design elements - San Jacinto Texas Historic District

Main Streets provide a broader range of
opportunities to incorporate the Design
Elements into a more dense urban environment
than do open roads and freeways. A distinct
character unique to the District and each
community is possible by selecting a common
theme in site furnishings, materials, and
vegetation. The urban sett ing is also generally
approached with more formal applications of
the Design Elements than along Farm to Market
Roads and Freeways.
Main Street Corridor Profi le
30 │ SCENARIOS
Pedestrian-scaled light poles provide vertical
illumination for store front facades and are in
proportion to the sidewalk environment
Frequently-spaced
benches make
downtown areas more
accessible to people
with limited mobility
City-scaled Project Stars
monuments are important
icons in the parkway
Porous unit paving
in parking stalls
and sidewalk
detains and treats
stormwater runoff
Curb extension at corners
shorten crosswalk distance
The Corridor Profi le below presents a
potential cross-section for a Main Street, with
adjoining bio-swale on one side of the street
and permeable paver parking on the other.
Landscaping, lighting, and amenities are
oriented to prioritize the pedestrian experience
over that of motorized traffi c, thereby engaging
people in the streetscape and, by extension, in
the businesses within the Main Street area.
Hearty canopy trees provide
shade for pedestrians and
frame the sidewalk
Bioswales in the parkway
detain and fi lter stormwater
runoff from the street
Curb cuts permit runoff to
enter bioswales from the
street
Planted medians break up the
large expanse of pavement
Refuge island for pedestrians
in crosswalk
The character images at right illustrate the
application of various Design Elements along
Main Street corridors. These elements tend more
towards architecture and formal landscaping and
less towards a natural Texas landscape character.
Drinking fountains and street
side cafes are amenities in an
urban environment