RES 12585 - Laserfiche WebLink

and community plans. The preferred width for sidewalks is five — ._. feet; however, in certain circumstances where 5 feet is not available, the City will refer to the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. Wider sidewalks are desirable where there are high pedestrian volumes and where there is no buffer between high speed and high volume roadways. Sidewalks commonly ---- {. accommodate street furniture, which includes items such as, trees, ii utilities, streetlights, parking meters, bicycle parking, benches, and jJ �� refuse barrels. Additionally, sidewalks often abut fences, building edges, or vegetation along their outside edge. These elements influence the required width necessary to accommodate ' pedestrians, as pedestrians tend to "shy" from these obstructions. -'" The designer should consider the desired location for these sidewalk features and where they exist, the designer should provide appropriate offsets to the pedestrian path. Sidewalk widths of six to ten feet are preferred and should be considered where higher pedestrian activity is am:icipated. If possible, a landscape buffer should also be provided between vehicular traffic and sidewalk to create a separation from motor vehicles and increase the comfort and safety of pedestrians. Bicycle, Bicycle accommodation should also be consistent with the project's context, roadway characteristics, right of way, Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, and the level of service provided for the bicyclist. The designer should ensure that bicycle accommodation is based on anticipated development and community plans. In addition to determining the type of accommodation for bicyclists, the designer should include other design features that improve the safety and comfort of the roadway for bicyclists. For example, the designer could consider narrowing motor vehicle lanes to provide bike lanes. Some bicyclists feel more comfortable riding on the roadway surface, while others feel more comfortable separated from traffic on a shared-use path. As a result, the designer should consider a variety of configurations, both on- and off-road so that different levels of bicyclists are accommodated. 43� , Bicycle lanes are typically 5-8 feet wide. An 8-foot bicycle lane is preferred for most conditions. Bicycle lanes wider than 8 feet are generally not used since they may encourage inappropriate use by ' motor vehicles. Designers should try to avoid combining minimum travel lane widths and minimum bike lane widths.