Global Street Design Guide

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Global Street Design Guide

Existing Conditions


This street depicted in the illustration above has elevated transit infrastructure. It provides regional connectivity and a variety of collective transit options. The elevated transit stop serves as a multimodal exchange point, but at-grade collective transport has poor  reliability due to shared travel lanes and heavy congestion.


Collective transport passengers are faced with poorly marked stops and disorienting transfer spaces.


Undefined areas along the sidewalks are occupied by street vendors, rickshaws, and unregulated car and motorcycle parking that force pedestrians onto the roadbed.


High speeds, long crossing distances without clear markings, and narrow, non-continuous, and inaccessible sidewalks create an unsafe pedestrian environment.


Utilities and elevated transit infrastructure often block clear pedestrian paths and limit visibility.



Paris, France

Design Guidance


The street is redesigned to prioritize transit and shared mobility, improve walking conditions and public space, and transform key transfer nodes into recognizable landmarks.


 Eliminate excess traffic lanes and designate a curbside transit lane in each direction. Marked transit lanes may be shared with taxis and small collective transport. To ensure smooth operation of collective transport services, provide pull-in and drop-off stops for  boarding, which allows other transit vehicles to pass. These alternate with accessible parking spaces and taxi stands. See: Transit Facilities.


Widen sidewalks and provide universal accessibility to better serve the needs of heavy pedestrian volumes.


 Extend the curb to create dedicated areas for vendors in the same zone as pull-in lanes, ensuring a clear path for pedestrians.


Extend the central median to create pedestrian refuge islands. See: Pedestrian Refuges.


Provide signage and wayfinding for transit stops to help navigate the users and to identify transit routes.


Add street furniture and trees to provide a comfortable street environment. See: Pedestrian Toolbox.



Chengdu, China


Adapted by Global Street Design Guide published by Island Press.

Case Study: Boulevard de Magenta; Paris, France

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Case Study: Boulevard de Magenta; Paris, France