Tag: sidewalk width

Broadway Complete Streets is NOT

Dan AllisonLeave a comment

The Broadway Complete Streets project is underway, with new corners installed at many locations, some of them curb extensions (bulb-outs) to shorten crossing distance for walkers. Though I’m reluctant to criticize a project that is underway, I just can’t remain quiet. I have been spending a lot of time on Broadway because I’m interested in the street and its businesses, and always want to see how the city is shifting away from its former ‘cars first’ policy and design. Some of what I’m seeing is great, but I’m also seeing a lot that makes me very concerned, and disappointed. The city could have done much better, but decided not to.

photo of Broadway near 19th St, south side, too narrow sidewalk
Broadway near 19th St, south side, too narrow sidewalk

The project was designed from the inside out, first motor vehicle space for turn lanes, travel lanes, and parking lanes, then bicycle lanes. The result clearly shows this priority. But streets should be designed from the outside in, taking care first of the needs of people walking. The city did not do this.

The Broadway Complete Streets webpage says “The project location is the two-mile Broadway corridor between 3rd Street and 29th Street, south of downtown Sacramento, California. It anchors multi-modal transportation connections and improves access for all modes through introduction of a four lane to three lane road diet, new buffered bicycle lanes, new marked pedestrian crossings and refuge islands, and multi-modal improvements at two intersections”, and “The project is designed to calm traffic, improve safety, and make the street more inviting for travel on foot and by bicycle.” Notice that sidewalks are not specifically mentioned.

The pedestrian selection criteria from the 2016 Broadway Complete Streets Final Recommendations shows the following table. The third row (of eight) is ‘pedestrian space’, and it talks about space at ‘sidewalk enhancement locations’. But the document never indicates where these location are, nor mentions them again.

The plan cites as a critical issue: “Sidewalk obstructions or narrow sidewalks”. It also says, under transit improvement, not sidewalks: “Over time, opportunities for sidewalk expansion can be explored on blocks as appropriate. The Broadway Complete Streets Plan designs allow for conversion of the parking lane to an expanded sidewalk to create space for better bus amenities, landscaping, sidewalk dining, and other urban design elements.” What I think that means is that concrete for sidewalks and curbs will be poured now, and we’ll think about doing better later. The document refers to information about sidewalk widths in the existing conditions technical appendix, but that document has not been made available to the public.

The city’s Street Design Standards for sidewalks is five feet, or six feet for arterials. Broadway is a ‘minor arterial’ from 5th Street to 10th Street, and a ‘principal arterial’ from 10th Street to 29th Street, so the sidewalk width would be six feet. Existing sidewalks along Broadway vary greatly in width, from expansive, to wide sidewalks typical of the central city, to very narrow sidewalks. Of course there are locations where the sidewalk has been narrowed to accommodate tree growth, but the city is installing NEW sidewalk along Broadway that is less than city standards. The PROWAG requirements are four feet, but there are NEW sidewalks that are as little as 34 inches. The city’s project engineer has claimed that PROWAG does not need to be followed for this project because PROWAG is not enforceable yet. Seems strange to claim that because enforcement action can’t be taken, federally promulgated regulations don’t need to be followed.

The project is installing better crossings for walkers at several locations, but has pretty much ignored the needs of people walking ALONG the street. The design documents do not show sidewalk widths anywhere, though turn lane, traffic lane, parking lane, and bike lanes are clearly labeled with widths. It is as though the project design did not even think about sidewalks.

The city must correct its too-narrow sidewalks along Broadway. Where a parking lane is adjacent to these too narrow sections, the parking lane must be converted to sidewalk so as too provide the legally required width, or better yet, at least eight feet. If this is to be a complete street, and a walking-friendly and business-friendly street, then eight feet should be the minimum. If a parking lane is not available to convert, then the city must purchase property or easements to widen the sidewalks to the minimum five feet required by its own standards.

serious concerns about Broadway

Dan Allison3 Comments

The Broadway Complete Streets project, to reallocate the street from 3rd Street to 24th Street, is underway. I have been walking this section recently, and I see several things that greatly concern me. To be honest, I was not paying much attention when this project went through public review, and attended only one meeting. I had not looked closely at the project documents. The page linked above confuses me. There are no final design documents, yet I have several documents more recent, including one that says final. Did the city unlink these newer documents? Lose them?

