CanalSide

[krazeeboi]

I just ran across a pretty interesting and very relevant blog entry entitled, "Self-Healing Roads: Strong Track Record of Success for Highway Removal" which highlights a couple of cases of reducing high-capacity roads in urban areas. Here's a relevant excerpt:

When a highway is eliminated, traffic tends to adapt quickly. Drivers spread across grid networks, with replacement streets serving much of the same traffic and previously underutilized routes absorbing the rest. Often, traffic in the impacted area appears to simply “disappear,” as drivers adopt alternative routes, travel times, and even modes of transportation. As noted in a 1998 study that analyzed the effects of seventy cases of reduced road capacity (although not necessarily highway removal), “traffic problems are usually far less serious that predicted,” and “widespread, long-term disruption is hardly ever reported.”

The picture of the example of Portland can be envisioned as an overhauled Assembly or Huger:

[growingup15]

Great example Dallas,TX and Houston,TX They recently built new freeways and tollways there so much has grown around it. Freeways really in the right areas brings better economy to areas knowing that theres better access to downtown and out of town without the hassle of red lights and slower speed limits.

I commute through downtown alot to get from place to place and trust me its not fun when red lights stops you. you wasting gas and stuff. or your rushing but your held up by a speed limit.

I just ran across a pretty interesting and very relevant blog entry entitled, "Self-Healing Roads: Strong Track Record of Success for Highway Removal" which highlights a couple of cases of reducing high-capacity roads in urban areas. Here's a relevant excerpt:

When a highway is eliminated, traffic tends to adapt quickly. Drivers spread across grid networks, with replacement streets serving much of the same traffic and previously underutilized routes absorbing the rest. Often, traffic in the impacted area appears to simply “disappear,” as drivers adopt alternative routes, travel times, and even modes of transportation. As noted in a 1998 study that analyzed the effects of seventy cases of reduced road capacity (although not necessarily highway removal), “traffic problems are usually far less serious that predicted,” and “widespread, long-term disruption is hardly ever reported.”

The picture of the example of Portland can be envisioned as an overhauled Assembly or Huger:

Looks beautiful but horrible for Columbia. i can imagine the traffic hell on this road.there won't be much beauty there just a line of cars back to back.

[growingup15]

No they don't. It would be a done deal or at least in the works if they did.

Facilitating the destruction of the urban core with a new freeway barreling through downtown does not represent "economic growth" or "real achievements." I want to see change, but positive change. This freeway idea is NOT an example of positive change.

Read up a little bit on the issue. Start here.

CMCOG is going to place my highway plans in there simulation. I just had a great talk with them yesterday.I was suppose to submit it months ago but forgot because of work and stuff but im finally unemployed so i have time to get on my ideas and stuff and they were happy to hear my voice yesterday they really do want my idea in there simulation at least to see if it can work.

BTW im suppose to get my GED so i can join Mayor Benjamin's Urban Planning and Development team. so i can actually put my ideas to work. meaning if ya'll want to come to meetings and voice your opinion about my ideas ya'll can Face to face i wouldn't mind.

[CorgiMatt]

CMCOG is going to place my highway plans in there simulation. I just had a great talk with them yesterday.I was suppose to submit it months ago but forgot because of work and stuff but im finally unemployed so i have time to get on my ideas and stuff and they were happy to hear my voice yesterday they really do want my idea in there simulation at least to see if it can work.

BTW im suppose to get my GED so i can join Mayor Benjamin's Urban Planning and Development team. so i can actually put my ideas to work. meaning if ya'll want to come to meetings and voice your opinion about my ideas ya'll can Face to face i wouldn't mind.

The scary thing is that when you think about it, since when did the South Carolina Highway Department do anything or want to do anything that made any sense for cities or towns? Yikes.

[krazeeboi]

Great example Dallas,TX and Houston,TX They recently built new freeways and tollways there so much has grown around it. Freeways really in the right areas brings better economy to areas knowing that theres better access to downtown and out of town without the hassle of red lights and slower speed limits.

I commute through downtown alot to get from place to place and trust me its not fun when red lights stops you. you wasting gas and stuff. or your rushing but your held up by a speed limit.

Looks beautiful but horrible for Columbia. i can imagine the traffic hell on this road.there won't be much beauty there just a line of cars back to back.

You aren't supposed to rush through downtown; that's exactly why there are red lights and slower speed limits. It's the same for surface roads in any city's downtown.

Growingup15, read the actual blog entry. There is absolutely no "traffic hell" on this road, and this is in a city that's much larger than Columbia. The traffic engineer explicitly stated there was NO negative impact on traffic when this at-grade boulevard replaced the freeway that was previously there.

