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PCSR INFO 05-10-2005 ATTEND THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES REGIONAL TRAINING SESSION Land Use Issues . for City Staffi Elected Officials, antlBoard and Commission Memhers Attend one or both sessions (os spale allows): SESSION 1: FOR CITY STAFF legistrolion-2:3D p.m. Progrom-3-S p.m. Hands-on training on building and development fees, parkland dedication requirements, and the need for written findings. SESSION 2: FOR ELEmD OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF EDAs, HRAs, PLANNING COMMISSIONS AND PORT AUTHORITIES Registratian-6:3D p.m. Progrom-7-9 p.m. Learn how to effectively run a public hearing, arrive at sound land-use decisions and develop written findings. Also review requirements for building and development fees and parkland dedication. WHO SHOULD ATTEND? City elerted offlciols, members of EOAs, IIRAs, planning com- missions and port authorities, city odministrolors, derks and . manogers. REGISTRATION FEE: S25 per session LOCATIONS: Jme 8-51. Cloud June 9-Redwood falls Jme I S-51. Paul June l6-Rochesler Jme 22-Grond Ropids Jme 23-0elroit Lakes Re&fst~?;p'f.Jlirle anytitJie: www.lmnc.org League of Minnesota Cities 145 Unive~ity Avenue Well St. Poul, MN 55103-2044 Land use continues to be one of the hottest topics in city management and the source of many expensive claims. These two training sessions are designed to meet the different information needs of city staff and elected officials as well as members of city boards and commissions. Register for one or both sessions (as space allows). . Register online anytime at: www.lmnc.org FIRST CLASS U.S. POSTAGE PAID St. Paul, MN PERMIT NO.3223 '{ (;,p f')!",\t';~ . >J Z fUUJ 1.1.1..1.1.111111.11.11 ,".1.11.11.. 1111.1111111111I1.1.111.11 MICHELE MCPHERSON Planning Director Elk River 13065 ORONO PKWY NW ELK RIVER MN 55330-5600 QUESTIONS? Conlocl Rebecca Erickson 01 (651) 281-1222 or (800) 925-1122 . , ! : .. . !i ~ ~.~' ":;" . .'. .... to . t, for people~ . . .' IWimt fu getiio .by a] n.on'fro m'tb.em'an'dflOOl'likJ. 'eI - ,", '-.- -. , '-",' .', . . ..... . '. For. more photos from. the .' .twincities.com. ONLINE: VISIT THE ANT FARM ARCHIVE ON WWW.TWINCITlES.COM ... '" i€ , - 1 -0 5 EAGAN Stadium pitch adop ';~ Court sides with ~oIf course owner -i'- -1': Ruling may clear way for development ',)H "I':; -c' BY MEGGEN LINDSAY Pioneer Press Tf I had 3 cents for every time .1rve heard how little 3 cents is on a $20 purchase, I could buy myself a luxury box in that new stadium everyone's talking about. Three cents on every $20 purchase is the sales tax Hen- nepin County would raise to keep the Minnesota Twins in town. Ever since the plan was introduced, Hennepin. County taxpayers have been pummeled with this number like a tiny T -baller taking cuts against a big league pitcher, as if the constant repetition of this teensy-weensy contribution will somehow inure them to the fact they may never have a chance to vote on it. (And they thi poll fOUD nepin I opposed people , elected 0 actually. The pitch is t late-niglJ barefoot children g pleading eyes while us that, for just per could get the vace Paolo could get a : Marketed in this VI our own small sac ,~ lawsuit Thursday against the city of Eagan, bolstering their bid to convert the 120-acre golf course into a housing subdivi- sion and park. Wensmann and owner Ray Rahn had sued the city in November after the City Council LAURA BILLINGS Carriage Hills Golf Course in Eagan is closed for the season 1:fud is likely to stay that way. .~, Course owner Rahn Family JAmited Partnership and promi- nent Minnesota developer ~ens:clann Realty Inc. won a ~ , GOLF COURSE, 4B . . Golf course (continued) . summer unanimously cted a proposal to develop the IS-hole course, located off Yankee Doodle Road on Wescott Woodlands Drive. The city must either amend the property's zoning to allow for the housing development or begin eminent domain pro- ceedings to take the 40-year- wdpoomgo~cours~Dmmct Court Judge Patrice Suther- land ruled Either action must begin within 30 days. The legal loss comes as a sig- nificant blow to the council's effort to block development at Carnage Hills, one of the sub- urb's last bastions of open space. 'Tm very dejected Develop- ers used to at least need to get city approval before coming in," said Dan Bailey, a member of the Carriage Hills Coalition, a group of neighbors who have spent years fighting the course's development . "Now, apparently, if you have enough money and can sue people, you can do what .want" th the city and developer received word of Sutherland's . ruling Monday. The City Council will meet tonight in a closed-door session. to determine whether it will appeal the decision. Officials had no further comment Monday. "This is a big step. We know this is an important case with a far-reaching impact in this area," said Christopher Pen- well, attorney for Wensmann and Rahn. "Of cours~ my clients are pleased with the decision, and, of course, it's the outcome we were looking forward to. But it's premature to say anything about what happens next until we know what the city will do," he said Under Eagan's comprehen- sive guide plan, the Carnage Hills property is zoned only for parks and recreation. Wens- mann had asked the council to change the area's land-use des- ignation to allow low-density residential housing. The home builders want to add 480 housing units - including condos, town homes and single-family houses - while preserving 40 or more acres as parks and open space. But the council refused to amend its comprehensive plan. And it shouldn't have to, Bailey said ''What is a guide plan then? Why have this going into the futurfl, if it really means noth- ing and has no legal teeth?" he asked. In the lawsuit, Rahn said he was losing hundreds of thou- sands of dollars annually and charged that the city's denial of development amounted to tak- ing the course without paying for it District Judge Patrice Sutherland agreed In her deci- sion, she said Eagan's denial meant that Rahn had to either incur significant annual losses from the go~ course's opera- tions or abandon the property, which allowed the city and its residents to benefit from the land without paying for it. "This one-sided benefit to the city is not only at odds with its goal of preserving public . Laura Billings (continued) taxpayers could buy billionaire Carl Pohlad - who was willing to contract his team right out of existence - the stadium he's And yet Hennepin County taxpayers are expected to hap- pily open their purse strings? On an ancillary issue that may already seem like ancient history, it was only two months amenities such as parks and open space through private- public partnerships, it is arbi- trary and capricious as a mat- ter of law," she wrote in her 20-page decision. "The burden on Rahn is grossly disproportionate to the burden it should be expected to bear while the city receives the advantage of property rights for which it did not pay." Sutherland also said the developer's plans to keep a por- tion of the go~ course as park- land supports the city's guide plan. Rahn would say only that he heard he had won his lawsuit. In the past, he has pegged his losses at the course over the past five years at $800,000. Rahn bought it for $3.6 mil- lion in 1996, just weeks after the Carnage Hills Coalition success- fully fought a request from another residential developer to change the comprehensive plan. "He knew full well what he was doing, so he invested the minim:ilIn amount of money possible into the go~ course and waited until the market was ripe to sell it," Bailey said Penwell said that is nonsense. "Mr. Rahn bought the course with the belief and expectation that it would be viable. He made significant capital improvements to the go~ course, and undertook sig- nificant marketing efforts," he said "It's simply not true that he bought it with the intent of Closing it." In Mendota Heights, a simi- lar legal battle over a go~ course is under way this week. The city will go before the state Supreme Court Wednesday to try to stop a housing develop- . ment at the Mendota Heights Par 3 Go~ Course. It is the final chance for the city, which already has lost two lower court rulings. Meggen Lindsay can be reached at mlindsay@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5260. largest skating complex in the ownE world and 52 soccer fields, has but plans for a sports park with authl sports-related businesses. Krus Sports center officials said more Friday that, thanks' to a bill Natu passed by the Legislature and piece signed by. