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Our 5 Top Posts of 2015

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Happy New Year! Like most of you, we hit the ground running in what is sure to be a busy and exciting 2016. Nonetheless, we want to take a quick look back at some of our favorite posts from the past year. From streetcars in Atlanta to architecture in Lima, we took a look at mobility, buildings styles, and a new way to approach single-family homes.

Bike Lanes - Pros and ConsBike Lanes or No Bike Lanes: A False Dichotomy?

In many cities, a false dichotomy has dominated recent conversations around cycling: Should bicycle-riders travel on their own specialized networks of bike lanes or should they ride on any road alongside automobiles?

 

 

 

Saarbrücken SidewalkA Connectivity Case Study in Saarbrücken, Germany

Like most German cities, Saarbrücken’s core is a mix of walkable streets, urban buildings, and historic sites. Despite this, city leaders and residents are concerned about the future connectivity, mobility, and livability of their city.

 

 

 

Peru - Cusco - ArchitectureThree Architectural Periods in Peru

Peru as a country boasts a mix of cultures, climates, and architecture. What makes it an incredible place to visit is that modern Peru seamlessly blends together its diverse history.

 

 

 

 

Single-Family Homes in an Urban EnvironmentSingle-Family Can Be Urban, Too

American housing design is in need of a paradigm shift. Recognizing generational preferences, increasing affordability constraints, and sustainable solutions are needed to start a new chapter in the planning of our cities, especially when it comes to housing. But that doesn’t mean the single-family home is dead.

 

 

 

streetcar_implementation_atlantaImplementing Streetcars: Lessons from Atlanta

The streetcar fits a unique niche in our transportation system different from bus or light rail. It’s often described as an extension of the walking environment thanks to its ability to be used for short trips, while still connecting different neighborhoods within a city. However, as recent streetcar projects like the Downtown Loop in Atlanta have shown, their success requires patience.

 

Bike Lanes or No Bike Lanes: A False Dichotomy?

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Bike Lanes - Pros and Cons

In many cities, a false dichotomy has dominated recent conversations around cycling: Should bicycle-riders travel on their own specialized networks of bike lanes or should they ride on any road alongside automobiles? Across the United States, the bike lane (or “pro-facilities”) crowd is winning. In some cities, however, a vocal minority of “vehicular cyclists” blocks construction efforts while focusing on education. When we look more closely at the issue, it’s easy to see that the answer isn’t always one or the other.

A Discussion of Context

 

Both sides of the bike lane discussion have reasonable concerns. The pro-lane crowd cites statistics showing that bike lanes increase both safety and participation across a wide range of demographics. The vehicular cyclists argue that bike lanes, often poorly designed or maintained, reinforce the cultural message that the car is king of the road and can put riders in dangerous situations. Dead-end bike lanes, door zones, and the inability to turn left are a just a few of the very real concerns raised by those skeptical of bike lanes. What is often lacking from these all-or-nothing conversations is a real discussion of context and design. Similarly to how New Urbanists have argued for contextual road design, we need a contextual approach to welcoming bicycles and their riders both in the most urban and more suburban contexts and in the connections between them. These solutions should also take a city’s existing conditions into consideration, which often include poor urban design.

 

Many urban design improvements can make biking safer with or without bike lanes. Reducing the number of driveways makes bike lanes considerably safer. Using quality urban design to reduce speeds on local streets makes biking safer with or without bike lanes. On the other hand, one of the common elements championed by Urbanists, the addition of on-street parking, can create “door zones” in bike lanes and narrow streets. In my less-informed days, I was “doored” on a quiet side street (without a bike lane). I was riding too close to parked cars in an effort to be polite to non-existent cars behind me, and the driver of a recently parked convertible opened his driver-side door directly in my path. Shocked and confused I looked around to see shattered glass and concerned onlookers. The driver seemed as surprised and confused as I was. Fortunately I was not going fast and walked away with minor scratches and bruises on my arms and ego. However, I’ve never looked at door-side bike lanes quite the same again.

 

Bike Lane (Protected) in San Francisco

 

For me the lesson was multi-fold. The most obvious result was to bring home the fact that “door-ing” is a real risk and should be considered in bike lane design. However, this street didn’t have a bike lane. So even a good design can’t replace education about how to ride safely. Education also ties into the issue of culture. We need a supportive culture to help people make good decisions when they ride and not based on fear of getting negative attention from people driving cars.

