Woodruff Road Corridor Study

[goodbye]

Check out this great overview of the recently completed Woodruff Road Corridor Study. I couldn't get the search function to work earlier, but this thread will be dedicated to discussion about specific Woodruff Road issues, this study, and additional ideas for improvement of the corridor. Check out the neat conceptual renderings.

[interestedexpat]

Nice document. The vision, if realized, would really add to the quality of life in the area.

[wellen]

Check out this great overview of the recently completed Woodruff Road Corridor Study. I couldn't get the search function to work earlier, but this thread will be dedicated to discussion about specific Woodruff Road issues, this study, and additional ideas for improvement of the corridor. Check out the neat conceptual renderings.

[Chickenwing]

I like cul-de-sacs.

[StrangeCock]

Hahaha...that thing is littered with typos, mis-spellings, and crappy punctuation. They even made-up some words. Who did that thing?

[wellen]

I like cul-de-sacs.

[linkerjpatrick]

[Chickenwing]

The reduction of amount of traffic is one of the best things about cul-de-sacs.

The biggest problem with interconnected neighborhoods to me is the traffic. People begin to use the residential streets as freeways. They want to get around the traffic on the arterial streets so they fly through these residential neighborhoods to make up time.

I suppose there are ways to get around this, like narrower streets and speed humps. But speed humps are annoying, and to put in a narrow street, you would have to get a variance from the planning commission when designing the subdivison.

[wellen]

There is less traffic on the cul-de-sac street, but what about the street in the neighborhood leading to it? It has more traffic than it would otherwise, because it is the only way out. Homeowners there have to contend with every person in the neighborhood driving by on their way to and from wherever. If every street had a way out, all streets would have less traffic.

This works very well in most cities west of the Mississippi. Granted, those cities are in a grid system, which is an advantage that we don't have. In these places, you don't find a large amount of outside traffic in neighborhoods, unless there is a problem on one of the arteries. One of the tools these cities use is 2 way stop signs every few houses, rather than humps (I don't like humps either), to keep people from speeding through the neighborhood or using it as an everyday shortcut. Here, I wouldn't think anyone would use Buist/Main St as a shortcut, but it can work very well as a pressure valve if there is a wreck on Stone Ave.

If you go to pretty much any inner city, surface traffic there is much easier to deal with than that city's suburban traffic. I think this has a lot to do with the connectivity that cities used to be built around.

[Galley]

All I did for the first week I lived in Greenville was drive around trying to find my way around town. I had never seen streets that weren't in a grid before!

[GvilleSC]

All I did for the first week I lived in Greenville was drive around trying to find my way around town. I had never seen streets that weren't in a grid before!

[goodbye]

I actually like driving on roads with plenty of curves. More variety, such as hills and curves spice up the ride. Connectivity is the key that will help bring Woodruff Road back though, as the study shows.

[RestedTraveler]

All I did for the first week I lived in Greenville was drive around trying to find my way around town. I had never seen streets that weren't in a grid before!

[Galley]

I imagine the major roadas are based on horse and buggy routes, or something like that. In North Dakota, pretty much the entire state is divided into one mile squares, with a gravel road every mile.

[RestedTraveler]

I imagine the major roadas are based on horse and buggy routes, or something like that.

[distortedlogic]

You've got it. Trails blazed by early settlers on horseback became buggy routes which became roads. I'm always fascinated by the midwestern states. North Dakota isn't the only one like that. It's very interesting to fly over (for me at least - others get bored with it).

[RestedTraveler]

...which also helps explain soem of the crazy name changes.

[gtrcommforum]

Friends,

I don't know if this is the best thread in which post my thoughts and queries regarding planning and development in Greenville County--the Upstate, as well, but has anyone given any thought to how we might "incentivize" (other than residential) developers to require that all new commercial/retail/office structures be LEED-certified? Don't laugh, it's a serious question.

Also, I was surprised that County Council members (don't know how the vote was taken, so don't know who was for or 'agin') voted down RealtyLink's request to rezone additional residential acreage off N. 291/Pleasantburg to add to the new "stripmall Cherrydale" plan for a dept/book/electronics/something-else stores zone. Perhaps our representatives are getting the picture that most of us don't want another C'dale, and if we do, the plans need to be more realistic about supporting sustainable community development?

By the way, northern Greenville County residents, this zoning deal, if it doesn't go through, may mean the existing car dealer may not be able to move to TR. Oops, did I say something out of place.

Considering that the developer has performed above existing county standards for this kind of development with the Golden Corral and other stores along this strip, what's the worst that could happen?

Speaking rather plainly about it all,

OconeeBelle in TR

[whitehourseview]

You've got it. Trails blazed by early settlers on horseback became buggy routes which became roads. I'm always fascinated by the midwestern states. North Dakota isn't the only one like that. It's very interesting to fly over (for me at least - others get bored with it).

[Spartan]

I actually like driving on roads with plenty of curves. More variety, such as hills and curves spice up the ride. Connectivity is the key that will help bring Woodruff Road back though, as the study shows.

[gs3]

A study on Woodruff Road congestion was recently completed by Kimley-Horn and Associates. Some recommendations from the study are listed below in this Greenville News article. One I find interesting is the "urbanizing" of Woodruff by adding wide sidewalks, having a planted median, more crosswalks, etc.......in general, making Woodruff more pedestrian oriented.

Opinions on the article?

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...S/70910044/1003

[Greenville]

A study on Woodruff Road congestion was recently completed by Kimley-Horn and Associates. Some recommendations from the study are listed below in this Greenville News article. One I find interesting is the "urbanizing" of Woodruff by adding wide sidewalks, having a planted median, more crosswalks, etc.......in general, making Woodruff more pedestrian oriented.

Opinions on the article?

http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...S/70910044/1003

[GSP Tiger]

That leaves one possible exit at Old Sulphur Springs/Salters roads. That road will be widened to four lanes and bike lanes. Using it as a connector road between Verdae and Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, I would not suggest adding more traffic there focusing on correcting the problems at Laurens and Woodruff roads instead. One thing the article fails to mention is the rebuilding/redesign of the 85/385 interchange, which is well under consideration.

[breed]

The more pedestrian-friendly recommendation is interesting to me as well. It seems to me that it is too late to do that, given the fact that Woodruff is a sea of strip retail centers with their own huge parking lots. The only part of Woodruff that can be made truly pedestrian is the undeveloped portion. Perhaps that is what they were referring to?

[Galley]

The creation of new cut-through roads behind developments fronting Woodruff Road