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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 Ridley Development Management) Michael E. Ridley P.O. Box 4288 Horseshoe Bay, TX 7865/ Telephone: 5"12:567.2459 Facsimile: 830.596.2970 E-mail: mer@tsC31".net -CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE - December tz, 2003 Ft. Worth, Texas Virtually alt existing conservation develnpments have targeted the upper twenty five percentite of the home buying market. The organizers of this conference questioned why and asked if the development concept was applicabte to a greater segment of the market. To further define the market segment, it was agreed that the maximum sale price of the home should not exceed $" 150,000. The purpose of this presentation is to provide information concerning how conservation development concepts can be utilized for the target market. t.O CONSERYATIONDEVE1'0PMEN-T Envision a 100 acre parcel of land in an undeveloped condition which has an entitlement for 200 residential building sites. Utilizing conventlonal methods, the land is subdivided~ developed; ~old and deeded with little or no regard for the retention of natural areas. Now envision that same parcet with the same entitlements, where a minimum of 50% of the total· acreage is retaine4 in a natural condition as a Nature Preserve by employing the concepts of conservation development. Conventional devetopment is an exercise in land fragmentation where areas not designated for other uses are deeded to each resident as private open space. Conversely, conservation development focuses on land preservation with the unimproved tan ct being owned and managed in commof!. by all owners within the subdivision. Conservation development represents a viable alternative to the conventional methods for the production of residential tots. fn the ctecision malting proce~s of selecting which development alternative to employ, the following should be considered. tl Real estate. f roJt:.h.aclc taxes~ ff designed:,_s.tmc.tured,..and..managei:tpropetly,_ the Nature _ P-re~ of a conservation ctevdopmenr can qualify for an Agricultural wrupife '~emptiOn that significantly reduces the annual real estate tax burden and prevents the county from imposing their rolt-back optlon. .Even if the land ctoes not qualify for this exemption, it will be taxed at a reduced value as open space. In a conventional development, the entire residential tot willoe taxecf at a fair market value ancf with the roll=-back taxes to be paid by either the developer or lot owner. This information applies only to Texas. t.2-Federat income taxes: The Internal Revenue Code provides a deduction from feqeral taxes for land contributed to a Nature Preserve. However, the compliance with that Code makes it virtuatty impossibte to achieve these deductions. Therefore, conservation development must be justified for reasons other than an anticipated federal income tax saVlllgs. t.J D-evetopment cost: The cost for the infrastructure and other development costs are comparable with either alternative. It should be noted that the authorities having jurisdiction often provide incentives to encourage conservation development thus redµcing the cost for this alternative. ,. Ft. Worth Conference Page~ of 4 Vt Nature Preserve: When property designed-andincorporatedinto the overaltengineeriQg of a project, the Nature Preserve can serve multiple purposes. 1.4.t R e atestare taxes: P-otentialreduction in real estate taxes as discussed in P-aragraph 1.1 L--1.4.2 W ater quality easement: In areas requiring a Non-Point Source Pollution Plan or other water quality restrictions of thls type, the Nature Preserve can be utilized for this purpos ~. 1.4.3 Amenities: Several conservation developments have effectively utilized the Nature Preserve as_ a_ ma.j.or_ amenity for. v:is.ual . and:_ ph_-y:sicit separation, hiking t.raits,_ and as nature/bird watching v~ues. t.4A Marketing: Perhaps the most important aspect of the Nature Preserve is the impact it can have on marketing the property. Considerable public relations benefits can be realized by being recognized for preserving a major part of the development in its natural condition. Most existing conservation developments identify their Nature Preserves as a maJor · motivation for purchasing a buitding site. 1.5 Securing entitlements: In many jurisdictions, conservation development is highly encouraged· by government. Often, the entitlement process is abbreviated in recognitio ~ of employing this concept. As previously stated, government also offers incentives to a developer for conservation devetoptr).ents. 2.0 TARGET MARKET E CONOMICS Ih order to property project the requirements of the land development, it is first necessary to determine the av erage size of the dwelling units to be constructed. This is accomplished by utili zing industry standards on the maximum altowabte lot price and financing/other costs to estabfujh a budget for construction . Per square foot construction costs were applied to the budget to determine tli~ size. --TARGET MARKEI' ECONOMICS--- Cos.LCateg.ocy Total °lo. ·Construction cost: $ 108,000 72% Lot cost: 27;..000 18% Financing/ other cost:.. 1~000. 10%- Sale price:_ $.. 15.0,0.00 1DQ% Dwelling. unit_ size:. · us_u sq.ft.. $ -80 20 11 $..111 ~ !iJe11n;,n19-.n.ffF-··· -'{/' ~~~ ·- Ft. Worth Conference Page-~ of3 J.0-CONVENTIONAL/ CONSERVATIONCOMP"ARATIVEANALYSIS. Because there are no existing conservation developments targeted for the affordable price range, this comparative analysis is based on a hypothetl-cal project located in a rural area of Texas usinp the following assumptions and conditions. 3".t Assumptions andCondilions 3.1.1 Residential lot producers: There are two delivery systems for producing residential lots. The. first_ is_ the. de..'iLelhper/bniltle.r... which_ is_ a _ 'il:ertica lly integrated:_ organfaation, ·that produces tots exclusively for their own home building actMries. Tue second type is d:rtt lot developer which produces lots that are offered for sale to either home builders or individuals. Since the devetopment approach of each is different, this analysis assumes a lot developer is involved in this hypothetical example. J.t.2" Gross hmdarea (GLA)"-166-acres: This rs total size ofthe parcetto be devetoped ..... 3.1.3 Maximum permitted residential building sites -200: This number represents the total number of sites permitted-by the authority having jurisdiction over the pro~erty. 3.1.4 Density -R-2: This density equates to two building sites per gross acre. 3.1.5 Lamtuses-:-Generally, land-uses within residentiatsubdrvisrons ~lude: -arteriat/u:t:ilicy.inftasfn,cture ' -residential-~ sites -open space · 3.1.6 Nature Preserve: Those areas within a residential subd:ivisron whfch are not ctevetopei;i or disturbed, retained left in a natural condition, owned in common and managed as a Nature J>re;;erve. t--3:"t.i Storm water managemenrandwater quality: In most jurisdfctions, authorities contro,\ling subdivision development have identified management of storm waters and water quality as major consicterations. Therefore, detailed catcula.tions concerning increased storm water run-off created by the introduction of surfaces that alter the natural flow and absorption are required-. As improvements are mac.te within the subd:iv.fsron, areas are identified·a.s (\ither: -impervious surface areas (ISA) -pervious surface areas (PSA) 3'.1$ Conditioned area-(Uy -t-,J50-s-q.ft:-F or this analysis, ix was assumed-that the maxin).um size of the dwelling unit would not exceed 1,350 sq.ft. in order to meet the target market economlcs. 3". t. ~ Non-conditioned area (NC.A) -160% of CA: 'fhe Ne.A is a ratio of the CA and is an ~SA. This includes all structures and surface improvement such as garages, patios, parking courts, driveways, and out buitdihgs. Ft. Worth Conference Page~ of 4 3.1.ttt Infrastructure improvements:-In conventional development generally 15% of the G:{:..A is devoted to streets, utility and drainage rights-of-way of which 50% are considered ISAs 3.1.11 Residential-lots -conventional:-In conventional development, after subtnrcting the-µea req_uired for infrastructure, the balance is subdivided as residential lots with required building set-backs. Other than at comers, alt tots have common property lines-. 3.1.12 Inclusive building areas (IBA) -conservation: The IBA is the area within which all residerrthl building-improvementr nnrrt b-e loarred. There are no building set=-qack requirements for the IBAs . IBAs do not have common property lines; the area between is the Nature P-re~erve . ,.., CONVENTIONAL/CONSERVATION. COMP ARATIVEANALYSIS-,.., CoO¥entiona:l Land UseS-/Cakulations,ZConditions. (Area-in-square fo€t} Infrastructure Residential lots. (crunrentiona~· Inclttsive-building areas-(Eensewatienf. Natm:e-.preserve:- Gross· Land-Area:- Inffastmeture! Condiriuned-area:- Non-conditioned area: Totat Impervious Surface A.teas: · Total Pervious Surface Areas: General conditions Total building_ sites: Residential lots size -conventional: Inclusive building areas size -eonservation: Safe price oflots f fudusfve ouliding areas: 653;_400 3,..7.~Q 3-26,700- 2:70;000- zm,.oou .S-66,700 3;_4S9,_300 200 18,500 $27,000 15% 85.% 100°"/o ·Conservation (Atta. in-squatt re€t)-. 653;_400 1,409,000- 2,362:,600 4,.35-6,000- 3-26; 709- 2:7t[, 000- 270,(J(J(J 806,700 3,_489,.300 200 7,000 $ 27;000 15% ~%- 53% 100°Ai- Conservation Develop1nent at an Affordable Price December 12, 2003 Intermodal Transportation Center Trinity Railway Express Station 1001 Jones Street, Second Floor -Community Room Side-A, NW Corner Fort Worth, TX 76102 Targeting Designers/Developers of $1501( or Less Homes Theme: Conser va t ion development is co ns idered by some to be reserved for the wea lth y. However, by combining sow1d economic analysis with a desire to preserve a site 's ecological integrity, we can design and plan subdivisio ns offering homes the average family can afford, while respecting the wildlife habitats we all enjoy. 8:00 -8:30 a.m . Registr ation 8:30 -9:00 a.m . Envisioning a Different Future -R a ndle Harwood , Acting Director -Fort Worth Parks & Community Services 9:05 -9:25 a.m . Concept on Affordable Housing -National Trends -Connie Cooper, Ion Design Group 9: 30 -10: 30 a.m. Conservation Development: A Better Way to Develop -Mike Ridley, Conservation Developer 10:30 -10:45 a.m. Break 10 :45 -ll:45 a.m . Site Planning for Homes the Average Family Can Afford -Bryan Klein , Manager Director, Ion Design Group ll :45 -1:00 p.m. Lunch Catered by llisky's 1:00 -2:00 p .m . Sustainable Design Requires a Holistic Approach -Gary Olp , Architect & Consultant, President, GGO Architect Corporation 2 :00 -2:40 p.m. Resource-Friendly Landscaping: Planning to Planting -Oliver Windham, Landscape Architect 2:40 -3:00 p.m . Break 3:00 -3 :30 p.m. Case Studies 3:30 -4:45 p.m. Koundtable Discussion 4:45 -5:00 p.m . Wrap-up 1 Texas SrnartScape Smart Gardening For North Central Texas Leslie Calderon Environmental Planner II North Central Texas Council of Governments December 2, 2003 •"At least a third of the water being put on the landscape doesn't need to be there. It's running down the street, or it's being applied in the rain, or it's overwatering plants, 11 -Marilyn Good, Chairwoman, Texas Water Wise Council Star Telegram, Jul. 20, 2003 Background • What is storm water? Storm water is rainfall that flows over our yards, streets, alleys, parking lots, and buildings and enters the storm drain system. Storm water discharge is regulated at both the federal and state levels. •How does storm water get into our rivers and streams? Storm water runs off our streets, parking lots, and yards and into drainage ditches, gutters, storm pipes, and other drains, which transport the storm water directly to our creeks, lakes, and the Trinity River. How is storm water different from wastewater? • Wastewater collection and storm water systems are separate. • Wastewater is the used water that drains from toilets, sinks, household drains, and some industrial drains. • Wastewater travels through wastewater collection pipes to a wastewater treatment plant where it is treated to strict quality standards before it is released into a water body. • Water that goes into the storm water system does NOT go to a treatment facility. 2 What is Texas SmartScape™? •Interactive "how to" guide promoting landscaping with native and adapted plants; shows citizens how to: •Conserve water and save $$ on your water bills •Beautify your home and raise your property's value •Use less pesticides and fertilizers & reduce storm water pollution! What is Texas SmartScape™? •Utilizes xeriscape principles, but goes beyond the basics by providing design, care and plant search tools that are "Smart" for North Central Texas • Originally released as a CD-ROM (May 2001) • Database of 200+ native and adapted plants for N. Central TX region • Photos, artwork, original music, environmental information, and landscaping techniques • Now on-line for greater accessibility 3 Why Was Texas SmartScape™ Created? • Urban storm water sampling showed elevated pesticide and nutrient levels from residential areas Over application of pesticides and fertilizers+ over watering and/or rainfall = contaminated runoff • Storm water Phase I cities had to meet permit requirements to address this issue (Dallas, Fort Worth , Gar1and , Mesquite , Irving & Plano, TxDOT Fort Worth and TxDOT Dallas) • Native and adapted plants beneficial in reducing pesticide and fertilizer application and outdoor water consumption • SmartScape CD conceived as a non- regulatory storm water best management practice (BMP) for new and re-development • Designed primarily for new home owners and developers in North Texas, and secondarily for anyone interested in landscaping How was the SmartScape™ CD Created? •A true regional cooperative initiative developed by the following: ~" 4 How was the CD Created? • Approximately 2,000 hrs. of work by team members and others • Cost not directly measured -time volunteered or worked into existing schedules • Tarrant Regional Water District funded software • Distributed through the 60+ cities participating in the Regional Storm Water Management Program (www.dfwstormwater.com) • Cooperative CD bulk purchase -a cost effective means for cities to distribute CDs • Unit price around $0.77 each -cheaper than a color brochure • Anyone may copy the CD and distribute it for FREE or at face-value ONLY! Not for- profit How was SmartScape™ Web Created? • Five main regional water providers sponsored SmartScape™ Web development • CD supplies insufficient to meet popular demand • Internet provides greater access to SmartScape™ • SmartScape™ on-line version debuted March 2003 •www.txsmartscape.com 5 How is SmartScape™ Being Used? • By local governments as a: • Public education and new and re-development BMP to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's storm water regulations • Public education tool for water conservation • Guide to promote composting, recycling and related efforts • By the public (not only in North Texas) as a: • General gardening resource • Source on how to save $$ on water bills •Way to learn about local resources (e.g. new residents moving to the region) •Teaching tool for schools, Boy Scouts, Master Gardeners , composters and others What is the Regional Response to SmartScape™? •Initial response to SmartScape TM varied •Little or no local nursery interest in 2001; but increasing interest in 2003 •Media response was great! .continued, cyclical news coverage (print, TV, radio ) .Positive coverage has resulted in increasing public awareness and demand of this tool 6 What is the Regional Res onse to SmartSca City of North Richland Hills established a SmartScape TM Citizens Award - photo of 2002 winning yard Other cities conducting contests include: What is the Regional Response to SmartScape™? • City response is increasing • More cities participating in SmartScape promotion (91 so far) and in March is SmartScape Month (32 entities participated in 2003) • Cities are starting to look more closely at landscaping issues dealing with conservation and polluted runoff • Public response is outstanding! • Constant phone calls and emails from citizens (in and out of region) • Interest is wide-spread outside of the region, around the State and even outside of Texas (Honolulu, Russia?!) • New web site is generating about 220 hits per day; citizens are taking the "SmartScape Quiz" • Denver Water Utilities and Florida's Yards & Neighborhoods Program are exploring something similar in their areas 7 What are the Successes of SmartScape™? • Main success: citizens are using this information! "I am quite looking forward to pondering the pla nts native to Texas. As a relocated Canadian I am amazed at the amount of color and variety of greenery Texas has to offer." 'We just moved to the Fort Worth area from Maryland . We would greatly appreciate receiving the SmartScape CD before we approve the landscaping design from a local Landscaping Company that we would like to contract with to do the landscaping .... of our new home ." " ... a friend of mine got one (CD) from your booth . I am in the swimming poo l business and deal with a lot of new people to the area who cou ld use our expertise about our native plants and learn to save our water." What are the Successes of SmartScape™? •Other successes: • 140,000+ CDs and 85,000+ bookmarks for citizens (more will be ordered for March '04) •Successful 2nd Annual March isTexas SmartScape Month • 32 cities and organizations participated this year • 12 regional entities joined together to conduct DART light-rail and bus campaign to target 4.7 million riders during March 03 •Multiple awards in 2002 I 8 Why Should Local Nurseries & Landscapers Participate in SmartScape ™? • Citizens requesting more information on where to buy natives/adapted plants and who to call for professional landscaping • Native & adapted plants are good for business, good for local resources! • Looking to provide citizens with a list of native/adapted landscaping resources in the area • Nursery and Landscape industry can help protect water quantity and water quality while beautifying our region! • Be proactive instead of reactive • Nationwide move towards more native landscaping (see last page for reference articles) • Austin , Denver, Florida , Michigan , Illinois and many more • Executive Order No . 