 

Over the next few months, I’ll go through some specific example of how good principles of urbanism can contribute to bike safety with and without bike lanes. These include slow, connected street grids, bicycle boulevards, general urban design improvements, and appropriate context for higher or lower intensity styles of bike lanes, paths, tracks, or lack thereof.

 

 

A Connectivity Case Study in Saarbrücken, Germany

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Saarbrücken is a German city along the French border with a population of around 176,000 residents. Like most German cities, Saarbrücken’s core is a mix of walkable streets, urban buildings, and historic sites. Despite this, city leaders and residents are concerned about the future connectivity, mobility, and livability of their city.

 

Saarbrucken_Germany_Connectivity

 

A recent article in the local newspaper appeared under the title “Without Resolve There Is No Future,” lamenting the automobile’s takeover of the city in recent decades and the lack of planning for the future. Now, for the average American city, the article’s commuter statistics would be a dream: 4% ride bikes, 11% carpool, 17% use public transportation, 23% walk, and 45% drive to work alone. In contrast, over 75% of Americans drove to work alone in 2013. For a comparison, Saarbrücken’s numbers are similar to much larger American cities like Philadelphia or Seattle.

 

Now leaders are engaging citizens to create a 2030 Transportation Plan. The plan will cover six major goals, including fostering sustainability through public transit and cycling, accessibility, livable streets, and safety. But this isn’t the city’s first initiative to create a more livable city. Here are five ways Saarbrücken has been promoting connectivity in the past two decades:

 

1. The Pedestrian is [Becoming] King

 

Saarbrücken’s main commercial corridor, the Bahnhofstraße, saw multiple incarnations in the past century. Bustling dirt roads with horse-drawn carriages gave way to streetcars in the 1890s. Then, after a nearly complete destruction during World War II, Saarbrücken’s main drag slowly reemerged in the 1950s and ’60s. But shiny new buildings weren’t the only difference along the Bahnhofstraße. By 1965, cars and diesel busses had completely replaced the extensive network of streetcars. For the next 30 years, the Bahnhofstraße looked like many American cities’ main streets: narrow sidewalks, angled parking, and a constant stream of cars.

 

Bahnhofstraße, Saarbrücken, Germany

 

A big shift came in the 1990s with the first pedestrianization efforts. Today, the entire length of Saarbrücken’s Bahnhofstraße (about one mile) is reserved solely for pedestrians. This effort continues today, with many side streets being converted into Woonerf-like pedestrian- and bike-friendly environments.

 

Woonerf, Saarbrücken, Germany

 

2. An International Streetcar

 

Although Saarbrücken’s streetcar system closed down in 1965, the Saarbahn revived the former Line 5 in 1997 as Line S1 and has seen multiple extensions since then. Today, this “regional streetcar” serves 40,000 riders per day at 43 stations and runs over 27 miles through Saarbrücken and various smaller cities. The core is served at 7.5-minute intervals, while farther out neighborhoods and towns are served in 15-, 30-, and 60-minute intervals. What makes the Saarbahn special is that its last stop, Sarreguemines, lies in France, making it not only a regional but also an international streetcar.

 

Saarbahn, Saarbrücken, Germany

 

3. Bike Parking

 

While only 4% of Saarbrücken commutes by bike, bike parking can be found throughout the city. With a goal of getting at least 10% of commuters on bikes in the next few years, bike parking and cycle tracks are a major part of future transportation plans.

 

Bike Parking, Germany

 

4. A Multi-Modal Waterfront

 

While the Saar river is the namesake for, well, just about everything in Saarbrücken, the riverfront itself seems to have been an afterthought in the Bahnhofstraße renovations of the 1950s and ’60s. That changed in the past year, however, with the project Stadtmitte am Fluss, or City Center on the River. With updated lighting, renovated storefronts, upgraded accessibility, and new greenspaces, the city hoped to activate a neglected portion of its downtown waterfront.

 

Stadtmitte am Fluss, Saarbrücken, Germany

 

While the project was met with skepticism over costs and necessity, it was completed successfully and has brought new life–and connectivity–to the city’s core. An improved multi-modal trail connects existing riverside paths for a great walking and biking network.

