Walkways, Sidewalks, and Public Spaces

Walkways, Sidewalks, and

Public Spaces

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PUBLIC SPACES

L E S S O N 1 3L E S S O N 1 3

L E S S O N 1 3

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13.1 Purpose

No single design feature can ensure that a

streetscape will be attractive to pedestrians. Rather,

the best places for walking combine many design

elements to create streets that “feel right” to people

on foot. Street trees, separation from traffic,

seating areas, pavement design, lighting, and many

other factors should be considered in locations

where pedestrian travel is accommodated and

encouraged. This lesson provides an overview of

these design elements, with examples of successful

streetscapes throughout the United States.

13.2 Basic Urban Sidewalk

Requirements

All urban sidewalks require the

following basic ingredients for

success: adequate width of travel

lanes, a buffer from the travel lane,

curbing, minimum width, gentle

cross-slope (2 percent or less), a

buffer to private properties, adequate

sight distances around corners and

at driveways, shy distances to walls

and other structures, a clear path of

travel free of street furniture,

continuity, a well-maintained

condition, ramps at corners, and flat

areas across driveways. Sidewalks

also require sufficient storage

capacity at corners so that the

predicted volume of pedestrians can

gain access to and depart from signalized intersec-

tions in an orderly and efficient manner.

Minimum Width of Sidewalks

Sidewalks require a minimum width of 5.0 feet if set

back from the curb or 6.0 feet if at the curb face. Any

width less than this does not meet the minimum

requirements for people with disabilities. Walking is

a social activity. For any two people to walk together,

5.0 feet of space is the bare minimum. In some areas,

such as near schools, sporting complexes, some

parks, and many shopping districts, the minimum

width for a sidewalk is 8.0 feet. Thus, any existing

4.0-foot-wide sidewalks (permitted as an AASHTO

minimum) often force pedestrians into the roadway

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in order to talk. Even children

walking to school find that a 4.0-

foot width is not adequate.

Desirable Sidewalk Width

The desirable width for a

sidewalk is often much greater.

Some shopping districts require

12, 20, 30, and even 40 feet of

width to handle the volumes of

pedestrian traffic they encoun-

ter. Pennsylvania Avenue in

Washington, D.C. has 30-foot

sidewalk sections to handle tour

bus operations, K Street in

Washington, D.C. has 20=foot sections to handle

transit off-loading and commercial activity, the

commercially successful Paseo de Gracia boulevard

in Barcelona, Spain has 36 to 48 feet in most sections.

Designers must pay close attention to minimums, and

only use variances below these levels for short

sections. On the other side of the width equation,

overly ample sidewalk widths are rarely justified. It is

essential to work out the peak volumes of transit

discharge, the likely commercial appeal of an area,

and the influence of large tour buses and other

factors when designing public space.

Chapter 13 of the Highway Capacity Manual covers

the topics of sidewalk width and pedestrian level of

service.

For two people to walk abreast, 5 feet is the bare

minimum for sidewalk width.

Including ammenities such as newspaper stands and kiosks along corners creates

lively, more defined spaces; however, they should not interrupt the flow of pedestrian

traffic.

Be sure to calculate the commer-

cial need for outdoor cafes,

kiosks, corner gathering spots,

and other social needs for a

sidewalk. Sidewalk widths have

not been given sufficient

attention by most designers.

When working in a commercial

area, designers should always

consult property owners,

chambers of commerce, and

landscape architects to make

certain that the desired width is

realistic. Corner or mid-block

bulb-outs can be used to their advantage for creating

both storage space for roadway crossings and for

social space.

The safety needs of motorists and bicyclists in the

roadway must be considered when determining the

desirable widths of adjacent sidewalks. There is

compelling evidence that generous lane width (12-

foot) standards applied to downtown and commercial

streets are counterproductive and lead to faster

traffic.

AASHTO specifically permits 10- or 11-foot travel

lanes on arterials in commercial districts, and also

permits turning lanes to be restricted to 10 feet.

Truck volumes and the volume of bicycles must also

be factored into this equation. As a general rule,

when speeds are at or near bicycle speeds (15 to 20

mph), then bike lanes may not be as essential as the

appropriate width of sidewalk. The

designer is reminded that in Central

Business Districts (CBD), the

pedestrian volume may be 50 to 90

percent of total traffic. When these

needs are not met, the commercial

and social success of the community

is lessened, and safety may be

compromised.

Paving Materials

Although most sidewalks are made

of concrete, in some instances,

asphalt can provide a useful surface.

