FOREST CITY:

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT REPORT REPORT 1 FOREWORD

Healthy HometownSM Powered by Wellmark was invited by Grow Forest City to assist in identifying opportunities for enhancing walkability and bikeability. Thank you to all the participants who took part in the audit workshop.

Healthy Hometown is a way to make your community an even better place to live, work and play by using proven tools and techniques that help make the healthy choice the easy choice. Healthy Hometown provides evidence-based built environment and behavioral economics principles that result in desired action along with policy modifications to help communities make sustainable changes that will improve the overall well-being of residents. Implementing ways to make it safer for and bicyclists is one primary way to achieve sustainable change.

The walking audit that was performed in Forest City was designed to help community members identify and visualize ways to provide a better environment to walk and bike. The walking audit is also designed to stimulate conversation within the community regarding actions that can be taken.

What follows is an identification of community members who participated in the walking audit, recommendations based on the walking audit and a summary of the conversation. Some recommendations are low cost and could be easy to implement, while others may be large expenses that could take a few years of planning and work. We hope these recommendations will provide a framework for your community to make Forest City more - and bike-friendly.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 2 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

JIM HEMBERGER ...... Citizen of Forest City ROZ HEMBERGER ...... Citizen of Forest City

Date of walking audit: NORMA HERTZER ...... Grow Forest City November 13, 2017 BETSY MARMARAS ...... YMCA PAT NESSA ...... Citizen of Forest City STEVE PETERSON ...... Citizen of Forest City MISSY REYNOLDS ...... Waldorf University KATHY ROLLEFSON ...... Forest City Chamber of Commerce BYRON (BARNEY) RUITER ...... Mayor of Forest City ROBERT SCHWARTZ ...... Winnebago County

BARB SMITH ...... City of Forest City ASHLEY STEWART ...... Forest City Summit KATIE THUL ...... Chrysler of Forest City AMY VRIEZE ...... City of Forest City/Parks and Recreation JIM CUSHING ...... Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield LAURA JUDGE ...... Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield MARY LAWYER ...... Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield ETHAN STANDARD ...... Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 3 SUMMARY

CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

• Depave the area between the curb and sidewalk on J near North 4th Street 5 CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE • Construct bumpouts at additional intersections in the downtown area

10 MAKING CONNECTIONS • Construct a gateway median on J Street • Work with local businesses to install parklets 12 IMPROVING SAFETY • Remove the overnight on-street parking restrictions currently in place 15 PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION/NEXT STEPS • Establish and post 20 mile per hour speed limits in downtown area

MAKING CONNECTIONS

• Construct a shared use trail connection along J Street from the Hynes Spur Trail to Highway 69 • Extend the Hynes Spur Trail north along the Winnebago River from its current terminus in Pammel Park • Design and install wayfinding signage on trails and in the downtown area

IMPROVING SAFETY

• Extend sidewalk to the intersection of J Street and Highway 69 • Install a high visibility crosswalk with curb ramps and lights at the intersection of J Street and Highway 69 • Improve crosswalk markings • Install four-way stops at all downtown intersections • Construct roundabouts at existing signalized intersections on Highway 69

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 4 CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

Forest City has the potential to benefit from the implementation of some unique placemaking and complete street concepts.

Reimagining how public spaces like your are used can lead to the creation of quality public spaces that help strengthen the connection between people and their community while improving peoples’ overall health and well- being.1

The concepts identified in this section of the report will help Source: Google Maps draw people to the downtown area by making the built environment more aesthetically pleasing and providing places for people to gather and socialize. Depaving

There may be places in your community where extra concrete and asphalt have been placed even though solid surfaces are not functionally necessary. Removing these surfaces and replacing them with grass and landscaping is a process known as depaving. Depaving can help create a more pleasant walking environment and improve visual aesthetics along a street.

• Depave the area between the curb and sidewalk on J Street th near North 4 Street Source: Google Maps

Example of a sidewalk with grass and landscaping between the curb, 1https://www.pps.org/reference/what_is_placemaking/ sidewalk, and parking lot rather than solid pavement.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 5 CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

Bumpouts

Bumpouts are extensions of the sidewalk that take up road space not needed for vehicular traffic. They shorten crossing distances for pedestrians at intersections, decrease turning vehicle speeds, and provide opportunities for street beautification. © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 Many intersections in the downtown area already have bumpouts that were constructed over twenty years ago. Today, expanding these bumpouts to more intersections on the edges of downtown would improve safety for people crossing © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 the street. Example of a recently installed • Construct bumpouts at landscaped bumpout in Mitchell, South additional intersections in the Dakota. downtown area

© Wellmark, Inc. 2017

© Wellmark, Inc. 2017

Bumpouts that exist in the downtown are today include street trees, benches, and trash cans.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 6 CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

Medians

In addition to bumpouts, J Street is wide enough that it could benefit from the addition of a landscaped median. As a first step towards making these types of enhancements to the street, some communities use lower cost strategies like unique paint designs before expensive landscaping is © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 installed. This provides a great opportunity to engage local artists in When approaching the temporary median, vehicles noticeably the process. reduced their speed. Demonstrating the impact these street design elements could have on your community could also be © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 done by hosting a temporary display event. These are commonly referred to as “Open Streets” events and Participants used orange traffic cones to they involve the use of temporary outline a potential location for a median materials like paint and pallets to along J Street. showcase possible bumpout locations, medians, or landscaping.

• Construct a gateway median on J Street © Wellmark, Inc. 2017

Example of a painted median from Mitchell, South Dakota.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 7 CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

Parklets

One way to draw attention to businesses would be through the use of parklets. Parklets may serve as social gathering spaces for community members by providing a relaxing space to sit and talk. They also provide opportunities to capitalize on increased revenues with the addition of outdoor dining © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 space for local restaurants.2

Sometimes business owners and residents can react negatively to the loss of a parking space or two, but it’s important to remember that cars don’t spend money – © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 people do. This parklet was installed by a local • Work with local businesses to restaurant in Windsor Heights, Iowa. install parklets Participants suggested that a few local businesses in Forest City may be interested in a parklet.

2 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street- © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 design-guide/interim-design- strategies/parklets/#footnotes

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 8 CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE

Parking Restrictions and Speed Limit

Parking restrictions can be a significant barrier to the redevelopment of a vibrant downtown area where people can socialize and walk or bike to their destinations.

Removing existing parking restrictions and allowing parking at all times of the day would make it easier for people to live in the downtown area. This is a crucial step to increasing the viability of downtown housing, which supports a thriving downtown environment.

When it comes to speed limits, signage was noticeably absent from the downtown area. Twenty miles per hour is an appropriate speed for downtown streets, and should be prominently posted. In addition to posting speed limits, ensuring they match the context of the surrounding environment will be an important consideration. © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 © Wellmark, Inc. 2017

• Remove the overnight on-street parking restrictions currently in place Parking restrictions like the one pictured Speed limits were easily identified by above make it difficult for residents who signage posted on state highways and the • Establish and post 20 mile per hour speed limits in the live downtown to find overnight parking edges of town, but the downtown area downtown area for their vehicles. lacks adequate speed limit signage.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 9 MAKING CONNECTIONS

Connecting people to the places they want to go and to underutilized amenities is an important part of your community’s transportation network. This section of the report will outline some recommendations for improving those connections. Trails

While individuals have to make a choice to exercise, communities can make changes to their built environment to help make that choice easier. Source: Google Maps

The Hynes Spur Trail and Pammel Park are significant community assets that are currently disconnected from the downtown area and the rest of the city. Improving accessibility to these resources could open up a new outlet for residents of Forest City to get outdoors and naturally move more.

• Construct a shared use trail connection along J Street from the Hynes Spur Trail to Highway 69

• Extend the Hynes Spur Trail north along the Winnebago River from its current terminus in Pammel Park

Source: Google Maps

Before and potential after drawing of a sidewalk or shared use trail connecting the Hynes Spur Trail to downtown Forest City along J Street.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 10 MAKING CONNECTIONS

Wayfinding Signage

Wayfinding signs can be an important way to help people navigate around your city. Visitors find wayfinding signage and mapping kiosks particularly useful as they are looking for places to explore in an area that is not familiar to them. Wayfinding signage can be used to spark business by directing people to community destinations like shops, restaurants, grocery stores, libraries and other local landmarks. Signage can be © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 designed to incorporate unique branding that compliments a specific Examples of wayfinding signage from various communities throughout Iowa. corridor or district.

