Caltrans Improvement Project

Design Flexibility Workgroup

Janice Benton, Assistant Division Chief, Division of Design, Caltrans

Kate White, Deputy Secretary of Environmental Policy and Housing Coordination, CalSTA

Active Transportation and Livable Communities Advisory Group

February 19, 2015

Caltrans Improvement Project

WG #4 UpdateSSTI Recommendations to Address Workgroup Charter Actions CompleteFlexible Design & Liability2015 Action PlanCross-Workgroups Collaboration

SSTI Recommendations 5.1 Caltrans should update the design and traffic control device manuals (Highway Design

Manual and CA MUTCD), and other guidance documents as necessary, to implement the new strategic plan and vision.

5.2 Caltrans should relinquish oversight of bike facilities on locally owned streets.

5.3 Caltrans should give designers the option of using NACTO urban design standards in metro areas.

5.4 Caltrans should generally rethink its approach to facilities in metro areas and town centers.

5.5 Caltrans should build more flexibility into its processes.

5.7 Caltrans and CalSTA should revisit legal guidance on the risk of innovative design practices.

9.8 Caltrans must provide room for innovative actions that further state and department goals.

10.2 Caltrans should benchmark practice against best practices elsewhere

10.3 Caltrans should work to better integrate its research program with improved practice.

10.4 Caltrans’ effort to develop an enterprise risk management system should continue and be viewed as a critically important resources for performance-based decision making.

Workgroup #4 CharterPurpose:

Increase innovation in multi-modal street design

Encourage local and district autonomyAddress risk averseness “culture of fear”Transform into nimble, adaptable and

responsive organization

“Standards and guidance are the easy part. Culture change is the hard part.” – Malcolm Dougherty

“We need to stop building transportation through communities and begin building communities through transportation.” – SSTI advisors

http://toolkit.valleyblueprint.org/tool/complete-streets

Workgroup #4 Members Steering Committee:

Karla Sutliff – Co-Chairs AJ Jimenez, Jeanne Scherer – Legal Bijan Sartipi – D4 Marlin Feenstra, Self-Help Counties Coalition Jeff Holm, FHWA

Team Leads: Tim Craggs, Design Tom Hallenbeck, Traffic Operations Rihui Zhang, Local Assistance Coco Briseno, Research Katie Benour, Planning

Advisors: Luisa Paiwonsky, USDOT (formerly MADOT) Gary Toth, Project for Public Spaces (formerly NJDOT)

2014-2015 Action Plan1. Evaluate Manuals, Guidance, Tools2. Enhance Partnerships and Communication3. Educate and Train Staff, Partners, and

Stakeholders4. Investigate Legislative Changes5. Maximize Delegation6. Maximize Appropriate use of Risk Management7. Deploy and Integrate Research

2014 AccomplishmentsApril: Endorsed NACTO guidelines, released

Design Flexibility MemoSept: Highway Design Manual Updated, Design

Flexibility FAQs posted, AB 1193 signedOct: 2-day Session with SSTI AdvisorsNov: CA MUTCD Updated (Director’s Foreword)Dec: Research alignment with new goalsParticipating in other divisions efforts:

Caltrans Bicycle Task ForceComplete Streets TrainingsAASHTO’s Subcommittee on Design/Traffic

NACTO Design GuidesDesigns were developed by cities for cities, since

unique urban streets require innovative solutions.

Principles cities are using to make streets safe and inviting for people walking, biking, and driving in urban contexts.

Creating real spaces for people on city streets.

Economic development is integrally tied into this transformation.

Paramount to all of this is the safety of people on city streets.

SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, INTEGRATED, EFFICIENT SYSTEM to ENHANCE ECONOMY AND LIVIBILITY

2014 OutreachMay – Local Assistance Cooperative CommitteeMay & Oct – Caltrans Legal DivisionJune – Caltrans Bicycle Advisory CommitteeJuly & Aug – Caltrans Planning Horizons

WebinarsSept – California Traffic Control and Devices

CommitteeOct – Caltrans Planning and Local Assistance,

NACTO Designing Cities conferenceNov – CA Assoc of Councils of Govt (CalCOG)Dec – Caltrans Design Management Board

Design Flexibility

Incorporates context sensitive solutions based on innovative designs to address a problem to further community values, to address a problem or to promote environmental/sustainable and livability elements

Typically incorporates multi-modal uses

Requires engineering judgment

Addressing Design Liability

Primary Defenses:Design Immunity (Gov. Code § 830.6)Reasonableness Defense (Gov Code § 835.4)

Document, Document, Document

Reasonable Design Based on Sound Engineering Judgment (factors may include environmental enhancements, multimodal uses, community values)

Proper approval

Archive

2015 Action ItemsModify all internal technical training to reflect

design flexibilityDelegation of more design approvals to

DistrictsEvaluate design approval processDevelop standards for separated bicycle lanesEvaluate pilots/demonstration projectsExplore tort reform

Cross-Workgroups Collaboration

Support and leverage each others effortsAvoid redundancyCommunicate internally on progressJoint 2015 Outreach calendar