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Evolution of Transportation

Compete & Green Streets Implementation


April 26, 2012
Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
34 years at the New Jersey Department of Transportation
5 Years Director of Transportation Initiatives at PPS
Invested Career working at the community/agency interface
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES 2
How we got here and what are the consequences
Rebalancing the Transportation System
The Role of Land Use
What to Partner About
Closing thoughts

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Pre-Automobile Era
 City streets served as public places for economic and
social interaction

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Streets used to have many purposes

Street design HAD to accommodate all users


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Pieces of Community had to relate to each other

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Graphic courtesy of Andy Singer
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The Automobile Age
 The mobility provided by the automobile removed the
need for those exchanges to be made in compact, mixed
use cities and towns
 Once we could drive to access goods, employment,
education and recreation, we were free to locate those
uses in distant and specialized locations3and we did

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Slide courtesy of Barbara Lawrence, NJ Future

The needs of the motoring public supersede all other contexts

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We stopped viewing Streets as Places

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The Interstate Era Begins

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Transportation as a separate
discipline flourished

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Building
communities is not
our business

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Slide courtesy of Ian Lockwood, Glatting Jackson
Focus
Speed on high Balance
/ Proximity speed
mobility
•Speed necessary at region and above
•Proximity viable option in sub-region

Proximity

Speed

Accessibility

Slide Courtesy of Chris Sinclair, Renaissance Planning Group


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Slide courtesy of Ian Lockwood, Glatting Jackson
A successful street?

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A successful street?

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A successful street?

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Is This a Successful Street?

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Is this Sustainable?

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Is it working?

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Congestion in 80 US Cities

US Department of Transportation Report on Traffic Congestion, 2004


2005 Annual Urban Mobility Report, Texas Transportation Institute

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Cleveland
Annual hours of congestion delay

1982 1992 2002 2006 2010

1985 miles of Road including 295 miles of freeway built

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Is it working?

1028 Fatalities on Ohio Roads in 2009

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Is it working?

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Is it working?

US Dutch
Equivalent
1975 45000 51750
2008 37000 14800

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Is it working?

$6.3 billion gap

Billions of Dollars (Next Six Years)


$ 15.0
Projects no longer affordable at up to $60 million per mile.

$ 21.3
Maintenance & Reconstruction

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Total Statewide Revenue Available
Total Statewide Needs
Health Outcomes
 225,000 die annually due to sedentary
lifestyle
 Childhood obesity epidemic
 Type 2 diabetes on the rise – in children!

•The Transportation Prescription. PolicyLink. 2009.


•‘Adult’ diabetes on the rise in kids. MSNBC. October 30, 2009. PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
•Center for Disease Control
Social Outcomes
The average parent spends 17 full days a
year behind the wheel; more than,
bathing and feeding a child, and more
than the average American takes for
vacation.
Source: Surface Transportation Policy Project

In 1969, about half of U.S. children


walked or biked to school. Today, fewer
than 15 percent of children walk or bike
to school. More than one-third of U.S.
adults are obese and 17 percent of young
children and adolescents are overweight.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Slide Courtesy of Astrid Glynn


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Cartoon courtesy of Andy Singer

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Slide courtesy of Tim Jackson, Glatting Jackson

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So what do we do?

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http://www.pps.org/pdf/bookstore/How_to_Engage_Your_Transportation_Agency_AARP.pdf

Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces
609-397-3885
Gtoth@pps.org

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Exploring New Approaches

Compete & Green Streets Implementation


April 26, 2012
Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
So what do we do?

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Rebalance the system

Proximity Speed

Accessibility

Slide Courtesy of Chris Sinclair, Renaissance Planning Group


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Rebalancing the system

• Create Pedestrian Friendly and Complete Streets


• Going Beyond CS: Streets as Places
• Rightsizing roads
• Getting the Network Right
• Getting the Manuals Right

Use Transit for More than Mobility

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Create Pedestrian Friendly and Complete Streets
Can you spot the Could you cross here?
pedestrian?

Active Living Resource Center

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Is this a Complete Street?

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Is this a Complete Street?

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Is this a Complete Street?

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Complete Streets

AARP Bulletin

A Complete Street is safe, comfortable & convenient for travel by


automobile, foot, bicycle, & transit regardless of age or ability

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Complete Streets policies are NOT:
 a mandate for immediate retrofit
 a silver bullet
 a design prescription

There is no such thing as a


‘complete streets cross-section.’

