Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns About Highway Design and Operation Barb Mee, AICP City of Asheville Transportation Department

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns2 Complete Streets Complete Streets are safe, comfortable, and convenient for travel for everyone, regardless of age or ability – motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation riders.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns3 Why It Matters Nearly 1/3 of Americans don’t drive 21% of those over 65 under 16 no access to a car want to live car-free

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns4 Why It Matters Of all trips: 50% are under 3 miles50% are under 3 miles 28% are 1 mile or less28% are 1 mile or less 72% of trips 1 mile or less are driven72% of trips 1 mile or less are driven

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns5 Why It Matters

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns6 What They Are Thoughtfully designed and appropriate to the surroundings. It’s a continuum. It is not just building sidewalks and bike lanes everywhere

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Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns8 Pedestrian Facilities Work Walking along the road accounts for 10-15% of pedestrian crashes. Paved shoulders reduce these crashes 70% Sidewalks by 88%

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns9 Crossing the Street Pedestrians cross the street because there are things they want to get to…a bus stop, a store, a neighbor…but how we design makes all the difference.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns10 Speed and Crash Severity As a pedestrian, if I am to be hit, I want to be hit slowly. 20 mph = 15% fatal 40 mph = 85% fatal

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Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns12 Sidewalk Width 5’ is minimum width necessary for two people to walk side by side or to pass one another 6’ is better 8-12’ in urban core

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns13 The sidewalk corridor extends from the edge of the roadway to the end of the right of way. It is divided into four zones: curb zone furniture zone pedestrian zone frontage zone Sidewalk Zones

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns14 Zone System on a Residential Street

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns15 Zone System on a Commercial Street

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Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns17 Bicycle Facilities Still developing NCDOT Design Guidelines, 1994 AASHTO guide, 1999 Wisconsin, Chicago, Portland NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns18 Basic Facilities Bike Lanes, Climbing Lanes Assign space Makes people more willing to try Min 4’, wider depending on location, speed, ADT

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns19 Basic Facilities Sharrows Paved shoulder Greenways & other separated bikeways Striped shoulders

Pedestrian and Bicycle Concerns20 Questions?

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