In 2016, Burlington voters approved $22M in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for purchasing the reconstructed St. Paul and Pine Streets and improvements to Cherry and Bank Streets. The CityPlace Burlington (CPB) developer will be designing and constructing the new segments of St. Paul and Pine Streets prior to the City’s acquisition of these streets. The City is developing the conceptual designs for the future of Bank and Cherry Streets using the Great Streets Standards for Burlington’s Downtown. This is about designing an inclusive downtown for all Burlingtonians.
The City will be developing the conceptual designs for Bank and Cherry Streets -
the design will include:
- Cherry Street Streetscape Upgrades, including streetscape, stormwater, utility, lighting and multimodal transportation improvements
- Bank Street Streetscape Upgrades, including streetscape, stormwater, utility, lighting and multimodal transportation improvements
TIF will be used for public improvements to 8 street segments (above) around the CPB Site.
The City kicked off the design process for Bank and Cherry Streets in early 2018 utilizing the Great Streets Design Standards for Burlington’s Downtown to generate the goals for the project and the base concept. The primary goals for the Streets are:
- Walkable and bikeable — safe for all modes and all levels of accessibility
- Sustainable — both environmentally sustainable, and long-lasting
- Vibrant — to support the downtown’s diverse range of public and private activities
- Functional — work for all users, flexible, can be maintained, affordable
To balance the use public right of way among all users, pedestrians, motor vehicles, transit vehicles, bicycles delivery vehicles and utilities, where applicable the base concept will use the cross sections below.
Cherry Street
|
Bank Street
|
Draft conceptual plans were developed for the two segments of Bank Street between Church and Pine Streets and for the four segments of Cherry Street between Church and Battery Streets. These plans were utilized for public outreach in April 2018. Initial draft base design concepts can be reviewed here, and two design options for the potential intersection of Bank and St. Paul Streets can be viewed here.
We sought feedback focused on the layering of streetscape amenities over the base design. These were the questions discussed in small groups with some sample images of possible amenities. We hope that people who were not able to join us at the public meetings will find these questions and examples helpful in providing comments to the City.
A quick look at the design plans linked above may seem similar to the streets as they are today, but the current concept plans:
- Bury the overhead utilities on Bank Street between St Paul and Pine Streets (to allow for bigger healthier trees and a cleaner look)
- Renew the water and wastewater infrastructure on both streets
- Add a separate stormwater line under Cherry Street to connect to College Street outfall
- Install either soil cells or other optimum growing mediums for the street trees
- Provide permeable pavers in greenbelt to take stormwater from the sidewalk and tree belt to feed the trees
- Install granite curbs that will have a longer life than concrete (and they look nicer too!)
- Add bump outs that will narrow pedestrian crossings and add planting /activation areas
- Install new lighting fixtures consistent with BED design standards and meet current lighting standards for both the sidewalk and the street
- Add amenities along the streets based on input from these public meetings
The concept designs reference planBTV Walk Bike, in which the community identified Pearl Street and Main Street as the priority corridors for dedicated, separated bikeways to travel east-west by bike. Pearl and Main Streets provide connectivity to other bikeways to the east and west, while Cherry and Bank Streets fill important gaps for just 3 to 4 blocks in the downtown core. Additionally, planBTV Walk Bike prioritizes pedestrian safety on Cherry and Bank Streets, where people commented on difficult intersections to cross.
Street Design Concept Plans Refinement and Adoption
Following the public outreach in April of 2018, DPW Commission meetings, and TEUC meetings, staff revised the Cherry Street Conceptual Plan and the Bank Street Conceptual Plan to balance the input we received against plans and design standards for the streets. These revised concepts will be brought forward to the City Council for their adoption. Following the adoption of the conceptual street plans, they will be advanced to 30% design, 75% design, and ultimately 100%.
30% Design Plans for Bank and Cherry
After receiving approval of the concept plans at the May 21, 2018, City Council meeting, the City - with the help of our consultant Stantec Consulting - advanced the concepts to 30% design plans. These plans start to utilize the survey, underground utilities, and other existing features to refine the concept plan into plans that can be constructed. The 30% Design Plans for Bank and Cherry were presented to the TEUC on August 1, 2018; and will go before the City Council in September.
May 10, 2021 - City Council Presentation, 100% Design Plans
August 1, 2018 - Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee, 30% Design Plans
May 21, 2018 - City Council, presentation and approval (see agenda and communication)
May 16, 2018 - Public Works Commission Presentation, approval and recommendation, 6:30pm - 645 Pine Street
CONCEPTUAL PLANS FOR COMMISSION AND TEUC
May 16, 2018 - Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee, approval and recommendation to City Council of conceptual design, 5:00pm - 645 Pine Street
SEE MATERIALS POSTED UNDER PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION 5/16/18 ITEM ABOVE, OR ON THE TEUC AGENDA PAGE
May 1, 2018 - Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee, presentation and public comments, 5:30pm - 645 Pine Street, Click Here,
April 18, 2018 - Public Works Commission Presentation. For materials and meeting notes, click here.
April 10, 2018 - Public Meeting on Bank and Cherry Street Design Concepts, Presentation
- See the initial draft design concepts reviewed at the meeting here, and the two options for the potential intersection of Bank and St. Paul Streets here.
March 27, 2018 - Introduction of the base Bank and Cherry Street design concepts to the Transportation Energy and Utility Committee
To view the comments received through public meetings, online forms, and emails, Click Here
To view additional comments, Click Here
If you have any further questions, please contact Laura Wheelock at LWheelock@burlingtonvt.gov.