On trails, joggers and some others

prefer asphalt. As a general rule,

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downtown areas, nature strips are also a convenient

location for the swing-width of a door, for place-

ment of parking meters, hydrants, lampposts, and

other furniture.

Another way to achieve border width and the needed

buffer from traffic is to provide bike lanes. This 5-foot

space creates a minimal safe width to the sidewalk,

even when at the back of the curb; reduces the

effects of noise and splashing; and provides a higher

level of general comfort to the pedestrian.

On-street parking has two distinct advantages for the

pedestrian. First, it creates the needed physical

separation from the motorist. Second, on-street

parking has been shown to reduce motorist travel

speeds. This creates an environment for safer street

crossings.

On the back side of sidewalks, a minimum width

buffer of 1to 3 feet is essential. Without such a

buffer, vegetation, walls, buildings, and other objects

encroach on the usable sidewalk space. With just

several months of growth, many shrubs will dominate a

sidewalk space. This setback is essential, not only to

the walking comfort of a pedestrian, but to ensure

essential sight lines at each residential and commer-

cial driveway.

Placement of Street Furniture/Shy Distances

Pedestrians require a shy distance from fixed objects,

such as walls, fences, shrubs, buildings, parked cars,

and other features. The desired shy distance for a

however, the long life of concrete,

and the distinct pattern and lighter

color are preferred. Paver stones

can also be used, and in some

applications, they have distinct

advantages (see section later in

this lesson).

Border Areas and Buffers

A border area should be provided

along streets for the safety of

motorists and pedestrians as well

as for aesthetic reasons. The

border area between the roadway

and the right-of-way line should be

wide enough to serve several

purposes, including provision of a

buffer space between pedestrians

and vehicular traffic, sidewalk space, snow storage,

an area for placement of underground utilities, and an

area for maintainable esthetic features such as grass

or other landscaping. The border width may be a

minimum of 5 feet, but desirably, it should be 10 feet

or wider. Wherever practical, an additional obstacle-

free buffer width of 12 feet or more should be

provided between the curb and the sidewalk for

safety and environmental enhancement. In residential

areas, wider building setback controls can be used to

attain these features. (AASHTO, A Policy on

Geometric Design of Highways & Streets, 1990)

The preferred minimum width for a nature strip is 5 to

7 feet. A nature strip this wide provides ample

storage room for many utilities. The width provides:

• An essential buffer between an out-of-control

motorist and a pedestrian.

• Improved sight distances at driveways.

• Adequate width for landscaping and street trees.

A tree set back from the roadway 4.0 feet meets

minimum AASHTO standards for fixed objects when

a barrier curb is used (30 mph or less), and is ad-

equate for most species. The area is ample for most

snow storage. When this preferred minimum cannot

be achieved, any width, down to 4.0 feet or even 2.0

feet, is still beneficial.

Nature strips, especially in downtown areas, may be a

good location to use paver stones for easy and

affordable access to underground utilities. In

The width of a natural buffer provides the essential space needed for situations such

as protecting pedestrians from out-of-control vehicles.

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pedestrian is 2.0 feet. Allow for this shy distance in

determining the functional width of a sidewalk.

Note that attractive windows in shopping districts

create momentary stoppage of curious pedestrians.

This is a desired element of a successful street.

These window watchers take up about 18 to 24

inches of space. The remaining sidewalk width will be

constrained. This is often desirable on sidewalks not

at capacity. But if this stoppage forces pedestrians

into the roadway, the sidewalk is too narrow.

Newspaper racks, mail boxes, and other street

furniture should not encroach into the walking space.

Either place these items in the nature strip, or create a

separate storage area behind the sidewalk, or in a

corner or mid-block bulb-out. These items need to be

bolted in place.

Parking meters on a narrow sidewalk create high

levels of discomfort. In a retrofit situation, place

meters at the back of the walk, or use electronic

parking meters every 50 or 100 feet.

Parking garages on commercial district walks are

ideally placed away from popular walking streets. If

this cannot be done, keep the driveways and curb

radii tight to maximize safety and to minimize the

discomfort to pedestrians.

Grade

If possible, grade should be kept to no more than 5

percent, and, terrain permitting, avoid grades greater

than 8 percent. When this is not possible, railings

and other aids can be considered to help elder

adults. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

does not require designers to change topography,

but only to work within its limitations and con-

straints. Do not create any man-made grade that

exceeds 8 percent.