And sorry, Columbia should not aspire to sprawl like Houston and Dallas.

FYI, you have to be in college to be one of the Mayor's Fellows. After obtaining your GED, I hope you'll look at options in higher education.

[growingup15]

You aren't supposed to rush through downtown; that's exactly why there are red lights and slower speed limits. It's the same for surface roads in any city's downtown.

Growingup15, read the actual blog entry. There is absolutely no "traffic hell" on this road, and this is in a city that's much larger than Columbia. The traffic engineer explicitly stated there was NO negative impact on traffic when this at-grade boulevard replaced the freeway that was previously there.

And sorry, Columbia should not aspire to sprawl like Houston and Dallas.

FYI, you have to be in college to be one of the Mayor's Fellows. After obtaining your GED, I hope you'll look at options in higher education.

FYI i still haven't your idea yet. we argued and i the only one that came up with a solution whats your idea. you think you can do better prove it.

[krazeeboi]

FYI i still haven't your idea yet. we argued and i the only one that came up with a solution whats your idea. you think you can do better prove it.

Firstly, this is not a competition. Secondly we were talking about how Huger and Assembly are huge barriers to pedestrian activity downtown, and you suggest building even more highways through downtown. That's not a "solution"; it makes the existing problem worse and creates even more problems. I've said here and elsewhere Assembly and Huger need to go on road diets to make them more pedestrian-friendly, connect disparate sections of downtown, and make them more conducive for urban development.

I think the issue here is that you see a bunch of freeways going through downtown as a symbol of a city's size and importance. However, urban planners everywhere have now realized how shortsighted and destructive that practice was which is why cities are now dismantling urban highways all across the country, as the link to the blog I provided demonstrates. When it comes to downtowns/urban cores, the focus is to be on pedestrians and enhancing walkability. When we made downtowns about drivers and getting them in and out of the city as fast as possible, it caused significant damage to downtown areas.

[growingup15]

Firstly, this is not a competition. Secondly we were talking about how Huger and Assembly are huge barriers to pedestrian activity downtown, and you suggest building even more highways through downtown. That's not a "solution"; it makes the existing problem worse and creates even more problems. I've said here and elsewhere Assembly and Huger need to go on road diets to make them more pedestrian-friendly, connect disparate sections of downtown, and make them more conducive for urban development.

I think the issue here is that you see a bunch of freeways going through downtown as a symbol of a city's size and importance. However, urban planners everywhere have now realized how shortsighted and destructive that practice was which is why cities are now dismantling urban highways all across the country, as the link to the blog I provided demonstrates. When it comes to downtowns/urban cores, the focus is to be on pedestrians and enhancing walkability. When we made downtowns about drivers and getting them in and out of the city as fast as possible, it caused significant damage to downtown areas.

Your right its not a competition but answer me this. isn't it true that some cities need a bypass freeway and some other cities don't because remember not all cities cant do without a freeway running through town. some cities dont need them. i mean its not a one sided thing. in my vision for columbia we need these.

[lucjanrc]

CanalSide phase 2 is moving forward, construction has begun. Phase 2 should be completed in about a year. Photo updates from earlier today (4/21/12).

[krazeeboi]

Your right its not a competition but answer me this. isn't it true that some cities need a bypass freeway and some other cities don't because remember not all cities cant do without a freeway running through town. some cities dont need them. i mean its not a one sided thing. in my vision for columbia we need these.

What is your vision based on? It's nothing more than "I want Columbia to look like a big city so let's build new freeways through downtown." There's no actual data or professional assessments that demonstrate that this is needed because it absolutely is not. And again, several cities are actually dismantling portions of their freeways that run through downtown. As a matter of fact, the interstate highway system in particular was not even originally designed to have these freeways cutting though town. They have caused ENORMOUS amounts of damage to the urban core that many cities will actually never recover from. One day when you come to appreciate the unique pedestrian experience that downtowns offer, you'll see how misguided your thinking is in this particular area.

[growingup15]

Anyway back on topic here. off the crazy nonsense of non visioners. I saw a few construction things out there i might snap a picture. and also i saw the new plans for Canalside its different from the original plans. looks great i cant wait to see canal being finished. great to see a nice community hopefully in the future turn into a busy little spot for people to walk around, hang, shop and live.

[CarolinaCrown]

Anyway back on topic here. off the crazy nonsense of non visioners. I saw a few construction things out there i might snap a picture. and also i saw the new plans for Canalside its different from the original plans. looks great i cant wait to see canal being finished. great to see a nice community hopefully in the future turn into a busy little spot for people to walk around, hang, shop and live.

