Hillsborough County Complete Streets Guide

The intent of the Hillsborough County Complete Streets Guide (the CS Guide) is to provide policy guidance on planning and designing County owned streets and roadways consistent with the County's Comprehensive Plan. It is intended to inform planners, engineers, and designers in their implementation of the County's Comprehensive Plan.

Guide A Complete Streets Safer Roadways 2023

ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT

In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), Hillsborough County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities. Persons with disabilities who need an accommodation for this document should email the Hillsborough County ADA Officer or call (813) 276-8401; TTY: 7-1-1.

USING THE GUIDE The intent of the Hillsborough County Complete Streets Guide (the CS Guide) is to provide policy guidance on planning and designing County-owned streets and roadways consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Plan. It is intended to inform planners, engineers, and designers in their implementation of the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Users of this guide will be able to identify street elements and design features that can be applied to achieve complete streets that are sensitive to the community’s context. Engineers will find guidance to help prepare design plans based on principles of safer, more comfortable, and accessible streets that provide a variety of transportation choices including walking and bicycling. The document also addresses some common concerns and perceived barriers regarding designing pedestrian and bicycle facilities. There may be elements included in this document that may not be consistent with existing regulatory standards. Depending on the regulatory oversight, a variance process or request for experimentation may be required to move forward with some preferred design elements. Complete Streets adoption and implementation can be more easily facilitated by updating regulations to reflect the guidelines put forth in this document. The layout and design of each chapter is organized in a hierarchy to guide readers from high level design principles to individual design treatments. Chapter One starts with the purpose of Complete Streets and benefits. Chapter Two describes the various elements in Complete Streets. Chapter Three illustrates all the various street typologies and summarizes the various considerations for each mode. Chapter Four reflects on the importance of placemaking and link to healthy people and communities. Chapter Five outlines intersection treatments, and Chapter Six expands on transit integration. Finally, in order to assist street design professionals in applying the guide to actual streets in Hillsborough County, Chapter Seven employs photo-realistic corridor visualizations to demonstrate the application of Complete Streets principles at select locations along two corridors, illustrating multimodal and safety best practices tailored to the community and context.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many agencies and departments contributed to the Complete Streets Guide. Without their insights, recommendations, and thorough review, this guide would not have been possible. The individuals and groups identified below were involved on an on-going basis. Project Team • Hillsborough County Community and Infrastructure Planning Department • GPI/Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., Author • Burgess & Niple, Inc. Complete Streets Guide Working Group • Hillsborough County City – County Planning Commission

• Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization • Hillsborough County Engineering and Operations • Hillsborough County Development Services • Hillsborough County Engineer • Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) • Florida Department of Transportation

Special Thanks

• Hillsborough TPO Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Commission • Hillsborough TPO Livable Roadways Committee • Hillsborough TPO Citizens Advisory Committee

Table of Contents ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT............................................................................................ 1 USING THE GUIDE................................................................................................................. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... 3 PROJECT TEAM ...................................................................................................................................................3 COMPLETE STREETS GUIDE WORKING GROUP .....................................................................................................3 SPECIAL THANKS .................................................................................................................................................3 LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................... 6 LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................... 8 ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................... 8 GLOSSARY........................................................................................................................... 9 1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................13 PURPOSE ..........................................................................................................................................................14 BENEFITS OF COMPLETE STREETS ......................................................................................................................15 PRINCIPLES .......................................................................................................................................................16 2 ELEMENTS OF COMPLETE STREETS...................................................................................21 FRONTAGE ZONE ..............................................................................................................................................22 PEDESTRIAN ZONE ............................................................................................................................................22 FURNISHING ZONE ............................................................................................................................................23 FLEX ZONE ........................................................................................................................................................25 TRAVELED WAY ZONE .......................................................................................................................................32 TARGET SPEED = DESIGN SPEED = POSTED SPEED ..............................................................................................34 TRAFFIC CALMING.............................................................................................................................................39 PREPARING FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ........................................................................................................45 3 STREET TYPOLOGIES ......................................................................................................51 CHOOSING TYPOLOGIES ....................................................................................................................................53 RURAL (C1&C2).................................................................................................................................................58 SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL (C3R) ..........................................................................................................................66 SUBURBAN COMMERCIAL (C3C) ........................................................................................................................72 SUBURBAN TOWN (C3T)....................................................................................................................................79 URBAN GENERAL (C4) .......................................................................................................................................84 PLANNING COMPLETE STREETS IN LIMITED RIGHTS-OF-WAY..............................................................................90 TRANSITIONS ....................................................................................................................................................92 4 PLACEMAKING AND HEALTH...........................................................................................97 CONNECTIVITY ..................................................................................................................................................98 ACCESS MANAGEMENT .....................................................................................................................................99 EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCOMMODATIONS......................................................................................................100 GREENSCAPE/LANDSCAPE ...............................................................................................................................101