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Bikeway Design
 Statement of Principals
 Safe Access to All Destinations
 All Streets are Bicycle Streets
 Street Design should
accommodate all users

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Slide courtesy of Dan Burden
Proposed x-section alternatives on Foothill Blvd – S side

½trail
soft-surface
Sidewalk
SidewalkSidewalk,
section
shy
shy
shy
Soft
zone
zone
zone
curb
Sidewalk
surface
landscape
to median
trail
and
buffer,
and
bike
south
bike
and
lane
(school)
lane
bike lane
side
planting 13’
6’ 18’ 11’
6’
6’ 11’ 11.5’
11.5’
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traveltravel
travel travel
travel median/CTL
median/CTL
median/CTL
new
new
new
curb
curb
curb bike
bike
bike
Photomorph courtesy of Dan Burden PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
2nd Avenue, South PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Photomorph courtesy of Dan Burden
Cahaba Road PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Photomorph courtesy of Dan Burden
Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Medians and pedestrian
improvements

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Continue public improvements

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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Photomorph courtesy of Dan Burden PROJECTFOR
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Slide courtesy of Dan Burden
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Slide courtesy of Dan Burden
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Slide courtesy of Michael King
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Slide courtesy of Michael King
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Slide courtesy of Michael King
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Slide courtesy of Michael King
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Slide courtesy of Michael King
Long Beach
Connecting the Downtown via
Complete Streets

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Philadelphia Connecting the
Downtown via Complete Streets

Pine Street
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Philadelphia Connecting the
Downtown via Complete Streets

Spruce Street
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Philadelphia Connecting the
Downtown via Complete Streets

Pine Street
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Philadelphia Connecting the
Downtown via Complete Streets

Pine Street
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Traditional Highway Design Approach

Traffic Volume + Area Type (urban, rural) + Role in Network

Functional Classification

Design Speed + Design Vehicle

Alignment + Cross-Section + Intersection + Roadside

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Complete Streets
An Approach for Accomodating All Users

Cars Bikes Buses

Pedestrians Trucks/freight

Alignment + Cross-Section + Intersection + Roadside

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Placed Based Approach

Corridor/Community

Place

Roadway

Traveled Way Intersections Roadside

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put the back in streets

Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Department of Public Health.
Characteristics of
Streets as Places:

Design street elements


and adjacent buildings
for the human scale

Balances the going and


staying needs of users

Support and encourage


activities and
destinations

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Characteristics of
Streets as Places:

Provide a feeling of
safety

Invite activities on
both sides of the
street

Reward slow
movement by lowering
speeds

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Characteristics of
Streets as Places:

Reflect community
identity

Move community
towards local
sustainability

Show a sense of
ownership

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


The Power of Ten
10+ Places

Place
Place
Place Place
Place
Districts/Streets
Place
Destinations
Place
Place Place Place

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The Power of Ten

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Principles
• Compactness, connectivity, completeness & continuity

• Buildings should complete “the outdoor room” of the street

• Provide a mix of land uses

Outdoor room
of the street

PROJECT
Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Department of Public Health.
Distribute land uses for easy access from homes & jobs

• Create social spaces where generations can mix

• Ground floors should be active and transparent on commercial


streets

PROJECT
Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Department of Public Health.
• Ground floors should allow for privacy while layering landscape, and
outdoor spaces on residential streets
• Setbacks will vary based on the street type and land use
• Make the land use changes necessary with specific plans or other
tools to reinforce the places the community desires

PROJECT
Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Department of Public Health.
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State Route 27 Edison, NJ

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Route 1 Mall, Edison, NJ

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Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Medians and pedestrian
improvements

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


34 PROJECT
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PUBLICSPACES
SPACES
Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Continue public improvements

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Mixed-use infill development

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Continue infill development

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Landscape matures over time

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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Transforming ‘Gasoline Alley’
Add transit service as market
grows

Slide courtesy of Harrison Rue and ICF International


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State Route 27 Edison, NJ

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Route 1 Mall, Edison, NJ

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Charlotte Observer, June 2004 PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Slide courtesy of Dan Burden

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Slide courtesy of Dan Burden

This: One less travel lane; bike lanes; parallel to back-in


This 5-laneparking
diagonal Main onStreet was new
one side; converted
pavement to…
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Pottstown PA
Charlotte Projects

