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Shelley OylearBicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator
Pedestrian and Bicycle Planningin Rural/Suburban areas: The Washington County Experience
Gary StockhoffCounty Engineer
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Washington County, Oregon
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Rural population:
26,000
Would be Oregon’s 2nd largest city
Based on 2010 Census
Washington County, Oregon
Total population:536,370
City population:320,000
Urban Unincorporated
Population: 190,000
Ideally-Crossings would occur at road intersections having traffic signals
-Road users expect pedestrians at intersections
-Existing or minimal additional improvements needed (lighting present)
Mid-Block Crossing Policy
Primary need - a safe, convenient & connected network
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Primary need - a safe, convenient &connected network
Reality-Trails, transit stops, & other destinations connect in the middle of blocks
-Access management fewer intersections
-Long block lengths between signalized intersections
-Users are asking for them
Why are engineers reluctant?
•Engineering Code-holding “paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public”
•Mixed messages from research, data, peer experiences
•Liability-litigious atmosphere
•Others specific to the organization dynamics
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How to address concerns:
•Serving needs of citizens
•Professional Technical Research & Review
•Examples from peer communities
•List of Acceptable Treatments: vetted by engineering, operations, maintenance
•Develop a Policy - Process
The Analysis : Make your Case
•Each location is unique
•Analyze safety factors (may seem daunting)
Number of lanesTruck routeTravel speedPosted speedTransit serviceTransit stop locationsLand uses existing-plannedTransportation improvements plannedTopography
VegetationStopping Sight Distance Corner Sight DistanceLightingIntersection-driveway spacingQueuing conflictsVehicle volumesVehicle classificationPedestrian-bicycle volumesGap analysis
•Identify Treatment :reasonable, practicable, appropriate
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Treatments - reasonable, practicable & appropriate
Treatments
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Treatments
Science Park Drive
Interconnecting with transportation facilities - additional accommodations
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Bicycle Facility Design Toolkit Project Background
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Project PurposeUrban Suburban Rural
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Process
– FHWA– AASHTO– Wyoming– NYC– Minneapolis– Vermont– Wisconsin– Portland– Victoria, BC
• Identify Audience ‒ engineers, planners, developers• Existing guidance & best practices• Potential Facility Selection Criteria
More Process
• Stakeholder Outreach– County Staff & LUT Divisions
– City Agencies and Park Districts
– Transit agencies and State DOT
– Focus groups
• Process Testing
• Public Comment Period
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Facility Selection Goal
• Select the facility that will provide the greatest amount of protection within the existing-planned roadway context
• Construct network of facilities that makes bicycling a realistic travel choice for the widest range of residents
Recreation Transportation
Bicycle Facility Design Toolkit
• Introduction• Facility types• Selection Process• Treatments
Appendix (still in development)• Cost & Maintenance Information• Wayfinding-Route Signage• Additional Intersection Treatments-Case Examples• Transit Stop Treatment Options
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Facility Types
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Facility Selection Process
Gather data on existing or
forecasted roadway characteristics, land uses and demand
Review special considerations and expected user type
Select (next) preferred facility type based on speed and volume
Refine facility selection using the three step facility selection process
Apply engineering judgment to
confirm preferred facility selection
Facility Selection Goal
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STEP ONE: Speed and Volume
• Use speed and volume to determine the category of potential facilities.
• Move on to Step 2 using the facility offering the greatest level of separation
STEP TWO: Right-of-Way Needs
• Identify ROW needs of selected facility type
• Identify potential roadway modifications to accommodate selected facility type
STEP THREE: “Checks”
• Alerts practitioner to potential problems with the selected facility
• Provides direction for choosing a different facility type if issues are identified
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Treatments
- CONFLICT MITIGATION - NETWORK BUILDING
185th Ave - Buffered Bicycle Lane Narrow lanes slightly to fit existing design section
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New Construction in City of Hillsboro‒ separate bikes from pedestrians ‒ no accesses
Veterans Dr ‒ Raised Bicycle Lane
2012 Oregon Active Transportation Summit
Toolkit Implementation
Safety Improvements Roadway Overlay Program Transportation System Plan Update Capital Project Development
Cross Division Collaboration• Operations-Maintenance• Engineering • Traffic • Land Use Planning• Transportation Planning• Construction-Project Management
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Urban and Rural
Rural Road Safety Strategic Action Plan
• Identify the Issues – Hear from Stakeholders
• Inventory and Evaluation of Existing Conditions
• Listening Sessions-Community Dialogue
• Identify Routes-Network
• Identify Strategies to Improve Safety
• Implementation
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Rural Road Users•Bicycles
•Walkers
•Farm Equipment
•Equestrians
•USPS Letter Carriers
•Freight-Trucks
•Personal Vehicles
•School Buses
Begin community dialogue with various stakeholders about Safety
•Come with Data and Inventory
•Discuss road safety issues and share experiences of roadway interactions
•Opportunity to clarify legal obligations – the rules of the road
•Identify strategies and solutions to address conflicts and improve safety conditions
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Inventory and Evaluation
•Issues-Conflicts
•Crash Data
•Destinations
•Existing Routes
•Road Suitability for bicycles
Roadway Suitability for Bicycle Travel
•No routes currently designated or recommended by County
•Conflict Mitigation
•Overtaking conflicts, speed differential, minimize encounters (exposure)
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EngineeringIn rural area many safety improvements will benefit a wide variety of users
•Design •Construction•Traffic Operations•Maintenance
• Profiled Striping• Way finding Signage• Special Crossing Treatments• Construction Detours
•Safety Campaigns
•Targeted enforcement actions
•Safe Routes to School
•Signing (Safety and Wayfinding)
•Maps
•Resources & Amenities
•Training-Classes
Education – Outreach – Enforcement
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Community Supported Strategies
– Public and Private Partnerships
– Open lines of communication
Goals
Reasonable, practicable, and appropriate provisions
Ongoing Evaluation
Questions?
Contact Information:
