Pedestrian Facilities Design Guidance

Sidewalks and Walkways

Sidewalks and walkwaysare pedestrian lanes that provide people with space to travel within the public right-of-way that is separated from roadway vehicles. They also provide places for children to walk, run,skate, ride bikes, and play. Sidewalks are associated with significant reductionsin pedestrian collisions with motor vehicles. Such facilities also improve mobility forpedestrians and provide access for all types of pedestrian transportation.

While sidewalks are typically made of concrete, less expensive walkways may be constructed of asphalt, crushed stone, or other materials if they are properly maintained and accessible (firm, stable, and slip-resistant). Both FHWA and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) recommend a minimum width of 1.5 m (5 ft) for a sidewalk or walkway, which allows two people to pass comfortably or to walk side-by-side. Wider sidewalks should be installed near schools, at transit stops, in downtown areas, or anywhere high concentrations of pedestrians exist. Sidewalks should be continuous along both sides of a street and sidewalks should be fully accessible to all pedestrians, including those in wheelchairs.

A buffer zone of 4 to 6 feet is desirable and should be provided to separate pedestrians from the street. The buffer zone will vary according to the street type. In downtown or commercial districts, a street furniture zone is usually appropriate. Parked cars and/or bicycle lanes can provide an acceptable buffer zone. In more suburban or rural areas, a landscape strip is generally most suitable. Careful planning of sidewalks and walkways is important in a neighborhood or area in order to provide adequate safety and mobility. For example, there should be a flat sidewalk provided in areas where driveways slope to the roadway.

1. While continuous walkways are the goal, retrofitting areas without them will usually occur in phases. Lack of a seamless system is no excuse not to provide parts of the system.
2. In retrofitting streets that do not have a continuous or accessible system, locations near transit stops, schools, parks, public buildings, and other areas with high concentrations of pedestrians should be the highest priority.
3. Street furniture placement should not restrict pedestrian flow.

Curb Ramps

Curb ramps provide access between the sidewalk and roadway for people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, crutches, handcarts, bicycles, and also for pedestrians with mobility impairments who have trouble stepping up and down high curbs. Curb ramps must be installed at all intersections and midblock locations where pedestrian crossings exist, as mandated by federal legislation (1973 Rehabilitation Act and ADA1990). Curb ramps must have a slope of no more than 1:12 (must not exceed 25.4 mm/0.3 m (1 in/ft) or a maximum grade of 8.33 percent), and a maximum slope on any side flares of 1:10.

Where feasible, separate curb ramps for each crosswalk at an intersection should be provided rather than having a single ramp at a corner for both crosswalks. This provides improved orientation for visually impaired pedestrians. Similarly, tactile warnings will alert pedestrians to the sidewalk/street edge. All newly constructed and altered roadway projects must include curb ramps. In addition, all agencies should upgrade existing facilities.

For more information about curb ramp design, see refer to the accessibility guides in the beginning of this section.

Crosswalks

Marked crosswalks indicate optimal or preferred locations for pedestrians to cross and help designate right-of-way for motorists to yield to pedestrians. Crosswalks are often installed at signalized intersections and other selected locations. Various crosswalk marking patterns are given in the MUTCD. Marked crosswalks are desirable at some high pedestrian volume locations (often in conjunction with other measures) to guide pedestrians along a preferred walking path. In some cases, they can be raised and should often be installed in conjunction with other enhancements that physically reinforce crosswalks and reduce vehicle speeds.

Pedestrians are sensitive to out-of-the-way travel, and reasonable accommodation should be made to make crossings both convenient and safe at locations with adequate visibility.

Crosswalk Materials

It is important to ensure that crosswalk markings are visible to motorists, particularly at night. Crosswalks should not be slippery, create tripping hazards, or be difficult to traverse by those with diminished mobility or visual capabilities. Granite and cobblestones are examples of materials that are aesthetically pleasing, but may become slippery when wet or be difficult to cross by pedestrians who are blind or using wheelchairs. One of the best materials for marking crosswalks is inlay tape, which is installed on new or repaved streets. It is highly reflective, long-lasting, and slip-resistant, and does not require a high level of maintenance. Although initially more costly than paint, both inlay tape and thermoplastic are more cost-effective in the long run. Inlay tape is recommended for new and resurfaced pavement, while thermoplastic may be a better option on rougher pavement surfaces. Both inlay tape and thermoplastic are more visible and less slippery than paint when wet.

Other Considerations:

1. Crosswalk locations should be convenient for pedestrian access.
2. Crosswalk markings alone are unlikely to benefit pedestrian safety. Ideally, crosswalks should be used in conjunction with other measures, such as curb extensions, to improve the safety of a pedestrian crossing, particularly on multi-lane roads with average daily traffic (ADT) above about 10,000.
3. Marked crosswalks are important for pedestrians with vision loss.
4. Crosswalk markings must be placed to include the ramp so that a wheelchair does not have to leave the crosswalk to access the ramp.

Roadway Lighting Improvements

Good quality and placement of lighting can enhance an environment as well as increase comfort and safety. Pedestrians often assume that motorists can see them at night; they are deceived by their own ability to see the oncoming headlights. Without sufficient overhead lighting, motorists may not be able to see pedestrians in time to stop.

