DOCSLIB.ORG

Ecological Riverfront Design: Restoring Rivers, Connecting Communities

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ecological Riverfront Design: Restoring Rivers, Connecting Communities Ecological Riverfront Design: Restoring Rivers, Connecting Communities Betsy Otto, Kathleen McCormick, and Michael Leccese American Planning Association Planning Advisory Service Report Number 518-519 Betsy Otto is Senior Director of the Watersheds Program for American Rivers, where she works on federal water policy issues and helps local communities integrate ecological principles into river-edge developments. She has developed several resource guides for river restoration funding and coauthored such re- ports as Paving Our Way to Water Shortages. Prior to joining American Rivers, Betsy directed the Midwest office of The Conservation Fund, and developed an award-winning regional greenways plan with Openlands Project for the Chi- cago metropolitan area in conjunction with the regional planning agency. Kathleen McCormick and Michael Leccese are writers and editors based in Boulder, Colorado. Kathleen McCormick is a former editor for Preservation and Garden Design, and Michael Leccese is a former editor of Landscape Archi- tecture and Historic Preservation News. They have written articles for numer- ous planning and environmental publications as well as books, master plans, and reports. They are coeditors of Charter of the New Urbanism (McGraw-Hill, 2000) and coauthors of Strategies for Successful Infill Development (Northeast- Midwest Institute and Congress for the New Urbanism, 2001). Leccese is also coauthor of design guidelines for the U.S. Forest Service. Cover design by Lisa Barton; this report is printed on recyclable paper. Cover photo: The Willamette River has alternately been a source of pride, shame, uncertainty, and hope for Portland, Oregon. See Chapter 6 for a detailed case study. Photo courtesy of Bureau of Planning, Portland, Oregon. The Planning Advisory Service is a subscription service offered by the Research Department of the American Planning Association. Eight reports are produced each year. Subscribers also receive the PAS Memo each month and have use of the Inquiry Answering Service. W. Paul Farmer, Executive Director; Sylvia Lewis, Publications Director; William Klein, Director of Research. Planning Advisory Service Reports are produced in the Research Department of APA. James Hecimovich, Editor; Lisa Barton, Design Associate; J.E. Luebering, Editorial Assistant; Toby Zallman, Design Assistant. © March 2004 by the American Planning Association. APA’s publications office is at 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603. E-mail: [email protected] APA headquarters office is at 1776 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036. Nonpoint Source Pollution PAS 476. Sanjay Jeer, Megan Lewis, Stuart Meck, Jon Witten, of Michelle Zimet. 1997. 126 pp. Nonpoint source pollution is a primary source of contamination for surface water and groundwater. It originates from rain water or snow melt washing past and picking up exposed pollutants. It can have a major impact on public health by contaminating drinking water special supplies. This report will help planners understand the existence and potential danger of nonpoint source pollution in their communities and develop strategies to prevent or limit its effects. Contains two model ordinances, numerous appendices and references, and an interest extensive bibliography. Parks, Recreation, and Open Space PAS 497/498. Alexander Garvin. 2001. 80 pp. Drawing on case studies of successful new and restored open space projects, Garvin offers detailed recommendations for acquiring, financing, developing, and maintaining land for parks and open space. Beautifully illustrated with the author’s own photographs, this report will help anyone determined to restore green and public places to the forefront of city planning. Parks and Economic Development PAS 502. John L. Crompton. 2002. 74 pp. Crompton explains how to measure and report the positive economic impact of parks and open space on the financial health of local businesses and government. Impact studies, graphs, charts, and other aids included in the report show how these contributions more than compensate for local tax dollars spent on acquiring, upgrading, and maintaining parks and other outdoor recreational areas. Old Cities/Green Cities PAS 506/507. J. Blane Bonham, Jr., Gerri Spilka, and Darl Rastorfer. 2002. 123 pp. Old Cities/Green Cities highlights innovative ways of managing vacant urban land, including large-scale greening systems and promoting reuse. Case studies focus on the Green City Strategy in Philadelphia. Stunning color photographs enhance this useful work. An appendix provides a list of contacts to many community development corporations active in the area of urban greening. American Planning Association Making Great Communities Happen Ecological Riverfront Design American Planning Association PAS Report Number 518-519 Preface v PREFACE A New Vision for Urban Riverfronts ities are rediscovering their rivers. For at least the past 30 years, cities and towns have been turning back to their rivers, transforming industrial and derelict land into new parks, Cresidences, and commercial space. The trend appears to be con- tinuing and perhaps even accelerating, with major planning and construction efforts underway in cities around the country. After abusing urban rivers through years of hard use and neglect, we have come to realize they are valuable economic and commu- nity assets. v vi Ecological Riverfront Design While this renaissance movement has been overwhelmingly positive, the prevailing view of the urban riverfront is of a blank canvas for “aes- thetic