On June 1st, the Congress for the New Urbanism, a development and planning conference, will visit North Main to explore and address its development and growth. Public participation is welcomed, and is free with RSVP.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
The Congress will use Providence as an urban laboratory to examine specific design and development challenges present in many older American cities. Labs will begin with a presentation of the design challenge, followed by a site visit and ending with a group problem-solving session. Participants will interact with national and local practitioners and stake-holders to challenge assumptions, provoke new thinking and develop action plans to be executed post-Congress.The North Main Street Corridor
Urban Laboratory
1:00pm-4:00pm
Room 557Free, RSVP required — email urbanlabs@cnunext.org
North Main, an important thoroughfare that connects Providence to the neighboring city of Pawtucket, is targeted for growth and increased density. The land abutting the street is dedicated to low-intensity uses. The street hosts heavy vehicular traffic with the busiest bus route in the city. It is lined with a variety of auto-centric retail outfits (mostly fast food and auto related) in a typical suburban commercial plan. This street has little residential uses and is marked by a predominantly one-level typology. It is abutted by a vibrant residential neighborhood. There is a large cemetery/park on the western side of North Main, opposite the neighborhood. North Main is one of the few streets in the city wide enough to accommodate a light rail line. New Urbanist thinking and expertise is sought to understand complex issues regarding light rail and other transit issues, streetscape improvements, increasing density, retail programming and the integration of pedestrians, traffic, and the street.