It appears from the work I see being done currently, that parking will be preserved along the entire length of the project. While this makes complete sense where there are small businesses, there are also several blocks where there are large buildings that provide off-street parking, or fast food chain restaurants that that have ample off-street parking. Parking can be a good thing, but not when it takes the place of wider sidewalks and sidewalk buffers.

One positive is that vertical curbs are being installed, replacing the rolled curbs that exist along much of the street at this time. But a negative is that apparently curb lines are not being moved as part of the project, meaning that under-width sidewalks and under-width sidewalk buffers will remain so. A diagram from the planning process shows eight foot sidewalks.

diagram of proposed roadway allocation
diagram of proposed roadway allocation

Here is an actual constructed section, north side between 18th and 19th Streets. The sidewalk is six feet, and a completely useless sidewalk buffer of about 18 inches is included. A sidewalk buffer this narrow cannot provide planting space, and does not provide any physical or visual separation from the street. The street width could have been reallocated to a wider sidewalk, and a sidewalk buffer wide enough to host trees, but it was not.

photo of Broadway narrow sidewalk and narrow buffer new construction
Broadway narrow sidewalk and narrow buffer new construction
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SacCity sidewalk design standards

Dan Allison1 Comment

I’ve written about existing sidewalk buffers or lack thereof (sidewalk buffer widths), and a solution for areas without sidewalk buffers (street trees in the parking lane), and now on to sidewalk standards. Sidewalk areas are composed of the sidewalk, sidewalk buffer (also called planting strip or furniture zone), and pedestrian scale lighting.

Design criteria:

  • All new or reconstructed streets will have sidewalks, sidewalk buffers, and pedestrian scale lighting
  • Reallocated or mitigated streets will have sidewalk buffers added if right-of-way can be reallocated
  • Sidewalk areas may also include sidewalk-level bicycle facilities
  • Attached sidewalks (sidewalk adjacent to the curb) will not be used for new or reconstructed streets
  • Sidewalk width:
    • Minimum sidewalk width will be six feet in areas of 85% of more residential
    • Minimum sidewalk width will be eight feet in all other areas
    • Sidewalks must be completely free of obstructions, encroachments, or driveway aprons into their minimum width
    • Sidewalks adjacent to and within 1/8 mile of schools will be a minimum of 8 feet; sidewalks used for drop off/pickup will be a minimum of 10 feet
  • Sidewalk buffer width:
    • Minimum sidewalk buffer width will be eight feet in order to accommodate a canopy of mature trees; if a lesser width is available, parking areas will be considered for tree placement
    • Sidewalk buffer may also accommodate street related infrastructure and utilities, street furniture, bike and scooter parking, dining areas, bioswales, and other related uses
  • Sidewalks will receive priority use of right-of-way; travel and parking lanes, and bike facilities, will be placed in remaining right-of-way
  • Bus stop amenities will not be placed within the sidewalk minimum width; the sidewalk buffer may serve as clear sidewalk abutting the curb, with appropriate design and transition; transit amenities may also be placed on transit islands away from the sidewalk and sidewalk buffer
  • Sidewalks will be continuous over driveways and alleys, without interruption of design or materials
  • Pedestrian scale lighting will be provided along the street length; motor vehicle scale lighting will not be considered sufficient; intersections and crosswalks may be lit with motor vehicle scale lighting

Design diagrams:

  • Sidewalks of six or eight feet, with sidewalk buffers of at least eight feet
  • Tree planters or wells in the parking lane or curb extensions
  • Alley entrances and sidewalk crossings of alleys
  • Driveway crossings of sidewalk, with design indicating walking priority
  • Bus stop amenities (benches, shelters, etc.) with a sidewalk area clear of encroachment
  • Transit island diagram here or in the transit section
walkers at Capitol Park sidewalk N St & 15th
walkers at Capitol Park sidewalk N St & 15th