Ridgeland receives planning award
The City of Ridgeland and Kimley-Horn were recently honored with the Award for Best Small Area Project by the Mississippi and Alabama Chapters of the American Planning Association for their work on the West Jackson Street Master Plan. The award recognizes an outstanding small area plan that advances the art and science of planning for a community, county, or region. The Master Plan will steer future development in alignment with the shared vision of stakeholders, city officials, and community members who collaborated on this pedestrian-focused initiative.
The Master Plan aims to enhance the existing character of the West Jackson Street corridor. The plan includes improvements within the right-of-way and city-owned property to create a cohesive, contemporary-traditional aesthetic that further strengthens the Railroad District's identity and sense of place. A key component throughout the plan is the implementation of traffic calming measures to foster a safe, pedestrian-oriented streetscape environment. The Master Plan seeks to enhance the pedestrian experience while balancing with vehicular traffic to further activate the corridor and promote increased economic development.
“The potential of West Jackson Street as a true destination is enormous. This Master Plan establishes a framework to realize that potential by reimagining the existing space within the right-of-way with the pedestrian in mind. By intentionally creating active, flexible streetscapes and public spaces in the heart of the community, we can begin to foster an authentic ‘sense of place’ that people and businesses are attracted to. This plan is a great step forward in the growth of West Jackson Street and the Railroad District,” said Cameron Cooper with Kimley-Horn.
The recommendations in the Master Plan were developed based on stakeholder input sessions and City staff feedback. The design team consisted of Landscape Architects, Traffic Planners, and Roadway Engineers working together to ensure a feasible, safe, aesthetic, and pedestrian-focused streetscape Master Plan. It is important to note that this is a planning-level design, and further detailed construction documentation will be necessary to implement the proposed improvements.
The study area for this plan was created by understanding the major streets, properties, and land uses that would influence how people arrive, experience, and ultimately depart from the Railroad District. The study area begins west of Sunnybrook Road at the Ridgeland Wildflower Field and extends east to Highway 51. It also includes improvements in the 'Core' of the Railroad District on N Wheatley Street and Old Town Crossing. The improvements proposed are within public rights-of-way and City-owned parcels.
Through intentional landscape and material design recommendations, this plan will create a unique, contemporary, yet historic aesthetic and design character that will carry throughout the Railroad District's limits, creating a sense of place and arrival at all edges.
"Winning this award is another sign that the City of Ridgeland and its dedicated staff are committed to forward-thinking and innovative planning. We will continue to set a high standard for quality of life for both our residents and visitors. We are actively pursuing funding from various sources to make this project a reality,” stated Mayor Gene McGee.
Goals and Objectives of the Plan
Improve the Pedestrian Experience: This plan will prioritize safety and the pedestrian experience in design. Safe, defined, walkable areas are critical for activating any streetscape corridor. This plan will improve existing pedestrian activity nodes and offer design recommendations to enhance the overall pedestrian experience.
Enhance District Identity: Through intentional landscape and material design recommendations, this plan will create a unique, contemporary-traditional aesthetic and design character that will carry throughout the limits of the Railroad District. Overall, this will create an enhanced sense of place throughout the corridor and a sense of arrival at both gateways.
Implement Traffic Calming Measures: Traffic calming measures are a vital objective in the Master Plan and are intended to reduce traffic speeds and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The tangible effects of traffic calming measures will create a much friendlier and more inviting pedestrian experience, directly correlating with increased district activation.
Create Flexible Spaces: Flexible spaces are essential in ensuring this plan remains relevant. As businesses, land uses, and human behaviors change, the spaces within the streetscape and civic spaces will need to adapt to the most current needs of the businesses and community. With a focus on flexibility, the plan should create many opportunities for programmable spaces of various sizes within the streetscape and adjacent civic spaces.
Optimize District Parking: Although a primary goal of the Master Plan is to create walkable streetscapes, most visitors will arrive to the district via automobile. This plan looks to optimize public parking while balancing programmable pedestrian spaces to provide a total net gain in available parking spaces and parking distribution.
Promote Multi-Modal Transportation: Multi-modal connectivity is a key component in activating a corridor. A focus on multi-modal connectivity, in this case, the integration of bicycle and pedestrian networks, ensures that the improvements made are equitable and provide transportation options for users of all ages and abilities.
Wayfinding and Branding: This plan's primary objective is to create a cohesive design that is easily discernible as a distinct place. This will require a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes branding the district itself and wayfinding within the district.
Increase Economic Development: The overall goal of the plan is to increase economic development in the Railroad District by implementing the objectives listed in the master plan document. The District has seen steady growth over the years; however, undeveloped and underutilized lots remain. With the increased activation of the corridor, development will continue to gain momentum. This plan will serve as a tool to help support design and guide the development of the West Jackson corridor to meet the established vision of the Railroad District.