Imagine strolling across the Brandywine Creek at the bridge near Fairville Road and stopping to view the Jamie Wyeth retrospective before sauntering on to dine, shop, or visit another museum or art gallery in the rest of Chadds Ford.
Such a vision could eventually become feasible through Walkable Chadds Ford, an initiative aimed at connecting the village’s myriad offerings by adding pedestrian-friendly walkways, creating a sense of community, and beckoning prospective visitors.
On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the Steering Committee for Walkable Chadds Ford held its third meeting and received an update on the proposal’s progress from Peter Simone, a landscape architect with Simone Collins and a consultant for the project.
Simone said having a walkway along the south side of Route 1 from Ring Road to Fairville Road would provide many opportunities for pedestrians to access various attractions in Chadds Ford without jeopardizing their safety. He said PennDOT, which must sign off on any changes to its roadways, is amenable to reducing the width of traffic lanes slightly to add clearly marked shoulders.
Although nothing in the plan is set in cement, Simone suggested that some of the new concrete materials have colors and textures that would add aesthetic appeal to the walkway.
He said a traffic light would likely be needed at the intersection of South Creek Road and Route 1, next to the Post Office; however, he said the light would be timed with the one at Station Way Road so that it would not slow traffic.
What would help accomplish that goal, he said, would be the reduced lane width, medians, and vertical elements along the roadway. During earlier discussions, Simone said PennDOT rejected the creation of a roundabout, a traffic circle that would consume too much money and space. It also excluded chicanes, lane shifts that force drivers to slow down, noting that the stretch of roadway is not long enough to accommodate them.
All three traffic lights in the village area – the other is at Ring Road – would have buttons to assist pedestrians in crossing the street, Simone said. The one at Station Way already has that feature, he said, eliciting shock from some committee members. Simone pointed out that the safety of the intersection would be improved by the other planned changes, such as walkways and medians.
He said it is possible, but not very likely, that PennDOT would agree to reduce Route 1’s 45 mph speed limit. But elements such as a raised median with plantings would also help define the village and serve as a traffic-calming device. The downside is that some established entity, such as the township or the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, would have to sign off on maintaining it, he said.
A remark by Simone that Chadds Ford doesn’t have a parking problem drew some spirited objections from several committee members, including Deb Reardon, Chadds Ford’s Open Space Committee chairperson; Joshua Friedberg, the chef/owner of Antica, an Italian BYOB restaurant; and Susan Minarchi, president of the Sanderson Museum.
Simone said he based his analysis on aerial photographs that showed plentiful parking spaces; however, he acknowledged that they might be insufficient in some locations. He suggested that perhaps the Brandywine Conservancy and other businesses would be willing to make their lots available off-hours. Using cooperative solutions would benefit everyone, he said.
Following up on a suggestion from Friedberg, Simone requested a copy of the land development plan for the Post Office to determine whether a parking lot could be added to the rear of that property.
Other ideas that remain on the drawing board are sidewalks on some of the streets that intersect Route 1, a boardwalk that would connect Hank’s Place to the Chadds Ford Historical Society, and reversing the direction of one-way Station Way Road or making it two-way.
The committee will hold one more meeting on March 2 before a draft plan is presented at a public meeting sometime later in March. Sherri Evans-Stanton, director of the Brandywine Conservancy, recommended that the master plan explain that the Chadds Ford initiative came out of the Brandywine Creek Greenway Strategic Action Plan, a conservation initiative that involves 24 municipalities along the east and west branches of the Brandywine Creek.
Simone said he would incorporate Evans-Stanton’s suggestion into the draft. He said he expected its presentation to be followed by a 30-day comment period. A master plan is scheduled to be unveiled to the public on May 20.
(4 votes, average: 3.75 out of 5)
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