In commercial areas with nighttime pedestrian activity, streetlights and building lights can enhance the ambiance of the area and the visibility of pedestrians by motorists. It is best to place streetlights along both sides of arterial streets and to provide a consistent level of lighting along a road way. Nighttime pedestrian crossing areas may be supplemented with brighter or additional lighting. This includes lighting pedestrian crosswalks and approaches to the crosswalks.

Considerations

1. Ensure that pedestrian walkways and crosswalks are well lit.
2. Install lighting on both sides of wide streets and streets in commercial districts.
3. Use uniform lighting levels.

Street Furniture/Walking Environment

Sidewalks should be continuous and should be part of a system that provides access to goods, services, transit, and homes. Well-designed walking environments are enhanced by urban design elements and street furniture, such as benches, bus shelters, trash receptacles, and water fountains.

Sidewalks and walkways should be kept clear of poles, signposts, newspaper racks, and other obstacles that could block the path, obscure a driver’s view or pedestrian visibility, or become a tripping hazard. Benches, water fountains, bicycle parking racks, and other street furniture should be carefully placed to create an unobstructed path for pedestrians.

Walking areas should also be interesting for pedestrians and provide a secure environment. Storefronts should exist at street level and walking areas should be well lit and have good sightlines.

Considerations

1. Good-quality street furniture will show that the community values its public spaces and is more cost-effective in the long run.
2. Include plans for landscape irrigation and maintenance at the outset.
3. Ensure proper placement of furniture; do not block pedestrian walkway or curb ramps or create sightline problems.
4. Ensure adequacy of overhead clearances and detectability of protruding objects for pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired.

Roadway Design

Design and operational elements of the roadway affect the ability of pedestrians to safely and easily cross streets. A geometric element such as street width affects the time needed to cross the street, whereas an operational parameter like traffic direction (one-way vs. two-way) affects the number of potential conflicts between motorists and crossing pedestrians.

Roadway Narrowing

Multiple benefits of lower vehicle speeds, increased safety, and redistributing space to other users.

Roadway narrowing can be achieved in several different ways:

• Lane widths can be reduced (10 or 11 feet) and excess asphalt striped with a bicycle lane or shoulder.
• Travel lanes can be removed.
• On-street parking lanes can be added.
• Curbs can be moved to narrow the cross section and extend the width of sidewalks and landscape areas.

Considerations

1. Bicyclists must be safely accommodated. Bike lanes or wide curb lanes are needed if motor vehicle volumes and/or speeds are high.
2. Road narrowing must consider school bus and emergency service access, and truck volumes.
3. Evaluate whether narrowing may encourage traffic to divert to other local streets in the neighborhood.

Driveway Improvements

Several driveway designs may cause safety and access problems for pedestrians, including excessively wide and/or sloped driveways, driveways with large turning radii, multiple adjacent driveways, driveways that are not well defined, and driveways where motorist attention is focused on finding a gap in congested traffic. In addition, driveways without a level sidewalk landing may not comply with ADA standards.

Examples of driveway improvements include narrowing or closing driveways, tightening turning radii, converting driveways to right-in only or right-out only movements, and providing median dividers on wide driveways.

When driveways cross sidewalks, it is necessary to maintain a sidewalk level across the driveway of no more than 2 percent side slope. This is more usable for all pedestrians, especially those in wheelchairs, and makes it clear to motorists that they must watch for pedestrians. It is important to minimize large signs and bushes at driveways to improve the visibility between motorists and pedestrians. The sidewalk material should be maintained across the driveway as well.

Raised Medians

Medians are raised barriers in the center portion of the street or roadway that can serve as a place of refuge for pedestrians who cross a street midblock or at an intersection location. They may provide space for trees and other landscaping that, in turn, can help change the character of a street and reduce speeds. They also have benefits for motorist safety when they replace center turn lanes. Desired turning movements need to be carefully provided so that motorists are not forced to travel on inappropriate routes, such as residential streets, or make unsafe U-turns.

Continuous medians may not be the most appropriate treatment in every situation. In some cases, separating opposing traffic flow and eliminating left-turn friction can increase traffic speeds by decreasing the perceived friction of the roadway. They may also take up space that can be better used for wider sidewalks, bicycle lanes, landscaping buffer strips, or on-street parking and may cause problems for emergency vehicles. In some environments, medians can be constructed in sections, creating an intermittent rather than continuous median. Another good alternative device for two-, three- or four-lane roads is the crossing island, which provides a crossing refuge for pedestrians and, in some designs, aids in decreasing vehicle speeds.

Raised medians are most useful on high-volume, high-speed roads, and they should be designed to provide tactile cues for pedestrians with visual impairments to indicate the border between the pedestrian refuge area and the motorized vehicle roadway.

Considerations

• Ensure that there is enough room for wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and planting strips before proceeding with construction.
• Landscaping in medians should not obstruct the visibility between pedestrians and approaching motorists.
• Median crossings at midblock and intersection locations must be fully accessible by means of ramps or cut-throughs, with detectable warnings.

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