Completed Anticipated/
Underway
9 Thoroughfares 17
rebuilt/extended
19 Streetscapes and road-diets 8
11 Intersections 8
37 Sidewalks 66
9 Area Plans 6
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East Boulevard
Charlotte

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Reinvented Edgewater Drive
Orlando, Florida
Concept

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Speeding Analysis

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Other Results
Before After

Crash Rate 12.6/ MVM 8.4/MVM

Injury Rate 3.6/MVM 1.2/MVM

On Street 29% 41%


parking
Pedestrians 2136 2632

Bikes 375 486

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Evaluation Matrix

Noise levels go down3


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Prospect Park West
New York City

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Prospect Park West
New York City

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Prospect Park West
New York City

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Prospect Park West
New York City

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Prospect Park West
New York City

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Will This Slow Down Travel?

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Prospect Park West
New York City

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Faster speeds versus getting there faster

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Getting the Network Right

From Charlotte DOT

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Evolution of the Street Network

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Build Connected Networks

Illustration: Frank, LD “Health & Community Design”


Greenwald, M.J. Transportation Research Record 2001
Slide courtesy of Kate Kraft, RWJF

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Slide courtesy of Troy Russ, Glatting Jackson

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Risk of Severe Injury or Fatality

versus

Chance of being Severely Injured


30% Higher
Chance of being Killed
50% Higher

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


From Research by Norman Garrick, University of Connecticut
Percentage of People Walking, Biking or Taking Transit

2% 1% 2%

9% 4% 9%

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Networks Foster Context
Sensitive Streets

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Getting the Manuals Right

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What Current Manuals Give Us

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What Manuals Can Give Us

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New Manuals Add Context in

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Radical Source??

http://www.dvrpc.org/asp/pubs/reports/08030A.pdf
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Context Sensitive Solutions
in Designing Major Urban
Thoroughfares for Walkable
Communities

An ITE Proposed
Recommended Practice

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Charlotte, NC – Design Guidelines
Element Boulevard Avenue Main Street
Posted speed 35-40 mph 25 – 35 mph 25 mph
Design speed 40-45 mph 30 – 40 mph 25 mph
Through lanes 4 (typical) 2–4 2 (typical)
Lane width 11’ preferred, 10’ 11’ preferred, 10’ 10’ – 13’
acceptable (35 acceptable
mph) 14’ outside opt.
14’ outside opt.
Medians/ At least 17’ Center turn lane Center turn
center turn (typical) or median opt. lane optional

Source: City of Charlotte, 2005.


lanes Landscaped
Bicycle 4-6’ lane desirable 4-6’ lane Shared lane
Accommodation desirable
s
On-street Frontage street Optional Minimum 7’
parking only PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Sidewalks Minimum 6’ Minimum 6-8’ Minimum 10’
A Variety of Street Types

Main Street Avenue


Avenue Boulevard
Boulevard Parkway
Parkway
Local Streets
Local Street

Network of Streets
Pedestrian- Auto-
Oriented Oriented

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Indianapolis Regional Center and Metro Planning Area
Multi-Modal Corridor and Public Space Design Guidelines

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


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Example Typologies Brunswick

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


A Model Design Manual
for Living Streets

Made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Department of Public Health.
A Model Design Manual for Living Streets
Chapters
• Public Process
• Street Design
• Network Design
• Intersections
• Pedestrians and Bicycling
• Traffic Calming
• Transit Accomodations
• Land Use
• Sustainable Stormwater Management
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• Streetscape
Sustainable Street Design

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GREEN STREETS

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GREEN STREETS

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GREEN STREETS

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Mitigation Median

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Mitigation Median

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Biofiltration
Swale

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


How Complete is Your Street?
Green and Complete Streets:
The Future of Transportation Design
Best Practices for Sustainable Communities

Janet L. Attarian, AIA, LEED AP | Project Director


Streetscape and Sustainable Design Program
Chicago Department of Transportation

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


How Complete is your Street?

•Energy Efficiency
•Waste Management
•Air Quality
•Site Selection
•Beauty and Community
•Urban Heat Island
•Stormwater Management
•Water Efficiency
•Alternative Transportation
•Education
•Commissioning PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Water: Green Alley
Program
• 1,900 miles of public alleyways
in Chicago, the largest of any city
in the world.

• Total of 3,500 acres of


impermeable surface, the
equivalent area of over 5 Midway
Airports.

