East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

East Hillside/Endion

Neighborhood

Transportation Assessment

T O E E O R D T S L H A

T N 8

1 A 9T V

H E A 2 Y V 1 E S W T E K A A P S V T E E E N A I S L T Y T K E S E T R T E T E E S E 1 R R 1T T H T T S T E S Y H 4 A H E T W V T R S K E 9 T 1 P S T E S E A D IN S R R L T O Y 3 I K 1 R S T 4T E E H P D E U R R 1 A S N T 0 V O T E D S H E N H A A O T V S L 9 E T E A T S E T E R 35 T . S ,- D T N E 2 6 E TH R A T V S E H T E T T E A 4 E S E T E R R T T S S H T T S 7 1 4T H A V E E A S T T E E R T S D R 3

Prepared by the

Metropolitan Interstate Committee

January 2001

East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

January 2001

Copies of this plan are available from the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Committee 221 West First Street, Duluth, MN 55802

Prepared by the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Committee

Duluth-Superior urban area communities cooperating in planning and development through a joint venture of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission and the Northwest Regional Planning Commission

Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Committee Member and Staff Listing January 2001

Metropolitan Interstate Committee: Transportation Advisory Committee:

David Allen, City of Hermantown John Allen, WisDOT Nick Baker, Douglas County Board Jim Benning, City of Duluth Tom Brekke, St. Louis County Suburban Jim Foldesi, St. Louis County Townships John Foschi, City of Proctor Russell Carlson, Douglas County Board Paul Halverson, Douglas County Mike Conlan, City of Duluth Bryn Jacobson, Bike/Pedestrian David Conley, Douglas County Board Representative Bill Eckman, Douglas County Board Dennis Jensen, Duluth Transit Authority Earl Elde, St. Louis County Suburban Dennis Johnson, MnDOT Townships Paul King, City of Superior Edward Erickson, Superior City Council Cliff Knettel, City of Superior Lynn Fena, Duluth City Council General Ray Klosowski, Airport Tom Fennessey, Superior City Council Representative Mark Johnson, City of Superior Richard Larson, City of Duluth Richard A. Kieren, City of Proctor Walter Leu, MnDOT Jean Longenecker, Villages of Oliver and Bill Majewski, City of Duluth Superior and Douglas Co Suburban Townships Joel Peterson, MN Pollution Control Kevin Peterson, City of Superior Agency Isobel Rapaich, Duluth Transit Authority David Salo, City of Hermantown Rob Stenberg, Duluth City Council Ray Skelton, Ports Representative Peg Sweeney, St. Louis County Vacant, City of Duluth Vacant, Rail Representative ARDC / MIC Staff: Vacant, Trucking Representative Ron Chicka, MIC Director

Joel Franklin, Intern Duluth-Superior Ben Gozola, Planner Metropolitan Interstate Committee

Andrew McDonald, Senior Planner Jason Serck, Planner Rondi Watson, Division Secretary Kendis Willet, Planner

NWRPC / MIC Staff: “Guiding the Future of Transportation and Sheldon Johnson, MIC Deputy Director Planning for the Twin Ports Area”

Table of Contents Executive Summary...... Page v Introduction ...... Page 1 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Demographics ...... Page 1 Environmental Justice...... Page 4 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation System ...... Page 6 Past Planning Initiatives Related to Transportation ...... Page 12 East Hillside Urban Design Plan: Component of the East Hillside Neighborhood Plan ...... Page 12 Endion Waterfront Plan and Development Strategy ...... Page 13 Downtown Duluth Traffic Study ...... Page 14 Duluth-Superior Area Transit Vision ...... Page 16 Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Bikeways Plan and Implementation Plan ...... Page 16 Duluth, Minnesota Residential Development Objectives and Strategies Report Page 17 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Coalition: Neighborhood Community Development Plan ...... Page 18 Traffic Calming ...... Page 19 Principles of Traffic Calming ...... Page 19 Techniques of Traffic Calming ...... Page 20 Final Thoughts on Traffic Calming ...... Page 22 Traditional Neighborhood Development ...... Page 23 Neighborhood Transportation Issues Assessment ...... Page 25 One-way versus Two-way Streets? ...... Page 25 Traffic at 6th Avenue East and 4th Street? ...... Page 28 Traffic flow (11 Ave E, 4 ST, 15 Ave E) ...... Page 30 Heavy traffic with no consideration of impact on neighborhood ...... Page 32 Other transportation issues ...... Page 32 Potential East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Area Improvements ...... Page 36 Appendix ...... Page A-1 Traffic Calming Techniques and strategies ...... Page A-1 Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Guidelines ...... Page A-7 Standard Street Design Guidelines ...... Page A-17

List of Tables Table 1: 1990 Commuting Behaviors...... Page 16 Table 2: Average Daily Traffic counts at key locations ...... Page 27 Table 3: Average Trip Generation Rates per Dwelling Unit ...... Page 35 Table A-1: Vehicle Size Dimensions...... Page A-13 Table A-2: TND Street Classification Option ...... Page A-13 Table A-3: Speed & Stopping distance...... Page A-16 Table A-4: AASHTO Minimum Street Design Guideline Summary...... Page A-19

Page iii Metropolitan Interstate Committee

List of Maps Map 1: East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Study Area ...... Page 1 Map 2: 1990 Population by Census Block...... Page 2 Map 3: 1990 Housing Units by Census Block...... Page 3 Map 4: 1990 Renter Occupied Housing Units by Census Block...... Page 3 Map 5: 1990 Average Income by Transportation Analysis Zone ...... Page 5 Map 6: 1990 Minority Population by Census Block ...... Page 5 Map 7: Functional Classifications ...... Page 6 Map 8: Roadway Jurisdiction ...... Page 7 Map 9: Transit Service...... Page 8 Map 10: Average Daily Traffic Counts ...... Page 10 Map 11: Roadway Pavement Width ...... Page 11

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page iv East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Executive Summary

The neighborhood transportation assessment attempts to study how the transportation system functions within the area known as the East Hillside and Endion Neighborhoods. The assessment pulls together past planning documents, existing transportation and demographic data, and issues and concerns generated by the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Coalition. Furthermore, this study summarizes and highlights traffic calming strategies and street guidelines for traditional neighborhood development in order to shed some light on strategies that can and have been used in other communities to address similar issues.

The East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Coalition provided a list of issues and concerns, which this study tries to address. Some of these issues were considered in the 1995 Downtown Duluth Traffic Study. That study provided an analysis of how these issues relate to traffic flow, cost to the city, and impacts to drivers. However, transportation decisions and policies affect more than drivers, they impact existing and potential pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and nearby residents. Therefore, transportation decisions need to consider all roadway users.

Perhaps the most contentious issue that has been discussed in several previous plans and studies is the idea of converting the existing one-way streets back to two-way streets. The 1995 Downtown Duluth Traffic Study found that the effect of this conversion would be decreased travel distances with somewhat increased travel times. It did not endorse the conversion, citing the significant cost of changing existing traffic signals ($16,000- $22,000/signal) and the potential for increased accidents.

This transportation assessment finds that a two-way street configuration could provide some benefits to the neighborhood. The two-way streets can accommodate existing and projected traffic counts while increasing on-street parking along some sections of roadway. Furthermore, this configuration would likely slow traffic and reduce the impact of peak hour traffic by spreading traffic among the streets that are currently one-way.

The question which needs to be answered not by this study, but by the public and the city, is: “would the advantages of two-way streets outweigh the advantages of one-way streets?” Fortunately, both 4th Street and Superior Street, which handle significantly heavier traffic, provide excellent examples of what can be expected with converting the one-way streets to two-way streets. Fourth Street and Superior Street also serve as examples of streets with better pedestrian, bike and transit environments.

Some of the other issues, such as heavy traffic at 4th Street and 6th Avenue East, are complicated by the fact that there are few attractive alternative routes for traffic.

Page v Metropolitan Interstate Committee

Therefore, the best overall approach for the community would be to create streets that encourage alternatives to driving. By making the area more attractive to pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users, more people may be encouraged to leave their cars at home.

Not surprisingly, the strategies discussed and potential recommendations listed here will affect street users in different ways, which will likely generate disagreements and controversies. This document will hopefully serve as a catalyst for discussions on how we look at street use and design. Clearly, a process that brings all affected parties together to work cooperatively toward common goals will be essential to improving the transportation system for these neighborhoods.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page vi East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Introduction At the request of the City of Duluth’s Community Development Division, the Metropolitan Interstate Committee (MIC) developed a scope of work to conduct a limited assessment of the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood transportation system. This study looks at transportation issues related to the community within the City of Duluth’s Planning District Six (refer to Map 1).

MAP 1: East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Study A

T L E A

E N

R D T

S A H Y T V W 8 E K P 1 9 E T N H I A L V Y E K E 2 S A 1 S S T T A V E E A S T T E T E E R E T R S 11 T H Y T S T Endion W H H 4 K A T P V 9 E E IN E L A T Y S S K T R S IO 1 R 4T E H P D A U R East Hillside V S N 1 O 0 E D T E N H A O A S L V T r E io E r A S e T p T E E u R S T S e R k D D a E T N C 6 E 2 L AN T E R H R T A T N V S E T E AL E E D T R E A R E T R S 3 E EN T T R C S T S H T T S 7 4T 1 H A East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood V E E A Traffic Assessment Study Area S N T Planning District 6 W E

East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Demographics The East Hillside population in 1990 was 7,273 people, almost 11 percent fewer people than lived there in 1980. In contrast, the Endion neighborhood had a stable population size between 1980 and 1990 at around 5,075 people. The City of Duluth as a whole lost almost 8 percent of its population during this period. Together these neighborhoods had about 12,300 people, which is over 14 percent of the city’s population. This neighborhood sits on 868 acres or 1.8 percent of the City of Duluth’s total land area

Page 1 (49,000 acres). Not only does the East Hillside/Endion neighborhood have a significant population but also a high population density.

Map 2 shows the 1990 population for each block and the population per acre. The population and housing densities are higher between 4th Street and Superior Street east of Chester Creek and between 6th Street and Superior Street west of Chester Creek. Map 3 illustrates 1990 housing unit data by block. The number listed within the block indicates the total number of housing units for that particular block. The gray scale indicates the number of housing units per acre.

The areas showing high population densities, not surprisingly, have a higher percentage of rental units. Map 4 shows the percentage of total housing units that were rental units in 1990 and the approximate number of rental units. It is important to keep in mind that the high percentage of rental units is due, in part, to many large apartment complexes in this area. The northern section of the neighborhood, by contrast, contains mainly original detached single-family houses.

Map 2: 1990 Population by Census Block O

31 D T L E A

E N

R D T

S A H T 91 V 4 8 E 1 962 T 10 H 32 Y A47 2 159 V 1 W 75 E 61 S K E49 T P A A 57 62 S 43 V E 60 T43 E IN E L 72 38 A Y 67 S 37 66 51 87 T K 151 82 56 S T 77 67 E 70 46 63 91 E T 82 R 71 66 E T 77 E S 11 79 R 75 164 97 72 T T 70 H 100 H S 44 72 T T 76 Y 4 E 166 A65 59 H 47 E W V T 90 R 41 35 K E 64 9 93 T 102 87 P 23 E 82 S 166 40 E A 60 T S 98D 89 S 73 IN 35 49 T 65 2 30 L R 13 R Y 59 82 60 3 22 K 61 122 IO 63 S 71 110 194 69 R 51 6 29 4T E 50 H 84 42 62 80 P 43 D 71 16 125 A U 94 R 35 47 V S N 1055 32 E 54 53 T 84 49 O 84 H 100 E 48 D 36 r 56 56 A 52 N 30 A93 88 59 S94 O 11 o 74 V 7 T L i 69 E 96 26 r 74 120E 62 10 60 e 50 68 A p 77 S 39 T 121 66 T E 156 77 18 u 47 118E S 52 110 R rive 81 70 T 104 7 e e D 82 59 S k c 54 95 106D a n 75 41 N 129T L ra 2 E t 58 145 E n T6 71 28 R 29 E E 100 T 43 T 37 l E H S a R 58 r T A T t V79 127 S n S E East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood 92 1 16 e H E T A99 C S 167 7 T 64 1990 Population by Census Block 28 1 143 4T 31 Rail Roads H 47 A V 7 Intermittent streams E 6 E A Perennial streams S 67 T 37 1990 Population per Acre N 230 1 - 6 00 Total Population 7 - 15 W E 16 - 25 26 - 41 S 42 - 79 No data

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 2

Map 3: 1990 Housing Units by Census Block

W 9 O T O E D

E L

R A T

N S 26 H D

Y T

8 A W 1 21 V K 9 T E 3 P 1 H 12 E A20 N 26 V I E 22 L E25 2 Y 24 26 A 21 1S K 24 S15 T S 62 T A 26 27 V 20 52 E 65 22 E 19 19 31 A 29 24 S 21 T 22 45 21 T 49 T 37 E 27 29 29 29 E 2 E R 129 E 48 37 1 28 T 28 R 1 S T T 33 T 20 41 E S 81 41 H 28 H E A T R 26 D 20 V30 9 27 T R 36 15 E 22 36 S 3 54 E 16 16 29 21 H T A T 49 64 S 32 34 5 8 23 S 4 13 T 27 26 10 R 40 73 O 4 14 28 1 34 I 39 4 20 48 4 42 R 25 27 T 48 E 22 26 36 H 33 P 15 D 25 8 A U 51 R 22 16 V 40 S N 18 1 19 31 18 E O r 20 36 0 34 25 D 14 4 o T 38 E 25 N i 27 H 35 A O r 15 A 43 37 S 63 L 29 31 V 43 2 T 16 e Y 26 31 E 51 p E 42 5 u W 18 32 A 20 S K 30 S 43 10 32 T 110 P 19 T e 54 27 53E k E 31 32 E 49 6 rive 40 R a N 31 I D T L 61 e 27 42 L c 70 S n 34 80 Y 6 27 D ra T 27 K t H 95 N n 2 15 S A 32 20 E V53 27 40 l T E 31 a E East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood r E t E A32 106 n R S 34 11 e T T S 58 1990 Housing Units by Census Block C 96 H 37 T 16 4 7 T 106E Rail 4 22 E T R 35 Intermittent streams H T N A S V 3 T Perennial streams E S E 1 5 Roads A 42 S T 19 W E Housing Units per Acre 60 1 - 4 00 Total Housing Units S 5 - 9 10 - 14 15 - 22 0 0.8 Miles 23 - 49

Map 4: 1990 Renter Occupied W

Housing Units by Census Block 22 D T E L E A

R N T S D

H A T 31 Y 8 V W E K 1 29 P 9T 33 H 8 E A25 IN 27 V 32 L 100 E Y E32 2 K 17 19 A 38 1 S 21 S S C T20 T 38 h A 10 52 V e 20 85 E 16 s 5 47 45 E 9 t A e 34 88 S r 29 76 T 80 57 T 14 C E T E 78 E 0 r 14 76 3 E e 46 R 1 R e 22 T 97 81 73 1 11 k S T T 20 94 76 H S 68 H T 74 Y A 14 T 65 E W V H 19 4 E 80 K 20E T 59 56 47 9 14 R 83 P 13 E 71 T 92 50 E A24 24 S T IN 6 13 S S 72 65 0 L T D 80 69 Y 15 46 R R100 55 68 3 79 69 IO K 36 23 1 60 85 50 S 14 10 63 4 R 18 T 70 88 E D 38 25 H P 76 R 8 63 A 85 U 53 68 6 78 V S N 17 1021 E 79 O T 55 D 15 36 H 39 E 80 76N 57 r 19 89 A 84 O o 60 A43 65 S L 75 i 42 V 63 100 T r Y 21 E 62 38 e 26 E59 57 80 p W 22 A 69 S 85 u K 80 33 43 31 T 72 T 86 77 S P 26 E 65 44 E e E 23 69 R 100 67 38 T k N 81 83 I S a R 52 69 L D 53 D 84 L Y 70 E 44 N K C 6 86 2 N T 87 S A 53 66 70 R H 78 T A 56 EN V 69 65 T E 82 AL E E T East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood R E A 86 68 90 E 91 T R S E N T T R E S 54 T Renter Occupied Housing Units C 100 S 25 H 85 T T S 7 86 1 Rail 4T 89 H Intermittent streams A 40 V 0 E Perennial streams E A 71 S Roads T 95 N 90 Renter Occupied Housing Units 1 - 11 00 Percent Rental Units W E 12 - 24 25 - 42 S 43 - 67 68 - 125

Page 3

Environmental Justice The term “environmental justice” represents a public policy goal of ensuring that negative effects of government activities do not fall disproportionately on low-income or minority populations. Within the realm of transportation planning, the concept refers to an understanding of the likely economic, social, and environmental impacts of proposed changes to the transportation system. While it can be difficult to make significant improvements to transportation systems without causing negative effects of one form or another, the concern of environmental justice is whether those effects might disproportionately impact the health or environment of minority or low-income populations. In the past, these impacts have often been overlooked.