STREET TREES .................................................................................................................................................102 WAYFINDING ..................................................................................................................................................104 PUBLIC ART.....................................................................................................................................................105 HISTORICAL RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................109 NATURAL AND SCENIC AREAS..........................................................................................................................109 CONSTRAINED ROADS .....................................................................................................................................110 ROAD DIET ......................................................................................................................................................110 QUICK BUILDS.................................................................................................................................................112 5 INTERSECTIONS AND MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS.................................................................117 INTERSECTI ONS...............................................................................................................................................117 GEOMETRIC FEATURES....................................................................................................................................118 CROSSWALKS – DESIGN AND TYPE...................................................................................................................121 RIGHT‐TURN CHANNELIZATION ISLANDS .........................................................................................................122 TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL...............................................................................................................................123 BICYCLE INTERSECTION TREATMENTS..............................................................................................................127 TRANSIT INTERSECTION TREATMENTS .............................................................................................................129 MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS...................................................................................................................................131 6 TRANSIT INTEGRATION ................................................................................................137 GENERAL DESIGN GUIDANCE...........................................................................................................................137 TRANSIT STOP SPACING ..................................................................................................................................138 TRANSIT STOP CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................................................................................139 TRANSIT AMENITIES ........................................................................................................................................140 BUS LANES ......................................................................................................................................................141 FUTURE FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT........................................................................................................................142 7 PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE COMPLETE STREETS GUIDE............................................147 CORRIDOR 1: SOUTH 78TH STREET - CAUSEWAY BOULEVARD TO EAST ADAMO DRIVE .....................................148 CORRIDOR 2: SYMMES ROAD - US 41 TO I-75...................................................................................................163 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................................175 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 179

LIST OF FIGURES

1-1 COMPLETE STREETS BENEFITS 1-2 COMPLETE STREETS PRINCIPLES

15 16 22 27 27 29 30 33 34 37 37 38 38 43 44 52 53 64 65 70 71 76 77 78 82 83 88 89 91 97 99

2-1 STREET ZONES

2-2 BICYCLE FACILITIES AND PERCEIVED SAFETY 2-3 WSDOT BIKE FACILITY SELECTION CRITERIA 2-4 LTS BICYCLE FACILITY SELECTION PROCESS

2-5 PREFERRED BIKEWAY TYPE FOR URBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL ACTIVITY CONTEXTS

2-6 SPEED AND RISK OF INJURY 2-7 HIN CRASH STATISTICS

2-8 DIFFERENT BUS AND TRUCK WHEELBASES

2-9 TURN RADII OF CITY BUS

2-10 CORNER RADII

2-11 RECESSED STOP LINE

2-12 ROUNDABOUT VEHICLE CONFLICT POINTS 2-13 ROUNDABOUT PEDESTRIAN CONFLICT POINTS 3-1 CONTEXT BASED CLASSIFICATION MAP 3-2 TYPOLOGY SELECTION PROCESS 3-3 TYPOLOGY - RURAL NEIGHBORHOOD, C1&C2

3-4 TYPOLOGY - RURAL OTHER, C1&C2

3-5 TYPOLOGY - SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD, C3R

3-6 TYPOLOGY - SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTOR, C3R 3-7 TYPOLOGY - NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL, C3C

3-8 TYPOLOGY - REGIONAL COMMERCIAL, C3C

3-9 TYPOLOGY - INDUSTRIAL, C3C

3-10 TYPOLOGY - TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD, C3T

3-11 TYPOLOGY - TOWN CENTER, C3T

3-12 TYPOLOGY - URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD, C4

3-13 TYPOLOGY - MAIN STREET, C4

3-14 COMPARISON OF AN URBAN GENERAL C4 MAIN STREET IN CONSTRICTED ENVIRONMENT

4-1 HEALTHY STREET INDICATORS 4-2 WALKING AND BIKING ACCESS SHED 4-3 MID-BLOCK CONFLICT POINTS

111 111 117 120 131

4-4 LANE REPURPOSING

5-1 MULTIMODAL INTERSECTION, NACTO 5-2 CURB EXTENSION EXAMPLE, USDOT/FHWA

5-3 MULTIPLE THREAT CRASH SOLUTION - ADVANCE YIELD LINE, FHWA

6-1 COMPARISON OF MAIN STREET, C4 WITH & WITHOUT CENTER MEDIAN BRT LANES 6-2 COMPARISON OF REGIONAL COMMERCIAL, C3C WITH & WITHOUT TRANSIT (BAT) LANES

143 143 148 149 150 151 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 163 164 165 165 167 168 169 170 170 171 172 173 173 174 175

7-1 BUILT FORM: SOUTH 78 TH STREET

7-2 TYPOLOGY SECTION FOR SOUTH 78 TH STREET

7-3 MAIN STREET AND URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD TYPOLOGIES

