DOVER/KENT COUNTY MPO ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF PARKLET HOW-TO-GUIDE
Date Posted: Friday, March 4th, 2022FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, please contact Helen Wiles, Public Outreach
Dover/Kent County MPO
302.387.6026
3/2/21
DOVER/KENT COUNTY MPO ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF PARKLET HOW-TO-GUIDE
The Dover/Kent County MPO has released a new “How-to Guide” for creating and enjoying Parklets. The guide is directed at municipalities in Kent County and encourages the implementation of these spaces for either temporary or semi-permanent use.
The term ‘Parklet’ describes the process of converting one or more street parking spaces on urban streets into a small public ‘parks’ or enclosed seating area. Usually, parklets are installed on parking lanes and use several parking spaces. Parklets typically extend out from the sidewalk at the sidewalk level to the width of the adjacent parking space. Parklets are intended for people and offer a place to stop, sit, and rest while taking in the activities of the street. When a parklet is not designed to accommodate people, it may provide greenery, art, other visual amenities, or may accommodate bicycle parking or supplement public transit waiting areas.
“The best designed parklets take into consideration amenities that would benefit the immediate surroundings, such as tables and chairs, bench seating, lighting, planters, and landscaping,” said Helen Wiles, Dover/Kent County MPO Public Outreach Manager. “Solar phone charging stations, which can be incorporated into seating, literature shelves and umbrellas, can also be a very effective means of increasing patronage.”
The Dover/Kent County MPO introduced a Parklet Pilot Program in July 2021. A Mobile Parklet was available for set-up at events around Kent County. MPO staff gathered feedback from the public, and shared that information with municipal leaders. The pilot program also includes a mini-grant to assist municipalities with acquiring a parklet of its own. The How-To Guide will act as a companion for the mini-grant.
The guide is now available to view or download at www.doverkentmpo.org.
If you have questions or concerns about the guide or the pilot program, please contact Helen Wiles, Public Outreach Manager, at 302-387-6026 or email helen.wiles@doverkentmpo.org.
The Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization is a Federally mandated not-for-profit that works with local, state, and federal governments along with local transportation organizations to ensure that transportation planning and projects are done in compliance with Federal mandates to include the Federal Clean Air Act and the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST).
The Dover/Kent County MPO is committed to Title VI compliance. Title VI states “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