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, OJ the organization expects to als:l) lease 17 acres near the Schwan they Super Rink to private business- locatt es. build There are no concrete pro- ings. posals yet, but the businesses reqUl may ultimately include a sports mont medicine clinic and a fitness on t center open to the public, said Krus. Barclay Kruse, associate direc- Tl tor of the Minnesota Amateur for I Sports Commission, which owns learn Students ail They'll sell pottery to combat hunger BY JOHN BREWER Pioneer Press When Osceola High School art teacher Peg Medcraft recently asked a class of stu- dents the last time any of them remembered being hungry, nobody could recall the sensa- oon. peo~ The educator and 200-some pIe ir students are hoping to show start 1 their community that hunger Prl affects them and their neigh- be SI bors, as well as people on the Open other side of the world shelf, For the past couple of an or months, students in Medcraft's livestl clay class have been making lies aJ bowls to sell at an Empty Bowls goat, event scheduled for Wednesday could night. The group aims to raise need) $2,500 for local and global ME . hunger-fighting organizations. vised "I really hope that it opens years their eyes to hunger," said par- ola, s; ticipant Sam Evans, a 17-year- partie old junior. "There's a lot of previ< poverty in this area that a lot of ''I CONTINUED FROM PAGE lB that the epidemic of steroid use in baseball has surely shriveled character, among other things. Though Curt Schilling had called steroid abuse rampant, he recanted when he was under oath. "The issue was grossly over- stated by people, including The whole display was so dis- gusting that for a brief moment, Congress was united in its revul- sion at what's wrong with Amer- ica's game. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., claimed that baseball's "arrogance" had "done more to unite Republicans and Democrats in this CoIllZreSS backe ona$ et ch notice $20 pu ty alOl year 1 there street . . . Printer version: Gardens grow with the flow Page 1 of3 INFORMAnON startribune.com CIQ~ewingQW Last update: April 26, 2005 at 1 :25 PM Gardens grow with the flow Sarah McCann Star Tribune Published April 27, 2005 Rain gardens are an environmental strategy with solid roots in the north metro. Mother Nature, conservationists and city officials say they adore the landscaping design, which is a natural, inexpensive way to clean up water that flows into streams, rivers and lakes. Maplewood helped pioneer the method in Minnesota and continues to be flooded with callers from across the country looking for resources. Rain gardens are made by creating a dip in land or the side of a curb and arranging native plants inside the slope. The gardens collect rainwater, soak it up within about two days and return the moisture to the ground. Developed areas with buildings, paved roads and parking lots don't let rain back into the ground. Instead, water that drops on those hard surfaces collects everything in its path-- fertilizer, oil, pet waste, soap, pesticides, litter -- and it all heads into the waters Minnesotans are so proud of. "A lot of people think [stormwater] goes to water treatment," said Virginia Gaynor, a rain garden horticulturist for Maplewood. "It doesn't. It goes directly to lakes and streams." One problem is the phosphorus found in grass clippings. A little bit of the mineral leads to a lot of algae in water. "Homeowners with these beautifully manicured green lawns right up to the edge complain about why the lake is so green," said Dawn Dubats, environmental educational coordinator for the Rice Creek Watershed District. They're contributing to algae with their lawns, she said. Native plants help with many pollution problems because they have long roots measuring up to 16 inches, Dubats said. Typical lawn plant roots are only a few inches long. Native root systems can tolerate more water, filter it and keep more of it in the land. North-metro gardens Birchwood Village was concerned about pollution and erosion because of bad water systems, so this spring officials are putting in their third rain garden. "We're trying to eradicate some of the problems that happened in the past and take a look at our water and what we can do on a real grass-roots level to take care of it," said Cynthia Tomlinson, co-chair of the parks and open space committee in Birchwood Village. Vadnais Heights, Centerville, Mounds View and Fridley all have rain gardens in their city limits. http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story . php?template=print_ a&story=53 683 57 4/26/2005 . . . Printer version: Gardens grow with the flow Page 2 of3 Developing cities should jump on the opportunity to include rain gardens in their plans, said Fred Rozumalski, a landscape architect for Barr Engineering. "To do it from the onset is going to save a lot of money and be more effective," he said. "Especially up there in the north metro where there's a ton of development going on, it's a good idea." Maplewood realized the effectiveness in 1996 when the city, along with the University of Minnesota and the Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District, did a rain garden pilot project. It turned out that the two-block stretch of street with the native landscaping had little to no runoff. Now every time Maplewood does street reconstruction, rain gardens are included. The city constructs them and provides the plants. All that homeowners have to do is plant and maintain the gardens. About one-third of the residents, including Lynne Cooper, have opted for the new landscaping on a portion of their land. Cooper was so fond of rain gardens that she wanted one that was 70 feet by 20 feet large, enough to fill about half of her front lawn. "It made the neighborhood a nicer place to be," she said ofthe rain garden project. "It's more attractive, and there's more variety instead of just having flat front yards with maybe a tree or two," she said. While Cooper created her own yard plan, Maplewood provides seven design options that residents can choose from. Even though the landscaping is easy and contained, it's important to do your research, said Chris Cavett, assistant city engineer for Maplewood. This year the Rice Creek Watershed District is helping make it easy. The district last week launched a program called One Stop Shopping to Restore Your Yard and Shore, which provides resources to homeowners. Education on how to design the gardens and how effective they are is the reason rain gardens have taken off in the past few years, said Doug Mensing, a senior ecologist with Applied Ecological Services, a consulting firm. Also, state and federal requirements have pushed people toward the natural investment, Cavett said. That might be part ofthe reason cities such as Washington, D.C., and Portland are blossoming with rain gardens. "It seems kind of ironic that we grade the ground so efficiently to drain and then put irrigation systems in," Cavett said. "This is just kind of getting back to nature. It's what occurs with Mother Nature." -FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on the Rice Creek Watershed District's One-Stop Shopping to Restore Your Yard and Shore Program, go to Landscape Alternatives in Roseville, Lebens Floral at Old Town Market in Hugo, Linder's Garden Center in St. Paul, Rice Creek Gardens in Blaine or www.ricecreek.org. Or go to www._ci.1l1aplewQQd.illn.1Js.Ontherightsideisapublicworksbox.Click on Maplewood http://www.startribune.comldynamic/story . php ?template=print_ a&story=53 683 57 4/26/2005 Printer version: Gardens grow with the flow Page 3 of3 Stormwater Management. Then click on Rainwater Gardens. . · WHAT IS A RAIN GARDEN? . . A rain garden is a scooped-out piece of land that is filled with many native plants. The plants often have roots up to 16 inches long, whereas typical lawn plants often have much shorter roots. The rain garden and the native plants keep more of the water in the land, filter it and stop pollutants from flowing into