Week 10 - Active Transportation Flashcards
What is active transportation (AT)?
Non-motorized travel, including walking, cyclin, and movements with mobility devices
What makes up the AT network?
Sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, multi-use paths, crosswalks, etc.
- complimented by transit b/c linked trips allow to reach further destinations
- linked to concept of complete streets
Why are we emphasizing AT now?
- increasing congestion and enviro concerns
- rise in obesity and chronic diseases associated with lack of physical activity
- need for personal mobility choices
- aging population
- enhancing appeal of compact, walkable communities
- essential component of healthy community
What are the advantages of AT?
- people on streets (more vibrancy = more money and better quality of life)
- reduced cost to accommodate travel
- virtually no negative enviro impacts relative to other modes
- positive feedback cycle: s more people walk/bike, the better it is for everyone (safer, healthier, better)
What are the barriers to AT and why?
- infrastructure: lack of it deters activity
- urban form: distances too far, then people keep using cars
- lack of funding for public transit
- age/abilities: may not be able to use AT
- current attitudes: negative towards AT b/c cultural norms and lack of perceived convenience
- weather: may prevent use
- safety: fear of accidents and crime
How do we design for cycling AT?
- consider cycling speeds, different needs (utilitarian vs. rec; leisure, commuter, high speed)
- trip-end facilities (parking, storage, showers, etc.)
- increase visibility (cyclists enter conflict areas at higher speeds than pedestrians and may surprise drivers)
- connectivity and safety (use of bike routes vs. fastest routes - is there exposure to high traffic?)
What are the objectives for bicycle travel?
- safe, functional facilities which constitute a network (paths)
- major destinations well served (storage)
What are the pros and cons of on-road bike lanes?
Pros:
- ubiquitous networks
- high cyclist visibility
- low likelihood of pedestrian interaction
- higher likelihood of maintenance
Cons:
- discomfort adjacent to vehicles
- greater safety risk to cyclists
What are the pros and cons of off-road bike lanes?
Pros:
- increased safety/comfort
- mixed use potential
Cons:
- potential for pedestrian interaction
- difficulty crossing roads/access points
- maintenance lacking
What are they keys to achieving bicycle friendly design?
- geometrics (lane widths, grades, slopes, offsets, etc.)
- surfaces (grooves, ridges, maintenance)
Street facilities evaluated with bicycle compatibility index
What are some other design considerations for AT?
Places of modal uncertainty/conflict - options:
a. delineate space for each user very clearly through channelization (removes unassigned space)
b. share space by having undesignated space that is all the same level with minimal interventions (no markings makes users more aware and use visual communication)
What are pedestrian concerns in design for AT?
a. Infrastructure too heavily dedicated to automobile and lack safe walking place
b. High auto speeds related to wider lanes
c. Larger distance of conflict for pedestrians crossing wide roads
d. Dispersion of land uses (nowhere to walk to, only rec)
e. Connectivity: easy/direct travel b/w origin and destination
f. Poor sidewalk characteristics (no buffers)
g. Climate: too hot/cold/icy
h. Comfort: less comfortable areas feel like they take longer to walk through (ex. tunnels)
i. Vertical challenges: is it possible to easily get from A to B as a pedestrian?
j. Encourage more people to walk with increased visibility
k. Places of modal conflict and uncertainty (primarily intersections and crossings)
What are some good examples of pedestrian-friendly design?
- bulbouts: minimize exposure to vehicles
- driveway/access management (ex. raised crossing) to minimize exposure to vehicles
- 90 degree crossings to minimize exposure to vehicles
- buffers/traffic calming: buffers from high speed nd volume
- enhance connectivity in network
What are the trends in planning for AT?
- past decades witnessed surge in research/activity in cities globally (everyone recognizes but barriers/opportunities understood differently)
- role of built form (challenge of competition among diff road users for constrained road ROWs that optimize traffic flow and provide little support for AT
Describe the example of the King St redesign
Outputs:
- sloped curbs for universal accessibility
- new bike racks
- improved transit shelters
- rain garden planters
- new trees for human scale and shade
- more seating
- more lighting for night safety
Impacts:
- increased perception of safetty
- increased pedestrian activity
- facade improvements undertaken by local businesses
- more patios
