10 minute read
Community + Mobility
Drainage is not the only infrastructure system being re-imagined in communities across the region. Transportation is also experiencing a shift in design as residents raise concerns about the safety of non-motorized users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists. Traditionally, streets and roadways were built to serve only the needs of vehicular traffic. This creates unsafe conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians in communities, like Denham Springs, that lack facilities for non-motorists, such as continuous sidewalks or bike lanes. In these communities, those without cars must rely on the same street network to commute on foot or bike, which often means sharing lanes with fast moving vehicles. Between 2013 and 2017, twelve crashes including one fatality involved motorists and non-motorists in Denham Springs as reported by Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) crash data (Gresham Smith, Denham Springs Traffic Volumes and Safety Map, 2019). Developing multi-modal networks that incorporate bioswales, street trees, permeable paths, or other green infrastructure strategies can provide transit and drainage benefits while supporting healthy, active lifestyles.
Through the 2016 recovery process, Denham Springs residents identified “develop[ing] a plan to increase road safety for people traveling by car, foot or bike” as their top community development priority for flood recovery (Denham Strong, 2017, p. 46). To accomplish this goal, the city with support from the Capital Region Planning Commission commissioned Gresham Smith and Dana Brown & Associates to create a master bike and pedestrian plan for Denham Springs. The Bike/Ped and the Denham Strong recovery plans call for the adoption of a “complete street” approach to retro-fit existing conditions and to guide future development. The complete street approach means designing streets to accommodate all users regardless of transportation mode.
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COMMUNITY + MOBILITY couples stormwater management improvements with providing safe transit options for all community members, regardless of age, ability, or access to resources
Multi-modal transportation systems meet the needs of cyclists, pedestrians, public transit riders, and drivers, while facilitating safe connections between the different modes. For example, “park & ride” facilities enable those who live further out to park
cars and bikes in strategic locations while using public transit to complete their commute. In Denham Springs, community members want continuous sidewalks and dedicated pathways for nonmotorists. Most residents want buffers that provide a physical barrier between drivers and nondrivers to increase feelings of safety, especially on roads where traffic routinely exceeds posted speed limits. Many communities use green infrastructure strategies, like bioswales and street trees, to create a buffer between motorists and nonmotorists. Communities can also use permeable materials for nonmotorist pathways. Strategic designs allow communities to meet drainage, transportation, and healthy living goals simultaneously while also expanding project applicability and eligibility for different types of funding sources. Incorporating green infrastructure strategies into bicycle and pedestrian improvements is a logical step in accomplishing the recovery goal to increase the use of green infrastructure in the city.
multi-modal transportation
Multi-modal transportation refers to the different ways that people travel around town. At the city level, different modes include: walking, cycling, driving, and riding public transit. Multi-modal transportation systems also include connections between the different modes.
walkability
Walkability refers to the ease with which citizens can meet their daily needs as pedestrians. Cities are considered walkable when residents can walk to grocery stores, schools, jobs, and recreational sites. Walkability depends on proximity as well as infrastructure, such as sidewalks and crosswalks, to keep pedestrians safe.
network
In urban design, a network is a cohesive group of spaces linked to one another by various, accessible, multi-modal pathways and roadways.
Strategies
13 Complete streets meet the needs of all types of transit users.
Complete Streets
The concept of Complete Streets provides facilities needed for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities to safely travel around and between communities. The Denham Springs Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan recognizes “there is no universal definition of a Complete Street” and uses Smart Growth America’s recommendations to identify important elements, including “sidewalks, bicycle facilities, frequent and safe crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, narrower travel lanes, and standards; and roundabouts, among other potential treatments” (DS Bike/Ped, 2019, pg. 28).
-DS Bike/Ped, 2019, pg. 28
14 Jean Laffitte Greenway, New Orleans, LA. Greenways
Greenways are mixed-use pathways for cyclists and pedestrians that are physically separate from streets and roadways to increase safety for all transit users. While some greenways run parallel to streets, others follow waterways, such as rivers or bayous, and allow users to enjoy nature as they travel. Some communities use greenways to connect parks and other natural or forested areas, which improves the health and wellbeing of the ecosystem. (Identified in park & beautification plan - Denham Strong, 2017, pg. 50)
Benefits and Considerations
Health
Improving connections within and among communities can increase community health and wellbeing in several ways. Developing facilities and networks that encourage walking, jogging, and biking, also known as active transportation, in safety and comfort to complete daily travel can improve physical health and fitness. Increasing reliance on active transportation decreases automobile dependence. This shift decreases air pollution and household transportation costs.
Equity
In today’s cities, resources are not always distributed equally around town. Creating multi-modal transit networks can increase equity by facilitating safe and efficient access to education, healthcare, employment, and recreational opportunities for community members, especially those without cars. Planners should ensure multimodal networks connect low-income neighborhoods to all the places residents may need to go.
Safety
Safety is a top priority in Denham Springs. Creating dedicated pathways for nonmotorists increases safety by establishing pathways that route bike and foot traffic away from streets where vehicles travel at high speeds. Communities also use public education campaigns that set rules and expectations for interactions among the different transportation modes to improve safety. Integrating green infrastructure improvements into bicycle and pedestrian improvements can also increase safety by reducing nuisance flooding.
Community + Mobility Toolkit
“Improved street safety and mobility” was a key concern of Denham Springs residents that emerged during the recovery planning process (Denham Strong, 2017, pg. 45). The following toolkit draws on national best practices and local planning processes to describe some of the design elements and policy tools that can be used to improve connectivity in and around Denham Springs.
