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Sample Pedestrian Plans
Site plans
- Fort Collins, CO: Pedestrian Safety at Intersections and Crosswalks (2005)
- This document by Safe Walk Fort Collins examines current conditions at intersections and crosswalks and provides guidelines for future installation of these facilities. This paper is part of a greater campaign to improve pedestrian safety in Fort Collins and to advance the needs and desires of those who choose to walk.
- Portland, OR: Portland International Airport Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (2003)
- The Portland International Airport developed this plan to help provide better pedestrian and bicycle access to the airport. The plan looks at the current network of pedestrian and bicycle facilities in and around the airport in order to provide the greatest accessibility for non-motorized modes of transportation. The document contains policies, strategies, and maps.
Local plans
- Bellevue, WA: Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plan Update (1999)
- This is a policy-oriented document that aims to revise the 30-year plan. It presents key issues that have appeared during the implementation of pedestrian facilities, proving to be a helpful resource for localities considering such improvements. The document emphasizes the importance of maintenance policies. It supplies an organized, informative table that contains description, justification, cost, priority, and jurisdiction of projects.
- Boulder, CO: Transportation Master Plan (2003)
- Pedestrian planning is fully integrated into the Boulder, CO Transportation Master Plan. The plan outlines modal split targets of 15 percent by bike and 24 percent by foot by 2020 and offers a variety of resources to transportation officials seeking to increase pedestrian travel.
- Cambridge, MA: Pedestrian Plan (2000)
- This is a beautiful and creative plan that addresses safety and walkability. It begins with general pedestrian issues and then moves on to specific action in Cambridge. The analysis tools include census data and an examination of the pedestrian environment. The plan separates pedestrian design guidelines from roadway issues and vehicular movements, allowing for the safety issues to be addressed from different, independent viewpoints. For the pedestrian improvements specific to Cambridge, the plan classifies the city into nodes, spines, and other areas pedestrians are most likely use. It then presents needed actions to improve the space.
- Chapel Hill, NC: Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan (2004)
- This is a concise, general plan that provides a foundation for future pedestrian planning. The plan contains information on policies and guidelines that should be used in planning for future pedestrian needs. It discusses how to encourage pedestrian movement, highlighting characteristics and influences on pedestrian travel. The plan reinforces design guidelines from previous studies and establishes local standards for streets. Finally, it addresses the role of the state, MPO, university and private developers in the identification of projects and funding process.
- Denver, CO: Pedestrian Master Plan (2004)
- The plan establishes a city-wide pedestrian network. It uses a detailed development process that incorporates existing conditions assessment, existing plans, GIS studies, public involvement, and policy review. Development of the plan included two rounds of public workshops and input from an inter-agency advisory team. The plan uses GIS analysis to measure potential pedestrian activity by locating concentrations of pedestrian destinations; GIS allows for a systematic strategy for building, improving, and maintaining the pedestrian infrastructure. The plan prioritizes projects with a scoring system and provides several funding sources.
- Madison, WI: Pedestrian Transportation Plan (1997)
- This plan dedicates a significant section to the history and importance of pedestrian planning, as well as "thinking like a pedestrian." It includes a hypothetical walking tour of photographs that reveal possible locations for pedestrian improvements. It incorporates planning, design, and maintenance into long-term goals and objectives. The plan emphasizes the importance of education and encouragement of pedestrian travel as integral to the success of pedestrian transportation.
- Marina, CA: Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan (2003)
- This plan contains a clear outline and discussion of goals and action strategies. It offers a comprehensive street inventory and assessment of deficiencies. The plan suggests changes to the pedestrian environment and sets guidelines for different size roadways. It uses several graphic examples, describes design details, and mentions proper placement to enhance the walking environment.
- Oakland, CA: Pedestrian Master Plan (2002)
- The plan is a fine example of how to examine census information and pedestrian collision data, showing graphs on speed, location, time of day, age, etc. The development of the plan involved an extensive community outreach process with technical and citizen advisory team, as well as neighborhood meetings. The plan identifies a pedestrian route system through the city from the specified criteria and then focuses improvements in those areas first. It contains comprehensive descriptions and graphics of design details and provides a detailed implementation plan with prioritization and cost of individual projects.
- Phoenix, AZ: Pedestrian Plan 2000 (1999)
- The Maricopa Association of Governments plan promotes the accommodation of pedestrian travel throughout the low-density, automobile-oriented Phoenix metropolitan area. It uses a two-step process in creating roadway design guidelines: (1) the Latent Demand Model estimates potential pedestrian activity based upon the frequency and proximity of adjacent trip generators, and (2) the Roadside Pedestrian Condition Model analysis statistically separates results based on roadway and traffic variables. The focus of the plan is on providing sidewalks and lateral separation (buffer).