The impacts of transportation projects on specific populations may take many forms, including air or noise pollution, access to opportunities, changes in property values, safety, and aesthetics. When evaluating potential transportation projects under environmental justice, the distributional equity—the incidence of benefits and costs across income levels—resulting from the change in the system would be considered in combination with its economic efficiency. In addition, there would be direct interaction between the targeted populations and the project leaders, thereby fostering an accurate understanding of the likely impacts of the project and of how to limit or mitigate adverse effects.

The average household income in 1990 for the Duluth-Superior urbanized area was $23,690. Map 5 show the average household incomes in 1990 for the East Hillside Endion Neighborhood. The household income data on Map 5 is shown at the Transportation Analysis Zone level, which consists of many blocks. The map clearly illustrates that the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood generally has lower than average household incomes than the city as a whole. The Duluth-Superior urbanized area had 4.76 percent minority population in 1990. Map 6 shows the 1990 percentage of minority population by neighborhood block. The map illustrates that the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood has higher percentages of minorities than the urbanized areas.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 4 Map 5: 1990 Average Household Income by Transportation Analysis Zone

T A E E N

R D

S A

H V T Y 8 E W K 19 P TH E A IN V L E Y E 2 K AS 1S S T T A VE E AS T T E E T R E T E S 1 R 1 T H T S T H 4 T Y A H W T E K V E P E 9 R E T E A S T IN S S L T D Y R R K 3 O S 1 I 4T R H E D P R AV U 1 S ON 0 E T E ND H A O A ST L VE Y E A W S K T T

P E E

E R T N I S

L R D Y E D N K 2 C 6T S AN H R NT AV E E L T E T A E A E TR E S E N R T R E T T S C S H T T S 7 4 1 TH A VE E East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood AS T 1990 Percent Household Income by Transportation Analysis Zone N Rail Roads Intermittent streams W E Perennial streams 1990 Percent Household Income S > $5922 $5922 - $11845 $11845 - $17767 $17767 - $23690 above $23690 (average) 02Miles

Map 6: 1990 Minority Population by Census Block 2.84 0.003.40

5.88

0 3.37 0.00 0.00 5.24 3 2.80

2 0 0 0.00 0.93 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 2 2 6 5 3 2 0 3 4 2 2 0 1 3 3 6 4 1 13 0.00 0 15 4 5 7 8 0 4 1 1.79 4 12 5 7 7 7 2 0 2 2 10 1 0 2 6 4 5 13 11 5 9 0 3 3 14 15 0 10 5 0 0 9 11 91 0 0 3 17 7 18 2 0 0 4 5 2 0 9 22 6 0 25 14 0 11 13 17 9 11 1 14 6 4 7 7 4 2 0 7 3 12 3 6 9 5 14 35 7 8 8 0 3 11 0 0 16 10 4 6 10 5 13 0 2 15 24 12 7 3 16 0 6 3 11 13 10 9 2 9 3 4 East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood 23 10 14 9 14 0 28 1990 Percent Minorities by Census Block 3 5 53 6 4.18 28 11 Rail Roads 23 4 0 Intermittent streams 10 0 Perennial streams 9 17.42 0 1990 Percent Minority Population 29.17 0 N 12 0 - 4.76 14.30 4.77 - 10 16 W E 0 10 - 30 30 - 100 S 000 Percent Minority Population 0.7 Miles

Page 5

East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation System The following sections describe the different elements of the transportation system in the East Hillside/Endion neighborhood. The elements that were examined include functional classification of the roadway system, roadway jurisdictional responsibility, transit service, traffic counts, and roadway width.

Functional Classification Roads are classified based on how they function, or serve traffic. The roadway functional classification system is a hierarchical system of labeling the street system, based in part on the amount and type of traffic that is carried. Local Roads are on the one end of the spectrum; these streets serve primarily as residential access. The other end of the spectrum is Interstates and Principal Arterials. These roadways serve predominantly as through routes. Map 7 illustrates the current functional classification of roads in the East Hillside/Endion neighborhood. This map also identifies the locations of existing signalized intersections and intersections with all-way stops.

Map 7: Functional Classifications

T O E E O

R D T S L

A H Y T N

W 8 D

1 A P 9 %U T V E H

E IN A 2 L V #0 1 E S Y T K E A #0 S A V S E T #0 E A S T T E #0 E R T T T E E S E 11 E R T R H T T H T T E S Y S 4 E W A H T V T R S K E 9 T 1 T #0 P E S S E A IN S D R L T R O Y 3 I K 1 R T 4 E S %U T D E H P R E A U R %U 10 #0 V S N T T O S H E D #0 E N H A A O T V S E T L r 9 E o A T i S #0 E #0 r T E e R#0 35 p T ,-. u %U S R D #0 S D T N e E #0 6 E #0 2 #0 C T E k N H R a A T #0 R A S L NT V T E H #0 L E E T T A E A 4 E R E S E T R T R EN T T C S S East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood H 0# T T 7 S 4T #0 1 Roadway Functional Classification H #0 A Rail V E #0 All-way E Intermittent streams %U A #0 S Perennial streams Stop Signs T T E E R Functional Classification T #0 Signalized S Interstate Highway D N R Local Intersections 3 Local Road MAMajor Arterial W E MCMajor Collector MINC Principal Arterial S PA

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 6

Roadway Jurisdiction Different streets come under different jurisdictional classifications. These classifications determine who is in charge of maintenance and what funding sources are available. Map 8 identifies the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Roadway jurisdictions. The Minnesota Department of Transportation addresses the needs of the Interstate and Trunk Highway system. County State Aid highways (CSAH) are the responsibility of St. Louis County and eligible for designated state funding. Likewise, Municipal State Aid (MSA) roads are the responsibility of the city and qualify for MSA funding. In some cases, streets that formerly served as trunk highways may be “turned back” to local jurisdictions if changes in the system warrant. Second and Third Streets were formerly trunk highways that were “turned back” to the city upon the completion of the Interstate.

Map 8: Roadway Jurisdiction

T O

E O E

R D T S L A H T N

8 D Y

W A K V 2

E 1 P S T E A IN V L E Y E K T A E S S T E T E R E T R S T T 1 H E 1 S T E T H 4 R H T T T A 9 S S V E D R E R IO A 3 R S E D T P R 14 T U N 1 H S O 0 D Y T A N 35 H V O ,-. W E A L K V E r E T A o P E S i E A E T r E R e S T p N T I S u L 6 D S Y T H N e K 2 k A a S V E T L T E E E A E E S R R T T T S East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood S H 4 T T T S Roadway Jurisdiction 7 H 1 A V E Rail E A Intermittent streams S 35 T ,-. Perennial streams Roadway Jurisdiction N City County State Aid Highway (CSAH) Interstate Highway W E Municipal State Aid (MSA) Trunk Highway S

Page 7 Transit As previously discussed, the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood is served well by transit, particularly the lower half of the area. Map 9 identifies existing transit routes serving the area. Also included on the map is the new University Circulator Route included in the Transit Vision Plan to serve University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) students. In 1998, about 2,000 UMD students of the 3,600 living off-campus resided in the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood. The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) and UMD, working cooperatively have developed three circulator routes that run from the UMD campus aimed at serving the student population. Two permanent UMD circulator routes serve the East Hillside/Endion and Lakeside neighborhoods. One temporary route serves students living in the Edgewater Motel on London Road. UMD students, faculty, and staff can ride any DTA bus for free.

Map 9 Transit Service 12

11 8

UMD 8M

12 6

UMD

13 East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood Public Transit Service Routes

Rail Intermittent streams

Roads Perennial streams

8 Duluth Transit Authority Bus Routes

7 8 8: Woodland

7 N 6 6 8M: Morely Heights

6 & 7: Lester Park/Crosley 13 W E 13: East 4th Street 11: UMD / East Eight Street S 12: Kenwood Avenue UMD Circulator

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 8

Traffic Counts Traffic counts and traffic forecasts (based in part on historical traffic counts) are the driving force behind many transportation decisions. Map 10 provides traffic count data for the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood. These numbers came from a couple of sources. The red numbers in the box are counts from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) for 1995. The black numbers along 4th Street, the most current MnDOT traffic counts, are from 1998. The green numbers represent the most recent City of Duluth traffic counts taken between 1996 and 1999.

Perhaps most interesting are the discrepancies between some of the traffic count numbers. While many of the traffic counts do not vary dramatically, a few vary significantly. For example, 3rd Street west of 21st Avenue East had a traffic count in the Duluth Roadway Inventory of 4,300 but the most recent count shows 1,650 daily vehicles. Likewise, the most recent data from the city shows Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of 8,900 on 8th Street between 19th Avenue East and Woodland Avenue whereas MnDOT shows an ADT of 3,700. These variations suggest further data collection is needed.

Despite some discrepancies with the data, we see that generally, 6th Avenue East, 21st Avenue East, London Road, Superior Street, and 4th Street see the heaviest traffic. The next major traffic routes are 8th Street, 2nd Street, 3rd Street, 1st Street, 14th Avenue East and 12th Avenue East.

Page 9 3750 1 6 5 5

0 W 0 9 O 8 O 8

D 1 0 L 3

3 %U

5 D 3300

2 0

2 A T 5

E V 0# E 0 2650 E 1 Y R 5 2 W T 1 4 1S K S 9 5 T 0 0 T P H H 0 A T 2 V E 8 A 9 E N V 3 0 0# I E 0 5 E

L 8 6 A E Y A 9 1 S 1 T K S 0 6 S T 1800 5 0 6800 1800 5 0 2 0 0# 1 7 5

5 8 T 0

E 3250 0 E

0 1

T 1 2 0 4 S 1 5300 T2 1 4 T H 2250 E 2 6 5 H T E 0 0 4 A R 8

V T 0# E 3 T S 6 7 E 6 E 0 6 E T 1 A S 70 0 6 R S 7 1 T T 5 S T 00 2600 S 940 D 0 0 R R 0 O 7 3 0 3 I 5 %U 4 R 0 7 614 E

1 1 T P %U 0 1 6 H U

7 T 0 4 0# A S H 9400 T 0 1 V 0 E A E 0 V D E E 0 0# E 3 R R 1 1 A 2 N T E 7 3150 S 5 A 0 0 T 1 0 O S 2 S 0 5 2 1 6 D H T 3 1 3500 3800 7 0 4 N T 0 0 O 9 0 L 0 0 0 0# 0 0# 1 0 0 0 5 2 7 2 0 3 4 5 5 2 2 0 0 0# 1 0 3 0 6 0 0 0 35 3 0 5 . 1 %U 0 1 ,- 4 01 0 0# 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 3 5 36000 2 0 4950 0 5 0 0# 7 0 T 0# 0 0# E 0 8 1 E 0 R 0 0 9 T 0 0# 8 0 4 0 6 5 S 4 3 4 4 0 14200 76T 1 H T 0 0 H T E 0 0# 0 4 E 3 7 A R 4 East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood

V T 5 1 E 0 0 0 5 E S 5 5 0 T 4 A D 9 7 5 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) E 0 S 0 N 5 T 3 3 E 0 T 0 2 E 0 R 0 E 1 T 2 R 1 S 0# 0 T 5 S

9 H 6 9 T 0 T 0# Signalized 7 4 S 0000 0 0# 1 MnDOT ADT '95 4 0# 7 N Intersections 0 4 0 T H 0# 0000 MnDOT ADT '98 %U All-way

A V E 0# W E E Stop Signs A 0000 City of Duluth 96-99 S T S

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 10 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Roadway Width Map 11 shows the pavement width of all neighborhood streets. As discussed in the Traffic Calming and Traditional Neighborhood Development sections, street width is an important factor in how the street is perceived and used. The East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood has street widths ranging from 20 feet to 68 feet. Street width, of course, is also a result of street use and function. As traffic patterns and uses have changed, there may be opportunities to better utilize excess street width or even eventually change street width to better accommodate community goals.

Map 11: Roadway Pavement Width

24 O 24 O 4 D 2 L

2 A 4 8

4 N 2 3

4 4 2 D

2 V

8 4 E 3 4 4 4

2 2 4 4 4 2 4 6 2 4 2 4 24 0 1 8 8 2 2 2 8 3 2 2 6 4 4

2 8 2 4 4 2 4 4 0 4 8 4 2 2 4 2 2 8 2 4 2 3 6 8 6 2 4 3 2 2 4 4 4 6 82 6 2 2 3 4 3 4 4 4 2 4 20 2 6 8 8 2 2 3 2 2 6 5 4 0 6 2 2 6 3 4 2 2 8 3 4 0 8 4 4 2 T 3 2 5 8 E 4 3 E 2 4 4 7 3 2 6 2 0 8 3 8 2 2 3 6 6 2 R 6 8 4 2 0 2 2 T 3 3 4 2 8 4 2 T 4 S 2 7 8 T 3 4 E 8 4 4 E 2 8 D 4 4 2 6 E 2 2 E 8 6 R 3 R 0 8 3 4 2 R 2 2 T 3 2 8 4 T 2 3 6 4 6 2 3 8 0 2 S 4 4 S 4 3 3 2 7 2 4 2 H 8 4 4 26 6 H 4 T 8 4 2 8 4 T 2 4 2 3 8 8 0 2 9 2 3 6 3 0 4 2 2 0 2 4 0 3 2 4 2 2 6 2 3 7 4 3 6 2 2 4 3 4 2 2 8 4 4 4 4 6 T 2 2 2 0 8 5 6 4 E 4 8 4 4 8 4 3 6 6 3 2 E 2 3 0 3 2 2 5 2 2 8 2 2 6 6 6 4 R 6 4 3 7 T 2 0 2 2 2 2 S 4 4 3 8 2 3 4 4 2 0 2 0 2 8 2 T 4 8 2 3 8 H 2 3 4 4 S 6 3 6 2 2 4 T 3 2 2 7 2 0 R 6 2 1 2 8 2 4 2 3 O 6 4 2 2 2 4 4 5 6 8 I 7 0 6 8 8 4 2 2 3 2 R 2 3 8 2 2 4 2 3 1 4 4 4 6 6 0 6 2 2 4 2 3 E 3 4 8 2 T 8 P 2 4 U 2 2 4 4 2 2 4 H 6 8 6 2 2 8 3 0 S 2 0 8 8 2 6 4 2 0 122 6 A3 6 3 2 3 8 3 T 2 6 V 5 6 2 1 4 H 5 4 3 E 3 4 4 0 2 2 3 3 4 8 2 2 3 4 T A 6 E 8 8 0 2 2 2 6 2 A 3 3 0 6 8 0 2 2 0 H 8 0 V 4 0 S 8 3 6 2 3 4 E 4 2 A 0 3 6 3 T 4 V 3 4 E 3 3 3 E 2 2 A 6 8 2 8 3 4 E 8 5 S 4 8 8 2 2 4 0 2 A 3 T 3 6 6 2 2 2 S 0 4 6 2 4 4 T 3 4 0 0 4 3 0 2 3 4 2 0 2 0 5 3 8 2 3 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 6 8 8 0 2 2 5 4 4 0 6 2 2 4 0 4 3 4 4 2 3 2 3 2 2 4 3 1 6 0 0 3 4 2 0 0 4 6 3 0 2 4 2 2 0 4 4 4 2 3 3 2 4 3 8 4 2 5 2 52 0 3 8 4 6 5 5 3 2 6 0 4 2 0 2 4 4 2 2 4 3 8 2 2 5 8 3 0 4 5 5 2 0 4 0 3 4 5 5 5 4 3 8 5 0 2 4 6 6 4 3 2 2 2 T 3 0 3 4 5 East Hillside / Endion Neighborhood 3 5 H 0 4 3 5 4 4 9 0 3 0 A 4 3 9 V 8 2 4 8 4 E 3 2 9 5 E 0 4 3 2 6 4 4 9 Roadway Pavement Width 0 A 3 3 4 4 S 0 5 9 T 3 4 9 Pavement Width (Feet) 5 6 4 3 8 2 0 4 6 3 5 23 2 3 4 5 4 10 - 20 5 0 4 0 4 3 2 3 6 3 21 - 25 4 2 Rail 4 3 2 4 T 8 4 H 26 - 28 Intermittent streams A 1 9 N V 8 2 E 4 9 29 - 32 E Perenni al streams A S 6 33 - 38 T 2 3 4 W E 39 - 46 6 3 9 47 - 56 9 57 - 68

6 S 3

Page 11 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Past Planning Initiatives Related To Transportation Several studies and plans have been conducted over the past twenty years that address transportation related issues in the East Hillside/Endion neighborhood. Many of these documents address specific transportation issues while others address transportation indirectly, focusing primarily on other community issues. These planning efforts provide a framework for understanding the relationship between transportation and quality of life issues in the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood.

