Livable StreetsLivable Streets& Road Diets& Road Diets

Part of the “Livable Burbank” Presentation, originally made to Transportation and Urban Design Subcommittee, September 2nd, 2009

N.de Wolff

What is a Complete Street?What is a Complete Street?

A Complete Street is safe, comfortable and convenient for travel via automobile, foot, bicycle, and transit.

A Complete Street:A Complete Street:

Offers a full range of travel choices

Connects to a network that offers choices

Portland Cyclists Commuting Video

Is fully accessible to all: kids, seniors and people with disabilities

Supports & contributes to life in pleasant, convenient neighborhoods

• Serves transit

Why do we need to complete the streets?Why do we need to complete the streets?

Americans want to walk and bike moreAmericans want to walk and bike more

52% want to bike more than they do now.

“America Bikes” Poll

55% would rather drive less and walk more

STPP Poll

About a third of Americans don’t drive:About a third of Americans don’t drive:

21% of Americans over 65

21% of Americans over 65

All children under 16

21% of Americans over 65

All children under 16

Many low income Americans cannot afford automobiles

Streets are inadequate:Streets are inadequate:

No room for bikes or pedestriansNo sidewalksToo narrow to share with bikes

Too dangerous to cross on foot

Streets are inadequate:Streets are inadequate:

No room for people

Streets are inadequate:Streets are inadequate:

25% of walking trips take place on roads w/o sidewalks or shoulders

Natl. Survey of Ped & Bicyclist Attitudes & Behaviors, 2003 BTS

Bike lanes are available for only about 5% of bike trips

Complete Street - BeforeComplete Street - Before

Complete Street - AfterComplete Street - After

GOOD Magazine Livable Street Web Site

Kids going to school or the ice cream shop on their own

Seniors comfortably strolling and safely crossing the street

More bikes used for utility and recreational trips

Fewer accidents and less serious injuries

A more smoothly functioning road network

Higher values for adjoining properties

What you'll see when streets are completeWhat you'll see when streets are complete

Benefits: for safetyBenefits: for safety

(King/Ewing Report)

Designing intersections for pedestrian travel can reduce pedestrian risk by 28%

Benefits: for older AmericansBenefits: for older Americans

• 50% of Americans will be over 55 in 2030

• More than half of older Americans walk regularly.

21% of Americans over 65 do not drive

More than 50% of non-drivers stay at home on a given day because they lack transportation options.

Benefits: for encouraging healthy activityBenefits: for encouraging healthy activity

Walking & bicycling help prevent obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure & colon cancer.

Residents are 65% more likely to walk in a neighborhood with sidewalks.

20% of Americans have a disability that limits their daily activities.

Complete Streets have curb cuts and other features for disabled travelers.

Complete Streets reduce isolation and dependence.

Benefits: for people with disabilitiesBenefits: for people with disabilities

Isn’t it expensive?Isn’t it expensive?

“The cost is incremental or minimal in terms of the overall construction costs for a new facility.”

Whit Clement, Virginia Secretary of Transportation

“By fully considering the needs of all non-motorized travelers (pedestrians, bicyclists, & persons with disabilities) early in the life of a project, the costs associated with including facilities for these travelers are minimized.”

Jeff Morales, Former Director, CalTrans

Is this supported in design manuals?Is this supported in design manuals?The AASHTO “Green Book”

“Because of the demands of vehicular traffic in congested areas, it is often extremely difficult to make adequate provisions for pedestrians. Yet this should be done, because pedestrians are the lifeblood of our urban areas..."

Most transportation experts agree this road is poorly designed

Is this supported in design manuals?Is this supported in design manuals?

Won’t this mean wider streets?

Many overly wide roads could use a “road diet”

What’s a road diet?

Classic road diet shrinks 4 lanes to 3 + bike lanes

What else does a road diet do?

Creates room for wider sidewalksAn inexpensive tool for retrofitting existing streets

Are street design standards enough?

This road meets minimum standards, but is sterile

Start with a stark, plain street

Putting All The Pieces TogetherPutting All The Pieces Together

Narrow travel lanes, add a bike laneAdd a median, trees and some textureBring the buildings in closerMake sure the buildings face the streetBring in more buildings (infill)The street now has a life!

“ To reap the economic and environmental benefits of the next influx of residents who will seek to move into or grow up in our cities between now and 2030, we must forge more capacity for growth, especially in transportation. That requires, among other things, new priorities and a more efficient approach to the city’s basic circulatory system – our streets.

Streets must be designed to give would-be cyclists a greater sense of safety and belonging. More transportation choices and more reliable travel – and streets that serve as public places in and of themselves – will not only improve our commutes and environment. They also represent a new frontier in efforts to improve the quality of life in our cities”.

Janette Sadik-KhanCommissioner, Department of Transportation

New York City

Appendix

Pro: A street cyclists can ride comfortablyCon: Single-stripe separation has been proven to work only on side streets with no auto parking lane, or

widened for commercial arterials (see next slide).

The many types of Complete StreetsThe many types of Complete Streets

A commercial arterial with bike lanes & sidewalksPro: Grass verge allows for soft “fall zone” if bicyclist is forced off roadPro: Differentiating color scheme of lane clearly identifies zonesCon: Cobbled lane makes for unnecessary discomfort for bicyclist

Pro: Exclusive lanePro: Buffered from all other trafficCon: Only really works on one-way streets or wide boulevards

The Case For Buffered LanesThe Case For Buffered Lanes

CLICK HERE TO PLAY VIDEO

A street school children can safely cross

The many types of Complete StreetsThe many types of Complete Streets

A commercial street with lots of activity

The many types of Complete StreetsThe many types of Complete Streets

Top pedestrian complaints are Top pedestrian complaints are incomplete streetsincomplete streets

2002 Natl. Transportation

Availability & Use Survey

Top bicyclist complaints are Top bicyclist complaints are incomplete streetsincomplete streets

2002 Natl. Transportation

Availability & Use Survey

Completing the Streets: One ExampleCompleting the Streets: One Example

Boulder, Colorado has built all arterials as multi-modal corridors for auto, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit use.

Boulder, Colorado has built all arterials as multi-modal corridors for auto, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit use.

Completing the Streets: One ExampleCompleting the Streets: One Example

Europe has more bike-ped travelEurope has more bike-ped travel

Pucher, AJPH Sept 2003

……And far fewer deathsAnd far fewer deaths

Pucher, AJPH Sept 2003

Incomplete streets are unsafe.Incomplete streets are unsafe.

FMIS, NHTS, FARS federal databases

Bike Share ProgramsBike Share Programs

CLICK HERE TO PLAY VIDEO

CLICK HERE TO PLAY 1st ANNIVERSARY VIDEO

CLICK HERE TO PLAY LAUNCH VIDEO

Further resourcesFurther resources Article about Complete Streets (who coined the term; cities

developing successful programs, etc)

The Livable Streets Initiative Web Site

Click here to visit the 21st Century Street Design Competition Web Site