enhancements” and economic development initiatives. Too often, the river itself is not considered, an oversight that ignores the possibilities for enhancing the ecological value of the river. Ultimately, these missed possi- bilities are detrimental to the city and the public, not just the environment. As cities reclaim their rivers, a rare opportunity is offered to repair past damage, to prevent new injury, and to create more sustainable communi- ties. In virtually every case, these cities have a tremendous opportunity to direct riverfront revitalization efforts that will help to bring rivers and the communities that depend on them back to health. To take advantage of this opportunity, we need to effectively integrate ecological considerations with economic and social goals along the nation’s urban rivers. This Planning Advisory Service Report promotes the view that we can achieve much greater environmental as well as social and eco- This Planning Advisory Service nomic success if urban riverfronts are designed with ecological principles Report promotes the view that in mind. While we have some mechanisms for protecting our environment, such as water-quality regulations, environmental considerations are often we can achieve much greater an afterthought in urban riverfront planning. Yet the manner in which these environmental as well as social riverfronts are developed can have a tremendous impact on water quality and economic success if urban and other environmental concerns. riverfronts are designed with We firmly believe that communities will find better, more appealing, and more sustainable solutions by integrating ecological considerations upfront ecological principles in mind. in riverfront redevelopment efforts. Indeed, the experience of many com- munities suggests that treating the river as an equal partner improves envi- ronmental quality and quality of life—both of which have significant economic impacts for cities. This PAS Report aims to put forth a new vision for the nation’s urban riverfronts. It provides a set of planning and design principles that can be employed to ensure that, as we reclaim our urban river edges, we do so in the most ecologically sound and economically viable manner possible. The material in this report is intended to help planners, mayors, public works and environmental officials, river advocates, and the general public in their research about effective, ecological riverfront design. The report is struc- tured to provide general information on a number of key topics related to ecological health and human interaction with rivers. It is not intended as a comprehensive list of all issues of concern on riverfronts, but rather as a set of essential ideas that can help communities to achieve more with their riverfront revitalization efforts. This PAS Report does not address in detail the economic development issues that must also be considered for community riverfronts to be vital and successful. Cities that may want to use the principles described here are likely to be heavily engaged already in economic development activi- ties. Nor does this report address the classic aspects of planning, architec- tural, and landscape design requirements for successful public spaces (e.g., how to improve the image of a derelict or abandoned urban riverfront area, or how to organize pedestrian pathways to build a sense of liveliness and interest in a place). The reality in many cities is that significant riverfront development has already happened, and that redevelopment of some kind is now planned or underway. Our report begins from this premise. Further, we assume bringing people to the river often involves providing facilities and services that require buildings and other structures. This PAS Report, therefore, does not call for removing all buildings or preventing any new structures, but it does espouse a strong view that mini- mizing impacts and keeping urban riverfronts as natural as possible (i.e., Preface vii not overburdened
Load more

Recommended publications
  • US EPA Launches Redevelopment of P&LE
    U.S. EPA Launches Redevelopment of P&LE Railroad Brownfield Site; New Funding for Environmental Assessments at Additional Sites Former P&LE Railroad brownfield site to be new business park yielding 1,172 new jobs, 642 construction-related jobs, and total state and local taxes in excess of $13 million New $1 million federal funding announced for environmental assessments of additional brownfield sites in Pittsburgh region (PITTSBURGH – June 20, 2011) –U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn Garvin will join elected officials and community leaders today to announce two important milestones in the continuing redevelopment of former industrial (“brownfield”) sites in the Pittsburgh region. Garvin will announce the launch of the redevelopment of the P&LE Railroad brownfield site in McKees Rocks, Pa. The EPA has provided funding for the environmental assessment of this site – the first step in redeveloping the site for future business investment. Trinity Commercial Development, LLC , the redevelopment contractor for the site, has acquired the parcels necessary to begin redevelopment. Garvin will also award new federal funding of $1 million for environmental assessment to the North Side Industrial Development Company, a non-profit development organization, for use on additional brownfield sites located within the River Towns Coalition communities (note to editor: list of River Town Coalition members appears at the end of the release). “EPA is proud to participate in projects where local partners work together to transform a site, such as the P&LE property, into a vibrant facility that benefits the entire community," said EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M.
