The Scott's Addition Complete Streets Plan

Scott’s Addition was once an industrial neighborhood. In recent years, however, the neighborhood has experienced a rapid transition of uses. It has become a growing residential and commercial neighborhood that features numerous breweries as its most popular attractions. Regrettably, the streets and sidewalks of the neighborhood have not seen a transition and still reflect the industrial uses of the past. The neighborhood is virtually devoid of bicycle infrastructure. The pedestrian infrastructure is incomplete and unsafe. The neighborhood is car-centric with little effort to provide for other modes of transportation. As new apartment buildings enter the neighborhood, the transportation issues facing Scott’s Addition are expected to worsen. The purpose of this plan is to provide Scott’s Addition with a set of recommendations for Complete Streets additions to service multiple modes of transportation and address foreseeable problems. A survey conducted during the preparation of the plan revealed that a majority of responders accessed Scott’s Addition via personal car. There was a significant group of responders, however, that cycle or walk in spite of the missing infrastructure. Furthermore, the survey revealed that the majority of responders would be inclined to bike into the neighborhood if proper infrastructure was implemented. Aside from the weaknesses the neighborhood currently faces, there are many strengths that can aid the implementation of Complete Streets. The neighborhood has a growing young professional population, which could strengthen the need and call for active transportation infrastructure and a more livable environment. The City of Richmond is also showing an initiative to increase multi-modal transportation, with the development of new plans that have a focus on developing multi-modal infrastructure and policy. The city seems to be motivated to change and become a more sustainable and progressive city. The final recommendations were formed by referencing the stakeholder outreach, best practices, and precedent plans. The recommendations strive to improve the pedestrian environment, increase bicycle infrastructure, create a safer and more efficient vehicle thoroughfare, and develop a more livable neighborhood.