Road Space Reallocation
Roadway Design and Management To Support Transportation Alternatives
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Updated
22 July 2008
This chapter describes how roadway design and management practices can encourage more efficient transportation by providing more space for walking, cycling, ridesharing and public transit.
Road space is a valuable public resource. Roadway right-of-way is one of the most valuable assets owned by most municipal governments, and roadway design can have a significant effect on a community’s character and its transportation patterns. Conventional transport planning practices tend to devote most road space to general traffic lanes and automobile parking. Since automobiles are relatively space intensive and impose crash risk, noise and air pollution impacts on nonmotorized travel, motor vehicle traffic tends to “squeeze out” other modes of transport.
Road Space Reallocation involves shifting more road space to specific transportation activities, and managing roadways to encourage more efficient and equitable transportation. It is a method of Prioritizing transportation to favor higher value trips and lower cost modes. Road Space Reallocation can involve the following TDM strategies.
Road Space Reallocation can be particularly appropriate on congested roadways. A vehicle’s road space requirements increase with its size and speed (Congestion). Automobile transportation requires several times as much road space per passenger-mile than other modes, as indicated in Table 1 (also see Litman, 2001), so motorists impose far more congestion on other road users than people who travel by other modes. For this reason, it tends to be both more equitable and efficient to give priority to more space efficient modes on congested roads, so travelers who require less road space are not delayed by congestion as much as travelers who require less road space.
Table 1 Typical
Per-Person Travel Space Requirements (Land Use Evaluation)
|
|
Speed (mph) |
Standing/Parked (square feet) |
Traveling (square feet) |
|
Pedestrian |
3 |
5 |
20 |
|
Bicycle |
10 |
20 |
50 |
|
Bus Passenger |
30 |
20 |
75 |
|
Automobile |
30 |
400 |
1,500 |
|
Automobile |
60 |
400 |
5,000 |
This table compares typical space requirements for different modes of travel.
Since faster vehicles require more road space and impose greater impacts on nonmotorized travelers, Traffic Speed Management can be a form of road space allocation: reduced traffic speed frees up more road space for alternative modes.
Research summarized by Cairns, Akins and Goodwin (2001) indicates that under certain conditions, reducing the amount of road space allocated to automobile traffic does not increase traffic congestion, and that it can help achieve a variety of transportation improvement objectives. This research found that reducing roadway capacity tends to reduce total vehicle traffic: travelers respond by shifting when and how they travel, and their destinations.
Many congested urban arterials have on-street parking lanes. In such situations, Road Space Reallocation involves trade-offs between convenient automobile parking and improved mobility by alternative modes. Reallocating this road space to transit, HOV or cycling lanes, or increased sidewalk space can help achieve equity and efficiency objectives by improving mobility options for non-drivers and encouraging travelers to shift from automobile to more space-efficient modes such as transit, ridesharing, cycling and walking, particularly since automobile parking can be provided off-street or on nearby streets. However, local interests (particularly merchants with shops located on an arterial) often lobby to maintain on-street parking.
In addition, prioritization can support other planning
objectives, such as creating better public spaces for commercial activities,
social interactions and aesthetic features
An lobbying effort called Complete The Streets (www.completestreets.org) promotes the concept of insuring that all (or at least most) streets accommodate all modes, including walking, cycling and motor vehicles. This program argues that nonmotorized modes deserve more consideration in roadway design and roadspace allocation.
Road Space Reallocation is usually implemented as part of a local or regional transportation planning process. It may include adopting HOV Priority policies, New Urbanist street design standards, and Nonmotorized Planning programs. Institutional Reforms may be required to achieve these changes, for example, allow funding to be shifted from general lanes to HOV or bicycle lanes, or sidewalks.
Roadway design affects transportation activities in many ways. Reallocating road space can encourage the use of alternative modes and create more accessible land use patterns.
