Songsmith/Waterford Pedestrian Improvements. New Castle County, Delaware.

Songsmith Drive is a main street through a residential community of mixed but generally high suburban densities. However, the street is 36 feet wide and did not include any accommodations for walking and bicycling. WRA developed a plan to retrofit sidewalk and bike lanes along the corridor. Upon completion, significant increases in pedestrian activity and decreases in motor vehicle speeds were observed, indicating that the project enhanced pedestrian comfort and therefore community livability. Both the Songsmith and Waterford projects featured improved bus stops as well. At Waterford, WRA cut a sidewalk through a landscaped berm to connect the community to a bus stop along a busy highway. By aligning the sidewalk at an angle, using retaining walls, and adding landscaping, WRA maintained the screening function of the berm while providing a comfortable, convenient, and safe sidewalk link.