Notwithstanding their enormous environmental, social and economic costs, the suburbs and exurbs (suburban areas without a nearby city) have become the first choice of a location to live for the majority of Americans. However, we ask a simple question: If so many of us live in suburban or exurban communities, why is that so much of the suburban landscape is ugly beyond belief? Why do we feel that our quality of life is slipping away? Many have moved to these areas in search of better schools for their children, or because they are the only alternative in many regions to city life.

We do not propose to give a complete answer to that very complex question. Instead the Foundation is currently focused on a highly visible but almost invariably overlooked aspect of the ugly suburb - the commercial strip.

Commercial streets today are dominated by the automobile. Pedestrians are an endangered species and merchants are almost hysterical in their efforts to attract passing motorists to their individual parking lots. The standard formula for these streets combines vast expanses of asphalt, minimal vegetation, a cacophony of signage and strip malls all laced together with a vast spaghetti of utility wires held up by sagging poles. The net result is a blighted environment that is mind-numbingly repellent in its ugliness and dysfunctionality.

However, ugliness is not inevitable! Simple, yet highly effective tools are available to improve the appearance of streets and enhance the livability of our suburban communities. So, rather than live with something that most of us would rather avoid, suburban and exurban communities can convert their commercial streets into assets that attract businesses, customers, visitors and residents.

PROJECT OUTLINE

The Dunn Foundation has implemented a public outreach and training project focused on retrofitting streetscapes to:

• Demonstrate what undergrounding utility poles, sign control, pedestrian amenities and other improvements can look like.
• Encourage support for the implementation of these changes within communities.

Several communities within Rhode Island with varying degrees of streetscape blight and differing context have been chosen as demonstration/learning communities for this project. The Foundation will be monitoring activities within these communities, providing technical assistance where appropriate to leaders and non-profits, and publishing news articles for our website.

SPECIFIC ONGOING ACTIVITIES

Burying utility wires and poles:

• Lower Thames Street, Newport, RI
• Bay Street, Watch Hill, RI
• Water Street, Block Island, RI

Streetscape improvements:

• Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI
• Post Road, North Kingstown, RI
• Granite Street, Westerly, RI
• West – East Main Roads, Middletown, RI

Scenic conservation:

• Paradise Avenue Loop, Middletown, RI
• Block Island, island wide
• Ocean View Highway, Watch Hill, RI

We welcome your comments on this project. Please bookmark this page and visit our site often for updates on this and other projects.