road diets

The future is coming…

Stand by:

MartyMarty

JonJon

PaulPaulEarlEarl

DaleDale

Dan’s

Arm

Dan’s

Arm

Photo by PaulPhoto by Paul

The Pedestrian in America has been marginalized The Pedestrian in America has been marginalized compromised to Deathcompromised to Death

What is the Purpose of Cities?

Capacity of Streets

Reframing Key Transportation ConventionsDESIGN TRAFFIC - Interpreting the Results

Sustainable Transportation is about meeting present transportation needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

The concept of sustainable transportation is a reaction to things that have gone radically and visibly wrong with current transportation and land use policy, practice and performance over the last half of the twentieth century. In particular unsustainable transportation consumes more energy and creates pollution and declining service levels despite increasing investments.

It delivers poor service for specific social and economic groups. It reduces happiness. It raises the cost of personal transportation to 20% of a family budget and takes time away from family time and ties. Indirectly, it increases health care to 15-20%

The World Has Changed. Former Highway Agencies that see their job as moving cars and tonnage … cannot build the next economy. The next economy requires that “place” be emphasized over speed and volume.

The streets of our cities and towns ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams. They’re unsafe for people on foot or bike — and unpleasant for everybody.

With disincentives like this, is there any reason

to expect people to switch from driving to walking, bicycling or

transit?

Seamless, integrated, balanced transportation systems requires equal consideration for every

mode.

Conventi

onal A

ppro

ach

Syst

em

M

an

ag

em

ent

More Pavement

More

Lanes

More

Roads

ITS

More

Cars

MoreCar-CarryingCapacity

Lateral Approach

Incr

ease

Qua

lity

of T

rave

l

User View and Comfort

Context-Sensitive Design

Traffic Calming

Personal Security

Move Less People, Fewer M

iles

Intensify land use densities

Promote Mixed Use Development

Transit Supportive Development

Demand Management – Pricing, e-commerce, telecommuting, etc…

Lane Limits

Change Standards

Shift Policy

Conventi

onal A

ppro

ach

Syst

em

M

an

ag

em

ent

More Pavement

More

Lanes

More

Roads

ITS

More

Cars

Transit

Bicycling

Walking

HOV/HOT Lanes

Mov

e Pe

ople

, Not

Car

s

A Balanced Transportation Approach

More Car-CarryingCapacity

Why do we need public places?

Not Walkable Walkable

High Car Dependency Low Car Dependency

Serious Congestion Moderate Congestion

Smart Streets form highly-connected networks of complete streets.

Street connectivity and sidewalk completeness are correlated with lower average vehicle use perperson as well as dispersed vehicle loads that decrease congestion and improve safety.

Smart Streets are right sized for their place an mission, and not built to a model that does not take in the values of the people who will live, work and shop there.

Narrow streets help create comfortable settings for walking, gathering, and lingering, especially in neighborhoods and shopping districts. They often work within a larger network that provides a framework of higher-speed streets that offer connectivity to regional destinations.

With regard to ecological aims, right-sizing means limiting impervious surfaces and potentially “freeing” right of way space that can do double duty by functioning to buffer roadside activity and travel lanes while also introducing ecological functions in the street space.

Smart Streets are designed and managed with speeds and intersectionsappropriate to context. To advance walkability and compact development patterns, smartgrowth street designs manage speed and intersection operations to advance overallcommunity objectives.

Grandview Drive (Collector) above, and “A” Avenue (Arterial) below are examples of Complete Streets that greatly improved land values, safety. Changes helped stabilize tax revenues to keep streets well maintained and attractive. In both examples walking and bicycling increased over 1200%

Grandview Drive, University Place, Washington

“A” Avenue, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Above Where would you rather walk? Where would you rather bike? Which is the safest place to bike? Or Below Where would you rather drive? Where would you rather live? Which is the safest place to drive?

MAIN STREET DEVELOPMENT

30 mph speed zone

25 mph speed zone

45 mph speed zone

Every blizzard proves motorists prefer two lane roads

Indeed they place medians and edge buffers on 4-lane roads when they get to design them (before snow plows arrive). So why not convert to 2-3 lanes, when conditions allow?

Multiple Benefits:

Lower speeds

Lower noise

Lower pollution

Reduced crashes

Safer crossings

More parking

More bike lanes

Increased beauty

More friendly

Higher property valuesMore green

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Former 4-Lane Road

Road Diets and Road SizingRoad Diets and Road Sizing

Pedestrian crash risk increases with number of crash risk increases with number of travel lanes and speed.travel lanes and speed.