• Design and install wayfinding signage on trails and in the downtown area

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 11 IMPROVING SAFETY

The way streets are designed in your community can drastically impact the safety for people walking and biking. This section of the report will outline some recommendations for changing the design of some streets to make them safer for all users. Sidewalks

According to the Federal Highway © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 Administration, roadways without sidewalks are more than twice as likely to have pedestrian crashes as sites with sidewalks on both sides of the street.3 Participants expressed a strong desire to see sidewalks along J Street continue past the © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 intersection with Highway 69 and connect with Pammel Park. Today, the sidewalk along J Street ends at • Extend sidewalk to the the railroad crossing. intersection of J Street and Highway 69

• Install a high visibility crosswalk with curb ramps and pedestrian crossing signals © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 3https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_s olve/walkways_brochure/walkways_brochure. pdf Before and potential after drawing of a sidewalk connection and crosswalk at the intersection of J Street and Highway 69.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 12 IMPROVING SAFETY

Crosswalks and Intersections

Striping crosswalks that are prominently visible to motorists is an important aspect of making streets safer for pedestrians.

In the downtown area, participants noted that very few crosswalks were visibly marked. Those that were marked only consisted of two thin lines, known as a standard style crosswalk.

Some intersections in the downtown area currently function as two-way stops, with traffic on one of the streets traveling uninterrupted. On Source: Google Maps © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 Clark Street, any two-way stops at intersections between I Street and L Street should be converted to four- Standard style crosswalk striping at the Using continental style striping (pictured way stops. This will help make the intersection of Clark Street and K Street. above) helps improve the visibility of street safer and more comfortable painted crosswalks when compared to for people to cross. the standard style.

• Improve crosswalk markings

• Install four-way stops at all downtown intersections

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 13 IMPROVING SAFETY

Roundabouts

There are many benefits to using roundabouts at certain intersections in your community. Roundabouts have been proven by the Federal Highway Administration to reduce crashes due to the fact that they eliminate several vehicle conflict points at intersections while forcing all traffic to slow down.4 Studies have found that roundabouts can provide up to a 90 percent reduction in fatal crashes and up to a 76 percent reduction in injury crashes.

In addition to their safety benefits, when compared to traditional signalized intersection designs, roundabouts can: . reduce traffic delays . reduce fuel consumption . reduce air pollution

. red uce construction costs © Wellmark, Inc. 2017 Source: Google Maps . red uce ongoing maintenance and operating costs . provide opportunities for landscaping.

People walking and riding bikes also benefit from the use of Example of a roundabout on University Farm equipment easily maneuvers roundabouts, as they are designed to improve safety for all Avenue in Cedar Falls, Iowa. through a roundabout in Fort Dodge, users.5 Iowa.

• Construct roundabouts at existing signalized intersections on Highway 69 © Wellmark, Inc. 2017

4 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/innovative/roundabouts/ 5 https://iowadot.gov/traffic/roundabouts/roundabout-home

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 14 PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION / NEXT STEPS

Forest City has many visually appealing, functional green spaces and built environment features. Following the walking audit, the participants talked about building upon current community design and acting upon several opportunities observed during the walk.

The following were areas identified by participants as “priority” projects to be considered:

• Improving safety at the intersection of Highway 69 and J Street (see pgs. 10, 11)

• Finishing sidewalks to connect Pammel Park (see pg. 12)

• Increasing wayfinding signage (see pg. 13)

• Painting crosswalks (see pg. 15) © Wellmark, Inc. 2017

• Depaving on J street (see pg. 5) Elements that supported safe or pleasant walking conditions included bumpouts, street trees, benches, and the downtown pocket parks. • Median on J Street incorporating public art (see pg. 7)

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 15 AFTERWORD

At Wellmark, we work to continuously improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We envision a future in which every generation experiences greater quality of health and improved quality of life. Many experts agree where we live is more impactful on our overall health than our own genetics. Our surroundings and environment prompt us to make decisions impacting our health without even realizing it. We created Healthy Hometown to provide evidence-based (proven) solutions that help communities structure their environment to nudge citizens toward healthy behaviors. When we engage in healthy behaviors, we have the opportunity to live our best life—and hopefully avoid serious illnesses. Making the healthy choice the easy choice is the best answer to keeping Iowans healthy.

FOREST CITY: WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT 16 Important: This report, and the recommendations contained within, are provided by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Wellmark) as suggestions about how walkability, bikeability and social interactions may be enhanced in your community. These are simply suggestions that your community can choose to implement at its own discretion. Wellmark bears no responsibility for any implemented suggestions and provides no guarantee of any particular results.

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