7-4 SOUTH 78TH STREET CORRIDOR

7-5 CURRENT CONDITIONS: TIDEWATER TRAIL 7-6 PROPOSED DESIGN ELEMENTS: TIDEWATER TRAIL 7-7 PROPOSED CONDITIONS PLAN VIEW: TIDEWATER TRAIL 7-8 PROPOSED CONDITIONS RENDERING: TIDEWATER TRAIL 7-9 CURRENT CONDITIONS: CLAIR MEL SCHOOL 7-10 PROPOSED DESIGN ELEMENTS: CLAIR MEL SCHOOL 7-11 PROPOSED CONDITIONS PLAN VIEW: CLAIR MEL SCHOOL 7-12 PROPOSED CONDITIONS RENDERING: CLAIR MEL SCHOOL

7-13 CURRENT CONDITIONS: PALM RIVER ROAD

7-14 PROPOSED CONDITIONS PLAN VIEW: PALM RIVER ROAD 7-15 PROPOSED CONDITIONS RENDERING: PALM RIVER ROAD

7-16 BUILT FORM: SYMMES ROAD

7-17 TYPOLOGY SELECTION PROCESS FOR SYMMES ROAD 7-18 TYPOLOGY SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTOR

7-19 SYMMES ROAD CORRIDOR

7-20 CURRENT CONDITIONS: HIGHWAY 41

7-21 FIGURE 7-21 PROPOSED CONDITIONS PLAN VIEW: US HIGHWAY 41 7-22 PROPOSED CONDITIONS RENDERING: US HIGHWAY 41

7-23 CURRENT CONDITIONS: VIOLET ORCHARD PLACE

7-24 PROPOSED CONDITIONS PLAN VIEW: VIOLET ORCHARD PLACE 7-25 PROPOSED DESIGN ELEMENTS: VIOLET ORCHARD PLACE 7-26 PROPOSED CONDITIONS RENDERING: VIOLET ORCHARD PLACE

7-27 CURRENT CONDITIONS: NORTH STREET

7-28 PROPOSED CONDITIONS PLAN VIEW: NORTH STREET 7-29 PROPOSED DESIGN ELEMENTS: NORTH STREET 7-30 PROPOSED CONDITIONS RENDERING: NORTH STREET

LIST OF TABLES 3-1 TYPOLOGY IDENTIFICATION: RURAL (C1&C2) AND SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL (C3R)

54 55 56 57 58

3-2 TYPOLOGY IDENTIFICATION: SUBURBAN COMMERCIAL (C3C) 3-3 TYPOLOGY IDENTIFICATION: SUBURBAN TOWN (C3T) 3-4 TYPOLOGY IDENTIFICATION: URBAN GENERAL (C4)

3-5 TARGET SPEEDS

3-6 SUMMARY CONSIDERATIONS - RURAL, C1&C2

62-63 68-79 74-75 80-81 86-87

3-7 SUMMARY CONSIDERATIONS - SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL, C3R 3-8 SUMMARY CONSIDERATIONS - SUBURBAN COMMERCIAL, C3C 3-9 SUMMARY CONSIDERATIONS - SUBURBAN TOWN, C3T 3-10 SUMMARY CONSIDERATION - URBAN GENERAL, C4

6-1 HART RECOMMENDED TRANSIT STOP SPACING

138 152 166

7-1 CORRIDOR SUMMARY - CURRENT CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS 7-2 CORRIDOR SUMMARY - CURRENT CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS

ACRONYMS

AASHTO

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act

FDOT FHWA

Florida Department of Transportation

Federal Highway Administration, part of the US Department of Transportation

HART

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit

ITE

Institute of Transportation Engineers published Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach

MUTCD

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

PLAT

Preliminary Land Use Assessment and Transportation Assessment Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization

TPO

NACTO

National Association of City Transportation Officials

GLOSSARY

Lane Narrowing

Reducing the width of travel lanes to repurpose the space for other uses, typically bicycle lanes as part of resurfacing projects. A generalized term for the movement of people; includes walking, biking, transit, and driving, as well as transportation service providers such as carshare and ride-hail services. The legal right for passage along land; for purposes of this guide, this often refers to the publicly owned land on which streets and sidewalks are built. Reducing the total number of travel lanes on a roadway to repurpose the space for other uses such as bicycle lanes, wider sidewalk, and/or landscaping and furnishings. The frontage zone is the area between buildings, fences, or yards, and the pedestrian zone. This zone provides a buffer between building activities and the movement along the sidewalk. The pedestrian zone is the area dedicated for people walking or moving along the sidewalk. The furnishing zone is the area between the curb and the pedestrian zone. This zone contains street trees, landscaping, benches, transit shelters, lighting, utility poles and boxes, parking meters, bicycle racks and trash cans.