It will turn into a busy little spot for people to walk around, hang, shop, and live until someone builds a highway right through it...

[CorgiMatt]

It will turn into a busy little spot for people to walk around, hang, shop, and live until someone builds a highway right through it...

Not right through it but next to it, creating interstate traffic noise that will drown out the sound of the river.

[growingup15]

Not right through it but next to it, creating interstate traffic noise that will drown out the sound of the river.

they might as well take down I-126 Then because you can hear it for a good distance away. maybe Sound Barriers could be put up. maybe even with my idea Sound Barriers can be placed up to drown out the noise also design it maybe paint it make it look pretty for the area. i mean theres more then one way to go here.

i live by the airport just off Airport Blvd 1/4 mile from the airport just past I-26 and i can hear the interstate clear the trucks and traffic but know what i love it. it keeps be relaxed and puts me to sleep. so do other people in my neighborhood i asked they say they love it.

not everyone is going to agree i understand but maybe with canalside theres going to be a mix of people who loves the noise and some who doesnt.

[lucjanrc]

Anyway back on topic here. off the crazy nonsense of non visioners. I saw a few construction things out there i might snap a picture. and also i saw the new plans for Canalside its different from the original plans. looks great i cant wait to see canal being finished. great to see a nice community hopefully in the future turn into a busy little spot for people to walk around, hang, shop and live.

Anyways... can you post the new plan for CanalSide.

[growingup15]

Anyways... can you post the new plan for CanalSide.

sure i just got to find them again.

Oh wait i found them. here you go the More updated looking plans.

im not sure if it has changed again but this is different from the original. looks alot better too. http://www.boudreauxgroup.com/projects/detail/canal-side-neighborhood/86

[growingup15]

I took some pictures of Canalside restarted development. it looks like whats coming next is about to be amazing. i really hope they put a pedestrian bridge across the canal to the walkway. I'm going to post the pictures i took soon.

Edited April 26, 2012 by growingup15

[growingup15]

Heres the pictures

[lucjanrc]

The renderings for phase 2 have changed quite a bit. The renderings are much better than the original. They now have a phase 2 tab on the canalside website and and a January 2013 completion date set.

http://www.canalsidecolumbia.com/phase_ii.php#

[growingup15]

The renderings for phase 2 have changed quite a bit. The renderings are much better than the original. They now have a phase 2 tab on the canalside website and and a January 2013 completion date set.

http://www.canalside...m/phase_ii.php#

Thanks i will update my website with the New pictures.

[CorgiMatt]

Progress, density, relationship to surrounding cityscape

[krazeeboi]

Looking good!

[Spartan]

Phase 2 looks waaay better than Phase 1. Glad to see they are making progress!

[growingup15]

Developers of the CanalSide Lofts remain close to beginning construction on the property’s final phase. But first, they must continue to address concerns from Columbia’s design commission about how new buildings will look from the city’s prominent riverwalk nearby.

The Beach Co. of Charleston worked for more than an hour Wednesday afternoon with members of theDesign/Development Review Commission over the project’s concerns, which set construction back by a few months after approval stalled during last month’s formal meeting. Committee representatives have expressed worry over the presentation of two buildings, one of which faces the esplanade of Columbia’s Riverfront Park.

http://columbiabusinessreport.com/news/56648-canalside-developer-design-commission-draw-closer-to-agreement-on-project-rsquo-s-final-phase

 

[carolinagarnet]

12 hours ago, growingup15 said:

Developers of the CanalSide Lofts remain close to beginning construction on the property’s final phase. But first, they must continue to address concerns from Columbia’s design commission about how new buildings will look from the city’s prominent riverwalk nearby.

The Beach Co. of Charleston worked for more than an hour Wednesday afternoon with members of theDesign/Development Review Commission over the project’s concerns, which set construction back by a few months after approval stalled during last month’s formal meeting. Committee representatives have expressed worry over the presentation of two buildings, one of which faces the esplanade of Columbia’s Riverfront Park.

http://columbiabusinessreport.com/news/56648-canalside-developer-design-commission-draw-closer-to-agreement-on-project-rsquo-s-final-phase

 

I'm really excited that they're finally developing the piece between the existing lofts and the river. The Riverwalk is already well used, but doubling the number of people living directly on it will drastically increase its usage. I forgot to post this a few weeks ago, but Columbia is about to start construction on the Saluda Riverwalk early this year. With that hopefully finished by the end of the year, the entire system of rivers will be easily accessible the public. 

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article49908105.html