Table 2 Travel Impact Summary
|
Objective |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Reduces total traffic. |
2 |
Depends on the specific
strategies employed. |
|
Reduces peak period
traffic. |
2 |
|
|
Shifts peak to off-peak
periods. |
0 |
|
|
Shifts automobile travel to
alternative modes. |
3 |
|
|
Improves access, reduces
the need for travel. |
2 |
|
|
Increased ridesharing. |
3 |
|
|
Increased public transit. |
3 |
|
|
Increased cycling. |
3 |
|
|
Increased walking. |
3 |
|
|
Increased Telework. |
0 |
|
|
Reduced freight traffic. |
0 |
|
Rating from 3 (very
beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Road Space Reallocation can encourage the use of alternative
modes and create a more efficient transportation system, and so can help
achieve all TDM objectives. Research by
Table 3 Benefit Summary
|
Objective |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Congestion Reduction |
2 |
|
|
Road & Parking Savings |
2 |
|
|
Consumer Savings |
2 |
|
|
Transport Choice |
2 |
|
|
Road Safety |
2 |
|
|
Environmental Protection |
2 |
|
|
Efficient Land Use |
3 |
|
|
Community Livability |
3 |
|
Rating from 3 (very
beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Road Space Reallocation has a variety of equity impacts. It increases safety and accessibility for some types of travel, but can reduce speeds for others. Road Space Reallocation gives priority to efficient modes, which increases horizontal equity: travelers that impose less congestion on others bear less congestion delay. Current road design and management practices result in transit and rideshare passengers being delayed by traffic congestion equally with single occupant automobile passengers, although they require less road space per passenger-mile and so impose less congestion on other road users.
Similarly, current transportation planning practices can be considered unfair to people who walk or bicycle, who bear transportation costs, but receive less benefit than motorists. Road Space Reallocation that favors nonmotorized modes can increase horizontal equity by allowing people who impose lower costs (road space, parking requirements, crash risk and environmental impacts) to have a greater share of public resources than they do now.
Table 4 Equity Summary
|
Criteria |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Treats everybody equally. |
-1 |
Benefits some people, but
disadvantages others. |
|
Individuals bear the costs
they impose. |
2 |
Allocates more road space
to space efficient modes. |
|
Progressive with respect to
income. |
3 |
Improves travel by modes
used by low-income people: transit, ridesharing, cycling and walking. |
|
Benefits transportation
disadvantaged. |
3 |
Improves travel by modes
used by disadvantaged people: transit, ridesharing, cycling and walking. |
|
Improves basic mobility. |
3 |
Prioritizes travel to favor
basic access trips. |
Rating from 3 (very
beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Road Space Reallocation can be implemented at various scales, but tends to be most important in urban areas where there is adequate demand for alternative modes, and traffic and parking congestion problems are significant.
Table 5 Application Summary
|
Geographic |
Rating |
Organization |
Rating |
|
Large urban region. |
1 |
Federal government. |
0 |
|
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. |
1 |
|
Residential neighborhood. |
3 |
Developer. |
1 |
|
Resort/recreation area. |
3 |
Neighborhood association. |
2 |
|
College/university
communities. |
3 |
Campus. |
3 |
Ratings range from 0 (not
appropriate) to 3 (very appropriate).
Incentive to Use Alternative Modes
Road Space Reallocation supports Transit, Ridesharing, Cycling, Walking, Universal Design, HOV Priority, Freight Transport Management, Traffic Calming, Parking Management and Tourist Transport Management. It is supported by transportation planning reforms (Prioritizing Transportation, Access Management, Comprehensive Transportation Planning, Institutional Reforms, Least Cost Planning and Context Sensitive Design). It tends to support land use management objectives, including New Urbanism, Street Reclaiming and Smart Growth.
Road Space Reallocation is implemented through planning that often includes provincial/state departments of transportation, local and regional transportation and planning authorities and traffic engineers.
There may be opposition to reallocating road space from automobile associations, and public officials accustomed to current roadway design and management practices. There may be opposition from people who consider current practices most equitable, and shifting resources to alternative modes to be unfair. There may be institutional barriers to overcome, including planning and funding practices that favor automobile use, such as dedicated highway funding that is unavailable for other types of facilities.
|
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penny for your thoughts,” she whispered in his ear. “It's
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for only $46.50!” |
The UK Government’s Transport White Paper ‘A New Deal for Transport: Better for
Everyone’ signalled a change in the policy framework within which roadspace
can be reallocated and highlighted how in appropriate cases roadspace can be
used to accommodate, even facilitate, the renaissance of urban areas. Indeed,
the Government, in its recent ‘Guidance
on Provisional Local Transport Plans’, has indicated that it is now keen to
“encourage local authorities to take a
radical look at the options” for reallocating roadspace (paragraph
49).