• Reducing the number of travel lanes reduces Reducing the number of travel lanes reduces risk, and makes it easier to cross the streetrisk, and makes it easier to cross the street

• Reducing non-essential lanes frees space for Reducing non-essential lanes frees space for higher & better usehigher & better use

• Streets exist 24/7; peak traffic may be a Streets exist 24/7; peak traffic may be a concern for as little as 30 minutes a dayconcern for as little as 30 minutes a day

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

California Street, Mountain View, California

Motorist: Safety 25- 40% improvement

Traffic moves with greater uniformity

Compact intersections more efficient

Greater cost savings

Turns are easier

Senior friendly (as motorists)

Others:

Senior friendly (as pedestrians)

Supports transit, walking and bicycling

Emergency response friendly

Increased property values (and tax base)

Community economic develeopment

Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, ConnecticutSpeed reductions of 3-7 mph are

common

Speed reductions of 3-7 mph are

common

Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida

Before After

Most speeds dropped to 20 mph

Motorists do not drive in gutter pan

75% of costs charged to adjacent property owners

Increased property values

As we age our walking speed will slow

This woman took twice as long to get into the street as the younger people. Once in the street it took her three times as long to get to the far side.

Olympia, Washington (School Crossing) – Former 4-lane

77 feet

22 seconds

Valley Boulevard at Monterey El Monte, California

20, 000 ADT

In 22 seconds at 30 mph a motorist travels 968 feet (3.1 football fields)

D Quality CrossingC Quality Crossing

In 6 seconds at 30 mph a motorist travels 264 feet (.9 football fields)In 3 seconds at 30 mph a motorist travels 132 feet (.4 football fields)

25 feet

6 seconds10-12 feet

3 seconds

A Quality Crossing

If the Beatles would have tried to cross this road, rather than Abby Road, would we have been able to hear their music?

1800 vehicles per hourper lane

800 vehicles per hourPer lane

Road Diets

Ten foot travel lanes Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida – Former 3-lane, One-Way

10 Feet

Ten foot travel lanes Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida – Former 3-lane, One-Way

20 Feet

Greenville, South Carolina

Art Walk Master

Doug Rice

With

Median adopter, Arnie

University Avenue

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

X

3 crash types can be reduced by going3 crash types can be reduced by goingfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 1 – rear endersfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 1 – rear enders

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

X

3 crash types can be reduced by going3 crash types can be reduced by goingfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 2 – side swipesfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 2 – side swipes

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

X

3 crash types can be reduced by going3 crash types can be reduced by goingfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 3 – left turn/broadsidefrom 4 to 3 lanes: 3 – left turn/broadside

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

• $589,000 project scheduled in FDOT 5-year work plan

• FDOT open to 3-lane option if City takes over jurisdiction

• Changes must be accepted by neighborhood and business associations; before/after studies

ConceptBefore

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

12.6

8.4

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0C

rash

Rat

e (p

er M

VM

)

Before After

1 crash every 1 crash every 2.5 days2.5 days

34% Reduction

(146 per yr)(146 per yr)

1 crash every 1 crash every 4.2 days4.2 days

(87 per yr)(87 per yr)

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

3.6

1.2

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0In

jury

Rat

e (p

er M

VM

)

Before After

68% Reduction

1 injury every 1 injury every 9 days9 days

(41 per yr)(41 per yr) 1 injury every 1 injury every 30 days30 days

(12 per yr)(12 per yr)

Before/after studies: 2. Injury rate

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

15.7%

7.5%9.8% 8.9%

29.5%

19.6%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%P

erc

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f V

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icle

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ng

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Before AfterBefore BeforeAfter

North End Middle South End

After

Before/after studies: 3. Speeding analysis

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

20,50018,100

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000V

ehic

les

per

Day

Before After

Now21,000+

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

29%

41%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%P

arki

ng

Uti

lizat

ion

Per

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Before After

Before/after studies: 5. On-street parking utilization

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

2,136

2,632

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000N

um

ber

of

Ped

estr

ian

s

Before After

23% Increase

Before/after studies: 6. Pedestrian volumes

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

375

486

0

100

200

300

400

500

600N

um

ber

of

Bic

ycle

s

Before After

30% Increase

Before/after studies: 7. Bicyclist volumes

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

Also: Noise levels went down…

Before/after studies: Evaluation matrix

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

2. Which road produces the higher speed?• With a 4-lane road a fast driver can pass others• With a 2-lane road the slower driver sets the speed

