Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard Design Guidelines Building from the strategies introduced in the 2013 Bicycle Transportation Plan and community input received thus far, City Transportation Staff have identified the following goals, design objectives and tools to guide the design process for the Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard. Project Goal The goal of the Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard is to provide a safe, convenient, low-stress thru route serving bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and skill levels between the downtown core and Foothill Boulevard. Design Objectives Utilize signage, markings and other elements to provide a bicycle boulevard with a look and feel that is unique from surrounding streets to communicate that bicycle travel has a priority on the roadway. These design features should encourage people to walk and bike along this route, while alerting drivers to expect to encounter people bicycling. Incorporate design features that bring motor vehicle speeds closer to those of bicyclists, improving the safety and comfort of and pedestrian environment. Consider measures to reduce or discourage motor vehicle thru traffic along the boulevard by physically or operationally reconfiguring access along street segments and intersections. Such treatments should consider potential impacts to emergency vehicles and neighborhood access. Pedestrian Safety Incorporate design features along the boulevard that provide a continuous, accessible, low-stress environment for pedestrians of all ability levels. Improve accessibility, comfort and visibility for bicyclists and pedestrians crossing at intersections. Design Toolbox This Design Toolbox includes a multitude of potential design elements in order to provide flexibility in designing a bicycle boulevard that meets the unique needs and issues of the Broad Street corridor. Design features may be used individually; however, the combination of several tools will have the greatest cumulative effect in shifting modal priority to bicycle travel. These elements included in the Design Toolbox were chosen because they address one or more of the design objectives identified above and support the overall project goal and community vision for the project. The matrix below provides a summary of the toolbox, with the following information highlighted for each design element: General description and example image(s) application Order of magnitude cost (low, moderate, high) Effectiveness in supporting the project Design Objectives to affect motor vehicle circulation and access 1
Signage Signs create the basic elements of a bicycle boulevard. Signs help brand the street segment to differentiate bicycle boulevards from other streets and reinforce the message of priority for bicycles along a given route. Types of signage often utilized on bicycle boulevards include modified street signs branded gateway or trailblazer signs, and wayfinding signage to guide users to key destination and other bicycle routes. Applied at major street crossings, entry points to bicycle boulevard and at key junctions with other bicycle routes $ X None Pavement Markings Pavement markings identify the route as a bicycle boulevard to raise awareness of the designated route and to encourage new users. Shared lane markings also encourage bicyclists to position themselves properly in the roadway. Applied along extend of bicycle boulevard and at intersections where boulevard cross another bikeway or jogs to another street $ X None 2
Gateway Feature Gateway features add a sense of identity to a bicycle boulevard and increase public awareness and involvement with regards to bicycling. Examples of gateway elements include public art or bike counters with electronic displays that tally bicycle trips along the corridor. Applied at entry points or key points of interest along boulevard $$ X None Stop Signs on Side-Streets Stop signs increase cycling travel time and energy expenditure due to frequent starting and stopping. Unless operational or safety issues warrant installation of stop signs or other traffic control along boulevard through travel direction, stop signs should only be installed at side-street approaches along the corridor. This treatment may need to be coupled with traffic calming elements to mitigate increases in motor vehicle speeds/volumes. Applied at intersections along boulevard $ X X Some potential to increase motor vehicle delays 3
