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What is a "streetscape"?
The "streetscape" is the area in the public realm between private property lines or the exteriors of buildings and the curb or street. This is the area that people see as they drive or bike by or experience as they walk along the sidewalks. Businesses and properties adjacent to the sidewalk help shape the experience and can benefit from improvements to the streetscape or sidewalk area.
Goals for streetscape improvements
The following goals were shaped by various downtown stakeholders as the City prepared to embark upon this effort.
- Transform downtown public realm
- Consistent, cohesive, unique
- Attractive, inviting, fun
- Benefit downtown businesses + properties
- Attract tourism
- World-class urban environment
- A more livable Salem
Streetscape benefits
Many cities strive to make improvements to their sidewalks and streetscapes for the following reasons. Sidewalks provide a venue that shape how residents shop, work, and experience their city. In downtowns, this can be even more important.
A place for people
- Encourages walking
- Fosters community
- Improves public health
- Invites visitors and tourists
A place that works
- Attracts customers
- Increases values and tax increment
- Encourages housing
- Recruits and retains businesses
A place that feels
- Safe and comfortable
- Active at all times of day
Give us your feedback on the following pages, but first...
Imagine downtown in 10 years. How do you hope to describe the public spaces and sidewalks of downtown in the future? What will be successful about downtown’s sidewalks in the future?
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Make a comment on the map to tell us...
Where the "heart" of downtown isUse the heart to show us what you think of as the heart or lively center of downtown. You can see where other people see the heart. | |
Where you enter the downtown project areaUse the "door" icon to add locations where you enter the area. This could be by foot, bike, or car. | |
Where you go when you are downtownUse the "star" to tell us about where you like to go and what brings you downtown. | |
What ideas you have for specific locationsUse the "lightbulb" to show locations where you have ideas to make improvements. These could be opportunity sites or places you feel have a specific challenge to address. You can also comment on ideas that have been added by others. |
Comment Map
INSTRUCTIONS: Click the "Make a Comment" button to show options for placing a comment on the map. (At smaller screen sizes, click "Map Options" to show the comment button.) Once submitted, your comment will appear with an icon. To read other comments, just click the icons on the map. Click "Reset" to re-center the map.
Next steps
We’ll take all that we’ve heard over the next two months and develop concepts for sidewalk and streetscape improvements downtown. These will be shared in February at our second open house. We anticipate the Downtown Streetscape Plan to be completed later this spring.
Stay involved
Please provide your email below and consider sharing optional information about yourself so that we know who we are hearing from. We’ll add you to our email list and can keep you informed of the next opportunity to provide input on the Downtown Streetscape Plan efforts.
- Visit the City of Salem website for more information: www.cityofsalem.net/downtown.
- Send questions to Sheri Wahrgren at SWahrgren@cityofsalem.net.
- Learn about other projects in the area, such as the Riverfront Park Master Plan Update, which is just getting started. The first public meeting for that effort will be January 18, 2018, 6 p.m. at Pringle Hall located at 606 Church St SE.
Questions
Tell us about yourself
Demographics
The following questions help us know if we are reaching a representative cross-section of the community. They are completely optional.
No matter what you have selected above, please continue to answer the following by marking one or more boxes to indicate what you consider your race to be.