    [Show full text]
  • Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh 2015 Tax Increment Financing Report
    FINANCING OUR FUTURE Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh 2015 Tax Increment Financing Report 2015 FINANCING OUR FUTURE In 2015, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) continued leading transformative growth in neighborhoods throughout the City of Pittsburgh. Creative public financing led to the implementation of an affordable housing fund in East Liberty, restoration of riverfront access in the Strip District, an equitable redevelopment fund for the Hill District, and the groundbreaking of the 178-acre Almono site in Hazelwood. Each of these tax increment financing (TIF) projects is utilizing economic growth in our City to finance transformative public infrastructure improvements. The URA also announced that $13.6 million in additional real estate and parking tax revenue will be collected by the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Public Schools over the next three years due to the full prepayment of South Side Works TIF District debt. Through seamless integration with the surrounding community, the landmark riverfront brownfield redevelopment has added nearly 4,900 jobs, 1,000 residential units, 2.3 million square feet of commercial activity, and a signature public park, marina and trail development that provides critical connectivity to the Great Allegheny Passage system. Tax increment financing continues to be a vital mechanism through which and improves quality of life for our residents. Amidst diminishing federal and state economic development funding, our 29 TIF projects have financed $336 million in critical public infrastructure investments that have leveraged nearly $3 billion in private capital. Together with our partners at the City, County and School District, the URA is expanding the resources with which we have to make Pittsburgh an even more livable and competitive urban center.
    [Show full text]
  • Purple Line Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park Crossing
    Executive Director’s Recommendation Commission Meeting: March 1, 2018 PROJECT NCPC FILE NUMBER Purple Line Light Rail Transit Facility 7949 Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park Montgomery County, Maryland NCPC MAP FILE NUMBER 76.45.02(41.23)44678 SUBMITTED BY Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning APPLICANT’S REQUEST Commission Approval of preliminary and final site development plans REVIEW AUTHORITY PROPOSED ACTION Capper Cramton Act Review Approve preliminary and final site per 46 Stat. 482 development plans ACTION ITEM TYPE Consent Calendar PROJECT SUMMARY On behalf of the Maryland Transit Authority, the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission has requested preliminary and final review of site development plans on Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park property to accommodate the new Purple Line light rail transit facility. The new transit line will cross through the park along Wayne Avenue (within its vehicular traffic lanes), across Sligo Creek via a new (widened) bridge and across the Sligo Creek Parkway. The Purple Line is planned as a 16-mile, regionally-significant, transit facility between Bethesda, Maryland (Montgomery County) and New Carrollton, Maryland (Prince George’s County), providing east- west connectivity between the Metrorail’s Red, Orange, and Green Lines. Construction will occur between 2018-2021 within the Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park. KEY INFORMATION • NCPC has approval authority of the project since the site is located on property acquired with federal funding appropriated under the 1930 Capper Cramton Act. The Act was intended to provide for the acquisition of lands in Maryland and Virginia to develop a comprehensive park, parkway, and playground system in the National Capital.
