorter distance for people walking along the street to cross.
Even though the lane configuration of the street remained the same, by bumping-out the curbs and reinforcing the intended traffic patterns, there was a noticeable decrease in speeding along the corridor during the demonstration. This temporary change helped Trailnet and 4theVille engage residents on what changes they would like to see at this and other locations in the future to make it easier for people to get around safely.
This pop-up is part of a larger effort by 4theVille and Trailnet to engage residents in conversations about how the built environment could make it easier for people in the neighborhoods to get around.
The pop-up event provides side benefits in highlighting local history and addressing stormwater runoff, through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice – Collaborative Problem Solving program. Additional support was provided through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services “Missouri Livable Streets” Program, an effort to advance complete and livable streets in communities across the state and connect people to every day destinations through connected communities that prioritize people getting around in many different ways.
Trailnet is grateful to have been part of such an amazing effort by 4theVille, “It was really terrific to be a part of this collaborative effort to highlight the unique history of one of the countries most historic Black neighborhoods, and help engage residents in ways that history can be elevated and celebrated for future generations,” Taylor March, Trailnet’s Director of Policy said.
We look forward to how we can continue to help make the streets places for people, and help highlight all the amazing history of the Ville Neighborhood!