13138, Sections 601 and 601 re: Landscaping Management Practices applies to all Federal Agencies and all federally-funded or assisted projects . It provides information and direction regarding the impl~mentation of environmentally and economically beneficial landscaping 9 How Can you Participate in SmartScape ™? • Help inform your customers! • Educate customers on proper application and disposal of pesticides & fertilizers • Encourage customers to follow proper watering techniques • Encourage the use of rain sensors • Avoid runoff by adjusting watering duration, volume of spray heads or direction of sprinkler/spray heads • Post a link to SmartScape web site • Download free SmartScape poster & brochures for display • Bookmarks and CDs are available for purchase • You can copy CD as long as it is not sold for-profit • Participate in the 3rd Annual "March is Texas SmartScape Month " • Sponsor an event in your city, set-up demo site or display in your business • Interested in sponsoring a prize for the SmartScape Quiz? • NCTCOG exploring compiling a voluntary listing of native/adapted plant resources similar to Austin's Grow Green Program .---,...-___,.--,,,,.,......,---..... -....... ~ .. ii NCTCOG is Participating .Nurserl es eot10 n·spr1•gs 11~;...ry 3301 ·Bee C~S'l;load · ~1 ·2~~ ,Blg :R.ed·SUn ~a11i!scaplng 1102'E . C~sar·ci...ez .St. ·,(5,12)~ B.ro•_d:a co. .c'eiiiro1-71aW:.29thSi : (512) ~7ttili79 ,Wts(. mau'tW.a lld . (?12)3'2)!-39&1 Coll•hon'o i;ifl,•r•I Smo South ,51:11 'ilii$tiilP. i83 .Sn'uth tjwy (512) ::es.~ ·;..i~n.:r~tt~t>Mfd~n,.i:u;i;:Hn"" John Deere Londacaploig ·1931fWauko•ha·Dr;{Pil"!!"r.in(J (51;2) 9!5,>7Ji19 . • Lowe._ Home ·l~pro¥•ment ··Wareho~ ·South •. ssJcts .. 1tt·35 . •(51.2}441-0329 ..ctiitral -8'.IOO Shoal Ortek BM!. '(512)~·4'.lll No~h • r;m' N RR 620 (5Wl 9.ia:.arn llhtlli rldge Gorden ~nter 711n'Rlfc;_c. !::!nilla~·Qtf " interested in creating a similar listing of resources for SmartScape. If interested in volunteering to participate in a committee to explore this further, please contact us. http://www.ci .austin .tx .us/growgreen/nurseries.htm I 10 ' ' Questions & Comments? •Please direct them to: • Leslie Ca lderon at 817-608-2341 or lcalderon@nctcog.org •Visit the following: • www.txsmartscape.com • www .dfwstormater.com ... ,.. OUR WATER Useful Articles • Water Conservationists Step on the Grass:Pressed by drought, cities target a thirsty intruder. LA Times, September 6, 2003 • Thirsty region lags in water conservation Star-Telegram ,July 20 , 2003 http://www.dfw.com/mlcl/startelegram/6344849.htm • Issue Spotlight: Water Conservation http://www.serconline.orglwaterconservation/ • Commission works to develop water resources State faces shortage by 2050 with current supply; 32-member group seeks long-term plan October 28 , 2003 http://www.caller.com/ccct/local news/article/O, 1641.CCCT 811 2382353 , 00 .html • Actress Rene Russo helping water district push for conservation http://www.nctimes.net/news/2003/20030521/61125.html 11 MSN Maps & Directions -Map ~ Find a Map (~) Address in United States • (~:· Place name In North America • Street Address • Quick Ma World Atlas Search Tips United States Canada Mexico Europe Page 2of3 http://mappoint.msn.com/( okdj 1bzpbkhglprq34n0sp55)/map.aspx?L=USA&C=32.75249 ... 12110/2003 Free Parking at 7th Street & Grove -Directions: Take 7th Street as if you were heading out to the Freeways, but do not go around the curve as you pass Jones Street -Go straight and the parking lot will be on your left hand side. The Conference wilJ be to your south at 1001 Jones Street, Second Floor Community Room A NW Corner. Should you have any problems locating the parking lot or Conference Site please call Texas Cooperative Extension office and speak to Kim Glass at 817-884-1946. Fare Type Single Ride Local / 1 Zone 1.25 Pre mium / 2 Zone $ 2.25 Reduced I All Zones $0.50 The following are Internet Web address for schedule information: http://www. trinityr ai lwayex press .org /newweeke b.html D ay P ass $ 2.50 $ 4.50 s 1.00 Or you may call Customer Relations {Routes & Schedules} 817-215-8600 for Tarrant County. Dallas please call Customer Information Center { Routes & Schedules } 214-979-1111. FoRfr™ .s *New 7. ·· ~01 East Eighth Street . 1RDEN'S OF B/CS, INC. ( EDUCATION FUND Continu in g Education WELLS FARGO CHECK! ·oouct 9209 Use Wi th 9379 Envelope I 1/21 /2003 6740 35 .00 35 .00 NEBS, INC., TO REORDER : 1-800-225-6380 OR www.nebs.com Printed in U.S.A. H • ' / --- Conservation Design Conference December 12, 2003 Pre-paid registration fee will be$ 35.00 . Limited to 100 people. Refreshments and lunch will be prov i ded . Should you have any questions or co ncerns pl ease call 817-884-1946 Name: Sfe., t/~ &JfYIJ/' Phone#: cr.7Y )If~· 'f?fl ~Acf Addcm' .1'~~ rny' Gt~~P' 72' 81 S Company : ~ =.dJf'j How many will be attending Please conta ct Texas Cooperative Extension office by December 5, 2003, if you have any special needs to be arra ng ed i n order for you to attend this Conference 817-884-1946 . Should you decide to take advantage of the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) for transportation, we will refund all ( TRE) fare's only . Free parking is available on ?'" Street & Grove . This pre -paid registration must b e post marked by D ecember 5, 2003 . Please make check or M .O. payable to Education Fund and return to : Texas Cooperative Extension Conservation Design Conference 401 East Eighth Street Fort Worth TX 76102 Extension programs serve peopl e of all ages reg ardless of socioeco no m ic level , race, color, sex, re lig io n , disability or national orig i n . The Texas A&M University System , U .5. Department of Agriculture , and the County Comm issioners Courts of Texas Cooperati n g . A member of th e Texas A&M University S ystem and its s tatewid e Agricu lture Program Street Design Guidelines for Healthy Neighborhoods •January 1999 Principal Author Contributing Authors Editors Funders Dan Burden , Walkable Communities , Inc . Michael Wallwork , P.E. Ken Sides, P.E. Ramon Trias Harrison Bright Rue Dave Davis , Sharon Sprowls, and Paul Zykofsky U.S . Environmental Protection Agency (Region IX) San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District 1 UC San Francisco I California I Department of Health Services I l 1 Photography Dan Burd en, Walkable Communities, Inc. i 1 Design Dave Davis 1 l 1 © 1999 Local Government Commission. All righ ts reserved. Fable ol Contents I. Introduction Overview ....................................... 2 How Did Current Street Standards Become the Norm? 3 Origins of the Street Design Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Methodology Behind the Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 II. Using This GuidelJoolc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ill. What Are Healthy Streets? 1 Healthy Streets Create Healthy Neighborhoods ........... 12 Conventional Streets Create Conve ntional Neighborhoods . 12 Eliminating the Need for Conventional Street Hierarchy .... 13 Healthy Street Categories ........................... 13 1. Alleys , Lanes, Streets, and Trails 2 . Transitional Avenues and Main Streets 3 . Boulevards and Parkways Where to Find Healthy, Traditional Streets .............. 17 Measuring A Street's Success ......................... 17 Meeting People's Six Basic Needs ..................... 18 IV. Conventional Street Design ProlJlems 1. Public Safety for Drivers Only .................... 23 2. Higher Neighborhood Speed Regulations ............ 23 and Tolerances 3 . Compromises in Safety, Access and Mobility .......... 24 4. Compromises in Recovery ....................... 24 5 . Compromises through Reduced Yielding ............ 24 6. Compromises in Comfort ....................... 24 7 . Compromises in Liability and Risk ................ 25 8 . Law Enforcement Difficulties . . ................... 25 9 . Larger Curve Radii and Higher Speeds .............. 26 10. Faster Intersection Turning Speeds ................. 27 11. Creating Safer Streets Benefits Everyone ............. 27 V. Healtlly NeiglllJorltood Street Design Principles 1. Walkable Neighborhood Size and Mixed Uses ........ 28 2. Interconnected and Diverse Street Pattern ........... 29 3. Shorter Block Length ........................... 29 4. "Outdoor Rooms " and Front Porches .............. 29 5. Traffic Dispersion ............................. 30 6. Speed Control through Geometrics ................ 30 7 . Narrower Lane Widths ......................... 30 8 . Narrower Intersections with Smaller Radii ........... 31 9. Tee Intersections .............................. 31 10 . Curves ...................................... 31 11. On-Street Parking ............................. 31 12 . Nature Strips, Landscaping and Trees .............. 32 13. Sidewalks .................................... 33 14. Curbs and Gutters vs . Swales ..................... 34 15. Street Furniture .............................. 35 16 . Street Lighting ................................ 35 17 . Bus Stops .................................... 35 18. Street Crossings -Crosswalks and Medians ......... 36 19 . Smaller Curb Return Radii ....................... 36 1 20. Comer Sight Triangles .......................... 37 21. Bicycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 22. Snow Remo val ................................ 38 23 . Emergency Vehicles ........................... 38 24 . Utilities ..................................... 39 25. Resolution of Conflicts ......................... 39 Conclusion .................................. 40 Appendices A. AASHTO "Green Book " Excerpts .................. 41 B. Fire Code Notes ............................... 47 C. Livable Oregon "Skinny Streets" Excerpts ............ 48 D. Design Matrix for Healthy Streets ........... back cover Resources ................................... 51 I. Introduction A major shift in the wa y we design neighborhoods is "taking it to the streets " all across America. People are working togeth- er to identify better ways to design new neighborhoods or retrofit 1 existing ones to be more interactive , walkable , enjoyable and liv- able . After years of neglect , street design is re-emerging as a major 1 element of neighborhood street engineering , town planning and real estate development. t Several real estate studies reveal that the top preference in pur-l 1 chasing a home combines low traffic volume, slow street speeds and minimal noise. Many people seek neighborhoods with parks, schools and other activities nearby for their children, while many "baby boomers" -anticipating the changing mobility of their older years -are asking for side- walks , trails, greenways, and open space . : The desire for healthy, interactive neighborhoods is not a new phenomenon, but only quite recently have real estate marketers started to promote quiet, neighborly streets as a main incentive to buy hous- es in particular neighborhoods . A recent Rutgers University study determined that "small towns " rank highest on the list of five different types of liv- ing places. Fifty percent of Americans want to buy homes in village-style neighborhoods, compared with 22 percent for conventional suburbs (Eagleton Institute, 1987). t Before Walt Disney Corporation built Celebration, its new town in Florida, they conducted an extensive market study of what homebuyers wanted. Focus groups revealed that one out of every 1 two Americans wanted to live in a village-style or traditional neighborhood. However, since less than one percent of current new development is styled on older, traditional patterns, a major demand for neighborhoods that retain old town living styles goes unfulfilled. The types of streets our grandparents lived on are still the best ~ streets types today. To build these quiet streets and street patterns we must look both into the past and toward the future. The following guidelines show how to understand, preserve and 1 resurrect characteristics of older neighborhood streets and how to build them again with urban infill and new development. A traditional street in an older neighborhood in Philadelphia . Overview Traditional streets are an important component of healthy neighborhoods and livable communities . Pedestrians in most cities say they want well-designed neighborhood alleys, lanes and streets that keep motorist speeds between 10 and 25 mph, and provide on-street parking, sidewalks, shade , benches , street lamps, and other community amenities. These design elements combine to create an ideal environment that encourages walking , bicycling and a sense of community: streets should be well connected to offer a variety of walking routes and to distribute motorized traffic. Streets should have reg- 1 ular terminating vistas -prominent features where they end or .....-------------~--at the apex of curves -and offer plenty A new traditional street in The Kentlands , Maryland. of variety along the way. Intersections should have turning radii that require low speeds, yet allow access by infre- quent street users such as fire trucks, i sanitation trucks, and delivery vehicles. Ideally, blocks are not longer than 300- 450 feet. Houses are located close to the 1 street. P arks, schools , churches and small shops are found at walkable dis- tances from each home . Walkable , bike-friendly, transit-oriented neighborhoods eliminate the need for many non-essential , motorized trips . Traffic volume, speed and noise are reduced. By slowing motor- ized traffic , people discover that the front portions of their homes are pleasant places . They spend more time in front yards and porches, and meet neighbors along walkwa ys and at street cor- ners. Putting more people outside further slows traffic and enhances neighborhood security. As more people meet, make friends, and ; share information, neighborhood bonds are strengthened and people watch out for each other. Over time , parents feel more comfortable about allowing their children to be outdoors more often, and they permit children to walk or bike to many of their 1 favorite destinations . These attitudes foster activity and personal interaction that benefit the physical and emotional health of chil- dren, seniors, and, indeed, every resident who plays a part in cre- ating a truly safe and healthy neighborhood. 2 Iurod/M/tio~ How Did Current Street Standards Become the Norm? A s researchers examined town codes nationwide, they found 1 that new towns typically copied existing codes or adopted published standards without question. Rarely had anyone con- ducted research to find the right combination of elements needed to make streets successful. This lack of understanding has of ten 1 resulted in noisy, high-speed, high-volume roads, which isolate neighborhoods and increase the need for auto trips. t In Rural By Design, Randall Arendt captures this copycat code syndrome of neighborhood street-making. He cites Residential Streets, published jointly in 1990 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), National Associ- ation of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Urban 1 Land Institute (ULI), which strongly criticizes current street-making practices . According to Residential Streets, current practices can be attributed to early stan- dard-setting based upon readily available state high- ; way department manuals. Several states still set stan- dards for local, neighbor- hood street-making. While these standards may be acceptable for major roads, they are out of character in a neighborhood and produce inappropriate driving behavior by motorists. ~ Street-making is a simple art. However, because it is crucial to neighborhood and community design, many disciplines must col- laborate to achieve the best street patterns for each neighborhood . Motorist behavior is primarily dictated by street design. Left sole-1 ly to traffic engineering, neigh borhood street design of ten reflects i the interests of cars rather than the needs of people and healthy neighborhoods. This Las Vegas neighborhood is isolated. Children must walk long distances in stark, hot, high-speed environments to get to a distant park, school or store. In Fairview Village (Portland , Oregon), a density of 11-13 units/acre helped preserve wetlands and woodlands . Short blocks provide quick and safe access to schools, stores and the post office . (artwork: Holt and Haugh) 1 Origins of the Healthy Neigbhorhood 1 Street Guidelines These street-making guidelines were initially prepared for com- munities in California's San Joaquin Valley under sponsorship of the Local Government Commission's Center for Livable Communities, and Walkable Communities, Inc. Funding was provided by the U.S. EPA Region IX, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Walkable Communities, Inc., and the Physical Activity Health Institute of the University of California at San Francisco and California Department of Health Services. The San ] oaquin Valley is the fastest growing region in California , with a population that is estimated to more than double from 5 million today to 12 million by 2040. In the past, land use patterns and eco- nomic vitality in the Valley have been primarily based on agricul- ture . Increasingly, Valley planners and policymakers face the chal- lenge of meeting housing, employ- ment , and infrastructure demands created by this growing population while trying to preserve their com- munities' historic rural character and the economic viability of their agricultural businesses . Responding to these concerns, a task force of planners, city managers, elected officials, and nonprofit representatives gathered to help develop these healthy neighbor- hood street design guidelines. Although developed in the San] oaquin Valley, the guidelines can easily be applied to street design across the U.S . and were intend- ed for national dissemination. These design principles are con- sistent with low-speed street-making