Mobility

Right-of-Way

Road Diet

Frontage Zone

Pedestrian Zone

Furnishing Zone

Flex Zone The flex zone is between the furnishing zone and the travel lanes. The flex zone can be considered for parking, bicycle facilities or curb management opportunities based on contact and area needs. Traveled Way Zone The traveled way zone provides various types of space for motorized and non-motorized vehicles.

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

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A Complete Streets Guide Safer Roadways

Build and maintain a transportation system that supports the needs of all users with respect to ability, resources, identity, and mode preference. Comprehensive Plan Mobility Element Goal

1 Introduction

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

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1 INTRODUCTION Hillsborough County designs roads using a concept called “Complete Streets.” Complete Streets are roadways that are designed and operated to provide safe, accessible, and healthy travel for all users of the roadway system. A Complete Street is defined by the National Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth America as a street where the entire right-of-way is planned, designed, and operated for all modes of transportation and all users regardless of age or ability. Complete Streets address the needs of people and the transport of goods. Pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists of all ages and abilities

must be able to safely move along and across a Complete Street. Complete Streets make it easy to walk to shops, catch the bus, bike to work, and enjoy many other healthy activities. There is no singular design prescription for Complete Streets – each one is unique and

responds to its community context. Complete Street features may include sidewalks, bike lanes (or other innovative bicycle facilities or slow lanes), special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crossing opportunities, median refuges, accessible pedestrian signals, landscaped curb extensions, bioswales, roundabouts, on-street parking, and secure bicycle parking. A Complete Street in a suburban area may look different than a Complete Street in the urban core, but both are designed with the same principle in mind; that is to balance safety and convenience for everyone using the road. Complete Street features closely link the community context, i.e., land use, to the roadway network. To make this connection, the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan includes a Context Based Classification system for all County-owned collector and arterial streets in the unincorporated areas of Hillsborough County. This Context Based Classification of roadways links the County’s roadway network to its land use plan. It accomplishes this by acting as a bridge between Future Land Use, Livable Communities, and Transportation policies in the Comprehensive Plan. It allows street design to prioritize the type of users utilizing a roadway based on existing and planned development patterns. For more information, the Context Based Classification Technical Memo is provided in Appendix A. Context Based Classification is different from functional classification. Functional classification defines the role a roadway plays in serving the flow of vehicular traffic through the network. Roadways are assigned to one of several possible functional classifications within a hierarchy, according to the character of travel service each roadway provides. Complete Streets continues to recognize functional classification but also considers the context classification of the street as part of the total picture. For example, the relationship between functional classification and access needs may be less consistent in more urban

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

context classifications where roadways serve a wider variety of purposes beyond moving motor vehicle traffic. The physical characteristics of the young, the aging, and people with different physical abilities introduce a variety of human factors that can influence driving, walking, and cycling abilities. Roadway users’ varying skills and abilities should influence roadway design. Roadway users should be taken into consideration when determining design details such as sidewalk widths, type of bicycle facility, design speed, signal timing and spacing, location of pedestrian crossings, number of vehicular travel lanes, intersection width, and lighting. The intent of this document is to provide a one-stop guide for designing new or retrofitting existing streets. This chapter provides an overview of the purpose, the benefits, the principles, and how Hillsborough County will deliver the intended outcomes. Purpose Hillsborough County has developed the Complete Streets Guide to provide policy and design guidance to all parties involved in street design projects: governmental agencies, consultants, private developers, and community groups. It is the goal of this guide to support the development of streets that are

Comprehensive Plan - Mobility Element Goals

 Build a Transportation system that supports the needs of all users with respect to ability, resources, identity, or mode preference.  Achieve Vision Zero by providing a multimodal transportation system that prioritizes the safety of all roadway users.  Maintain the system in good repair, preserve assets, and improve resiliency to climate change.  Provide safe and convenient connections within the transportation network that support multimodal access to key destinations, such as community focal points, employment centers and services throughout the County.  Create a sustainable transportation system that allows people to take their mode of choice to access necessities, opportunities, recreation, and each other.  Build a smart system that utilizes technology and strategies to improve safety, efficiency, and reliability for all modes of transportation and to meet the needs of all users.  Provide a multimodal transportation system that supports planned future land use, respects historical and cultural assets, supports the identity of the surrounding community, and protects the natural environment.

safe for all users, with consistency in policy and design across Hillsborough County streets. This guide builds on the Comprehensive Plan’s Context Based Classification to further the County’s vision for its future built environment. It bridges the gap between Transportation and Land Use by interpreting the desires of a future condition based on community plans

Introduction 15 and the Future Land Uses. While the Context Based Classification generally identifies streets as urban, suburban, or rural, it does not provide clarity on whether it is a neighborhood, a main street, or of a local or regional scale. This refines a street’s Context Based Classification into typologies that fit seamlessly into a community’s vision for its future. Users of this document will be able to identify context-sensitive street elements and design features that can be applied consistently with federal and state best practices. Engineers, planners, and policy makers will find guidance and criteria to help create streets based on principles of safer, more

Figure 1-1

comfortable, and accessible streets so that walking and bicycling are viable transportation choices. The document also addresses some common concerns and perceived barriers regarding designing pedestrian and bicycle facilities. People are at the heart of the Complete Streets approach; this guide embraces design as a tool to advance the health and safety Benefits of Complete Streets Streets represent a large amount of publicly owned land. Orienting the design and programming of these assets toward Complete Streets is an opportunity to advance numerous County goals effectively and efficiently. Streets can provide benefits across areas as diverse as public health, equity, environmental quality, safety, mobility, and economic vitality. Designing streets with the user in mind lets the County maximize these benefits as illustrated in Figure 1-1. of the community while promoting sustainable transportation options and vibrant public spaces.

