New Crosswalks and Signs in Lincoln Park!

At the end of this month, there will be five new crosswalks added to Superior Street in Lincoln Park. This work is part of a demonstration project funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Transportation, through its Active Transportation program. The grant is called Streetside Activation, which describes the process of making a street more accessible, friendly, and active. In addition to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Ecolibrium3 is excited to be partnering with the City of Duluth on this project. In this case, the project is also responding to requests from residents and business owners: safer street crossings; greenery; and public art.

Safer street crossings. Adding delineators expands the sidewalk to create spaces called “bump outs,” or curb extensions. These are corners that are built to expand the size of the sidewalk, while making the street crossing shorter. Bump outs often include curb cuts as well, small ramps to make it easier to transition from sidewalk to street. Many bump outs already exist along Superior Street.

Greenery. In addition to the delineators, there will be planters with trees added to the intersections. They add beauty and fresh air to the street while providing additional buffers between pedestrians and traffic in the bump out areas.

Public art. In the space between the delineators and the sidewalk, murals will be painted directly onto the street. This further solidifies the boundaries of the bump out, and also adds a bright, fun piece of art for everyone to enjoy. To make the intersections feel welcoming, the design mimics greenery and natural elements. It also incorporates the Main Street logo colors, to add to the feeling of cohesion throughout the neighborhood.

The new crosswalks and the street murals are being installed at two intersections: 25th Ave between Wild State Cider and Ursa Minor Brewing, and the other at 23rd Ave between Duluth Cider and Bergey’s Sports Bar.

Throughout the Lincoln Park neighborhood, there will also be temporary directional signs posted. The signs are designed to encourage visitors to explore the neighborhood beyond the densest area of Superior Street, and to spend more time in this lovely area. By including walking times, the signs highlight that many attractions in Lincoln Park are closer than they may seem! Increasing foot traffic is good for local businesses and makes the neighborhood feel more friendly and vibrant. The signs are designed to help familiarize visitors with the area. They may even help reduce the demand for street parking, by making it easier for people to park further away from the businesses they plan to visit.

The new crosswalks will remain in place after the demonstration period is over. However, the delineators and planters will be removed once it begins to snow; in the case of a large snowfall, they could damage plows or interfere with snow clearance. Through the month of September, we will be gathering information and feedback on these changes, as a pilot for future updates along West Superior Street.

Installation of this demonstration project is taking place on August 31. The City of Duluth is painting the crosswalks and bump out lines, which will be fully functional on the day of installation. Residents and visitors are invited to use the QR codes and other information on the signs to learn more about the project and give feedback. If you see a sign out and about, post a picture on social media and tag us @ecolibrium3 and @ourlincolnparkduluth! We’d love to know how they are being used throughout the month.

Have You Used the New Crosswalks?

Share your thoughts on this Google Form! This form will be open until the end of November, 2023.