East Hillside Urban Design Plan: Component of the East Hillside Neighborhood Plan Published in March 1983, the East Hillside Urban Design Plan focused primarily on design elements of the neighborhood. However, transportation issues were addressed in the plan. The following transportation discussions were taken from this plan. • Sidewalks are generally in place but not universally passable in winter. Boulevards (i.e., planting strips) are narrow or non-existent. Street and sidewalk surfaces are not always smooth. There is extensive on-street parking due to small lots not built to accommodate more than one car. This is a distraction from the street scene as the “people” uses of the street and sidewalk such as walking, meeting other people, bicycles, sidewalk toys, Frisbee throwing and a general sense of openness is compromised by the ever present storage of cars on the street. • Below 4th Street there are tremendous variations of land uses that give rise to vastly different textures, scale and feeling of place. The one feature common to this area is arterial traffic. London Road, Superior, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Streets are major traffic corridors through the area. Natural features are sparse. • For non-residents of the neighborhood, these streets provide such easy movement through the area that many have never experienced the neighborhood at a walking speed. • The Plaza shopping area presents a clear change in the general pattern. This is an automobile-oriented place. • The Plaza area is in a position to create a link between the neighborhood and Chester Park with the rose garden and the lake. Stronger pedestrian connections and more unified shopping facilities with places to sit and eat would make shopping here a more social experience.

Urban Design Goals and Policies I. Provide a safe, clean and comfortable environment for residents, workers and visitors. Major intersections are confusing to both drivers and pedestrians. The lack of sidewalks or slippery snow covered walks can prevent a shopping trip or a social visit. Dark streets can be unsettling to walk alone. • Streets and public areas where people walk should be well lighted. • All circulation systems should be visually clear and predictable to the driver, pedestrian and transit rider without dependence on signage. • Streets, sidewalks and vacant lots should be well maintained and clear of weeds, litter, and debris. • Sidewalks and developed pedestrian easements need to be maintained year round and should provide a continuous system for pedestrian movement through the neighborhood.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 12 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Hedges, bushes, trees with low branches, fences, retaining walls and other objects that block sight lines from vehicles should not be permitted.1

II. Provide a basis for individual orientation within the neighborhood. • Districts should not be penetrated by major arterial roadways or other strong edges that would serve to divide the district.

III. Offer a variety of pleasing environments suiting various individuals needs. • New public buildings or redevelopment projects over which there is public control should provide for adequate site size and provide meaningful setbacks and landscaped areas so as to set an example of excellence in design.2

IV. Create pleasing neighborhood development that compliments the natural features of the city and contributes to citywide urban design excellence. • Significant natural features such as lakeshore, creek ravines, rock outcrops, and overlook points should be linked together in a continuous park and recreation system that is usable by both pedestrians and motor vehicles.

Other issues discussed in the East Hillside Urban Design Plan • Trail system connecting major natural feature (e.g., Chester Creek Park to Lakeshore). • Several small play areas.

Endion Waterfront Plan and Development Strategy In 1995, the city of Duluth Planning Division published the Endion Waterfront Plan and Development Study. This report sought to expand revitalization efforts begun with the city’s waterfront area (Harbor to 12th Avenue East) to the lower Endion Neighborhood and its Lake Superior shoreline. With the completion of Interstate 35, this area has seen significant changes. London Road no longer serves as the primary route for through- traffic, creating an opportunity to develop the area as a primary destination site. The city’s Planning Division conducted several public meetings that were well attended by local businesses and Endion Neighborhood residents. Future area “vision” suggestions generated by public meeting participants include: • Provide new landscaping along London Road. • Create a continuous pedestrian network with associated public open space on the waterfront. • Develop low-rise housing with related recreation and open space uses on vacant parcels. • Protect existing natural features such as the stretch of exposed shoreline bedrock.

1 While blind intersections should be prevented, limiting sight line along streets with boulevard trees and vegetation is a common traffic calming strategy. 2 While providing a reasonable setback and landscaped areas are appropriate, perhaps more important is to create designs consistent with the neighborhood’s traditional design and feel. The Technology Village building in old downtown and the Duluth Pack store in Canal Park are good examples of designs that mesh together new and old and still maintain a consistent feel of the area.

Page 13 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Provide convenient public access from existing residential areas down to the lakefront area.

“London Road’s excessive wide and straight alignment also contribute to the corridor’s somewhat unattractive strip image. The 100-foot right-of-way includes a six-lane, 68- foot wide roadbed with two moving lanes in each direction. The third lane on each side is devoted to on-street parking or turning movements. The roadway is typically undivided, with few street trees and many curb-cuts. Because of its extreme width and multiple lanes, pedestrian crossings are difficult and the street acts as a barrier between residential neighborhoods and the lake. There is no uniform lighting scheme.”

The plan calls for creating a new, positive image for the London Road corridor through landscaping and streetscape proposals. The plan also helps reinforce pedestrian linkages between the residential, commercial and shoreline properties within the neighborhood. Specific recommendations call for a reduction in road width in recognition of declining through-traffic; additional off-street parking where possible; a coordinated tree planting, signage and lighting plan to establish a clear design vocabulary along the street; and sight design guidelines for properties fronting London Road.

Downtown Duluth Traffic Study In November 1995, SRF Consulting Group, Inc. prepared the Downtown Duluth Traffic Study for the City of Duluth. The study area boundaries included Mesaba Avenue to the West, 26th Avenue East to the East, 9th Street and 8th Street to the north and Michigan Street and the Lakeshore to the South. The area was divided into three analysis sub-areas including the Central Business District, the Medical District and the London Road Area. Most of the East Hillside and all of the Endion Neighborhood area are included within the Medical District and London Road sub-areas.

The Downtown Duluth Traffic Study looked at a variety of transportation issues in the East Hillside and Endion Neighborhoods and made recommendations to the City of Duluth. Issues discussed in the study relating to the East Hillside and Endion Neighborhoods are listed below.

Medical District Issues 1. Medical District Parking Issues. 1.5 One-way to two-way conversion of Second Street and Third Street. 2. Signalized Intersection Operations. 3. Speeding along First and Second Street. 4. Increased traffic on 8th Avenue East. 5. Modification of 6th Avenue East and Second Street. 6. Superior Street at 10th Avenue East/London Road. 7. Parking on Superior Street east of Third Avenue East. 8. Pedestrian Safety on Superior Street near Fitgers. 9. Parking on Superior Street between 13th Avenue East and 14th Avenue East.

Recommendations

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 14 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

1. Encourage the development of off-street parking. 2. Retain one-way operation on 1st, 2nd, 3rd Streets and 12th and 14th Avenue East (refer to the Neighborhood Transportation Issues Assessment for further discussion). 3. Consider off-peak left side parallel parking on 2nd Street. 4. Upgrade traffic signal control and timing more appropriate to traffic conditions. 5. Drop consideration of changing 6th Avenue East between 2nd and 3rd Streets to two- way operation because of cost estimate of over $200,000 and little interest by neighborhood representatives or city staff. 6. Try to direct westbound traffic from London Road to Superior Street via 14th Avenue instead of 10th Avenue East. If not effective, signalize Superior Street and 10th Avenue East intersection. 7. Review roadway width and parking layouts to increase parking opportunities in Fitgers area. Consider marking pedestrian crossings with median refuge island at the parking lot entrance opposite the westbound turning lane. 8. Restripe and re-sign eastbound Superior Street at 14th Avenue East to retain minimal left turn lane width and close unused driveway openings to increase on-street parking between 13th and 14th Avenue East.

London Road Area Issues 1. Conversion of First Street to two-way operation east of 21st Avenue East. 2. Residential Parking Issues. 3. London Road Operations. a. Traffic Flow. b. Parking. c. Bicycles and Pedestrians. d. Proposed Lane Changes. e. Design Detail. 4. General Neighborhood Traffic Issues. 5. 21st Avenue East Corridor.

Recommendations 1. Convert 1st Street to two-way operation east of 21st Avenue East. 2. Review the intent, interrelation, and consistency of city ordinances that involve allowing the subdividing residential units into apartments, off-street parking requirements, and ordinances limiting the property owners’ ability to provide off- street parking. 3. Look for opportunities to provide city-owned, residential permit, off-street lots in areas of high demand. 4. London Road west of 21st Avenue East will handle the traffic volumes for the foreseeable future with one lane for through-traffic in each direction, a center left turn lane, and a right lane for on-street parking and right turns at key locations. 5. London Road and 21st Avenue East intersections should be modified to provide a northbound, separate right turn lane on to 21st Avenue East. 6. General traffic issues: • Enforce existing parking restrictions near intersections. • City should review individual locations where sight distance is reported to be a problem and increase the no-parking areas.

Page 15 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Encourage residents to make specific reports of speeding problems including time of day, exact section of street and license plate numbers when reporting to police. • Residents should support efforts in the Minnesota State Legislature to have the urban residential speed limit reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph. 7. Proceed with interconnected and coordinated timing signals on 21st Avenue East and develop timing plan for reduced speeds. 8. City should give serious consideration to restriping 21st Avenue East as a three-lane roadway as a trial. If successful, permanent features could be added including aesthetic enhancements. 9. Efforts should be made to provide alternatives to 21st Avenue East for traffic growth. 10. Residents of this East Duluth Neighborhood should support the city’s efforts to provide an improved arterial route along the railroad right-of-way and Superior Street as well as support the development of an improved east-west connection from the Arrowhead Road and Woodland Avenue area eastward to Superior Street.

Duluth-Superior Area Transit Vision The Duluth-Superior Area Transit Vision Plan is a comprehensive look at public transit service in the metropolitan area. The Plan highlights demographic and transit use trends in the community, current transportation issues effecting transit use, and projected changes in transit use. Furthermore, the plan includes recommendation options for improving transit in order to increase the use and effectiveness of its services.

The East Hillside and Endion Neighborhoods were determined to be critical markets for the Duluth Transit Authority. Because this area is densely populated, the DTA can serve a large customer population with very few route miles. Nearby high-density employment sites in downtown and the Medical District are well served by transit (see Map 7 on page 10 for transit route locations). The East Hillside and Endion Neighborhood’s traditional neighborhood design provide grid pattern streets, sidewalks, and short walking distances which make transit service and use easier. These characteristics explain, in part, why in 1990 9 percent of East Hillside and Endion neighborhood commuters used transit whereas, only 5.6 percent of all Duluth commuters used transit (see table 1).

Table 1: 1990 Commuting Behaviors All Drive % Drive % % Workers Alone alone Transit Transit Other Other City of Duluth 36697 30727 84% 2143 6% 3827 10% East Hillside 3215 2449 76% 299 9% 500 16% Endion 2594 2047 79% 223 9% 324 12%

Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Bikeways Plan and Implementation Plan In 1994, the Metropolitan Interstate Committee (MIC) completed the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Bikeways Plan, which identified short and long-term strategies for improving conditions for bicycling in the area. Most of the plan’s recommendations focus on low cost, on-road improvements. Unfortunately, many of these recommendations have not been implemented.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 16 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

In 1998, the MIC conducted a status report of the 1994 plan and developed an implementation plan to serve as a catalyst for implementing short-term recommendations. As part of this effort, an application for Federal Transportation Enhancement Funds was submitted and granted $220,300 to establish Phase 1 of a City of Duluth and Hermantown signed bike route system. Forty-eight miles of on-street bike routes could be established in Duluth as early as July 2001.

Duluth, Minnesota Residential Development Objectives and Strategies Report The City of Duluth’s Planning and Development and Community Development and Housing Division with the direction of the Duluth Housing Study Committee, prepared this report as part of a study to promote quality housing to meet the needs of Duluth residents. The report, published in November 1999, identified a set of goals, objectives, policies and strategies to set the direction for future housing development in the city.

Many of the land use/zoning and neighborhood revitalization objectives include transportation-related strategies and recommendations. The following transportation- related statements are taken from this report.

I. Land Use / Zoning Objective: • Traffic Circulation: Calm traffic in dense residential neighborhoods (e.g., institute traffic calming strategies such as changing one-way streets to two-way streets). Promote pedestrian use through sidewalks and trail development. • Off-Street Parking: Promote additional off-street parking where possible, and seek other creative solutions to mediating existing parking problems. • Quality of Live Amenities: Encourage the inclusion of quality of life amenities such as green space, parks, and recreational opportunities with all residential activities, as well as in existing densely populated areas. • Mixed Use Housing: Promote second floor housing in commercial districts and a combination of housing types such as row houses with single family ownership in areas where appropriate and with designs that fit the fabric of the neighborhood. • Traditional Neighborhood Development: Promote neighborhoods with neo- traditional housing styles that include front porches and smaller yards that encourage interactions of neighbors.

II. Neighborhood Revitalization: • Physical Improvements: Support neighborhood revitalization efforts that address physical improvements such as sidewalks, alleys, open space, neighborhood parks, tot lots, trees, etc.

East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Coalition: Neighborhood Community Development Plan

Page 17 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Completed by the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Coalition in August 1998, this plan identifies issues facing the neighborhood. Traffic and transportation, housing and related, public safety, community concerns, and parks, recreation, culture, and related were the main issue categories included. The Document includes a “mini-plan” or “action log” of steps aimed at addressing identified issues. Many of the neighborhood issues relate directly or indirectly to transportation. Furthermore, the plan emphasizes that transportation needs should be balanced with other, and perhaps more important, neighborhood issues.