Speed Humps / Speed Tables Speed humps are typically 3-4 inches high and 12-14 feet in length, such that speeds are reduced to 15-20 mph. Speed tables have similar height, but are flat-topped and longer than speed humps with a typical length of 22 feet. operating speeds ranch from 25-30 mph where speed tables are installed. Gradual and longer speed tables are more comfortable for bicyclists to ride over and may be more acceptable to emergency service providers. ly installed in a series, spaced 300-500 feet apart along mid-block segments. Should be accompanied by signage and markings to warn motorists and bicyclists that they are approaching bumps. $ X Minor potential to shift vehicular traffic to parallel routes Neighborhood Circles Neighborhood traffic circles are raised islands circular islands placed at intersections that reduce vehicle speeds by narrowing the travel lane and requiring vehicles to maneuver around the center island. Neighborhood traffic circles typically replace stop signs, potentially reducing cyclist delay along the corridor. Designs need to consider emergency services and larger vehicles, such as school buses. Applied at intersections with minor streets along boulevard. Most commonly utilized where bicycle boulevard traffic currently has a STOP sign. Use at consecutive intersections will improve traffic calming effect. $$ X X X X Minor potential to shift vehicular traffic to parallel routes Some potential to reduce onstreet parking 4
Median Islands Short center islands can be applied along boulevard to reduce motor vehicle speeds by narrowing the travel lane and introducing a small amount of horizontal deflection. This treatment can also be installed in conjunction with pedestrian crossings to provide a median refuge island for pedestrians crossing boulevard. installation of median islands should consider locations where driveway access will not be blocked and where minor loss of on-street parking is acceptable. Can be applied mid-block or at intersections in conjunction with high-visibility crosswalk. Provides opportunity for landscaping and/or green street treatments. $$ X X X Some potential to reduce onstreet parking Chicanes Chicanes are a series of raised or delineated curb extensions on alternating sides of the street, creating a serpentine, horizontal shifting of the travel lanes along a roadway. This reduces motor vehicle speeds by requiring drivers to shift laterally through narrow travel lanes. Chicanes may be designed separated from the curb face to create a slot for bicycle bypass and/or to allow water to continue drainage along the gutter pan. Installation may require loss of onstreet parking. Applied over long stretches of straight roadway between intersections. Barriers, such as a raised median or delineators may be considered to prevent motorists from using center of roadway to avoid lateral shift. Provides opportunity for landscaping and/or green street treatments. $$ X Minor potential to shift vehicular traffic to parallel routes Moderate potential to reduce on-street parking 5
Diverters Diverters reduce or discourage motor vehicle through traffic along a bicycle boulevard by physically restricting certain movements along the route and/or at intersections. Diverters restrict through vehicle movements while providing a refuge for bicyclists to cross. By reducing motor vehicle through volumes, diverters improve bicycle and pedestrian comfort along the corridor while reinforcing bicycle priority. ly applied at intersections. Can be formed with raised curbs, medians, barrier placement and signage. Provides opportunity for landscaping and/or green street treatments. $$- $$$ X X X X X Increased potential to shift vehicular traffic to parallel routes Increased potential to impact ease of access to neighborhood These treatments should be implemented with consideration for emergency vehicles and neighborhood access. In addition, a traffic analysis should be conducted prior to implementation to assess anticipated diversion and potential traffic impacts on nearby streets. Partial and Full Street Closures Full or partial closures restrict motor vehicle traffic to two-way or one-way access at an intersection, while allowing full bicycle passage. Closures improve bicycle and pedestrian comfort along the corridor and reinforce bicycle priority with a continuous non-motorized route. These treatments should be implemented with consideration for emergency vehicles and neighborhood access. In addition, a traffic analysis should be conducted prior to implementation to assess anticipated diversion and potential traffic impacts on nearby streets. Applied at intersections. Can be formed with raised curbs, medians, barrier placement and signage. Provides opportunity for landscaping and/or green street treatments. $$- $$$ X X X X High potential to shift vehicular traffic to parallel routes High potential to impact ease of access to neighborhood 6
