Campustown Streetscape, Champaign, Illinois

Michelle Ryan, editor

With the goal of transforming the look and function of the Campustown Streetscape at the University of Illinois, Hitchcock Design Group, in association with Foth Infrastructure & Environment came up with a plan. The design concept created a pedestrian-friendly area that reduced crime, provided adequate parking and improved personal safety throughout Campustown.

Campustown?EUR??,,????'???s facelift has brought a new sense of pride to the area. Residents, students, alumni and business owners are proud and pleased with the new look and feel of the streetscape.

With an infrastructure dating back to the 1920s, the city of Champaign, the University of Illinois and a not-for-profit organization called ?EUR??,,????'??Campustown 2000?EUR??,,????'?? joined forces to facilitate the rebuilding of the old, deteriorating infrastructure. The goal was to transform the look and function of Campustown and present a new front door for the University and Champaign community. The consultant team of Hitchcock Design Group and Foth Infrastructure and Environment was commissioned to guide Champaign in the redevelopment.

The Landscape Architect provided hard and soft streetscape element design including incorporating clay unit pavers with a banding pattern of two colors that leads to the intersections. The entire project, spanned the area of approximately three-and-a-half blocks, and utilized cost-effective colored concrete stained with a brown strip down the middle to direct pedestrians to the marked crosswalks.

After gathering input through interviews with key community stakeholders, and during subsequent public workshops, Hitchcock Design Group helped the community create an exciting vision for the new and improved streetscape. Through this new design, an ?EUR??,,????'??overall look?EUR??,,????'?? and pedestrian-friendly area was created to revitalize and enliven the unique character of the Campustown district. The action plan for Campustown outlined four major goals:

• To support an overall redevelopment plan, provide adequate parking for all current and potential users of Campustown.
• Develop an overall ?EUR??,,????'??look?EUR??,,????'?? for the Campustown area.
• Maintain and improve Campustown infrastructure.
• Reduce crime and improve personal safety in Campustown.

Site amenities including plantings, benches, trash receptacles, planters, bolsters, signage and safety rails line the University of Illinois Campustown Streetscape and were all strategically placed in order to accomplish the goal of improving pedestrian and bicycle safety on the Green Street corridor.

The corridor infrastructure had deteriorated and Green Street?EUR??,,????'???s aesthetic appeal had become unacceptable to university students, recruits, alumni, and local consumers. The consultant team was responsible for seeing the project through to completion on a very fast track to accommodate upcoming new sporting events and marketing opportunities for the city of Champaign and the University of Illinois.

Color coordinated bollards and pre-fabricated planters, filled with annuals such as sweet potato vine, line the intersection that borders the catalpa and maple trees. The various site amenities are contained within a four-foot strip behind the curbs to maximize the clear space for pedestrians.

Careful coordination of the engineering consultant, landscape architects, electrical and traffic consultants and many local stakeholders resulted in a complete makeover of Campustown. All soft and hard design elements were coordinated between consultant team members to create the overall new look.

According to the Landscape Architect?EUR??,,????'???s at Hitchcock Design Group the knuckle system is a design element where the curb along the streetscape curves out into traffic to shorten the distance pedestrians have to travel when crossing the street. It also encourages crossing within the marked cross walks. The consultant team incorporated square shapes into the design and even stained them into the concrete.

Role of Hitchcock Design Group

Hitchcock Design Group, the landscape architect, was wholly involved in all program development phases of the project and facilitated several public consensus-building workshops to determine the overall design scheme, and key issues for all stakeholders.

From this night shot the double illumination effects achieved by the lighting designer are visible. Clear lenses enhance the security lighting, which illuminate the roadways. The pedestrian lights create hot spots, which add to the safety of the area by illuminating the faces of passersby.

The Landscape Architect provided hard and soft streetscape element design including plantings, benches, trash receptacles, planters, bollards, signage, safety rails, and other amenities. Selection and placement of these elements was key to achieving the city?EUR??,,????'???s goal of improving pedestrian and bicycle safety on the Green Street corridor.

Custom four-foot fencing is used that incorporated the square design element along some of the busier streets to deter crossing outside of the intersections. Tree grates and bike racks, placed in key areas where illegal pedestrian street crossings were once common, now encourage good judgment when crossing the street by acting as a barrier for the oncoming traffic.

Special Factors:

The project replaced the streetscape and infrastructure in Champaign?EUR??,,????'???s commercial district leading to the direct heart of the University of Illinois campus, where the death of a student had heightened awareness of pedestrian and bicycle safety due to multiple elevated vehicular and pedestrian conflict points.

The death of a student heightened awareness of pedestrian and bicycle safety. This was due to multiple elevated vehicular and pedestrian conflict points. The consultant team removed everything from the sidewalks to the sewer and gas lines in order to revitalize the streetscape and improve upon the once hectic traffic conditions. The Wright St. sign, visible here, is now backlit in order to keep traffic on the street moving when drivers are searching for specific locations.

The event that clinched the urgency of the project was the announcement that the Chicago Bears had selected the U of I Memorial Stadium as the site for their ?EUR??,,????'??home?EUR??,,????'?? 2002-2003 NFL season football games. With increased traffic, exposure, potential revenues and potential university recruits, Champaign was determined to put its best foot forward.

This before picture inspired the 3-1/2-block project plan, complete with a turn lane to keep the four lanes of traffic moving. Although the design took approximately two years to complete, the entire construction process took only three and a half months and added extra room onto the sidewalks.

Because each consultant had diverse expertise there was potential for an awkward transfer of responsibility. Professionalism and motivation toward a common goal allowed the project coordination to run smoothly with each party focusing on the best of all possible designs.

Hitchcock Design Group also incorporated several built-in landscape spaces filled with ornamental grasses, gingko and elm trees. Acutely placed benches, have their backs to the planters for increased comfort and security.

Local Significance: Exceeding Owner/Client Needs

Design and construction costs were partially recaptured by increased revenue from the Chicago Bears football games. Partial funding was also received from the University of Illinois and state of Illinois in the form of grants. The project represents a long-term investment with a return measurable both in dollars and in support from the University of Illinois ?EUR??,,????'??? a major staple to the local economy. Notably, final project costs were well below original budgeted amounts. The Campustown Streetscape project was completed before project deadlines set forth by the city. This was accomplished through all consultants?EUR??,,????'??? involvement in the construction coordination, as well as innovative approaches to confirming constructability before problems arose in the field.

There are no back alleys along the streetscape, so the landscape architect incorporated a loading zone into the design for deliveries. Therefore, traffic can keep moving and more cars will be able to park and access the shopping area, which has attracted new businesses since the project?EUR??,,????'???s completion.

The original concepts and goals of the improvements were met or exceeded by the design. Campustown?EUR??,,????'???s facelift has brought a new sense of pride to the area. Residents, students, alumni and business owners are proud and pleased with the new look and feel of the streetscape, slowed traffic with improved safety, vastly improved appeal, and a lasting infrastructure design.

There are no back alleys along the streetscape, so the landscape architect incorporated a loading zone into the design for deliveries. Therefore, traffic can keep moving and more cars will be able to park and access the shopping area, which has attracted new businesses since the project?EUR??,,????'???s completion.

Project Size:

4 acres (1/2 mile of roadway)