Global Street Design Guide

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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents

Global Street Design Guide

Measuring the Streets

When collecting metrics at the level of the street and evaluating the changes and impacts, it is important to select relevant metrics from all three categories—physical and operational changes, use and functional changes, and resulting impacts— to ensure comprehensive before-and-after comparisons. The graphic below spatially demonstrates

some of the key categories and corresponding quantitative and qualitative metrics that should be collected for a project. This sample list should be used in conjunction with the complete set of metrics in Appendix B. Metrics can be used to compare a street to another context or for benchmarking against prior conditions.

Physical and Operational Changes

Pedestrian Facilities

  • Width of sidewalk and clearpaths
  • Spacing, width, and length of pedestrian crossings
  • Accessibility ramps
  • Other sidewalk furniture and facilities

Cycle Facilities

  • Length and width of cycle facilities by type
  • Percentage of total segments with safe and comfortable facilities
  • Number of cycle share stations and locations

Transit Facilities

  • Length and width of dedicated/shared transit facilities
  • Location, quality, and frequency of transit stops/ shelters
  • Number of accessible stations

Freight and City Services

  • Number of loading bays
  • Number of waste and recycling facilities
  • Width of emergency vehicles access
  • Number of parking bays reserved for other services

Operational Conditions

  • Signal cycle durations
  • Number of phases and frequency of intervals
  • Loading and parking hours and regulations
  • Direction of travel

Street Conditions

  • Block sizes and width of street cross section
  • Number of and location of trees and other green infrastructure
  • Number and frequency of intersections

Use and Functional Changes

User Counts

  • Number of people walking,cycling, crossing, using transit, driving
  • Number of commercial vehicles, freight trips
  • Number of pedestrians by type of activity and duration of stay

Behavior and Comfort

  • Percentage of users that feel safe and comfortable by mode share and facility type
  • Number of cars speeding
  • Perception of cleanliness

Commercial Activity

  • Number of storefronts per block or 100m, by type and land use
  • Number of jobs within the area
  • Percentage of vacant retail fronts
  • Number of vendors
  • Retail rents and land value

Environmental Quality

  • Amount of electricity consumed
  • Percentage of waste collected for recycling
  • Volume of treated stormwater
  • Percentage of street with shade

Resulting Impacts

Safety

  • Number of crashes per year
  • Breakdown of crashes by mode, user, type, location, and time of day
  • Crime rates by type, location, and time of day

Human Health

  • Percentage of people walking or cycling on a daily basis
  • Percentage of population with depression
  • Percentage of population with respiratory diseases

Environment

  • Levels of particulate matter
  • Levels of noise from trucks and automobile traffic
  • Drainage rates after heavy rains
  • Average temperatures
  • Number of plant species

Quality of Life

  • Number of people living close to cycling or transit facilities
  • Total travel times by mode and user
  • Number of jobs and access to them
  • Level of satisfaction with local street conditions

Adapted by Global Street Design Guide published by Island Press.