Alley Summary

Total: 13,000 Alleys

• 20% Currently Unimproved


• 20% in Need of Repairs
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Infiltrate with it! Green Alley Program
•Six pilot locations, and over 120
installed
•Program includes use of permeable
pavements, recycled materials, high-
albedo pavements, and dark-sky lighting.
•Improves stormwater management and
energy use through infrastructure
improvements

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Permeable Pavement – Material Innovation

28-day compressive
strength: 2757 psi (core)

Permeability: 19.5
gpm/sq ft

Aggregate Mix
CM11: 2076 lbs.
CM13: 425 lbs.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Recycled Materials and the Urban Heat Island Effect
Slag in Pervious PCC is 100
lbs/yd3.

Totalcementious material
cannot be less than 525 pounds
per cubic yard (lbs/yd3)

The Ground Tire Rubber


Solution:
•Approx 600 tires
recycled per alley
•Solved cohesion
problem PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Energy Efficiency:

•Streetlamps will be white LED


and metal halide

•Cut-off fixtures

•Reduced lighting levels

•Use reflective pavement to


improve uniformity

•Solar/wind powered
• fixtures
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Lawrence Ave. Streetscape

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Lawrence Ave. Streetscape

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Stimulating New Jobs with Green Infrastructure

For every 1.25 Billion spent3


New
43,200 jobs
Infrastructure

Infrastructure 47,000 jobs


Rehabilitation

Green
51,200 jobs
Infrastructure
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Source: FHWA Jobs Decoder
The NACTO Guide
Expanding the Toolkit

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Atlanta
Austin
Baltimore
Boston
Chicago
Detroit
Houston
Los Angeles
Minneapolis
New York
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Portland
San Francisco
Seattle
Washington D.C.

National Association of City Transportation Officials


(NACTO)
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
City DOTs

Atlanta Detroit Minneapolis Portland

Chicago New York San Francisco


Austin

Baltimore Houston Philadelphia Seattle

Boston Los Angeles Phoenix Washington


PROJECT FOR D.C.
PUBLIC SPACES
Bikeway Design Treatments
BIKE LANES SIGNALS
-Conventional Bike Lanes -Bicycle Signal Heads
-Left-side Bike Lanes -Signal Actuation and Detection
-Contra-Flow Bike Lanes -Active Warning Beacon for Bike
-Buffered Bike Lanes Route at Unsignalized Intersection
-Hybrid Signal for Bike Route Crossing
of Major Street
CYCLE TRACKS
-One-way Protected Cycle Tracks
-Raised Cycle Tracks
-Two-way Cycle Tracks INTERSECTIONS
-Bike Boxes
-Intersection Crossing Markings
SIGNING & MARKING -Two-stage Turn Queue Boxes
-Bike Route Wayfinding Signage -Median Refuge Island
and Markings System -Through Bike Lanes
-Colored Bike Facilities -Combined Bike Lane
-Shared Lane Markings -Cycle Track Intersection Approach

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


http://www.pps.org/pdf/bookstore/How_to_Engage_Your_Transportation_Agency_AARP.pdf

Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces
609-397-3885
Gtoth@pps.org

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PROJECT FORPUBLIC
PUBLICSPACES
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Finding Common Ground through Context
Discovery

Compete & Green Streets Implementation


April 26, 2012
Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
What is
Context
?
“the interrelated
conditions in
which something
exists or occurs”

And it’s
Component
s

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


T
Air/Water
I
Life Quality R
Property
Safety Values

T &
Plants N
Education
Wildlife

RRecreation P Living
Wages
Transportation
Cultural AAesthetics
Resources S

O
Social
N
Housing Networks

T
Health a
Land Use
Jobs PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
What Quality of Life Elements are Reflected
in This Picture?

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


What Quality of Life Elements are Reflected in This Picture?

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


The role of transportation in
quality of life?

