Road Diets and Roundabouts Paul Zykofsky, AICP Local Government Commission Sacramento, CA “Classic Road Diet” 4 to 3 lanes San Antonio TX On-street parking Median Bike Lanes Center Turn-Lane Road diets: reclaim street space for other uses Seattle WA 3 crash types can be reduced by going from 4 to 3 lanes: 1 – rear enders X Road Diets and Traffic Operations 3 crash types can be reduced by going from 4 to 3 lanes: 2 – side swipes X Road Diets and Traffic Operations 3 crash types can be reduced by going from 4 to 3 lanes: 3 – left turn/broadside X Road Diets and Traffic Operations Road Diets in Seattle (4 to 3 lanes) Benefits of road diets for bicyclists and pedestrians? ! Provide space to add bicycle lanes ! Reduce crossing distance ! Eliminate or reduce “multiple threat” crash types ! Install crossing island to cross in 2 simple steps ! Reduce top end travel speeds ! Buffer sidewalk from travel lanes (parking or bike lane) ! Reclaim street space for “higher and better use” than moving peak hour traffic Before Charlotte NC After Before Reclaiming road space creates room for bicycle Charlotte NC lanes and pedestrian islands Case study: Edgewater Drive Resurfacing Project (Orlando, FL) • $589,000 project scheduled in FDOT 5-year work plan • FDOT open to 3-lane option if City takes over jurisdiction • Changes must be accepted by neighborhood and business associations; before/after studies Before Concept Reality: Before Reality: After Before/after studies: 1. Crash rate 14.0 12.6 12.0 34% Reduction 10.0 MVM) 8.4 8.0 (per 6.0 Rate 1 crash every 1 crash every 4.0 2.5 days 4.2 days Crash (146 per yr) (87 per yr) 2.0 0.0 Before After Before/after studies: 2. Injury rate 4.0 3.6 3.5 3.0 MVM) 2.5 68% Reduction (per 2.0 Rate 1.5 1 injury every 1.2 9 days 1.0 Injury (41 per yr) 1 injury every 0.5 30 days (12 per yr) 0.0 Before After Before/after studies: 3. Speeding analysis 35.0% 29.5% MPH 30.0% 36 25.0% over 19.6% 20.0% 15.7% 15.0% Traveling 9.8% 8.9% 10.0% 7.5% Vehicles 5.0% of 0.0% Before After Before After Before After Percent North End Middle South End Before/after studies: 4. Traffic volumes 25,000 20,500 20,000 18,100 Day 15,000 per 10,000 Now 21,000+ Vehicles 5,000 0 Before After Before/after studies: 5. On-street parking utilization 45% 41% 40% 35% 30% 29% Percentage 25% 20% 15% Utilization 10% 5% Parking 0% Before After Before/after studies: 6. Pedestrian volumes 3000 23% Increase 2,632 2500 2,136 2000 Pedestrians 1500 of 1000 Number 500 0 Before After Before/after studies: 7. Bicyclist volumes 600 30% Increase 486 500 375 400 Bicycles 300 of 200 Number 100 0 Before After Road Diet — Before Pottstown, PA Road Diet — After Pottstown, PA There’s potential on one-way streets too: Is this street operating at capacity? Boise ID Road Diet on one-way street: This area was recaptured from a 4th travel lane; the street took on a whole new life Portland OR 68 Feet La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego, California Before 14 Feet La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego, California After La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego After La Jolla Boulevard, Bird Rock, San Diego After Roundabouts Benefits: Injuries and crashes reduced 90% 30% more traffic capacity Gateway entry Pedestrian-friendly Low traffic speeds Reduced noise Reduced emissions Reduced maintenance Business-friendly Roundabout design characteristics Separated sidewalk to direct peds to crosswalks Slow speed exit Splitter island Truck apron Lots of deflection for slow speeds throughout Crosswalk 1 car length back Slow speed entry with yield Bend OR Roundabouts are safer 32 vehicle-to- vehicle conflicts 24 vehicle-to- pedestrian conflicts “Results of this study indicate that converting conventional intersections from stop sign or 8 vehicle-to-vehicle traffic signal control can produce conflicts substantial reductions in motor 8 vehicle-to- vehicle crashes.” pedestrian conflicts March 2000 Study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Before One pedestrian fatality per year Bradenton Beach, FL, Intersection of State Routes 684 and 789 After Zero pedestrian fatalities in over 8 years Roundabouts and Pedestrians 18 mph 18 mph 14 feet Grand Junction, Colorado Sacramento, CA West River Drive and Orchard Lane Sacramento, CA West River Drive and Orchard Lane Roundabouts and Bicyclists Montpelier, VT University Place, WA Davis, CA Roundabouts, Trucks and Fire Departments Petaluma, CA — Roundabout at Corona Road and Sonoma Mountain Parkway Roundabout Fire Station #2, 1001 N. McDowell Blvd. Petaluma, CA — Roundabout at Corona Road and Sonoma Mountain Parkway Mountable Curb for large trucks, emergency responders Petaluma, CA — Roundabout at Corona Road and Sonoma Mountain Parkway Mountable Curb can be used by large trucks, emergency responders Fort Pierce, FL Roundabout problems for blind pedestrians: • Circulating traffic masks the sound cues the blind use to identify gaps and masks the sound of yielding vehicles • Tangential circulating roadway, tangential exit => high speed (worse at 2-lane roundabouts) Towson MD .