Global Street Design Guide Streets Avenues and Boulevards Central One-Way Streets Example 2: 25 m

Global Street Design Guide

Example 2: 25 m

Existing Conditions

This illustration depicts a one-way street with intensive commercial activity and local markets, disorganized through traffic, and unregulated parking.

Insufficient sidewalk space forces commercial activity, vendors, and pedestrians to spill onto the roadbed and into parking lanes.

A lack of crosswalk markings creates an unsafe environment for vulnerable users. High curbs and no pedestrian ramps prohibit universal access.

Unregulated perpendicular parking on both sides of the curb reduces safety and causes delays as cars park into the travel lanes. Small collective transport vehicles often block traffic with passengers boarding and alighting.

This street may have been converted into one-way operation to accommodate increased volume, but it remains congested due to the lack of space allocated for other uses.

Hong Kong, China

Design Guidance

The street is transformed by redistributing the space in a balanced and equitable way.

Introduce a dedicated transit lane. Transit can be accommodated in a marked transit lane or in a fully separated curbside transitway. Small structured dividers are located before intersections to prevent vehicle incursions. See: Transit facilities.

Ensure that transit stops do not obstruct the sidewalks and are placed in either the parking lane or in the landscaping zone.

Install a parking-protected cycle track to create a safer environment for cyclists. Provide a raised buffer to protect cyclists from dooring.

Provide cycle-share stations to help reduce vehicular traffic and the need for parking. See: Cycle Share.

Widen sidewalks to provide accessibility and increased space for pedestrians and commercial activity. Alternate parking spaces with
additional curb extensions, intermittent landscaping, and dedicated spaces for vendors.

Bury utility lines below grade during reconstruction. See: Utilities.

Consider developing a local permitting process with siting guidelines for vendors. Ensuring that guidelines are enforced and spaces are well-maintained, clean, and free of obstructions will benefit vendors and pedestrians.

Allow wider parking spaces at strategic locations to create loading bays. Restrict freight delivery or encourage off-peak delivery to eliminate double-parking obstructions.

Paris, France

Adapted by Global Street Design Guide published by Island Press.