Greenways and Shared-Use Paths
Lesson 19
Lesson Outline
- Introduction to shared-use paths.
- Users of shared- use paths.
- Path types and planning issues.
- Shared-use path design.
| ![Picture shows a broad shared use path along a river. A woman is jogging away from the viewer and there is a man rollerblading in the direction of the viewer.](images/les19fig1.jpg) |
Introduction to Shared-Use Paths
- Importance of shared-use paths as a component of the nonmotorized transportation system.
- AASHTO definition of a shared-use path.
- Literature review.
Users of Shared-Use Paths
- Bicyclists:
– Different equipment types. - Pedestrians:
– Runners. – Persons with disabilities. – Others. - Skaters and others.
- User conflict.
| ![Second picture shows a father and child on a tandem bike pulling a second child in a trail-a-bike.](images/les19fig2a.jpg)
![The third picture shows two children on scooters. All the cyclists and scooter riders are wearing helmets.](images/les19fig2c.jpg) |
Path Types and Planning Issues
- Rail-trails.
- Rails-with-trails.
- Greenway trails.
- Paths adjacent to roads.
- Towpaths (canal trails).
- Paths along utility corridors.
- Paths in large developments.
- Planning and project development process.
- Unique planning issues for unique trail types:
– | Converted rail and canal corridors. |
– | Paths adjacent to railroads. |
– | Greenway paths. |
– | Paths adjacent to roads. |
- Common community issues (examples):
– | Personal security/fear of crime. |
– | Adjacent land uses and access. |
– | Traffic safety. |
- Paths serve both transportation and recreation.
Shared-Use Path Design
- ADA accessibility.
- Trail width and striping.
- Traffic safety at trail/roadway intersections.
| ![The graphic shows a cross section drawing of a bike path: Signage is placed three feet away from the pavement, the path is ten feet wide with a two percent cross slope. A centerline is optional, and on either side is a minimum two foot wide shoulder sloping down from the path.](images/les19fig3a.gif) |
| |
Trail Design Issues
- Path surface and treadway design.
- Geometric design.
- Access and restrictions.
- Safety adjacent to roads.
- Environmental impacts.
- Aesthetics.
- Amenities.
- Signs.
- Structures.
| ![Five pictures show trail elements. 1.) A picture of a tunnel that conveys a trail beneath a road. 2.) A “Yield to Bikes” sign. 3.) A town limit sign. 4.) A historic marker describing an event in the trails vicinity. 5.) A bronze plate used as a place marker for a significant site.](images/les19fig4.jpg) |
Lesson Summary
- Shared-use paths provide car-free arterials in the pedestrian and bicycle network.
- Path users are diverse.
- Different path types present different planning challenges.
- Trail design must serve both transportation and recreation needs.
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