Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning a Guide to Best Practices
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Victoria Transport Policy Institute 1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA www.vtpi.org [email protected] Phone & Fax 250-360-1560 “Efficiency - Equity - Clarity” Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning A Guide to Best Practices 14 August, 2016 by Todd Litman, Robin Blair, Bill Demopoulos, Nils Eddy, Anne Fritzel, Danelle Laidlaw, Heath Maddox, Katherine Forster Abstract This guide covers all aspects of pedestrian and bicycle planning. It is intended for policy makers, planners and advocates who want the best current information on ways to make their communities better places for walking and cycling. It provides basic information on various planning and design concepts, and offers extensive references to help implement them. It describes general nonmotorized planning practices, how to measure and predict nonmotorized travel, how to evaluate and prioritize projects, and how to implement various programs that support nonmotorized transportation. It covers planning for paths, sidewalks, bikelanes, street improvements, road and path maintenance, road safety, personal security, universal access (including features to accommodate people with disabilities), nonmotorized traffic law enforcement, education and encouragement programs, and integration with a community’s strategic plans and various other programs. There are also appendices that provide more detailed information on planning, design and evaluation. This is an ongoing project. We welcome your feedback. Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning; Guide to Best Practices Foreword Transport planning practices must change if they are to incorporate nonmotorized modes. While walking and cycling have long been recognized as important activities, mobility and access as measured in traditional planning practices focused on motor vehicle travel. There is increasing recognition that balanced transportation choices are important to individual travelers and society overall. This guide presents best practices for nonmotorized transport planning. Planning for nonmotorized travel can benefit your community in many ways. It can remove barriers to mobility and increase the safety and comfort of pedestrians and cyclists, broaden travel options for non-drivers, reduce conflicts between motorists and other road users, reduce automobile traffic and the problems it creates, increase recreational activity and exercise, encourage nonmotorized tourism, better accommodate people with disabilities, and help create more livable communities. Improved pedestrian and cycling conditions can benefit everybody in your community regardless of how much they use nonmotorized travel modes. This guide describes how to develop local pedestrian and bicycle plans. It discusses reasons that communities should develop such plans, provides specific instructions for developing your planning process and creating your plan, discusses how to integrate nonmotorized planning into other local planning activities, and provides an extensive list of pedestrian and bicycle planning resources. This guide describes how to use available resources most efficiently to improve walking and cycling conditions in your community. A pedestrian and cycling plan is not just a map showing paths and trails. It can address a variety of issues including: 1. Coordination of nonmotorized transportation improvements with other community plans. 2. Encouraging nonmotorized transport for transportation and recreation. 3. Nonmotorized safety education programs. 4. Traffic management and traffic calming. 5. Improving enforcement of traffic laws related to nonmotorized travel. 6. Pedestrian and bicycle facility planning and design. 1 Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning; Guide to Best Practices Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION: WHY PLAN FOR WALKING AND CYCLING ............................................... 4 II. TRANSPORT PLANNING OVERVIEW ........................................................................................ 6 1. PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 6 2. SCOPING AND BACKGROUND RESEARCH........................................................................................... 8 3. MEASURING CURRENT NONMOTORIZED TRAVEL ............................................................................. 9 4. PREDICTING POTENTIAL NONMOTORIZED TRAVEL ......................................................................... 11 4. EVALUATING EXISTING CONDITIONS AND FACILITIES ..................................................................... 13 5. IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES ....................................................... 14 6. PRIORITIZE IMPROVEMENTS ............................................................................................................ 15 7. BUDGETING AND EVALUATION........................................................................................................ 16 8. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS OF NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORT ........................................... 19 III. NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ......................................................... 21 1. INTEGRATING WITH STATE OR PROVINCIAL PLANNING ................................................................... 21 2. PLANNING MULTI-USE TRAILS ........................................................................................................ 21 3. DEALING WITH TRAIL CONFLICTS ................................................................................................... 23 4. FACILITY MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................................ 23 5. SPOT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS .................................................................................................... 24 6. PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE NEEDS AT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS .................................................. 25 7. PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE COORDINATORS ................................................................................... 25 8. CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED) .............................................. 26 IV. PLANNING FOR PEDESTRIANS ................................................................................................. 28 1. TYPES OF PEDESTRIANS .................................................................................................................. 29 2. PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES AND PLANNING ......................................................................................... 30 3. PEDESTRIAN STANDARDS AND IMPROVEMENTS .............................................................................. 31 4. UNIVERSAL DESIGN (ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES) ...................................................... 34 5. PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROGRAMS .................................................................................................... 36 V. PLANNING FOR BICYCLISTS ..................................................................................................... 37 1. TYPES OF CYCLISTS ........................................................................................................................ 37 2. INTEGRATING CYCLING INTO ROADWAY PLANNING ....................................................................... 37 3. BICYCLE NETWORK PLANNING ....................................................................................................... 37 4. ACCOMMODATING CYCLISTS ON RURAL ROADS ............................................................................. 40 5. BICYCLE BOULEVARDS ................................................................................................................... 41 6. BICYCLE PARKING FACILITIES ......................................................................................................... 41 7. INTEGRATING CYCLING AND TRANSIT ............................................................................................. 43 8. ROADWAY MAINTENANCE FOR CYCLISTS ....................................................................................... 45 VI. SAFETY PROGRAMS ..................................................................................................................... 47 1. SAFETY EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................ 47 2. TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT ......................................................................................................... 48 VII. ENCOURAGEMENT AND PROMOTION .............................................................................. 49 2 Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning; Guide to Best Practices VIII. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TOOLS .............................................................. 51 1. COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ................................................................................................................. 51 2. ROAD DESIGN, RECONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS......................................... 51 3. MUNICIPAL LAWS ........................................................................................................................... 52 4. MAJOR PROJECTS AND SITE PLAN AGREEMENTS ............................................................................ 52 5. WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS .................................................... 53 6. LAND EXCHANGE, DEDICATION OF PARKLAND WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPER ..................................... 53