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BOSTON COMPLETE STREETS GUIDELINESBOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT DRAFT - AUGUST 2011

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PrinciplesSidewalk ZonesSidewalk Width ChartSidewalks by Boston’s Street TypesFeatures to Activate SidewalksSidewalk MaterialsGreenscapeStreet TreesVegetated Stormwater ManagementStreet FurnitureTransit StopsStreet Lights

http://www.bostoncompletestreets.org/pdf/2/chap2_4_activate_sidewalk.pdf

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30 BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTBOSTON COMPLETE STREETS GUIDELINES DRAFT - JULY 2011

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31BOSTON COMPLETE STREETS GUIDELINESBOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

Features to Activate Sidewalks

DRAFT - JULY 2011

Sidewalks are the most vital feature of the public realm; they help create a sense of place and community, they provide a place to watch the world go by and to interact with the community. In order to be pedestrian-friendly, sidewalks should be comfortable in terms of scale, temperature, and security. And the sidewalk environment should be pleasing to the senses offering visual stimulation, greenery, and a social atmosphere. Pedestrian-friendly sidewalks attract activity and are both an indicator of and a factor in economic growth and prosperity.

The sidewalk and street environment (public realm) work together with building facades (private realm) to create active and vibrant edges. The relationship between the public and private realm is a critical balance that has a significant impact on the walking experience. The quality of the materials or image the private realm presents to the sidewalk is very important, but so too is how the private realm crosses the sidewalk at driveways and entrances.

Cafés and plazas enliven the sidewalk by encouraging people to linger and socialize. As the use of cell phones and mobile computing devices continues to increase, traditional public spaces provide a location to use personal devices. Streetscape improvement projects are good opportunities to redistribute the public right of way to create places for people to gather along streets.

Vibrant Street WallGreen WallsPlazasSidewalk CafésVehicular Access Across SidewalksBuilding Entrances

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32 BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTBOSTON COMPLETE STREETS GUIDELINES

Vibrant Street WallFEATURES TO ACTIVATE SIDEWALKS FRONTAGE ZONE

PEDESTRIAN ZONEGREENSCAPE/FURNISHING ZONECURB ZONE

DRAFT - JULY 2011

Well-designed ground-floor retail space is a principal ingredient for a vibrant street front, particularly in Downtown Commercial, Downtown Mixed-Use, Neighborhood Main Street, and Shared Street Types. Offices and other uses that require privacy and seek to separate themselves from the public realm are best placed on floors that are above the street level. Retail and restaurant uses are more conducive to a vibrant street wall and are preferred on the ground floor adjacent to the sidewalk.

The modulation of building facades and treatments creates visual interest along the street wall. Windows visible from the sidewalk expose the human activity and use within the building to the passerby. This transparency is most important along Downtown Commercial, Downtown Mixed-Use, and Neighborhood Main Street Street Types.

On these cor-ridors there should be a minimum of 50% transparency of the ground-floor street wall. Transparency calculations do not include garage entrances, load-ing docks, egress doors, utility vaults, and service areas. The desired distance between ground-level pedestrian entrances in new development projects along these Street Types is 75’-0”, or one en-trance every 10-15 seconds as a person walks along a street.

Awnings, lighting, signs, and foliage also contribute to the visual interest on streets. All of these elements add color and texture to the street edge. Hanging baskets of flowers and plants on street furniture and building facades provide lots

of color and seasonal variety to sidewalks. This can also be achieved with flower boxes, low planters, or vines on the building face.

Awnings and signs should be scaled between car speed and pedestrian speed. Awnings can provide shelter from the ele-ments for pedestrians, in addition to demarcating stores and entrances. Architectural awnings that provide no additional shelter should be avoided. Signs should be unique but made of appropriate materials for the urban context.

With the exception of Parkways and Residential Street Types, vending in the Frontage Zone is encouraged where suf-ficient space exists to accommodate it. Street vending can take the form of movable pushcarts or permanent stands or kiosks (tables are discouraged). Vendors can sell food, print

material, or goods and clothing.

Street performers without amplification can perform along Downtown Commercial, Downtown Mixed-Use and Neighborhood Main Streets. On constrained sidewalks, an accessible route must be maintained. Street stands are not permitted to reduce the clear width of the Pedestrian Zone below minimums widths and vending or per-forming may not create hazardous edges that could impact pedestrians with vision impairments.