Stairs

Since falls are common with poorly designed stairs,

every effort should be made to create a slip-free,

easily detected, well-constructed set of stairs. The

following principles apply: Stairs require railings on

at least one side, and they need to extend 18 inches

beyond the top and bottom stair. When an especially

wide set of stairs is created, such as at transit

stations, consider rails on both sides and one or two

in mid-stair areas. Avoid open risers, and use a

uniform grade with a constant tread to rise along the

stairway length. All steps need to be obvious. Stairs

should be lit at night. A minimum stairway width is

42 inches (to allow two people to pass). The

forward slope should be 1 percent in order to drain

water. Stairs in high nightlife pedestrian centers can

be lit both above and at the side.

Landscaping

“Landscaping should be provided for esthetic and

erosion control purposes in keeping with the

character of the street and its environment. Land-

scaping should be arranged to permit sufficiently

wide, clear, and safe pedestrian walkways. Combina-

tions of turf, shrubs, and trees are desirable in

border areas along the roadway. However, care

should be exercised to ensure that guidelines for

sight distances and clearance to obstructions are

observed, especially at intersections.” (AASHTO, A

Policy on Geometric Design of Highways &

Streets, 1990)

Landscaping can also be used to partially or fully

control crossing points of pedestrians. Low shrubs in

commercial areas and near schools are often desirable

to channel pedestrians to crosswalks or crossing

areas.

Sidewalks must be graded and placed in areas where

water will not pond or where large quantities of

water will not sheet across.

Parked cars can also serve as a buffer between the sidewalk and the

street.

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Rural Sidewalks

Sidewalks along rural roadway sections should be

provided as near the right-of-way line as is practi-

cable. If a swale is used, the sidewalk should be

placed at the back of the swale. If a guardrail is used,

the sidewalk must be at the back of the guardrail.

There will be times in near-urban spaces where the

placement of sidewalks is not affordable or feasible.

Wide paved shoulders on both sides of the roadway

will be an appropriate substitute in some cases.

However, the potential for growth in near-urban areas

requires that rights-of-way be preserved. When

sidewalks are placed at the back of the right-of-way,

it may be necessary to bring the walkways forward at

intersections in order to provide a roadway crossing

where it will be anticipated by motorists. Security

issues are also important on rural area sidewalks, so

street lighting should be given full consideration.

This lighting can act as part of the transitional area

alerting higher speed motorists that they are arriving

in an urban area.

Bridge Sidewalks

Bridge crossings are essential to pedestrians and

bicyclists. Whenever possible, the sidewalks should

be continued with their full width. Sidewalks on

bridges should be placed to eliminate the possibility

of falling into the roadway or over the bridge itself.

Sidewalks should be placed on both sides of bridges.

Under extreme conditions, sidewalks can be used on

one side only, but this should only be done when

safe crossings can be provided on

both ends of the bridge. When

sidewalks are placed on only one

side, they should be wider in order

to accommodate large volumes of

pedestrian traffic.

Corners

Management of land on the corner

is essential to the successful

commercial street. This small

public space is used to enhance the

corner sight triangle; to permit

underground piping of drainage so

that street water can be captured on

both sides of the crossing; to

provide a resting place and tele-

phone; to store pedestrians waiting

to cross the roadway; and to provide

other pedestrian amenities. Well-designed corners,

especially in a downtown or other village-like

shopping district can become a focal point for the

area. Benches, telephones, newspaper racks,

mailboxes, bike racks, and other features help enliven

this area. Corners are often one of the most secure

places on a street. An unbuilt corner, in contrast, is

often a magnet for litter and it erodes the aesthetics

of the street.

13.3 Street Lighting

For both safety and security reasons, most sidewalks

require street lighting. Lighting is needed for both

lateral movement of pedestrians and for detection by

motorists when the pedestrian crosses the roadway.

As a general rule, the normal placement of street

luminaries, such as cobra heads, provide sufficient

lighting to ensure pedestrian movement. However, in

commercial districts, it is often important to improve

the level of lighting, especially near ground level.

Successful retail centers often use low street lamps

in addition to or in lieu of high angle lamps. Some

designs permit both the high angle highway lamp and

the low angle street lamp on the same pole.

Pedestrians on a pedestrian-oriented street design

(shopping district) require three sources of lighting.

The first is the overall street lighting, the second is

the low placement of lamps (usually tungsten) that

reach between and below most trees, and the third is

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the light emitted from stores that line the street. The

omission of any one of these lights can result in an

undesirable effect, and can reduce the desire to walk

or shop at night.