streams, rivers and lakes. Contact the writer at 612-673-7512 or smccann@Startribune.com. ~CQPyright~J>Q~ Star Tribune. All rights reserved. http://www.startribune.com/dynamic/story . php ?template=print_ a&story=5 368357 4/26/2005 18 Planning May 2005 . PLANNING PRACTICE ,By Barbara McCann Complete the Streets! . . n many communities, designating a bicycle route or pouring a few new sidewalks is no longer enough. In the college town of Columbia, Mis- souri, the city adopted new street standards last June calling for wider sidewalks and narrower lanes. The governing commission of the South Carolina Deparrment ofT ransportation recently passed a resolution declaring that "bicycling and walking accommodations should be a routine part of the department's planning, design, con- struction, and operating activities." In San Diego last November, voters approved a sales tax measure that is expected to generate $14 billion over 40 years. It specifies that any roads built or improved with these funds must have room for cyclists and pedestrians. All of these jurisdictions are part of a new trend: creating complete streets. For everyone A complete street is defined as a street that works for motorists, for bus riders, for bicy- clists, and for pedestrians, including people with disabilities. A complete streets policy is aimed at producing roads that are safe and E .~:'~ o. convenient for all users. Complete streets are not limited to a few designated corridors. Many communities have launched main street initiatives, adopted bi- cycle plans, or undertaken special planning processes for nonmotorized travel in specific places. In contrast, complete streets policies strive for diversity on just about every thor- oughfare. And the process of creating com- plete streets is leading planners and engineers across the country to approach street design in fundamentally new ways. Most U.S. roadways are not "complete streets." According to a national survey conducted in 2002 by the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics, about one quarter of all walking trips take place on roads without sidewalks or shoul- ders, and bike lanes are available for only about five percent of bicycle trips. Another BTS poll, the 2003 National Transportation Availability and Use Survey, found that the top complaint among both able-bodied and disabled pedes- trians and cyclists was that there were too few usable sidewalks and bikeways-essentially, too many incomplete streets. American Planning Association 19 ~e'v state and local policies require tllat virtually m roads be built to serve all types of users. Good examples: From left, a Boulder arterial that was built as a multimodal corridor fOr auto, pedestrian, biC)JC!e, and tmnsit use; a commercial street filled with actil!iry in Santtl Rosa, .ijOrnia; Water Street in VancoulJer, British Columbia. A new name For advocates of bicycling and walking, this state of affairs demanded a whole new para- digm-and a name to go with it. The term "complete streets" was coined in early 2003 by bicycle advocates as a way to describe- and sell-what had until then been referred to as routine accommodation. For years, advocates of this approach had lobbied to get a provision inserted in federal law that would require roads built using fed- eral highway funds to accommodate people on foot and bicycle. While the Transporta- tion Equity Act of 1998 (TEA-21) included language asking states to consider bicycle and pedestrian travel, it is still not a requirement. Creating complete streets is a key goal of America Bikes, a group formed by eight national bicycling organizations to lobby for bicycle- .ndly provisions in the next federal transpor- .on bill. "We saw how the name Safe Routes to School opened doors for bicycle and pedes- trian safery for children," says Martha Roskowski, former campaign manager for America Bikes. "Finally we have a name that describes the current vision of a network that is complete for everyone using the roads." Today's poIieies More than two dozen jurisdictions have adopted laws or policies requiring that all roads be rou- tinely built and reconstructed to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists, including disabled travelers, according to a recent national survey conducted for the Thunderhead Alliance, a coa- lition of state and local advocacy groups. These policies differ from typical bicycle and pedestrian plans in that they are not limited to roads that are part of designated bicycle or pedestrian networks, but cover all roads, or at least all major roads, in the system. The idea is that multimodal corridors would become the default mode-and justification must be given when they are not. Most of these poliCies have been put in place since 2001, when the U.S. Department of Transportation issued design guidance in response to the new language in TEA- 21. The guidance document, "Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel," states that "bicycling and walking facilities will be incorporated into all transportation projects unless excep- tional circumstances exist." Exceptions include roads where bicyclists or pedestrians are prohibited by law; where the costs are excessive (more than 20 percent of project costs); and where there is clearly no need. The document also calls for paved shoul- ders on rural roads and designs that are acces- sible for disabled people. Some states, including South Carolina, T en- nessee, California, Kentucky, and Virginia, have adopted resolutions or directives enact- ing some variation of the federal policy. At the urging of bicycle advocates, Caltrans, California's transportation agency, adopted Deputy Directive 64 in 2001, calling for full consideration of the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians. The directive has been criticized for its vague wording, but the policy has spurred training programs in bicycle and pedestrian planning for both planners and engIneers. In March 2004, Virginia Transportation Secretary Whitt Clement announced "a broader 20 Planning May 2005 PLANNING PRACTICE and more enlighrened approach to highway construction." The new policy requires the commonwealth to "initiate all highway con- struction projects with the presumption" that they will accommodate bicycling and walking. Elsewhere, metropolitan planning organi- zations, counties, and cities have also used the federal guidance as a model, or in some cases, have crafted their own policies. .Santa Barbara's general plan, adopted al- st three years before California's statewide 2001 directive, calls for "achieving equality of choice and convenience among modes." In Columbia, Missouri, new street standards call- ing for narrower roads and wider sidewalks were pushed by public health advocates and by Mayor Darwin Hindman, who firmly believes in the health benefits of walking and bicycling. Many local policies have been adopted through internal directives or revised plan- ning documents, but at least two local govern- ments-in Illinois and California-have passed broadly worded council resolutions or ordi- nances, and MPOs in Ohio and California are requiring local governments using MPO-ad- ministered funds to meet complete street stan- dards. In California, Sacramento has joined San Diego in requiring that roads built with funds raised through voter-approved bonds accommodate pedestrians and cyclists. Farthest along For a vision of the future of complete streets, visit Oregon. The state adopted the idea long tt;ore an.yone else and codified it into state . Legislators passed a "Bike Bill" in 1971, a out the same time as the state's innovative land-use planning laws were taking shape. The bill, which required bicycle and pedes- trian facilities on all new roads, streets, and highways, was considered a tough sell, recalls Michael Ronkin, head of the Oregon DOT's bicycle and pedestrian program. The measure was sponsored by a conservative Republican from the southern part of the state, who at the same time was promoting bills to regulate dynamite and to tax church property. "Of the three," says Ronkin, the legislator "was told the bike bill was least likely to pass." But pass it did. The measure, which allows highway funds to be used to retrofit all roads, also requires that at least one percent of the state's highway fund be spent on bicycle and pedestrian ways. The