Following years of planning by officials from the suburban Town of North Hempstead, New York, with input from community-based organizations and local residents, the economic, environmental and transportation revitalization of the New Cassel area recently moved into the implementation phase. When completed, the primary commercial corridor in this Long Island hamlet will include retail stores, offices, a bank, supermarket, pharmacy and restaurants, with several floors of residential apartments located above the businesses, all being developed based on smart growth principles, and being financed as a public-private partnership, with financial aid from the federal, state and local governments. A major component of this revitalization process is the incorporation of a traffic calming program which, funded under a $750,000 grant from the New York State Department of Transportation, involves elimination of a travel lane in each direction, and construction of a landscaped median, curb bulb-outs, texture crosswalks, bicycle lanes and improved traffic signal equipment with pedestrian features, to enhance traffic safety in the area and promote it as a walkable community. This presentation will discuss how the traffic calming project has assumed a prominent role in the overall redevelopment effort.
Samenvatting