How to make your community complete with Complete Streets

Oklahoma Turning Point CouncilOctober 18, 2012

James Wagner, AICP

Who is INCOG?

A Council of Governments (COG) is a voluntary

regional association of local governments, led by local

elected officials, formed to promote intergovernmental

communication and cooperation.

COGs in Oklahoma

OEDA

NODA

SODA

KEDDO

ASCOG

SWODA

EODDCOEDD

INCOG

ACOG

GGEDA

Texas

Osage

Ellis

BeaverKay

Cimarron

Le Flore

Caddo

McCurtain

Woods

Grady

Grant

Atoka

Major

Kiowa

Bryan

Creek

Pittsburg

Custer

Harper

Blaine

Dewey

CraigAlfalfa

Lincoln

Garfield

Carter

Noble

Washita

Tillman

Garvin

Logan

Woodward

Pushmataha

Coal

Greer

Adair

Love

PayneTulsa

Hughes

Mayes

Roger Mills

Comanche

Rogers

Jackson

Latimer

Cotton

Beckham

Stephens

Canadian

Choctaw

Kingfisher

Haskell

Jefferson

Delaware

Pontotoc

Muskogee

Cherokee

McIntosh

Nowata

Pawnee

Johnston

McClain

SequoyahOklahoma

Okmulgee

Seminole

Ottawa

Harmon

Okfuskee

Wagoner

Murray

Cleveland

Marshall

Pottawatomie

Washington

Introduction to Complete Streets

Safe access for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users

Routine Design of these elements

Context Sensitive design means different approaches for different land use types

A “complete street” accommodates many uses and provides for all purposes of a street: Mobility (pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, transit users) Access to destinations Thriving businesses Aesthetics

Incomplete Streets are Unsafe

More than 40% of pedestrian deaths in 2007 and 2008 occurred where no crosswalk was available.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Reporting System

Current Conditions

One quarter of walking trips take on place on roads without sidewalks or shoulders.

Bike lanes are available for only about 5% of of bicycle trips.

8

No sidewalks…

Current Conditions

9

Current Conditions

No sidewalks…

10

Current Conditions

Sidewalk Squeezed in (40mph speed limit)

11

Streets Are Inadequate

Too dangerous to cross on foot..

12

Current Conditions

Inaccessible for wheelchair users…

Streets Are Inadequate

There’s no room for people

Connectivity creates a walkable street system by: Reducing walking distances; Offering more route choices on quiet local streets; Dispersing traffic – reducing reliance on arterials for all trips

Connected Streets – Pre WWII Lollipop pattern (1960s- Today

<- 1 mile square -> <- 1 mile square ->

3 left turns!

High Connectivity Travel Lanes Required

Moderate Connectivity

Low Connectivity

Designing for Pedestrian Safety - Introduction

1-16

Designing for Pedestrian Safety - Introduction

1-17

Drainage ditch separate

apartments from Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart

Narrow lanes; add bike lanes, median, trees, texture

Bring in buildings that face the street

More buildings: Infill

The street now has life and is safer for pedestrians

25

Benefits: Capacity

26

Benefits: Capacity

27

Benefits: Capacity

28

Benefits: Capacity

2. Which road produces the higher speed?• With a 4-lane road a fast driver can pass others• With a 2-lane road the slower driver sets the speed

3. Which road produces the higher crash rate?

4. Which is better for bicyclists, pedestrians, businesses?

1. Which road carries more traffic?

San Antonio TX

Road Diet

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Road Diets

Orlando FL

Before

Reclaiming road space creates room for ped islandsCharlotte NC

BeforeAfter

Reclaiming road space creates room for ped islands

This 5-lane Main Street was converted to…

Pottstown PA

Name 4 things that changed

Fewer travel lanes; added bike lanes; parallel to back-in diagonal parking on one side; new pavement

Pottstown PA

There’s potential on one-way streets too:Is this street operating at capacity?

Sacramento CA

Example of one way street converted from 3 lanes to 2 lanes (plus 2 bike lanes)

Bike Lanes

Conventional Bike Lane

Buffered Bike Lanes

12th Street and 7th StreetMuskogee, OK

On street parking (8’)

On street parking (8’)

Travel Lane (11’)

Travel Lane (11’)

Bike Lane(6’)Bike Lane

(6’)

4th Place Yale to SheridanTulsa, OK

4th Place – Yale to Sheridan, Tulsa, OK

Current conditions New design

Bike Lanes

Cycle Tracks

Better Visibility – Curb Extensions

Pedestrians wait where they can see, in front of parked cars

Curb ext. places pedestrian where he can see and be seen

Before: high speed right-turns

After: slow speed right-turns

Curb extension and new corner radius must be designed together

Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (HAWK)

Designing for Pedestrian Safety – Crossing Countermeasures

Hybrid Beacon Sequence1

2

3

4

5

Returnto 1

Flashing yellow

Blank fordrivers

Steady yellow

Steady red

Wig-Wag

2009 MUTCD Section 4F.3

In-street pedestrian crossing signs

R1-6aR1-6MUTCD signs

Yield or Stop depends on state

law

Federal PolicyUSDOT Policy Statement on Bicycle & Pedestrian Accommodation (Announced March 15, 2010)• Every transportation agency, including DOT, has

the responsibility to improve conditions and opportunities for walking and bicycling and to integrate walking and bicycling into their transportation systems.

Regional Partners – Regional Solutions

Transportation Alternatives (TA)

50% 50%

By Population

>200K5K – 200K

<5K

Regional Competitive GrantsACOG & INCOG

State Competitive GrantsODOT

State DOT may transfer this half to highway projects (opt-out provision)

Any area of the state

$14M/year

Population

What can Turning Point do?

• Add physical infrastructure to Okla. Certified Healthy Communities criteria

• Participate in design of local public works department’s street projects

• Start a Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) in your community

• Create a community Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan

What else can Turning Point do?

• Help setup training on Complete Streets principles & design guidance

• Advocate for Complete Streets Policy & Ordinances

• Understand state & federal transportation funding policy & programs

James Wagner, AICPTransportation Projects

Coordinator

Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG)

2 W. 2nd Street, Suite 800 Tulsa, OK 74103

(918) 579-9447jwagner@incog.org

Tulsa Metro

James Wagner, AICPPrincipal

Skyline Planning+Design(918) 640-8923

skylineplanning@outlook.com

Outside Tulsa Metro