across the country and are based on the larger planning concepts of "traditional" or "village- ! style" neighborhood design. Draft versions of these guidelines 1 have already been used for state and national training courses and local street design in cities across the United States and Canada - 1 and as far away as Australia . These guidelines embrace the published art of street-making found in dozens of engineering, planning and town-making man- uals. Many popular references were consulted and used in their t preparation including the following: the of ten-quoted American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets ("The Green Book "); the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines ; ITE 's Traffic 1 Engineering Handbook; Residential Streets : Objectives , Principles and Design Considerations, published by the American Society of 1 Civil Engineers (ASCE), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Urban Land Institute (ULI); and the ASCE 's 1 Residential Streets. The National Fire Code and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board 's "Designing For Transit " manual were also used . A number of other town-making texts , such as Randall Arendt's Rural by 1 Design and Christopher Alexan - der's Th e Timel ess Way of Building and A Pattern Language , were also consulted. All the street dimensions recom- mended in th ese guidelines fall within the acc eptable guidelines and principles established by these important national and regional organizations . E xpect deb ate in your commu- nity. Manuals often offer diverse recommendations. They alwa ys have a range of values from which professional teams can select to achieve their goals . Planning , engineering , transit operations, safety and fire code bibles have descriptive language supporting the principles for older, people-friendly, traditional neighborhoods , but they also have language suggesting conven- tional ways of thinking. In Appendix A, we have pulled together excerpts from the AASHTO Green Book to demonstrate the depth of support for tra- 1 ditional or "healthy" street design and engineering . When con-1 fronted by specialists who can only see the reasons not to do things differently, encourage them to review this language which supports the changes needed in your community. It will be an interesting, learning experience for everyone involved. Trail connector in a conventional neighborhood in Davi s, California . In Washington , DC, parked cars create an important buffer, providing added pedestrian comfort and encouraging lower travel speeds . Methodology Behind the Guidelines T o prepare these street design guidelines, we assembled a team consisting of two professional engineers, an architect, a town planner, a historic redevelopment specialist , a citizen planner, an attorney, and a walkable communities instructor. To "field-test" the guidelines, our team measured successful streets across the country, asked both residents and motorists why they liked their streets, and counted the number of people walking and bicycling along them. To prepare these guidelines, the team visited, measured 1 and talked with residents and drivers in over 80 tradi- tional neighborhoods and sixteen neo-traditional neighborhoods. Dan Burden, the principal author, 1 recently completed a 30-month tour of 542 cities in 1 each of the major regions of the U.S. and across North America. Meeting with groups interested in walkable communities in each of these cities, Burden has identi- fied some of the most critical and common street-mak- ing issues, practices and principles. A Nationwide Review of Neighborhood Street Design T he streets , neighborhoods and communities we studied were diverse. They included Cambridge , Massachusetts ; Albany and Saratoga , New York ; East 1 Lansing and Kalamazoo , Michigan ; Crested Butte , Grand Junction and Boulder, Colorado ; the Ballard , Green Lake, Lake City and Capitol Hill n eighborhoods in the Seattle area; Gig Harbor and University Place , 1 Washington ; Eugene , Oregon ; Eureka, Davis , Chico , Santa Monica, Pasadena and San Diego , California ; Denton , Arlington, Austin, McAllen and Dallas, Texas; Juneau and Anchorage , Alaska; Liberty, St. Louis, Springfield and Independence, 1 Missouri; and Brevard , Asheville, Charlotte and Waynesville, North Carolina. 1 Among the new "traditional" neighborhoods we studied or visited were Seaside, Abacoa , Celebration , Mizner Park and Truman Annex in Florida; Middle Towne Arch in Norfolk, Virginia; I Kentlands near Gaithersburg, Maryland; Laguna West, Village Homes and San Diego's 4S Ranch in California; Northwest 1 Landing in Washington; and Fairview Village in Portland, Oregon. 1 Winter Park and Celebration, Florida I we used Central Florida as our laboratory to test the feasi -! bility of these guidelines. In the Orlando area , we explored streets of early 1900s town-making in historic Winter Park and 1 compared them to the new town of Celebration built in the 1990s. By comparing the streets of the past with those of today, we were able to draw up several workable points of contrast. Our first calculations at the Winter Park Fire Department mea- sured the width of their fire trucks . The trucks are 9.5 feet wide (from mirror to mirror). Explaining our interest in creating new street standards , we asked the local fire fighters to direct us to Winter Park's narrowest streets. After first assuring us that they could handle any street in town, they chose 20 streets for our study. Arriving at the designated tree-canopied neighborhood , we found 1 streets as narrow as 16 feet with parking on one side. Other streets with parking on two sides had total widths of 22-24 feet. These streets were extremely narrow, rich- ly canopied with 60-70-foot-tall oak trees, but workable as access streets to homes . The residents and motorists we talked with were pleased with every function per- formed on those streets. Before leaving Winter Park, we should 1 note that planners there today remind us ! that it is harder to defend these old, suc- cessful street designs to the current traffic engineers than it was to build them. The lost knowledge of traditional , healthy street-making takes its toll . It is essential that we rediscover this art, if for no other reason than to preserve the successful, historic living places of the past. For a contrast to sleepy, historic Winter Park , we traveled to Central Florida's newly built town , Celebration, created by Walt Disney Corporation as one of the most complete and comprehen- sive "traditional " towns of recent years. In Celebration, we found many people out walking; children were plentiful along these quiet streets. A variety of streets enhance the community. One- way streets wrap around parks with on-street parking on one side of the street. We found the 18-foot lane section acceptable, if not delightful. Other street types featured average widths of 28 feet with parking on both sides of the street. Even with well utilized parking space on both sides, fire trucks traveling down this street 1 have ample room. With cars parked on both sides taking up as much as 12 feet total, 16 feet is left for maneuvering fire trucks at An East Lansing , Michigan , standard , full -sized fire tru ck shown straddling a seven -foot parking bay. A lane in Celebration , Florida , is an excellent example of proper widths . The lanes are ten feet, and , with parking of seven feet , measure a total of 17 feet. whatever speed can be accommodated on the short , inter-con- 1 nected blocks. Celebration's residents described their streets as wholesome, charming and "just right." Some visitors, they told us, find "the streets slow them down too much ." This pace makes residents ! happy, however. We regarded the 28-foot streets as too wide , but 1 an acceptable compromise for wide-street proponents (although 1 these streets would not reduce traffic speeds if adjacent home- owners did not park their cars there). Of course , the criteria for evaluating street design is not simply whether it is wide enough for a truck or car to drive along or park on, but how it fulfills a multitude of traditional , healthy town- making and neighborhood/house design principles such as the 1 ones this guidebook embraces . Part II Using This Guidebook i T his guidebook is based on "real world" examples of successful ! streets found in all regions of the United States. As a starting point for understanding and evaluating existing streets and plan- ning new ones, the guidebook assembles the best street and town development practices, highlights the patterns, language and i principles of modem urban designers, and incorporates success- ful practices from previous generations. , Who Should Use This Guide. T h ese guidelines can serve as a frame- work for people who want to build, operate, and maintain high-quality, healthy, traditional neighborhoods, towns, and city centers . The guidebook should be equally useful to elected offi- 1 cials, neighborhood leaders, developers, i planners, engineers, architects, emer- gency responders , and others interested in livable communities and healthy neighborhoods. This guidebook allows practitioners -from the average citizen to the professional staff member -to create and maintain healthy streets for healthy communities. Where These Guidelines Can Be Applied. T hese guidelines can be used primarily to design new, tradi- tional neighborhoods, but are also useful to help protect tum- of-the century and village-style neighborhoods. We share the con- cern of the Institute of Transportation Engineers' Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines, which caution J readers not to apply traditional, healthy neighborhood street guidelines to conventional neighborhoods. 1 Applying the Guidelines to Conventional Neighborhood Development. C onventional, sprawl-style subdivisions have land uses that are highly segregated. Blocks and streets are often wide and long, generating higher speed traffic. There are few ways in and out of I a conventional subdivision neighborhood , and streets are orga-i nized on a rigid hierarchy in which minor streets feed into collec- Traditional Neighborhood (IND) vs . Conventional development. The area to the right of the vertical road is conventional. Homes are isolated from everything else , generating an average of 10-12 daily car trips per household . The IND area to the left has the same number of homes or lots . Everything is connected . Fire responders have better access, and transit is more workable. (drawing: Ramon Trias) tor streets which then funnel into large arterials. As a result, con-1 ventional neighborhoods may not benefit -and may even suffer -from designs presented in this manual. Along with the Institute of Transportation Engineers, we recommend further research on 1 how these principles and practices might affect conventional i 1 development before applying them to retrofit these neighbor- 1 hoods. (See Part IV for further discussion of conventional street design.) Using These Guidelines Successfully. I n contrast to the flexibility exhibited in conventional street design and construction, traditional, healthy neighborhood I street measurements must be exact. When design specifications dictate that alleys should be 10-12 feet wide, for example, it is not 1 wise to construct pavement at 14 or 16 feet. To obtain the desired 1 ,..,......_----,--""""" motorist behavior on a traditional street, it must be When vehicles travel at slow speeds, bicyclists fit right in, as on South Street, a traditional street in Philadelphia. designed and constructed with precision. In some cases, specification values can be reduced; but in very few instances, should they be increased. For instance, although we found that 26-foot-wide roadways are most 1 desirable, we measured numerous 24-foot and even 22- foot wide roadways, which had parking on both sides of the street and allowed delivery, sanitation and fire trucks 1 to pass through unobstructed. By contrast, Celebration, Florida's 28-foot street widths work, but do not reduce speed as well as narrower streets. In traditional, healthy neighborhood street design, the old adage of "more is bet- ter " simply does not hold. A note about street widths . While right-of-way dimensions (from property line to property line) are important in defining "the outdoor room" (see page 30), the critical 1 dimension in creating safe, healthy, civilized streets is the width from curb to curb. In this document, all roadway 1 dimensions are given from curb face to curb face. 1 However, a key feature implied by this approach is that well-designed streets should always have a vertical curb (with the 1 exception of alleys and roads in rural areas or adjacent to natural settings, such as parks). A vertical curb clearly distinguishes the space allocated for the automobile from the space provided for i pedestrians and people in wheelchairs. 1 So-called "rollover curbs" found in many conventional neighbor-1 hoods encourage drivers to park their cars up on the sidewalk - ironically, to protect them from other cars often traveling at exces- 1 sive speeds in the roadway. This not only creates a hostile envi- ronment for pedestrians and people with disabilities, but it defeats the potential street-narrowing effect that parked cars can help 1 provide on many streets. Rollover curbs are also very difficult for 1 people in wheelchairs to deal with . If streetscape features, such as tree canopies , must be omitted because severe soil , desert or other constraints exist , street design- ers must consider alternative features to retain the quality of 1 place . Principles Guiding Healthy Neighborhood Development. These guidelines will work in new or existing neighborhoods where many of the following elements are considered or favored : 0 Higher "traditional neighborhood design " densities (6-12 dwelling units/acre), instead of conventional d en sities (1-5 dwelling units/acre). @ Mixe d use s, including parks each 1/8 or 1/4 mile , schools each mile , convenience stores, plazas or other gathering places, a n earby post office, and other destinations that convert and absorb trips. 8) Homes that face or "greet " the street with friendly architecture (garages located in the rear or set back behind the fa<:ade). 0 Accessible transit within one-quarter of a mile. 0 Parks and homes that have "transparency," with many eyes on the street and on adjacent properties thus creating a safer neighborhood . A 16-foot wide, two -way lane in Kansas , City, Missouri , in a popular historic neighborhood . Part Ill What Are Healthy Streets? Healthy Streets Create Healthy Neighborhoods. H ealthy, or traditional, streets are networks of roadways and connector trails in communities, designed primarily for use by people , not just motorized vehicles. Such streets are designed for motorists to feel comfortable operating at low speeds (15-20 mph). Low traffic volume and lo w noise, easy access, and multi- ple routes to destinations are also featured. Pedestrian and bicycle movements are favored. Walkable streets form the backbone of friendly, interactive, safe, secure neigh-, borhoods . Along these streets, people 1 know their neighbors, some of whom may live three blocks away. Walkable i streets allow responsible motorists who live in or travel through the 1 neighborhood to feel most comfort- able at lower rather than higher speeds. Motorists traveling too fast for the neighborhood feel uncomfortable on curves, at intersection turns, and with the short length of blocks. Motorists who go the correct speed feel relaxed and in tune with the neighborhood. Neighbors, in tum , feel comfortable and safe walking, riding a bicycle, or chatting with neighbors along such streets. Conventional Streets Create Conventional Neighborhoods. C onventional neighborhoods have a strong road hierarchy, with wide roads and broad intersections . These neighborhoods have long, unconnected blocks, with perhaps only a few entry 1 points . They have ample off-street pa~king and cul-de-sac streets. Often the roads lack sidewalks and street-side landscaping. It is no t unusual for these neighborhoods to lack schools, parks, churches, stores, and other conveniences and attractions . Since there are so few destinations within conventional neighbor- hoods, residents typically take 10 to 12 car trips per household every day. With few neighborhood des ti nations, most ch ildren 1 also have to b e driven or taken by bus to many locations, inclu d-1 ing schools and playground s . Motorists u sing these streets feel 12 W/,,a-t Are-Huvlthf Stru-tr? comfortable and safe driving at higher speeds (30-40 mph). People living in these neighborhoods have little or no desire to walk along these streets. Built following World War II , most of these conventional neighborhoods are considered "unsustain- able " urban design, because they typically generate significant polluted water runoff, encourage fossil fuel consumption, create more individual motorized trips that generate more air pollution, ~ and increase traffic congestion. 1 Eliminating the Need for Conventional Street Hierarchy. B ecause conventional neighborhoods are laid out with a strong street hierarchy, they tend to concentrate traffic into collec- 1 tors and arterial streets offering few, if any, alternate routes. Cul- de-sac streets run into higher volume sub-collectors, then into higher trafficked collector streets , and then major arterials. 1 Healthy neighborhoods disperse traffic, mak- 1 ing this hierarchy irrelevant. It is likely that t most streets in new traditional neighbor- hoods will have low-volume traffic , with only a few distributor routes. H ealthy or traditional neighborhoods are less dependent on road hierarchy. They purposefully have narrow streets, short blocks, many connections, sidewalks, and landscaping. Many of these neighborhoods were built before automobiles were plentiful , although a few such neighborhoods are now being planned and built. Traditional neigh- borhoods often have schools, parks, church- es, corner stores, post offices and other important destinations. E Anytown Children can walk or bicycle to schools in older neighborhoods. As a result of layout, connectivity, route choices and strong sup- port for walking , children are of ten able to reach schools and 1 other destinations by themselves, which reduces the number of 1 daily car trips. Well-designed, traditional neighborhoods are therefore considered "sustainable" development. 