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3. design fRamewoRk

3.1 Objective

The term “streetscape” refers to the entire system of streets, sidewalks, quality landscape, and open space, by which people circulate through and experience a space. Our image of Riverside Drive, and the ease and safety with which we move through it, is determined by the quality of the streetscape and adjacent buildings.

The urban design objectives of the Vista Improvement Guidelines are to:

Unify the visual image for Riverside Drive by completing the rhythm of the street trees and street lighting, creating a series of public sitting areas and provide good quality landscape with seasonal colour or other qualities of visual interest.

Create a pedestrian-oriented environment that is safe, accessible, visually pleasing, and comfortable.

Create visual and functional connections between the Urban Areas and the Waterfront.

Maintain the visual unity and character of the Riverside Drive Corridor through the use of streetscape materials that are authentic and native to Windsor.

Encourage and accommodate the use of alternative modes of transportation such as walking and biking to travel along the Waterfront and to travel throughout the downtown and adjacent neighbourhoods.

Preserve and enhance the intended scenic character of the streetscape such as the parks and open space systems and the views to the river vistas.

Respect and preserve adjacent residential neighbourhoods through streetscape design that creates a transition from commercial to residential neighbourhoods.

Pedestrians and cycling improvements and integration at crossings to public open space

Reinforce existing Central Riverfront Implementation Plan (CRIP) policies, and vision for Riverside Drive

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City of WindsorRiveRside dRive vista impRovement pRoject

