Streetscape Improvements
Enhancing Urban Roadway Design
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TDM
Encyclopedia
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
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Updated
August 27, 2007
This chapter discusses various ways to improve urban streetscapes to support more multi-modal transportation and create more attractive and accessible communities.
Description
Streetscape refers to urban roadway design and conditions as they impact street users and nearby residents. Streetscapes are an important component of the public realm (public spaces where people often interact), which help define a community’s transport conditions, activities, aesthetic quality and identity.
Streetscaping (programs to improve streetscape conditions) can include changes to the road cross section, traffic management, sidewalk conditions, landscaping, street furniture (utility poles, benches, garbage cans, etc.), building fronts and materials specifications. It also involves improving signage (AIGA, 2005; Muhlhausen, 2005).
Figures 1 & 2 Streetscape
Improvements,
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Before improvements. (Courtesy of Paul Zykofsky) |
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After streetscape improvements which include more parking, fewer traffic lanes, wider sidewalks, and landscaping. |
Streetscape can have a significant effect on how people perceive and interact with their community. If streetscapes are safe and inviting to pedestrians, people are more likely to walk which can help reduce automobile traffic, improve public health, stimulate local economic activity, and attract residents and visitors to a community.
Urban roadways have diverse functions. Streets accommodate automobile, public transit traffic, bicycle and pedestrian traffic; provide access to adjacent buildings and other destinations; provide space for commercial and recreational activities; and function as linear parks. Streetscaping therefore must account for various impacts and balance various planning objectives.
Streetscaping can help create more diverse transportation systems and more accessible communities by improving nonmotorized travel conditions, creating more attractive urban environments, and integrating special design features such as Pedestrian Improvements, Cycling Improvements, Traffic Calming, HOV Priority and Road Space Reallocation. Streetscaping is an important component of New Urbanism, Transit Oriented Development, and other efforts to redevelop urban areas. It often includes wider sidewalks, bicycle lanes, bus pullouts, and improved on-street parking design.
Figures 3 & 4 Streetscape
Improvements,
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Before improvements. (Courtesy of Greg Tung) |
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After streetscape improvements which include fewer traffic lanes, building improvements, sidewalk improvements, street trees, and landscaping. |
How It Is Implemented
Streetscaping is often implemented as part of urban redevelopment efforts (New Urbanism) and Road Diets, which are arterial Traffic Calming projects (Burden and Lagerway, 1999; CTRE, 2006). They may be implemented on a single block, along a street, or for an entire district. Streetscape improvements can often be integrated as part of other roadway maintenance and building construction projects. For example, a community can establish design standards or guidelines that will be applied as part of scheduled construction work. Some streetscaping can be implemented as part of special programs, such as a parks program to plan trees along a roadway, or pedestrian facility improvements.
Streetscape improvements can also be incorporated into subdivision and roadway design standards, for example, by encouraging or requiring shorter blocks, wider sidewalks, bikelanes, narrower streets, landscaping, and other features that improve Accessibility, Walkability and aesthetics.
Streetscaping may be initiated by a community visioning or planning process which established guidelines for streetscape design. Implementation may involve special published guidelines, plans and funding for streetscape improvements on a particular street or in an area.
Travel Impacts
Travel impacts vary depending on the type of streetscape improvements. By itself, streetscaping tends to have modest impacts, but its effects may be large if implemented as part of an overall program to improve alternative modes (Nonmotorized and Transit) and encourage more Compact, infill development. Shade trees and improved Security may also encourage more walking. Traffic Calming and Road Space Reallocation can reduce automobile traffic volumes and speeds. Streetscaping that improves urban environments can support Smart Growth, which can result in more Diverse transportation systems and Accessible land use patterns.
Table 1 Travel Impact Summary
|
Objective |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Reduces total traffic. |
1 |
Improves walking &
cycling conditions, and supports more compact development. |
|
Reduces peak period
traffic. |
1 |
|
|
Shifts peak to off-peak
periods. |
0 |
|
|
Shifts automobile travel to
alternative modes. |
2 |
|
|
Improves access, reduces the
need for travel. |
2 |
|
|
Increased ridesharing. |
0 |
|
|
Increased public transit. |
1 |
|
|
Increased cycling. |
1 |
|
|
Increased walking. |
2 |
|
|
Increased Telework. |
0 |
|
|
Reduced freight traffic. |
0 |
|
Rating from 3 (very
beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Benefits and Costs
Streetscape Improvements can provide a variety of economic, social and environmental benefits.
· Improved Walking
and Cycling conditions, and therefore increased nonmotorized
travel.
· Increased traffic safety due
to narrower streets and slower traffic (Traffic Calming).
