Mayors' Challenge 4: Design Right

Use designs appropriate to the context of the street and its uses

Go beyond minimum design standards to make streets safe and convenient for all road users. Plan projects for the long-term to anticipate likely future demand for bicycling and walking facilities and not preclude the provision of future improvements.

How do we know we have taken the steps to use appropriate designs?

• Engineers and planners regularly consult a range of manuals for guidance
• Transportation agencies interact regularly with the transit agency, housing agency, and other stakeholders with a strong interest in multi-modal access
• Awareness of safe design practices are improved among those involved in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of roads.
• The neighborhood is considered when making transportation decisions

Consider the following when designing safe, easy, and convenient streets for all road users:

• Plan for safe, comfortable, and convenient crossings that account for destinations such as schools, parks, and libraries;
• Lighting should improve visibility of those on foot, those using personal mobility devices, and those on bikes;
• Promote center islands for pedestrians at intersections, given that they are a Proven Safety Countermeasure;
• Provide accessible curb ramps, accessible pedestrian signals, and other tools that facilitate greater mobility for people with disabilities have safe access to sidewalks, crosswalks and passage through center islands in streets;
• Safe and accessible on and off boarding to buses, transits, and rails; and
• Connected and seamless transportation networks.

What steps should we take to better design to the context of the street use?

• Provide training opportunities to all stakeholders on pedestrian and bicycle planning and design
• Implement road diets; FHWA's recently released Road Diet Informational Guide provides information regarding the benefits of road diets including speed reduction, decreases in accidents, and the opportunity to provide improved accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Identify pedestrian and bicyclist safety issues
• Use tools to identify countermeasures to address safety issues; FHWA Office of Safety provides a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Toolkit which includes several countermeasure tools, the revised Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System (PEDSAFE) and new Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System (BIKESAFE)

What are some resources to help create appropriate street designs?

U.S. DOT Resources

• FHWA
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility and Qs & As
  • Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Guide, Recommendations and Case Study
  • Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding, Design, and Environmental Review: Addressing Common Misconceptions

Stakeholder Organization Resources

• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
  • AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, Fourth Edition
  • Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities
• National Assocation of City Transportation Officials
  • Urban Bikeway Design Guide
  • Urban Street Design Guide
• Institute of Transportation Engineers
  • Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach
  • Recommended Design Guidelines to Accommodate Pedestrians and Bicycles at Interchanges

What resources on the horizon?

U.S. DOT Resources

• FHWA
  • Flexibility in Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Design