The City of Mount Rainier is working on a Mixed-Use Town Center Development Plan to promote reinvestment and redevelopment opportunities in the older commercial core of Mount Rainer. The area being studied includes 11.5 acres around the Rhode Island Avenue and 34th Street areas, and one thing they want to do is make the area more bicycle-friendly.
After months of community meetings and studies, Washington, D.C.-based consultants Cunningham Quill Architects presented a preliminary "vision plan" to residents on Jan. 12.
The presentation included details on decreasing street parking spaces from 14-feet to standard 8-feet wide spaces and using the extra space for wider sidewalks and commuter bicycles lanes.
Resident Dave MacMillan said he liked the integration of bike and pedestrian culture in the plan, but wanted some measures to discourage additional liquor stores from opening in the city.
I'm not sure the two are related.
The presentations don't have a lot of specifics on bikes, but they show the Bike Station, bike lanes and artistic bike racks. They also have a lot of cool old photos of Mount Rainier during the streetcar days, if you're into such things. I often bike through the area on Rhode Island, and it's not too bad really, but some bike lanes would be nice.
They'd also like to bury power lines, plant trees and promote other livability ideas.
Nisey Baylor, owner of Nisey's Boutique on 34th Street, said she wanted to see more emphasis on accessible parking.
"Because Mount Rainier is growing by leaps and bounds, we are going to need extra parking," she said. "You can have all this nice stuff, but you need parking."
I'm sure she's talking about bicycle parking.
Workshop #5: Draft Development Plan Presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23, 2010, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Bunker Hill Fire Station, 3716 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier, MD 20712. See flyer for more information.
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