Lights are needed in all areas where there are

crosswalks or raised channel islands. Lighting can be

either direct or can be placed to create a silhouette

effect. Either treatment aids the motorist in detecting

the pedestrian.

Pedestrians are less attracted to a commercial zone,

or any area where there are dark spots. The potential

to be victimized keeps many pedestrians from

traveling through an area at night. Thus, lighting

from shops, street lamps, and highway luminaries are

essential to the success of a commercial district.

Even one dark spot along a block may force some

pedestrians to the opposite side of the street.

13.4 Sidewalk Placement

Sidewalks are recommended on both sides of all

urban arterial, collector, and most local roadways.

Although local codes vary, AASHTO and other

national publications insist that separation of the

pedestrian from motorized traffic is an essential

design feature of a safe and functional roadway.

Although the AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design

of Highways and Streets (Greenbook) does not fully

address the issue of sidewalk placement, in lightly

Pedestrians on a pedestrian-oriented street (shopping district) require three sources

of lighting.

developed areas, the Greenbook does recommend

that rights-of-way be preserved on all arterial and

collector roadways. Although AASHTO and many

other organizations suggest that some short sections

of local streets can have sidewalks on one side only,

the designer should consider that single-side

sidewalks can create unwanted motorist/pedestrian

conflicts.

Priority Construction of Sidewalks

Many communities, such as Tallahassee, Florida,

have small ($250,000), but significant, sidewalk

construction funds set aside for community develop-

ment and pedestrian safety. When prioritizing

missing sidewalks, it is important to provide side-

walks to fill gaps on arterials and collectors at the

following locations:

• Schools (within 1/4 mile).

• To all transit stops.

• Parks, sports arenas.

• Shopping districts, other commercial areas.

• Recreational corridors.

• Retirement homes.

• Medical complexes/hospitals.

• All public buildings.

Costs and Benefits of Sidewalks

A typical neighborhood lot sidewalk of 5 feet and

two street border trees raise the cost of the undevel-

oped lot by 1to 3 percent. In

comparison, residential lot streets

with sidewalks and trees often show

an increased property value of $3,000

to $5,000.

13.5 Ambiance,

Shade, and Other

Sidewalk

Enhancements

The above discussion provides a

basis for meeting the most basic

needs of a pedestrian. In many parts

of a city, it is essential to create

highly successful walking corridors.

The following elements are often

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found to be desirable to achieve

robust commercial activity and to

encourage added walking versus

single-occupant motor vehicle trips.

One or two very attractive features

create a highly successful block ...

and one or two highly offending or

unsafe conditions will leave one side

of the street nearly vacant.

Trees

It is hard to imagine any successful

walking corridor fully void of trees.

The richness of a young or mature

canopy of trees cannot be matched

by any amount of pavers, colorful

walls or other fine architecture, or

other features. Although on higher

speed roads (40 mph and above) trees are often set at

the back of the sidewalk, the most charming streets

are those with trees gracing both sides of a walkway.

This canopy effect has a quality that brings pedestri-

ans back again and again. If only one side can be

achieved, then on low-speed roadways, again the

trees are best if placed between the walkway and the

curb. A 4-foot setback from the curb is required.

In older pre-WW II neighborhoods, trees were often

placed every 25, 30, or 35 feet apart. It is essential to

keep trees back far enough from the intersection to

leave an open view of traffic. With bulb-outs, this

can often allow trees near the corner.

Paver Stones

Colorful brick, stone, and even tile ceramics are often

used to define corners, to create a mood for a block

or commercial district, or to help guide those with

visual impairments. These bricks or

pavers need to be set on a concrete pad for maximum

life and stability.

Paver stones can also be used successfully in

neighborhoods. Denmark is one of many European

countries that use concrete 1-meter-square paver

stones as sidewalks. These stones are placed directly

over compressed earth. When it is time to place new

utilities, or to make repairs, the paver stones are

simply lifted, stacked, and replaced when the work is

complete.

Awnings

Retail shops should be encouraged to provide

protective awnings to create shade, protection from

rain and snow, and to otherwise add color and

attractiveness to the street. Awnings are especially

important in hot climates on the sunny side of the

street.

Outdoor Cafes

There are many commercial actions that can help

bring back life to a street. Careful regulation of street

vendors, outdoor cafes, and other commercial

activity, including street entertainers, help enliven a

place. The more activity, the better. One successful

outdoor cafe helps create more activity and, in time,

an entire evening shopping district can be helped

back to life. When outdoor cafes are offered, it is

essential to maintain a reasonable walking passage-

way. The elimination of two or three parking spaces

in the street and the addition of a bulbed-out area

can often provide the necessary extra space when

cafe seating space is needed.

