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| Proposed Changes |
This is what was done to a neighborhood street similar to Parker Avenue
in San Jose, California. Everyone liked the changes once it was done though all did not initially welcome the concept.
Mr.
Russ Westbrook, president of Walk San Jose, responded to P.P.N.A past president, Ed Williams inquiry of how the general public
responded to their proposed changes.
Mr. Westbrook Wrote:
Converting Four-Lane "Collector" Streets to Three
Lane "Multi-modal" Streets:
This is really a great, inexpensive way to make a collector or arterial street calmer,
safer, and multi-modal. It can restore safety and dignity to residential streets that have evolved into four-lane horrors.
If done correctly, you won't lose any traffic volume at all.
Sure there are a lot of people who want to resist anything
that they perceive to be a hindrance to a "frictionless commute" by automobile, but there is plenty of pent up demand for
these kind of changes nationwide and hardly anyone complains once they are done.
* These "three-laners," which feature
ample turning lanes, can handle as much, if not more, vehicle capacity as four-laners, if intersections are treated correctly.
Remember, on most streets, intersections determine road capacity, not the number of traveling lanes.
* This is ideal
in residential collectors, because it does not cause any traffic to be diverted to local streets, but it slows the traffic
down to speed-limit levels.
* It is much, much safer to cross this type of street than a standard four-lane street
with no median.
* This treatment creates the opportunity to add bicycle lanes, parking and sidewalks.
* If
you add a landscaped median between the turn areas, it can dramatically beautify the street and keep traffic out of the center
lane except when turning.
* With this design, it is easy to add pedestrian islands and bulb-outs to protect walkers
and cyclists.
Russ Westbrook, president
Walk San Jose
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