Burlington Great Streets Initiative

The Great Streets Initiative is an effort by the City of Burlington, Vermont, whose goal is to develop a downtown that is a vibrant, walkable and sustainable urban center. The project establishes a set of standards that reenvision the function, look, and feel of downtown’s public streets. These standards, which are then applied to Main Street, guide the selection of the streetscape elements, including street trees, stormwater infrastructure, paving materials, furnishings, lighting, and appropriate street and sidewalk widths. Burlington’s Main Street serves as an important gateway into the downtown, and a vital connection between the waterfront and the University of Vermont. The concept plan for Main Street is about balancing all of the uses of the public right of way; it optimizes the roadway by converting diagonal parking to parallel. This change allows for the introduction of wider sidewalks, appropriately sized tree belts to support tree health and stormwater management, and a protected bike lane. Each intersection includes opportunities for outdoor seating, public art, views of the lake, or bike parking.

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