Alleys and Narrow Streets

Alleys can be cleaned up and made attractive for

walking. Properly lit and planned they can be secure

and inviting. Some alleys can be covered over and

made into access points for a number of shops. The

tasteful and elegant Bussy Place alley in Boston was

a run-down alley between buildings. With a roof

overhead and a colorful interior with escalators, this

The designer of this pre-WW II neighborhood in Birmingham, AL knew the value of

street trees.

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alley is now the grand entry to a number of success-

ful downtown shops. Other alleys become attractive

places for outdoor cafes, kiosks, and small shops.

Victoria, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, has a

host of 30 or more alleys that channel a major portion

of its pedestrian traffic between colorful buildings

and quaint shops. Some alleys that were originally

hard-wood bricks are now polished and provide a

true walk through history.

The expansion of a mid-block set of crossings can

help make these alleyways a prime commercial route

and can lessen some of the pedestrian activity on

several main roads.

Kiosks

Small tourist centers, navigational kiosks, and

attractive outlets for other information can be

handled through small-scale or large-scale kiosks.

Well-positioned interpretive kiosks, plaques, and

other instructional or historic place markers are

essential to visitors. These areas can serve as safe

places for people to meet and can generally help with

navigation.

Play Areas and Public Art

Public play areas and interactive art can help enliven

a corner or central plaza. One especially creative

linear space in Norway provided a fence and a 40-

foot-long jumping box. Children were invited to see

how far they could jump, and compare their jump with

record holders, kangaroos, grasshoppers, dogs, and

other critters.

Pedestrian Streets, Transit

Streets, and Pedestrian Malls

A number of European cities are

reclaiming streets that are no

longer needed for cars. Cars still

have access to many of these

streets before 10:00 a.m. and

after midnight. Other streets in

both the East and West are

being converted to transit and

pedestrian streets (e.g., 15th

Street Mall in Denver). These

conversions need to be made

with a master plan so that traffic

flow and pedestrian movements

are fully provided for. There are

many streets in America that

have been temporarily converted to pedestrian

streets and later, following a lack of use, were then

converted back to traffic. There are many instances

where it is not possible to generate enough pedes-

trian traffic to keep a street “alive.” Under these

conditions, the presence of on-street auto traffic

creates security for the pedestrian.

13.6 Pedestrian Plazas

Many plazas constructed in the recent past have

been too large and uncomfortable for pedestrians,

serving more to enhance the image of the building on

the lot. Some of these are products of zoning laws

that encouraged plaza construction in exchange for

increased building height. However, bonus systems

haven’t ensured that the “public space” will actually

be a public benefit. Decisions have been based on

inches and feet, instead of on activity, use, or

orientation. The result has been a number of plazas

with problems: some are windswept, others are on

the shady side of buildings, while others break the

continuity of shopping streets, or are inaccessible

because of grade changes. Most are without

benches, planters, cover, shops, or other pedestrian

comforts. To be comfortable, large spaces should be

divided into smaller ones. Landscaping, benches,

and wind and rain protection should be provided,

and shopping and eating should be made accessible.

It has been demonstrated that no extra room should

be provided. In fact, it is usually better to be a bit

crowded than too open, and to provide many smaller

Alleys can be made attractive and can serve as access points to shops.

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• Enclose a plaza on one or two

sides.

• Plan for at least 20 percent of

the plaza to be landscaped.

• Provide seating in the sun and

make it readily accessible to

the public.

• Develop shops and stores

along the plazas, excluding

large banks, travel agents, and

offices that attract few

pedestrians.

• Do not use large expanses of

blank wall.

• Plan for prevailing sun angles and climatic

conditions, using as a rule of thumb a minimum

of 20 percent of daily sunshine hours on March

21.

• Encourage the use of bandstands, public display

areas, outdoor dining space, skating rinks, and

other features which attract crowds. In cold or

rainy areas, a covered galleria would benefit

pedestrians more than an open plaza.

• Integrate indoor and outdoor space to make it

more useful. Plan spaces to be small and

informal in character and quality so as to be

inviting, comfortable, and non-oppressive.

spaces instead of a few large

ones. It is better to have places

to sit, planters, and other

conveniences for pedestrians

than to have a clean, simple, and

“architectural” space. It is

better to have windows for

browsing and stores adjacent to

the plaza space, with cross-

circulation between different

uses than to have the plaza

serve one use. It is better to

have retailers rather than offices

border the plaza. And, finally, it

is better to have the plaza be a

part of the sidewalk instead of

separated from the sidewalk by

walls.