 

Stadtmitte am Fluss Trail, Saarbrücken, Germany

 

5. Saarbrücken: A City to Explore on Foot

 

With all the pedestrian streets mentioned above, it’s no surprise that 23% of Saarbrückers commute on foot and that the streets are always filled with shoppers. Smaller initiatives, however, have played a big role in getting people out of their cars. For example, sidewalks have been widened, directional signage with walking distances is commonplace, underground shopping tunnels allow pedestrians to avoid crossing large streets, an existing historic building was converted into a mall in 2010, and café seating spills out onto sidewalks throughout the city.

 

 

 

 

Event Recap: ULI Central Florida’s Volusia County Update

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Leading the nation in job growth last year isn’t the only topic of discussion in Volusia County these days. With a major renovation of an iconic race track underway, cutting-edge research in aviation, and important infrastructure improvements in the works, ULI members and other attendees flocked to Daytona last week to hear the latest county news directly from the experts. The ULI Signature Event: Volusia County Update was held on April 30th at the Daytona International Speedway, drawing nearly 100 guests from around Central Florida and kicking off with a tour of the Daytona International Speedway. Attendees then met for the main event, moderated by Sans Lassiter, President of Lassiter Transportation Group, and featured presentations by Joie Chitwood III, Chris Kokai, and Martha Moore.

 

One Daytona Development

 

Joie Chitwood III, President of the Daytona International Speedway, shared not only the Speedway’s origins, but future plans to turn the track into a year-round attraction. For the first time in over 50 years, the Daytona International Speedway is getting a facelift. From seating improvements to upgraded amenities, the $400 million Daytona Rising project is underway to transform the race track into the world’s first motorsports stadium. But that’s not the only project slated for the area. Chitwood also gave visitors insight into One Daytona, a 190-acre, $800 million mixed-use development across from the Speedway. As expected, developments of this size don’t come without their fair share of challenges. For Chitwood and his team, a major challenge is meeting a construction schedule while still being able to operate the race track. Nonetheless, Daytona Rising and the first phase of One Daytona are expected to finish on-time in 2016.

 

Just next door to the Daytona International Speedway, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is researching aviation innovation. Florida Test Bed Director of Operations Chris Kokai gave a detailed overview of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen. Part of the Florida Test Bed rapid prototyping initiative, NextGen aims to improve the airspace through technology “in ways that the general public may not notice.” Kokai and other researchers are modernizing air traffic control systems through homogenized data and better communication. Benefits for commercial airlines that bring tourists to Volusia County include more direct routes, increased fuel efficiency, and more frequent take-offs, all of which affect the way arrive at and depart airports like Daytona Beach International.

 

Just like aviation improvements, both local and regional infrastructure improvements will be needed to move residents and visitors around the county. That’s where Martha Moore, Vice President at Ghyabi & Associates, and her team come in as planning consultants for the International Speedway Boulevard Corridor Master Management Plan. Moore walked attendees through a variety of projects, including an additional pedestrian bridge and wider sidewalks connecting One Daytona with the Speedway, interchange improvements, an aesthetics master plan, and potential areas for multi-modal hubs.

 

Canin Associates is a proud sponsor of ULI Central Florida. For upcoming events, please click here.

 

 

 

 

Implementing Streetcars: Lessons from Atlanta

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The streetcar fits a unique niche in our transportation system different from bus or light rail. It’s often described as an extension of the walking environment thanks to its ability to be used for short trips, while still connecting different neighborhoods within a city. However, as recent streetcar projects like the Downtown Loop in Atlanta have shown, their success requires patience.

streetcar_atlanta_downtown_loop

Photo © Matt Johnson via flickr

When to Implement Streetcars

In late 2014, Atlanta joined a growing number of US cities to add the modern streetcar to their available transit options. For Atlanta, the new Downtown Loop is the city’s first line since the original streetcar system closed in 1949. In a recent New York Times article, Keith T. Parker, the Chief Executive of MARTA, was quoted saying this about the new three-mile line:

“These are not projects for right now. These are projects for the future, and when you look around, the cities who we’re competing with around this nation and around the world, they’ve made investments in public transportation.”

