Description
East Main Street is the center of the manufacturing and commerce-centered Downtown Chilton district bordering the South Branch Manitowoc River. The goal of this project is to provide recommendations for the street design of a reconstructed East Main Street resulting from upcoming capital improvements and utilities work scheduled for this corridor. ICF provided regionally-directed technical assistance with the support of VMWP and EPA through the EPA OBLR program. The East Main Street Corridor is scheduled for reconstruction and the City of Chilton sought EPA help to leverage this investment into mobility and placemaking improvements to encourage redevelopment.
During the design charette, there were several site reuse strategies that would help revitalize this corridor during roadway construction while also keeping the manufacturing industry in mind. Establishing strong anchors at both ends of the corridor with the dog park on one end could draw people from outside Chilton & Calumet County. The design extends the existing Riverwalk to a proposed park at sidewalk level and implements street trees as the basic organizational framework for the street. Large tree planters were located in between groups of parallel parking spaces to buffer sidewalks and provide significantly larger trees to change the perception of the currently overlooked and marginalized corridor. There are 3 street intersections that were analyzed and designed to be safer, more effective, and consider the riverwalk extension and upcoming road construction. These key crossings include North Columbia Street connector, East Main Street Gateway, and the railroad in response to riverwalk extension.
Design Features
- Dog park to draw in people from outside of Chilton
- Improved crosswalk design and safety improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure
Green Features
- Trees along corridor to fortify streetscape
- Extended riverwalk along East Main Street provides important connection to recreational amenities
Project Information
- Client: ICF International
- Site Area: 53 Acres
- Completion: 2023
Master Planning & Specific Design
VMWP’s master planning experience includes plans for new town centers, neighborhoods, mixed-use urban infill and redevelopment projects. Our pedestrian-oriented approach to master planning and urban design creates a dynamic urban environment. Our corridor planning and streetscape projects range in scale from land use and design analysis along regional thoroughfares and local networks to local commercial streetscape designs focused on improving the pedestrian experience and the commercial viability of districts and neighborhoods.