1 Healthy Street Categories. ' he following types of streets are recommended for healthy street-making: trails, alleys, lanes, streets, main streets, boule- vards, and parkways. The map of "Anytown" above indicates the proper designation, location and connections of these street types, t which are essential to successful traffic distribution and manage- ment. The characteristics of these street types are outlined in the WktNt Are-H~ltky Stree,,tr? 13 A map of Anytown indicates proper designation, locations and connections of street types . A Portland, Oregon, trail connection in a neighbor- hood near downtown. following pages and in the figures on pp. 19-22. There has been 1 confusion in recent years on street naming by type of street. For example, a lane should be both the type and name of any roadway i connecting single-family homes where parking is found on only one side . Consistent naming (i.e. lane, street, avenue) will help identify the purpose, function and design of roadways. We further recommend that names used in conventional neighborhoods, that lack functional or descriptive meaning (i.e. vista, circle, way, etc.), not be used to name roadways in healthy neighborhoods. Healthy, traditional streets are categorized by the work they per- form for the neighborhood . For simplicity, street types can be bro- ken into three groups: 0 Category One: providing neighborhood access such as trails, alleys, lanes and streets; @ Category Two: roadways providing transitional access to neighborhood streets, i.e., avenues and main streets; and @) Category Three: roadways providing regional access, i.e., boulevards and parkways . Category One -Alleys, Lanes, Streets and Trails. C ategory One connectors , which form the heart of quiet neighborhood streets, function primarily to provide access to neighborhood destinations and make numerous connec- tions within neighborhoods . All of these connectors -alleys , 1 lanes , streets , and trails -provide access, utility and walking infrastructure . Traffic speeds of 15-20 mph are appropriate to such functions . Alle ys, lanes and streets are measured on how well they add to the quality of the neighborhood by offering 1 access, parking, tranquility, and safety. just like plant or animal cells , neighborhoods work best with many connections from the edges. Connections to centers of 1 neighborhoods are appropriate too, but they should not move significant amounts of traffic, nor move that traffic too quick-' ly. People entering neighborhoods should feel rewarded by ease of access to specific locations, but also encouraged to travel by foot 1 or bicycle. Trails (Figure 1-1, p . 19). Trails are non-motorized connectors through neighborhoods . They often follow their own independent rights-of-way or utility corridors. Serving as an independent alter- 1 native transportation system, trails connect many homes to parks, 1 schools, transit stops, and other common destinations. Trails can provide access into commercial districts, linking with bike lanes for added access to more distant commercial districts, employ-I ment centers and major transit hubs. 1 Neighborhood trails also make connections to natural areas and 1 parks, and should provide links to regional greenways and open 1 spaces . In a healthy neighborhood, trails may comprise 20-40% of the total residential connectors. For example, Village Homes, a 1 1 1970s development in Davis, California, has more miles of trails 1 than roadways. Alleys (Figure 1-2, p. 19). Alleys are slow-speed (10-mph) service l easements running behind and sometimes between rows of hous- es. Alleys (typically 10-12 feet wide) provide public service work- ers easy access to utilities and sanitation, and residents easy access 1 to garages, backyards, and any accessory units. Alleys also off er second or third approaches for fire response. Lanes (Figure 1-3, p. 20). Lanes are among the most desired types of access roadways in traditional, healthy neighborhoods. These 1 ~ narrow roads (typically 16-18 feet wide) are the prime means of access to single-family residences. Lanes allow parking on one side only. Thirty-eight- foot rights-of-ways are usually required. One-way lanes can operate around parks or nature preserves . They also work well as two-way facilities in many other contexts. Landscaping and sidewalks fill the remainder of the available public right-of-way. Lanes are short , purposefully running only two to six blocks before they terminate . Streets (Figure 1-4, p. 20). Streets are the other most common type of access road in healthy neighborhoods . Paved portions of these roadways are generally 24 to 26 feet wide. Streets provide access to single-or multi-family housing. Parking is pro- vided on both sides. A right-of-way of 48 to 50 feet is typically required. Landscaping and sidewalks use the remainder of the available public right-of-way. Streets are also short, terminating in two to six blocks. They can also encircle a square or other public space . On-street parking should be encouraged. If on-street park-1 ing is light or non-existent, or limited to only one side, streets will fail to properly slow traffic. Category Two -Transitional Avenues and Main Streets. Category Two roadways connect neighborhoods to commercial centers. Avenues and main streets are "transitional" road- ways: in addition to providing access, they carry large and more diverse amounts of traffic. Avenues and main streets host deliv- eries and efficient emergency responses. They anchor neighbor- hood commerce, serve bicyclists and pedestrians, and improve transit operations. Category Two streets must operate at low to Please note : All roadway dimensions are curb face to curb face . An alley in the Old Town section of Key West, Florida, exhibits good alley form, with "eyes on the street ," accessory units, and other amenities . An avenue in Mountain View, California with a median , 12-foot travel lanes , 5-foot bike lanes , planting strip, and sidewalk set back from the roadway. High capacity is handled at each intersection , where a turn lane is provided. moderate speeds, since many people live, work, shop, and play within these street environments. Parking is found on many, but not all, avenues and main streets. Avenues (Figure 2-1, p. 21). Avenues connect neighborhoods to town centers, and as such can extend up to one mile. Roadways contain 1 7 feet of pavement per side - 6 feet for bicyclists and 11 feet for motorists -with raised medians in the center. Avenues can also operate without a median, although the raised center island is of ten preferred. On-street parking is optional. Triple- canopy landscaping, bike lanes and sidewalks are provided. Avenues are richly landscaped , since they are civic spaces that serve as gateways to town centers . Avenues should have the tallest, most spectacular tree canopies. They often have colorfully planted medians during spring and summer. Since avenues serve as the transition between the town and its neighbor- hoods , speeds should be kept low, typically 30 mph to keep neighborhood speeds low. Avenues also serve as major transit routes . Main Streets (Figure 2 -2, p . 21). Main streets provide access to neighborhoods , as well as places for neighbor- hood commercial and mixed-use buildings. On-street parking is very desirable . Due to the 20-25 mph, low- speed environment, bike lanes are optional , but pre- ferred. Main streets usually do not have medians , but medians with low shrubs are acceptable if they do not detract from terminating vistas and attractive storefronts . To help pedestrians across the street and calm traffic, "bulbouts" -wider sidewalks that extend into the roadway -should be provided at intersections and, if blocks are long , at mid-block crossings. Category Three -Boulevards and Parkways. C ategory Three boulevards and parkways connect town centers to the greater region . Boulevards and parkways are essential for combining motorized and non-motorized traffic in safe, effi- cient, welcoming environments. Since the success of commerce and traffic circulation depends on effective street design, much 1 attention has to be paid to the orderly and balanced movement of all transportation modes on boulevards and parkways . On these streets, car traffic, delivery trucks, emergency responders, and transit must operate with high levels of efficiency. Pedestrians and bicyclists must also be welcomed. Indeed, pedestrians and bicy- cl ists have even greater need of support on these streets through bike lanes and sidewalks, due to the higher speeds and amount of traffic. Boulevards (Figure 3-1, p. 22). Boulevards provide multi-lane 1 access to commercial and mixed-use buildings, and they carry 1 regional traffic. For these reasons, speeds on these streets are high- er (30-35 mph). Boulevards have bike lanes and sidewalks, and they may have sections of parking to support commerce, parks, schools, and other attractors along their routes . In conventional neighborhoods, boulevards are classified as "arterial " roadways . Parkways (Figure 3-2, p. 22). Parkways bring people into town, or they carry traffic through natural areas. Parkways are not designed to accommodate adjoining development. Roadway speeds may be 45 mph or higher. When parkways enter towns, they become boulevards, and speeds are reduced to 30-35 mph. Bike facilities are found on the edges of parkways, separated by distances of 10 feet to hundreds of feet. In conventional neigh- borhoods and town designs , parkways are classified as "arterial " roadways . Where to Find Healthy, Traditional Streets. H ealthy or traditional streets can be old or new, and are found in every region of the country. As a gener- al rule , these streets were either built before the 1930s, following classic , pre-streetcar or streetcar era neighbor- hood designs , or are now being built again. The new streets are often found in neighborhoods that have "tradi- tional neighborhood designs." Many other names have been given to these developments, including "livable ," "traditional," "new urbanist ," "transit-oriented develop- ment," "urban villages ," and "pedestrian pockets ." Whatever the label , these streets and neighborhoods are the ones idealized in movies and television shows, the streets that fill automobile magazine ads and our memo- ries, the places we visit on our vacations . Measuring A Street's Success. H ealthy streets are walkable streets, best measured by how pedestrians act and feel when walking along them. Strolling along healthy streets, pedestrians feel relaxed. They enjoy the experience of walking in this environment and feel connected to their surroundings . Pedestrians in healthy street environments feel confident and in control, and do not feel threatened when encountering strangers. Another measure of successful streets is the number of people walking along them. Streets are working especially well if people stop and talk with others. Walkable streets also foster a sense of W~a;t AYe-H~lt~y StY~tr? 17 A traditional street in Philadelphia's Society Hill attracts many users . Ocean Beach Drive, South Miami Beach, Florida . This lively street, with its popular sidewalk cafe, went from heavy crime to the second most successful street in th e Sou theast th rough a mod es t street re-design and a major in ves tment in the buildings. owner sh ip by everyone wh o uses them. People who feel comfort- able on we ll -d esigne d stree ts have the d esire to pro tec t an d look after them. W h en a h ea lthy s treet gets "sic k ," the peo ple wh o live on it want to n urture it back to health ra ther th an move away. The health of a community can of ten be measured by the health of its streets. Other measures can be used to rate the success of streets: 1. Movement Choices. Healthy streets allow for a diversity and co- existence of movement . The streets support people who want to walk, bicycle, use transit, or drive to destinations. 2. Connectivity. Healthy streets connect places where people live, 1 work, attend school, and shop . Pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheel- chair users should have more than one route to get to their desti- nations . 3. Number of People. Healthy streets have many people on them. The presence of peo- ple helps the streets feel safe and inviting. 4. Diversity of People and Activity. The most successful streets have the greatest diversity of people, ranging from young children to senior citizens . Healthy streets have people engaged in different activities, including sidewalk cafe dining, shopping, sitting on benches, visiting with friends , reading newspapers, window shopping, strolling, jogging, meeting people, walking dogs -as many activities as can be imagined . People can be seen walking and bicycling on healthy streets during most hours of the day. 5. Creating a Civic Stage. Healthy streets host people who go there to see and be seen, to meet others and watch the daily "parade" of cars and pedestrians. The "drama" on the street is free theater for many people. When people feel comfortable moving amon g stran gers, the street environmen t is healthy, safe, and working co rrectly. M ee ting Peopl e's S ix Bas ic N ee ds . M arketing professi onals have identified fi ve basic n eeds of people who vis it retail stores , service centers , streets , neighborhoods , or towns . These basic needs are Security, Convenience , Efficiency, Association , Comfort and Welcome. 1 Walkable streets are places where people find all of these basic needs met. 18 W lt,,a,;t Are-ff e4ltlt,,y s tree-tr? Right-of-way 20 to 140 feet Trail Purpose: Provide s non-motorized access throughout the neighborhood . Street Features • Shade trees recommended •Trail width 8-14 ft. • Design speed 20 mph ! • Stopping sight distance 125 ft. • Clear zone of 3-6 ft. Buildings and Land Use • Link to make connections between all homes , parks and schools , and shopping districts mm -Right-of-way 20-22 feet - Alley Purpose : Provides access to the rear of property. Street Features • Average speed 10 mph • Requires a 20 -foot ROW • Utility location underground on one side • Paved width minimum of 10 ft. Buildings and Land Use • Residential -primarily single family • Consistent building line recommended • Provides rear access to garages • Consider accessory unit above garage • 7-foot minimum setback of building • Garage door on track , to reduce outward swing. Figure 1-1 Figure 1-2 Figure 1-3 Lane Purpose: Provides access to single-family homes. Street Features Buildings and land Use • Street width 16-18 ft. with curb, • Residential -primarily single family gutter and informal parking • Buildings brought close to sidewalk • Planting strips 6 ft. • Consistent building line recommended • Sidewalks 5 ft. on each side • Average speed 15 mph • Requires a 38-foot ROW • Utility location -underground or alley • Drainage -Curb and gutter • Two to six blocks long !' 6' I-Right-of-wa y 48 feet -I Figure 1·4 Street Purpose : Provides access to housing. Street Features Buildings and land Use • Street width 26 ft. with curb, • Residential -many residential types gutter and informal parking • Residences brought close to sidewalk • Planting strips 6 ft. • Consistent building line recommended • Sidewalks 5 ft. on each side • Front porches encouraged • Average speed 20 mph • Requires a 48-foot ROW • Utility location -underground or alley • Drainage -Curb and gutter • Two to six blocks long Avenue with Parking Purpose: Connects town centers and neighborhoods. Avenues go from neigh- borhoods to town centers, and are not long (no more than one mile). Avenues may circulate around a square or neighborhood park. Street Featur es Buildings an d Land Use • Street width 24 ft. on both sides of median wi th on-street parking (17 ft. if no parking), curb and gutter • Median width 12-16 ft. • Travel lanes 11 ft. • Maximum two travel lanes • Bike lanes and planting strips 6 ft. • Sidewalks 5-8 ft. on each side • Average speed 25-30 mph • Utility location -underground • Mixed residential and commercial use • Buildings brought close to sidewa lk • Consistent building line recommended • Place prominent public buildings and plazas at end of vista • Drainage -Curb and gutter, median can have swale for natural drainage and water retention Main Street without Median Purpose: Provides access to, and a space for , neighborhood commercial and mixed-use buildings. Street Features Buildings and Land Use • Travel lanes 11 ft. w/striped parking • Commercial and mixed use • Maximum 6 travel lanes • Buildings next to sidewalk • Planting we ll s 6 ft. I landscaped • Consistent building line recommended median op tional • Pedestrian awnings, arcades, si d ewalk • Sidewalks minimum o f 8 ft. each side dining and retail recommended • Average speed 20-25 mph • Utility loca tion -underground • Drainage -Curb and gutter • Includes bulbouts at intersections and mid-block crossings • Bike lanes optional but preferred Figure 2-1 Figure 2-2 ,igure 3 -1 minimum 35 feet on both s ides of median Boulevard Purpose : Provides multi-lane access to commercial and mixed-use buildings, and carries regional traffic . Street Features • La nes 11 ft. with striped parking and bike lanes • Maximum 6 travel lanes • Planting wells 6-11 ft. • Sidewalks 5 ft. minimum each side • Average speed 30-35 mph • Utility location -underground •.Drainage -Curb and gutter Buildings and Land Use • Commercial and mixed use • Buildings next to sidewalk • Consistent building line recommended • Sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides • Pedestrian awnings and arcades recommended 'igure 3-.2 Parkway Purpose: Parkways bring people into town , or pass traffic through natural areas . Parkways are not designed for development. When the parkway enters town, it becomes a boulevard. Street Features • Travel lanes 11-12 ft. • Median width 12-20 ft. • Average speed 45-55 mph • Multi -use trails 8-12 ft. • Planting strips 7 -20 ft. • Bike lane not adjacent to travel lane • Utility location - u n derground • Drainage -swales allowed, or curb and gutter • 6 ft. minimum paved shoulder on high-speed parkway (>50 mph) Buildings and Land Use • No buildings, preserve nature • Parkways are designed to be on the edge of towns, nature preserves or agricultural areas • Multi-use trails may be on either or both sides. Criteria for dual trails include absence or presence of rivers, lakes , canals, railroads, etc . Part IV. Conventional Street 1 Design Problems C onventional street and neighborhood design have created problems, in large part because planners, engineers and urban designers failed to understand the principles behind roadway standards. To avoid making the same mistakes again, it is impor- tant that we understand the problematic traffic conditions created by conventional street design. 