In addition, the potential road traffic reduction
impacts of novel capacity reallocation measures such as High Occupancy Vehicle
(HOV) Lanes and No-Car Lanes may also warrant further investigation. However, at a more general level, it is clear
that the reallocation of roadspace will form a crucial element in any strategy
for road traffic reduction. There are two important reasons for this. Firstly,
by reallocating road space to buses, pedestrians and cyclists, road capacity
released by the restraint of certain car-based trips (for example, through road
user charging) will be prevented from being taken up by suppressed demand,
which is known to exist on large parts of London’s congested highway network.
Secondly, it is likely that significant increases in vehicle speed may occur in
areas where road user charging schemes are implemented.
For example, the previous Government’s London
Congestion Charging Research Programme found that if a high level (£8.00 per
day, one-way) road user charge was introduced in
During the consultation exercise on the draft
Supplementary Advice, a number of concerns were raised, particularly in Outer
London, that a reduction in general highway capacity on the secondary network
through the reallocation of roadspace to buses, pedestrians and cyclists, could
result in the transfer of traffic onto local residential roads. Whilst this may occur in certain circumstances,
if roadspace reallocation is co-ordinated with traffic calming measures on
neighbouring local roads, the problem should be avoided in most cases. Of relevance to this, research carried out
jointly for the DETR and London Transport in 1998 into the ‘Traffic Impact of Highway Capacity
Reductions’ (Summary Report) found that “the negative effects of reducing capacity exist, but are, on balance,
less significant than has sometimes been feared” (paragraph 4.1.1). The report concludes that “measures which reduce or reallocate road
capacity, when well-designed and favoured by strong reasons of policy, need not
automatically be rejected for fear that they must inevitably cause unacceptable
congestion” (paragraph 4.1.5).
Traditionally, traffic-signal
optimization refers to the efforts being made to improve
motor-vehicular-traffic flow. However, the optimization philosophy for
By performing a thorough
review of pedestrian intervals, the newly implemented time for pedestrians to
cross the streets increased by an average of over four seconds per crossing. To
further improve pedestrian operations, an exclusive all-red phase and
additional pedestrian overlaps were implemented at selective locations. Among
other multi-modal improvements, new vehicular clearances were implemented to
enhance traffic safety; “Walk” intervals were increased at selective bike
crossings to improve the bicycle flow; an additional left-turn phase was added
and the offsets were specially designed near the metro stations to improve bus
flow; and time-of-day lead/lag operations were implemented to improve the peak
directional traffic flow. Despite the increases in clearance intervals, efforts
were made to maintain the historically low cycle lengths in
The
speed-up programme concentrated on three separate objectives:
· Unhindered trips between
junctions, without hold-ups caused by private traffic, to be achieved by
building special (tram) lines and separate bus lanes.
· Zero' waiting time for
public transport at light-controlled junctions, by developing a fully flexible
control philosophy.
· Extension of the
data-controlled operational control system, so that the operational control
centre is always informed about deviations from the timetable and other
programmes, and can remedy the situations or help by putting
previously-designed measures into effect.
The
city of
Traffic
restraint measures in the city center appear to have increased economic
activity for many businesses, particularly those involved in light retail and
tourist activities. Other businesses opposed the changes. Some of their
objections appear warranted (their business activity declined) but others were excessively negative in their
reactions, giving customers an impression that access to their shops would be
far more difficult than it really is (customers are allowed to access most city
businesses by car, they simply cannot drive through the town).
Strategic
land use policies, for the sub-region within which
A
legislative study of HOV facilities in
A survey of more than 1,000 drivers and pedestrians
traveling to a commercial street in central
The
British government has developed policies to allow highway authorities to
designate streets as “home zones,” residential streets with limited traffic
speeds. Within these zones, street activity, including play, will be lawful.
Design speeds will be less than 20mph - probably 10mph. Signs will be posted at
the area edges to indicate their special status. Designs will include shared
surfaces (no curbs), landscaping and play equipment. The federal government
will distribute funding to local agencies for planning and implementation.