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Return on
Investment
Linking transportation
to larger community
goals

Bang for the Buck:


Accountability
framework

Make the case for


investment

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Why Measures?
 Moves the conversation from positions to issues
 Facilitate an open, transparent and accountable
decision-making process
 Helps professionals have tangible metrics to use
as evaluation criteria to compare alternatives
 Clarifies roles and responsibilities

 Lays the foundation for performance measures


so results can be tracked
 Helps demonstrates return on investment

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Why Measures?
 Moves the conversation from positions to issues
 Facilitate an open, transparent and accountable
decision-making process
 Helps professionals have tangible metrics to use
as evaluation criteria to compare alternatives
 Clarifies roles and responsibilities

 Lays the foundation for performance measures


so results can be tracked
 Helps demonstrates return on investment

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Types of Measures

Quantitative Qualitative
“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count;
everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. “
Albert Einstein PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Mobility Measures

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Source: Smart Transportation Guide
Mobility Measures
 Peak hour LOS (intersection)
 Screen line capacity (at X
segments throughout the
corridor)
 Corridor travel times between
selected origins and destinations
 Reduction in existing VMT
 Bike and pedestrian
infrastructure
 Desired travel speeds in area X,
area Y
 Intersection density PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Source: Smart Transportation Guide
Built Environment and Mobility Measures

Trip Purpose – Percentage of Total Trips

Source:1995 NPTS: Federal Highway Administration & New York Times and Troy Russ with
Glatting Jackson: PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Public Health and Safety
Measures
 Reduction in number of driveways
 Reduction in unprotected left turns
 Potential safety improvements at
documented high-crash locations
 Medians that meet certain criteria
 Shoulders that meet certain criteria
 Modal conflicts (including bike/ped)
 Percentage of ROW with bike/ped infrastructure

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Source: Smart Transportation Guide
Public Health and Safety
Measures
Physical
Air Social Climate
Noise inactivit Crashes Stress
pollution capital change
y
HTN X X
Obesity X
Diabetes X
Asthma X X
Heart dis. X X X X X
Cancer X
Injury X X
Depressio X X X
n PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Source: Dr. Howard Frumkin: Transportation and Health, Institute of Transportation Engineers, January 12, 2004
Infect. Dis. X
Public Health and Safety
Measures

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Source: Troy Russ, Glatting Jackson
Social and Cultural Measures

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Social and Cultural Measures

 Town streetscape
 Visual preference surveys

 Historic resources

 Open space/parklands

 Property values

 Available cultural

amenities

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Social and Cultural Measures
 Monetary giving
 Civic engagement and
volunteerism
 Trust
 Social
 Government institutions
 Levels of health and happiness
(Perceived)
 Social interactions
 Walkability
 Well designed
open spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Economic Measures

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Economic Measures
 Employment accessibility
 Land use mix
 Total travel costs as a
percentage of household
income
 Business revenues (tax
revenue)
 Economic equity
 Diverse, locally owned
and operated businesses
 Eco-tourism PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

 Real estate value per lane-mile


Natural Environment and Resources
Measures
 Climate change emissions
 Habitat fragmentation

 Air pollution

 Noise pollution

 Water pollution

 Resource efficiency

 Indused Land use impacts

 Per capita energy


consumed for
transportation
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Housing and Education Measures

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Housing and Education Measures

 Location of affordable housing


 Percentage of households
within ½ mile of transit service
 Location of educational facilities
(# of kids that walk to school)

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


ftp://aario.nas.edu/NCHRP/NCHRP08-
68PractitionerGuidebook/PractitionersGuide-
webpagecontent/index.html
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
How To Mine the Flexibility From Design
Manuals

Compete & Green Streets Implementation


April 27, 2012
Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Engineers are not bad people!

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Engineers as problem
solvers!

It is the time of French Revolution and the guillotine was hard at work everyday.
Today they're leading a priest, a drunkard and an engineer to the guillotine.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Engineers as problem
solvers!
They ask the priest if he wants to face up or down when he meets his fate. The
priest says that he would like to face up so he will be looking toward heaven
when he dies. They raise the blade of the guillotine, release it, it comes speeding
down and suddenly stops just inches from his neck. The authorities take this as
divine intervention and release the priest.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Engineers as problem
solvers!

Next the drunkard comes to the guillotine. He also decides to die face up hoping
that he will be as fortunate as the priest. They raise the blade of the guillotine,
release it, it comes speeding down and suddenly stops just inches from his neck.
So they release the drunkard as well.

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Engineers as problem
solvers!

The engineer is next. He too decides to die facing up. They slowly raise the
blade of the guillotine, when suddenly the engineer says: "Hey, I see what your
problem is."