· More compact, mixed, infill
development (New Urbanism).
· Improved Community
Livability, interaction and cohesion.
· Increased property values.
· Improved transport and
access for non-drivers, and support Universal Design.
· Improved public Health due to increased walking and cycling.
Streetscaping
that reduces traffic speeds and improves pedestrian crossing conditions can
significantly reduce collisions. Stout, et al (2006) found that
conversion of four-lane undivided roadways to three-lane cross-sections in
typical
Table 2 Road Diet Crash Reduction
Impacts (
|
Roadway Location |
Date Change |
ATD Before |
ADT After |
Collision Reduction |
|
|
April 1995 |
11,872 |
12,427 |
24 to 10 (58%) |
|
|
December 1972 |
19,421 |
20,274 |
45 to 23 (49%) |
|
Ballard Area |
January 1994 |
10,549 |
11,858 |
18 to 7 (61%) |
|
|
January 1994 |
12,336 |
13,161 |
15 to 6 (60%) |
|
Queen Ann Area |
June 1991 |
13,606 |
14,949 |
19 to 16 (59%) |
|
NW 85th to NW 65th |
October 1995 |
9,727 |
9,754 |
14 to 10 (28%) |
This table summaries the crash reduction effects of road diets on
major arterials in
Costs include the additional expenses associated with more detailed planning, design and amenities (sidewalks, transit, public spaces), and extra development costs associated with construction within existing urban areas.
Table 3 Benefit Summary
|
Objective |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Congestion Reduction |
1 |
Improves walking &
cycling conditions, and supports more compact development. |
|
Road & Parking Savings |
1 |
|
|
Consumer Savings |
1 |
|
|
Transport Choice |
2 |
|
|
Road Safety |
2 |
Improves walking & cycling conditions and often includes traffic calming. |
|
Environmental Protection |
2 |
|
|
Efficient Land Use |
2 |
|
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Community Livability |
3 |
|
Rating from 3 (very
beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Equity Impacts
Streetscape improvement equity impacts vary depending on specific design features and conditions. They tend to improve walking and cycling conditions, and incorporate Universal Design features, and therefore improve mobility for people who are transportation disadvantaged.
Table 4 Equity Summary
|
Criteria |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Treats everybody equally. |
0 |
|
|
Individuals bear the costs
they impose. |
0 |
|
|
Progressive with respect to
income. |
1 |
Improves walking and
cycling, and therefore pubic transit transport. |
|
Benefits transportation
disadvantaged. |
2 |
" |
|
Improves basic mobility. |
2 |
" |
Rating from 3 (very
beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Applications
Streetscape improvements tend to be applied most in urban areas and downtown areas where there are many pedestrians. They are generally implemented by local governments and developers.
Table 5 Application Summary
|
Geographic |
Rating |
Organization |
Rating |
|
Large urban region. |
2 |
Federal government. |
1 |
|
High-density, urban. |
3 |
State/provincial
government. |
1 |
|
Medium-density,
urban/suburban. |
2 |
Regional government. |
2 |
|
Town. |
2 |
Municipal/local government. |
3 |
|
Low-density, rural. |
1 |
Business Associations/TMA. |
3 |
|
Commercial center. |
3 |
Individual business. |
3 |
|
Residential neighborhood. |
2 |
Developer. |
3 |
|
Resort/recreation area. |
3 |
Neighborhood association. |
3 |
|
College/university
communities. |
2 |
Campus. |
2 |
Ratings range from 0 (not
appropriate) to 3 (very appropriate).
Category
Improves Transportation Options and Land Use
Relationships With Other TDM Strategies
Streetscape Improvements supports and is supported by other urban redevelopment strategies, including New Urbanism, Smart Growth, Transit-Oriented Development, Context Sensitive Design, Location-Efficient Development, Traffic Calming, Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements, Universal Design, Road Space Reallocation, and Parking Management. It is one of the most effective TDM strategies for improving Community Livability.
Stakeholders
Streetscape improvements are generally implemented by local governments and developers. Neighborhood associations, business associations and developers are also important stakeholders with regard to many specific New Urbanist policies and projects.
Barriers To Implementation
Existing zoning laws and development policies often discourage or prohibit Streetscape Improvements. There is sometimes local resistance to traffic calming and more compact development.
Best Practices
· As much as possible, design every street to be a linear park, with wide sidewalks and other pedestrian amenities, landscaping, shade trees, street furniture, bike lanes, well-planned connections with public paths, attractive buildings, and other destinations.
· Use quality materials for street surfaces and furniture.
· Educate planners and
developers about street design principles.
· Encourage cooperation
between public and private decision makers to improve streetscapes.
· Foster “walkable” street
designs.
|
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