3.7D Pedestrian crossings

Accessibility

Pedestrian crossings must be accessible for people with disabilities, including use of ADA-compliant curb ramps and accessible pedestrian signals at new or replaced traffic signals.

General principles

Pedestrian street crossing design should also include:

1. Frequent crossing opportunities appropriate to the context;
2. Narrowing the roadway as much as possible to reduce exposure to pedestrians;
3. Tightening curb-return radii as much as feasible while balancing turning needs and pedestrian curb ramp design;
4. Clear expectations on where and when to cross the street for both pedestrians and drivers;
5. Good sidewalk visibility between drivers and pedestrians by limiting obstructions and providing good lighting on crosswalks;
6. Sufficient signal time and traffic gaps for pedestrians of all ages and abilities to cross the street; and
7. Minimal delay to pedestrians waiting to cross the street.

Slip lanes restricted

Slip lanes (unsignalized turn lanes at intersections) should be restricted and existing slip lanes should be converted to community space where possible. 

Curb extensions

Curb extensions should generally be used at all intersections where full-time parking lanes are present or excess travel lane width is present. Exceptions include Urban Neighborhood streets where a traffic circle is preferred and Production and Processing where they should be considered but may not be appropriate given the frequency of large trucks.

Raised pedestrian crossings

Raised pedestrian crossings should generally be included whenever there a busier pedestrian street (like Mixed Use Commercial Connectors) crosses an Urban Neighborhood Street and should be considered when there is a high-volume pedestrian crossing of a parkway. See raised pedestrian and bicycle crossings guidance for more details.

Crossing improvements for busy streets

When there is a high-volume pedestrian crossing of a busier street (like Urban Neighborhood Connector, Mixed Use Community Connector, or Mixed Use Commercial Connector), pedestrian crossing improvements should be included. Options include traffic signals, bicycle and pedestrian safety islands, curb extensions, and/or Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons. 

Crossing improvements for priority routes

Pedestrian crossing improvements should be further prioritized along and across the Pedestrian Priority Network and High Injury Streets and near or connecting to schools and parks.

Shared use paths

See also guidance for shared use path crossings.