S t r e e t s c a p e I m p r o v e m e n t G u i d e l i n e s

PUBLIC

ART

STREETFURNITURE

INUKSHUK OVERSIZED SCULPTURE

BRONZE BULL IN NYC STREET ART AND SIGNAGE TEXTURED GROUND SCULPTURE

HISTORICAL REFERENCING PUBLIC ART LIGHT STICK ART INSTALLATION THE GATES BY CHRISTO IN CENTRAL PARK

PATIO FURNITURE SCULPTURAL SEATING

RECEPTACLECONTEMPORARY LIGHTING RECEPTACLE

VARIOUS TEXTURES / MATERIALS PLANTER PLANTER PLANTER

CONTEMPORARY SEATING

STAINLESS STEEL FURNITURE, PLANTER / SEAT WALL CONTEMPORARY SEATING WITH COMPLIMENTARY MATERIALS

4 1 3 1

4 1

2 0 0 2 4 2 4 2 2 5

6 1

4 0

4 0

1 1 3 2 2 3 7 2

1 0 2 1 2 1

5 3 6 0

LIKES DISLIKES

CYCLINGCYCLINGCYCLING

SURFACE

TREATMENT

PEDESTRIAN

SAFETY

DEDICATED BIKE CROSSING DEDICATED BIKE LANE WITHCOLOURED PATH AND BUFFER

DEDICATED BIKE LANE ON WEST STREET IN NYC

BIKE LANE ALONG ISLAND WITH GUARD RAIL

BIKE LANE WITHLANDSCAPED BUFFER

DEDICATED BIKE LANE WITH SIGNAGE ALONG COLLEGE STREET IN TORONTO

DEDICATED BIKE LANE MERGING ONTO STREET METAL BIKE SIGNAGEWITH PAVING TREATMENT

DEDICATED BIKE LANE

CRITICAL MASS - TAKING BACK THE STREETBIKE PARKING AT A TRAIN STATION IN AMSTERDAM

CYCLINGCYCLINGCYCLING

STONE/PAVER BANDING ALONG STREET SURFACE

PERMEABLE PAVERS ALONG ASPHALT STREET EDGE

PERMEABLE PAVERS WITH PLANT MATERIAL

INTERSECTION TREATMENT WITH CUSTOM UNIT PAVING DESIGN

PARKING SPACES WITH COLOURED SURFACE TREATMENT

REPAVED WITH RECYCLED BRICK ALONG RESIDENTIAL STREET IN WIN-TER PARK, FLORIDA

DECORATIVE ASPHALT SURFACING SYSTEM IN MANHATTAN, NYC

STONE AND MOSAIC BANDING AROUND MANHOLE IN BRAZIL

BRICK BANDING WITHTEXTURED STONE PATH

DECORATIVE GRATE

VARIETY OF UNIT PAVERS IN CHECK-ERED PATTERN

CAMOFLAUGED CATCH BASIN

WAVY PATTERN OF COLOURED CONCRETE

WAVY PATTERN OF TEXTURED CONCRETE

WATERFRONT WITH SIDE WALK, BUFFER AND PARKING IN VIETNAM

INTERSECTION CROSSINGS DEFINED BY PAVING ZONE

INTERSECTION CROSSINGS DEFINED BY PAVING ZONE AND ISLAND

DEPRESSED CURB FOR ACCESSIBILITY

VEHICLE TRAFFIC DIVERTER

CURB RADIUS REDUCTION

BOLLARDS

TRAFFIC CALMING

CROSSING DEFINED PAVING ZONE

SPEED HUMP

SCULPTURAL BOLLARDS

SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY THE VIEW

6 0 5 0 8 0 3 0 7 0 2 1 9 1

7 13 05 19 1

6 0

1 0

1 0

3 0

1 0

2 1

1 1

2 1

0 0

2 7

4 1

3 0 9 0

1 8

1 4 3 6

2 2

0 0 2 0 1 1 1 1

0 2 2 2

3 0

3 1

0 5

1 1

LIKES DISLIKES

STREETSCAPE

PROPOSED TREATMENTS ALONG

RIVERSIDE DRIVESOURCE: CITY OF WINDSOR CENTRAL RIVERFRONT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, SEPT. 2000

BROOK McILROY INC. + THE MBTW GROUP

CONDITION 1 CONDITION 2 CONDITION 3 CONDITION 4

URBAN DESIGNURBAN DESIGN

EUROPEAN AVENUE WITH STREETSCAPEAND BUILDING RELATION

UNIVERSITY CAMPUS BRITISH COLUMBIA EXAMPLE WITHINRESIDENTIAL CONTEXT

WINDSOR, ONTARIO EXAMPLE CABBAGETOWN, TORONTO EXAMPLE

BUILDING, TERRACING, PLANTERS, VEGETATION AND STREET RELATION

BUILDING, TERRACING, PLANTERS, VEGETATION AND STREET RELATION

UNIVERSITY AVE, WINDSOR EXAMPLE CHAMPS ELYSEES, PARIS – STREET, CROSSINGS, ISLAND, ALLEE OF TREES RELATION

WIDE SIDE WALK, STREET PARKING, SEATING, TREES, OPEN SPACE RELATION

WIDE SIDE WALK, STREET PARKING, SEATING /TABLES, TREES, STOREFRONT RELATION

CORNER TREATMENT

STREETSCAPE WITH LANDSCAPED ISLAND

WIDE SIDE WALK, STREET PARKING, GATEWAYSTRUCTURE/PUBLIC ART, SEATING, VARIETYOF RICH TEXTURES / FINISHES RELATION

STOREFRONT, STREETFURNITURE, WIDE SIDE WALK RELATION

STOREFRONT, WELL DEFINED STREET EDGE WITH OVERSIZED PLANTERS

STREETSCAPE WITH DEPRESSED CURB

DEPRESSED CURB, CROSSWALK PATTERN, CORNER TREATMENT, CONTEMPORARY LIGHTINGRELATION

STREETSCAPE WITH RAISED PLANTER EDGE

10 0

2 0

0 5

3 2

6 0 9 0 5 1

4 1 10 0

3 4

0 4

4 2

7 0 1 2

2 0

4 1

1 1

1 3

0 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 3 0

LIKES DISLIKES

STREETSCAPE

PROPOSED TREATMENTS ALONG

RIVERSIDE DRIVESOURCE: CITY OF WINDSOR CENTRAL RIVERFRONT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, SEPT. 2000