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

Principles Community wellbeing and prosperity depends upon its streets balancing the needs of moving people and goods with the needs of those who live, work, and play nearby. The intent of this guide is to improve transportation and quality of life through street design that meets the needs of a wide range of users and community objectives. To achieve this, the following complete streets principles shown in Figure 1-2 work together to deliver a safer, healthier, and more equitable street system for Hillsborough County.

Figure 1-2

Introduction

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Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

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A Complete Streets Guide Safer Roadways

Protect vulnerable users, such as bicyclists, pedestrians, children, seniors and people with disabilities, through a Safe Systems Approach, speed management techniques and context-sensitive multimodal

2 Elements of Complete Streets

facility design. Comprehensive Plan Mobility Element Objective 2.2

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

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2 ELEMENTS OF COMPLETE STREETS The national movement toward designing with the Complete Streets approach has resulted in the creation of many resources regarding Complete Streets design. The creation of this document was aided through a thorough review of best practices from across the country. Relevant and critical design standards are included based on their presence in several leading publications as well as a context-sensitive approach tailored to the unique needs and opportunities in Hillsborough County.

Streets that incorporate a Complete Streets approach go beyond looking at what is between the two curbs. They are designed based on the adjacent uses and include zones for various purposes. A typical street has multiple street zones, such as: Frontage Zone, Pedestrian Zone, Furnishing Zone, Flex Zone, and Traveled Way Zone that may provide different functions for the street. Street zones (Figure 2-1) should be right sized with all users in mind, designed for people of varying needs, of human scale to enable mode respect, and encourage mode shift. Street zones should be contextualized to reflect the surrounding community that will result in multiple benefits such as connectivity, walkability, livability, and sustainability. 1 Figure 2-1 illustrates how the zones are arranged. It is important to note that elements of complete streets will be different in each of the urban, suburban, and rural contexts. Streets in the Urban General context (C4) often exhibit most of these zones. In Suburban contexts (C3), some zones may not be as prominent. On streets in rural context, Rural (C1&C2), few of the zones will be present. Chapter Three covers each of these contexts and related street typologies.

1 Streets Reconsidered, Inclusive Design for the Public Realm, Daniel Iacofano & Mukul Malhotra

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

Figure 2-1 Street Zones

Frontage Zone The frontage zone is the area between buildings, fences, or yards, and the pedestrian zone. For buildings that abut the sidewalk, this zone provides a buffer between building activities (doors opening, window shoppers) and the movement along the sidewalk. This space could be used for café seating, store displays, and building entrances, etc. This zone should be maximized on main streets and in town centers, but not at the expense of reducing the pedestrian zone below the recommended minimum widths . Pedestrian Zone The pedestrian zone is the area dedicated to walking or moving along the sidewalk. It should provide a logical, straight path and line up with crosswalks, where feasible. Obstructions, displays, plantings, and furniture should not extend into the pedestrian zone and should be ADA compliant. Surfaces should allow for this zone to retain its mobility function in all weather conditions. Lighting and width are important to creating a welcoming environment that accommodates all users, particularly in high pedestrian volume areas. Encouraging people to walk, bicycle, or access transit safely requires a connected pedestrian and bicycle network. People on foot often travel slower, make shorter trips than Pedestrian Zone

