Morrisville Transportation Plan

Design Guidance

6.0 D

esign

uidance

6.1 Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Guidance

Bicycle and pedestrian standards do not need to conflict with the

desire to move vehicular traffic safely and expediently, but opportu-

nities exist throughout Morrisville to expand upon the “bikability” and

“walkability” of the whole town. No other mode of transportation is

as available to everyone as walking. Everyone becomes a pedes-

trian at some point, whether in a parking lot, on a greenway, or just

walking through the neighborhood.

Special emphasis is placed on existing and proposed Activity Cen-

ters, the best practices that make the differences to cyclists and pe-

destrians, getting across railroads, and making intersections easier to

navigate by pedestrians, especially in low-speed conditions.

The inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian facilities and design com-

ponents that encourage walking and cycling are not amenities or

extra improvements, but required elements of the design of new

and retrofitted (change in land use or result in the increase of 25% of

the square footage) private and public developments in the Town

of Morrisville. Similarly, when considering design, maintenance, and

upfits to all new and redeveloped properties, compliance with the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and associated guid-

ance and amendments is mandatory.

Part I. Design Guidance

The following site design guidance has been extracted from the Fed-

eral Highway Administration; other guidance documents are from

equally credible sources including the Institute for Transportation En-

gineers; North Carolina Department of Transportation, and American

Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (refer to

guidance section for these and other resources).

Residential Design for Bicycle and Pedestrian Compatibility.

A resi-

dential subdivision layout (including planned unit developments)

should provide safe, convenient, and direct bicycle and pedestrian

access to adjacent and nearby (within ¼-mile for walking and two

miles for bicycling) residential areas, bus stops, and neighborhood

activity centers such as schools, parks, commercial and industrial ar-

eas, and office parks.

Subdivision Connections.

During subdivisions of properties, all streets,

bicycle paths, and sidewalks should be designed to connect to adja-

cent properties so that a secondary grid-based system of roads and

sidewalks develops over time. When subdivisions are built with only

one outlet to a main thoroughfare, the result is heavy traffic conges-

tion and difficult intersections for both motorists and pedestrians. For

projects in which only part of the land owned by the applicant is

Figure 6.1 (A)

Figure 6.1 (B)

Figure 6.1 Bicycle Design

(A)

Bicycle lanes are appropri-

ate on streets with fewer drive-

ways and street intersections, but

sooner or later an intersection will

need to be addressed. These fig-

ures show three different marking

treatments, with the middle im-

age indicating an on-street park-

ing situation. The left and right

images indicate two different phi-

losophies of how to handle right-

turn bays.

(B) Creating a good trail system

requires an in-depth examination

of the features that make each

trailway unique and responsive to

its setting. Many trails are devel-

oped in conjunction with streams,

rivers, and lakes. A 20’ to 30’ right-

of-way can contain a 12’ asphalt

wearing surface, as well as at

least 2’ “clear zones” on each

side of the trail, and occasional

trail furniture to take advantage

of scenic vistas, historic markers,

or high-traffic points.

proposed for development, a sketch plan showing the tentative lo-

cations of streets, bicycle facilities, and public access ways should

be submitted for the entirety of the land owned. Stub-outs (open

connections for future development) should be constructed to allow

for bicycle and pedestrian facilities on-site, and the next construc-

tion phase should be designed to connect to this network. Feasibility

analysis of the proposed connection on the adjacent parcel should

be done to demonstrate that the connection on the adjacent site is

constructible and able to be permitted.

Circulation Requirements.

Adequate provisions should be made for

bicycle and pedestrian circulation between buildings and related

uses on development sites. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

also contains regulations for on-site circulation.

Reduced Parking Options.

Parking codes should be modified to allow

a reduced parking option for developments that are located on bus

routes and provide facilities that encourage bicycling and walking.

In general, shopping center parking lots should not be designed to

handle volumes that occur only once or twice per year, but rather

more typical volumes.

Commercial Design for Bicycle and Pedestrian Compatibility.

Build-

ings should not automatically be separated from the street by park-

ing lots—this discourages pedestrian access and primarily serves

those who arrive by automobile. A maximum setback requirement

of (15 to 25 feet) can help to encourage pedestrian activity. Park-

ing, driving, and maneuvering areas should not be located between

the main building entrance and the street. Exceptions to this may be

considered for handicapped parking spaces and drop-off areas for

facilities serving a majority of seniors and school-age children. Park-

ing lots should be located on the side and rear yards of the property

whenever possible. For developments with multiple buildings, direct

pedestrian access to public transit should be provided by clustering

buildings near bus stops.

Building Orientation and Facades

. Main building entrances should be

oriented to face the street, especially any street designated as a bus

route. Entrances and paved walkways should lead directly to a bus

stop. Visual stimulation is very important to pedestrians—long, blank

walls with no openings onto the street discourage walking. Building

facades should maintain continuity of design elements such as win-

dows, entries, storefronts, roof lines, materials, pedestrian spaces and

amenities, and landscaping. Parking garages on streets with bus ser-

vice should have ground-floor street frontage developed for office,

retail, or other pedestrian-oriented uses.

On-site Walkways.

For developments with multiple buildings and/or

outparcels, all building entrances on the site should be connected by