The transportation issues identified through the neighborhood coalition include the following: • Traffic at 6th Avenue East and 4th Street. • Need for an updated transportation study to address; - One-way streets - Traffic flow (at 15th Avenue East and Superior Street, 11th Avenue East and 4th Street) - Heavy traffic with no consideration of impact on neighborhood - Interaction of roads on neighborhood - No response to traffic concerns (speeds, etc.) near playgrounds. - Pedestrian Considerations. • Inter-campus bus. • Alley closures are needed (e.g., 10th Avenue East, 6th Avenue East). • Alley lighting. • Mid-block lighting. • More stop signs needed. Yield signs not effective. • More off-street parking (e.g., 6th Street, 8th Street, etc.). • Traffic law enforcement. • Vehicle noise ordinance. • Divisions of single family housing into rental units with multiple vehicles (college student housing) leading to parking problems notably from 4th Street to 9th Street. • Fourth and 7th traffic Circle to slow traffic.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 18 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Traffic Calming The following discussion was taken from Cynthia L. Holye’s book entitled Traffic Calming. This information is included to better understand the concepts, strategies, and effectiveness of traffic calming. Not all traffic calming devices and strategies accomplish the same objectives or achieve similar results. This information is provided to give decision-makers a better understanding of what types of strategies will better fit community goals and objectives. A poorly planned traffic calming effort or device has the potential to increase public opposition to traffic calming programs.

“Traffic calming is a form of traffic planning that seeks to equalize the use of streets between automobiles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and playing children. This is accomplished through the use of devices and techniques that reduce traffic volume and speed in neighborhoods while maintaining maximum mobility and access. Traffic calming also attempts to make drivers aware of the fact that they are sharing the space of a street with other users.”3 To successfully implement traffic calming in a community, planners and engineers must look at the transportation as a whole for the area or community.

Principles of Traffic Calming: 1. Streets are not just for cars. Streets are also for social interaction, walking, bicycling, and playing. Different roadways will serve different functions, but on a street, no one function should dominate to the exclusion of all others.

2. Residents have rights. Residents have a right to the best quality of life possible, the least amount of noise possible, the least pollution possible and an environment that fosters a rich community life… All residents, regardless of age, financial status, or social standing, have rights to an equal share of the mobility that a city can responsibly provide for its residents. No person or group has a right to increase their mobility at the expense of another person’s mobility. An overemphasis on car transportation discriminates against a large section of society (poor, disabled, elderly, children, and impacted residents).

3. Maximum mobility while decreasing the costs. Trips are a means to an end. The trip is a “cost” paid to enjoy the “benefit” at the journey’s end. The cost involves time, money, energy, and social environmental affects. It therefore, makes sense to minimize the costs a city and its residents pay to enjoy access to a wide range of destinations. This principle emphasizes managing existing transportation resources of a city with maximum efficiency; utilizing inefficient roads and public transportation networks before new infrastructure is built.

3 Holye, Cynthia L. Traffic Calming, American Planning Association, Planning Advisory Service Report Number 456, July 1995.

Page 19 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Techniques of Traffic Calming: 1. Reduce the speed at which automobiles travel by altering design. Reducing speed has the following effects. • Slower traffic emits less noise and fumes if traveling at an even pace. • There are fewer accidents. • Accidents that happen are less severe. • The capacity of the existing roadway is increased. This effect surprises many people. Naturally, its easy to think that the faster the travel the more traffic the road can handle. However, as speed is increased, the safe distance between vehicles must also increase. There is an optimal speed for all roadways. At speeds above or below the optimal speed the capacity drops.

Active or passive controls can be used to influence vehicle speeds. Active controls change driver behavior and are therefore, largely self-enforcing. They create the visual impression that a street is not meant for through-traffic and that other users of the roadway, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and children playing, have an equal right to use the street. The drawback to the use of active controls is their cost, the possible negative impact on emergency and service vehicles, and the negative response of motorist who are inconvenienced by their introduction. Active controls include: speed bumps, speed tables, rumble strips, median barriers, cul-de-sacs, semi- diverters, traffic circles, chokers, interrupted sight lines, neck-downs, chicanes, changes in directions, and protected parking.

Passive controls are primarily traffic signs and do not physically prevent action (e.g., stop signs, yield signs, speed limits, turn-prohibitions, one-ways, etc.). Thus, drivers can easily violate the purpose of these devices. Passive control devices are most effective in areas where compliance can be expected to be high and enforcement is possible. (For a description of specific traffic calming control techniques see Appendix pg A-2)

2. Change the psychological feel of the street through design or redesign. Wide straight stretches of paved streets say to the motorists, “this is your turf.” Streets that use paved strips, landscaping, and narrowed lanes have a relaxed, pedestrian feel that say to the driver, “Beware, this is a shared space.” Several experts have described a series of ways to use design to influence driver behavior. There are number of ways that changes in the physical environment can alter the ways that drivers and all other users of the street “experience” the street. Most importantly is by creating a sense of place on streets, not unlike creating a sense of place in a neighborhood or community. Recognizing the street as a place rather than a channel designed for the benefit of the car and driver will change the psychological feel of the street for all users.

There are a number of measures that community transportation planners and citizens might consider when designing or redesigning neighborhood streets. The policies for street design are as follows. 1) Traffic management devices and changes to the street design should be compatible with the character of the neighborhood.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 20 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

2) Traffic control devices and street designs should be easy to maintain. 3) The landscaping used for street design should be safe for pedestrians. 4) Street trees should be planted to enhance the image of a street as a place with which residents can identify. Large trees not only provide shade, enhance property values, and contribute to a sense of place, they act as very effective buffers to traffic noise and create visual and psychological barriers between parked cars and residential spaces.

3. Increase incentives to use public transit. If our society’s goals are to increase energy efficiency, improve air quality, and reduce traffic congestion while increasing mobility options, we must address the efficiency and compactness of our land-use patterns. Private automobiles take 30 times more road space to move each person than buses. In many cases, expanding our streets has not led to moving more people, but moving more cars.

4. Discourage use of private motor vehicles. Perhaps the best way to discourage the use of cars is by making auto users pay a greater proportion of auto related infrastructure costs, including roadway costs, parking facility costs, and environmental costs.

5. Encourage people to organize their own travel more efficiently. Through the combinations of a public education campaign, introduction of traffic restraint measures, and better mixed use planning, authorities can encourage people to organize their travel more efficiently. This means providing a better mix of land uses allowing people to find homes closer to jobs, being able to combine a number of trips into one, or using public transit for work instead of buying a second car.

6. Create strong viable local communities. Rather than building large roads to large facilities, the facilities can be brought back to the people through strong, compact communities that offer a wide variety of facilities. These mixed land-use opportunities reduce traffic on the road because: • People can drive shorter distances to get where they want to go. • Trips that had to be made by car can now be made by walking, bicycling, or public transit. • Children and the elderly are given independent mobility through walking and bicycling and public transit, resulting in less chauffeuring. • A strong local economy leads to a higher level of localized employment. • Measures that can be taken include making local shopping centers more attractive places to shop, grouping activity centers and encouragement of festivals and entertainment. Most important is the need for a long-term commitment to avoid carving up existing, viable communities with large roads.

Final Thoughts on Traffic Calming The success or failure of traffic calming techniques depends on the effective involvement of the community. Local traffic issues can arouse powerful emotions. Neighborhood traffic management is controversial because some people gain and some lose. If the

Page 21 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment negative effects of a neighborhood traffic management system are not understood in advance, it can discredit the entire process because it will appear that there will always be “unforeseen” adverse impacts.

An effective, well-organized planning process is the single most important element in creating a successful neighborhood traffic management program. In virtually every case, the failure of a program can be traced directly to either a breakdown in the planning process or the failure to have a structured process at all.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 22 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Traditional Neighborhood Development Over the past two decades, there has been a growing interest in changing the way development occurs. One of the more recent trends in city planning and development is the idea of Neo-Traditional Neighborhood Development or New Urbanism. These development concepts are essentially patterned after developments that occurred during the first quarter of the 20th century.

Through the first quarter of the 20th century, the United States was developed in the form of compact, mixed-use neighborhoods. The pattern began to change with the emergence of modern architecture and zoning and ascension of the automobile. After World War II, a new system of development was implemented nationwide, replacing neighborhoods with a rigorous separation of uses that has become known as conventional suburban development (CSD), or sprawl. The majority of US citizens now live in suburban communities built in the last 50 years.

Although CSD has been popular, it carries a significant price. Lacking a town center or pedestrian scale, CSD spreads out to consume large areas of countryside even as population grows relatively slowly. Automobile use per capita has soared, because a motor vehicle is required for nearly all human transportation.

Those who cannot drive are severely hampered in their mobility. The working poor living in suburbia spend a large portion of their incomes on cars. Meanwhile, the American landscape where most people live and work is dominated by strip malls, auto-oriented civic and commercial buildings, and subdivisions without individuality or character.4

It is interesting to see many communities looking to the past to reassess how they grow and develop. It’s unfortunate that it has taken almost 50 years of suburban development to realize the high cost associated with these types of developments as well as the loss of community identity and sense of place. It is also unfortunate that during this time, attempts were made to retrofit traditional neighborhoods with road design standards to accommodate cars without regard for how these designs fit with the character of the neighborhood. With the renewed interest in “neo-traditional” development, a reevaluation of road design guidelines for these developments provide planners with tools for use in our old neighborhoods as well.

What is a Traditional Neighborhood Development? Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) is a new way of guiding development that takes people and community into consideration. Interaction among community members is central to this type of development.

Instead of the conventional suburban development patterns, in which residential and commercial zones are typically separated (thus encouraging the growth of transportation infrastructure), TND guidelines integrate development. All structures fan out from a

4 New Urban News Website, www.newurbannews.com

Page 23 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

town center, which is often a square or green, and sometimes a busy or memorable street intersection. Shops and offices are located at the edge of the neighborhood, and the shops are sufficiently varied to supply the weekly needs of a household. A convenience store is the most important among them. Elementary schools are located within one mile of all residences so children can walk to school. Small playgrounds, ideally within one- eighth of a mile from all dwellings, dot the landscape. The streets are laid out in a network, so that there are alternative routes to most destinations. Buildings at the neighborhood center are placed close to the street creating a strong sense of place.

There are numerous benefits in developing with TND design characteristics. By bringing most of the activities of daily living into walking distance, everyone (especially the elderly and the young) gains independence of movement. Reducing the number and length of automobile trips minimizes traffic congestion and the need for expensive road construction. Providing streets and squares of comfortable scale with defined spatial quality allows neighbors to come to know each other and to watch over their collective security. By providing appropriate building concentrations at easy walking distances from transit stops, public transit becomes a viable alternative to the automobile.

Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines The renewed interest in traditional neighborhood developments spurred the creation of new and more flexible guidelines for transportation planning and engineering. Clearly, these new guidelines are appropriate and useful for maintaining and enhancing traditional neighborhoods. The Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) in June 1997, provides an excellent resource for recommended street design practices that improve the livability of neighborhoods.

The goal of TND designers and those seeking to calm traffic is to create an environment where drivers will realize that driving too fast or too aggressively is inappropriate, anti-social and perhaps most effectively, uncomfortable. With appropriate design methods, drivers will automatically choose lower target speeds and less aggressive behaviors. This self-enforcement will create a feeling that motorists and non-motorists are more equivalent occupants of the streets. Designers should remember that streets are multifunctional, and they should aspire to create streets to be enjoyed by all.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 24 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Neighborhood Transportation Issues Assessment The East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Coalition’s Neighborhood Community Development Plan identified the following transportation issues. This section of the Transportation Assessment attempts to address these issues, and lay out the rationale for potential recommendations. Transportation issues are not discussed in the order listed below. • Traffic at 6th Avenue East and 4th Street. • Need for an updated transportation study to address: - One-way streets - Traffic flow (at 15th Avenue East and Superior Street, 11th Avenue East and 4th Street) - Heavy traffic with no consideration of impact on the neighborhood - Interaction of roads on the neighborhood - No response to traffic concerns (speeds, etc.) near playgrounds - Pedestrian considerations • Inter-campus bus • Alley closures are needed (e.g., 10th Avenue East, 6th Avenue East) • Alley lighting • Mid-block lighting • More stop signs needed, yield signs not effective • More off-street parking (e.g., 6th Street, 8th Street, etc.) • Traffic law enforcement • Vehicle noise ordinance • Divisions of single family housing into rental units with multiple vehicles (college student housing) leading to parking problems notably from 4th Street to 9th Street • Fourth and 7th traffic circle to slow traffic.

One-way Streets Versus Two-way Streets Perhaps the most significant transportation change discussed for the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood is the possible conversion from one-way streets back to two-way streets. The Downtown Duluth Traffic Study, conducted by SRF Consulting Group, Inc. for the City of Duluth looked at this issue in November of 1995. This study also looked at speeding along First and Second Streets. These two issues are likely related.

The SRF Inc. study determined that if all one-way streets between Mesaba Avenue and 24th Avenue East were converted to two-way streets travel times would increase although total miles of travel would decrease. This is to be expected since two-way traffic increases accessibility to the various land uses (decreasing distance traveled) and provides more restrictions on traffic flow (increasing time). The cost for converting traffic signals on the one-ways to handle two-way traffic was estimated to be about $444,000 (24 intersections at $16,000-$22,000 per intersection). The study also looked at converting just the avenues back to two-ways or converting just the streets.

The SRF study used as performance measures: travel miles, travel time, delay, average delay, stops, system speed, fuel consumption, and operating cost. In the Medical District, it was suggested that one-way to two-way conversion would be expensive, do little to

Page 25 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

provide even a minimal increase in real parking supply, disrupt existing traffic patterns, add to motorist costs and would likely cause additional accidents, and was therefore not recommended. In the London Road Area of the study, it recommended converting only First Street east of 21st Avenue East, since the cost of signing and striping changes would be minimal.

According to the 1995 Downtown Duluth Traffic Study’s cost assumptions, it would cost approximately $206,000 to convert the 11 signals on one-way roads in the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood. However, existing traffic at several of these intersections is less than at all-way stops in the neighborhood or the 2-way stop at 4th Street and 19th Avenue East, which suggests that there may be an opportunity to use these signals elsewhere and replace them with two-way stop signs. Additional costs may also be incurred to install transitional traffic controls at or near 6th Avenue East.

The SRF study addresses costs and benefits related to vehicular traffic. The study does not address how well the current one-way system works for pedestrian, bicycle, transit uses, nor does it address community livability issues or resident preferences. Time savings and fuel savings are only one component of the quality of the neighborhood.

Disadvantages of converting to two-way streets: • Costs as much as $200,000 for converting traffic signals. This cost may be less if traffic does not warrant traffic signals, which could then be replaced with two-way stop signs. Removing traffic signals would impose some cost. • Additional cost for re-striping and signage changes. • Advantages of one-way streets identified in the Downtown Duluth Traffic Study. • Traffic control is simpler because of fewer intersection movements. • Left turn traffic signals are not needed. • Coordinating a series of traffic signals is very simple regardless of spacing between intersections whereas, coordinating traffic signals along a two-way street is very difficult and requires favorable block lengths, low travel speeds and low volumes of traffic. • Typically one-ways are safer because there are fewer opportunities for left turns, head-on accidents, and conflicts with pedestrians. • Intersection capacity is much greater with one-way operation. • Time savings to drivers. SRF calculated an average system speed of 10.6 mph with one-ways and 9.2 mph with two-ways, assuming all one-ways between Mesaba Avenue and 24th Avenue East were converted to two-ways.

