ROUTE 18 CORRIDOR Study suggestions

Hermitage is conducting a study to determine the best use of land along the Route 18 North corridor once the state widens it from two to five lanes. The study draft recommendations concentrated on seven areas:
ACCESS MANAGEMENT
Shared driveways for businesses.
Shared parking areas for businesses.
NEW ROADS/CONNECTIVITY
Build new east-west routes primarily connecting Route 18 with the parallel North Keel Ridge Road.
Build a network of service roads for new commercial development on undeveloped land on the east side of the roadway north of Lamor Road.
POLICY-RELATED PROVISIONS
Reduce commercial building setback requirements.
Encourage commercial rear and side parking.
Project the institutional core.
Encourage recreational development in residential projects.
BIKE/PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES
Require sidewalks as part of new construction or major expansions on Route 18 as well as Highland Road, Dutch Lane and Lamor Road.
Create a municipal bike/pedestrian advisory committee.
Require all new projects to provide for bicycles and pedestrians.
GREEN-WAYS
Develop a green-way or hiking trail along Pine Hollow Run from the Shenango River Lake to the Shenango Valley Mall and Hermitage school properties.
Provide bike/hike trails between residential developments.
FUTURE LAND USE
Rezone the planned technical park at the northern end of the corridor for multipurpose commercial development.
Limit commercial development in the triangle formed by Route 18, Lamor Road and Valley View Road.
Develop a Town Center master plan for the & quot;downtown & quot; area around U.S. Route 62, Route 18 and East State Street.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Create a directory of available commercial land.
Engage in joint planning with neighboring municipalities.
Work out a regional industrial development strategy.
Source: Gannett Fleming Inc.