ROAD DIETS. Michael Ronkin. New Partners for Smart Growth Los Angeles, February Designing Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

Transcription

1 ROAD DIETS Michael Ronkin Designing Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists New Partners for Smart Growth Los Angeles, February

2 Classic Road Diet Two-way street: 4 travel lanes 2 + CTL 2

3 Portland OR 3

4 Road Diets Which road carries the most traffic? Which road has 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 Which road has the higher crash rate? Which is better for bicyclists, pedestrians, businesses? San Antonio TX 4

5 Road Diets Safety & Traffic Operations Several studies have shown crash reduction: From 7% (Zegeer et al) to 40 % (Iowa) 5

6 Fewer midblock conflicts Two types of crashes can be avoided with the 3-lane configuration Four-lane undivided Conflict Point Three-lane 6

7 Fewer intersection conflicts Four-lane undivided Conflict Point Three-lane 7

8 Better left-turn turn sight distance 8

9 Total width = 62 6 Valencia Street (SF) - before road diet San Francisco CA 9

10 Valencia Street (SF) - after road diet San Francisco CA 10

11 Mission District, San Francisco North-South ADTs Dolores Guerrero Valencia Mission S. Van Ness before bike lanes after bike lanes 11

12 Valencia Street Bicycle Volumes PM peak hour counts bikes/hr bikes/hr Valencia St before bike lanes after bike lanes 12

13 Road diets: reclaim street space for other uses Not just for bike lanes Cambridge MA 13

14 What are some benefits of road diets for pedestrians? Reduce crossing distance Eliminate or reduce multiple threat crash types Install medians or crossing island to break crossing into 2 simpler crossings Reduce top end travel speeds Add sidewalk buffer from travel lanes (parking or bike lane) Reclaim street space for higher and better use than moving peak hour traffic 14

15 Room for crossing island Kirkland WA 15

16 Separation from traffic Salem OR 16

17 Old centerline Reclaiming road space creates room for islands Portland OR 17

18 Restriping benefits all users Prolong pavement life (motor vehicles no longer travel in the same well-worn ruts) 18

19 Keep right-turn turn radius tight 19

20 Better sight distance Easier to exit from driveways (improved sight distance) Corvallis OR 20

21 Restriping benefits transit Portland OR 21

22 A buffer to trees Corvallis OR 22

23 ROAD DIETS Other configurations 23

24 On-street parking Median Bike lanes Center turn-lane It s s not one-size fits all: reclaimed road space creates Seattle WA room for many uses 24

25 NARROW TRAVEL 25 MPH: travel MPH: 11 travel 45 MPH or more (if high truck volumes): 12 outside travel lane Dimensions acceptable to OR State Traffic Engineer 25

26 Potential As is pretty wide CTL Spartanburg SC 26

27 Restriped for bike lanes Spartanburg SC 27

28 Before Corvallis OR 28

29 Unbalanced traffic flows 29

30 Old lane line Take advantage of uneven a.m./p.m. peaks Washington DC 30

31 This 5-lane 5 Main Street was converted to Pottstown PA 31

32 Name 4 things that changed Fewer travel lanes; added bike lanes; parallel to back-in diagonal parking on one side; new pavement Pottstown PA 32

33 We don t t like 5-lane 5 streets; What about 7-lane 7 streets? 33

34 Spartanburg SC 34

35 Spartanburg SC 35

36 Spartanburg SC 36

37 One-way streets HUGE untapped potential HUGE 37

38 Is this street operating at capacity? Boise ID 38

39 This area was recaptured from a 4 th travel lane; the street took on a whole new life Portland OR 39

40 12 T 12 T 12 T 12 T Typical one-way cross-section: Four 12 travel lanes Why? Because the space was there 40

41 12 T 12 T 11 T 5.5 B 7.5 P Possible scenario #1: Three travel lanes and Bike lane and parking on one side 41

42 7 P 11.5 T 11 T 11.5 T 7 P Possible scenario #2: Three travel lanes and Parking on both sides 42

43 8 P 13 T 13 T 6 B 8 P Possible scenario #3: Two travel lanes and Bike lane and parking on both sides 43

44 Nor radical enough for you? How about we reduce 2 travel lanes to one bi-directional lane and two bike lanes? 44

45 Old Centerline Single two-way way travel lane with bike lanes Geneva CH 45

46 Old Centerline Zeeland NL 46

47 Rotterdam NL 47

48 Can t t be done here? US Example Albany OR 48

49 Computer rendering Albany OR 49

50 Reality check Albany OR 50

51 Why quote Albert Einstein or Mahatma Gandhi, when you can quote yourself? The best way to prove something can be done is to demonstrate it has been done. Michael Ronkin 51