Elements of Complete Streets 23 automobiles, and seek direct routes. When Context Based Classification anticipates a higher level of pedestrian usage, it is important that these networks be permeable and offer multiple options to keep trips direct. Furnishing Zone The furnishing zone is the area between the curb and the pedestrian zone. This zone contains street trees and landscaping, benches and transit shelters, lighting and signal poles, utility boxes, parking meters, and trash cans. Locating these items in the furnishing zone prevents obstructions within the pedestrian zone. These items also establish a comfort and safety buffer between moving traffic and pedestrians on the sidewalk and can also provide space for people accessing parked cars. This zone should be maximized to provide as great a buffer as possible between traffic and pedestrians. This can also be accomplished with the flex zone with bike lanes or street parking where there is not enough room for a large enough furnishing zone. Where on- street parking is provided, curb extensions or other elements can be used to calm traffic and provide extra space for furniture and greenscaping. The furnishing zone and flex zone can, at times, be combined. Flex zones may be expanded to include “flush” cycle tracks and traffic calming features such as parklets and midblock crosswalks. The flex zone should remain clear of obstacles to allow for access to parked vehicles. FURNISHING ZONE AMENITIES Street furniture adds life and comfort to the pedestrian realm of a street. Benches create opportunities to sit and rest, socialize, and watch the world. Bike racks allow for easy access between bike lanes and store fronts and apartments. Bollards and planters can create a barrier between the sidewalk and traveled way, increasing safety from dangerous vehicles, and frame the space. Trash and recycling containers help keep the street clean and facilitate collection by the appropriate group. Benches Seating can be provided through the provision of traditional benches or through extensions of landscaping planters. Seats should be oriented toward views of natural vistas or people walking by and with the backs of seating options toward a fixed object (such as a tree trunk or building) to provide a sense of security. The pedestrian zone should be respected as a clear space, with seating placed either in the frontage zone or in the furnishing zone. Clear zones should be provided around benches and be ADA compliant to allow for maintenance of both seats and other street items.

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

Bicycle Parking and Racks The lack of bicycle parking at many destinations is a deterrent for cyclists. Bicycle parking encourages people to ride, but it also has some specific benefits, even for non-cyclists 2 :  Bicycle parking is good for business – Bicycle racks provide additional parking spaces which customers can use to patronize local businesses.  Designated, well-designed parking promotes a more orderly streetscape and preserves the pedestrian right-of-way: it presents a more orderly appearance for buildings, it prevents damage to trees and street furniture, and it keeps bicycles from falling over and blocking the sidewalk.  Bicycle parking helps legitimize cycling as a transportation mode by providing parking opportunities equal to motorized modes. Bicycle parking facilities fall into two categories: short-term and long-term. Short-term parking normally occurs for less than two hours; simple bicycle racks are unsheltered and not actively monitored. The typical application for short-term parking can be seen at commercial, retail, medical/healthcare, parks and recreation areas, and community centers. Bike racks should be provided in the furnishing zone to provide a buffer between the traveled way and the pedestrian zone, and to avoid conflicts between bike riders and pedestrians. When the frontage zone is large enough, placing racks in this zone can allow for use of a building’s overhang or awning to provide sheltered bike parking. Long-term bike parking is for longer than two-hour durations, where lockers and racks in secured and sheltered areas are

National Bicycle Parking Guides

preferred. Long-term bike parking is most appropriate in urban contexts, employment centers and transit station locations. Bollards Bollards are an effective treatment to create physical separation between the curb and the street. Bollards can be permanent or temporary vertical elements (most often posts) which offer physical protection from vehicles. They are most often used to separate motor vehicles from people walking or riding a bike and can also be used to restrict vehicular access to plazas or buildings. Flexible or “breakaway” bollards can be an effective means of providing separation while still allowing for emergency vehicle access.

 APBP Bicycle Parking Guidelines, 2 nd Edition  FHWA, University Course on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, Lesson 17: Bicycle Parking and Storage

2 Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, Bicycle Parking Guidelines, 2 nd Edition

Elements of Complete Streets

Potential uses for bollards include:  Limit vehicular access to car-free areas, including boardwalks and trails  Prevent delivery vehicles from using sidewalks to park  Reduce turning radii through curb extensions  Protect spaces for parklets, street furniture, and green stormwater features  Traffic calming installations such as chicanes and midblock crosswalks  Security for key institutional buildings

Lighting Street lighting is an important part of creating a safe and welcoming environment on the sidewalk. It can also be used to highlight features of an area. Lighting fixtures can be part of the creation of a cohesive sidewalk design in urban and suburban contexts. Lighting should focus light down onto the sidewalk, minimizing stray light that can disturb neighbors or create light pollution. To stimulate nighttime activity and improve safety, person-scaled lighting should be used in areas with higher pedestrian volumes. Lighting should also focus on critical points such as crosswalks, ramps, transit stops, and benches. The alignment of poles can be used to frame a streetscape; the poles may also offer opportunities for hanging banners or pennants to advertise for districts or upcoming events. Pedestrian level light fixtures should be in the furnishing zone where space allows, leaving the pedestrian zone clear. Flex Zone The flex zone is located between the furnishing zone and the travel lanes. The flex zone can be considered for parking, bicycle facilities or curb management opportunities based on the context and area needs. Capital investments should be implemented with an eye toward the ever-changing transportation paradigm. The transportation system of 2030 may be all but unrecognizable to the 2023 user of this guide. With that in mind, investments should allow for maximum flexibility in street space programming.