impact of the law is obvious across the state. In Corvallis, 95 percent of arterial roads include bike lanes. In Portland, the rapid growth of the bike lane network since 1990 has been linked to dramatic increases in bicycle com- muting. And even in suburban and rural areas, bike lanes and sidewalks are common. But Oregon's work is far from done. Early implementation ignored pedestrians, and de- sign standards were poor. It took years to make transportation engineers and designers aware of the requirement. Now, in the state's fourth decade of building for all modes, state and local bicycle and pedestrian planners are working on the thorniest design problems. "We've already gotten the low-hanging fruit; now we have to get out the big ladder," says Ronkin. Bigger issues ofland use and street connec- tivity still playa huge role in decisions to walk or cycle. In Oregon's experience, adding bike lanes and sidewalks to roads that are being widened from two to five lanes is not enough to mitigate the increased traffic volumes: Walk- ing and cycling are still likely to decline. Nonetheless, Ronkin says, roads must make these accommodations. "It is all a part of rethinking how roads function and whom they serve," he says. Unique streets While the idea of complete streets is based on consistency-every time you build or recon- struct a road, make it multimodal-in prac- tice, every project is unique. In a rural area, a complete street may be a two-lane road with a paved shoulder. In a congested urban area, it may feature an extra-wide sidewalk and ref- uge islands for pedestrians. It does not neces- sarily have to include bike lanes, however, because cyclists can travel safely with the slow- moving automobile traffic. Truly complete streets expand beyond bicy- cling and walking to consider disabled users and transit riders. Every street cross ~ection requires balancing the needs of many users in a way not considered in typical highway design manuals. "For pedestrians who have disabilities, the weak link is the sidewalk," says Lois Thibault of the U.S. Access Board, an independent federal agency that develops accessibility guide- lines. She notes that walking is the only inde- pendent mode of travel for people who are blind. "Complete streets build a network," she says, "and that's what everyone needs." Sidewalks are a necessity for disabled travel, but details such as curb ramps and audible crossing signals are critical as well. Planning for disabled people is certainly not a new issue. Projects built with federal highway funds have been required to be acces- sible to all travelers since 1973, and the Ameri- cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 broadened the requirement to apply to all facilities, re- gardless of funding. Even with this history, however, imple- mentation has been slow. That's because, in most cases, pedestrian planning continues to be treated separately from routine road im- provements. The Federal Highway Adminis- tration is now developing new policy guid- ance that spells out the responsibility of transportation agencies to work on pedestrian facilities in conjunction with routine roadway resurfacing and alteration. The new policy is expected to direct trans- _tation agencies to consider pedestrian and Obstade Course It shouldn't take Lance Armstrong to tell you that bicycling is hot. There seems to be no end to rides for charity, dub rides, critical mass brigades, touring, off-road, and even tandem forays. But when it comes to every- day, utilitarian, urban cycling, all the lights are red. Although urban cycling has gained popu- larity in the U.S. in recent years, it has yet to crack a one percent share of local trips. Compare that with European countries like Germany (10 percent) and the Netherlands (30 percent). So why aren't more people riding? Here are just a few of the major barriers to urban cycling: Second-class status. Despite laws that guaran- tee bicyclists equal road rights with motorists, drivers tend to see cyclists as intruding on their turf That's pardy because motorists have so 'tde expe. rience or training. in the rules govern- sharing a roadway with cyclists. Behavior. Bicyclists and motorists don't always respect the rules of the road. If they did, we wouldn't see bike riders zooming A photo simulation (jar left) shows how a typical arterial can be converted into a complete street. Left: Canyonl/ille, Oregon. cyclist access in every road improvement project. This brings pedestrians "into the same house, with somewhat equal authoriry to ask for funds," says Thibault. Don't forget transit Transit is the aspect of complete streets that has been addressed least often in existing poli- cies. Some communities have begun to con- sider transit needs in their corridor planning. through red lights and drivers switching lanes at high speeds. Strip shopping. Strip shopping centers are a nightmare for cyclists, who must dodge the constant stream of cars and trucks exiting and entering the parking lots. Zoning. The typical separation of uses req uired by suburban zoning ordinances means longer distances-and longer bike rides-to schools, shopping, and the movies. Speed. When the speed limit is 40 mph and the typical motorist is going 50 mph, small wonder that the thought of taking to the streets makes would-be cyclist tremble. Budgets. An urban cycling infrastructure means more than painting lines on bike lanes. It requires proper signage and lighting and training oftraffic police. AU that costs more than most communities want to spend. Education. Isn't it odd that a five-year-old is not required to have iormal training before American Planning Association 21 That's true particularly in places that are con- s~dering bus rapid transit, which calls for en- hanced service in the existing right-of-way. In some cases, transit vehicles get dedicated lanes; bus pullouts improve traffic flow, and "queue jumping" lanes help buses get through intersections. In Los Angeles, the Metro Rapid bus routes depend on a signal priority system that allows buses to extend green lights or shorten red ones. But the key to complete streets for transit may be less in new technology and more in paying attention to the basics of pedestrian access. "All transit trips start and end with a pedes- trian component, so streets don't work for transit unless you can complete the trip," says Robin Blair, transportation planning man- ager for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Trans- portation Authority. The MT A is now devel- oping "transit streets" that restrict automobiles but enhance pedestrian access. The big ehallenge Finding enough right-of-way can be the biggest challenge for a complete streets program. Even if the right-of-way is in the transportation agency's hands, .~.Y:idening, even for a sidewalk. may ~t a thumbs-down from residents who want to preserve existing landscaping and parking, or riding a bike in the street? And isn't it odder still that the driver's test that same child takes at 16 has no questions about the la\vful ways that cars and bikes are supposed to share the road? Infrastructure. Our inadequate circulation systems are the greatest barrier to urban cy- cling. Our planning goal should be a safe and effIcient network that allows functional travel to school, errands, jobs, and recreation through- out the metropolitan area. Enforcement. Even if all the obstacles listed here are removed, we're in trouble without adequate enforcement mechanisms. Laws must be rewrit- ten to accommodate and even encourage cycling, and public officials must buy into the changes. For cyclists to get a 10 percent share oflocaJ trips (as in Germany) implies a totaJ transfor- mation in the way urban transportation sys- tems are conceived, planned, and implemented. That should change a lot of red lights to green. .Martin Zimmemul11 Zimmerman is a planner and urban affairs journalist in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he serves 011 the board of a bicycle advocacy group, 22 Planning May 2005 informal, private use of the right-oF-way. This is the case along Florida's AlA, where plans to add a bike lane have met stiff opposition. . In response, many communities have begun to create complete streets where it is easiest-at a location where a wide travel lane can be nar- rowed or where traffic volume