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Way Finding
Creating a city-wide wayfinding system with effective signage can help residents and tourists discover new places as they traverse Denham Springs. Wayfinding signage calls attention to local amenities which can improve the health of the local economy. The city should balance legibility enhancement and community identity when selecting sign materials, dimensions, colors, and forms and use consistent symbology, fonts, colors, and styles on all maps.
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Shared-Use Paths
Shared-use paths are dedicated pathways for nonmotorists that keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe by separating them from vehicular traffic. Denham Springs residents want paved and unpaved shareduse paths to meet the needs of different users and activities−from pushing strollers and roller blading to mountain biking and horseback riding.
Sidewalks
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In order to meet the needs of pedestrians of all ages and abilities, sidewalks need to be wide and level. Curb cuts, which are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), increase the safety and ease with which strollers and wheelchairs can cross the street.
Implementing Sidewalks
Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: The shape and accessibility of sidewalks, shareduse paths, and crosswalks, as well as the inclusion of lighting are elements often determined by guidelines within a community’s subdivision regulations.
Crosswalks/Signals/Signage
Intersection improvements, such as crossing signals and designated crosswalks, play an important role in increasing safety. Pedestrian crossing signals stop traffic at busy intersections, so pedestrians can cross the street safely. Establishing crosswalks can also increase safety by guiding pedestrians to cross streets where drivers expect to encounter pedestrians and cyclists.
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Bike Lanes
Bike lanes can be added to the existing street network in many ways depending on the speed of traffic and space available. In residential neighborhoods with light, slow moving traffic, pavement markings and signs are added to designate lanes as shared spaces for cars and cyclists. On busier streets with fast moving traffic, separate bike lanes can be added. Physical buffers, such as bioswales or street trees, may be installed in high-risk areas to increase nonmotorist safety and manage stormwater.
Transit Stops
In communities that embrace multi-modal transportation and complete streets, transit stops become social hubs, where transit users, cyclists, and pedestrians can rest and wait in aesthetically-pleasing, comfortable surroundings. Transit stops should offer adequate shelter, seating, and lighting that make community members of different ages and genders feel safe while resting. Incorporating bicycle and car parking near transit stops can increase the feasibility of using public transit for community members who do not live within walking distance of public transit.
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Bus Lanes
Communities that suffer from traffic congestion are encouraging public transit use by establishing dedicated bus lanes. Dedicated bus lanes decrease ride times and increase the efficiency and ease of using public transit for daily trips, which can translate into attracting new riders and increasing overall rider wellbeing. Encouraging public transit use improves air quality by reducing private vehicle use.
Policy Tools for Implementing Community + Mobility
To increase connectivity and walkability in Denham Springs, zoning and subdivision ordinances should be updated to support walking, biking, and transit use. Zoning updates, like bike parking racks and streetscape requirements, can help make streets and future developments safe, inviting places for pedestrians and cyclists. Subdivision regulations determine open space, lighting requirements, and sidewalk standards among other things that directly impact walkability. These types of policy updates can also increase neighborhood access to new areas and permit a mix of uses that facilitate connection and encourage walkability. These steps can increase neighborhood access to new areas and permit a mix of uses that facilitate connection and encourage walkability.
Adopt a Complete Streets Ordinance
Both the Denham Strong Recovery Plan and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan call for the adoption of a Complete Street Ordinance and updating subdivision regulations, so Denham Springs can become a “well-connected, clean, safe, active, and resilient community” (Denham Strong Vision Statement excerpt).
Revise Subdivision Regulations
Street Connectivity: Denham Springs needs intentional streetscape design guidelines to build new and retrofit existing infrastructure, so that it is accessible for all ages and abilities. Intentional design enables the creation of safe, pleasing landscapes for people to traverse, explore, or sit and enjoy. Cities can adopt codes that incentivize approaches that prioritize street connectivity and provide multi-modal facilities to support active, healthy lifestyles.
Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: The shape and accessibility of sidewalks, shareduse paths, and crosswalks, as well as the inclusion of lighting, are elements often determined by guidelines within a community’s subdivision regulations.
22 Proportions for multi-modal and multi-functional street design .
+ Water Connection
Subdivision regulations also set requirements for the use of green infrastructure strategies (ie: bioswales, street trees) that are often used as physical buffers between motorists and non-motorists. Coupling green infrastructure with transportation improvements allows an individual investment to produce multiple, complimentary benefits: increased physical safety for non-motorists, improved water quality, and increased stormwater storage capacity in the landscape.
Mixed-use Zoning
Communities developed zoning at a time when many commercial uses were public nuisances due to adverse smells, noises, and/or toxicity. Mixed-use developments today combine residential and civic uses with well-designed and environmentally benign commercial uses to encourage walkability and reduce automobile dependence. Cities use mixed-use zoning to encourage the creation of developments that meet housing, civic, and commercial needs, such as retail, restaurants, and office space.
Denham Springs can designate mixed-use districts or implement “overlay” districts to ensure future development is coordinated, cohesive, and connected.
Incentives are another strategy the city can use to encourage developers to adopt a mixed-use approach on future projects. Incentives that hold local appeal include:
• Variance on permitted housing type
• Additional options or flexibility with design standards
• Reduced open space requirements, if design incorporates innovative and effective water management elements
• Ability to meet parking requirements through alternative methods including shared parking and permeable overflow parking
• Credit for reliance on public transportation, bicycling, or walking; or transportation demand management techniques
• Streamlined process for permitting
23 Mixed use commercial and residential buildings. Norton’s Commons, KY.