Several sets of roads in
In
On PARK(ing) Day people transform parking spots into small parks. PARK(ing) Day seeks to create awareness about the need for more open spaces in cities and challenge the way people think about how streets are used. These places where cars would sit all day became active places of recreation, interaction and play. PARK(ing) Day seeks to create awareness about the need for more open spaces in cities and challenge the way people think about how streets are used.
The
Swiss federal government has established “Begegnungszonen” (Strolling Zones),
which is a downtown commercial street that is operated as a pedestrian zone,
where lanes are narrow and cars must travel at a low speed. This concept has
proven popular with residents and businesses, and is being implemented in more
than 20 communities in
Every Sunday more than 70
miles of Bogota, Columbia streets are closed to motor vehicle traffic so
residents can walk, bike, run, skate, recreate, picnic, and visit with family,
neighbors & strangers. Nearly 1.8 million Colombians use the Ciclovia and
Recreovia to de-stress, get healthy, and connect personally with their fellow
citizens. Young or old, rich or poor, pedestrian or cyclist - in Bogotá
everyone loves the Ciclovia. This program encourages share living, civility and
urbanism.
Rahman Paul Barter and Tamim Raad (2000), Taking
Steps: A Community Action Guide to People-Centred, Equitable and Sustainable
Urban Transport, Sustainable Transport Action Network for
Jim Beamguard (1999), “Packing Pavement,” Tampa Tribune (www.swt.org/share/bguard.html). Photos and article compare the amount of road space used by transit patrons, motorists and cyclists.
Eric Bruun and Vukan Vuchic (1995), “Time-Area Concept: Development, Meaning, and Applications,” Transportation Research Record 1499, TRB (www.trb.org), pp. 95-100.
Dan Burden (1999), Street Design Guidelines for Healthy Neighborhoods, Center for Livable Communities, Local Government Commission (www.lgc.org/clc).
Dan Burden (2000), Streets And Sidewalks, People And Cars: The Citizens' Guide To Traffic Calming, Center for Livable Communities, (www.lgc.org/publications/center/clcpubs.html).
Dan Burden and Peter Lagerway (1999), Road Diets Free Millions for New Investment, Walkable Communities (www.walkable.org). This discusses Traffic Calming projects on arterials.
Stephen Burrington and Veronika Thiebach (1995), Take Back Your Streets; How to Protect Communities from Asphalt and Traffic, Conservation Law Foundation (www.clf.org). Guide provides justifications and information on implementing Traffic Calming.
Sally
Sally
Sally
Sally
Center for Livable Communities, which is part of the Local Government Commission (www.lgc.org/clc), provides practical tools for innovative land use and transportation planning.
Center for Urban
Transportation Research, USF (
Citizen Planner Institute (www.citizenplanner.com) trains average citizens, public officials, business people, and kids in the basics of neighborhood and town design.
CIVITAS (www.civitas-initiative.org) is a European Commission supported initiative to help introduce sustainable urban transport strategies.
CNU, Narrow Streets database, Congress for the New Urbanism (www.sonic.net/abcaia/narrow.htm).
Tina Collier and Ginger Goodin (2004), Managed Lanes: A Cross-Cutting Study, Operations Office of Transportation Management, Federal Highway Administration (http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/managed_lanes/index.htm).
Complete Streets (www.completestreets.org) is a campaign to promote roadway designs that accommodate multiple modes and support local planning objectives.
Comsis Corporation (1993), Implementing Effective Travel Demand Management Measures: Inventory of
Measures and Synthesis of Experience, USDOT and
Congress for the New Urbanism (www.cnu.org), provides a variety of information on innovative urban design. The CNU Narrow Streets Database (www.sonic.net/abcaia/narrow.htm) describes more flexible zoning codes being implemented in various communities.
CORDIS (1999), Best Practice to Promote Cycling and Walking and How to Substitute Short Car Trips by Cycling and Walking, CORDIS Transport RTD Program, European Union (www.cordis.lu/transport/src/adonisrep.htm).
DEA & Associates (1999),
(www.lcd.state.or.us/tgm/publications.htm).
DfT (2006), Manual for Streets, Department for Transport (www.manualforstreets.org.uk). Provides guidance to practitioners on effective street design.
David Engwicht (1999), Street Reclaiming; Creating Livable Streets and Vibrant Communities, New Society Publishers (www.newsociety.com); summarized at www.lesstraffic.com.