allows a four-lane road to be converted to two lanes with the addition of a centet turn lane and bike lanes. Fear of high costs is an equally great ob- stacle. Most complete streets policies don't come with special funding artached, and project budgets are sometimes set before bicycle and pedestrian facilities are considered. Street policies commonly cite" disproportionate cost" -de- fined by the U.S. DOT as 20 percent of the project budget-as a reason for exemption. Experienced officials say the issue of cost can be overblown. Jeff Morales, former director of Caltrans, has said that integrating access for bicyclists, pedestrians, and disabled people right from the start actually minimizes costs. Bridges offer a dramatic example. Provid- ing enough room for cyclists and pedestrians during initial construction is far more effec- tive than widening a bridge later. Learning eurve .wo fundamental challenges to instituting a omplete streets policy are a mind-set that is geared to following manuals and a lack of train- ing. Until very recently, few schools offered either undergraduate Ot graduate courses on bicycle and pedestrian planning, and even fewer courses on planning for multiple users. Keith Knapp, assistant professor of engi- neering and professional development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, travels the country offering continuing education classes to engineers and planners. "I've talked for hours about the needs of bicyclists and pedes- trians," he says, "only to have 80 percent of the students say at the end of the class that they don't plan to consider them." Knapp attributes the students' resistance to PLANNING PRACTICE Complete streets mean more pleltsant neighborhoods .fOr etleryOlle, .from children to seniors. Right, State Street in Santa Barbara, Califlmi'1.; far right. Comalis, Oregon. the direction engineers get from their state transportation department directors and to engineers' typical reliance on standard traffic manuals. They fear that unconventional solu- tions will lead to unintended consequences, he says. The manuals themselves are inadequate, in Knapp's view. The two manuals most com- monly used-MSHTO's Green Book and the Highway Capacity Manual, published by the Transportation Research Board-are geared to rural construction and new roads that maximize traffic volume. Knapp is looking fotward to two forthcom- ing volumes that will take an integrated ap- proach to designing for diverse users: an urban street design handbook from the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and urban arterial design guidelines being developed by ITE and the Congress for the New Urbanism. Users, most notably bicyclists, are helping some state transportation departments to over- come the hurdles of implementing complete streets and urging other agencies to address the issue. In South Carolina, the League of Ameri- can Bicyclists and local bicycle advocates are Ie c sou J' (' (' s Advocates. Reach Barbara McCann at wVllww.bmccann.net. For more more on complete streets, go to \'{ww.completethestreets.net. America Bikes is at http://Vv'\vw.americabikes.org/ completestreets.asp. Get the Thunderhead Alliance report at www.thunderheadalliance.org. State and local. Oregon's "Bike Bill" is at vvww.odot.state.or.usftechserv/bikewalk/pIan_app! ..66514.htm. Fo.r information on the University of Wisconsin's continuing education courses, .0 to http://epd,,,'Ww.engr.wisc.edu. The Boulder Transportation Master Plan is at W\V'W. ci. bo ulder .co .us! publi cworks! depts! transportation! masterplan. Federal. For the U.S. DOT Design Guidance, "Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel", see """v'W.fbwa.dot.gov/environmem!bikeped!design.htm. The U.S. Access Board is at Vv'\vw.access-board.gov. working with the state DOT to help implement its new policy, including training department personnel. Several local and state bicycle advocacy orga- nizations that are part of the narional Thunder- head Alliance are pushing for new policies and planning Complete the Streets campaigns in Washington, Colorado, and Illinois (where a complete streets bill has passed through a legis- lative committee). And Advocates representing a long list of national groups-from AARP to Smart Growth America-met in January to consider strategies for spreading the idea. Taking the next step Despite the challenges, a few communities are taking complete streets a step further. They are not simply adding a requirement to existing road plans or limiting themselves to rewriting their design manuals. They are reinventing their entire planning process to serve the needs of all road users. Boulder, Colorado, has been promoting al- ternative modes for decades. Its GO Boulder initiative encourages bicycling, walking, and transit, and its innovative Hop, Skip, and Jump bus lines have reinvigorated the city's transit system with colorful vehicles and fre- quent service. But until recently, planning and funding were handled separately for each mode. In 2003, Boulder eliminated the separate categories to create a multimodal corridor plan, so that every project considers every mode. "The change in the language and funding changed the dynamic," says Tracy Winfree, the city's director of public works for transpor- tation. 'The competition we had experienced before between modes disappeared." The new plan calls for converting 1 0 city arterials into multimodal corridors, with the aim of integrating and coordinating automo- bile, transit, foot, and bicycle use citywide. Some arterials have already been converted. In addi- tion, transportation network plans are to be developed for specific areas of the city. Charlotte, North Carolina, has traditionally The Path to Pcdestrianization .s a truism that most suburban land-use p.lan- g and development over the past four de- cades has made it very difficult to build walkable communities. Connectivity has been designed out--orwasn't there to begin with. From the 1940s on, neighborhood streets have grown wider, densities have decreased, and land uses have become more strictly segregated. Cul-de-sacs were seen as the basic organizing principle. ThCc<;e "improvements" have had many unin- tended consequences. The wide streets actually imperil pedestrians and bicyclists. Low densiries and segregated land uses put people farther from work, play, school, and daily errands, making cars necessary for most trips. Cul-de-sacs cut ofF connectivity for local residents. People can and do walk in their neighborhoods, bur it's prerty tough to actually get anywhere. My modest solution to these disconnections is an old one: the dedicated pedestrian path. Pedestrian paths between :md among houses were popularized in the U.S. early in the 20th century, first in Radburn. NewJersey, and later in new towns like Greenbelt, Maryland. More A~.ndy, ,,:'e'v:.see:1 tl:em in new urbanist vil- _s lIke SeasIde, Flonda. The paths offet a way to get around safely. (At least, that's true in the older planned com- munities; in (he more spread-our new towns like Columbia, Maryland, and Reston, Vir- taken an auto-oriented approach to road design. Today, the city is taking a different tack. "We're looking to create a thought process that ensures that all users and all modes are considered," says city transportation planner Tracy Newsome. A multidisciplinary team convened by the Charlotte DOT is creating a six-step process to evaluate each project in terms of the needs of various users, and in terms of the broader trans- portation and land-use context. The process, now under review, will identifY opportunities in each street segment to close gaps and increase connections in the bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and automobile networks, before selecting and modifYing one of five multimodal street types. While the system won't result in equal treatment of everyone on every street, the intent is to complete the travel net- work for all users. Converging trcnds The complete streets movement represents a convergence of several existing trends, spear- headed by a variety of groups. Bicycle advo- cates have long fought for "routine accommo- Pedestrian paths art' a way to connect cul-de- sacs ulith the street netulol'k. ginia, where paths are sometimes isolated, per- sonal safety has been a concern.) But would pedestrian paths help to solve the mobility and accessibility problems of existing suburbs? I suggest that they would. The first step in a suburban retrofIt is for the local jurisdiction, in an open and public pro- cess, to idem!!