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Garrick,Wang,Miniutti,and Bishop 37 µ m.. 2 ay x FIGURE 7 Martin Luther King Boulevard median construction. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was once a four-lane urban arterial with on street parking on each side of the road. The newly designed alignment is four lanes, with two travel lanes provided on each side of a raised, landscaped median (see Figure 7). According to AASHTO's functional classification Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is major urban arterial. However, from the point of view of CSD the classification of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard should be neighborhood (mixed-use) avenue. The median improvement essentially converted Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from a major urban arterial into a neighborhood avenue. The importance of this project in Savannah lies in the fact that it abuts one of the most celebrated historical districts in the country. This project is one of the many steps being taken to reverse some of the damage that was done to the district and to surrounding areas in order to facilitate vehicular traffic. For example, in the 1950s, one of the original landscaped squares in the historical district was converted to a parking garage. Plans are under way to convert it back to its historic use as a square. This project could actually, for the first time, extend the character of the historical district into a new area. Success here will depend on how well the designers integrate the details that are necessary to replicate the charm of the historical district, while accommodating a large volume of traffic.