3. Which road produces the higher crash rate?

4. Which is better for bicyclists, pedestrians, businesses?

1. Which road carries more traffic?

San Antonio TXSan Antonio TX

Road Diet CRF: 29% overall

San Antonio TXSan Antonio TX

“”

“”Designing for

Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

–

X

3 crash types can be reduced by goingfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 1 – rear enders

–

X

3 crash types can be reduced by going3 crash types can be reduced by goingfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 2 – side swipesfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 2 – side swipes

–

X

3 crash types can be reduced by going3 crash types can be reduced by goingfrom 4 to 3 lanes: 3 – left turn/broadsidefrom 4 to 3 lanes: 3 – left turn/broadside

This 5-lane Main Street was converted to…This 5-lane Main Street was converted to…

Pottstown PAPottstown PA

This:This: One less travel lane; bike lanes; parallel to back-One less travel lane; bike lanes; parallel to back-in diagonal parking on one side; new pavementin diagonal parking on one side; new pavement

This area was recaptured from a 4This area was recaptured from a 4thth travel lane; travel lane; the street took on a whole new lifethe street took on a whole new life

Portland ORPortland OR

On-street parkingOn-street parking MedianMedian

Center turn-laneCenter turn-lane

Bike lanesBike lanes

Reclaimed road space creates room for many usesReclaimed road space creates room for many uses

Seattle, WASeattle, WA

La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego, California (Five to two lane conversion, before). Four signals and one four-way stop being removed. Back-in Angled parking to be added. (23,000 ADT)

78 Feet78 Feet

Roadway Date ADT ADT Collision

Location Change Before After Reduction

Greenwood Ave N

N 80th St to N 50th

N 45th Street

Wallingford Area

8th Ave NW

Ballard Area

Martin Luther King Jr W

North of I 90

Dexter Ave N

Queen Ann Area

24th Ave NW

NW 85th to NW 65thOct-95 9727 9754

14 to 10 28%

Jun-91 13606 1494919 to 16

59%

Jan-94 12336 1316115 to 6 60%

Jan-94 10549 1185818 to 7 61%

Dec-72 19421 2027445 to 23

49%

Apr-95 11872 1242724 to 10

58%

Lake Washington Boulevard

Kirkland, WashingtonADT 21,000 (Peaked at 29,000)

La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego, California (Five to two lane conversion, before). Four signals and one four-way stop being removed. Back-in Angled parking to be added. (23,000 ADT)

78 Feet78 Feet

La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego, California

14 Feet14 Feet

Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida Five to Two lane conversion

Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida

Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida

9 Feet

University Place, Washington

Four road diets in place

Atlantic Boulevard, Delray Beach, FloridaAtlantic Boulevard, Delray Beach, Florida

Abbott Road, E. Lansing, Michigan

12 Feet12 Feet

5 Feet5 Feet

Natomas, Sacramento, California

Curb-to-Curb 17 feet 38 mph running speeds

Grandview Drive , University Place, WA (33 mph Average Speed)

University Place, Washington

10 Feet

10 Feet

University Place, Washington

The Cycle of Strip Development

Land UsePlanning

Land UsePlanning

INPUTS •Auto Oriented Business•Single Use Zoning•Single Family Residential

GROWTHGROWTH

OUTCOMES•Isolated Neighborhoods•Multiple Automobile Trips•Poor Mobility•Difficult Walking

TransportationPlanning

TransportationPlanning

INPUTS •Traffic Demand Forecasting•Congestion

GROWTHGROWTH

OUTCOMES•Wider Roads•Induced Traffic•More Traffic

Land UsePlanning

Land UsePlanning

GROWTHGROWTH

OUTCOMES

•Increased Mobility•More Walking & Bicycling•Increased Access

OUTCOMES

•Healthy Neighborhoods•Choices of Transportation•More Open Space•Sense of Place•Sense of Community

INPUTS

•Diversity of Business•Mixed Use Zoning•Diversity of Residential Units•Context Sensitive Solutions•Community Involvement

TransportationPlanning

TransportationPlanning

CommunityPlanning

CommunityPlanning

San D

iego, California