Advantages of converting to two-ways: • Slower travel speeds because of less signal coordination capability, no passing slower vehicles creating platoons of cars, and opposing traffic. • More direct routes to destinations (shorter travel distances) and easier property accessibility. • Theoretically, AM peak hour traffic on 3rd Street and 1st Street would be spread to 2nd Street and PM peak hour traffic on 2nd Street could be divided up to 3rd and 1st Streets, minimizing the peak hour traffic impacts on adjacent residents and pedestrians.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 26 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Allowing parking on both sides of some street segments would aid in slowing traffic. • Advantages of two-way street system identified in the Downtown Duluth Traffic Study. • Two-way streets are less confusing, particularly for visitors who are unfamiliar with the city trying to reach a specific destination. • There is generally less circuitous, around the block driving. • On-street parallel parking would have the standard right side of the street layout, which requires a parking maneuver that is more familiar to drivers than parallel parking on the left side of a one-way.

In 1990, approximately 4,100 people lived in about 2,300 housing units in the blocks between Superior Street and 4th Street and 6th Avenue East and 21st Avenue East. This area has some of the highest population densities in the city. Assuming half of those living between Superior Street and 1st Street and half of those living between 3rd Street and 4th Street are closer to Superior Street and 4th Street, respectively, there would be about 3,200 people directly impacted by the one-way corridors. This is a large number of impacted residents and their interests need to be considered in addition to drivers. The one-way streets have a dominant vehicle orientation, encouraging speeding, which creates a noisy and uncomfortable place for pedestrians and residents using front yards.

Table 2: Average Daily Traffic counts at key locations East of West of East of West of 6th Ave E 10th Ave E 14th Ave E 21st Ave E 4th Street 12,000 15,500* 6,400 3,200 3rd Street 5,000 4,000 1,700 2nd Street 6,000 2,500 1st Street 3,800 2,300 Superior Street 10,400 6,100 London Road 4,600 9,400 Interstate 35 48,900 48,900 48,900 48,900 Source: City of Duluth Engineering counts between 1996-1999. * Minnesota Department of Transportation 1999 Traffic Counts.

Trees and on-street parking give 4th Street the perception of being narrower, slowing traffic, and making it more bike-friendly.

View of 4th Street east from 9th Avenue East at 5:05 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2000.

Page 27 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

The Average Daily traffic along the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Street between 6th Avenue East and 21st Avenue East is significantly lower than on 4th Street and Superior Street. Yet these streets manage to accommodate traffic with two through-lanes, with two-sided on-street parking. Large trees lining 4th Street and on-street parking increase the perception that the street is narrower, which encourages slower moving traffic.

It is interesting to note that despite the increased number of lanes and coordinated traffic signals on 2nd and 3rd Streets, 4th Street is the more heavily traveled roadway. Despite higher traffic volumes on 4th Street, it is not uncommon to see pedestrians, bicyclists and residents in their front yards and using front porches.

When 2nd and 3rd Streets were converted to one-way streets, they served as part of the Trunk Highway system. Prior to the completion of Interstate Highway 35, these roads served an important role moving traffic through the city. However, these corridors no longer serve this purpose. Yet, 2nd Street and 3rd Street remain classified as minor arterials and are listed as truck routes. These classifications should be reconsidered. By converting the one-ways back to two-ways and making long-term improvements to creating pedestrian-friendly environments, the quality of life for residents will be higher, and the fabric of the neighborhood strengthened.

Converting 1st, 2nd and 3rd Streets would likely distribute traffic more evenly, minimizing the peak hour traffic impacts.

View of 3rd Street east from 8th Avenue East at View of 2nd Street east from 6th Avenue East at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2000. 5:10 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2000.

Traffic at 6th Avenue East and 4th Street Average Daily Traffic (ADT) counts shows 15,400 vehicles per day using 6th Avenue East above 4th Street and 9,600 between 3rd and 4th Street. The most recent ADT for 4th Street east of 6th Avenue East was 12,000. The ADT for 4th street west of 5th Avenue East was 6,600. Sixth Avenue East is the only Minor Arterial with four-lanes and relatively little residential density connecting the central/east hillside neighborhoods with Central Entrance, Rice Lake Road and Kenwood Avenue. There are few desirable alternatives for this traffic. Therefore, the likelihood of diverting any of this traffic is not only unlikely but also undesirable.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 28 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

The signalized intersection currently operates fine for vehicular traffic, although Intersection Level of Service Analysis may be beneficial. From the pedestrian standpoint, the intersection and the sidewalks adjacent to 6th Avenue East are poor environments. The crossing distance is 50 ft across 6th Avenue East and 46 ft across 4th Street. Traffic on 6th Avenue East can drive comfortably at 40 to 45 mph, creating a noisy, uncomfortable place for non-vehicular traffic.

High traffic use and poor pedestrian design discourage walking, biking and resident use of front yards and porches.

Above: South view of 6th Avenue East at 4th Street intersection.

Left: North view of 6th Avenue East between 4th and 5th Street.

While diverting traffic is likely not an option, there may be some intersection improvements that will make the intersection more friendly to non-motorized traffic. These improvements could include: • Converting 3rd Street to a two-way would provide a more direct route to London Road and northbound Highway 61, minimizing neighborhood drive through traffic. • Use different color or textured surfaces on crosswalks.

Traffic Flow on 11th Avenue East: The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) along 11th Avenue East below 4th Street is about 600. Between 4th Street and 9th Street, the ADT is around 1,700 and above 9th Street, ADTs range from about 1,000 to 1,700. This roadway is functionally classified as a Major Collector between 9th Street and Kenwood Avenue. Tenth Avenue East serves as the Major Collector from London Road to 9th Street and has an ADT of about 3,000 between 4th Street and 9th Street. Because 10th Avenue East has a rougher surface than the newer 11th Avenue East, is more narrow (24 ft) and is lined with

Page 29 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

mature trees that increase the perception of narrowness, some traffic may be using 11th Avenue East instead of 10th Avenue East. Eleventh Avenue East has a width of 28 ft with alternative side parking. The disadvantage for 10th Avenue East residents between 4th Street and 9th Street is the lack of any on-street parking, forcing many to use front yards for parking. To accommodate on-street parking along this street would require eliminating many mature trees, which may reduce property values as well as increase traffic and vehicle speeds.

Eleventh Avenue East is a local road and residents have observed noticeable increases in traffic and speeds since recent reconstruction of the road. Therefore, traffic calming devises may be desirable for slowing and/or diverting traffic. The problem of course with diverting traffic is that the traffic may move to other residential streets. This issue draws attention to a key question in traditional neighborhoods; should traffic be spread out over many roadways to minimize the impacts to any given street or funneled to a few designated streets concentrating the impacts. In older neighborhoods it’s often difficult to determine which streets should be designated as arterial roads since many of the streets have similar residential characteristics.

East 4th Street: Fourth Street has ADTs ranging from 12,000 east of 6th Avenue East to 6,400 west of 19th Avenue East. There is a four-way stop at 10th Avenue East and an all- way stop at 14th Avenue East where traffic backs up during peak hour traffic. Despite the time savings of the one-way streets on 2nd and 3rd Streets, 4th Street remains a popular route choice. Because diverting traffic from 4th Street would merely shift traffic impacts to nearby residents or neighborhoods, strategies to divert through-traffic are not encouraged. However, some strategies may be considered that would slow traffic and improve the flow to minimize stop and go traffic and ease pedestrian movements.

Installing traffic signals at the current all-way stops would increase the capacity at those intersections without encouraging speeding. Traffic signals create “platoons” of vehicles traveling at the same speed. Traffic signals would also better serve pedestrians by creating more gaps between car platoons providing spaces to cross the street at non- signalized intersections as well as providing a dedicated crosswalk at the signalized intersections. If signals are installed at both 10th Avenue East and 14th Avenue East, they could be timed to minimize stop delays for the majority of directional traffic during peak hour traffic times.

The Kenwood Avenue “Connector:” Some of the traffic on 4th Street, 9th Street, 11th Avenue East, has been attributed to travelers going from Downtown via 6th Avenue East and to northern Duluth neighborhoods and townships via Kenwood Avenue. The MIC’s 1995 and 1998 long-range Transportation Plans suggested that further study was needed to determine how best to connect 6th Avenue East and Kenwood Avenue. Thirteenth Street is designated as a major collector and currently serves some of the travelers making this connection.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 30 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Other alignments identified in the past include an extension of Tenth Avenue East from 11th Street to Skyline Boulevard. Cost, intersection alignment issues, and neighborhood impact issues have not been addressed in the development of this alignment.

A Kenwood Connector that increases traffic flow or encourages through traffic between 6th Avenue East and Kenwood Avenue would negatively impact residents along these streets and create potential hazards to children accessing Grant School. To minimize negative impacts to residents and create an attractive route connection for traffic, additional right-of-way purchases may be warranted. Clearly, further study is needed to explore the alternatives and impacts of a Kenwood Connector.

15th Avenue East: Fifteenth Avenue East has an Average Daily Traffic count south of Superior Street of 1,100 and 750 north of Superior Street. There appears to be some concern about cut through traffic along this roadway, particularly by people avoiding the traffic signals on 14th Avenue East or by those going southbound.

By converting 14th Avenue East to a two-way street there would be less incentive for those going southbound to use 15th Avenue East. Given that the most recent 14th Avenue East ADT count is 2,700 just north of Superior Street, the signals at the intersections with 2nd and 3rd Streets might be able to be replaced with two-way stop signs allowing 14th Avenue East right-of-way. If the converting of 14th Avenue East to a two-way street does not solve cut through traffic on 15th Avenue East, traffic calming options should be explored.

Heavy traffic with no consideration of impact on neighborhood As discussed previously, traffic concerns and issues need to be balanced with the needs of the neighborhood. Too often transportation decisions have been made only with respect to the needs of those using the transportation system without regard for those directly impacted by these transportation decisions.

In the past, mature trees have been cut down, streets widened leading to more and faster vehicular traffic. Front yards, porches and sidewalks have been abandoned, because of noise, exhaust and the unpleasant environment created by traffic. With fewer people using front yards, porches and sidewalks, there are fewer “eyes on the street,” which makes for less secure neighborhoods for children and families. As a result of these impacts, property values drop, families move to quieter and safer homes further away, leaving older single family homes to be cut up into rental units.

It is somewhat ironic when homeowners are charged an assessment for a new road where mature trees are removed, roads widened, and traffic speeds increase because of the new smooth road surface. Large trees have been found to account for up to 15 percent higher property values and noise from increased and faster traffic are likely to decrease property values. It should be of little surprise when residents along some streets prefer to live with a pot-holed, crumbling street because of the concern over the effects of what the new street might mean in terms of more and faster traffic. The solution for transportation planners and engineers is to work with the community to develop alternatives that

Page 31 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

address the concerns of all street users. The City of Duluth’s street reconstruction program has worked extensively with impacted property owners.

Other Transportation Issues Speeds: As discussed previously, recent literature suggests that pedestrians are comfortable with vehicles traveling around 20 mph. The literature also suggests that at this speed the likelihood of severe injuries to pedestrians in car related accidents is significantly less. Clearly, this speed is desirable around playgrounds and other areas where children are active. Furthermore, studies suggest that design changes provide the greatest opportunity for decreasing real vehicular travel speeds.

Pedestrians: Still speed is only one factor in creating a pedestrian environment. Adequate sidewalks, buffers between pedestrians and moving traffic, a pleasant “human scale” environment, and a contiguous, pedestrian system which connects to utilitarian and recreational destinations are important. No longer is designing for cars and accommodating pedestrians as an afterthought good enough. Designing streets with the pedestrian in mind not only benefits walkers, it also benefits adjacent residents and property owners.

Transit: Beginning in the 2000-2001 academic year, the DTA and UMD instituted free transit service for all UMD students, faculty, and staff. This service extends to all DTA routes and can be used at any time. This service was in direct response to a lack of parking on the UMD campus. It was decided to invest in transit options for the UMD community instead of building more parking facilities. In conjunction to this new service, new campus circulator routes were instituted (see Map 9). The goal of the campus circulators is to decrease traffic in the neighborhood, decrease the need for student vehicles, and decrease the demand for parking on campus.

Transit use should also be encouraged for the entire neighborhood. While some traffic in the area is traveling through the neighborhood, a large portion of it is generated within the neighborhood. With a population of well over 12,000, the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood generates a large number of vehicular trips. By encouraging residents to use transit, walk and bike we may be able to substantially reduce neighborhood traffic. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that when we get behind the wheel we become “traffic” which is impacting someone else.

Alley closures needed (e.g., 10th Avenue East, and 6th Avenue East): Alleys serve an important function in traditional neighborhoods. Alleys provide another means of accessing property. They provide a less visible place for garages and vehicles eliminating the need for front driveways, which create multiple areas where vehicles cross sidewalks. Alleys are sometimes seen as places for criminal activity. However, this is likely less of a design issue than other social factors. By increasing visibility in alleys, through increased and better lighting and more “eyes” on the neighborhood, alleys can be an asset and not a liability.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 32 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Street Lighting: Street lighting is an important component in traditional neighborhoods. Typical highway light fixtures are too high and out of scale with traditional neighborhoods. In the East Hillside and Endion Neighborhoods, houses are often relatively close to the intersection. The large streetlights not only light the intersection but often the upper stories of nearby houses. Using two shorter, perhaps decorative, lighting fixtures, with light directed downward on the street, sidewalk and nearby yards is preferable to one high-intensity light fixture. The new light fixtures located along 4th Street between 6th Avenue East and 14th Avenue East serve as a good example of this type of lighting. Not surprisingly, these streetlights tend to be more expensive and also have higher maintenance costs. However, given the number of streetlights being considered per capita for this neighborhood and the potential for increasing pedestrian activity, the benefits may be worth the additional costs. Mid-block lighting, particularly along important pedestrian corridors should also be considered.

Stop signs: The issue has been raised that existing yield signs have not been effective and that they should be replaced with stop signs. As described in the traffic calming section, studies have found that yield signs tend to be more effective than stop signs as a traffic calming device. Furthermore, stop signs that are placed in locations where there is not enough traffic to warrant a stop sign, may have the opposite effect from the desired result. Where traffic calming is needed, design elements, such as those previously discussed should be considered.

Parking: More off-street parking (e.g., 6th Street, 8th Street, etc.) may not be necessary by allowing parking on both sides of the street except during winter emergencies and designated street cleaning times (post signs several days prior to street cleaning.) This may protect valuable green space in the neighborhood. There are examples of streets with two-sided parking in the city and many streets have enough width to accommodate parking on both sides. The minimum guideline for local roads is 7 ft parking lanes and 12 ft through lane (1) = 26 ft; for collector streets, it is 10 ft through lanes (2) and 7 ft parking lanes = 34 ft.

Enforcing traffic laws: Enforcing traffic laws, particularly speeding is a difficult task if, as studies suggest, people will drive the speed that feels comfortable based on the design and characteristics of the roadway. By encouraging narrower roads and planting tall trees along the roadway the perception is given of a narrower road, thereby slowing traffic. In addition, traffic calming devices which break up sight lines also effectively slow traffic. Traffic circles, such as the one at 17th Avenue East and Jefferson Street is one way of slowing traffic.

Divided Single family housing: The division of single family housing into rental units with multiple vehicles (college student housing) leading to increased parking demand is a problem particularly between 4th Street and 9th Street. MIC Staff is not in a position to

Page 33 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

suggest strategies for eliminating or reducing the division of single family housing into multiple housing units or “college housing.”

However, parking options and policies may be available to address this issue. Increasing off-street parking is often listed as a solution to this problem. However, this often leads to a reduction in green space in an area where open spaces are at a premium. Too often yards have been replaced by unattractive driveways and parking spaces.

There may be opportunities for developing an on-street residential parking permit program, which would limit the number of permits allowed per housing unit. An increased fee could be charged for permits over the allotted limit. However, further research needs to be conducted to determine if such a strategy has been implemented in other cities and what are the legal ramifications of such a policy.

