Guest Editorial: Coordinated development in East Columbia lacking

It is obvious in the selection of East Columbia EIS (Environmental Impact Study) of major street alternatives that no consideration was given to the development of viable neighborhoods. Slicing an improved Highway WW across the landscape leaves fragments of urban development cut off from logical future elementary school attendance areas and logical locations for future neighborhood parks. 
   
As much as we talk about childhood obesity, greenhouse gases and alternative transportation modes, we have not established an organizing principle for city growth that would encourage walkability for those most likely to walk in their daily activities. Instead of developing the growth of the city around sustainable and contained neighborhoods with walkable schools, parks and playgrounds, the proposed east Columbia roads will force small-scale developments, squeezing small subdivisions into the remaining land, with its natural and manmade boundaries.  Instead of encouraging school children to walk, the proposed road system increases the need to transport elementary kids to school by vehicle.  So rather than decreasing obesity and greenhouse gases with neighborhood design, we are working at cross purposes.  
   
Before getting too far into the development of East Columbia, it may be helpful to reflect on the kind of neighborhoods we wish to create. Let me lay out some distinctive characteristics of a neighborhood conceived with walkability in mind.  These characteristics are consistent with the “Columbia Metro 2020 planning guide” with a couple of notable exceptions: These proposed neighborhoods are larger in scale, and they protect elementary schools, neighborhood parks and other community facilities from major roadways by placing them inside the neighborhood rather than pushing them to the outer fringes. The commercial establishments that thrive on traffic belong on the outer edges and at connecting points with other neighborhoods.
   
Size: The neighborhood should be large enough to support one elementary school. Actual size depends upon the minimum size of the school local authorities will agree to build and the student population within a maximum walking distance of one-half to three-quarters of a mile. This typically means a neighborhood with a population of about 5,000.
   
Boundaries: The neighborhood should be bounded, rather than bisected, by natural or man-made barriers such as hills, creeks, railroad tracks or major arterials. No through traffic should penetrate the neighborhood.
   
Open Spaces: There should be sufficient park and playground space provided within the neighborhood to meet the needs of children of elementary and preschool age. Natural features such as views, rock outcrops and significant vegetation should be preserved as much as possible for the common good.
   
Institution Sites: Sites for schools, parks and other institutions and facilities having service areas coinciding with the limits of the neighborhood should be grouped around a central point.
   
Internal Street System: The internal street system should be designed to fit the natural contours of the land, to provide attractive vistas, to slow traffic, to discourage through traffic and to facilitate access to neighborhood institutions and shopping facilities via secondary or collector streets.
   
Diversified Housing Stock: Each neighborhood should contain, in appropriate locations, a broad range of housing types consistent with local market conditions, to enable several generations of families to live in the same area and thus to contribute to neighborhood stability.
   
With these characteristics in mind, the plan to improve Highway WW west of Rolling Hills Road to arterial status should be abandoned. It will cut an existing neighborhood in half, requiring students within walking distance to cross a major traffic flow on their way to and from the Cedar Ridge Elementary School. 
   
Also, an alternative should be considered to the proposed extension of Stadium to Richland Road in favor of preserving a viable organization of neighborhoods. 
   
It is the essence of sound planning to so locate elementary schools on the interior of neighborhoods and major arterials on the edges of future school attendance area so that, upon full development, it is possible to have a city that is both walkable and drivable. Not much can be done about highways and schools already in place, but we can avoid compounding the problem by a closer coordination of new schools and new and upgraded roadways.
  
Sid Sullivan is a Columbia political observer and former Missouri General Assembly candidate.