Parklets

What is a parklet?
Parklets are temporary or permanent expansions of sidewalk space into the parking lane. Most parklets have a design that incorporates seating, greenery, and/or bike racks and accommodate unmet demand for public space on thriving neighborhood retail streets or commercial areas.

Parklet Benefits

Economic Impact

  • Expanded space for customer use, e.g. seating, sidewalk sales

  • Increased foot and bike traffic and attraction of customers

  • Opportunity for multi-business collaboration and shared revenue

  • Outdoor dining creates seats and jobs, increased revenues by 20%

Health

  • Physically separated space from traffic

  • Options for seating and places for rest

  • Encourage of walking, biking, rolling

  • Outdoor and social distance

Community Building

  • Expanded opportunities for social gathering outdoors

  • Beautify main street and create an engaging and enticing downtown

  • Opportunity to create hyper local amenities that reflect local interest and culture

Parklet Design

  • The parklet concept is not just for restaurants and can be used as recreation space during the day.

  • Designs may include seating, greenery, bicycle racks, etc

  • Should always present as a welcoming public gathering place for the community.

  • A standard design template could reduce design and construction costs.

Parklet Safety

  • Include a railing capable of withstanding moderate horizontal force.

  • Simple reflective posts & wheel stops to prevent interference with neighboring parking spaces

  • slip-resistant surface and level surface for ADA compliance

Pocket Parks

Closed side streets (from traffic) or partial roads for additional outdoor recreation space. Benefits include:

  • Increase in pedestrian volume

  • Increase in local retail sales

  • Provides more social opportunities and connection

  • Reduces traffic, increases pedestrian safety

  • Attracts business investments, decreasing vacancy rate

  • Encourages volunteerism

  • Improves public health

Curbside Pickup

Dedicated quick parking with appropriate signage for retailers and restaurants which allows customers to collect their order from a convenient location. Benefits:

  • Dual use - can be used for restaurants and retail

  • Avoid shipping & delivery charges

  • Quicker order fulfillment, higher predictability

  • Provides a great and safe service for the customer

  • Addresses trends - Technomic’ s 2020 Delivery and Takeout Consumer Trend Report, 66% of consumers anticipate continuing to use curbside pickup after dine-in services resume

Additional Resources:

National Association of City Transportation Officials:

https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/interim-design-strategies/parklets/

Seattle Department of Transportation PARKLET HANDBOOK

University City District Report on Parklets:

Parklets: Measuring Impact on Sidewalk Vitality and Neighborhood Business - Tennessee

Jersey City, NJ Resource on how to build a parklet to help businesses in response to Covid-19:
https://jerseycitynj.gov/UserFiles/Servers/Server_6189660/File/Community/Transportation/Jersey%20City%20Parklet%20Guide.pdf


Main Street America and AARP Case Study:
https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NMSC/390e0055-2395-4d3b-af60-81b53974430d/UploadedImages/Resource_Center/COVID_19/AARP_Brief_parklets_and_pedlets.pdf

UCLA Study on Parklets:

https://www.its.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2014/06/parkletassessment.pdf

Parklet Building Guide:
https://parkade.com/parklet-guide-and-how-to-build-a-parklet#parklet-construction-guideComplete guide to parklets — and how to build them


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