Where is the best place for a plaza? Plazas ideally

should be located in places with good sun exposure

and little wind exposure, in places that are protected

from traffic noise and in areas that are easily acces-

sible from streets and shops. A plaza should have a

center as well as several sub-centers.

The planner should inventory downtown for spaces

that can be used for plazas, especially small ones.

Appropriate spaces include: space where buildings

may be demolished and new ones constructed,

vacant land, or streets that may be closed to traffic or

may connect to parking.

New stores can sometimes be

set back 8 to 10 feet from the

street to allow plaza space in

exchange for increased density.

Some suggestions for planners

and developers of plazas include

the following:

• Limit plaza size to create

small, human-scaled spaces.

A maximum size of 2,500

square feet is appropriate,

with several small plazas

being better than one large

one.

Small protected spaces provide separation from

noise and traffic.

In some European countries, streets have been turned over to pedestrians.

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Streets with a raised median will usually have

lower pedestrian crash rates.

• Avoid sunken plazas, since

access is difficult and

people feel uncomfortable

in them. Keep them level or

just slightly below sidewalk

grade. For instance, at

Rockefeller Center in New

York City, the lower level

originally had shops, that

failed and were converted

to the now famous ice

skating rink. Most people

view the rink from above,

while only users go below.

• Avoid architectural and

geometrical bench arrange-

ments. Instead, consider

where and how most people

would prefer to sit. One

reason so-called “undesirables” frequent many

plazas is that benches are not usable by pedes-

trians. Movable chairs, heavy enough not to be

stolen, but light enough to move, are recom-

mended so that people can choose where they

want to sit and what arrangement they prefer.

13.7 Exercise: Design a

Pedestrian Space

Part 1

Choose an existing public space that currently does

not encourage walking and redesign it to better

accommodate pedestrians. Your plan should be

developed at a conceptual level.

You should prepare a plan view

drawing with enough information

to identify major existing features,

proposed improvements, and

impacts. Profile and cross-section

view drawings are also helpful in

presenting particular details

required to construct your

proposed improvements. Aerial

photographs and U.S. Geological

Survey topographic maps often

provide a good background for

overlaying proposed improve-

ments.

Part 2

Conduct a pedestrian capacity

analysis for the Piedmont Park

case study location (as described

in Exercise 3.8 of Lesson 3) using procedures

described in the Highway Capacity Manual. The

four major park entrances, as indicated on the Site

Location Map, should be evaluated to determine the

pedestrian level of service (LOS). In order to

conduct this evaluation, the following assumptions

should be utilized:

• Expand 15-minute pedestrian counts included in

the park usage data to represent hourly volumes.

• All of the pedestrian volume at each of the four

entrances accesses the park on existing 5-foot-

wide feet wide sidewalks.

Utilize and document other

assumptions as necessary in

order to conduct the LOS

analysis. Be sure to evaluate

the sensitivity of values related

to your assumptions.

Determine the existing level of

service for pedestrians at the

four major park entrances. Do

the sidewalks need to be

widened? In addition, evaluate

pedestrian level of service

under the following scenarios:

FHWA COURSE ON BICYCLE

AND PEDESTRIAN TRANSPORTATION

FHWA

13 - 11

WALKWAYS, SIDEWALKS, AND

PUBLIC SPACES

• Average weekday pedestrian traffic is antici-

pated to double in 5 years, will 5-foot-wide

sidewalks be adequate?

• Special events will generate pedestrian volumes

five times those measured for an average

weekday.

13.8 References

Text and graphics for this lesson were derived from

the following sources:

Florida Department of Transportation, Florida’s

Pedestrian Planning and Design Guidelines, 1997.

Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon’s

Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, 1995.

Richard Untermann, Accommodating the Pedestrian,

1984.

Wilmington Area Planning Council, Mobility-

Friendly Design Standards, 1997.

For more information on this topic, please refer to:

AASHTO, A Policy on Geometric Design of High-

ways & Streets, 1990.

Institute of Transportation Engineers, Design and

Safety of Pedestrian Facilities, 1998.

Office of Transportation Engineering and Develop-

ment, Pedestrian Design Guidelines Notebook,

Portland, OR, 1997.

FHWA COURSE ON BICYCLE

AND PEDESTRIAN TRANSPORTATION

FHWA

13 - 12

WALKWAYS, SIDEWALKS, AND

PUBLIC SPACES