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Keys to Flexibility in Streets

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“The principle that the environmental impacts can and
should be mitigated, coupled with aesthetic consistency
with the surrounding terrain or urban setting, is intended
to produce highways that are safe and efficient for users
and acceptable to nonusers and the environment”
“Additional emphasis has been placed on the joint use
of transportation corridors by pedestrians, cyclists,
and public transit vehicles. Designers must recognize
the implications of this sharing(. A more
comprehensive transportation program is thereby
emphasized”
“The intent of this policy is to provide guidance to the
designer by referencing a recommended range of
values for critical dimensions. Sufficient flexibility is
permitted to encourage independent designs tailored
to particular situations.
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Design Manuals do provide flexibility

• Ranges in tables
• Functional Classification

•Design Speed
• Design Vehicle
• Tolerate some congestion

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Design Manuals do provide flexibility
Ranges in Tables

Minimum
Versus
Desirable

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Design Manuals do provide flexibility
Functional Classification

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Functional Classification Affects Cross
Section and Alignment Elements

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Functional Classification Can Affect
Cross Section and Alignment
Elements

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Functional Classification is not an Exact
Science!

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Design speed is a dirty little secret
relating to flexibility

Minimum
Versus
Desirable
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Lower Design speeds mean smaller
clear zones

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Lower Design speeds mean more
forgiving geometry

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The Right Choice of Functional
Classification and Design Speed
Facilitates Context Sensitive Roads

Route 31 Hunterdon County

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Design Vehicle

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Design Vehicle Affects Corner
Radii

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Design Vehicle Affects Corner
Radii

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Corner Radii

Pedestrian-oriented
curb radius

Vehicle-oriented
curb radius

Slide courtesy of Renaissance Planning Group and AARP

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Design Exceptions
For those instances when Green Book Flexibility isn’t enough

•“Designers should understand that design exceptions are an


acceptable and indeed useful tool”

•“...acceptance of design exceptions should not be viewed as an


admission of failure”
•“...designers should avoid labeling a value that is outside the norm
as unsafe...”

•“The highway or traffic engineer should provide {the advisory team}


with insights...the advisory team can address the appropriate
design criteria and the needs of the public...”
•“A properly documented design exception process... is essential
for agencies operating in the context-sensitive design environment.”

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Tolerate some congestion
Travel Projections and Level of Service

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Why is this so significant?

The difference between LOS C

and E

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The High Price of Level of Service C/D 24/7/365?

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“3it neither constitutes nor attempts to establish
legal standards for highway construction.”

(The Highway Capacity Manual Development and Application )

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/rpo/rpo.trn129.pdf

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


http://www.pps.org/pdf/bookstore/How_to_Engage_Your_Transportation_Agency_AARP.pdf

Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces
609-397-3885
Gtoth@pps.org

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Street Typology Exercise Intro

Compete & Green Streets Implementation


April 27, 2012
Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Charlotte Urban Street Design
Guidelines

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Avenues provide access from neighborhoods to
commercial areas, between areas of the city and,
in some cases,through neighborhoods. Modal
balance
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Main Streets are destination locations that
provide access to and function as centers
of civic, social, and commercial activity.
Main Streets may currently exist as older
neighborhood centers or potentially
refurbished business areas. New Main
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Boulevards are intended to move large numbers
of vehicles, often as “through traffic”, from one
part of the city to another, or from city to city,
and to other lower level streets in the network.
As a result, the modal priority on Boulevards
shifts somewhat towards motor vehicles, while
still accommodating pedestrians and cyclists as
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Residential streets are typically built during the
development process. They are particularly
important to the quality of life of residents3
designed for low traffic speeds and a comfortable
walking, cycling and living environment3 will
have small blocks to provide a high degree of
connectivity. For narrow residential streets, on
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES

.
Residential streets are typically built during the
development process. They are particularly
important to the quality of life of residents3
designed for low traffic speeds and a
comfortable walking, cycling and living
environment3 will have small blocks to provide
a high degree of connectivity. For medium
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For wide residential streets, there is a high
demand for on street parking. Allows room for
staging. Used in higher residential densities = 8
or above units per acre.
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Local Office/Commercial Streets will apply to
developments ranging from very pedestrian-
oriented retail locations (similar to Main Streets)
to business parks. Whatever the specifi c land
use type or development style along these
streets, the goal is to create a convenient and
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Brunswick Maine Street Typology
Highway: A thoroughfare of high vehicular speed and capacity. This type
should not interrupt any existing town fabric, but rather connect regional
destinations.
Commercial Arterial: A thoroughfare designed to provide a high
degree of vehicular mobility at moderate speeds to regional serving
commercial land uses. While the design of this thoroughfare type generally
favors motor vehicles, future redevelopment opportunities should include
bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
Commercial Avenue: A thoroughfare of moderate to high vehicular
capacity and low to moderate speed, that serves as a connector between two
commercial nodes or regional destinations. This thoroughfare type is
sometimes equipped with a landscaped median and should be designed to
balance the needs of vehicles with those of pedestrians and bicyclists.
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Brunswick Maine Street Typology
Community Street: moderate vehicular capacity and low to moderate
speed that services numerous community and civic uses, including schools,
hospitals, churches, libraries, and parks.