- Portland, OR: Pedestrian Master Plan (1998)
- The Master Plan outlines an action plan to achieve the city's pedestrian-oriented goals. To identify needed improvements, the plan used a rigorous identification process, including several opportunities for public input. Data collection included citizen requests, street inventories, and an examination of crash data. Using GIS mapping capabilities, it developed a Pedestrian Potential Index, which measures the strength of environmental factors (policy, proximity, and quantitative) that favor walking, and a Deficiency Index, which measures how critically pedestrian improvements are needed based on traffic volumes, crash data, and a lack of sidewalks. The plan contains a section on sources and strategies for obtaining funding. It also presents a graph of the past pedestrian funding and gives five different scenarios for the implementation of future pedestrian improvements.
- Sacramento, CA: Pedestrian Master Plan (2006)
- This plan offers a new look at Sacramento's most recent vision for the future of pedestrian facilities and objectives. The document is written for most audiences and as a result is very easy to read and follow. An extensive introduction gives the reader a clear understanding of the current status of pedestrian issues in Sacramento as well as goals for further support of pedestrian needs. The Pedestrian Master Plan is a good model for a visually engaging, very readable document.
- Sacramento, CA: Pedestrian Safety Guidelines (2003)
- These guidelines focus on street crossing treatments at controlled and uncontrolled intersections, discussing tools such as pavement marking and signal options and giving attention to roadway design. The guidelines create a four level system to address crosswalk placement for uncontrolled locations as well as a matrix of appropriate treatments for streets with different numbers of lanes, average daily traffic volume (ADT), and posted speed.
Regional plans
- San Diego, CA: Planning and Designing for Pedestrians, Model Guidelines for the San Diego Region (2002)
- These guidelines provide an extremely thorough look at how to plan and design for the pedestrian. The plan discusses the land use and community structure elements that affect the pedestrian environment. It contains a comprehensive list of site and design details that includes information on considerations, guidelines, example images, and technical diagrams. The pedestrian measures index is a good tool for identifying appropriate countermeasure to use depending on roadway volume and speed.
- Seattle, WA: Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Implementation Strategy for the Central Puget Sound Region (2002)
- This regional plan identifies more than 2,000 miles of needed bike lanes and paths and pedestrian improvements around activity centers.
State plans and design guidelines
- Arizona: Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (2003)
- This is a guide for making pedestrian-related transportation decisions at the state and local level. The plan provides a long-term agenda for implementing a system of pedestrian facilities on the ADOT State Highway System and seeks to coordinate the relationship between ADOT and smaller jurisdictions. The plan describes state policies and codes that affect pedestrian planning and provides a matrix of creative ordinances from around the nation, encouraging localities to implement and follow them. It contains an informative table on potential funding opportunities and resources that consist of project type, required matching funds, deadlines, etc. The plan is well-organized and presents a great example of citizen participation and stakeholder involvement. Development of the plan involved a comprehensive steering committee of representatives from pedestrian activist organizations, municipalities, state engineering agencies, a review committee, and engineering input.
- California: Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities in California, Technical Reference Report (2004)
- Caltrans's Technical Reference Report is intended to help accommodate pedestrian transportation throughout the State of California. It is intended as a resource for professionals, agency staff, and citizens. Through the collection of demographic and pedestrian collision data, the report makes a strong case for the need to improve pedestrian facilities. It contains a grant source matrix that shows available funding by agency, amount, deadline, and requirements. The bulk of the report is related to pedestrian travel, organized from broad topics to design detail. Each page contains a description and discussion of a different element, drawing, diagram or photo that enables standard and innovative practices to be easily understood.
- District of Columbia: Traffic Calming Policies and Guidelines (2002)
- To reduce the negative impact of motor vehicle use and ensure overall safety, the District of Columbia Traffic Calming Policies and Guidelines provides a process for involving the public in implementing traffic calming measures. It supplies a formal request form for citizens and describes the process from request to implementation. The document presents criteria for rating and selecting traffic calming projects when competing for specific funding. Also, it describes and diagrams traffic calming measures approved for the District of Columbia.
- Florida: Pedestrian Planning and Design Handbook (1999)
- The plan presents guidelines, standards, and criteria for pedestrian planning and facilities. It is intended as a reference for any locality, agency, organization, group, or citizen interested in improving the walking environment. It offers an overview of the pedestrian planning process and discusses the various steps of public involvement, data collection, development of goals and strategies, and implementation resources. The plan provides a comprehensive analysis of pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes in the state. It discusses the design details of roadway crossings, intersection treatments, and traffic calming strategies as well as presents other pedestrian considerations such as signage and signalization, school/work zone practices, street lighting. A chapter is devoted to each element and includes recommendations, maintenance, and further references.