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

BICYCLE FACILITIES General characteristics and preferences of both existing and potential active transportation users are important to understand before selecting and designing a bicycle facility. A variety of factors influence an individual’s decision to travel by bike, such as neighborhood characteristics, traffic volumes and speeds, the quality of existing facilities, distance between destinations, and personal preferences. There are a range of existing and potential users who each may have different motivations, barriers, preferences, and needs. People who travel by bicycle can be categorized in several ways, including by demographics, trip purpose, or by level of experience. The generally accepted way to categorize people who cycle is based on people’s willingness to use a bicycle for transportation. The general population can be classified into a ‘bicycle rider spectrum’ made up of the following four groups of bicycle users, ordered by their level of stress and risk tolerance from high to low: Strong and Fearless - People who are generally comfortable riding on major roads, regardless of motor vehicle volumes or speeds, weather conditions, or the presence of existing bicycle facilities. Enthused and Confident - People who are generally comfortable on most roads with bicycle facilities. These people may select a route with lower motor vehicle volumes or speeds, or separated facilities where provided, over a more direct route. Interested but Concerned - These people often own a bicycle but do not ride frequently due to concerns about the safety of cycling. They are interested in cycling more, but usually restrict their riding to roads with physically protected facilities or lower motor vehicle volumes and speeds. This is the largest segment of the population in communities of all sizes and contexts. There is a significant opportunity to focus on the needs of this large market segment to achieve a substantial increase in regular bicycle ridership. This is generally the recommended design user, as the resulting bikeway network will serve bicyclists of all ages and abilities, which includes Strong and Fearless and Enthused and Confident Bicyclists. No Way, No How - This group may be uninterested or unable to ride a bicycle, or they may perceive severe safety issues with cycling in motor vehicle traffic. A significant portion of this group will likely never choose to ride a bicycle under any circumstances. Bicyclists are vulnerable road users who experience fatality rates significantly higher than the general mix of road users. Varying skills of riders will also perceive and experience different levels of stress on roads. According to research conducted by the Portland Bureau of Transportation, most bicyclists that use on road bicycle facilities are classified as strong and fearless and are generally comfortable operating a bicycle intermixed with high traffic volumes and fast speeds. All other types of bicyclists are not comfortable riding in mixed traffic. Excluding the No Way, No How user group, Figure 2-2 illustrates the feeling of safety on different types of bicycle facilities. Various bicycle facility selection criteria exist from AASHTO, NACTO, FDOT and others that identify speed, volume, user levels, and traffic mix. The Washington State DOT has created selection criteria for “Interested but Concerned Cyclist” as shown in Figure 2-3. The primary takeaway from the Washington State criteria is

Elements of Complete Streets

that it emphasizes that shared (sharrows) travel lanes should only be considered on streets with speeds less than 25MPH and with volumes less than 3,000 vehicles per day. Any street exceeding that criteria should provide exclusive bicycle facilities. People riding bicycles vary in their level of skill and confidence, trip purpose and preference for facility types; thus, the mobility needs of bicyclists vary. Bicycle

Figure 2-2 Bicycle Facilities and Perceived Safety (ITE, CNU, 2010)

facilities should encompass a system of interconnected routes, paths, and on-street bicycle lanes that provide for safe and efficient bicycle travel. Not all facilities may include a bicycle lane, however, bicyclists are permitted to use any street specifically prohibited.) 3 Many communities across the US are focusing on developing bicycle networks with an emphasis on all ages and abilities. Integrating bicycle facilities in the transportation network should not be an afterthought, but an for travel (with the exception of where

Figure 2-3 WSDOT Bike Facility Selection Criteria (wsdot.wa.gov)

3 ITE, Congress for the New Urbanism, Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach, 2010

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

intentional decision. The following should be considered when providing for bicycle facilities 4 :  People riding bicycles should have safe, convenient, and comfortable access to all destinations.  Every street is a bicycle street, regardless of whether a designated bicycle facility or bicycle route is present.  Street design should accommodate all types, levels, and ages of bicyclists.  In high pedestrian zones, people riding bicycles should be separated from pedestrians, except under special circumstances such as shared‐use pathways or shared‐space streets.  Bikeway facilities should consider vehicle speeds and volumes, with:  Shared use on low volume, low‐speed roads.  Separation on higher volume, higher‐speeds roads.  Bikeway treatments should provide clear guidance to enhance safety for all users.  Since most bicycle trips are short, a complete network of designated bikeways has a grid spacing of roughly ½ mile. The typologies (discussed in Chapter Three) are intended to provide bicycle facilities for the interested but concerned rider, so applying the right features, designing for the right speed, and encouraging different user mix of people riding or rolling will be achieved. ALTERNATIVE BICYCLE FACILITY SELECTION For circumstances where bicycle facilities cannot be provided according to the appropriate typology, the Hillsborough TPO has developed a Bicycle Facility Selection Toolkit 5 in 2019 to provide guidance to transportation professionals and implementation staff on projects. This guide outlines a decision-making framework that leverages the Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) assessment and helps transportation professionals identify the necessary bicycle facility type to make the street a low stress trip. The goal of LTS scores is to help plan a complete bicycle network that is useful to the general population, leverage low-stress streets that are already comfortable for most people, and help identify the appropriate bicycle facility based on key characteristics of the street. The LTS scores range from an LTS1, which is defined as comfortable for most of the general population, to an LTS 4, which is defined as uncomfortable for even experienced bicyclists. The guide also provides a framework for network planning in a way that leverages existing low stress streets and assets such as trails and shared use paths. A facility selection process was also developed and shown in Figure 2-4.

