Duke to propose new landscaping, bike/ped friendly East Campus

Duke's East Campus is, unlike the forested Gothic wonderland of its West predecessor or the slumlord-chic feel of Central, practically a park with a campus in the middle of it. Not that should be surprising: much of it once was parkland and a racetrack, offered up by Washington Duke and Julian Carr in the 1890s for the relocation of Trinity College from Randolph County.

And in fact, it's one of the most common uses for Duke affiliates and local residents alike; from the walking trails around East to the convenient passthrough amidst it connecting neighborhoods like Trinity Park to Ninth Street and shopping, East Campus' layout and design make it a natural destination for pedestrians and bikes.

This spring, the university took a step forward in improving that pedestrian nature, a change that benefits Duke students and the community alike, by presenting a design plan to university trustees designed to make the campus more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.

Though not yet priced out or funded, the plan is a first step on a number of issues according to Duke's news office, including:

• Adding sidewalks through the campus on areas where the grass is already worn down by pedestrians making their own routes;
• Moving the campus bus stop from its too-prominent location at the traffic circle at the campus' entrance, while making traffic in the circle go a more predictable clockwise direction;
• Lining the new paved walkway from the center of East to Broad Street with trees, possibly cherries, to create a more attractive connection;
• Adding a formal "paved bicycle circulation system" to better connect with Durham and with Duke's own bicycle system.

One other item on the agenda: planning to replace the aging trees on East Campus -- saplings at the century's beginning, as seen in the photo above, now beginning to die at their life's end -- with new plantings. One possibility on the main quad is to move those new trees closer to the quad lawn itself, improving the pedestrian feel of the campus.

Comments

[Durham Bull Pen]

This is great news. As a frequent user of the trail around East Campus, I've noticed several improvments over the last few weeks. Also, I've been worried that the aging beautiful old trees weren't being replaced with younger trees to take their place.

Thanks for posting about this. I'll look forward to seeing the improvements take place. Kudos to Duke for finally getting this plan in place.

Oh, and the picture you posted is interesting--I've been clicking back to look at it throughout the day.

DBP