BROOK McILROY INC. + THE MBTW GROUP

CONDITION 1 CONDITION 2 CONDITION 3 CONDITION 4

URBAN DESIGNURBAN DESIGN

EUROPEAN AVENUE WITH STREETSCAPEAND BUILDING RELATION

UNIVERSITY CAMPUS BRITISH COLUMBIA EXAMPLE WITHINRESIDENTIAL CONTEXT

WINDSOR, ONTARIO EXAMPLE CABBAGETOWN, TORONTO EXAMPLE

BUILDING, TERRACING, PLANTERS, VEGETATION AND STREET RELATION

BUILDING, TERRACING, PLANTERS, VEGETATION AND STREET RELATION

UNIVERSITY AVE, WINDSOR EXAMPLE CHAMPS ELYSEES, PARIS – STREET, CROSSINGS, ISLAND, ALLEE OF TREES RELATION

WIDE SIDE WALK, STREET PARKING, SEATING, TREES, OPEN SPACE RELATION

WIDE SIDE WALK, STREET PARKING, SEATING /TABLES, TREES, STOREFRONT RELATION

CORNER TREATMENT

STREETSCAPE WITH LANDSCAPED ISLAND

WIDE SIDE WALK, STREET PARKING, GATEWAYSTRUCTURE/PUBLIC ART, SEATING, VARIETYOF RICH TEXTURES / FINISHES RELATION

STOREFRONT, STREETFURNITURE, WIDE SIDE WALK RELATION

STOREFRONT, WELL DEFINED STREET EDGE WITH OVERSIZED PLANTERS

STREETSCAPE WITH DEPRESSED CURB

DEPRESSED CURB, CROSSWALK PATTERN, CORNER TREATMENT, CONTEMPORARY LIGHTINGRELATION

STREETSCAPE WITH RAISED PLANTER EDGE

10 0

2 0

0 5

3 2

6 0 9 0 5 1

4 1 10 0

3 4

0 4

4 2

7 0 1 2

2 0

4 1

1 1

1 3

0 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 3 0

LIKES DISLIKES

3.2 Approach

The streetscape design approach along Riverside Drive was developed through the Riverside Drive Vista Improvement public consultation process that was the parent project under which the Environmental Assessment and Vista Improvement Guidelines fall.

The design was not only informed by public input but also by the technical requirements developed as part of the EA process. A detailed review of the existing streetscape conditions was undertaken and associated problems and opportunities identified. As Riverside Drive is a lengthy piece of public infrastructure, the characteristics throughout vary, as does the basic functional requirements and aesthetic treatment. Identifying an approach that would encompass the entire 17.4 km length yet is flexible enough to adapt to the local context and character while maintaining a consistent ‘look and feel’ throughout the corridor. The design approach was developed in a series of interconnected basic design elements in conjunction with the function design process as part of the EA study, these basic elements consist of the following:

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Functional Roadway Width – Examined the roadway wide and determined if it was sufficient to accommodate through movement and necessary turning lanes.

Roadway Definition – Identified if the roadway is well defined with barrier curbs on both sides, other than crossing points, and determined if changes to the functional design was required.

Sidewalk – Examine the consistency and accessibility of the existing sidewalk network and identified areas for improvement. It was a minimum requirement that the sidewalk be well defined on at least one side of the street. Assess the aesthetic issues related to the public realm and identify improvements to the sidewalk zone including special paving, materials and colour. Separate the multi-use (bicycle and roller blade) trail from the pedestrian sidewalk zone and from the Waterfront Promenade.

Lighting – Improve lighting along the pedestrian walkways and at all nodes along Riverside Drive to improve foot traffic and pedestrian comfort and safety. It is desirable that light fixtures be consistent throughout and accommodate both the pedestrian and vehicular traffic, though improvements should be focused to the downtown and nodes, which are priority areas.

Bicycle Lanes – Create continuous bicycle lanes a dedicated facility for the entire length of Riverside Drive. Identify ways to connect discontinuous off-street multi-use trails that have physical barriers such as irregular pavement width and grade separation to recreational areas and riverside parkland.

Pedestrian Crossings – Located nodes at major intersection, where safe, well-defined public access to a park or civic facilities is required. Pedestrian crossings were then categorized into the following three categories based on level of importance of the node or intersection and demand for pedestrian access.

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City of WindsorRiveRside dRive vista impRovement pRoject

S t r e e t s c a p e I m p r o v e m e n t G u i d e l i n e s

N1 Primary Node: Are located at major signalized intersections or mid-block connections that have a direct waterfront access, and no physical or visual barriers separating Riverside Drive from the water’s edge. Pedestrian crossings are defined with a combination of raised surfaces where traffic calming is required, and improved material selections such as impressed and colour concrete or unit pavers. These Unique Civic / Ceremonial nodes provide for special civic presence, either through the use of public art, upgraded street furniture, banner programs, etc.

exIStIng condItIonS At oullette Ave And rIverSIde drIve lookIng WeSt

ProPoSed StreetScAPe And InterSectIon InterventIon