- Georgia: Pedestrian & Streetscape Guide (2003)
- The guide focuses on the design of pedestrian environments and streetscape facilities. It offers technical information on "best practices" that apply to situations encountered in project development. It provides a thorough examination of pedestrian characteristics and factors that influence pedestrian travel. The guide supplies an interesting spatial analysis, diagramming the space needs for different types of pedestrians: adults, children, elders, and those with disabilities. It discusses ways to prioritize projects using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), referencing the Latent Demand Model and Portland, OR's Pedestrian Potential Index. The bulk of the guide exists in several toolkits, each devoted to different subjects. The toolkits begin with general design guidelines and move into more specific topics such as accessibility, school zones, trails and paths, sidewalks, crossings, etc. Detailed facility diagrams provide useful technical information for other agencies and localities.
- New Jersey: Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, Phase 2 (2004)
- This plan provides clear guidance for the most effective use of federal, state, and local resources to implement pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The stated goals and objectives are supported with proposed performance measures to determine the effectiveness and critical success factors. The plan presents a good example of how to use GIS analysis to prioritize the improvement of pedestrian facilities around the state. It used demand forecasting (showing pedestrian trips by census tract and roadway crossability) and suitability forecasting (calculating the suitability of making capital investments) to identify and prioritize project locations. Summarized in a matrix form, the implementation section includes several strategies and assigns responsibility to various agencies and organizations.
- North Carolina: Bicycling and Walking in North Carolina, A Long Range Transportation Plan (1996)
- Developed by the Office of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation of the NCDOT, this pedestrian plan builds upon the NC long-range transportation plan, elaborating on the goals, focus areas, and programming specific to walking. It also demonstrates a technique for performing a state-wide inventory: in the plan-making process, city managers or mayors of NC communities with populations of at least 1,000 were surveyed for information on the community's walking environment. The plan summed the individual data to obtain the total miles of a particular pedestrian facility in the state. The plan also discusses crash data and reviews relevant pedestrian content of different Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) plans. The plan formulates actions, supplies funding sources/levels, and calls for an evaluation of projects.
- Oregon: Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (1995)
- This is one of the first plans developed to promote walking. It is in-depth and informative, addressing various aspects of pedestrian planning. The plan is divided into two sections — policy/action planning and network planning — with the purpose of presenting the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) with general principles and policies for providing walkways along state highways. It provides a framework for cooperation between ODOT and local jurisdictions and offers guidance to cities and counties wanting to develop local pedestrian plans. The plan presents an overview of existing legislation relating to pedestrians, describes the current conditions statewide, and suggests implementation actions to ensure achievement of stated goals and policies. It contains clear, measured diagrams and street cross-sections of most desirable design facilities.
- Vermont: Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Planning and Design Manual (2002)
- The manual assists agencies, organizations, and citizens with the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of pedestrian facilities in a variety of settings. It incorporates a separate analysis of characteristics of traffic-related pedestrian fatalities and common characteristics of pedestrian crashes. It primarily focuses on the sidewalk environment adjacent to the roadway, considering width, slope, surface, and access points. The supporting street cross-sections give a clear representation of desired space and scale. The manual also recognizes special treatment of pedestrian planning for rural areas.
- Virginia: VTrans 2025 Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (2004)
- This plan is a tool for establishing a consistent approach to integrate a consideration for walking into transportation planning in Virginia. The preliminary draft remains general, providing a basic framework of the vision, strategies, and action items. It discusses several influences on the need to offer and operate pedestrian facilities, including federal legislation such as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), ADA accessibility requirements, and Virginia Department of Transportation policies. The plan reveals a regional program for obtaining public input, holding twelve public stakeholder meetings across the state. It acknowledges that disagreements exist on how to accommodate pedestrians and that there is a need to arrive at a cooperative solution.
- Washington: Pedestrian Facilities Guidebook (1997)
- The purpose of the Pedestrian Facilities Guidebook is to assist various agencies and organizations in pedestrian planning and encourage good design practices when developing these spaces. It discusses the importance of construction, maintenance, and operations. The guidebook presents the needs and characteristics of pedestrians and then provides several toolkits, highlighting important information in boxes, tables, diagrams, and graphs. The guidebook gives attention to the spatial needs of all types of pedestrians. The toolkits address the design of important walking facilities like trails, sidewalks, intersections, and crossings, and they also discuss important accessibility issues and school zone safety. The guidebook provides an opportunity for citizen comments through a request form and a detailed resource guide. The document was last updated in May 2006; see the revised Pedestrian Design Considerations.
- Wisconsin: Pedestrian Policy Plan 2020 (2001)
- This statewide pedestrian plan focuses on the policies and programs that will help improve conditions for walking. The plan was conceived with assistance from the Pedestrian Plan Citizen's Advisory Committee and citizens around the state provided additional insights, suggestions, and reactions through public sessions and hearings as well as focus group meetings; this enables the plan to better reflect citizen concerns. The plan is meant to be used by local traffic officials seeking guidance to meet pedestrian needs on local road systems.