Improving transit service to the universities (e.g., campus circulator) may discourage students from bringing cars. Encouraging transit use has the added benefit of reducing traffic congestion in the neighborhoods. The Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) and University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) have developed a program that increased transit service with two new UMD circulators and provided students with free bus passes.

Currently, most neighborhood streets have alternative side parking restrictions. These restrictions are useful for snow removal in the winter and street cleaning during the rest of the year. However, as discussed previously, local road widths as low as 25 feet can accommodate two-way traffic and two-sided on-street parking.

One only needs to look at streets on Sunday, when parking occurs on both sides of the street to see that most streets can accommodate two-sided parking and moving traffic. It’s logical to reason that weekend traffic and weekday traffic and trip rates are significantly different. Although weekend traffic routes may be different because of weekend destination sites, trip generation rates are quite similiar (see Table 3).

Table 3: Average Trip Generation Rates per Dwelling Unit Single-Family Detached Apartment Housing Weekday 9.57 6.63 Saturday 10.09 6.39 Sunday 8.78 5.86 Weekday Peak Hour (PM) 1.02 .67 Saturday Peak Hour .94 .52 Sunday Peak Hour .86 .51 Percent Difference between Weekday and Sunday Average Trip Generation -8% -12% Percent Difference between Weekday peak and Sunday peak Average Trip -16% -24% Generation Source: Trip Generation by Institute of Transportation Engineers

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 34 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Conclusion New information and guidelines are beginning to provide transportation planners and engineers more flexibility in street designs depending on existing and desired street functions. These options can, where used appropriately, increase the livability of a community, promote alternatives to driving, and still accommodate drivers. This document is not meant to dictate transportation policy or decisions, but to inform those interested in transportation issues of strategies that can and have been used to accomplish transportation and community goals.

Ultimately, it will be the City of Duluth and the public who will decide the future of the East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood transportation system. Clearly, city agencies, elected officials, neighborhood representatives, businesses and citizens will come closer to achieving common goals by working together. Hopefully, this document will help initiate that process.

Page 35 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment Potential East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Area Improvements

After careful consideration of the background information and the neighborhood transportation issues assessment, ideas for transportation improvements were compiled. The following recommended improvements were the result and are broken down into facility and policy recommendations. This list of recommendations should be used as a mechanism to bring stakeholders together for public discussion.

Facility Recommendations

One-way Streets 1. Convert the following streets from one-way to two-way:*

STREET FROM TO 1st Street 7th Avenue East 24th Avenue East 2nd Street 6th Avenue East 24th Avenue East 3rd Street 6th Avenue East 24th Avenue East 12th Avenue East London Road 4th Street 14th Avenue East London Road 4th Street

Eleven signalized intersections would be affected by the conversion to two-way traffic. According to the 1995 Downtown Duluth Traffic Study, adding mast arms to these intersections would cost approximately $206,000. Additional costs would also be incurred where streets transition from one-way to two-way at 6th Avenue East.

*The implementation of this recommendation requires further study to determine the following: • traffic impacts to the area roadway system • placement and changes in traffic signals and stop signs • transition facilities required where streets change from one-way to two-way • accurate cost estimates

Intersections 2. Install traffic signals at the following intersections if warranted: • 10th Avenue East & 4th Street • 14th Avenue East & 4th Street Cost of traffic signals at each intersection is approximately $125,000 according to SRF Inc. – 1995 Downtown Duluth Traffic Study

Traffic Calming 3. Install traffic-calming devises along 11th Avenue East between 4th and 9th Streets.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page 36 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

On-Street Parking 4. Increase the parking supply by allowing on-street parking on both sides of the streets in the table below.

STREET (WIDTH) FROM TO DRIVING PARKING LANES LANES 3rd St. (40 ft.) 6th Ave. E. 12th Ave. E. 2 - 10 ft. 2 - 10 ft. 3rd St. (36 ft.) 12th Ave. E. 21st Ave. E. 2 - 10 ft. 2 - 8 ft. 2nd St. (42 ft.) 6th Ave. E. 12th Ave. E. 2 - 11 ft. 2 - 10 ft. 1st St. (42 ft.) 6th Ave. E. 12th Ave. E. 2 - 11 ft. 2 - 10 ft. 1st St. (44 ft.) 12th Ave. E. 14th Ave. E. 2 - 12 ft. 2 - 10 ft. 1st St. (34 ft.) 14th Ave. E. 21st Ave. E. 2 - 10 ft. 2 - 7 ft. 14th Ave. E. (36 ft.) London Rd. 4th St. 2 - 10 ft. 2 - 8 ft.

Policy Recommendations

Functional Classification 5. Convert functional classification of the following streets from Minor Arterials to Major Collectors: • 2nd Street between 6th Avenue East and 21st Avenue East • 3rd Street between 6th Avenue East and 21st Avenue East • 12th Avenue East between London Road and 4th Street • 14th Avenue East between London Road and 4th Street

Pedestrian 6. Continue tree-planting efforts between sidewalks and roadways. Large growing trees should be planted where utility lines do not exist and short “ornamental” trees can be planted beneath utility lines.

7. Prioritize sidewalk improvements based on Duluth Sidewalk Inventory findings to ensure quality sidewalks and connectivity

8. Use bulbouts and neckdowns to shorten pedestrian crossing distances at key intersections near parks, hospitals, and commercial areas. A good example is the bulbout located at the intersection of 9th Avenue East and 1st Street.

9. When major construction is scheduled, use different color or textured surfaces at major intersection crosswalks (e.g., 4th Street and 6th Avenue East; 4th Street and 10th Avenue East, 4th Street and 14th Avenue East; London Road and 12th Avenue East; Superior Street and 13th Avenue East; etc.).

10. Replace existing single high-intensity street lighting at intersections with two smaller fixtures (similar to those used on 4th Street) diagonally from each other and at mid block locations along major pedestrian corridors.

Page 37 Metropolitan Interstate Committee

East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Appendix

Page A-1 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Traffic Calming Techniques The following traffic calming techniques were taken from Cynthia L. Holye’s book entitled Traffic Calming.

• Speed bumps and speed tables are raised humps in the paved surface extending across the street (normally with a height less than five inches). A speed table is long enough so that both the front and rear wheels of the vehicle can be on the table at once (around 8 to 12 feet). Speed tables can be comfortably crossed at 15 to 25 miles per hour. Speed tables have been shown to reduce speeds and traffic volumes. US traffic engineers do not favor speed bumps considering them an unacceptable hazard. Furthermore, speed bumps are reported to interfere with snow plowing. Speed tables appear less likely to cause such problems.

• Pattern sections of rough pavement (rumble strips) or cobble stone strips across the road cause slight vibrations in the car causing the driver to become more alert and/or slow down. Studies show that changes in road surface have shown reduced speeds from the upper end of acceptable speeds and reduced accidents when placed in advance of stop signs. This strategy is sometimes objected to by bicyclists although bike areas can be accommodated. Noise produced by rumble strips may also be an objection of nearby residents.

• A diagonal diverter is a barrier placed diagonally across an intersection to disconnect streets. Used alone, this strategy will affect only the two specific streets. If used as part of a planned system for the neighborhood, this application can reduce traffic volume by discouraging through traffic. Speed will only be decreased in the immediate area of the diverter (about 200-300 feet). Some cities have found significant reductions in accidents. Diagonal Diverter • Creating dead-end streets or cul-de-sacs obviously provides a complete barrier, which have been shown to be very effective in preventing through-traffic. Retrofitting an existing street can be very expensive to provide an adequate turning radius. This strategy tends to be one of the most expensive and least desirable techniques employed for traffic calming due to accessibility of emergency vehicles, buses, etc.

• A semi-diverter is a barrier to traffic at the intersection of two streets in which one direction of the street is blocked, but traffic from the opposite direction is allowed to pass through. The semi-diverter blocks only half the street and is easily violated. This strategy is best used when one direction of a street is being used as a short cut. Semi- diverters have been shown to significantly reduce traffic volumes and accidents.

• Neck-downs are similar in design as semi-diverters but are located at mid-block. They allow two-way traffic for only a portion of the block.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-2 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Protected parking provides a landscaped island projecting out from the curb creating protected parking bays. These devices are meant to reduce the speed of vehicles through neighborhoods rather than reduce traffic volumes.

• Chokers are basically the same as a semi-diverter or neck-down depending on if they are used at the intersection or mid-block of a street. They can also be alternated from side to side to create a chicane.

• Chicanes are a form of curb extension that alternates from one side of the street to the other eliminating the straight path of traveling vehicles. This technique has been shown to decrease both traffic Chicanes volumes and speeds. Studies have found that accident rates appear to be unaffected by chicanes and emergency vehicles were not slowed significantly by their use.

• A traffic circle or roundabout is a raised island, which is usually landscaped and located at the intersection of two streets. These devices are recommended on residential non-arterial streets where they have been found to be very effective in reducing traffic speeds and accidents without diverting traffic onto adjacent residential streets. Traffic circles help reduce the potential for accidents by decreasing the number of conflict points of a typical intersection.

Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon have done extensive analysis of traffic circles and have found them to be highly effective in reducing both intersection and mid-block collisions. They also found them to reduce both intersection and mid-block speeds. While traffic volumes were not significantly decreased, residents perceived that there was less traffic. Furthermore, Seattle chose to limit the use of stop, yield and speed limit signs as traffic control devices because they proved much less effective than the traffic circles. Larger traffic circles appear to reduce vehicle speeds more than smaller traffic circles. If traffic circles are to be used strictly as speed reduction devices they should be installed about 600 to 800 feet apart.

• Forced turn channelization is similar to a diagonal diverter but are designed to prevent traffic from executing certain movements. They are used mainly for preventing traffic from one neighborhood to another at the intersection of a major and local street, generally reducing traffic volumes. One example is a half-closure, which prevents traffic from entering a neighborhood.

Half-closure Page A-3 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Median barriers are usually used to improve traffic flow on major streets. Interruption of sight lines is a critical component of many traffic calming strategies. However, they can also be used to The following illustrations demonstrate the reduce traffic flow onto residential affects of traffic calming on driver sight lines. streets by preventing left turns off a major street onto a residential street or preventing one neighborhood from crossing into another.

• The interruption of the sight line of a street causes motorists to slow down and can also mean that they are compelled to widen their field of vision, becoming more aware that there may be pedestrians and bicyclists near the traffic ways. Interrupted sight lines can be created through many of the devices already discussed such as chicanes, semi-diverters, traffic circles, chokers, neck-downs, or protected parking.

• “Residential” or “Pedestrian streets,” used extensively in European cities, equalize the street right-of-way between cars, pedestrians, bicycles, and children playing. This is accomplished through the elimination of sidewalks and curbs with the entire surface being paved for pedestrians. Streets are broken up into small spaces by the use of large planters, walls, benches, barriers, and mounds. The width of the street is about six feet with a widening for passing every 100 feet and parking spaces limited to cars. Conversion to pedestrian streets is very expensive.

• Stop signs are designed to assign right- of-way at intersections with high traffic volumes or high accident rates. The need for a stop sign should be clearly established. Stop signs not warranted by traffic volumes or site specific safety concerns may tend to increase accidents because once drivers are aware that the sign is unwarranted they will disregard it. Numerous studies have shown that stop signs do not significantly reduce traffic volumes. Traffic

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-4 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

speeds are only affected in the immediate vicinity of the sign. Between intersections, they are either ineffective or produce the contrary effect.

• Speed limit signs are meant to inform drivers of the speed limit imposed by the local government. They are generally established based on the 85th percentile speed of a roadway (i.e., the speed at which 85 percent of vehicles drive at or under). Studies have shown that speed limit signs have very little impact on driver speed on surface arterials. Furthermore, traffic consistently ignores posted speed limits and travels at speeds drivers consider reasonable, convenient, and safe under existing conditions. Drivers do not operate by speedometer but by the conditions they meet. The general public pays little attention to posted speed limits and has a false conception of speed. Even with enforcement, little effect is seen in traffic with changes in speed limit signs.

• Turn prohibition signs (i.e., No Right Turn or No Left Turn signs) can prevent turning movements onto residential streets with or without peak-hour limitations. These signs are best used around the periphery of the neighborhood to limit unwanted cut through traffic, particularly during peak times. The success of these signs depends on acceptance and compliance by drivers and may only divert traffic to a different residential road.

• One-way streets have been used to make travel through a neighborhood more difficult, thereby discouraging through traffic. Providing limited entrances to the neighborhood and creating one-way exits on streets that intersect with collectors or arterials can effectively discourage traffic. Emergency vehicles will still have access since they are allowed to travel the “wrong” way.

• Traffic signals can have a dramatic effect on traffic in neighborhoods. Frustration with delays on arterials is a major reason for shortcutting. Coordinated traffic signals can help reduce major arterial delays. Studies have indicated that Yield signs can be effective in terms of reducing accidents at intersections with traffic volumes between 200-800 vehicles per hour. Evidence has shown that Slow signs are only effective at locations in which a physical feature of the roadway make higher speeds dangerous. Use of a SLOW sign simply to try to slow down traffic will likely have no effect at all. Flashing yellow beacons on School Zone signs have been found to be effective in reducing average speeds by three to four mph. However, the use of these signs appears to be most effective when timed to periods when children are present.

• Marked crosswalks do attract pedestrian use. Unfortunately, driver reaction and accident rates are not usually affected. A study conducted in San Diego, California found that marked crosswalks attracted 75 percent of the pedestrians crossing the street, but 85 percent of the accidents occurred at the marked crosswalks. The study suggested that pedestrians showed less caution in using marked crosswalks than shown at unmarked crosswalks. Therefore, painted crosswalks by themselves should not be expected to provide greater pedestrian safety.

Page A-5 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Examples of Traffic Calming Strategies

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-6 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

The following discussion summarizes and highlights Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) in June 1997. These guidelines were prepared to aid the profession with the design and evaluation of a recently emerging (perhaps re-emerging) form of development that is not the typical post-World War II era subdivision. Because this topic is new to many designers, some parts of the guidelines may at first seem unusual or even controversial. ITE has recommended practices for both Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) and post-war suburban streets. This publication was not intended to endorse one design technique over the other; however, where a TND street system is proposed, these are the practices that ITE recommends.5

The ITE’s Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines recommend that many particular design decisions are best made with the assistance of a multidisciplinary design team, always including the suggestions and judgements of a licensed engineer.

Notes on Traditional Neighborhoods Any environment that is motorist-predominated needlessly impacts children and other non- drivers. Traditional neighborhoods, in contrast, allow the possibility of non-motorist travel and the replacement of some vehicular trips with non-vehicular trips. Traditional neighborhoods benefit older citizens, which is particularly important as baby boomers move into retirement age. By 2025, 22 percent of the American population will be 65 years of age or older, compared with 11 percent in 1980 and 13 percent in 1990 (17 percent in the Duluth-Superior urbanized area). Proportionally, the elderly suffer more vehicular fatalities than those aged 25-64.

What is a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND)? • Attached and freestanding buildings. • Mixed residential and commercial uses. • Fairly wide range of densities (higher than suburban developments). • Lots and buildings usually provide access to the rear of lot via an alley. • Design and construction maximizes non-motorist mobility for residents and visitors.

Design Principles of TND 1. Specificity: Traditional neighborhood street design is very specific for the particular street at hand. Designers must review each street in a neighborhood and use the best information available to design individual streets or sections of streets. Each street and alley is designed and labeled for its particular purpose.

