Pedestrian travel is accommodated and enhanced by sidewalks, shared use paths, crosswalks, curb ramps and other infrastructure. Various facility types comprise Joseph’s existing walkway network, the most basic of which are described below.
(A) Depicted on Map 2-1, sidewalks comprise the vast majority of the city’s walkway network. The most common type of walkway, sidewalks generally parallel roadways and have a hard, smooth surface (e.g., concrete), with separation from the roadway typically consisting of a curb and/or planter strip.
(B) The presence and condition of sidewalks in the city varies by location. The downtown area, particularly along Main Street, benefits from a relatively complete sidewalk system with sidewalks on both sides between Maple and Third streets. This system was completed in 2000 as part of the city’s Main Street Beautificat ion Project, a partnership of the Joseph Economic Improvement District, Oregon Departme nt of Transporta tion (ODOT), the Northeast Oregon Economic Developm ent District and several other agencies and organizations. The Main Street sidewalk environment includes a variety of compleme ntary pedestrian facilities such as curb ramps and amenities like street trees, public art, benches and trash receptacles.
(C) (1) Beyond the downtown core, sidewalk segments exist along Main Street, between E Maple and E Poplar streets and between Third and Fifth streets.
(2) The city recently constructed sidewalks on the south side of W.E. Williams Avenue between Main and East streets to better connect students with Joseph Middle and High Schools.
(3) Other streets with existing sidewalk segments include E Wallowa Avenue (between N Main and N College streets), E Joseph Avenue (between S Main and S Lake streets), and portions of W Alder, N Lake, S Mill, S College and E Sixth streets.
(D) (1) Sidewalk widths vary by location, ranging from four to five feet wide on residential streets, to over ten feet wide on portions of Main Street in the downtown core.
(2) Sidewalk conditions vary, ranging from relatively smooth surfaces (e.g., along S Main Street north of Third Street), to cracked sidewalks with intruding vegetation (e.g., on the east side of S Main Street south of Third Street).
(E) (1) The vast majority of city streets lack sidewalks or other dedicated pedestrian facilities. In these areas, pedestrians either walk in adjacent shoulders (grass or gravel) or share the road with motor vehicles.
(2) Despite the general absence of sidewalks on these streets, pedestrians benefit from relatively low traffic volumes and low posted on S Main Street due to a lack of sidewalks.
(Ord. passed 6- -2009)