    [Show full text]
  • Cumulative Index North Dakota Historical Quarterly Volumes 1-11 1926 - 1944
    CUMULATIVE INDEX NORTH DAKOTA HISTORICAL QUARTERLY VOLUMES 1-11 1926 - 1944 A Aiton, Arthur S., review by, 6:245 Alaska, purchase of, 6:6, 7, 15 A’Rafting on the Mississipp’ (Russell), rev. of, 3:220- 222 Albanel, Father Charles, 5:200 A-wach-ha-wa village, of the Hidatsas, 2:5, 6 Albert Lea, Minn., 1.3:25 Abandonment of the military posts, question of, Albrecht, Fred, 2:143 5:248, 249 Alderman, John, 1.1:72 Abbey Lake, 1.3:38 Aldrich, Bess Streeter, rev. of, 3:152-153; Richard, Abbott, Johnston, rev. of, 3:218-219; Lawrence, speaker, 1.1:52 speaker, 1.1:50 Aldrich, Vernice M., articles by, 1.1:49-54, 1.4:41- Abe Collins Ranch, 8:298 45; 2:30-52, 217-219; reviews by, 1.1:69-70, Abell, E. R, 2:109, 111, 113; 3:176; 9:74 1.1:70-71, 1.2:76-77, 1.2:77, 1.3:78, 1.3:78-79, Abercrombie, N.Dak., 1.3: 34, 39; 1.4:6, 7, 71; 2:54, 1.3:79, 1.3:80, 1.4:77, 1.4:77-78; 2:230, 230- 106, 251, 255; 3:173 231, 231, 231-232, 232-233, 274; 3:77, 150, Abercrombie State Park, 4:57 150-151, 151-152, 152, 152-153, 220-222, 223, Aberdeen, D.T., 1.3:57, 4:94, 96 223-224; 4:66, 66-67, 67, 148, 200, 200, 201, Abraham Lincoln, the Prairie Years (Sandburg), rev. of, 201, 202, 202, 274, 275, 275-276, 276, 277-278; 1.2:77 8:220-221; 10:208; 11:221, 221-222 Abstracts in History from Dissertations for the Degree of Alexander, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Web-Book Catalog 2021-05-10
    Lehigh Gap Nature Center Library Book Catalog Title Year Author(s) Publisher Keywords Keywords Catalog No. National Geographic, Washington, 100 best pictures. 2001 National Geogrpahic. Photographs. 779 DC Miller, Jeffrey C., and Daniel H. 100 butterflies and moths : portraits from Belknap Press of Harvard University Butterflies - Costa 2007 Janzen, and Winifred Moths - Costa Rica 595.789097286 th tropical forests of Costa Rica Press, Cambridge, MA rica Hallwachs. Miller, Jeffery C., and Daniel H. 100 caterpillars : portraits from the Belknap Press of Harvard University Caterpillars - Costa 2006 Janzen, and Winifred 595.781 tropical forests of Costa Rica Press, Cambridge, MA Rica Hallwachs 100 plants to feed the bees : provide a 2016 Lee-Mader, Eric, et al. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA Bees. Pollination 635.9676 healthy habitat to help pollinators thrive Klots, Alexander B., and Elsie 1001 answers to questions about insects 1961 Grosset & Dunlap, New York, NY Insects 595.7 B. Klots Cruickshank, Allan D., and Dodd, Mead, and Company, New 1001 questions answered about birds 1958 Birds 598 Helen Cruickshank York, NY Currie, Philip J. and Eva B. 101 Questions About Dinosaurs 1996 Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, NY Reptiles Dinosaurs 567.91 Koppelhus Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, N. 101 Questions About the Seashore 1997 Barlowe, Sy Seashore 577.51 Y. Gardening to attract 101 ways to help birds 2006 Erickson, Laura. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA Birds - Conservation. 639.978 birds. Sharpe, Grant, and Wenonah University of Wisconsin Press, 101 wildflowers of Arcadia National Park 1963 581.769909741 Sharpe Madison, WI 1300 real and fanciful animals : from Animals, Mythical in 1998 Merian, Matthaus Dover Publications, Mineola, NY Animals in art 769.432 seventeenth-century engravings.
