Livable Community Principles Memphis, Tennessee June, 2005 Dan Burden, Glatting Jackson and Walkable Communities, Inc. What is the Purpose of Cities? 1 Before and After © Citizen Planner Institute 2 In the nextpast fifty years transportation planners/engineers have:will: In the pastfuture traffictraffic planners and engineers RemovedAdd parking parking for safety for safety havewill be beenseen seen as heroes as villainsand heroines leadingleading to the to RemovedAdd trees fortrees safety for safety declinethe rise ofof citiescities andand quality of life. AddedRemove laneslanes for for safety safety WidenedNarrow lanes lanes for for safety safety WidenedNarrow Intersections Intersections for for safety safety TakenAdd sidewalks out sidewalks for added for added capacity capacity South Beach, Florida Ocean Drive What is your vision of Homer, Alaska? Debbie -- Retired School Teacher Painted rainbow crosswalks throughout town 3 Dan has learned to see the world through the lens of his camera, carefully picking subjects of interest to illustrate his view of the world. There is a saying among National Geographic photographers. “National Geographic photographers stand on top of the garbage cans to photograph the flowers … while Life magazine photographers stand in the flowers to photograph the garbage cans.” 4 Paul Mayors’ Institute on City Design Marty Earl Jon Charleston, South Carolina National Endowment of the Arts and the American Institute of Architects Dale Dan’s Arm Photo by Paul What is “Place?” Littleton, New Hampshire Thornton, Colorado 5 100% Location 6 Five Minute Walk 100% Location The World is Changing Expect: Option One: 25% more traffic every ten years. More intersections failing. More people spreading out into canyons, ridges and other high risk locations. Also Expect: More cars per household Limited new lanes and limits on intersections being rebuilt •• Bridge Bridge More demand for slowing traffic 100% Location •• Appropriate Appropriate Technology LiftLift More demand for traffic to stay in motion •• Visual Visual TreatsTreats More demand for safer streets •• Activity Activity CenterCenter More demand for quieter streets 7 Los Angeles, Then Los Angeles, Now People once fled cities Option Two: … for their health … Return to Traditional streets and land uses More connectivity Tennessee Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida More walking, bicycling and transit People living closer to services, shorter trips by time and distance Today people are More funding for well located returning to cities … engine houses Improved and more appropriate … for their health equipment More ways to respond Fewer personal injury auto crashes Portland, Oregon 8 At one time all buildings were built Place Versus No Place for walking speed Then with the higher speed of the auto we designed buildings with less detail, for the auto. 1910 2000 Corner of Division Avenue and Fulton Street Grand Rapids, Michigan If it weren’t for the damn pedestrian there would be no traffic problem in Los Angeles… … circa 1972, Traffic Engineer Compact villages and a strong civilian presence is the only solution to our traffic problems… … circa 1995, San Diego Traffic Engineer 9 America’s high level of dependence upon the automobile has lowered the standard of living, snarled traffic and lowered air quality. “There is No There There” …Gertrude Stein Houston, Texas Fifty percent of all American cities are now under concrete and asphalt. (In Los Angeles it is now 66 percent.) Guanajuato, Mexico 10 Residential c. 1935 Office 1980’s Retail Retail Residential Tyson's Corner, VA Residential Office Narrow streets Retail Short blocks Historic Architecture Tight corner radii Great plazas Trees Beautiful buildings Civic Statue Limited parking Sidewalks Built by Pirates Old Town, Key West, Public Space Florida Washington, DC 11 Designed by college graduates new Town, Key West, Florida Victoria, People are British Cars are Happiest Columbi happiest when a When they have there are Unlimited many Freedom -- others around. When few other cars are around Victoria, British Columbia 12 DAN … I HAVE EMAILED YOU BEFORE. I HAVE A JOB OFFER IN SARATOGA SPRINGS (I'M FROM NEW YORK CITY). I DON'T DRIVE. IS IT TRULY WALKABLE IF I LIVED DOWNTOWN? THANKS AGAIN Yes, Jeannie … it is Okay to downtown JEANNIE Saratoga Springs. Great Place. Enjoy! Places of Discovery 13 The Greatest Access on Earth National Health Epidemics Diabetes Poorly Overweight Developed Neural Pathways Heart Failure Lack of Association Depression Hypertension Isolation Asthma 14 Point 1: It’s not just an obesity epidemic. It’s an epidemic of physical inactivity. Is Physical Inactivity Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults Really a Problem? BRFSS, 1990 29% of adults are (*BMI ≥ 30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’4” person) sedentary 