This sentiment mirrors what we wrote in our previous post on streetcars: they are community builders. More than a mode of transportation, they aid in neighborhood revitalization. This means that cities can implement streetcars at strategic times and for specific purposes: to encourage transit-oriented development in new communities, to spur investment in underserved areas, or to provide a much-needed transportation alternative in bustling urban areas. No matter when streetcars are implemented in a city’s timeline, it takes time for them to become integrated into the urban landscape and into the habits of local residents and visitors—especially in places new to this type of fixed transit.

Where to Implement Streetcars

So perhaps it’s the growing pains of implementing a streetcar route in an existing urban fabric that has caused mixed reviews for Atlanta’s Downtown Loop. One notable piece was written by Atlanta magazine’s own Rebecca Burns, who chronicled her commute to work for an entire week using the new line. In addition to observing Atlanta’s overall lack of transportation options once at work, Burns’ biggest frustration was the speed of the streetcar: the line operates in regular vehicular traffic. While her ride provided shelter from the elements and a chance to catch up on email, in an auto-centric city of nearly half a million people, sometimes sitting in gridlock remains a reality.

streetcar_implementation_atlantaStill, a streetcar that operates in a regular traffic lane is not doomed to fail. One benefit of mixing the streetcar with cars is the ability to use an existing street lane without having to remove it. Taking out auto travel lanes can be controversial or impractical in many locations and completely new rails require additional planning and funding. However, in congested areas, an exclusive lane will make service not only faster but also more reliable and therefore more usable by non-tourist travelers.

Right now, the Atlanta Streetcar’s biggest challenge seems to be the need to prove its usefulness not only for tourists, but also for professional commuters, residents, and students. As the community grows around the new route and residents integrate it into their daily lives, the streetcar is sure to become an important cornerstone for downtown Atlanta.

 Photo © Central Atlanta Progress via flickr

A Brief Look: What is a Multi-Way Boulevard?

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Streets, roads, courts, avenues, boulevards—cities use these words to name a range of street types. But in transportation design, each one describes a very specific type of thoroughfare. In this Brief Look, we’ll see what makes a thoroughfare a multi-way boulevard and why they are great placemaking solutions.

Typical Boulevard Plan View

 

The term “boulevard” is broadly used to describe a street or promenade planted with trees. For planners and engineers, however, a boulevard is also a highly valuable piece of roadway that can accommodate multiple users and types of movement within an urban design framework. We generally refer to this as a multi-way boulevard.

A multi-way boulevard contains three essential elements: central through lanes, parallel frontage lanes (coupled with an inviting pedestrian realm), and landscaped tree lawns (to buffer low speed users from through traffic). Beyond these core ideas, there can be a good deal of variety in the specific design, such as the location of transit and additional pedestrian or bicycle facilities.

One of the biggest challenges facing urban designers and traffic engineers is designing a roadway that accommodates the expectations of transportation officials while at the same time providing a safe, walkable environment that promotes pedestrian, bicycle, and transit uses. This is where the central through lanes provide the needed vehicular capacity, while frontage lanes create a calm, multi-use environment that lends itself to urban commercial and mixed-use development opportunities.

Boulevard with Streetcar

 

Multi-way boulevards come with many more benefits: they are aesthetically pleasing, accommodate on-street parking without interfering with through traffic, and create opportunities for buildings to interact with the sidewalk. Nonetheless, some challenges may exist in their application. Their higher cost and potential need for additional right-of-way must be acknowledged before design implementation can begin. Furthermore, a lack of existing engineering design standards means that only those with a strong understanding of roadway design can develop them.

From handling high volumes of traffic to providing fully functional pedestrian infrastructure, multi-way boulevards are a serious option for designing and redesigning large-scale thoroughfares in urbanizing areas.

 

 

 

A Quick ‘n’ Simple Roundabout Infographic

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We created this roundabout infographic to explain why they’re such a great intersection solution (click for the full size image). Learn more with our recent post, The Benefits of the Modern Roundabout.

 

 

Streetcars Then and Now

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Streetcars were a primary mode of transportation in America’s urban areas at the turn of the last century. In 1902, they carried 5.8 billion trips and provided quality transit service to compact, walkable cities. However, as cars began to dominate the post-war streetscape, streetcars fell from prominence.

