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Non -Motorized Transportation Design Considerations Design dimensions for sidewalks are recommended to be five -feet or wider, with a minimum of a four -foot wide boulevard between the sidewalk and the curb. Increased separation improves pedestrian comfort and provides space for street signs and snow storage. Several types of bicycle facilities exist within the metropolitan area, with each having its own benefits and limitations depending on the surrounding environment and intended audience. Bicycle facilities include: off-street facilities, protected bikeways, buffered bicycle lanes, conventional bicycle lanes, bicycle boulevards, and wide paved shoulders. Multi -use trails are recommended to be a minimum of eight -feet wide. Regional trails are recommended to be a minimum of ten -feet wide due to higher use and the design requirements to comply with federal funding. Trails must have a two -foot wide clear zone on either side to reduce hazards for bicyclists and provide a recovery zone if a bicyclist leaves the edge of the trail. The clear zone can be paved or turf surface. No signs, furnishings, trees, or other obstructions can be in the clear zone. 11UGO 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Paved shoulders should be a minimum of four -feet wide if intended for bicycle and pedestrian use. Four -foot wide shoulders are adequate on streets with traffic volumes below 1,000 vehicles per day. Six- to eight -foot shoulders are recommended when traffic volumes exceed 1,000 vehicles per day. A wider shoulder improves pedestrian and bicyclist safety and comfort when vehicle traffic speeds and volumes are higher. As non -motorized facilities are planned and designed, the City should consult additional planning and design resources, including: • MnDOT Bikeway Facility Design Manual • Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices • MnDOT Complete Streets Implementation Resource Guide • Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities — American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials • Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities —American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials • Public Rights of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) —US Access Board DRAFT Dec14-17 for review only DRAFT Dec14-17 for review only Accessibility is a very important consideration for non -motorized design. All new pedestrian and bicycle facilities must meet the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility guidelines established in PROWAG. The guidelines in PROWAG address the design needs of people with physical and/or visual impairments. Accessibility will become increasingly important over the next 20 years due to demographic changes. Baby boomers are aging and the population over age 65 is increasing. People over 65 are more likely to have physical and/or visual impairments that affect their ability to get around. To address accessibility issues, it is recommended that the City develop an ADA transition plan to bring sidewalks, trails, and intersections into compliance with ADA. TRANSPORTATION 194