Bike Boxes Bicycle boxes provide a dedicated area at the head of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection that provides bicyclists with a safe and visible space to get ahead of queueing traffic during a red light. Bicycle boxes reduce intersection delays for bicyclists and reduce right-hook conflicts between bicyclists and motorists by increasing the visibility of bicyclists to drivers. Signal Improvements Several design elements can be considered to reduce delays and improve safety for bicyclists at signalized intersections. Signal timing and detection can be tailored to identify the presence of cyclists at an intersection approach and to allow sufficient clearance time to cross the intersection. Bicycle signal heads can also be utilized to facilitate dedicated bicycle signal phases to reduce conflicts with motor vehicle traffic. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon The Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (aka HAWK) is a pedestrian-activated warning device that may be used at a midblock crossing that lacks adequate gaps in traffic for safe pedestrian/bicycle crossing. The beacon head includes two red lenses above a single yellow lens. The beacon is dark until a pedestrian/ cyclist pushes the activation button, at which point it flashes yellow followed by a steady yellow. The signal is steady red during pedestrian/bicycle crossing phase, followed by a flashing red period where drivers may stop and proceed if the crossing is clear. Applied at signalized intersections where bicycle boulevard connects to other bicycle facilities. Use of green color increases visibility of bike box. Right turns on red must be prohibited. Applied at signalized intersections where boulevard connects to other bicycle facilities. Applied at major unsignalized crossings that lack adequate gaps in traffic for safe pedestrian and cyclist crossings where other signal warrants are not met. $ X Some potential to increase motor vehicle delays with elimination of right-turns on red $$- $$$ X X Some potential to increase motor vehicle delays $$$ X X Some potential to increase motor vehicle delays 7
Protected Bikeway (Cycle Track) While bicycle boulevards are typically developed on streets where insufficient width is available to provide a dedicated travelway for bicycles, there may be potential to explore opportunities along certain segments of the Broad Street Bicycle Boulevard to provide dedicated bicycle facilities, such as a protected bikeway, or cycle track, through reduction of on-street parking or lane modifications. A cycle track is an exclusive bike facility that has elements of a separated path and the on-street infrastructure of a bike lane. Cycle tracks are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic and distinct from the sidewalk. Cycle tracks may be one-way or two-way, and may be at street level or sidewalk level. Physical separation can be provided through a variety of design features, including raised curbs, on-street parking, delineator posts, bollards or planters. Applied at street segments where sufficient width exists to provide a dedicated travelway for bicyclists $$- $$$ X X Moderate potential to reduce on-street parking 8
Curb Extensions (Bulbouts) Curb extensions (also known as bulbouts ) extend the sidewalk or curb face into the parking lane at an intersection or mid-block location. This reduces the crossing distance for bicycles and pedestrians and visually narrows the roadway, which can have a traffic calming effect. High Visibility Crosswalks Enhanced crosswalk treatments can include elements such as highvisibility crosswalk markings (i.e. ladder-, zebra-, continental-style markings), advanced stop bars, and advance warning signs. These crossing treatments are more visible to approaching vehicles and have been shown to improve yielding behavior. Sidewalk Improvements Sidewalks play a vital role in facilitating pedestrian movement and access. Safe, accessible, continuous, and well-maintained sidewalks and curb ramps are necessary to provide an environment that encourages walking for people of all ages and abilities. Applied at intersections and mid-block crossings. Most effective at crossings when combined with high-visibility crosswalk. Provides opportunity for landscaping and/or green street treatments. Applied at intersections and mid-block crossings. Most effective when applied at intersections with significant pedestrian activity and/or where crossing safety concerns have been identified. Sidewalks applied continuously along roadway. ADA curb ramps utilized at intersection crossings. $ X X X Moderate potential to reduce on-street parking $ X X None $-$$ X X None 9
Street Lighting Improved street lighting on bicycle boulevards provides several benefits, including better visibility for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as perceived safety benefits for neighbors. Design and placement of street lighting should consider increased energy costs and potential impacts to neighbors. Applied continuously along boulevard, and/or at intersections and key crossing locations. $$- $$$ X X None Green Street Elements Bicycle boulevards often present an opportunity to integrate green street elements into new curb extensions, traffic circles, raised medians, diverters or other infrastructure. Green street elements may include street trees, bioswales, rain gardens or other landscaping/ plantings and provide benefits such as improved drainage, filtering of stormwater runoff, improved air quality, reduced heat island effect and a more pleasant and visually appealing environment for bicycling and walking. Can be applied continuously along boulevard or at specific locations within planting strips, traffic circles, curb extensions or diverters. $$ X X None 10