Today, tastes in the United States are changing. Or, more accurately, they are leaning back to what they were before. Long commutes and worsening congestion are making urban and walkable lifestyles more desirable. With a changing national demographic that favors the urban life, cities are once again exploring streetcars as a way to catalyze the development and redevelopment of walkable neighborhoods.

Streetcars Old and New
Photo via Stephen Rees

Streetcars for Neighborhood Revitalization

Streetcars are more than just a form of transportation: They are city builders. But what type of development best compliments the streetcar? Generally, they are well-suited for higher-density, mixed-use buildings. A variety of mixes may include commercial, office, and residential uses. Residential densities should be at least 20 to 30 units per acre. Meanwhile, densities exceeding 100 units per acre can ensure good ridership.

Still, it’s important to remember that these mixes and densities don’t need to be present from day one. In fact, an essential role of streetcars is to help build such neighborhoods. Once established, they benefit from the ridership they produce. Fixed-transit provides a reliable development environment for private investors and an easy-to-understand first transit experience for new urban dwellers.

Streetcar installations have spurred high-quality, mixed-use development along corridors in cities such as Portland, Oregon; Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Tampa, Florida. In Portland, studies showed that the combination of streetcars and good development policies helped spur $2 billion dollars in private-sector investment. Meanwhile, the total public investment in streetcars was $57 million. Moreover, ridership was almost triple the initial projections.

Streetcar Types

Since its earliest conception, the streetcar has changed shape many times. Today, three varieties prevail. Each style has its benefits and drawbacks, but all three can compliment the character of the neighborhoods in which they’re placed.

Restored Historic Streetcar

  

  • Historic character
  • Typically lowest-cost vehicle
  • Difficult to find identical vehicles and parts
  • Low passenger capacity
  • ADA access at stops
  • Slower operating speeds and passenger boarding

Heritage Style Streetcar

  

  • Historic character
  • Lower vehicle cost
  • Simplified fleet maintenance
  • Low passenger capacity
  • ADA access at stops
  • Slower operating speeds and passenger boarding

Modern Streetcar

  

  • Modern image
  • Higher vehicle cost
  • Simplified fleet maintenance
  • Larger passenger capacity
  • ADA access in vehicles
  • Faster operating speeds and passenger boarding

The Benefits of the Modern Roundabout

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Clearwater_Florida_Roundabout_Benefits
Image by Ken Sides, City of Clearwater
In 2007, the United States built its 1,000th roundabout. That same year, France built its 30,000th roundabout. Although countries around the world have taken the benefits of modern roundabouts to heart, this intersection solution has taken a little longer to grab hold in American municipalities. Nonetheless, as the benefits of this design become increasingly apparent (and needed), more and more intersections are following this circular model. So, what makes roundabouts so desireable?

Roundabouts Reduce Environmental Impacts

According to a study in Time Magazine, roundabouts cut hydrocarbon emissions at intersections by as much as 42%. By reducing idling, ten circular intersections in Virginia were found to save 200,000 gallons of gas each year. The “Gateway Roundabout” in Clearwater, Florida, replaced three signalized intersections and one stop-controlled intersection with a single two-lane traffic circle. Stop delays–and therefore emissions–were reduced by 68%. Likewise, similar interventions in Kansas were found to ease traffic delays by an average of 65%.

Roundabouts Are Safer by Design

Reduced risk when replacing intersections with roundabouts.Each year, over 30,000 individuals die in car crashes in the United States– and that doesn’t include the even greater number of annual crashes involving injuries to drivers and pedestrians. One solution to these high figures is the replacement of signalized and stop-controlled intersections with roundabouts.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety found that replacing conventional intersections with roundabouts reduced overall collisions by 37%, collisions involving injuries by 75%, and collisions involving fatalities by 90%. Moreover, collisions with pedestrians were reduced by 40%.

Roundabouts Move More Cars

According to the FHWA, a single-lane roundabout can handle up to 2,500 vechilces per hour. It would take two travel lanes (and usually left and right turn lanes) in each direction to match that capacity. In other words, roundabouts handle more traffic with less pavement.

 

Overall, the benefits of these modern traffic circles are clear. While most traffic designers have caught on, it’s now up to local municipalities to allow for the conversion of conventional intersections.