Comprehensive Planning for The Village of Leland Grove

Sub-area Planning – Urban Design

The city of Leland Grove, located adjacent to the city of Springfield is primarily a peaceful residential community. Due to its close proximity to a busy downtown, it has lost its own identity with increasing traffic in the neighborhood. One of the main efforts as part of comprehensive planning was to restore the residential character with safer streets and intersections. Few of the intersections were reconfigured for safety and pocket parks were conceptualized to provide community space for the residents. A trail extension through the community was proposed to link the neighborhood to a larger recreational trail network. Traffic calming measures, provision of sidewalks, crosswalks, and stop signs were recommended to make the community safer for bikers and pedestrians. An existing large green space with an abandoned school building was proposed for adaptive reuse into a community center with a playground and a picnic spot for the residents. Provision of civic amenities and restoring the residential character were some of the larger concepts considered as part of comprehensive planning.

All images copyright and courtesy SSC Regional Planning Commission, Springfield, IL