}' potential linkages-for in- stance, a path connecting a series of cul-de-sacs to a local arterial. These linkages could be narrow pathways along Jar lines, maybe only a few feet wide. with or without a fence. In some cases, tbey would be formalizing long-known American Planning Association 23 dation" policies. Innovative cities have adopted rnultimodal plans to free residents from automobile dependence. New urbanist build- ers have emphasized the need for walkable communities. They have been joined recently by public health advocates seeking to increase physical activity and stem the obesity epidemic. Fi- nally, more and more state and local transpor- tation agencies are recognizing the need to do things differently. At last January's annual meeting of the T rans- portation Research Board-an event usually dominated by traditional highway engineering concerns-more than 180 people packed a session called "Complete the Streets," with highway planners sitting side by side with dis- ability and bicycle advocates. A series of similar sessions is planned for next year's meeting. Complete streets may yet become a way for all road users, and all road designers, to shape the future of a maturing road network. Barbara McCann is a transportation and land-use consultant in Washington, D.C. and well-used neighborhood "cur-throughs." Of course, the landowners would have to agree to gram a limited-use easement to the local jurisdiction, with or without paymem. Some community-minded homeowners might be perfectly happy to do so. In all cases, property owners would have the right either to turn down the easement request or to demand to be paid fair market value. To sweeten the pot for some reluctant landown- ers, the local government might even throw in the price of nice fencing. And what would it cost? Let's say a half-acre lot in a particular jurisdiction is worth $50,000 (not counting improvements). A 450-square- lUoteasement might beworrh $1,000 to$l ,500. A modest number of easements could be pur- chased ft)r about $50,000 a year. This is a small idea, but a worthy one. Daniel Burnham's admonition to "make no little plans" doesn't, I think, extend to little ideas that can pay some dividends, in this case improving accessibility and mobility in and among suburban neighborhoods at low cost. In rerms of changing the DNA for growth, this would b{~ more like modest gene splicing. Ev- ery little change helps. Lee R. 1:pstein Epstein. a planner and lawyer, directs the land, pro- gram for the Chesapeakt, B;t}' Foundation in Annapo- lis, M;ltyLmd. Christopher Porrer When it comes to integrating transportation and land use~ the winners are... ransportation engineers and land-use plan- ners have traditionally occupied their own spheres. (Think of "men are from Mars, women are from Venus," only more so.) State depart- ments of transportation and metropolitan plan- ning organizations typically view land use as a local responsibility. Yet local jurisdictions don't necessarily have the same perspective on re- gional needs. Things are improving, though. With na- tional interest in smart growth, transporta- tion agencies in many parts of the U.S. are working to strengthen their land-use plan- ning connections. The efforts highlighted in this article are a case in point. The agencies cited here were entrants in the 2002 "Smart Moves" competition, sponsored by the American Association of State High- way and Transportation Officials, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Environ- The Paris Pike outside Lexington, Kentucky, is a nationally recognized example of con text- sensitive highway design. . mental Protection Agency. The intent of this event was to showcase outstanding state and local efforts to promote smart growth prin- ciples in transportation projects. The first competition drew 32 proposals, and eight winners were selected. A second competition attracted 36 new proposals. Three winners were announced last September. A lot to learn The competitions highlight successful examples of integrating transportation and land use. Yet the sponsors felt that there was more to learn from successful agencies than could be encapsulated in a brief press release. "We wanted to understand how these practices came about, who initiated them, what steps were taken, and why they succe'eded," says Janet Oakley, AASHTO's Director of Policy and Government Relations. "So we decided .tuchen (left and center) is one of New Jerseys 16 Transit Villages. Colorados Northwest Parkway was a regional effort to preserve open space and prevo .nd examples throughout the U. S. of communities that are successfully integrating land-use and transportation. to sponsor a tour to give some of our state officials a chance to meet with other success- ful agencies and learn from them firsthand." MSHTO's Standing Committee on Plan- ning funded the national tour through the National Cooperative Highway Research Pro- gram, which is sponsored jointly by state and federal transportation departments. Additional funding came from FHW A. The sponsors then decided to expand the tour beyond the competition winners to include other state and regional transportation agencies that have successfully addressed land-use issues. Six sites were visited in two week-long trips last June. The six state and local participants were selected for their expertise, activity in profes- sional organizations, and diversity of geogra- phy and professional background. The group consisted of four state DOT planning offi- cials, an MPO planner, and a county planner. An FHW A staff person also accompanied the .ur. A university planning professor and I ere hired to organize and facilitate the visits. The group met with DOT and MPO rep- resentatives in the selected states-Kentucky, New Jersey, Vermont, Texas, Colorado, and Wisconsin. We held separate meetings with local community planners and elected offi- cials, as well as private developers, to get their perspectives on the value of their state and regional agency programs. These meetings, which turned out to be particularly useful, helped us to identifY the most and least suc- cessful aspects of each program from the community's perspective. In our visits, we studied regional planning and visioning in the Denver metro area; corri- dor planning in Kentucky, New Jersey, and Colorado; context-sensitive design in New Jersey, Vermont, and Kentucky; local com- prehensive planning in Wisconsin; transit vil- lages, downtown revitalization, and sustain- able development in New Jersey, Vermont, and Texas; and freight corridor planning in Vermont. Here are the findings from three of these programs: Bluegrass eorl'ido)' Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet is ap- plying a community-sensitive approach to planning corridors. Its philosophy is to work closely with affected communities and stake- holder groups, not only on the design of transportation facilities, but also on land- use strategies for adjacent areas. This inclu- sive approach has jumpstarted several projects stalled for years, even decades, by commu- nityopposition. The cabinet drew its ideas from the Paris Pike project, a nationally recognized example of context-sensitive design undertaken in the late 1990s in the seven-county "bluegrass coun- try" surrounding Lexington. In that project, which involved widening a busy, two-lane road between Lexington and Paris, the cabinet worked with communities and landowners to design a divided four-lane highway that fit the contours of the land. Stone fences and earth shoulders were incorporated to preserve the corridor's historic character. The cabinet also worked with the communities to creare a small area plan, revise county zoning, and establish a bicounty corridor land-use com- mission to preserve viewsheds and protect adja- cent properties from development. In 1999, the cabinet partnered with Blue- grass Tomorrow, a regional nonprofit organi- zation, to codifY its corridor planning ap- proach in a handbook and to conduct a series of training sessions. urthiaWI in the Denver effort (right, Broomfield in the 1980s). The study group Since then, the cabinet's