1. Public Safety for Drivers Only. The safety of the public has been the highest law since Roman times . Unfortunately, con- ventional street design often looks only at the safety, comfort and liability of the public that drives. Many conventional neighborhoods are i not designed to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to move safely, comfortably and conveniently along and acro ss public streets and commercial driveways . 2. Higher Neighborhood Speed Regulations and Tolerances. I n many states, the lowest speed that can be posted on a public street is 25 or 30 mph. According to the 1997 ITE Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines, "This regula- tory practice may be grounded in attempts to eliminate so-called speed traps." Today, however, neighborhood speeds are of ten higher than 25 mph. Speeds on today's roadways have increased because of: > Higher posted speed regulation by states. Many towns take their neighborhood street design guidance from state high- way departments. > Forgiving street design "improvements ." Design practices at state levels suggest that roadways be "forgiving" to incau- 1 tious drivers. To achieve this tolerance, designers add geo-t ; metrics for another 5-10 mph above the posted speed limit. t > Modem car amenities cushion drivers and accommodate l i speed. Speeds are increased by new car designs that insulate t drivers from the physical discomforts of the road, which might otherwise discourage high-speed driving. Conventional development near Las Vegas, Nevada. Wide streets and long blocks in conventional neighborhoods encourage drivers to speed and discourage bicycling and walking. The cumulative result of these various factors is much higher speeds than those posted. 3. Compromises in Safety, Access and Mobility. C onventional street design compromises the safety, access and mobility of pedestrians and bicyclists when it allows for high- 1 er speeds that encourage many motorists to travel 30, or even 40-1 45, mph through neighborhoods. Further compromises are made 1 by omitting sidewalks, placing sidewalks on only one side of streets, placing narrow sidewalks at the edge of roads where speeds are 30 mph and higher, and failing to offer frequent, con- venient, identifiable places for pedestrians to cross streets. In con- ventional neighborhoods, bicyclists rarely find places to ride; 1 thus, many choose to ride on sidewalks, which further imperils 1 pedestrian safety. 4. Compromises in Recovery. H igher speeds mean that motorists take more time and longer distances to slow down or stop. Speeds of 20 mph require a combined total 1 of 106 feet of reaction and braking time. Speeds of 30 mph require 200 feet (four traditional home lots), and speeds of 40 mph require 320 feet (more than the length of a football field). 5. Compromises Through Reduced Yielding. A s motorists drive faster, they lose the abili-' ty to yield to pedestrians. Motorists travel- ing at 20 mph can easily spot pedestrians 150 feet away (three tra- ditional home lots ) and can make comfortable yields or stops. 1 Thus, many drivers do yield or stop for others on foot or in wheel- 1 chairs. But at higher speeds of 35-40 mph, where distances of 300 feet are involved, most drivers find it uncomfortable and some- times unsafe (due to trailing vehicles) to stop or yield. Many young, inexperienced drivers as well as some senior motorists travelling at higher speeds may not be aware of pedestrians at the increased distances they need to slow down. 6. Compromises in Comfort. U sing design elements that allow higher-speed travel, conven- tional neighborhoods encourage drivers to feel comfortable at 30-45 mph. As higher speeds become common, pedestrians and bicyclists feel less comfortable on streets. Many stop walking and bicycling and use their cars instead. Many parents feel that their 1 children cannot play safely in front yards or walk to nearby desti- 1 nations . As fewer p eople walk, motorists perceive that they are the only people using the streets, encouraging more aggressive dri- ving behaviors and decreasing further non-vehicle users' comfort on the street. Donald Appleyard's Livable Streets documents the 1 reduction in street use by pedestrians as traffic volumes and 1 speeds increase. The removal of trees from walking environments also discourages pedestrians from being out along neighborhood streets. 1 Neighborhoods feel sterile and incomplete when streets lack tree canopies. In hot climates, the lack of shade especially discourages walking . Designers following the conventional codes for street hierarchies of collectors and arterials purposely remove trees from street envi- ronments. With more width going to pavement on conventional roadways, many cash-strapped communities omit sidewalks and 1 trees from development requirements. More pavement retains more heat, increasing dis- comfort for everyone in the neighborhood . 7. Compromises in Liability and Risk. W hen pedestrians are hit by cars going 40 to 45 mph, they die 83% of the time, a jump from a 50% chance of sustain- 1 ing a fatal injury at 30 mph. By stark con- trast, the rate falls to a 3 to 5% chance of fatal injury among pedestrians hit at 20 mph. Higher car travel speeds increase the fre- quency and severity of crashes because of the increased reaction/braking times . Many risk management special- ists have calculated the safety effects of design elements for motorists only. However, in many cities and urban centers, one- half of all fatal traffic injuries involve pedestrians. It might be argued that not using speed-reduction design elements such as on-street parking, bulbouts, trees, terminating vistas, etc . could reduce property damage to autos. However, prioritizing potential damage to motor vehicles over the higher risk to people who might be permanently injured or killed is unwise . Considering the high cost of permanent injuries or fatalities to pedestrians, the lower speed approach to neighborhood design 1 makes sense . 8. Law Enforcement Difficulties. J ohn Moffat , the Washington Governor's Highway Safety Representative and a former Seattle police captain in charge of traffic, states that it is impossible to enforce traffic laws when the A traditional street in Society Hill , Philadelphia. Before and after on Grandview Avenue in University Place , Washington . Before, motorists sped by homes at an average of 44 mph. Today, motorists travel at an aver- age speed of 31 mph. Residents enjoy the lower speed, noise, and traffic . Sidewalks, bike lanes, on-street parking, medians and well-marked crosswalks were built into this street reconstruction . playing field has no clear rules. He compares law enforcement 1 1 with a game of basketball: if the court has no defined shape or lines and if the hoop keeps moving, then the referee cannot con- 1 trol the game. The same is true with police traffic work. Police 1 cannot correct speeding behavior without help from engineering. When 50 to 85% of the public is speeding because roadway design says "It's OK to go fast," law enforcement officers have no place to begin. Only by designing roads where 85% or more of the public is compliant can the remaining few motorists be corrected. To test out the premise that street design can reduce speeds more effectively than ticketing alone, a street study was conducted in University Place, Washington. Before being rebuilt, the wide, "rural," two-lane Grandview Avenue was a suburban connector whose traffic held constant speeds of 44 mph, although speed-limit signs encouraged speeds of 35 mph. A 1.1-mile section of the roadway was rebuilt to guidelines similar to those in this guidebook. Travel lanes were narrowed to 11 feet each, 5-foot bike lanes were added, a 2-foot landscaped edge and a 5-foot sidewalk were included , and trees were planted. Motorists on Grandview Avenue toda y operate at speeds of 1 2 7-30 mph , 14-17 mph below the former speed , and 5 mph 1 below the s till-posted 35 mph limit. On a street parallel to 1 Grandview Avenue , traffic still moves at 44 mph. To see if ! traditional s peed-reduction methods were as effective as street redesign, police patrolled this parallel street during a two-week test period. Over 300 traffic tickets were written t to curtail speed on this road . With intense ticketing, speeds were lowered by only 4 mph. 9. Larger Curve Radii and Higher Speeds. In Rural By Design, Randall Arendt documents another neighborhood traffic speed generator. Curves in conven- tional neighborhoods are designed so that motorists who round them do not slide sideways in their seats. Standards of 450- to 600-foot centerline radii on curves keep motorists comfortable ! at 30-35 mph. When tighter curves with centerline radii of 166 1 feet are used, motorists going more than 25 mph feel uncomfort- able. 1 Arendt describes li fe growing up in a neighborhood where the street centerline radius in front of his home was 72 feet. Motorists rounded the curve at polite speeds of 15-18 mph, which improved 1 safety. Rick Chellman, principal author of ITE's Traditional 1 Neighborhood Street Design Guidelines, has determined that a cen- terline radius of 89 feet supports 20 mph comfort-level turns , while a 50-foot radius supports a 15 mph turn. 10. Faster Intersection Turning Speeds. I n conventional street-making, intersections are designed to allow motorists to turn from distributor roads as quickly as possible . Efficient turns reduce the chances of rear-end crashes by I inattentive motorists following too closely. For this reason, con- ventional neighborhood streets -30 or 36 feet wide with 30-foot 1 corner radii -allow motorists to turn at 12-20 mph or faster. However, these higher turning speeds reduce the likelihood that motorists will yield to pedestrians where they most need support: crossing the street. In traditional neighborhoods, the likelihood of having two cars following each other down the same road is much less common, making reduced turning speeds most appropriate. 1 11. Creating Safer Streets Benefits Everyone. T he higher-speed street designs of conven- tional neighborhoods threaten motorists and residents alike. Risk management spe- cialists who insist on an extra 5-10 mph of 1 design speed tolerance for imprudent drivers I are not considering the bigger picture of pub- ; lie safety. Lower speeds result in increased opportunity 1 to see and react to dangerous conditions. The frequency of crashes is reduced, and when crashes do occur, lower speeds greatly reduce the severity of injuries and eliminate many injuries altogether. Clearly, lower-speed street designs, not higher- speed "forgiving highway" designs, are more likely to reduce trau- i ma and injuries. To put safety back into perspective , designers must create neigh- borhood streets that encourage slower speeds. New, healthy, tra- ditional neighborhoods seek to return comfort to all street users . By incorporating design elements to encourage slower speeds, dri- vers are less likely to speed, and pedestrians and bicyclists feel more comfortable and become more numerous along streets. Many studies have shown that speeds of 20 mph or less increase comfort levels and encourage pedestrian activity. Indeed, success- ! ful downtowns often have traffic slowdowns that hold weekday speeds to 10-15 mph, creating ideal walking environments -and a vibrant street life that fosters added public safety and economic i success. large corner radius at intersections (bottom right of photo) makes distance pedestrian has to walk to cross the street significantly greater while allowing cars to go faster as they round the corner. Partial plan of Celebration , Florida , shows streets , lanes , alleys and trails . Part V. Healthy Neighborhood Street Design Principles The p att ern of th e neighborho od -block len gths , use ofter-1 minating vistas, use of tee interse ctions , tre e canopies , pres- ence of people on streets , visual d etail of buildings , attractive parks , creation of an "outdoor room ," and other techniques - ca n be used in co m bination to achieve desired street speeds . The following 25 k ey elements of street design can help create healthy neighborhoods and livable communities . Element 1. Walk a ble Neighborhood Size and Mixed Uses. L im it the size of neighborhoods to a walkable scale. The optimal size of walkable neighborhoods is 114 to 1/3 mile from outer edge to center, or about a fi ve- to ten-minute walk at an easy pace . By staying within this size and allowing a mix of uses , neighborhoods can meet many peoples' needs without sending traffic into other areas of town . Allowing religious institu-1 tions , schools , parks , and small commercial districts in neighborhoods can eliminate as much as 40% of auto trips . Thus , mixed-use neighborhoods can reduce daily household trips to 6 to 7 , down from 10-12 for households living in conventional neighborhoods. 1 Trip/Access Projec tions for Low-Acreage Developments at Modest 1 Density. Walkable neighborhoods require from 40 to 85 acres of land for development. A 40-acre , lower density, walkable/transit supportive neighborhood generates approximately 1,680 trips 1 (assuming seven dwelling units on each of the 40 acres, six auto trips per day per household). This level of auto trips requires a minimum of two n eighborhood connections to properly disperse traffic on a low-volume basis. Two-entry distribution results in each street having 1.4 cars per minute (assumes a 10-hour dis- tribution). Trip/Access Projections for High-Acreage, Higher-Density Devel- opment. At the upp er size of walkable, higher density neighbor- hoods , a 125-acre de velopment with 10 dwelling units/acre (aver- aging six auto trips per day per household) would generate 7 ,500 daily auto trips. This number of trips would require eight neigh- borhood connectors to disperse traffic to the 1.5 cars-per-minute 1 threshold. Thus, even at these densities , avenues can still be 1 1 designed to accommodate low-volume traffic and remain desir- able places to live, amenable for pedestrian crossings , and suitable 1 for pleasant walks and other outdoor activities. Element 2. Interconnected and Diverse Neighborhood Street Pattern. 1 H ealthy neighborhoods require a variety of different street types, generally in a rectilinear or grid pattern. An inter- connected street pattern with short block lengths provides multi- ple routes, diffuses automobile traffic and shortens walking dis- tances . 1 A balanced mix of different street types makes neighborhoods accessible to residents, moves cars efficiently at low speeds and i volumes, and keeps the neighborhood quiet, safe and pleasant. 1 (See figures on pp. 19 -22 for street types to include.) 