    [Show full text]
  • A Lawyer Says That “If You See Any of Those Baggy Pants It Was Huge Mr
    1. In a scene from this work entitled “Trial One,”a lawyer says that “if you see any of those baggy pants it was huge Mr. Moscone.” This work is divided into smaller sections called “knee plays,” one of which features its protagonist announcing the death of Harvey Milk, and Act 3 of this opera contains the section “I Feel the Earth Move,” a reference to the protagonist’s home of (*) San Francisco. While the protagonist of this musical is not as committed to nonviolence as the man its composer originally wanted to put at its center, Mahatma Gandhi, she authored a 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban and has since worked to promote gun control legislation in the Senate. For 10 points, name this minimalist opera about the senior female senator from California, by Philip Glass. ANSWER: Dianne Feinstein on the Beach 2. This book criticizes Mill and de Tocqueville for “devaluing the consequences of a process they favored for the sake of principle,” and its preface quotes Samuel Johnson that “he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.” The narrator discusses the rise of cultural consumption while he travels in a 650 Lightning in L.L. Bean shorts and a Butte sheepherder’s jacket, and this work argues that the center of debate and discourse has moved to (*) coffee shops, where people meet to consume drugs like LSD and mescaline. It was inspired by the author’s attempts to interview the activist Oscar Acosta for Rolling Stone, and it was originally published with illustrations from his previous partner on “The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved.” For 10 points, name this work of “gonzo journalism” by Jurgen Habermas.
    [Show full text]
  • A Social and Cultural History of the New Zealand Horse
    Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. A SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE NEW ZEALAND HORSE CAROLYN JEAN MINCHAM 2008 E.J. Brock, ‘Traducer’ from New Zealand Country Journal.4:1 (1880). A Social and Cultural History of the New Zealand Horse A Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In History Massey University, Albany, New Zealand Carolyn Jean Mincham 2008 i Abstract Both in the present and the past, horses have a strong presence in New Zealand society and culture. The country’s temperate climate and colonial environment allowed horses to flourish and accordingly became accessible to a wide range of people. Horses acted as an agent of colonisation for their role in shaping the landscape and fostering relationships between coloniser and colonised. Imported horses and the traditions associated with them, served to maintain a cultural link between Great Britain and her colony, a characteristic that continued well into the twentieth century. Not all of these transplanted readily to the colonial frontier and so they were modified to suit the land and its people. There are a number of horses that have meaning to this country. The journey horse, sport horse, work horse, warhorse, wild horse, pony and Māori horse have all contributed to the creation of ideas about community and nationhood. How these horses are represented in history, literature and imagery reveal much of the attitudes, values, aspirations and anxieties of the times.
    [Show full text]
  • The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Part VIII How Christ Said the First Mass Fr
    The Holy Sacrifice Of The Mass Part VIII How Christ Said The First Mass Fr. James L. Meagher, D.D. 1906 Meaning Of The Bitter Herbs The stately Liturgy and service of the Temple of Christ’s day were but an extension of the patriarchs’ Passover. The patriarchal Passover with the roasted lamb foretelling the crucifixion, and the unleaven bread of the Last Supper and the Mass, had come down from prehistoric times to the Hebrews living in Egyptian bondage. But the night of their delivery God ordered bitter herbs to be added to the rite to remind them of the bitter slavery the race had suffered in the Nile-land. Later God revealed to them His laws, established the tabernacle ceremonial built on the simpler ceremonial of their fathers, the patriarchs. But as ages passed over the world, inspired prophets added new rites, new objects, and a wealth of details to the Passover and the Temple worship, each filled with types, figures and emblems of the crucifixion and the Mass. The unleaven bread developed into the feast of unleaven bread celebrated for a week. But to show that the crucifixion and the Mass are one and the same sacrifice, this series of festivals was interwoven into the Passover held the first night. Thus Passover and feast of unleaven bread, often called by the same name, were never separated, always intermingled one with another.1 Now let us see the other foods eaten at Passover and their mystic meaning, remarking that history is silent regarding the epoch when they were introduced.
    [Show full text]
  • Guiding Change in the Strip
    Guiding Change in the Strip Capstone Seminar in Economic Development, Policy and Planning Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) University of Pittsburgh December 2002 GUIDING CHANGE IN THE STRIP University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs Capstone Seminar Fall 2002 Contributing Authors: Trey Barbour Sherri Barrier Carter Bova Michael Carrigan Renee Cox Jeremy Fine Lindsay Green Jessica Hatherill Kelly Hoffman Starry Kennedy Deb Langer Beth McCall Beth McDowell Jamie Van Epps Instructor: Professor Sabina Deitrick i ii MAJOR FINDINGS This report highlights the ongoing nature of the economic, social and environmental issues in the Strip District and presents specific recommendations for Neighbors in the Strip (NITS) and policy makers to alleviate problems hindering community development. By offering a multitude of options for decision-makers, the report can serve as a tool for guiding change in the Strip District. Following is a summary of the major findings presented in Guiding Change in the Strip: • The Strip has a small residential population. As of 2000, the population was on 266 residents. Of these residents, there is a significant income gap: There are no residents earning between $25,000 and $35,000 annually. In other words, there are a limited amount of middle-income residents. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters of the 58 families living in the Strip earned less than $25,000 in 1999. These figures represent a segment of the residential population with limited voice in the development of the Strip. There is an opportunity for NITS, in collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh, to increase the presence of these residents in the future of the Strip.
