Main Wheelock District

As the Main Wheelock District Multimodal Plan develops, Hanover Bike Walk would like concerns to be considered and addressed to provide increased access, safety and comfort for people who walk and bike, as well as increased sustainability and placemaking for the town.

Key design goals:

• Sense of place, at a human-scale

• Slower speeds, via traffic calming

• Improved safety, comfort and connection for people walking and biking

• Human-scaled intersection infrastructure that allows for more free and safe movement by people walking and bicycling

A 2013 study called the “West Wheelock Street Charrette” led by UK Architects, Hanover and Landscape Architecture, North Conway documented “heavy pedestrian flow” on both sides of the street, as well as significant bicycle traffic on the road and walks. The study also noted that with the river crossing and the Dartmouth waterfront at the base of the hill, there is significant activity in both directions. 

The study divides West Wheelock into three sections, which we follow here with LOWER, MID, and UPPER from west to east:

Learn about the Main Wheelock District streetscape in this document: "Main Wheelock District Concerns for Consideration in Multi-Modal Plan" prepared by Hanover Bike Walk. 

This document does not make design recommendations, but lists concerns with the current streetscape that should be addressed by redesigning the street with a holistic multi-modal plan that takes into consideration the needs and risks for people of all ages and abilities, traveling in all modes.

Thayer students studied the area as their capstone project, ran traffic similuations, and evaluated level of traffic stress given different scenerios to improve multi-modal transportation options. The results of their study, "Designing a More Accessible Wheelock Street, 03/13/2025" can be found at this link.