Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Saturday, December 07, 2024

US DOT releases Climate Strategies that Work

-- US DOT releases Climate Strategies that Work

There are four sections:

  • Active Transportation
  • Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
  • Freight Operational Strategies
  • Transit-Oriented Development
Active Transportation

Pedestrian infrastructure
  • Curb extensions (also known as Bulb-outs) 
  • Landscaping, Street Furniture, and Shade Quality
  • continuous, wide sidewalks
  • Tactile wayfinding systems to assist visually impaired travelers 
  • Signalized, high visibility pedestrian crossings with Audible and Visual Countdowns 
  • Mid-block/refugee islands 
  • Bicycle/pedestrian bridges 
  • Pedestrian Zones/Pedestrian Streets 
  • Woonerf or “Living Street” (Characterized by shared spaces where vehicles are allowed but must yield to non-motorized users, woonerfs encourage slower speeds and foster community interaction)
I think the US is too car centric for woonerfs to work.  And with Pedestrian Zones we think too hard.  Focus on a section of a street, a place that can be very successful, and build from the there.  I think Shade Quality should be a separate item.  In the bike section they mention "bike ambassadors, capacity building, and community riders." This goes for the pedestrian section too.  

Bicycle/scooter/micromobility infrastructure
  • Protected or shared bike lanes 
  • Separation/buffers Intersection treatments for bicycles (bicycle boxes, stop bars, lead signal indicators) 
  • Wayfinding and Signage 
  • Secure parking and storage facilities 
  • Bike Share Programs 
  • Bike Repair/Tool Stations 
  • Bike Rebates and Tax Credits 
  • Bike Schools, Bike Ambassadors and Capacity Building 
  • Community Rides 
  • Ramps Bike Racks
They mention secure parking and storage facilities.  This can't be emphasized enough  What's needed is a much deeper network of secure bicycle parking, especially with the rise of e-biking, where e-bikes are much more expensive.  They fail to mention more specific assistance programs to assist people in transitioning from car dependence to bicycling.

Shared infrastructure
  • Lighting 
  • Workplace or destination-based facilities / supportive infrastructure (lockers, changing facilities, secure parking) 
  • Traffic calming
  • Integration with Transit
Lighting is really important.  So are end of trip facilities for work trips. WRT traffic calming, in the citizen initiative capital projects program a resident of Sugar House developed a proposal for a multi block traffic calming program.  Salt Lake has since made the district concept part of the Liveable Streets program.  I also have the concept of treating streets in particular intersections as networks too.

And Safe Routes to School programs.  I am especially impressed by the approaches of the State of Washington, City of Tacoma, the Feet First advocacy group in Seattle, etc.

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