district engineers have applied the same approach in corridor studies elsewhere in the state. In Bowling Green, they worked with stakeholders to widen and realign Cemetery Road, an important gateway into the city, and to create a zoning overlay district. Today, the corridor includes a four-lane divided and landscaped parkway and a bicycle and pedestrian path. Jeff Moore, District 3 engineer, notes that the Bowling Green project was first proposed in the early 1980s but was stalled by citizens' fears that the proposed five-lane design would lead to uncontrolled strip development. "The second time around," he says, "we brought people to the table instead of running from them when they began to throw rocks." The cabinet is now working with the city of Lexington to apply corridor planning prin- ciples in an urban context. The proposed Newtown Pike Extension is another long- loned project that would connect Inter- 75 around downtown Lexington to the niversity of Kentucky. Earlier plans, which would have routed a new roadway through low-income and largely minority neighborhoods, were stalled by com- munity opposition. In 1999, the cabinet ap- proached the Lexington- Fayette Urban County Government (a combined city-county gov- ernment) and offered to help finance a land- use plan for the corridor in conjunction with the analysis of roadway extension alternatives. The city agreed to manage the project and hired a neighborhood-community liaison to im- prove communication with area residents. The planning effott produced the Newtown Pike Extension Corridor Plan, adopted as part of the Urban County Comprehensive Plan in 2002. Environmental studies are now under way. "Ten years ago," says Lexington planner Henry Jackson, "our land-use plan would have been sent to the engineering depart- ment, where it would have sat on a shelf. Now land-use planning and roadway design are being done in conjunction with each other." The community influence on the corridor plan is apparent in land-use and redevelop- ment objectives as well as in the design of the proposed transportation improvements. Street cross sections vary depending upon their con- text, and include narrowed (II-foot) travel lanes, bicycle lanes, and textured pedestrian crossings at major intersections. American Planning Association 43 The land-use plan identifies locations and design criteria for new mixed-use, urban de- velopment opportunities and for preservation of existing neighborhoods and housing stock. The city already has begun to lay the ground- work for implementation by adopting mixed- use zoning provisions and residential design guidelines. Developers have expressed inter- est in at least six projects, one of which-the redevelopment of a factory building into 80 loft units-is under construction. ~ Denver's Northwest Parkway Three of Denver's northwest suburbs joined together in the 1990s to establish a nonprofit authority to construct a new toll road. The authority was charged with building a 10- mile-long toll parkway as part of the metro area's circumferential highway system, while ensuring that the parkway would not become a conduit for suburban sprawl. The history of the Northwest Parkway project dates to the 1970s, when the state began planning a beltway to serve the region's booming suburbs-and to reduce travel time to Denver International Airport. But comple- tion of the road was stalled by resident opposition. In 1991, Boulder County and the cities of Broomfield, Lafayette, and Louisville signed an intergovernmental agreement designating 2,400 acres near the parkway alignment as open space. The communities began updat- ing their master plans, annexing land, con- tributing general funds to acquire open space, and negotiating conservation easements with property owners. By the end of the decade, the four commu- nities had entered into new IGAs designating 2,000 additional acres of open space buffers and expanding arrangements for land acquisi- tion and protection. Those agreements opened the way to completing the toll parkway link- ing U.S. 36, which runs from Boulder to Denver, to the existing E-470 beltway at In- terstate 25. Financing was also innovative. In 1999, Broomfield and Lafayette joined with Weld County to create the Northwest Parkway Au- thority to design, finance, build, and operate the new road. A key aspect of the agreement allowed the authority to issue bonds for the acquisition of more open space, with the bonds to be repaid from parkway toll revenue. A total of $417 million in bonds was sold for parkway construction, with approximately $20 million supporting open space preser- vation efforts. With land protection agree- ments in place and the institutional frame- ~ c ~ ~ c '" ~ ~ ~ ~ -< c '" ~ p: 44 Planning May 2005 work established, construction began in 2001, and the parkway opened to traffic in 2003. _ The initiative of key leaders, primarily elected Whcials, was instrumental in bringing the com- munities together. "Initially, we were nowhere close, but we are at peace now," says Kirk Oglesby, Broomfield's planning director. The communities agreed that managing growth does not mean restricting it. Broomfield has transferred development rights to areas of higher density in the U.S. 36 corridor, and Lafayette has designated a commercial devel- opment area along U.S. 287 north of its intersection with the parkway. At the same time, all the communities involved recognize the importance of setting aside critical preser- vation areas before they are threatened by development pressures. Transit villages In New Jersey, the state Department of Trans- portation has joined with 10 other agencies to support local efforts to revitalize transit-centered downtowns. Under the DOT-led Transit Vil- lages Initiative, the state gives "transit village" designation to communities that promote com- pact, walkable, mixed-use, and residential rede- velopment within walking distance of transit .tations. Designated communities receive state recognition, priority for funding, and technical assistance. To be designated, a community must have an adopted plan (including zoning) that suppons compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly devel- opment. It must also express in writing its will- ingness to add jobs, housing, and population. To date, 16 communities have been named transit villages. A key to this effort is a task force made up of representatives of the participating departments. Its members work with their agencies to provide priority funding and technical assistance for redevelopment. According to New Jersey DOT transit village coordinator Monica Etz, the task force has helped communities navigate agency procedures for securing assistance for housing, economic devel- opment, transportation, and smart growth projects. The task force also has helped communities to rewrite land-use and zoning ordinances. Local officials say they appreciate the positive recogni- tion that comes with the program, and they note that it has helped to attract developers. . The northern borough of Metuchen is one community that has benefited from designa- tion. In 2003, the state provided $600,000 for pedestrian crosswalk signals, traffic calming de- vices, a pedestrian bridge, new bus shelters, and bicycle lanes and racks to improve access to the train station. A grant from the state Office of Smart Growth is helping the borough plan for future growth and redevelopment while pre- serving its unique character. Metuchen had already taken steps in the right direction. In the 1980s, the borough updated its master plan and zoning code to allow downtown residential and mixed-use redevelopment. It also streamlined its permit- ting process for small projects such as renova- tions and additions. Mayor Edmund O'Brien notes that the pace of redevelopment increased rapidly in the mid- 1990s following the conversion of a 1920s-era theater building, later used as a hardware store, to loft apartments with street-fronting retail. Additional conversions and renovations followed. In the past 10 years, the city has added over 500 housing units to the downtown-many of them occupied by rail commuters. O'Brien says the borough's philosophy has been to provide public amenities to entice pri- vate investors to put their own money into redevelopment. Streamlining the permitting pro- cess has been an