Drive: moderate or high capacity that forms a boundary between an


urbanized and a natural condition, usually along a waterfront, park, or
promontory. One side has the urban character of a thoroughfare, with curb,
sidewalk, regular street tree plantings, and buildings, while the other has the
qualities of a rural road, with a swale, trails, and natural plantings.
Destination Street: moderate capacity and low speed that serves as
a community and possibly regional destination, such as a main street district.
Pedestrian and bicyclist comfort is prioritized.

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Brunswick Maine Street Typology
Residential Avenue: moderate vehicular capacity and low to
moderate speed, acting as a connector between residential neighborhoods
and commercial nodes or the regional network. It sometimes includes a
landscaped median and balances the needs of vehicles with those of
pedestrians and bicyclists.
Residential Street: low vehicular capacity and low speed that
provides access to residential land uses and which priortizes the safe
movement of pedestrians and bicyclists over motor vehicles
Slow-Flow Street: low vehicular capacity and very slow speeds. Slow-
Flow Streets prioritize the movement of pedestrians and bicyclists through
the utilization of very narrow travel lanes and various traffic calming devices
(diverters, semi-diverters, chicanes, round-a-bout, speed tables, etc.)
Shared Use Path: exclusively for pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters,
runners, etc. They serve primarily as recreational corridors, but may also
serve as utilitarian transportation corridors if designed to connect
PROJECT residential,
FOR PUBLIC SPACES

civic, and commercial/industrial land uses.


Brunswick Maine Street
Typology
 Highway
 Commercial Arterial
 Commercial Avenue
 Community Street
 Drive
 Destination Street
 Residential Avenue
 Resident Street
 Slow Flow Street
 Shared Use Path

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Transportation/Urban+Street+Design+Guidelines.htmf

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Charlotte Urban Street Design
Guidelines
 Main Streets
 Avenues
 Boulevards
 Parkways
 Local Residential Streets
 Narrow
 Medium
 Wide
 Local Residential with Commercial
 Narrow
 Wide
 Local Industrial
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Transportation/Urban+Street+Design+Guidelines.htmf

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


San Francisco Better Streets
Downtown commercial
Commercial throughway
Neighborhood commercial
Downtown residential
Residential throughway
Neighborhood residential
Industrial
Industrial mixed-use
Parkway
Park edge
Multi-way boulevard
Ceremonial
Alley
Paseo
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• Target Operating Speed
• Design Vehicle
• Tolerance of Congestion -- cars
• F sometimes
• F all the time
• D all of the time
• D for cars, as long as it is B/C for peds and bikes
•Mode Priority

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


http://www.pps.org/pdf/bookstore/How_to_Engage_Your_Transportation_Agency_AARP.pdf

Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces
609-397-3885
Gtoth@pps.org

PROJECTFOR
PROJECT FORPUBLIC
PUBLICSPACES
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Street Experiments to Test New Ideas

Compete & Green Streets Implementation


April 27, 2012
Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper
 Activation Events
 Comfort, Amenities & Public Art
 Interim Public Spaces
 Light Development

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Better Blocks Philadelphia
October, 2011

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Better Blocks Philadelphia
October, 2011

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Better Blocks Philadelphia
October, 2011

PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES


Better Blocks Philadelphia
October, 2011

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Market Street Philadelphia
November, 2011

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Plaza Experiment

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http://www.pps.org/pdf/bookstore/How_to_Engage_Your_Transportation_Agency_AARP.pdf

Gary Toth
Director of Transportation Initiatives
Project for Public Spaces
609-397-3885
Gtoth@pps.org

PROJECTFOR
PROJECT FORPUBLIC
PUBLICSPACES
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