Safer Streets, Enjoyable Public Spaces, and Adding Walking Paths

Part of the Access & Mobility Plan Effort

These strategies focus on safer streets, enjoyable public places, and more places to walk. “Safer Streets” has the goal to rebuild our streets to eventually end traffic deaths. “Enjoyable Public Spaces” would make streets and other public areas nicer to travel and linger in. “Adding Walking Paths” may add sidewalks and trails to make sure that all places are walkable.

Strategy 1 : Safer Streets

Rebuild our streets, prioritizing the needs of the disabilities community, so they are safer for all. Treatments will be ADA compliant and may include landscaped medians, pedestrian refuge islands, blister surfaces, curb extensions, making roads more narrow, adding bike lanes, building bus boarding areas, reducing speed limits, creating café/retail space, etc. These features can help slow vehicle speeds, prevent crashes, and make streets more safe and appealing places to walk, bike, use a wheelchair and (white) cane, and wait for transit. The City could use low-cost/quick-build solutions where applicable.

Example: La Jolla Blvd, Before (2007) & After (2018) - San Diego, CA

Treatments for La Jolla Blvd included landscaped medians, a pedestrian refuge island, curb extensions, made the road more narrow, and made café/retail space.

Strategy 2: Make more public space for people

Design public spaces catered to people’s travel needs, not designed just for cars. This strategy aims to make public spaces for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair and (white) cane users, parks and plazas, and art, parklets, cafes, car-free streets and permanent slow streets. We want to reimagine our streets into more enjoyable places and encourage people to travel using active modes (walking, biking).

Strategy 3: Fill Gaps in Trails and Sidewalks

Create an inventory of sidewalks and trails to identify where they are missing. Add sidewalks and trails where needed to make sure that all places are walkable, bike-friendly, and accessible for wheelchair and (white) cane users. Sidewalks and trails’ will be made with either concrete, asphalt, packed gravel or soil, etc. to ensure a stable, firm, and slip resistant surface for wheelchair users, which will improve access and comfort for all.