1 Element 3. Shorter Block Length. C onventional neighborhoods of ten allow block lengths of 600 feet or more, which allow motorists to gather speed between intersections. When stop signs are used to inhibit ! speeding, motorists often make up lost time by accelerating 1 out of the stop and increasing speed through succeeding blocks. Traffic speeds can be reduced by making many blocks shorter (average 250-350 feet, with 500-foot maxi- mum), which prevents motorists from comfortably travel- ling at higher speeds . Element 4. "Outdoor Rooms" and Front Porches. C ars are slowed and pedestrian comfort is improved by adding tree canopies, on-street parking and placing 1 building closer to the street to create a sense of a more l "enclosed" street, or "outdoor room." From the time of the Greek Empire , traditional street designers have achieved this comfortable sense of enclosure by giving streets a ratio of 2:1 to 3:1 of width (from building to building) to build- ing height. Thus, an 18-foot lane (40-foot right of way), with 1 buildings 25 feet high, requires building-to-building separations 1 of no more than 75 feet. Within these dimensions, the proper feel- ing of enclosure is achieved . With a 50-foot right-of-way, building setbacks should be about 12.5 feet for best effect, although a 25- foot setback is acceptable. People walking along the street like to 1 feel that they can "reach out and talk to someone" sitting on the front porch, which is possible when porches are within 20 feet of the sidewalk. A well -designed bike trail connects residential developments midway between Amsterdam and Harlem , Holland . Village or healthy neighborhood scale 1 Element 5. Traffic Dispersion. S treet capacity and momentary automobile delays do not create problems in a well-developed neighborhood street system. Due to the large number of street connections and short blocks , many neighborhood lanes and streets carry between 100 and 450 cars per da y. This access keeps traffic volumes down to 7 to 35 1 vehicles per hour, making it unlikely that more than a few cars will ever be moving on the same block at the same time. This dis- ' persion allows the following geometric principles to flourish . Element 6. Speed Control through Geometrics. The best known form of traffic speed control is through the use of roadway geometrics. These design parameters include street width, centerline radii of curves, stopping sight distances on hills and curves, and intersection turning radii. When the Typical conventional street I---BaiJdin& to Buildinc 75 feet-I paved width of streets is kept narrow, motorists travel more slowly. When turning radii on curves, at intersections, and at driveways are kept low, motorists turn more slowly and are more likely to yield to pedestrians. ,,,.!,,,, I -JOI-- @ ""II Ill ··. t .JP.444~ Speed can be greatly reduced 1 through a combination of geo- metric features . Geometrics include the actual width of unoccupied streets, the practi- cal width when cars are Buildiog 1IO Building 130 feet The Outdoor Room: People want enclosure . The physical relationships of buildings, trees and streets make us feel comfortable or uncomfortable . The most satisfactory ratio is for the width of the street corridor (building to building) to be 2-3 times the height of the buildings. If the width exceeds the height by more than 4 times , we begin to lose any sense of enclosure . (source: Randall Arendt in Rural By Design, citing Spaces: Dimensions of the Human Landscape by Barrie Green hie) parked on each side, and the remaining width on streets narrowed at entry points (neckdowns) or through other traffic-calming devices. As a general rule, neighborhood streets should only be wide enough for 20 mph vehicle speeds, while accommodating infrequent street users such as sanitation and delivery trucks. Neighborhood streets can be arranged to allow the timely access of emergency vehicles into even the most narrow conditions by providing through access on larger avenue systems . Element 7. Narrower Lane Widths. Low-volume streets (0.1 to 1 car per minute) do not need wide travel lanes. Motorists using traditional streets learn to share space with other vehicles by traveling more slowly, and by pulling into open spaces between parked cars when needed. Keeping travel lane widths down to 9-10 feet per travel lane on local road- ways helps keep motorist speeds to appropriate 15-20 mph levels on lanes and streets. HtuNtt~ N~ij~bor~ood Stru-t Duij~ Element 8. Narrower Intersections with Smaller Radii. F requent, narrow-width, smaller-radius intersections prevent ; motorists from attaining high speeds. AASHTO provides spe- cific language supporting such intersections in areas with heavy pedestrian movements: "The minimum radius of curb return where curbs are used or the outside edge of pavement where t curbs are not used, should be 15 feet." Due to low volumes of motor vehicles, occasional users of these streets are permitted to 1 1 cross centerlines on both approach and departure sides of the intersections. Buses rarely travel down traditional streets or lanes, but can negotiate these streets with little difficulty. On a recent trip into a neighborhood with 22-foot wide streets, a large bus ( 41 1 feet long, 8-1/2 feet wide) took 8 seconds to round the curve at the junction of two 22-foot wide interconnecting streets. Element 9. Tee Intersections. T ee intersections provide two traffic-calming and traffic-safety effects. First, they give designers an opportunity to create strong terminating vistas. When motorists see that their routes soon end, they are less inclined to increase their car's speed. Second, a three-leg intersection reduces the number of poten- tial points of conflict for motorists from 32 to 9. Pedestrians and bicyclists find tee intersections far more comfortable and hospitable. For pedestrians, the points of conflict are cut in half-from 24 to 12. Conflicts At a Four-\Vay lnterection ::.~ \ -.1~1d,: I'~ {'1..'d;,:..;.I: l ci:l \;:.Hlll:;.;;:-, Conflicts at a Tee Intersection Element 10. Curves. C urves can and should be retained in suburban development. Prominent buildings or other ter- minating vistas should be anchored at the apex of curves. Curves should have centerline radii of 90- 120 feet, to force motorists to drive more safely as they travel through neighborhoods. Most motorists feel uncomfortable rounding these types of curves at speeds higher than 20 mph. Element 11. On-Street Parking. Traditional streets favor on-street parking over off-street park- ing. On-street parking can be used as part of the strategy to reduce motorist speed through increased "side friction." On-street parking also creates conditions where large vehicles can use the 1 added space at intersections to improve their effective turning radii. Sight lines are preserved at intersections with 30-to 50-foot parking setbacks from intersecting legs. 4 •! \C:hlt'k tn ;chick cuni'11c·1, Tee intersections are safer for pedestrians and motorists. These diagrams compare the number of potential points of conflict between a tee and a four-way intersection . On many boulevards, there is plenty of room to add bike lanes . Adding bike lanes on this boulevard in Augusta , Georgia, would also make it safer for vehicles by providing a buffer from the trees. Even though many home buyers prefer the convenience of off- street parking, this preference should not completely dictate design. In conventional neighborhoods, garages can dominate up 1 to 50% of a hous e's fac;ade, which eliminates the personal connec- tions that front porches can provide between the house and street. Pedestrians must negotiate frequent driveway crossings, with cars often blocking sidewalks. In healthy neighborhood design, side- walk interruptions are reduced by providing on-street parking plus off-street parking through the use of alley entries to backyard garages . This desi gn practice also helps keep sidewalks safe and enjoyable for pedestrians, people with disabilities, bicyclists and children at play. Element 12. Nature Strips, Landscaping and Trees. C onventional neighborhoods often do not require street landscaping. When streets are stark, motorists increase their speeds . Healthy, traditional neighbor- hoods require green edges of 6 feet or more on each side and street trees to cre- ate a double canopy. With median trees on avenues, a triple canopy is created . These 1 landscaped areas create a friendly, walka- ble environment by separating pedestrians from motorists and reducing auto speeds . Comparisons show that traffic speeds on many tree-lined streets are 10-15 mph lower than those on non-tree-lined streets . Although some dry regions of the country may not support green canopies , many desert communities , such as Albuquerque, New Mexico , are able to find species for land- scaping. The shade that trees provide -reducing air temperature by as much as ten degrees -is even more critical in hotter envi- ronments. The minimum recommended width for road-edge landscaped buffers is 6 feet. Buffers are sometimes limited to smaller dimen- sions, but these green edges are still very important. On some of Seattle's arterial streets, three-foot planting strips grow certain tree species that set stable vertical walls for streets and walkways. Trees are planted in orderly rows in landscaped buffers and are set 1 back from street edges or curb lines a distance of 3-4 feet. Trees are usually spaced 25-50 feet apart. While tree-planting intervals of 50 feet on-center are currently the standard in many commu- 1 nities, closer spacing of 25 to 35 feet can improve shade and bet- ter reduce speeds. Newly planted trees are usually required to have a chest height caliper diameter of 2.5 to 3 inches minimum. In a new development, the developer may need to maintain street 1 trees for the first 18 months. ~ To maintain sight lines, trees and other objects should be restricted from corners for distances of 30 feet on sides where motorists would look right, and 15 feet on sides where they look left. Selecting the proper tree is crucial. Trees should be appropriate for the specific climate where they are planted. Species should be low-maintenance, easy to 1 care for , and not uproot curbs and sidewalks . Trees and shrubs must be undercut to achieve clear center view- ing spaces from 2 feet above ground to 7 feet under canopy. This undercut preserves essential sight lines, and provides convenient conditions for pedestrians ; who walk along the sidewalks . Evergreens and other non-deciduous trees that create high levels of screening should be avoided on corners. As a general rule, decid- uous trees are best for roadside landscaping. Colorful edges from seasonal plantings on street cor- ners and in median noses can also calm traffic substan- tially. These spaces can be adopted by neighbors or area businesses , especially on higher-volume commercial streets , where benefactors can be acknowledged through small , tasteful signs . Element 13. Sidewalks . S idewalks , which only came into use when higher speed carriages and cars became common, are essential in neighborhoods. Even with traffic speeds of 1 15-20 mph, children, seniors and people with disabili- SHADING PAVED SURFACES U nshaded concrete, asphalt and stone sur- faces; such as parking lots, streets , and driveways , trap heat from the sun driving sur- rounding temperatures up by as much as 10 degrees in the summer. Shade trees can make outdoor spaces cooler and more inviting places . * Plant trees along driveways, patios and sidewalks to keep the sun from heating them up. * Trees should be no further than 10-15 feet from the paved areas to be shaded. * Plant trees 3-5 feet from the pavement edge to avoid root damage to the pavement. * Plant trees along appropriate street frontages. * Design adequate planter areas and provide a suitable soil environment to keep trees healthy. * Protect trees and plants from cars . * Provide adequate irrigation and provide as much pervious surface as possible to allow water to penetrate the soil. * Create a mix of trees of different ages and species to promote a continuous canopy cover. ties cannot walk safely without sidewalks. Sidewalks by themselves do not reduce vehicle speeds , since they remove pedestrians from the street space. However, by collecting higher volumes of pedestrians, they remind motorists that neighbor- hoods are places for people. Walking is a social activity. Two people should be able to walk side 1 by side comfortably on a sidewalk, which requires a minimum 1 width of 5 feet. Sidewalks should be separated from streets through the use of landscaped edges. Sidewalks next to curbs that do not have these green strips, must have a minimum width of 6 feet, so pedestrians still feel comfortable without a buffer between them and the traffic. Sidewalks should always be placed on both sides of the street. Designers should not speculate on which side In Albany, New York, sidewalks in older neigh- borhoods allow seniors to get out of their homes and walk comfortably and safely on the street. Without a sidewalk , this resident would not get regular exercise or the social interaction she needs to maintain her physical and emotional health . of the street will have the added value of a place for people to walk 1 or play. Sidewalks need an additional 2 feet of width if they are adjacent , to fences , walls, buildings and shrubs. When these objects are placed directly next to sidewalks , the first 2 feet of sidewalk is no longer functional because people will not walk that close to sta- tionary objects . In downtown Portland , Oregon , sidewalks next to buildings include a 2-3-foot strip of colored pavers , which creates ; zones that subconsciously encourage people to window shop. When can sidewalks be omitted? Sidewalks should not be omit- ted in traditional neighborhood designs. However, due to terrain such as steep hillsides or embankments , designers may have no choice but to put sidewalks only on one side of the street. In these rare cases , extra care should be taken to simplify street crossings . Streets with sidewalks on one side mu s t meet Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements by ensuring that people with disabilities can still cross to accessible sidewalks . When streets are created as very low 1 speed environments (10-15 mph), and sidewalks and streets are at the same grade (the Dutch "Woonerf'), sidewalk space should be defined by using colored paver stones , bollards , or other elements . Element 14. Curbs and Gutters vs. Swales. I n Rural By Design, Randall Arendt argues that curbs and gutters can be omitted in some lighter-density, rural, village- 1 style neighborhoods . For many reasons, swales are ecologically 1 preferable in such rural areas. Natural sheeting of rain water to the edges of lanes or streets allows it to percolate down into the ! earth, dispersing harmful motor vehicle oil drippings and other pollutants into larger areas. Rural-edged roads can also serve as 1 snow storage areas. In neighborhoods where densities reach 7-12 units per acre, curbs 1 and gutters are us ually recommended. Higher runoff of water sheeting from roofs and driveways requires added water retention and treatment. Curb and gutter treatments also encourage cars to park in an orderly fashion and not to intrude into the pedestrian's space by parking partly on the sidewalk. One creative option to 1 handle storm water runoff and retention is to place curbs and gut-1 ters behind crushed, embedded stone, loose brick, or other per- I meable designated parking areas which direct motorists to appro- priate parking spaces, and yet allow water to sheet into these 1 porous areas for absorption into the soil. Innovative ways to han- dle storm water runoff and retention need to be explored further. In urban areas, avenues, main streets, boulevards, and parkways require curbs and gutters because of their greater widths, vol- 1 umes, and traffic speeds. Element 15. Street Furniture. S treet furniture such as benches, waste containers, flower and shrub planters, trees, bollards, lampposts, and kiosks encour- age people to walk. Benches help seniors and the disabled, who i need places to rest every 5-10 minutes when they walk for exer- cise , or ride public transit. Street furniture, in convenient pocket parks (the size of one lot) or other gathering points such as mail-box groupings or bul- ; letin boards , give residents a reason to come out of their houses , socialize and get to know their neighborhoods. When motorists see pedestrians along streets, especially in ! groups, they are reminded that streets have many public uses. Element 16. Street Lighting. 1 I n healthy neighborhoods, people should feel comfortable walking at all hours. Street lighting helps pedestrians feel safer at night. Many neighborhoods prefer more, smaller street lamps to the larger, more widely spaced, high-inten- sity lights of ten found in conventional neighborhoods . Low- angle, pedestrian-scale lamps that emit full-spectrum light allow 1 for more realistic colors at night. They also reduce glare, letting people see the night sky. Light poles 8-12 feet in height can f achieve these desired effects . Element 17. Bus Stops. H ealthy neighborhoods create environments that support tran-1 sit. Residents can take advantage of frequent, easily reached bus stops due to the high connectivity of streets. These bus stops are typically found on avenues, main streets and higher-capacity roads. Streets can be patterned so that residents never need to walk more than a quarter mile to reach the nearest stop. Bus stops should always provide shade and benches, which can of ten be cre- ated by combining stops with pocket parks. Without shade and a place to rest, senior residents and other riders feel uncomfortable A bus shelter with benches in Portland, Oregon , encourages people to walk and take transit. A bulbout on a main street in Brunswick , Georgia, helps pedestrians cross the street by reducing the distance they have to walk and by making it easier for drivers to see them . waiting for buses. Street crossings leading to and from bus stops should be convenient and well-marked . Motorists should be able to see and anticipate where pedestrians are most likely to cross. i Bulbouts should be considered as additional crossing aids to facil-; itate access to bus stops on avenues , main streets , boulevards, and ' parkways. Element 18. Street Crossings -Crosswalks and Medians. A s a general rule, crossings should be well-identified on all 1 avenues, main streets, boulevards, and parkways. Medians should be provided to aid in crossing all wider streets . Ma rked crossings help teach children to identify the best places to cross the street. Crossings can also alert motorists of pedestrian 1 activity, and increase their willingness to yield to pedestrians. Crosswalks create more friendly pedestrian environments , make it easier for police to enforce street laws, and likely increase pre- dictability of pedestrian crossing points - which results in safer interactions between I cars and pedestrians. All signalized intersections should have marked crosswalks. local convention should dictate the types of markings used for , crossings. Typically zebra-style or ladder ' crossings are reserved for higher-volume pedestrian and motorist conflict areas, while 1 parallel lines are used for lower-volume streets. Where can marked crosswalks be omitted? For alley, lane and street comers , pedestrian crossings are always implied, although 1 there may not be marked crosswalks. The law implies that cross-1 walks, marked or unmarked, exist at all points at which sidewalks and streets intersect. Many municipalities omit markings on side streets paralleling major roadways. 1 Element 19. Smaller Curb Return Radii. C urb returns are the curved section of curb when one curbed street meets another. Alleys, lanes and streets in healthy neighborhoods should be designed for low turning speeds ( 6-10 mph). Curb return radii of 10 to 15 feet are ideal in keeping motorist speeds low. Some intersections on avenues, main streets and boulevards may need 25-foot radii. These larger curves should not create problems if sidewalks are set back 6-10 feet from curbs. On-street parking should be restricted 30 feet back from the intersection on each street leg so that infrequent users of 1 neighborhood roads -such as safety vehicles, moving vans and delivery trucks -can tum efficiently. large vehicles can use this I additional space to make their turns safely. 