Rec. 75’-0”10-15 Seconds


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Green walls make building surfaces more attractive, reduce heat island effect, provide thermal insulation, and help manage stormwater runoff.


Green WallsFEATURES TO ACTIVATE SIDEWALKS FRONTAGE ZONE


DRAFT - JULY 2011

Overview

Where transparency in the building edge is not achievable, greenwalls can provide visual interest and variation to the street edge. Plants can be rooted in the ground and trained up the wall or in modular panels on the wall. In addition to making building surfaces more attractive, greenwalls can reduce the “heat island effect,” provide thermal insulation for buildings, improve air quality, and help manage building run-off. Most greenwall systems use irrigation systems to water plants throughout the year, and come in different forms, shapes, costs, and functions.

Use

Modular panels come in three basic varieties of growing mediums. They are composed of use loose soil, fiber or felt mats, or structural mediums which combine the two. The appropriate type of system depends on the building structure and availability of water.

> Structural mediums are preferred despite higher installa-tion costs. These systems are long-lasting, require less maintenance, and are more flexible.

> Loose-soil systems are best suited where occasional replanting and regular maintenance is possible. Loose soil can be messy, may erode over time, and is not suitable for tall structures.

> Mat mediums are appropriate for applications where the structure cannot support much added weight. Their shortcomings are that they tend to be thin, do not retain water well, do not support robust root systems, and are not suitable for tall structures.

Considerations

> Applications that require irrigation systems must be monitored and shut off so pipes do not freeze in winter.


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PlazasFEATURES TO ACTIVATE SIDEWALKS FRONTAGE ZONE


DRAFT - JULY 2011

Overview

As the presence of other people makes the public realm inter-esting and inviting, plazas are encouraged where appropriate as a part of streetscape design. Successful plazas attract people with the presence of other people and support a wide variety of activities including temporary markets, art instal-lations, or performances. Plazas are also opportunities to incorporate the green and smart elements of these guidelines. The following guidelines suggest ways to design plazas that draw people in and encourage them to linger.

Use

> Locate plazas adjacent to transit or other pedestrian generators wherever possible. Make the transition between the sidewalk and plaza as broad and seamless as possible in order to make it inviting.

> Maintain an accessible path along the sidewalk and through the space to buildings entrances and transit stops.

> The proportion of landscaping to paving in plazas may vary according to the urban context and intensity of program-ming. Landscaping designs should be as sustainable as possible and take into consideration the level of mainte-nance that can practically be achieved in the space over the long run.

> Look for opportunities to make stormwater management a visible amenity. Trees and planters should be designed to provide shade, manage stormwater, and create visual interest. Porous materials may be used to reduce runoff. Subsurface recharge or storage of stormwater, though invisible, should be considered.

> Provide a variety of seating options, some of which should be movable. Seating can be incorporated into building edges, walls, and landscaping containers. A good rule of thumb is to dedicate at least 10% of a plaza’s open-space to seating. Movable chairs provide ultimate flexibility for a public space and allow for endless variation in arrange-ments to suite personal preference, to capture sun or shade, or to sit in a group or alone.

> Offer public Wi-Fi, if possible. Provide built or digital way-finding and information installations.

> Install temporary or permanent public art.

Considerations

> Adjacent businesses can provide food or services to make the plaza more inviting, as well as share responsibility as caretakers of a space.

> Designate locations for movable vending carts or stalls as part of the design. Vending configurations should take into consideration maintenance of a clear pedestrian path and the potential for supplying power or water to stalls or carts.

> Design should be sensitive to environmental conditions; for example, provide shade and shelter, wind breaks, or sunny spots. Consider using recycled and/or locally sourced materials, and materials to minimize heat absorption.

> Plazas can be a good place to locate bike parking.


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Sidewalk CafésFEATURES TO ACTIVATE SIDEWALKS FRONTAGE ZONE


DRAFT - JULY 2011

Overview

Sidewalks cafés are encouraged for all street types where commercial activity occurs, including industrial areas. The extension of restaurant businesses into the public way brings activity and energy to the public realm. The renting of this space by private businesses can also result in a higher level of maintenance and cleanliness. Careful attention must be given to the design and layout of sidewalk cafés to maintain sidewalk function and the quality of the public environment.