2. Concept of “Lanes” and Shared Street Space: Where streets are not striped for separate lanes of travel, designers must not automatically think of separate “lanes” of traffic or parking in an additive sense (with respect to lane dimensions). For example, on narrow streets, with intermittent on-street parking, the street’s width may occasionally require one driver to slow down or pull over to let an oncoming vehicle pass before proceeding. There are many such

5 Traditional Neighborhood Development Street Design Guidelines, Institute of Transportation Engineers, June 1997.

Page A-7 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

streets throughout the country and are typically well liked by residents. From a designer’s perspective, where volumes are low and large vehicles are few, one may actually only need a single through-lane. Street width, which defines the primarily vehicular space and which must be crossed by pedestrians, must not be larger than is actually needed.

3. Scale: Scale is the design parameter that determines size and amounts of several important design elements. In traditional neighborhoods, the pedestrian sets the principal design scale, in other words, the human scale predominates. For example, a billboard designed to be seen from a car traveling 55 mph is not at pedestrian scale. A pedestrian typically walks 3.5 to 4 feet per second and small details are more noticeable than large ones. An example of pedestrian scale includes storefronts along a sidewalk with smaller window displays. Too often streets are designed for vehicles and then “accommodated” for pedestrians and others. In traditional neighborhoods, street designers must consider the competing needs and impacts of all users of the street.

4. Bicycles: Bicycles are perhaps the most energy efficient means of travel. On average they are five times more efficient than walking and do not consume any fossil fuels. Bicycle travel should be encouraged. There is often less need for separate bicycle lanes and facilities in traditional neighborhood streets with lower speeds.

5. Street Space: Street space begins at the front of a vertical element, such as a building or a fence on one side of the street and runs to the other side of the street. Street designers need to know with some certainty the scale of buildings as well as the existing and projected vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian volumes. Where the scale and type of development are known, it is more practical to accurately predict and design for the needs of the vehicular and non-vehicular uses of each traditional street.

6. Connectivity: Traditional neighborhood streets are connected, except in areas where extreme topographic conditions exist. If vehicular connections cannot be maintained, non-vehicular connections should still be attempted. Connectivity provides easier access by providing more simple and direct routes, which particularly benefit pedestrians, bikes and transit.

7. Through Traffic: New traditional neighborhood development streets try to minimize through traffic using many of the tools previously discussed under traffic calming.

8. Street Capacity: The concept of minimizing through traffic ties with anther TND principle: more of the capacity of a TND street network is utilized than in conventional “dendritic” street networks. In conventional suburban traffic networks, traffic is expected to start at local streets (often cul-de-sacs), then flow to collectors, arterials and ultimately into more regional systems. These networks often leave few route choices for drivers and non-drivers are generally excluded by networks that are indirect and too long to walk or bike or do not include appropriate facilities. In traditional neighborhoods using grid pattern streets, there are many route choices, which provide more direct routes for both vehicular and non-vehicular traffic. These street patterns allow traffic to be diffused through the neighborhood minimizing the impact of any one route. This principle is not a mandate to eliminate larger streets or all hierarchy of streets in the neighborhood. One of the challenges of TND design is to allow the diffusion of flow without creating short cuts that encourage through-traffic.

9. Pedestrian Networks: TND streets are shared with pedestrians. While a network of streets is important for vehicular efficiency, connections that are networked, safe and convenient are of paramount importance to the pedestrian. For these reasons, all lots and sites need to have

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-8 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

pedestrian connections; usually sidewalks that are five or more feet in width on both sides of the street.

10. Pedestrian Street Crossing and Curb Return Radii: To allow convenient pedestrian street crossing at street intersections, the curb return radius must be selected carefully. The traffic mix is of concern with this principle. The size and frequency of vehicles will determine the curb return radius. If the proportion of large vehicles is few then it is usually acceptable for these vehicles to swing across the centerline of the street when turning. Large curb return radii more easily accommodate the right turn vehicles, but at the expense of increasing pedestrian crossing distance.

11. Emergency Vehicles: Emergency vehicles must be afforded access throughout a traditional neighborhood to every parcel and structures. However, designers must consider several factors when designing for emergency access. Unlike dendritic street networks, there will always be at least two routes of access to any point in a TND. In addition to street access, lots in a TND will generally have access to a rear alley. Also, emergency vehicles have legal right-of-way in emergency situations, and they have the legal right to use all of the traveled portion of the street. While not generally recommended, in unusual circumstances special emergency equipment may be needed to service TND neighborhoods. In short, designers should be cognizant that emergency vehicles have greater access point options and rights than other vehicles, and the effects of turning radii and paths must be made with a full understanding of the implications of such decisions on other street users.6

12. Utilities: The simple convenience of a utility provider shall not take precedence over the needs of the vehicular or the non-vehicular users, or the aesthetics of the street.

13. Locations of Highways and Other Large Vehicular Corridors: Arterials, Major Collectors, and other streets with peak hourly traffic flows or projected peak hourly flows of 500 vehicles, or daily traffic volumes of more than 15,000 vehicles are too large to penetrate a TND neighborhood. Such streets are a barrier to pedestrians and have much the same effect as a river.

14. Neighborhood size: TND neighborhoods are sized to walkable increments, with an approximate five-minute waking radius from the neighborhood center (about a ¼ mile radius or 40-125 acres).

15. Eye Contact and Street Safety: Societal factors aside, the safest streets include a high degree of eye contact among pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists. If the users of the street establish eye contact, then greater opportunities for awareness have been established and thereby, the opportunity for a safe street has also in part been established.

16. Street Trees: Trees are perhaps one of the very few elements of a street, along with well- designed buildings, that can be large and yet still effectively be of human scale.

17. On-Street parking: Most streets in a TND allow on-street parking. On-street parking is known to slow passing vehicular traffic, and the parked vehicles serve to establish a buffer between moving vehicles and pedestrians. Parallel parking is the recommended method for on-street

6 In cities such as Duluth, where there are many narrow streets and traditional neighborhoods it may be more cost-effective in the long run to purchase emergency equipment that fit the streets instead of retrofitting streets to accommodate equipment.

Page A-9 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

parking, but other on-street parking methods including diagonal, and head-in parking may be appropriate under certain circumstances, especially including the renovation or adaptation of older neighborhoods. Wherever on-street parking is located, additional conflicts among the users of the streets are introduced and need to be considered by TND designers.

18. Resolution of Conflicts: Where a designer or policymaker associated with a TND, after due consideration of all relevant factors determines that an irreconcilable conflict exists among vehicular and non-vehicular users of a TND street space, that conflict should be resolved in favor of the non-vehicular users, unless the public safety will truly be jeopardized by the decision. In resolving such conflicts, part of the decision-making process must include consideration of the design goal of maximizing the mobility of residents and visitors by modes other than private vehicles. This decision-making process must also include the presumption of a higher number of pedestrians and other non-vehicular street users.

19. Prudent and Reasonable Determinations: While there are actually few absolutes in the real world, many existing regulations, policies, and policymakers have unfortunately developed “absolutes,” “minimums” and, more rarely, “maximums.” Part of the design of TND streets often involves the investigation and determinations of which of these matters may actually be preferences, desires, or matters of convenience, and which are actually design mandates. It is imperative that the reviewing authorities understand the design premise of promoting non- motorist travel in all forms.

Safety 1. General Concepts: In any design situation, no topic is more important than human safety. However, the broad topic of safety can become an intentional or unintentional blockade to the consideration of ideas and elements of street design that might, if given fair consideration, effectively work together to create a relatively safe condition. “Safety” is a relative term, and its accommodation in street design situations requires the consideration of many, sometimes competing elements. It is impossible to design any real-world situation that is entirely safe for all possible purposes. An unsafe condition can be created by a wide variety of means that are beyond the control of designers; those most affecting street design being human error, vehicular failure, and roadway conditions. In street design the following questions should be asked by designers relating to safety-related matters: • What actions may reasonably be expected of motorists and non-motorists along a particular street? • Given a particular and foreseeable but infrequent problem (i.e., a speeding vehicle) what are the ramifications to other users of the street if the particular problem is specially accounted for by the design? • When balancing conflicting matters, the frequency of conflict between the two or more competing elements and the resultant frequency of difficulties that will be experienced should be documented and carefully considered. • What are the physical consequences of a particular design element or decision? • If fairly in doubt, favor the non-motorist and accommodate the motorist.

According to American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (ASHTO), “the number of accidents increases with an increase in the number of decisions required by the driver.” A corollary to this truism is that the actual and potential effects of each driver- decision become more significant as the speed of the particular motor vehicle increases. It is certainly possible, and depending on the particular situation, perhaps reasonably foreseeable that a motor vehicle may speed along a particular street. If the street and its adjacent land uses

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-10 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

are designed to accommodate a high number of non-motorists along with motorists traveling at typical speeds of 20 mph, a design which accommodates an errant driver at, for example, 40 mph may have consequences that become significant to the other more frequent users of this street.

When a fair question exists concerning a particular design detail, favoring the non-motorist will usually result in the correct decision because: • Motorists have the benefit (from a safety perspective) of travelling in a device designed to enclose, protect, and support the human(s) inside; • An inconvenienced motor vehicle will seldom result in a modal shift, but an inconvenienced non-motorist will often become a motorist to avoid inconvenience.

2. Speed, Reaction Time and Stopping of Motor Vehicles: For design purposes, a driver choosing to stop requires an overall driver perception/reaction time of about 2.5 seconds. The total required stopping distance from initial perception to stop is 107 feet at 20 mph and 313 feet at 40 mph. Due to driver reaction time, a vehicle traveling 20 mph will travel approximately 73 feet before it begins slowing down from the effect of braking. At 40 mph this distance is 147 feet.

The actual distance traveled by the vehicle as it slides to a stop after the brakes have been applied is five times more at 40 mph than at 20 mph. This is a function of physics not related to driver skill or awareness. Even from 20 mph to 30 mph braking distance required to stop is 2.5 times longer.

3. Design Speed and Actual Travel Speeds: Street design which facilitate lower actual speeds are critical to the TND concept. The desired upper limit of actual motor vehicle speeds on TND streets is approximately 20 mph. This speed allows the creation of the safest streets for a TND or other pedestrian enhanced neighborhood. Because a vehicle’s kinetic energy, sound, and the difficulty of seeing the driver all increase dramatically with vehicular speeds, speeds at and below 20 mph are also speeds that are generally the most aesthetically pleasing for pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrian perceptions are important; it has been noted that it is actually the “feeling of being unsafe, the experience of a certain threat emanating from traffic” that ends up discouraging pedestrian traffic. It is noteworthy that the speed cited as preferred is quite often given to be around 20 mph.

4. Regulatory issues: Several jurisdictions in the United States have lower thresholds of speed limits that are either 25 mph or 30 mph. While the regulatory history of this practice may be grounded in an attempt to eliminate so-called “speed traps” in the 1950’s and later, the effect is the same: these “lower” limits are too high for many TND streets, because of the safety and perception reasons cited above. This is an important point, because if local laws or requirements mandate that the constructed streets be posted 25 or 30 mph, then that street should be designed for that speed.

Where streets are posted with a 25 or 30 mph speed limit, conventional design practice indicates designing the street with a 5 mph higher speed. Since the underlying design premises include absolute comfort and very little lateral forces on a driver or occupants at design speeds, it is actually physically comfortable (absent other factors on the street) to drive a street designed for 30 mph at 40 mph or more. Some newer automobiles that isolate drivers from road forces and conditions exacerbate this condition even more. Some other national bodies have recently created model regulations that seek to establish lower design speeds for

Page A-11 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

all forms of subdivisions (20 to 25 mph for “access” and “sub-collector” streets, respectively).

5. Dynamics of Vehicular Speed and Pedestrian Injuries: The risk of very serious injury to a pedestrian increases dramatically as the speed of an impacting vehicle exceeds 20 mph. The probability of fatal injury becomes likely from initial impact alone as vehicular speeds reach and exceed approximately 35 mph. The probability of receiving fatal injuries is 3.5 percent at 15 mph, 37 percent at 31 mph and 83 percent at 44 mph. Other research has also shown that pedestrians are usually not seriously injured when hit by a car moving at a speed of less than 20 mph at the time of impact. Between 20 and 35 mph injuries are usually serious, while at or above 35 mph they usually endanger life or are fatal. Designers should seek to establish vehicular speeds below the levels where pedestrian fatalities become likely when pedestrian accidents occur. If safety is served in this fashion, aesthetics and comfort will logically follow.

Geometric Design 1. General Concepts: The goal of TND designers and those seeking to calm traffic is to create an environment where drivers will realize that driving too fast or too aggressively is inappropriate, anti-social and perhaps most effectively, uncomfortable. With appropriate design methods, drivers will automatically choose lower target speeds and less aggressive behaviors. This self-enforcement will create a feeling that motorists and non-motorists are more equivalent occupants of the streets.

2. Elements of the Street: Generally speaking there are only a dozen or so elements that make up street design, but the assembly of these elements and the determination of the sizes and locations of those elements are of lasting importance. These elements are as follows: • the volume and mix of non-vehicular and vehicular traffic that will be (or is) located on the street; • whether on-street parking will be (or is) allowed, and in what form and frequency; • the type of drainage (either a curbed street with closed drainage or an uncurbed street with open drainage); • the size and location of sidewalks adjacent to the street; • whether or not planting strips will be located adjacent to the street; • what speeds vehicles will travel along the street as designed or redesigned; • whether adjacent properties will be serviced directly from the street, or if alleys are provided or will be provided; • what types of utilities will be located along the street, both above and below ground; • what the adjacent building setbacks may be with respect to the street.

Particular Street Mix: The mix and volume of the traffic that will be located along a particular street is one of the most important criteria to first be considered in sizing the elements of that street. On streets with relatively low volumes of vehicular traffic and small numbers of trucks, moving in the range of 15-20 mph, TND streets are places shared almost equally among pedestrians of many ages, bicyclists, and automobiles. At these lower volumes, mid-block crossings by pedestrians are not uncommon, and such crossings are usually accommodated in a safe manner; they are expected.

As vehicular volumes and speeds increase, several design factors come into play. The need to separately stripe each traffic lane becomes more advisable. Pedestrians become more exclusively restricted to sidewalks. Pedestrian crossings of the street become more restricted

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-12 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment to designated crosswalk locations. Bicyclists are also given separate bike lanes and other design guidelines become more appropriate.

The following dimensions are not provided as substitutes for the design values given from AASHTO, but rather as reminders to designers that the design values have some additional dimensional tolerance built-in, and this tolerance can become significant where, as here, street width differences of only a few feet are very important.

Table A-1: Vehicle Size Dimensions AASHTO Design Comparative Dimensions Dimensions Vehicle ht width length width length Pass 4.3’ 7’ 19’ 6’ 16.0’ Full-sized car SU Truck 13.5’ 9’ 30’ 7’ 21.8’ UPS Truck SU Bus 13.5’ 9’ 40’ 8’ 40.0’ School Bus

While TND street networks do not follow the same rigid functional classification of conventional neighborhoods with local, collector, arterial, and other streets, TND streets are hierarchical to facilitate necessary movements. Larger streets, both in terms of size and vehicular volumes, are found around and outside TND neighborhoods, while smaller streets with lower vehicular volumes filter motorists and non-motorists in and through the neighborhoods.

In TND design, the daily and hourly peak volumes of traffic are important considerations, as are anticipated volumes of larger vehicles and the particular times of day each type of vehicle will need access to the particular street. The following table is provided for TND street categorization. Since there are few rigid formulas for designing TND streets, this categorization is provided so that practitioners will have a common means of classifying TND streets according to vehicular volumes.