important factor. "Mom-and- AASHTO Puts Pedestrians in the Front Everyone is a pedestrian at some point in time. That fact is recognized by the new Guide fOr the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities, published last fall by the American Association of Street and Highway Officials. The guide represents a major shift in the transportation field. In the past, information on pedestrian facilities was scattered through- out several references, and was often contra- dictory. The clearly stated purpose of the new publication is "to provide guidance on the planning, design, and operation of pedestrian facilities along streets and highways." The intended audience for the manual in- cludes planners, roadway designers, and state and local transportation engineers-the people who daily make decisions affecting pedestri- ans. The guide also recognizes the profound effect that land-use planning and site design have on pedestrian mobility. The impetus for such a publication goes back to the late 1980s, when bicycle and pedestrian advocates stepped up their lobby- ing efforts on behalf of accommodating nonmotorized modes of travel. The Ameri- cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 laid the foundation by requiring accessibility improve- ments such as curb ramps. Then came the federal transportation acts, ISTEA in 1991 and TEA-21 in 1998, which specifically instructed the Federal Highway pop businesses have appreciated the more busi- J1ess-friendly experience they get here," he says. Stumbling bloeks The agencies we visited have made great progress in changing their practices to integrate transpor- tation and land use. But still there are stumbling blocks. Many state and regional transportation agen- cies continue to view land use as a local issue and hesitate to become involved on any level. Mean- while, local governments continue to seek state and regional investments to serve new develop- ment, regardless of the transportation require- ments it creates. Coordination is often lacking among agen- cies, or among different divisions of the same agency. Planning, engineering, and environ- mental staffs within state DOTs and within municipalities often do not interact closely. One result is that roadway designs may not support community land-use objectives. Transportation agencies are typically short on funding, staff resources, and the technical skills needed for land-use planning. Political Administration to work with professional groups such as AASHTO and the Institute of Trans - portation Engineers to integrate pedestrians into the transportation system. Section 1202 of TEA-21 specifically states, "Bicycle trans- portation facilities and pedestrian walkways shall be considered, where appropriate, in conjunction with all new construction and reconstruction of transportation projects." That legislation resulted in a National Co- operative Highway Research Program grant to produce a best practices guide for pedes- trian facility design. (The NCHRP, which is sponsored by AASHTO in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, was cre- ated in 1962 to conduct research in highway problem areas.) Representatives from public agencies, the private sector, and universities were included on the project team. The team began by reviewing the major national design guides, including AASHTO's Green Book, FHWA'sManualon Uniftrm Traffic Control Devices, and ITE's transportation plan- ning and engineering handbooks. The draft guidelines produced by the team were then reviewed and approved by an NCHRP panel. The design guide was officially adopted by AASHTO in September 2004. From the beginning, the new guide makes it clear that providing for pedestrians is a basic road- way design element, not something to be added barriers and development pressures add to the problem. Many highway engineers continue to see their Aary role as improving mobility and safety. ~cing these objectives with community and environmental protection is still not a chief concern. Agencies often put costs before everything else when addressing community concerns. What makes a success? The agencies we visited are all working hard to overcome these challenges. In our discus- sions with staff members, we identified a number of common factors underlying successful ef- forts to integrate transportation and land use. They include: · Vision. A widely supported statement oflocal values is a fundamental starting point for coor- dinating transportation and land-use decisions. · Leadership. Each project we visited had at least one champion. In Kentucky, the governor took the initiative to ask the Transportation Cabinet and Bluegrass Tomorrow to work together on corridor planning. In Colorado and New Jersey, .Its scope includes school safety measures, to transit, rural design considetations, and speed management and traffic calming. The chapter on design discusses roadway width, curb radius, design speed, and the importance of connectivity. A section on pro- viding and designing sidewalks recommends a five-foot minimum width in urban and suburban areas and paved shoulders in rural areas. The project team worked with the Ac- cess Board to ensure that the latest design standards for ramps and detectable warning strips were included. Guidelines for specific roadway elements include barrier medians and other devices to aid crossing, sight distance issues, a discussion of roundabouts, and a section on overpasses and tunnels. The chapter on operations and maintenance offers advice on pedestrian sig- nals, snow clearance, and pedestrian access around construction sites. In sum, the AASHTO guide offers a truly comprehensive set of design standards for ac- commodating pedestrians, both in existing and new developments. It should prove to be an lellent resource for planners, elected offi- engineers, and architects. 1]' R. Short,]r. Short is a senior planner with Edwards and Kelcey in Chicago. He was a coauthor of the NCHRP report that led to the development of the AASHTO guidelines. local officials and agency staffs have spent decades pursuing long-established community visions. · Partnerships. Successful projects begin with frequent communication among public and pri- vate stakeholders. Project management staffers agree that maintaining communication takes more work up front, but pays offin the long run. · Public process. On the site visits, we learned about many projects that had been stalled for years or even decades by community opposi- tion. When the transportation agencies in- volved became more inclusive and incorpo- rated community feedback and values into their plans, the projects moved forward. · Technical resources. Especially in large agen- cies such as state DOTs, ongoing training is needed to help staff and consultants under- stand planning and design concepts. Smaller communities with limited staff resources can benefit from technical assistance provided by state or regional transportation agencies. · Implementation tools. Tools available to state and regional transportation agencies include agency- wide policy statements, design guidelines and standards, funding for specific projects and pro- American Planning Association 45 grams, and project selection criteria. Municipal tools include zoning, permit streamlining, rede- veiopment incentives, infrastructure provision, and land acquisition funds. We found that such tools are critical in supporting the objectives embodied in municipal and corridor plans. Forays into the land-use arena represent a culture shift for many agencies. Yet those bold enough to make the effort are finding significant payoffs. Immediate benefits in- clude better working relationships with local jurisdictions, greater community acceptance of projects, and more environmentally sensi- tive transportation plans, projects, and devel- opment patterns. Over the long term, greater coordination with land use should help to reduce travel demand and infrastructure investment costs. As the number of success stories increases, it is likely that other transporration agencies will not be far behind. Christopher Porter is a senior associate with Cam- bridge Systematics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ~ ~ ~ The sidewalk to nowhere-in this case, leading into the Mississippi River. The new AASHTO guide is intended to avoid such snafts.