Improving the Pedestrian Environment Through Innovative Transportation Design

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Improving the Pedestrian Environment Through
Innovative Transportation Design
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Why Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Access?

• To improve travel options, mobility for all
  people
• To build livable, sustainable communities with
  robust transport systems
• To alleviate traffic congestion and improve air
  quality

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Why Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Access?

• Evidence of declining health and fitness in
  adults and children due to inactivity
• Health benefits include
• Reduced risk of cancer
• Reduced risk of diabetes
• Reduced rate of heart disease
• Fewer strokes
• Longer average life span
• Improved cognitive skills for seniors

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Profiled Projects

• 4 Types
• Pedestrian safety awareness programs
• Pedestrian and bicycle bridges and tunnels
• Pedestrian and bicycle corridors
• Policies, plans, guidelines and design standards

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Profiled Projects

• Notable examples illustrate a wide variety of
  projects and current state of the practice
• Not an exhaustive inventory
• Goal to inspire community leaders and
  transport, planning and engineering professionals
  to develop projects and plans that promote
  walkability

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Pedestrian Safety Awareness Programs
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Boulder Crosswalk Compliance Studies and
Treatment Implementation

• Improved 23 multi-lane, high volume crossing
  locations
• Pedestrian-activated, sign-mounted flashing
  lights
• State Law signage
• Raised pedestrian crossings
• Motorist compliance increased from 34 to 77

Source Short Elliott Henderson Inc.
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Phoenix School Safety Program

• Comprehensive improvements affected 400 schools
• Goals
• Improve overall pedestrian safety
• Train crossing guards
• Encourage slower driving/better enforcement
• Promote more walking to school
• 26 broad projects addressing education,
  engineering and enforcement were implemented

Source City of Phoenix Street Transportation
Department
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Program to Retrofit Existing Traffic Signals with
ADA-Accessible Signals (Portland, OR)

• City worked directly with manufacturers to
  improve audible signal technology
• Stakeholder group developed audible signals
  policy
• 52 intersections now have audible signals

Source City of Portland
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Pedestrian Summer Safety Campaign(Seattle, WA)

• Project initiated by elected officials
• Goals of creative educational campaign
• Improve respect between pedestrians and autos
• Promote safe travel behavior
• Show that pedestrians are a high priority for
  Seattle

Source Puget Sound Regional Council
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Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Project (San
Francisco, CA)

• Problem 50 of traffic accident deaths were
  pedestrians
• Multi-agency efforts
• Multi-lingual media campaign
• Educational outreach
• Strict traffic/parking enforcement
• Result 7 reduction in pedestrian deaths

Source San Francisco Department of Health
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Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridges and
Tunnels
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Chihuly Bridge of Glass (Tacoma, WA)

• Spans I-705 freeway
• Integrates public art and practical functionality
  
• Provides pedestrian link to
• Tacoma Glass Museum
• Union (Train) Station neighborhood
• Univ. of WA-Tacoma campus
• Theas Landing mixed use projects
• Unique, signature project

Source City of Tacoma
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New Danville-Riverside (PA) Bridge

• Spans Susquehanna River
• New bridge moved to improve Danville historic
  pedestrian area
• Pedestrian amenities in project area
• Historic lighting for safety
• Bridge alcoves for fishing
• New ADA-compliant curb cuts
• Pedestrian promenades

Source Pennsylvania DOT
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Route 71 Pedestrian Tunnel at Monmouth University
(NJ)

• Project replaced at-grade arterial crossing with
  high number of pedestrian crashes
• Elegant aesthetics enhance historic setting
• Project features
• Plazas for gathering
• Security surveillance
• ADA access

Source The RBA Group Inc/NJDOT
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Broadway Diamondback Pedestrian/ Bicycle
Bridge (Tucson, AZ)

• One of seven pedestrian bridges planned in
  citywide path system
• Artistic treatment promotes local culture
• Project connects
• Downtown Tucson
• Local neighborhoods
• 2 colleges/universities
• Regional parks

Source City of Tucson DOT
17
Provencher Bridge (Winnipeg, MB, Canada)

• Spans Red River
• Pedestrian/bicycle bridge has multipurpose
  gathering plaza, commercial area
• Project connects
• French quarter
• Park/music festival site
• Major commercial project
• Local neighborhoods

Source HTFC and Gaboury Prefontaine Perry
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Pedestrian and Bicycle Corridors
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Eastbank Esplanade (Portland, OR)

• Completes downtown waterfront pedestrian/bicycle
  loop
• Features
• Floating walkway section
• Educational public art
• Seating walls, plazas
• Beavers, salmon, herons
• Future restaurant area
• Boat docking space

Source Portland Parks and Recreation, OR
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Ohlone Greenway (Berkeley, CA)

• Tranformed underused one-mile transit maintenance
  road into pedestrian/bicycle corridor
• Has become important neighborhood activity,
  gathering place
• Corridor features
• Outdoor seating areas
• Murals, sculpture, art installations
• Landscape restoration
• Educational information

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Route 9A Reconstruction (New York, NY)

• Dedicated bikeway/walkway built as part of new
  boulevard
• Corridor features
• Park-like setting, trees separate autos and
  bicycles/pedestrians
• Pedestrian crosswalks to adjacent neighborhoods
• Decorative pavements and pedestrian lighting
• Views of water and city

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Policies, Plans, Guidelines and Design
Standards
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Design Standards for Pedestrian/Bicycle-Friendly,
Environmentally Sensitive Roadways (Montgomery
Co., MD)

• For areas with no curbs, gutters in sensitive
  watersheds to balance mobility with water quality
• 3 standards for low volume residential streets
• 3 standards for collector roads
• 2 landscaping standards

Source Montgomery County, MD
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Vancouvers Downtown Transportation Plan
(Vancouver, BC, Canada)

• High importance given to pedestrians/bicycles
• Creates pedestrian and bicycle arterial networks

• High use of data and surveys to develop
  pedestrian policies and improvement projects

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Nashvilles Strategic Plan for Sidewalks and
Bikeways

• Quick completion to comply with ADA requirements
• Used customized GPS and GIS software to inventory
  problems
• Projects prioritized and cost estimates developed
• Will lead to 900 miles of new/improved sidewalks

Source RPM Transportation Consultants LLC
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Puget Sound Regional Councils Bikestations
Project (Seattle, WA)

• To promote bike connections to transit
• Innovative travel models used to predict demand

• Includes
• Secure parking
• Attendants
• Bike rentals
• Food sales
• Shower/changing rooms

Source Puget Sound Regional Council
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Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project/Master Plan

• High-quality, widely distributed map is most
  visible part of project
• Actively promotes walking
• Map features
• Sidewalks/walkways/bike routes
• Street grades
• Landmarks, civic destinations
• Safety tips
• Recommended walks