(A) Sidewalks.
(1) A variety of considerations are important in sidewalk design. Providing adequate and accessible facilities should lead to increased numbers of people walking, improved safety and the creation of social space. Attributes of well-designed sidewalks include the following:
(a) Accessibility: a network of sidewalks should be accessible to all users and meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements;
(b) Adequate width: two people should be able to walk side-by-side and pass a third person comfortably and different walking speeds should be possible. In areas of intense pedestrian use, sidewalks should be wider to accommodate the higher volume of foot traffic;
(c) Safety: design features of the sidewalk should allow pedestrians to have a sense of security and predictability. Sidewalk users should not feel they are at risk due to the presence of adjacent traffic;
(d) Continuity: walking routes should be obvious and should not require pedestrians to travel out of their way unnecessarily;
(e) Landscaping: plantings and street trees within the roadside area should contribute to the overall psychological and visual comfort of sidewalk users, without providing hiding places for attackers;
(f) Social space: sidewalks should be more than areas to travel; they should provide places for people to interact. There should be places for standing, visiting and sitting. The sidewalk area should be a place where adults and children can safely participate in public life; and
(g) Quality of place: sidewalks should contribute to the character of neighborhoods and business districts and strengthen their identity.
(2) Sidewalk conditions in the city 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). Common sidewalk problems include obstructions (e.g., sign posts, utility poles, mail boxes and the like), cracks and driveway interruptions. General strategies for addressing these existing sidewalk deficiencies include:
(a) Relocating/removing sidewalk obstructions: provides sufficient horizontal clearance for pedestrian movement;
(b) Repairing cracked sidewalks: increases safety for walkers and wheelchair users by providing a smooth surface free of cracks or other tripping hazards; and
(c) Driveway consolidation (especially on streets with surrounding commercial or strip development): reduces the number of potential conflict points between pedestrians and motorists.
(B) Width. Sidewalk widths in the city 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. Required sidewalk widths in the city vary based on a street’s ownership and functional classification. The 2001 TSP recommends sidewalk widths of six to ten feet on Arterial streets, and five- to six-foot wide sidewalks on collector and local streets. According to the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, sidewalks should measure at least six feet wide, enabling pedestrians and wheelchair users to pass each other or walk side-by-side comfortably. The TSP recommends a seven- to eight-foot wide planter strip (between the sidewalk and curb) on all streets.
(C) Surface.
(1) Sidewalk surfaces should be smooth and continuous. It is also desirable that the sidewalk surface be stable, firm and slip resistant. Preferred materials include portland cement concrete (PCC) and asphalt concrete (AC). PCC provides a smooth, long-lasting and durable finish that is easy to grade and repair. PCC can also be patterned and colorized if desired. AC has a shorter life expectancy but may be more appropriate in less urbanized areas and in park settings. Crushed aggregate may also be used as an all-weather walkway surface in park areas, but this material generally requires a higher level of maintenance to maintain accessibility.
(2) Brick pavers (or other decorative treatments) may be used on some sidewalks and crosswalks if they are constructed to avoid settling or removal of bricks, which can create tripping hazards. This treatment should also be constructed to provide a high level of smoothness to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Alternatives to brick pavers include “stamping” molds to create the visual appearance of bricks.
(3) ADA allows a maximum two percent cross-slope on sidewalks and other walkways. Where sidewalks meet driveways, curb cuts or intersections, a three-foot-wide area should be maintained with a 2% cross-slope.
(D) Addressing obstructions.
(1) Obstructions to pedestrian travel in the sidewalk corridor typically include sign posts, utility and signal poles, mailboxes, fire hydrants and street furniture. Obstructions should be placed between the sidewalk and the roadway to create a buffer for increased pedestrian comfort while maintaining six feet of lateral clearance. When sidewalks abut perpendicular or angled on-street parking, wheelstops should be placed in the parking area to prevent parked vehicles from overhanging in the sidewalk. When sidewalks abut hedges, fences or buildings, an additional two feet of lateral clearance should be added to provide appropriate shy distance.
(2) Driveways represent another sidewalk obstruction, especially for wheelchair users. The following techniques can be used to accommodate wheelchair users at driveway crossings:
(a) Reducing the number of driveways minimizes the need for special provisions. This strategy should be pursued first;
(b) Constructing wide sidewalks avoids excessively steep driveway slopes. The overall width must be sufficient to avoid an abrupt driveway slope;
(c) Planter strips allow sidewalks to remain level, with the driveway grade change occurring within the planter strip;
(d) Where constraints preclude a planter strip, wrapping the sidewalk around the driveway has a similar effect. However, this method may have disadvantages for visually-impaired pedestrians who follow the curb line for guidance; and
(e) When constraints only allow curb-tight sidewalks, dipping the entire sidewalk at the driveway approaches keeps the cross-slope at a constant grade. However, this may be uncomfortable for pedestrians and could create drainage problems behind the sidewalk.
(E) Alternatives to sidewalks. Although the city has a goal of providing sidewalks on both sides of all streets, physical and other constraints (especially in older neighborhoods) could preclude sidewalks in some parts of the city. Described below, alternative sidewalk treatments could be used to accommodate foot traffic in these areas.
(1) Soft paths.
(a) In areas where paved sidewalks are not feasible or appropriate due to site conditions such as existing trees, walls, or other obstacles, a soft path alternative should be explored. A soft path is a pedestrian path constructed of a pervious material such as decomposed granite or other universally accessible material. Soft paths should be at least five feet wide. Constricted areas may have a reduced width consistent with ADA guidelines.
(b) Another option is rubberized sidewalks, which use one recycled automobile tire per square foot of sidewalk. Rubberized sidewalks cost approximately one-third more than the cost of typical concrete sidewalks, but require significantly less maintenance than concrete sidewalks that are located near trees, since they can be lifted out of the ground for periodic tree root trimming. Rubberized sidewalks are less likely than concrete to be broken up by tree roots, further reducing long-term costs.
(2) Colored shoulders. Colored shoulders visually narrow the roadway and slow traffic, making it more pedestrian friendly. They are optional treatments for neighborhoods with no room for traditional sidewalks. Drivers see only travel lanes as available road space, so the roadway appears narrower than it is when the shoulders are a different color. Painting the road surface requires frequent maintenance; lower-maintenance methods include:
(a) Paving travel lanes with concrete, and shoulders with asphalt, or the reverse;
(b) Slurry sealing or chip-sealing the roadway, and not the shoulder;
(c) Incorporating dyes into concrete or asphalt; and
(d) Colored unit pavers that resemble brick.
(Ord. passed 6- -2009)