All sidewalk café proposals must be approved by the Licensing Board and the Public Improvement Commission. The submission requirements and regulations for permit-ting are available at www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/permits. The following guidelines expand upon existing regulations and the Greenway Café Guideline while focusing specifically on the impact of sidewalk cafés on the pedestrian environment.

Use

> Cafés can be as little as 6’-0” deep and must be continuous with the dining establishment (not across a public way). Cafés may not extend beyond the frontage of the establishment into neighboring businesses. A minimum 3’-8” clear path should be maintained to the front door of the dining establishment.

> A clear Pedestrian Zone of at least 4’-0” and prefer-ably 5’-0” must be maintained on the sidewalk. Additional width should be considered in areas with higher pedes-trian volumes. This clear path can include a portion of the Furnishing Zone but cannot direct pedestrians onto a non-ADA compliant surface.

> All sidewalk cafés are encouraged to provide an enclosure dividing the café from the public right of way. If alcohol is served, an enclosure is required. Barriers must be attached to the ground but can be made of fence, rope, chains, or live plants. Permanent anchors may be installed as long as the barrier is removable and the anchor is flush with the ground and ADA compliant. Enclosures must be removed after the café season has ended.

> Furniture should be durable, free-standing, and matching. Plastic furniture is discouraged.

> Awnings and/or umbrellas are desirable. Heat lamps, either free-standing or affixed to the underside of awnings, can extend outdoor dining into the shoulder seasons.

Considerations

Depending on the location, applications may need BRA design review and/or Landmarks Commission approval.

Min. 6’-0”

Min. 4’-0”

Min. 3’-8”


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COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAYS

100’-0” 100’-0” 20’-0” (Two way)

24’-0” (Two way)

RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAYS

40’-0” 20’-0” 10’-0” (Two way)

12’-0” (Two way)


Vehicular Access Across SidewalksFEATURES TO ACTIVATE SIDEWALKS

DRAFT - JULY 2011

Overview

The design of driveways should provide a continuous Pedestrian Zone across the vehicular path and encourage ve-hicles to yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk. While providing vehicular access across public sidewalks links streets to off-street parking facilities and loading and unloading zones, driveways can create conflicts and require special treatments in order to maintain a safe and comfortable walking environment. New driveways, or changes to existing driveways for either commercial or residential use, require approval from the Boston Transportation Department and the Public Improvements Commission.

MIN. 20’-0” (UNSIGNALIZED)

MIN. 100’-0” (SIGNALIZED)

10’12’

MIN. 100’-0”

20’24’


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FRONTAGE ZONEPEDESTRIAN ZONEGREENSCAPE/FURNISHING ZONECURB ZONE

DRAFT - JULY 2011

Use

The public sidewalk has the right of way over private cross-ings. The following general design guidelines should be followed to minimize disruption to pedestrians while ensuring safe operation:

> The Pedestrian Zone should be continuous and clearly delineated across driveways to encourage drivers to yield to pedestrians (e.g., if the sidewalk is composed of con-crete, the concrete surface treatment should be continuous across the driveway).

> Residential driveways should be designed with standard curb cuts and an apron outside of the Pedestrian Zone.

> ADA guidelines for accessible pedestrian routes include a minimum 4’-0” clear width with no more than a 2%

cross slope. (Refer to Sidewalk Materials, Accessibility Focus on page TK for more information).

Considerations

> Where space permits, aprons with fully raised continuous sidewalks should be provided on Downtown Commercial, Downtown Mixed-Use, and Neighborhood Main Street Types.

> In constrained locations where the width of the sidewalk is insufficient for a fully raised crossing, the roadway can be partially raised and the sidewalk partially lowered. This design minimizes the disruption to the pedestrian while still providing a traffic calming effect. On a typical 6” high sidewalk, this is achieved by ramping down sidewalk at the driveway by

3” and raising the driveway by the same amount. > If the sidewalk is too narrow to meet the minimum width requirements in the Pedestrian Zone, a curb extension should be considered. Curb extensions are only appropri-ate where on-street parking is present, or where the curb extension will not disrupt the use of the street by all users, including cyclists, transit, and motorists.

> In locations where a driveway must function as an intersec-tion, it should be designed with pedestrian safety features such as crosswalks, small corner radii, and pedestrian signal heads if signalized.

Additional guidance on driveway design is provided in Boston Transportation Driveway Guidance for the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal. www.cityofboston.gov/online_services/reportsandpublications.asp

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