4 Broward MPO, Complete Streets Guidelines, Chapter 9 Bikeway Design http://www.browardmpo.org/images/WhatWeDo/completestreetsinitiative/broward_complete_streets_guidelines _parts/CH-9-Bikeway-Design-final.xyzdf 5 Hillsborough TPO, A Bicycle Facility Selection Toolkit, 2019 http://www.planhillsborough.org/wp- content/uploads/2019/04/Bicycle-Facility-Selection-Guidance-FINAL-DRAFT.pdf

Elements of Complete Streets

Figure 2-4 LTS Bicycle Facility Selection Process

To allow active transportation to be a viable transportation option, bicycle facilities must be designed to entice the Interested but Concerned to use that mode for short trips. Figure 2-5 provides guidance for how motor vehicle volume and speed can be taken into consideration to determine a preferred bikeway type 6 . Generally, the higher the speed and volume of a road, the more protective the recommended bikeway. Shared lanes or bicycle boulevards are recommended for the lowest speeds and volumes; bike lanes for low speeds and low to moderate volumes; and separated bike lanes or shared use paths for moderate to high speeds and high volumes. The Interested but Concerned cyclist is the design user; therefore, the most appropriate recommendation may be a more protective facility than necessary for an Enthused and Confident user.

6 USDOT Bikeway Selection Guide, 2019 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3rIcVmBOPJblEwbbaD_ EoFkoWgkaCani9taKPXxZuP9Jb8PJpgUGdGwoo

Safer Roadways: A Complete Streets Guide

Figure 2-5 – Preferred Bikeway Type for Urban, Suburban and Rural Activity Contexts – FHWA (safety.fhwa.dot.gov)

Amenities Similar to pedestrian facilities, people who ride a bike need certain amenities to ensure their trip is comfortable. Communities across the US are now providing foot rails at intersections, bicycle counters, and repair stations on connected networks.

Bike Traffic Signal, Footrest, Repair Station, and Counter

Source: City of Seattle, 2021

Elements of Complete Streets

CURB-LANE MANAGEMENT The curb-lane includes pick-up and drop-off zones, freight delivery zones, short-term parking for retail, long-term parking in residential contexts, and operating space for streetcars and buses. The market penetration of Transportation Network Companies (e.g., Lyft, Uber) has increased demand for curbside loading zones, largely in urban contexts, with high demand around nightlife destinations. In addition, delivery vehicles frequently use the curb-lane. The provision of a safe loading space is important for the safety of all street users; vehicles that drop-off and pick-up by double parking put other drivers at risk, can block bike lanes, and require their passengers to walk in the street. The demand for curbside space will likely further increase with the market penetration of Autonomous Vehicles (AV) as discussed in the AV section below. While a decreased need for on-street parking may allow for greater curb-lane flexibility, portions of the curb-lane may need to be retained as an interaction point between vehicles and their patrons. While the curb-lane will likely continue to act as the place where transit, parking, and pick- up/drop-off interact with the sidewalk, shifts in how streets are used provide opportunities to extend the sidewalk realm into the curb-lane. Items such as parklets, bike parking, and bikeshare stations represent traditional sidewalk uses that are suited to curb-lane use. By moving larger furniture items to the curb-lane, more sidewalk space can be preserved for café seating and through movement space. PARKING On‐street parking is important in urban environments for three reasons: 1) for the success of the retail businesses that line the street, 2) to provide a buffer for people walking or riding a bike, and 3) to help calm traffic speeds. On‐street parking should be located based on the context of the urban roadway and the needs of the adjacent land use. On‐street parking should be primarily parallel parking on Urban Main Street or Suburban Town Center typologies. Angle parking may be used on low‐ speed and low‐volume commercially oriented streets, primarily those serving as main streets. Curb extensions should be provided in place of on‐street parking at mid‐block crosswalks and intersection crosswalks. Curb extensions reduce the distance that pedestrians must cross within the traveled way, help to calm traffic, and serve as opportunities for rain gardens and other forms of aesthetic enhancement. Smart technology streets recognize the potential to better manage on-street parking. The next evolution of parking management includes sensors which detect parking space occupancy and allow for dynamically priced on-street parking. Sensor installation can help direct vehicles to on-street parking availability, helping reduce the congestion and emissions which are generated by drivers looking for parking. Generally, dynamic pricing can help balance the demand for spots in urban contexts and encourage turnover where it is important to street-level retail.

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