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Designing for Nonmotorists: Highway and Street Facilities

Designing for Nonmotorists: Highway and Street Facilities. Designing for All Users Christopher Douwes, Trails and Enhancements Program Manager, Federal Highway Administration. Designing for Nonmotorists Course Overview. Part 2: Highway and Street Facilities Complete Streets Road Diets

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Designing for Nonmotorists: Highway and Street Facilities

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  1. Designing for Nonmotorists: Highway and Street Facilities Designing for All Users Christopher Douwes, Trails and Enhancements Program Manager, Federal Highway Administration CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  2. Designing for Nonmotorists Course Overview Part 2: Highway and Street Facilities • Complete Streets • Road Diets • Bicycle Facilities • Pedestrian Facilities: Go to the Accessible Design course. • Bridges CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  3. What’s Wrong with these Pictures?From www.pedbikeimages.org Bus to the Airport Transit Access CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  4. Complete Streets What are complete streets? • Complete streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. • Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities may move safely along and across a complete street. • Complete Streets Policy: Transportation agencies routinely design and operate the entire right of way to enable safe access for all users. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  5. Complete Streets • The primary goal of a transportation system is to safely and efficiently move people and goods. • Walking and bicycling are efficient transportation modes for most short trips. • Walking and bicycling provide transportation for children, elderly, people who cannot drive, and people who choose not to drive. • 124 jurisdictions have adopted policies or have made a written commitment to do so. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  6. Complete Streets • Improve safety. • Offer transportation choice. • Promote “livable” communities. • Allow transportation connectivity. • Reduce short distance motor vehicle trips: • Save fuel; • Reduce emissions; • Free up highway capacity for long distance trips. • Can reduce overall transportation cost. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  7. Is this a Complete Street? From Perils for Pedestrians: www.pedestrians.org/cartoon.htm Reprinted with permission of the artist. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  8. Is this a Complete Street? Charlotte NC, from www.completestreets.org/ CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  9. Complete Streets • We don’t need new standards. • The AASHTO Green Book already allows designs consistent with Complete Streets. • Complete Streets are consistent with Context Sensitive Solutions. • See Flexibility in Highway Design. • Consider all the users. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  10. Complete Streets: Connectivity • More direct routes for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit. • Shorter travel distances. • Reduced vehicle miles of travel. • Reduced traffic congestion on arterials and collectors. • Greater emergency vehicle access; reduced response times. • Easier maintenance. • Improved utility connections; more efficient trash pick up. • Virginia Secondary Street Acceptance Requirements: www.virginiadot.org/projects/ssar/default.asp CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  11. Complete Streets: ConnectivityFrom Virginia DOT Secondary Street Acceptance Requirementswww.virginiadot.org/projects/ssar/default.asp Cul-de-sac pattern Interconnected pattern Any local trip requires drivers to use the major highway to get to their destinations. With connections, trips would not need to use the highway. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  12. Complete Streets: ConnectivityFrom Virginia DOT Secondary Street Acceptance Requirementswww.virginiadot.org/projects/ssar/default.asp Cul-de-sac pattern Interconnected pattern Connectivity Index • What can be connected? CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  13. Road Diets • Concept: Reduce lanes to improve traffic flow. • Concept: Design from right-of-way line toward the center, not from the centerline out. • FHWA Evaluation: Evaluation of Lane Reduction "Road Diet" Measures and Their Effects on Crashes and Injuries, FHWA-HRT-04-082: www.tfhrc.gov/safety/hsis/pubs/04082/index.htm • Examples from FHWA Bicycle Design Course: www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pedbike/pubs/05085/chapt15.htm CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  14. Road Diet • Street and location criteria: • Moderate volumes (8,000–15,000 ADT). • Roads with safety issues. • Main streets; commercial reinvestment areas. • Economic enterprise zones. • Entertainment districts. • Historic streets, scenic roads. • Transit corridors. • Popular or essential bicycle routes or links. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  15. Road Diet Convert 4-lane undivided to 3-lane. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  16. Road DietFrom FHWA’s A Resident's Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities, Resource Sheet 7: Engineering Solutions to Improve Pedestrian Safety Before After CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  17. Road Diet Examples from National Complete Streets Coalition: www.completestreets.org CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  18. Road Diet Examples from National Complete Streets Coalition: www.completestreets.org CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  19. Road Diet Examples from National Complete Streets Coalition: www.completestreets.org Examples CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  20. Road Diet On-Street Parking: Reduce Lane Width. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  21. Road Diet? We will have to work in stages to get the recreational motorists off the road.Initially, we may have to provide separated areas for them to drive. Something like this: A recent recreation survey for North Carolina found that nearly 60% of the State’s population drives for pleasure. . . I envision a letter to the editor: “Get those [recreational] motorists off the road! I’m trying to bike to work and they are hogging the road just driving around for fun!” CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  22. On-Road Bicycle Facilities • What are the Standards? • National Highway System: Use AASHTO. • AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities • The 2010 Guide is under final review. • Everything else on-road: We recommend using AASHTO, but we can’t enforce it. • Don’t use only minimum design standards. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  23. Bicycle Facilities Shared Lanes • Generally on lower volume roads. • Wide outside curb lanes. • Often enhanced with “Bike Route” signs. • Bicyclists may need to “take the lane” to avoid debris, potholes, bumps, etc. • Need to maintain smooth pavement. • Need bicycle-safe grates. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  24. Bicycle Facilities Highway Shoulders • Allow motor vehicles and bicycles to coexist. • Shoulders wider than 6 feet usually can handle bicyclists: prefer 8 or 10 feet on busier highways. • Need to maintain smooth pavement. • Need bicycle-safe grates. • Need to remove debris. • Conflict with some State laws that prohibit using shoulders as travel lanes. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  25. Bicycle Facilities Rumble Strips • Can be hazardous to bicyclists. • Need “escape” spaces: AASHTO will propose: CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  26. Bicycle Facilities Bicycle Lanes: On-street lane for bicyclists. • Usually same direction. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  27. Bicycle Facilities Bicycle Lanes • Sometimes left side. • Sometimes contraflow. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  28. Bicycle Facilities • Intersections need special treatments. • Caution with “Door Zones”. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  29. Bicycle Facilities Cycle Tracks: Controversial • A bicycle facility next to roadway (1 or 2 way). • More popular in Europe (Netherlands, Denmark). • 2010 AASHTO Guide will address. • May be grade separated from motor and pedestrian traffic. • Intersection conflicts. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  30. Bicycle Facilities Bike Boulevards • Interconnected routes favoring bicycle travel. • Can be a mix of on-street, shared lanes, bicycle lanes, and trail connections. • Relatively common in “college towns”. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  31. Bicycle Facilities Roundabouts • Ongoing discussion about bicyclists traveling through roundabouts. • See the Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System (BIKESAFE): www.bicyclinginfo.org/bikesafe/index.cfm. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  32. Bicycle Facilities on Bridges Possible Bicycle Treatment for Bridges and Roundabouts: Olympia WA. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  33. Bicycle Amenities • Bike racks on buses • Bike racks on trains • Bike parking for transit • Public bike parking CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  34. Pedestrian Facilities • Go to the Accessible Design Course! • Consider pedestrian amenities. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  35. Pedestrian Amenities Eligible: Facilities related to transportation. • Benches • Bus shelters • Trees • Water • Restrooms • Trailside and trailhead facilities. • Lighting: Don’t overdo! See www.darksky.org. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  36. Pedestrian Amenities Not Eligible • Transportation funds should not substitute for park funds. Not eligible: • Picnic areas • Ball fields; bleachers • Running tracks around school fields • Park restrooms* • Other examples… * Unless primarily a trailhead for a transportation trail. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  37. Bridges • Bridges: Essential Links. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  38. Bridges • A bridge may be the “make or break” link for an interconnected nonmotorized transportation system. • DOT Policy: DOT encourages bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on bridge projects including facilities on limited-access bridges with connections to streets or paths. • This includes potential connections to facilities on parallel or intersecting streets or paths. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  39. Highway Bridges • Design bridges for all potential users. • Design highway bridges to accommodate emergency breakdowns. • Consider possibilities for nonmotorized users at both ends: are there possible connections to local streets or paths? • Motorists can handle several-mile detours; nonmotorized users cannot. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  40. Bridges Bridges • Think about the context!!! • Consider emergency needs. Bridges should account for vehicle breakdowns. • Consider emergency access needs, but: • You don’t need tractor trailer standards for most trail bridges. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  41. Interstate Highway Bridge • Woodrow Wilson Bridge: I-95 VA, MD, DC • No previous nonmotorized connection. • Connects to streets and trails. • 1.1 mile, 12-foot wide. • Barrier separated. • Three “bump-out” areas. • Displays, telescopes. • Many awards. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  42. Bridge Retrofit • Steel Bridge, Portland OR • Lift Bridge: Connects downtown Portland with the east side of the Willamette River. • Highway on top • Railroad below • Trail connection added below. • Gates for lift section. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  43. Old Railroad Bridges Osage Prairie TrailTulsa, OK Soo Line "S" BridgeEau Claire WI CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  44. Trail Bridges Farmington Canal Linear Park, Cheshire CT • If there is good emergency access, you don’t need to design for heavy emergency vehicles. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  45. Trail Bridges Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, Akron OH • Bridge to extend the trail over the canal and under an active railroad track (hauling stone). • Length: 130 feet. • Metal-pitched roof protects trail users from debris. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  46. Rail Bridge to Trail BridgeWalkway Over the HudsonPoughkeepsie – Highland NY CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  47. Tunnels and Underpasses • Design for the tallest likely user: • Maintenance vehicles? • Equestrians? CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  48. Tunnels and Underpasses • Design for Perception of Security • Good visibility through the underpass • Lighting if needed. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  49. Traffic Control Devices • The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices applies to nonmotorized transportation facilities: • http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ • See MUTCD Part 9 - Traffic Control for Bicycle Facilities (1.25MB) • Avoid motorist and bicyclist confusion. • MUTCD has bicyclist guide signs. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

  50. Maintenance and Operations • If it is transportation, it should be: • Open for use just like local streets. • Open with no restricted hours of operation. • Open with no closures except for rare events (similar to local streets). • Maintained for use just like local streets. • YES, this includes snow and debris removal. • If you build it: maintain it. CONSTRUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT DESIGN GENERALIST PAVEMENT & MATERIALS

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