West Lebanon Innovation Plan - Executive Summary

West Lebanon is a hugely successful commercial center, a retail hub that draws consumers from across the Upper Valley and beyond. At the crossroads of I-89 and 12A, with exponential forecasted growth, no sales tax, and the hospital near by, West Lebanon will be at the core of regional development for decades to come. But belying this commercial vitality is the local disillusionment with the 12A corridor around I-89. Traffic congestion created by over 15,000 cars traveling through daily and expansive swathes of pavement make the region a negative place to be, and to some, it even feels as though improving West Lebanon is a lost cause.
We encourage you to make West Lebanon a better place. The area around the 12A/I-89 interchange has been built to capacity for primary development. Existing shopping plazas, such as JC Penney and K-Mart, have reached the end of their lifespan, and there will be a need for secondary construction and infilling on the existing lots. This redevelopment is a huge opportunity, one that will allow us the chance to break from the cycle of reactive planning in which we currently find ourselves, and make proactive decisions for the improvement of West Lebanon.
We, as architecture students from Dartmouth College, have identified aspects of West Lebanon that have the greatest potential for enhancement. Our primary goals are to solve the traffic problem, make the area more aesthetically pleasing, better connect with the environment - especially the river, make a more positive pedestrian atmosphere, and foster a sense of community within the region. All of this will create a better commercial environment. With the intent of formulating strategies to meet these goals we split into groups and devised three plans. While the implementation of all three plans is slightly different, there are themes that run through all of the separate strategies:

- Expedite the flow of traffic and alleviate congestion along the 12A corridor by creating loop roads, a grid system of streets, and roundabouts.

- Make the area a welcoming place for pedestrians with broad sidewalks, tree-lined streets, and green space. The creation of strategically placed parking structures and local bus service limits private vehicular traffic and promote pedestrian use.

- Heighten the connection of the town with the landscape, especially the river, by increasing green space, particularly on the river's edge, and allowing for line-of-sight throughout town with the water. Using LEED guidelines, employ sustainable design in construction.

- Increase commercial density with mixed-use buildings, including housing, and create shared parking on streets, lots, and structures to allow for growth while limiting sprawl.

- Craft a new town center with green space, public buildings, and opportunities for entertainment and nightlife to provide a real sense of community identity.

Though there is huge potential for positive growth, the redesign of West Lebanon will not be an easy task. Some problems we might face in the implementation of our plans are: obtaining adequate funding; providing incentives for businesses to change locations; working with the different groups involved, including federal, state, and local governments, retailers, consumers, and residents; rewriting the zoning ordinances to allow for dense, mixed use development; and phasing in the new construction so that does not interrupt West Lebanon's current commercial strength.
Our evaluation is extremely relevant at this time because it coincides with several events that will have long-term effects on the West Lebanon area. The 12A/I-89 interchange is scheduled for an extensive renovation in the next few years, and a second tunnel under I-89 is proposed nearer the river to reduce traffic on 12A. Also, the Lebanon Planning Board is reevaluating the current zoning ordinances with the purpose of restructuring the existing codes. We offer our work here to those involved in the improvements mentioned above with the hope that they might consider the ideas we bring forth in their planning for the future. By involving all of the parties that have a stake in West Lebanon in an extensive planning process, we have the potential to create a place that will stand as an icon for positive development for decades to come.