    [Show full text]
  • Public-Private Partnership in Residential Brownfield Redevelopment: Case Studies of Pittsburgh
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Procedia Engineering 145 ( 2016 ) 1534 – 1540 International Conference on Sustainable Design, Engineering and Construction Public-private partnership in residential brownfield redevelopment: case studies of Pittsburgh Xiaodan Lia, Hao Yanga*, Wenjing Li a, Zhiting Chena aChina University of Mining and Technology,Beijing, Ding No.11 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China Abstract In discussions on brownfields there is a general consensus among researchers that brownfield sites have the potential to be reused as green spaces, art parks, commerce centers, recreational areas and residential lots. From the various kinds of brownfield redevelopment (BR) activities, residential brownfield redevelopment (RBR) is growing quickly within the US. RBR is considered to match city smart growth goals, and it is more cost-effective for economic development than other brownfield reuse activities. The paper addresses the opportunities and challenges in restructuring RBR’s ecological environment and economical benefits. To reduce or eliminate obstacles we observe a collaborative model through public-private partnership (PPP) utilized in RBR: PPP creates an institutional framework in which the public sectors provide strategic profits to the private sectors, while the private entities implement and develop the public sector’s plan. In order to explore specific and significant factors affecting brownfield redevelopment in housing context, we review literature on PPP in brownfield redevelopment and discuss the compositions and characteristics of both public and private sectors in RBR. From this analysis we point out that there are three key elements for the success of RBR: (1) consensus between public and private sectors, (2) the type of landowner and (3) participation of academic institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Study & Hazardous Sites Inventory
    CITY PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF NEW ORLEANS MITCHELL J. LANDRIEU ROBERT D. RIVERS MAYOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LESLIE T. ALLEY DEPUTY DIRECTOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY & HAZARDOUS SITES INVENTORY PREPARED ON: MARCH 28, 2018 PREPARED BY: NICOLETTE JONES PAUL CRAMER LARRY MASSEY BROOKE PERRY RACHAEL BERG AMOS WRIGHT KELLY BUTLER JAMES GILLIE Revised On: Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1 A. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Scope of Work .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Study Goals ............................................................................................................................................... 8 B. Regulatory Framework ............................................................................................................................. 9 Federal Environmental Regulations .......................................................................................................... 9 Federal Brownfield Programs and Grant Opportunities ........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 9 Intersections
    2005 Intersections CHAPTER 9 INTERSECTIONS 9.0 INTRODUCTION Intersections are intended to operate with vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles proceeding in many directions, often at the same time. At such locations, traffic movements on two or more facilities are required to occupy a common area. It is this unique characteristic of intersections, the repeated occurrence of conflicts, that is the basis for most intersection design standards, criteria, and proper operating procedures. An intersection is defined as the general area where two or more highways join or cross, including the roadway and roadside facilities for traffic movements within it. Each highway radiating from an intersection and forming part of it is an intersection leg. The common intersection of two highways crossing each other has four legs. It is not recommended that an intersection have more than four legs. An intersection is an important part of a highway system because, to a great extent, the efficiency, safety, speed, cost of operation, and capacity depend on its design. Each intersection involves through or cross-traffic movements on one or more of the highways concerned and may involve turning movements between these highways. These movements may be handled by various means, such as signals, signing, and channelization, depending on the type of intersection. 9.1 GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS AND OBJECTIVES The main objective of intersection design is to reduce the potential conflicts between motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and facilities while facilitating the convenience, ease, and comfort of the people traversing the intersection. The design should be fitted closely to the natural transitional paths and operating characteristics of the users.
    [Show full text]