1 By keeping street widths and comer radii narrow, pedestrians can cross neighborhood alleys, lanes and streets in 4 to 7 seconds. On wider streets -such as avenues, main streets or boulevards - protective medians which can be reached in 10 seconds allow pedestrians to cross in comfort and safety. Element 20. Corner Sight Triangles. M otorists approaching side streets must be able to see the dangers and obstacles that might confront them . Sight triangles are spaces where buildings, fences, 1 walls , trees , and other landscaping are trimmed or set back to permit clear vision for prescribed distances. Motorists approaching at 20 mph need 107 feet to see a pedestrian or hazard and be able to stop in time. Motorists approaching at 30 mph need 196 feet, while 1 those travelling at 40 mph need 320 feet of sight/stop- ! ping distance. Element 21. Bicycles. H ealthy neighborhoods provide high levels of sup- port for bicycle use. Trails are created to link homes, schools, parks, transit, nature areas, and other common destinations. Bicyclists should be accorded support on all public and private roadway systems. Bicycle racks and more secure storage should be provid- ed at public buildings, transit stops and other modal connection points. Studies have shown that 20% of all trips made in urban areas could be more conveniently made by bicycle. In some cities that have installed extensive bicycle facili- ties, cyclists account for 15-25% of all trips . On alleys, lanes, and streets, where speeds are kept at 15-20 mph, bicycles mix comfortably with cars and trucks . On avenues, boulevards and some main streets, bicyclists should be provided with bike lanes . Parkways should have separate bic ycle trails that 1 may or may not parallel the roadway. Bicyclists using trails that cross lanes and streets should be given favored crossing support, including speed tables and medians . When bicyclists cross avenues, main streets, boulevards, and parkways, they should receive support from medians and well marked crossings. Mid-block signals may be appropriate where i traffic volumes are high. Pedestrian coordinator Cara Seiderman measures a popular street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which has a small curb radius. Bicyclists fare best when conflicts are separated by a raised median. Parents are advised to closely supervise their children on trails, alleys, lanes, and street sidewalks until they are seven or eight years old. At older ages (nine years and older), children will want to go to more distant places. Parents should work with their chil- dren to set guidelines for riding on lanes and streets, and select 1 sidewalk riding areas on avenues. At age twelve to thirteen, most children receive permission to use bike lanes as safer and more appropriate alternatives to sidewalk riding. In towns where bicy- cling is well developed, such as Davis, California, children as young as twelve have access to the entire town . Element 22. Snow Removal. R emoval and storage of snow from streets and sidewalks is ; challenging where snowfall levels are significant. Snow accu- 1 mulation , however, should not be used to justify building con- ventional neighborhoods with conventional ! roads . Large snowfalls are often predictable . Many communities choose not to plow their alleys in the winter. Parking in streets can be limited to one side of the street during heavy snow days. Plows can store snow in the excess street space created. landscaped street areas also serve as snow storage areas. On avenues, the medians become effective snow storage spaces . Main streets can be plowed to the center for snow removal. Boulevards and parkways can u se traditional snow removal techniques. The IT E Traditional Neighborhood Street Design Guidelines suggests that, "If designed appropriately, traditional neighborhood development streets can help minimize the need to 1 truck snow in all b u t the most severe storms." [p. 32] Element 23. Emergency Vehicles. E mergency vehicles can often access traditional neighborhoods as fast as, or faster than, conventional ones. Such vehicles have the unchallenged legal right to all physical street space. Properly designed healthy neighborhoods have frequent entry points, fewer stop signs, and few traffic signals. This design allows emergency vehicles to take direct routes to all properties at mod- erate speed and with minimal or no delay. Properties in new 1 neighborhoods meet modern fire codes, so average response times allow reasonable res cue time. Unlike conventional neighborhoods, traditional neighborhoods always have at leas t two means of access to each property. Alleys I in healthy neighborhoods provide additional access for emer- gency vehicles . Misunderstanding of the national fire code and insurance carrier ; requirements is widespread. It is frequently argued that streets I must be kept wide to accommodate two fire trucks coming into neighborhoods from two directions at once, and either passing 1 1 one another, or setting extension legs with engines sitting side-by- ! side. This assertion is not correct. : When responding to fires , fire trucks can come from different directions, set up in different locations, and extend aerial truck legs into grassy areas, when needed. Aerial ladders are rarely needed for single-family residences, and thus the legs often are not extended. It has also been argued that fire trucks have no reverse gears. While true for some early fire trucks (when the gear 1 was used to pump water), this design flaw was soon corrected , and today's fire trucks are able to use reverse gears. As with other neighborhood needs, it is unwise to design a neighborhood solely for one purpose, such as emergency response . Without reducing emergency-vehicle access, tra- ditional , healthy streets make important contributions to a community's overall public safety, such as the safety of chil- dren and their ability to play in front yards, a stronger sense of community, and reduced crime rates. Element 24. Utilities. H ealthy neighborhoods emphasize healthy street canopies, uncluttered spaces and open architecture streets. The higher cost of underground utilities can be sig- nificant, but funds may be obtained through cost savings from limiting roadway widths and excessive rights-of-way. 1 Utilities can be placed using access rights on residential property, in alleys, along trails, or on other easements. Underground utilities are preferred in most instances. These 1 ! underground systems can also eliminate storm damage. Long- term costs for utilities should be estimated before installing above-ground systems. Many European cities use two paver stones (one-meter squares) side-by-side for sidewalks, and place 1 utilities under walkways. When new connections or repairs are 1 needed, pavers are easily lifted and stacked. After work is com- pleted, the pavers are reset without the need for jackhammers or 1 cement mixers. Paver-style walkways can be more easily main- tained and allow for tree-root expansion. Element 25. Resolution of Conflicts. I TE 's language on resolving traditional neighborhood design conflicts says it best: "Whenever a designer or policymaker associated with a TND [traditional neighborhood design ], after Firemen are trained to maneuver on narrow streets. In Monroe County, Florida, they practice backing up an 8-foot- wide lane . Ben Franklin and Patrick Henry once walked this street in Society Hill, Pennsylvania . The width has never changed. Although tight, there is plenty of room to accommodate cars, bicycles and pedestrians while encouraging social interaction. due consideration of all relevant factors, determines that an irrec- oncilable conflict exists among vehicular and non-vehicular users 1 of a TND street space, that conflict should be resolved in favor of 1 1 the non-vehicular users, unless the public safety will truly be jeopardized by the decision." [p. 12] Conclusion These 25 elements of street design are the key to creating healthy neighborhoods and livable communities. In his trav- els across the country, the principal author has found that historic traditional neighborhoods, and new traditional neighborhoods , are proving their value to residents, property owners and devel- opers. Children, seniors and everyone in between all love to walk, ride bikes and drive through these real places. People all across the nation are rediscovering the meaning and value of neighbor- hoods focused on the needs of people . And we are learning to create the charm, safety, security, convenience, efficiency, affordability and association made possi- ble from slower, more accessib le, inti- mate streets. As you begin the search for answers in 1 your own community, keep in mind the need to be flexible, to work in a coordi- nated, collaborative fashion. Think small and experiment. Provide abundant access and linkages. Pay attention to the princi-1 ples. There are no hard and fast answers for a given site. Communities and social needs are complex and require many forms. The places we love the most are always tinkered with in kind, gentle ways. A colleague in Winter Park, Florida , the site of our first street test- 1 ing for the writing of this publication, recently shared with the 1 authors this bit of wisdom: "It is much harder to preserve and pro- tect good streets today than it was to build them originally." But 1 the common sense approach to designing streets and neighbor-1 hoods used by our grandparents is coming back. We hope this publication will help. Appendix A. The Green Book Selected Extracts from the "Green Book" (1994) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials && Note: Emphasis added; comments in italics by Ken Sides, PE. • FOREWORD (p. xliii) "As highway designers, highway engineers strive to satisfy optimally the needs of highway users while maintaining the integrity of the environment." This is the opening statement of the Green Book (first sentence of the fore- word), and sets the tone for the manual. It puts the needs of highway users first. It also recognizes that meeting those needs is constrained by consid- eration of environmental integrity. "Environment" could be interpreted broadly to encompass impact on humans, not just storm water quality and air pollution. "Highway users" could be interpreted broadly to include bicy- clists and even pedestrians, and indeed, the Green Book explicitly includes them as users further down the first page . "Unique combinations of requirements that are always conflicting result in unique solutions to the design problems. The guidance supplied by this text.. .is based on established practices and is supplemented by recent research." "The intent of this policy is to provide guidance to the designer by ref- erencing a recommended range of values for critical dimensions. Sufficient flexibility is permitted to encourage independent designs tai- lored to particular situations ." These two statements on the first page make it clear the Green Book is meant as guide , not as a set of absolute rules. The 1984 AASHTO Preface put it more baldly, stating: "This publication is intended to provide guidance i to the design of new and major reconstruction projects ." "Minimum values are either given or implied by the lower value in a given range of values. The larger values within the ranges will normally be used where the social, economic, and environmental (S.E.E) impacts are not critical." If it is determined (or declared) that social impacts of a project are critical, this statement on the first page gives designers permission to use the values at the low end of the ranges. "Emphasis has been placed on the joint use of transportation corridors by pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit vehicles. Designers should recognize the implications of this sharing of the transportation corri- dors. Designers are encouraged to consider not only vehicular move- ments, but also movement of people, distribution of goods , and provi- sion of essential services. A more comprehensive transportation pro- gram is thereby emphasized." This statement on the first page of the Green Book explicitly brings pedes- trians, cyclists and transit into the category of user, and issues a clear man- date to designers to take them into account. The 1984 AASHTO put it more strongly: "Designers must recognize the implications of this sharing of the transportation corridors." "The traditional procedure of comparing highway-user benefits with costs has been expanded to reflect the needs of nonusers and the envi- ronment." Here the Green Book signals that now the engineer may depart from the traditional narrow economic analysis to a broader scope that considers more than just motorized vehicles . "These guidelines are intended to provide operational comfort, safety and convenience for the motorist. The design concepts presented here were also developed with consideration for environmental quality. The effects of the various environmental impacts can and should be miti- gated by thoughtful design processes. This principle, coupled with that of aesthetic consistency with the surrounding terrain or urban set- ting, is intended to produce highways that are safe and efficient for users and acceptable to nonusers and in harmony with the environment." While making it clear that the Green Book is about motorists, nonusers and the environment are nonetheless granted recognition as elements the design- er should thoughtfully consider. • CHAPTER II. DESIGN CONTROLS AND CRITERIA Design Speed (pp .62-63) "The assumed design speed should be a logical one with respect to the topography, the adjacent land use , and the type of highway. Except for local streets where speed controls are frequently included intentionally, every effort should be made to use as high a design speed as practi- cable to attain a desired degree of safety, mobility, and efficiency while under the constraints of environmental quality, economics, esthetics, and social or political impacts." Even while unabash edly advising designers to go for speed, the Green Book is careful to counsel designers that the design speed is constrained by adja- cent land use , environmental quality and social impacts . The Pedestrian (pp. 97) "A pedestrian is any person afoot , and involvement of pedestrians in traffic is a major consideration in hi.ghway planning and design. Pedestrians are a part of everyday roadway environment, and atten- tion must be paid to their presence in rural was well as urban areas." The Green Book recognizes pedestrians as a part of the normal streetscape that must not be ignored . "Because of the demands of vehicular traffic in congested urban areas, it is often extremely difficult to make adequate provisions for pedestri- ans. Yet this must be done, because pedestrians are the lifeblood of our urban areas, especially in the downtown and other retail areas. In general, the most successful shopping sections are those that provide the most comfort and pleasure for pedestrians." Though vehicular traffic demands may cause extreme difficult y in providing for pedestrians in urban areas , designers cannot cite that as a reason not to. The Green Book recognizes that economic success is tied to the comfort and pleasure of pedestrians. General Characteristics (p . 98) "Pedestrian accidents can also be related to the lack of adequate side- walks , which forces pedestrians to share the pavement with motorists." Environment (p. 112-13) "A highway necessarily has wide-ranging effects beyond that of provid- ing traffic service to users . It is essential that the highway be consid-; ered as an element of the total environment. Environment as used herein refers to the totality of humankind's surroundings: social, physi- cal, natural, and synthetic. It includes human, plant, and animal com- munities and the forces that act on all three . The highway can and should be located and designed to complement its environment and serve as a catalyst to environmental improvement." The Green Book charges the highway designer to fully consid er the impact he or she will have on the quality of human life and community in the sur- rounding area , and to actually improve it. "The area surrounding a proposed highway is an interrelated system of natural, synthetic and sociologic variables. Changes in one variable within this system cannot be made without some effect on other vari- ables. Some of these consequences may be negligible, but others may have strong and lasting impact on the environment, including the sus- tenance and quality of human life . Because highway location and design decisions have an effect on adjacent area developments, it is important that environmental variables be given full consideration." Although the Green Book doesn't use the term "holisti c," it is here advocat- ing a holistic approach to highway design and location. • CHAPTER Ill. ELEMENTS OF DESIGN Minimum Radius for Turning Speed (p. 192) "While it is desirable and often feasible to design for turning vehicles at higher speeds, it is often necessary for safety and economy to user lo wer turning design speeds at most at-grade intersections ." Armed with this Green Book guideline, no designer concerned with safety need hesitate to use lower turning design speeds at most at-grade intersections. • CHAPTER IV. CROSS SECTION ELEMENTS Sidewalks (p. 349) "Sidewalks are integral parts of city streets, but few are provided in rural areas . Yet, a need exists in many rural areas because the high speed and general absence of adequate lighting increase the accident poten- tial to those walking on or adjacent to the traveled way. The limited data available suggest that sidewalks in rural areas do reduce pedestrian accidents." The Green Book tells designers that pedestrians are safer on sidewalks than on rural travelways . The 1984 Green Books didn 't mince words: "Yet, the need is great in many rural areas because the high speed and general lack of adequate lighting make it risky to walk on the traveled way." "If sidewalks are utilized, they should be separated from the shoulder." The Green Book te ll s designers that if they're going to put in a sidewalk, they should include a buff er strip. "In suburban and u rban locations a border area generally separates the roadway from the homes and businesses of the community. The main function of the border is to provide space for sidewalks." Regarding that space between building fronts and the street, the Green Book says it'.s there mainly for designers to put in a sidewalk. "Si dewalks in residential areas may vary from l.2m to 2.4m. The width of a planted strip between the sidewalk and traveled way curb, if pro- vided, should be a minimum of 0.6m to allow maintenance activities." "Justifica tion for the construction of sidewalks depends upon the vehi- cle-pedestrian conflict, which is governed chiefly by the volumes of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, their relative timing, and the speed of vehicular traffic. Traffic volume-pedestrian warrants for sidewalks along highways are not established. In general, wherever the roadside and land development conditions are such that pedestrians regularly move along a main or high-speed highway, they should be furnished a side- wa lk or path area, as suitable to the conditions." "As a general practice, sidewalks should be constructed along any street or highway not provided with shoulders, even though pedestri- an traffic may be light. Where sidewalks are built along a rural high- way, they should be well removed from the travel way." Just because there aren't many pedestrians , doesn't mean no sidewalk is needed, says the Green Book. "To insure their intende d use, sidewalks should have all-weather sur- faces. Without them , pedestrians often choose to use the traffic lanes." "If two urban communities are not far apart, consideration should be given to connecting the two communities with sidewalks, even though pedestrian traffic may be light. Driver-pedestrian conflict on these sec- tions of a through route thus may be avoided." • CHAPTER V. LOCAL ROADS AND STREETS Number of Lanes (p. 431) "On residential streets in areas where the primary function is to provide land service and foster a safe and pleasant environment, at least one unob-I I structed moving lane must be ensured even where parking occurs on both 1 sides. The level of user inconvenience occasioned by the lack of two mov- ing lanes is remarkably low in areas where single-family units prevail." If the designers intent is to create a safe and pleasant single -! amily neigh - borhood, the Green Books says it'.s perfectly okay and works fine to have streets so narrow there is only one unobstructed moving lane. Width of Roadway (pp. 431-432) t "Street lanes for moving traffic should be at least 3 .0m wide. Where fea- sible they should be 3.3m wide , and in industrial areas they should be 3.6m wide . Where available or attainable width of right-of-way impos- ! es severe limitations , 2 . 