Table A-2: TND Street Classification Option Type ADT Peak Hour Typical % of Large Vehicles I <1,500 <100 Up to 5% II 1,500 100-200 Up to 5% III 2,500 200-300 5%-10% IV 5,000 300-400 5%-10% V 7,500 400-500 10% VI 15,000 500 10%

On-Street Parking: On-street parking serves to both slow the adjacent vehicular traffic and to provide a buffer between the pedestrians and motorists. On-street parking can be of several different types, including parallel, diagonal, and head-in. Diagonal parking can be problematic for pedestrians since the front corner of vehicles tend to encroach on sidewalks. Head-in parking is relatively efficient, yielding greater spaces per foot of street. However, it generally requires an additional 11-12 feet of street width. Parallel parking is generally the most common and accepted form of on-street parking.

On-street parking can be problematic under certain conditions. One concern is that of children darting out from between parked cars and into traffic. This is a valid concern, and all such risks cannot be eliminated. Yet, on a properly designed TND street the combination of slower moving vehicles, improved awareness of all persons in and near the street, and especially the expectation among drivers that there are more non-motorists in a TND, all act

Page A-13 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

to create a safer condition. On-street parking is usually problematic for bicyclists, but less so where good awareness exists among bicyclists and motorists.

Street Width: The width of a street would seem to be a simple topic, but it actually requires considerable thought and attention by designers. Few design issues as street width have as much lasting impact. Traffic engineering for conventional, vehicular-dominated development accepts as a fundamental premise that vehicles should travel safely and efficiently. The efficiency component of this premise means, in part, that vehicles should travel the streets either without interruption or with interruption only at designed traffic control devices (i.e., traffic signals, stop signs, etc.).

It is sometimes believed that any other stop or interruption is equated to a reduction in safety or efficiency. This approach to street design does not comport with the principles of TND and the need for lower overall vehicular speeds. The overall function, comfort, safety, and aesthetics of a street is more important than is its vehicular efficiency alone in a TND. In a TND, the fundamental premise is that non-vehicular travel is to be afforded every practical advantage, so long as safety is not adversely affected.

Transportation facilities tend to be graded qualitatively by the levels of service (LOS), which are directly related to capacity and lack of unscheduled interruptions. New designs and improvements seek to achieve the highest practical levels of service, where LOS “A” represents “free flow,” so that the “freedom to select desired speeds and to maneuver within the traffic stream is extremely high.” Paradoxically, this given freedom afforded to motorists, which is described as providing an “excellent…general level of comfort to the motorist” provides anything but comfort to the pedestrian.

Designers have often used older neighborhoods as examples of those sought out by residents as preferred places to live. Within these neighborhoods the levels of service on the streets and at intersections may be found from “D” to “E” or even “F.” These levels of service would not seem to encourage new residents, but in many cases the quality of traffic flow along a street does not adversely affect residents desires to live along these older streets. TND proponents note that this sort of acceptance of a neighborhood is, in part, because traffic may be slowed and inconvenienced due to more difficult older street widths and networks.

Examples of these older streets include: • Many residential streets in Seattle, WA that accommodate two-way traffic and two-side on-street parking within a 25 foot curb-to-curb dimension. • Similar two-way streets in primarily residential (three-level townhouses) in Georgetown, Washington D.C. that are 28 to 32 feet in width. • Two-way on-street parking in San Francisco, CA that are 21 feet in width. • Madison, WI has streets 22 feet wide with on-street parking and two-way travel. • Portsmouth, NH has two travel lane, one-way streets with on-street parking and first floor commercial within a 26 to 30 foot curb-to-curb dimension. • Many of the older streets in Portland, OR range from 18 to 28 feet wide.

While many of these examples may be seen as extreme examples of deviations from generally accepted design standards, many of these streets have spot travel speeds of 10 to 20 mph, effectively slowing the traffic from 25 mph posted speed limits typically found on residential streets. Clearly, reducing the width of a street has the effect of reducing vehicular speeds.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-14 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

In some instances, vehicles must actually make unscheduled stops in the street, particularly when larger vehicles meet on narrower streets; this should be considered normal. To design for continuous opportunities of free-flowing vehicles (as is the case with 10 feet wide and greater travel lanes) is to create situations where most of the time passenger cars, far and away the predominant vehicle, will travel at speeds greater than are desirable for nearby pedestrians. As a result of faster and nosier vehicles and more pedestrian dangers, there will be fewer pedestrians and fewer pedestrians in turn mean faster vehicles.

Where vehicles are allowed to travel and to park, there may not be a need for continuous “lanes” of travel in both directions or of parking along one or both sides of a street. Especially for Types I, II, and III streets (less than 5,000 ADT), as well as streets where significant non-motorist oriented retail is located, queuing and slower-moving vehicles may represent the best design for the street. Type V and higher volume streets (greater than 7,500 ADT) should be allocated their own lane widths. As the width of a street increases, the more difficult it is for pedestrians to cross, the easier it is for motorists to traverse at higher speeds, and the more vehicular-dominated the street becomes.

Curb Return Radius: When one curbed street meets another, the curbs at the sides of each street are joined by a curved section of curb known as the “curb return.” With large curb return radii (Crr) right-turning movements are more easily accommodated, but the length of the crosswalk needed to cross the street for pedestrians is also increased. Larger Crr creates essentially “free-right” turning lanes for autos (this typically happens with Crr at or above 30 feet).

The geometrics of the pedestrian crossing distance are dependent on sidewalk width, planting or “buffer” width between the sidewalk and the curb, street width, the angle of the intersection, and the curb return radius. Most passenger cars operating at low speeds on streets 18 to 20 feet or more in width are able to make a right hand turn with a Crr of 15 feet without crossing the center of the street. Larger vehicles will likely have to encroach over the center of the street. This is an acceptable design condition where situations of this sort are infrequent. Crr are one design tool that can be used to slow vehicular speeds and promote non-motorists.

Pedestrian Characteristics and Volumes: The Book Great Streets notes that there are many immeasurable qualities of a “great” street, but that “every fine street… is one that invites walking.” So too should TND streets. If walking is not perceived as safe, convenient, and comfortable, those who have a choice do not select it as a mode of travel. A minimum sidewalk width of five feet is generally recommended. Fully ambulatory women crossing a street tend to move at around 3.63 feet/second, for men 3.83 feet/second. For design purposes, a value of 3.5 feet/second is recommended.

The number of pedestrians found along a street are a consideration in the perceived quality of the street. Generally, the more pedestrians found along a street, the more interesting and pleasurable the street. According to Great Streets, measuring pedestrians in “people per minute per meter” crowding becomes apparent at around 13 and under 2 the walk seems empty. Increased pedestrian volumes should be one of the goals of designers and, as with streets caution should be taken not to provide too much sidewalk width to avoid empty- feeling walkways.

Page A-15 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

Bicycles: As noted, bicycles provide an increasingly important form of non-motorist travel for both utilitarian and recreational trips. It is important to note that in the United States fiifty-six percent of all bicyclists are adults. On lower-volume streets, bicycles should be considered a normal part of the vehicular mix of travelers on the street. With higher volumes of motorists and bicycles, bicycling routes for less experienced bicyclists should be separate from the motorists, but bicyclists should be expected and accommodated along all streets.

Designers should work to aid the routing of bicyclists within and through traditional neighborhoods with signage and striping as may be appropriate. Changing the color of the entire bike lane so that it differs from the vehicular space has been found to be effective at slowing adjacent vehicular speeds in some locations.

Planting Strips and Street Trees: A planting strip at the curb that is parallel with a street provides some additional buffering to adjacent land uses and to non-motorists from vehicles on the street. Usually strips six feet or more work well for trees and other vegetation. Planting strips are particularly important in northern climates because they provide long and short-term snow storage areas. Table A-3: Speed & Stopping distance Stopping Sight Distances: Minimum stopping sight Design Speed Stopping Sight distances should conform to the design speed for the (mph) Distance (feet) particular street. The following table lists the 10 44 stopping distances required for wet pavement 15 73 conditions. These values have already factored in 20 107 perception/reaction times previously discussed. 25 146

Lighting: The general rule for lighting in a TND is to prefer more, smaller lights as opposed to fewer, high-intensity lights. This is in keeping with the overall goal of maintaining human scale elements. Light poles eight to twelve feet in height and full-spectrum lighting have been found to work well. In some instances, such as in alleys, building or fence-mounted lighting can replace the need for additional street lighting.

Snow Plowing and Removal: Snow removal from streets and sidewalks can be a problem. Generally, those charged with snow removal prefer large areas that can be “swept” by truck plows pushing snow out of the way. In traditional neighborhoods snow emergency procedures may need to be established (e.g., alternative side parking). Planting strips and more, smaller, and widely dispersed public spaces provide opportunities for snow storage space.

Trip generation: a “trip” is a one-way movement by people from one location to another. The most common trip of concern to transportation engineers and planners is the vehicular trip. Many resources are devoted to predicting and modeling the number of vehicular trips a land use will “generate” and what routes those trips will take. However, trip generation rates are based on more recent auto-oriented land uses, and traffic demand models assume the dominant form of transportation to be the private automobile. Unfortunately, traffic models pay little attention to non-vehicular travel, which makes the use of such models in traditional neighborhoods misleading.

Furthermore, travel demand models look at aggregated trips from “traffic zones.” Traditional neighborhoods with mixed land uses are much more likely to have more inter-zonal trips. As a result, traffic models are more likely to overestimate vehicular trips in these areas. In the

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-16 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

past, roads have been widened to increase capacity to accommodate the projected traffic volumes, creating a more convenient auto environment encouraging more drivers, higher speeds, and a less pedestrian friendly environment.

Transit: the highest levels of transit use are generally found where transit is accessible within convenient walking distance. Traditional neighborhoods are inherently compatible with transit. If fact, older, turn of the century neighborhoods were often constructed around street- car line extensions, creating transit-oriented communities. Each transit route should have direct, safe, secure, and pleasant pedestrian and bicycle access. Ideally, transit and transit services should go directly into each TND neighborhood.

Final Concepts Appropriate Design: Designers are cautioned to carefully consider all aspects of street design discussed herein, but not to compromise TND concepts to create a deviant design form that does not follow either the TND principles or those of conventional vehicular-based design. The best streets are often widely known as special places for people of mixed ages and backgrounds. The design of streets that are fully functional, in a human sense, involves more than engineers because it involves more than what happens on the pavement or between the curbs.

Design must not be lightly discounted, particularly when dealing with land-development patterns and patterns of mobility. Designers should remember that streets are multifunctional, and they should aspire to create streets to be enjoyed by all. They should strive to create the best of today’s most prevalent public spaces.

Standard Street Design Guidelines A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (also referred to as “the Green Book”) is produced by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHO) provides street design guidelines used by most transportation engineers and planners. The intent of the publication is to provide guidance to designers by referencing a range of values for critical dimensions. In other words, the green book should be used as a reference tool and not means of dictating design requirements.

More emphasis is placed on pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit vehicles in the 1994 edition than in past editions. AASHTO has begun to recognize the implications of sharing transportation corridors and consider not only vehicular movements, but also the movement of people, distribution of goods, and provision of essential services.

The following design guidelines listed are derived from the AASHTO “Green Book.”

Local Urban Streets (Residential): These streets serve primarily as land service streets providing access to residents. The overriding consideration is to foster a safe and pleasant environment. The convenience of the motorist is a secondary consideration. • Design Traffic Volumes are not usually a major criterion for residential streets. • Design Speed is not a major factor for local streets; range from 20-30 mph. In the typical street grid, closely spaced intersections usually limit vehicular speeds, making the effect of design speed of little significance. • Minimum stopping sight distance should range from 98 to 107 feet depending on design speed.

Page A-17 Metropolitan Interstate Committee East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Number of lanes: On residential streets in areas where the primary function is to provide land service and foster a safe and pleasant environment, at least one unobstructed moving lane must be ensured even where parking occurs on both sides. The level of user inconvenience occasioned by the lack of two moving lanes is remarkably low in areas where single-family units prevail. A 26-foot width is typical with a 12-foot center lane and two seven foot parking lanes. • Roadway Width: Street lanes for moving traffic preferably should be at least 10 or 11 feet where feasible. Where right-of-way imposed severe limitations, 9 feet can be used. • Alleys range in width from 16.5 to 20 feet in width. • Sidewalks should be provided on both sides of the street and should be located as far as practical from the traffic lanes and usually close to the right-of-way lanes.

Collector Urban Streets: The collector street is a public way for purposes of vehicular travel that also serves pedestrian traffic. The function of urban collectors is equally divided between mobility and access. • Design Traffic Volumes: design traffic should be estimated for at least 10 years preferably 20 years from construction date. • Design Speed: Minimum design speed of 30 mph or higher. In the typical street grid, the closely spaced intersections usually limit vehicular speeds and thus make the effect of design speed of lesser significance. Nevertheless, longer sight distances and curve radii commensurate with design speeds higher than the value indicated result in safer highways and should be used to the extent possible and feasible. • Number of Lanes: Two moving traffic lanes plus additional width for shoulders and parking. • Width of Roadway: The width of an urban collector street should be the sum of the ultimate lanes for moving traffic and parking, including median width where appropriate. Street lanes for moving traffic should range in width from 10 ft to 12 ft. Turning lanes, where used, should range in 10 ft to 12 ft, depending on percentage of trucks. • Parking Lanes: Although on-street parking constitutes a safety problem and impedes traffic flow, parallel parking lanes currently are conventional on many collector streets. Where needed in residential areas, a parallel parking lanes can range from 7 ft to 10 ft. In commercial and industrial areas, parking lanes should be 8 ft to 10 ft. • Curbs: Barrier curbs 6 inches high or more adjacent to moving traffic lanes should be offset 1 to 2 feet • Sidewalks should be provided on both sides of urban collector streets in commercial areas. In residential areas, sidewalks are desired on both sides, but should be provided on at least one side of all collectors and be situated as far as practical from traffic lanes. Clear sidewalks should be at least 4 ft in residential areas and 4 to 8 feet in commercial areas.

Urban Arterials: Urban arterials carry large traffic volumes within and through urban areas. The designs vary from the freeway with fully controlled access to the two-lane street. The principal characteristic should be mobility with limited or restricted service to local development. If access restriction is not practical, special designs, such as separate turn lanes or one-way streets can be used. • Design Speed for urban arterials range from 37 to 62 mph, and occasionally as low as 30 mph. • Design Traffic Volumes should be based on a 20-year projection. • Lane Widths may vary from 10 ft to 12 ft; 10 ft for highly restricted areas having little or no truck traffic. Eleven-foot lanes are used quite extensively for urban arterial street designs. The 12 foot lane widths are most desirable and generally used on all higher speed, free-flowing, principal arterials.

Metropolitan Interstate Committee Page A-18 East Hillside/Endion Neighborhood Transportation Assessment

• Number of Lanes will vary based on traffic demand. • Width of Roadway should be adequate to accommodate all lanes of traffic, medians, curbs, and the required clearances from barrier faces. Parking on an arterial street should only be considered when provision is required because of existing conditions. When parking lanes are provided, the width should be adequate to allow ultimate operation as a traffic lane (i.e., 10- 12 ft). • Parking Lanes: Parallel parking may be considered where adequate capacity is available in the through lanes when parking is needed and adequate off-street parking facilities are not available or feasible. The parking lane width should be designed to provide a clearance of 3.3 to 6.6 ft from the edge of the through traffic lane to the parked vehicles. Passenger vehicles parked adjacent to the curb will occupy approximately 7 feet of street space, and the total parking lane width for passenger cars should be 10 to 12 feet. This width is also adequate for an occasional parked commercial vehicle as well as bicycle use.

Table A-4: AASHTO Minimum Street Design Guideline Summary Local Collector Arterial Design Speed 20-30 mph 30 mph 37 - 62 mph Through-Lanes 1 to 2 2 2 or > Lane Width 10-12 ft 10-12 ft 10-12 ft Parking Lane Width 7 ft 7-10 ft 10-12 ft Curb Width 1-2 ft 1-2 ft 1-2 ft

Page A-19 Metropolitan Interstate Committee