Reid
FHWA, Management and Operations Toolbox, (http://plan2op.fhwa.dot.gov/toolbox/toolbox.htm) provides information and techniques for evaluating transportation systems management strategies.
Meyer Hillman (2001), A Continuous Pedestrian Network, Walking the 21st Century (www.dpi.wa.gov.au/metro/gettingthere/walking/pdfs/K1.pdf).
Herman Huang and Michael Cynecki (2001), The Effects of Traffic Calming Measures on Pedestrian and Motorist Behavior, Federal Highway Administration, FHWA RD-00-104 (www.walkinginfo.org/rd/for_ped.htm#calm).
Information and Publicity Helping the Objective of Reducing Motorized Mobility (INPHORMM) (www.wmin.ac.uk/Env/UDP/phorm/inphormm.htm) is an organization that supports TDM marketing efforts.
The
ITE (1997), A Toolbox for Alleviating Traffic
Congestion and Enhancing Mobility,
Robert Johnston,
Jay Lund and Paul P. Craig (2005), “Capacity-Allocation Methods for Reducing
Urban Traffic Congestion,” Journal of Transportation Engineering,
Vol. 121, No. 1, January
1995, pp. 27-39.
Todd Litman (2000), Transportation Land Valuation; Evaluating Policies and Practices that Affect the Amount of Land Devoted to Transportation Facilities, Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org).
Todd Litman (2001), Evaluating Transportation Land Use Impacts, Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org).
Elizabeth MacDonald (2006), “
Managed Lanes Initiative (http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/managed_lanes/index.htm), sponsored by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, provides information on various strategies for managing highway lanes to improve their performance.
Stephen Marshall (2003), “The Street: Integrating Transport and Urban Environment,” Handbook of Transport and the Environment, Elsevier (www.elsevier.com), pp. 771-786.
Jon Obenberger (2004), “Managed Lanes,” Public Roads, Federal Highway Administration (www.fhwa.dot.gov), Nov./Dec. 2004, pp. 48-55.
OECD (1995), Urban Travel and Sustainable Development, OECD (www.oecd.org), pp. 114-115.
R. Ott (1995), “Conurbation Transport Policy in
Richard H. Pratt (1999), “HOV Facilities,” Traveler Response to Transportation System Changes, Interim Handbook, TCRP Web Document 12 (www4.nationalacademies.org/trb/crp.nsf/all+projects/tcrp+b-12), DOT-FH-11-9579.
A. Wasim Raja and Michael Packard (2006), Multi-modal Traffic Signal Optimization – It’s Not Only About Vehicular Traffic, ITE Annual Meeting (www.ite.org).
Jennifer A. Rosales (2007), “President's Award for Merit in Transportation
Engineering: Road Diet Handbook,” ITE
Journal (www.ite.org), Vol. 77, No. 11, November 2007, pp. 26-41.
Schaller Consulting
(2006), Curbing Cars: Shopping, Parking
and Pedestrian Space in
USEPA (2002), Transportation Control Measures Program Information Directory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (http://yosemite.epa.gov/aa/tcmsitei.nsf). This is an on-line searchable database with approximately 120 case studies of programs that reduce transportation pollution emissions.
World Bank (2000), Cities on the Move; A World Bank Urban Transport Strategy Review, World Bank, Urban Transport Section (http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/transport/utsr.nsf).
WSDOT (2001), Managed Lanes Feasibility Study, Washington State Department of Transportation, (www.wsdot.wa.gov/mobility/managed).
Walkable Communities (www.walkable.org) helps create people-oriented environments.
Asha Weinstein and Elizabeth Deakin, “How Local Jurisdictions Finance Traffic Calming Projects,” Transportation Quarterly, Vol. 53, No. 3, Summer 1999, pp. 75-87.
Thomas Welch (2001), The Conversion of Four-Lane Undivided Urban Roadways to Three-Lane Facilities, Transportation Research Board Circular E-C019: Urban Street Symposium (www.trb.org).
This
Encyclopedia is produced by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute to help
improve understanding of Transportation Demand Management. It is an ongoing
project. Please send us your comments and suggestions for improvement.
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
www.vtpi.org info@vtpi.org
Phone & Fax 250-360-1560
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