7m lanes can be used in residential areas , as can 3.3m lanes in industrial areas ." "Where needed and where limitations exist in residential areas , a parallel parking lane at least 2 .2m wide should be provided on one or both sides , as the conditions of lot size and intensity of development may require." Sidewalks (pp. 435-437) "Sidewalks used for pedestrian access to schools , parks, shopping areas , and transit stops and placed along all streets in commercial areas should be provided along both sides of the street." "In residential areas, sidewalks are desirable on both sides of the street but need to be provided on at least one side of all local streets. The side- walks should be located as far as practical from the traffic lanes and usu- ally close to the right-of-way lines ." "Clear sidewalk width should be l.2m minimum; widths of 2.4m or greater may be needed in commercial areas . If roadside appurtenances are situated on the sidewalk adjacent to the curb, additional width is required to secure the clear width." Intersection Design (p. 440) "At street intersections in residential areas and areas where there are heavy pedestrian movements , the minimum radius of curb return where curbs are used or the outside edge of pavement where curbs are not used should be Sm. A minimum radius of Sm is desirable." Street and Roadway lighting (p . 440) "Properly designed and maintained street lighting will produce com- fortable and accurate visibility at night, which will facilitate and encour- age both vehicular and pedestrian traffic." "Determinations of need for lighting should be coordinated with crime prevention and other community needs ." "The objectives of the designer should be to minimize visual discomfort and impairment of driver and pedestrian vision due to glare." Landscaping (p. 442) "Landscaping should be provided for esthetic and erosion control pur- poses in keeping with the character of the street and its environment. Landscaping should be arranged to permit sufficiently wide, clear and safe pedestrian walkways." Bicycle Facilities (p. 442) "The local roadway is generally sufficient to accommodate bicycle traf- fic; however, when special facilities are desired they should be in accor- dance with AASHTO's Guide for Development of Bicycle Facilities ." • CHAPTER IX. AT-GRADE INTERSECTIONS General Design Considerations and Objectives (p. 627) "The main objective of intersection design is to reduce the severity of potential conflicts between motor vehicles, buses, trucks, bicycles , pedestrians, and facilities while facilitating the convenience, ease, and comfort of people traversing the intersections. The design should be fit- ted closely to the natural transitional paths and operating characteristics of the users ." "Four basic elements enter into design considerations of at-grade inter- sections . A. Human Factors 6. Pedestrian use and habits 7. Bicycle traffic use and habits B. Traffic Considerations 8. Bicycle movements C. Physical Elements 11 . Bicycle traffic D. Economic factors 3 . Energy consumption By the second page of the at-grade intersections chapter; the Green Book has mentioned bicyclist s and pedestrians six times, making it clear they are within the designer's scope, and even refers broadly to "people traversing the intersections," not just motorists . Curvature for Turning Movements, Urban Streets (p. 664) "Most passenger cars operating at very low speeds on lanes 3m or more in width are able to make a right turn with a curb radius of about 4.5m with little encroachment on other lanes ." "On most streets, curb radii of 3 to 4 .5m are reasonable because streets and sidewalks are generally confined within the public right-of-way, and larger radii can be obtained only by narrowing sidewalks at corners and increasing the length of pedestrian crosswalks." Effect of Curb Radii on Turning Paths (pp . 668 -670) "For arterial street design , adequate radii for vehjcles must be balanced against the needs of pedestrians and the difficulty of acquiring addi- tional right-of-way or corner setbacks. Because the corner radius often is a compromise, its effect on pedestrians in combination with vehicu- lar movements should be examined." "The following summary is offered as a guide: 1. Radii of 4.5 to 7.5m are adequate for passenger vehicles. These radii may be provided at minor cross streets where there is little occasion for trucks to turn or at major intersections where there are parking lanes .... 5. Radii dimensions should be coordinated with crosswalk distances or special designs to make crosswalks safe for all pedestrians ." I i I I i I I l I Appendix B. Fire Code Notes I n the course of Dan Burden's extensive travels across this country, the one obstacle to healthy, well-designed streets that is most of ten cited is "the fire code " or the "fire department." However, our research to date has shown that the national fire code and many state fire codes do not provide specific guidelines for street design , response times or road widths . In most of the cases we have reviewed , the codes simply leave this up to the discretion of the local fire chief. In preparing these guidelines , we have been careful to consider the needs of fire trucks on even the narrowest streets . We do not believe that any of the guidelines would significantly hinder the operations of fire trucks and other emergency responders . On the contrary, the low vol- ume streets and short blocks arranged in grid fashion with multiple points of access proposed in these guidelines, make it possible for emer- gency responders to reach their destination more rapidly than if they had to contend with the single-access, long spaghetti-like streets and cul-de-sacs in many conventional suburban neighborhoods. An issue often mentioned in the context of fire safety is the need for a 20' clearance (so that two fire trucks can pass one another to set up at a fire). This 20 ' requirement might be necessary on a cul-de-sac street where there is only one access point. However, in a traditional neigh- borhood , this n e ed is addressed in at leas t three ways : (I) occasional dri- veways or light on-street parking characteris tic of most low to moder- ate density neighborhoods , (2) multiple acc ess to each block provided by a grid system of s treets , and (3) third points of access offered through alleys . Fire chiefs have the discretion to determine many ways to achieve this passing width. By understanding the need of fire responders , it is possi- ble to address legitimate concerns, and allow the fire chief to be a play- er in designing safer, healthier neighborhoods . It has been our experi- ence that conscientious fire chiefs are concerned with all aspects of pub- lic safety, not only the rare cases of house fires. This is especially so given that over two -thirds of the neighborhood calls that fire depart- ments receive today are best handled by ambulances (not large hook- and-ladder or pumper trucks). Sending a fire truck to respond to a heart attack victim should be a last resort. Such a practice gets the fire truck tangled up in a maze of suburban streets, reducing response time for the really big fire . In most communities it is best to buy, position and main- tain more ambulances in locations that are readily accessible to neigh- borhoods. If police can have local precincts in neighborhoods , it should be possible for fire departments to do the same. Research in the Texas town of Denton several years ago determined that a serious house fire involving multiple trucks occurred approximately once every 27 years. While this time span will obviously vary from com- munity to community, it is evident that our streets and neighborhoods need to be designed in response to a wide range of concerns over safe- ty and livability. Appendix C. 11 Skinny Streets: Better Streets for Livable Communities'' The following excerpts are taken from a document prepared in]une 1996 by Livable Oregon, 1!'(503) 222-2182 . (Reprin ted with permission) S kinny streets are residential streets which are narrower than the modern wi d th usually built in today's residential neighborhoods. Skinny streets are not new, and already exist in many older neighborhoods in Oregon's communities. Skinny streets are cost benefi- cial for cities and developers and they contribute to the making of great neighborhoods. Increased safety and a greater sense of community for residents are just some of the other benefits of skinny streets. BENEFITS OF SKINNY STREETS • Environmental More efficient use of land. Land saved by reducing paved surface area provides more opportunities for other land uses, such as open space, farms, community and commercial needs, and housing. Decrease storm water runoff. Because storm water is not absorbed through paved surfaces, skinny streets reduce storm water runoff by minimizing pavement surface area. Less pavement also reduces the amount of contaminates from road surfaces that are carried into the storm water system by runoff. •Financial Lower maintenance costs. Local governments spend less money build- ing, improving, and maintaining roads when they have less paved sur- face area. Skinny streets also contribute to more compact development and more efficient land use, minimizing the costs of providing urban services by minimizing the size of service areas. Increased Market Value. Older residential areas in many existing towns and cities in Oregon often have skinny streets. These areas are charac- terized by high home values with more of a neighborhood feeling . New developments with skinny streets and other neighborhood friendly ele- ments are currently in high demand . Lower development costs. With less paved surface, narrower streets cost less to build. Skinny streets also allow for more flexibility in subdivi- sion layout by reducing the amount of land designated for streets, and may result in more lots per gross acre of land. • Quality of Life Encourage walking and bicycling. Skinny streets reduce overall dis- tances between destinations by using land more efficiently, making walking and bicycling more attractive to residents . Skinny streets also create a safer environment for pedestrians and bicyclists by encourag- ing reduced traffic speeds . Sense of Neighborhood/Community. Skinny streets create an environ- ment of safety and convenience which attracts residents to walk, bicy- cle and play in the neighborhood. Skinny streets maximize opportuni- ties for other neighborhood amenities like parks and landscaping by using land efficiently. Traffic safety. Skinny streets encourage more cautious driving and slower speeds by eliminating the "speedway" feel of wide streets in res- idential areas. The more intimate feeling created by narrower residen- tial streets serves as an additional indicator to drivers that they are in a neighborhood . IMPLEMENTATION Oregon's Land Conservation and Development Commission issued the Transportation Planning Rule (TPR) in 1990 . The TPR requires local governments to adopt local street standards which minimize street width according to functional purpose. This statewide interest in street width recognizes the positive impact of narrower street standards on local government budgets , community livability, and the environment. Local governments in Oregon must comply with this requirement by May, 1997 . Local governments are granted the authority to establish local sub- division standards , which include street width , by Oregon's land use 1 laws (ORS 92 .044). Many of Oregon's cities have already adopted narrow residential street standards . Others have allowed skinny streets by granting variances for specific development projects. GENERATING SUPPORT I OVERCOMING RESISTANCE While local governments do have the legal authority to establish local street standards, it is important to recognize that skinny streets may create access issues for local emergency service providers . Generating support for skinny streets requires consideration of their benefits as well as their appropriateness in certain situations. Local governments can do several things to ensure that the process of establishing narrow residential street standards is sensitive to the con- cerns of citizens and emergency service providers. • Negotiation I Involvement Emergency service providers have specific concerns about the effects of skinny streets on their response times. Local government officials and staff can pro-actively address these concerns by negotiating with the fire department about their needs for access on residential streets. Both emergency vehicle access and skinny streets should be regarded as pub- lic goods which must be balanced to achieve maximum benefit to the community. When emergency service providers are consulted in the development of new street standards , they are less likely to resist the process as a whole. • Testing with Fire Trucks Taking a city's fire trucks through a measured course or out to a neigh- borhood with existing narrow streets can educate both staff and fire department officials about the capabilities of a fire truck to navigate skinny streets. Hypothetical situations, such as on-street parking with a certain degree of density, can be created to devise conditions under which skinny streets may be appropriate . Fire truck tests are likely to create a level of understanding and trust between city staff and fire department officials that will facilitate the process of establishing nar- rower street standard s. •Street Network Design A better developed s treet network, which increases street connectivity and decreases cul-de-sacs and dead ends, benefits emergency service providers by giving th em additional access routes to a site. When grid- like street patterns are developed in conjunction with skinny streets, emergency service providers may find that access to a site is improved rather than diminished . • Long-term Planning for Equipment Local jurisdictions can plan for future implementation of skinny streets by working with public works and emergency service departments to ensure that future equipment purchases are compatible with narrower streets . For example, trucks with a shorter wheel base or rear loading fire trucks are better suited to narrow streets. Over the long run, the increased cost of purchasing equipment can be offset by the reduced cost of maintaining narrower roads. • Political Support The process of establishing narrower street standards will not move forward without broad political support within the community. The benefits of skinny str eets to community livability and cost-efficiency need to be understood and promoted by community leaders in order to be viewed as a public good equal to other issues like adequate parking in the downtown or community health and safety. • Public Education Anyone initiating change in street standards must acknowledge that wide residential streets have become the norm for American suburbs. This may mean that the benefits of skinny streets are not often readily evident to the general public. Local jurisdictions can do much to increase public support for a process of establishing narrower street standards by educatin g the public about the benefits of skinny streets, such as increased traffic safety and cost-efficiency, through public edu- cation campaigns. so A~~dix C. "Ski-1Utf Str~tr" Resources A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets . AASHTO . 1994 . Alexander, Christopher; Ishikawa, Sara and Silverstein, Murray. 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