Guideline for Making Sidewalks More Walkable - Essay Example

An analysis of the side analysis questionnaire reveals that most of the users as well as those living within the street neighborhood have a number of concerns regarding the safety, aesthetics and general comfort of the sidewalks of the street. This guideline provides design standards that should be used in the improvement of the Pedestrian sidewalks and crosswalks of First Street.

1.1. Providing safety from traffic
As seen in the questionnaire analysis, a significant number of respondents feel unsafe while crossing the streets in the neighborhood. This problem can however be solved by using signs to show the pedestrians a safe route across traffic in First Street. To minimize the exposure of the Pedestrians to motor vehicles, the sidewalks and crosswalks will be designed in a way that discourages turning motor vehicles from driving over the Pedestrian area. In places where the sidewalks are narrow or missing, an adequate Pedestrian area will be constructed to ensure that the Pedestrians and other users are always at a safe distance from the traffic (Jacobs et al, 203).

According to Gehl (104), parking should always be prohibited in areas within approximately 6m from any intersection and this is likely to improve the visibility of the crosswalks and intersection areas. Lastly, to improve street crossing safety, obstruction-free areas and corners will be maintained on the sidewalks and this will also help in the maintenance of the sightlines for all users and position pedestrians to where they will be able to see oncoming traffic. Many authors concur that pedestrians should be separated from vehicles as this is the only way to ensure their personal safety in the streets.

1.2. Helping pedestrians find their way across a complex intersection
The difficulty of crossing the complex intersections and walking to various parts of the neighborhood was another important issue that was raised by a number of respondents in the questionnaire. To improve this condition, the design of the sidewalks and crosswalks will include signs and marks that clearly indicate the directions of the intersections found on the street. In areas where there is a significant demand for crossing but there is no nearby existing crosswalk, a midblock crosswalk will be constructed and aligned with the travel patterns of the pedestrians (Rapoport, 91).

The last step shall involve installing appropriate sidewalk pavement markings and traffic signals throughout First Street to ensure that Pedestrians are able to locate shortcut routes across traffic. According to Farr (21), the traffic control signals will provide clear roadway directions to both the Pedestrians and the motorists. On the other hand, Rapoport(81), further argues that the quality of urban spaces such as the streets have a significant impact on the activities of the residents and should therefore be designed according to the culture of the people living in the neighborhood. Consequently, these will not only reduce the difficulty faced by many road users while crossing the complex intersections to various parts of the neighborhood but will also improve the efficiency of traffic progression along the street.

1.3. Improving the surface quality of the sidewalks
According to many respondents, the two worst characteristics of the streets and sidewalks in their neighborhood are cracked and uneven sidewalks. This problem can effectively be solved by ensuring that the walking surfaces are renovated using firm and stable materials such as Portland cement concrete. Barnett (28) argues that trees should be planted on both sidewalks to improve their aesthetics and enhance the visual and psychological comfort of sidewalk users. Street trees will also provide shades as well as provide a desirable microclimate. On the other hand, the issue of trash, dirt and graffiti will be addressed by assigning the responsibility of marinating the condition and cleanliness of the sidewalks to the adjacent property owners. Similarly, Gehl (204) suggests that the adjacent property owners should be required to repair the sidewalks in the event that any unwanted trash, debris, dirt or graffiti is noticed in the Pedestrian zone near their property. Read More