Agenda - Public Works Committee - 09/15/2009

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PEDSAFE : recommended guidelines/priorities for sidewalks and walkways Page 8 of 12 With a landscaped buffer between the sidewalk and the street, care must be taken to ensure that the bus stops are fully accessible to wheelchair users and have connections to the sidewalk. Irrigation may be needed in areas of low precipitation. Buffers also provide the added space to make curb ramps and landings accessible. When the ramps and landings are designed properly, they are also better utilized by those pushing strollers or pulling carts and luggage. If a planting strip is not provided between the sidewalk and roadway, then the sidewalk width should be a minimum of 1.8 m (6 ft). Where landscaped sidewalk buffers cannot be provided due to constraints, on~street parking, a shoulder, or a bike lane can serve to buffer pedestrians from motor vehicle traffic lanes. Sidewalk Surface Concrete is the preferred sidewalk surface, providing the longest service life and requiring the least amount of maintenance. Asphalt Is an acceptable walkway surface in rural areas and In park settings, and crushed granite may also be an acceptable all-weather material In parks or rural areas, but they generally require higher levels of maintenance and are less desirable for wheelchair users. Sidewalks may be constructed with bricks and pavers if they are constructed to avoid settling; bricks should be easy to reset or replace If they cause a tripping hazard. Also, bricks and/or pavers can cause vibrations that are painful for pedestrians who use mobility al,ds and. therefore, It may be appropriate to use bricks or pavers only for sidewalk borders in certain situations. There are stamping molds that create the visual appearance of bricks and pavers; these have the advantages of traditional concrete without some of the maintenance Issues and roughness associated with bricks and pavers. There are commercially available products that produce a variety of aesthetically pleasing surfaces that are almost impossible to distinguish from real bricks and pavers. However. stamped materials can also have maintenance issues, since, for example, the sidewalk may never look the same again after repairs are made. It Is also possible to enhance sidewalks aesthetics while stili providing a smooth walking surface by combining a 'Concrete main walking area with brick edging where street furniture (lights, trees, poles, etc.) can be placed. For example, in a CBD, a 4.6-m (15~ft) total sidewalk width might include a 2.4-m (8~ft) clear concrete sidewalk with a 2.1~m (7 ~ft) edge. Sidewalk Grade and Cross-Slopes Sidewalks should ba built to accommodate all pedestrians and should be as flat as practical. Sidewalks should be held to a running grade of 5 percent or less, if possible. However, sidewalks that follow the grade of a street in hilly terrain cannot meet this requirement. for obvious reasons, and may follow the grade of the street. The maximum grade for a curb ramp Is 1 :12 (8.3 percent). The maximum sidewalk cross-slope Is 1 :50 (2 percent) to minimize travel effort for wheelchair users and still provide drainage. At least 0.9 m (3 ft) of flat sidewalk area Is required at the top of a sloped ariveway to accommodate wheelchair use. In some cases, it may be necessary to bend the sidewalk around the back of the driveway to achieve a level surface of 0.9 m (3 ft). Curb Ramps , Curb ramps must be provided at all intersection crossings (marked or unmarked) and mldblock crosswalks for wheelchair access. These ramps also accommodate strollers, carts, the elderly, and pedestrians with mobility limitations. Curb ramps should be as flat as possible, but must have a slope no greater than 1: 12 (6.3 percent). Abrupt changes in elevation at the top or bottom should be avoided. The minimum curb ramp width Is 914 mm_(36 in); however, 1.219 mm (48 In) is the desirable minimum. If a curb ramp is located where pedestrians must walk across the http://www.walkinginfo. org/pedsafe/moreinfo___sidewalks. cfm 8/19/2009