Views from the road often form our first and most lasting view of a community. The road is an integral part of our life and our landscape. Yet, surprisingly, the best opportunities for visual appeal on an entry corridor are often squandered.

Design review is the local government practice of examining public and private projects for aesthetic, architectural, or urban design quality and compatibility with nearby development. Design guidelines are the tool used by review agencies to promote a consistent standard for good development practices. Recent changes in state law allow localities to institute design review on all community corridors leading to historic areas. Increasingly, communities which already have historic district design guidelines are creating companion publication for their corridors.

On corridors, the challenge is to encourage new development that will provide vitality while preserving and enhancing the community's traditional strengths. Frazier Associates offers extensive experience in:

	Gateway enhancements		Urban design and revitalization
	Wayfinding and signage systems		Zoning analysis, recommendations
	Entry corridor design guidelines		Sign ordinances
	Streetscape studies and design		Architectural review board training
	Infill development and new construction		Site, sign, and building rehabilitation

The East Nelson corridor in Lexington, Virginia, connects I-64 and I-81 to the historic downtown. This photograph was taken about five years ago.

Today this corridor is attractive, economically rejuvenated, and marks Lexington's pride of place. Corridor planning was comprehensive including articulating entrances and edges,enhancing connections, improving landscape treatments, and rethinking signage. Design review for building facades, including chain stores, has also been a key factor.

Churchville Avenue in Staunton, Virginia, which connects downtown to a large city park, is presently a busy two-lane road, lined with an auto repair station and mostly vacant, neglected homes.

This photo-simulation shows future plans which include streetscape improvements, crosswalks, and construction of left turn lanes to alleviate congestion caused by the close proximity of two intersections.

		Actual conditions and photo-simulation of identity enhancing and traffic calming improvements to a key intersection on Route 58 in Suffolk, Virginia where the road shifts from being entirely auto-oriented to a shared mixture of auto and pedestrian uses.

		Charlottesville's Route 29, a heavily trafficked transportation corridor, is one of twelve entry routes to the city which have been placed under architectural review. By proactively addressing growth on its corridors with a design guidelines publication, Charlottesville is laying the framework for higher quality development and regulation of building aesthetics.