73% are not active enough 36% of young people in grades 9-12 do not participate in vigorous activities 3 or more days a week One-fourth of those aged 6-17 are already overweight No Data <10% 10%-14% 15-19% Source: U.S. Surgeon General 15 Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1995 BRFSS, 2000 (*BMI ≥ 30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’4” person) (*BMI ≥ 30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’4” person) No Data <10% 10%-14% 15-19% No Data <10% 10%-14% 15-19% ≥20% For every 10 minutes you spend driving, you are 10% Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults LESS likely to get involved in your community. BRFSS, 2001 (*BMI ≥ 30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’4” person) No Data <10% 10%-14% 15-19% 20-24% ≥25% 16 Building from our Values Standard Quality Of Of Living Life Very High Low 17 People Active TransportationLiving By Design 18 Ten Steps To Walkability Compact, lively Many people of all town center ages and abilities walking many Low speed streets, hours distributed volumes Celebrated public space and public life, parades, Fine grained markets, festivals, streets, many awards trails, transit links Public places with Land use and inviting features: transportation Neighborhood benches, partnerships schools and restrooms, shade, parks, within water and art Affordable, one quarter inspiring, well mile or one Convenient, safe and maintained eighth mile efficient crossings streets and homes. Not Walkable Walkable The High Car Dependency Low Car Dependency Serious Congestion Moderate Congestion Popsicle Test Can you take a Popsicle to your your brother or sister from the store to your house before it melts? 19 Context Sensitive Design Design for people for place for climate for multiple use for multiple function to link to past Portland, Oregon to link to future Vancouver, BC, Canada 20 Sprawl 2001 National Geographic Magazine Article Origins and on Sprawl Photo by: Sustainability Newsday Levittown New York 21 Pattern: Low Density(1-3 units/acre) 1550 feet from NOTHING Orlando, Florida Sprawl Costs: •Does not pay its fair share •Takes money from and weakens town center •Takes over valuable forests, fields wetlands, preserves •Moves town resources outward •Fuels urban flight •Forces other harmful land use •Builds traffic congestion •Adds to isolation, NIMBYism Trip Generation and Trip Quality 22 Trip Assignment: Conventional Trip Assignment: Traditional Linked Trips: CSD Park Once District Shop Park Once District MOC’s Office School Park Walk P Park Drive 23 Linked Trips: CSD Traditional Conventional Land Use1 2 Patterns 9 Park Once District 3 Soccer Shop 4 Park Once 5 Home District MOC’ s 8 6 Office School Park 7 Walk P Park Drive Connectivity Options Disappearing Trips Traditional Interior Perimeter Single Entry B B A Connected 400’ – 600’ 1000’ 1000’ – 2000’ None Street A Spacing C Ped/Bike 400 – 600 400 – 600 400 – 600 None Spacing C Connected All Streets Connectors Connectors (No Road Fronted Fronted Walled Connection) Character 3 Destinations 3 Destinations 6 ITE Trips 2 ITE Trips 24 Rerouting “Chain Reaction” Rerouting “Chain Reaction” New B ypass M o F s r t e e E f w f i a Main Street Main c s y i s e a n p t y B Main Street Main Most Rewarding Bigger is Provide Not better Services Downtowns Parks should provide It is always easier to leaveChurches essential services problems behind than itShopping is to solve them Postal Postal Lack of courage? Residential Commercial Today we are learning to Public Space The bigger the attraction, the Restrooms Face these challenges… Fewer peopleWhat have Is access This? and We areThe running more people out of haveroom to ask And resources Ferndale for a ride. California 25 Not a good Lane Width and Safety place Seniors Poor Not a good Loca place people 24 Feet 30 Feet tion for Ok S ay with hopping Lo ca Plaza S ti B disabilities ho on e P pp fof s la in or t L Difference za g P r o l Sh c az o at a pp io in n Crossing Time 8 Seconds 10 Seconds 2 Seconds g Average Gap 36 Seconds 30 Seconds 0.6 Seconds Probability of Crash +40% Severity of Crash +40% Not a good place for multi-family Not a good Probability of Injury +196% place for the town hall The Cycle of Strip Development Breaking The Cycle of Strip INPUTS OUTCOMES Development •Auto Oriented Business •Wider Roads INPUTS •Single Use Zoning •Induced Traffic •Diversity of Business •Single Family Residential •More Traffic •Mixed Use Zoning •Diversity of Residential Units •Context Sensitive Solutions GROWTHGROWTH LandLand Use Use •Community Involvement PlanningPlanning LandLand UseUse CommunityCommunityTransportationTransportation PlanningPlanning PlanningPlanning PlanningPlanning TransportationTransportation PlanningPlanning GROWTHGROWTH OUTCOMES OUTCOMES OUTCOMES INPUTS •Healthy Neighborhoods