County of Fairfax, Virginia County-wide Urban Transportation Design Standards Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee May 8, 2012 Department of Transportation.

County of Fairfax, VirginiaCounty of Fairfax, Virginia

County-wide Urban Transportation County-wide Urban Transportation Design StandardsDesign Standards

Board of SupervisorsBoard of Supervisors

Transportation CommitteeTransportation Committee

May 8, 2012May 8, 2012

Department of Transportation 1

County of Fairfax, Virginia

PurposePurpose

• The purpose is to develop a set of urban transportation design standards that can be utilized anywhere in the County, including it’s urban activity centers and revitalization areas.

• VDOT’s current standards are primarily based on high-speed rural and suburban design.

• The new standards are based on context-sensitive design that accommodate low-speed urban roadway design.

• The new standards will create a flexible platform that focus on urban design elements, and allow for construction of “complete” streets that effectively accommodate all modes of transportation, including pedestrian, bicycle, and transit.



Primary Reference SourcesPrimary Reference Sources• Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan.

• Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) recommended practice: Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach, 2010.

• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 2004; low speed urban street design.

• VDOT Access Management Design Standards for Entrances and Intersections.



BackgroundBackground• In April 2010, the General Assembly of Virginia enacted HB 222 (Watts),

“Design standards for state secondary highway system components” (presently codified at Va. Code Ann. Section 33.1-69.001, which required the Virginia Department of Transportation to work in conjunction with Fairfax County to develop new context sensitive, urban design standards for the county.

• Design standards for Tysons Corner were developed by Fairfax County Department of Transportation, in partnership with other County agencies, and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)

• On September 13, 2011, the Board adopted Transportation Design Standards and a Memorandum of Agreement with VDOT (MOA), for the Tysons Corner Urban Center.



BackgroundBackground – Continued – Continued

• VDOT’s flexibility and support in development of the standards and MOA was instrumental in their successful adoption.

• County staff is now proposing a plan for expanding these standards county-wide, including the County’s urban activity centers and revitalization areas.



County Comprehensive Plan ObjectivesCounty Comprehensive Plan Objectives• Objective 1 – Provide for both through and local movement of people

and goods via a multi-modal transportation system that provides transportation choices, reduces single-occupancy-vehicle (SOV) use and improves air quality. (complete streets policy)

• Objective 2 – Increase use of public transportation and non-motorized transportation. (complete streets policy)

• Objective 3 – Ensure that the roadway system provides adequate local access and capacity for through movements, consistent with financial, social, and environmental constraints and with the County’s goal of reducing SOV use. (context sensitive design policy)



County Comprehensive Plan ObjectivesCounty Comprehensive Plan Objectives• Objective 4 – Provide a comprehensive network of sidewalks, trails

and bicycle routes as an integral element of the overall transportation network. (complete streets policy)

• Objective 6 – Ensure that improvements to the transportation system are cost-effective and consistent with environmental, land use, social, and economic goals. (context sensitive design policy)

• Objective 11 – Ensure that land use and transportation policies are complementary. (context sensitive design policy)



Revitalization and Urban Activity CentersRevitalization and Urban Activity Centers

• Annandale• Huntington• McLean• Merrifield• Reston• Richmond Highway• Seven Corners and Baileys Crossroads• Springfield



Recommended ProcessRecommended Process• Develop a County-wide set of Urban Transportation Design Standards

(excluding Tysons Corner) that will be applicable within the County’s revitalization areas and urban activity centers, and adopt a County-wide Memorandum of Agreement with VDOT to implement the standards.

• Develop applicability criteria, entailing land-use and density, that will establish specifically how and where the Design Standards can be applied within and around the County’s revitalization areas and urban activity centers.

• The Design Standards would entail traffic engineering criteria that would be general enough to apply to all of the County’s urban activity centers and revitalization areas, and to other areas of the County that match the land-use and density applicability criteria.



Recommended ProcessRecommended Process – Continued – Continued

• The Design Standards would reference the County’s comprehensive plan and Comprehensive Plan overlays, or would include special appendices for specific information on sidewalk widths and landscape amenity panel requirements for different districts.

• The Design Standards, where applicable, will reference or incorporate work already done within the County’s revitalization areas and urban activity centers.



Recommended Public OutreachRecommended Public Outreach• The Design Standards are intended to support implementation of the

Revitalization Area and Urban Activity Center plans, as well as to provide a framework for implementing urban street standards in other areas that demonstrate urban land-use characteristics.

• No changes to the revitalization areas, urban activity centers, or the comprehensive plan are being recommended.

• County staff proposes to hold community workshops in different areas of the county to discuss the draft transportation design standards, and receive comments from the public.

• The outreach efforts will similarly follow, and improve upon the collaborative process that was used to build consensus on the Tysons Corner Design Standards.



Recommended Public OutreachRecommended Public Outreach• Since the transportation design standards are county-wide, the meetings will

be more broadly advertised and cover larger geographic regions of the County, as opposed to holding exclusive meetings for individual revitalization areas or urban centers.



Elements of the Design StandardsElements of the Design Standards

• Functional Classifications

• Level of Service Standards

• Design and Operating Speed

• Access Management

• Lane Widths and On-Street Parking

• Median Islands and Turn Lanes

• Horizontal Radius

• Design Control Vehicles

• Intersection Sight Distance

• Multi-Modal Characteristics

• Bicycle Facilities

• Utility Placement



Expected TimeframeExpected Timeframe• Based on experience from the adoption of the Tysons Corner

Transportation Design Standards, but given the larger geographic area being covered and the opportunity for expanded public input, expectations are to have the standards adopted in about 12 to 18 months.

– Develop Draft Design Standards.

– Meet with VDOT to reach initial consensus.

– Meet with community groups and accept public comment.

– Refine the Design Standards.

– Revisit the Design Standards with VDOT and the community groups, and through a collaborative process, build consensus on the final design criteria.



Expected TimeframeExpected Timeframe• This timeframe could be longer, if there is substantial feedback and

dialogue stemming from the general public, landowners, or community groups.

• Comments from VDOT should be modest given the standards will mirror those already adopted for Tysons Corner.

• VDOT has expressed an interest in seeing one set of urban design standards for Fairfax County. This will require a creative approach that allows for diversity within the County, without overly complicating the approval process.



Revitalization Areas andRevitalization Areas and

Urban Activity CentersUrban Activity Centers



Annandale Revitalization AreaAnnandale Revitalization Area



Huntington Transit Station AreaHuntington Transit Station Area



McLean Revitalization AreaMcLean Revitalization Area



Merrifield Revitalization AreaMerrifield Revitalization Area



Reston UrbanReston UrbanActivity CentersActivity Centers



Richmond HighwayRichmond HighwayRevitalization AreasRevitalization Areas



Seven Corners and Baileys Crossroads Seven Corners and Baileys Crossroads Revitalization AreasRevitalization Areas



Springfield Revitalization AreaSpringfield Revitalization Area


OutsideRevitalization

Area


Questions?Questions?



Appendix AAppendix A

Elements of the StandardsElements of the Standards



Functional ClassificationsFunctional Classifications

• “Functional classification is the process by which streets and highways are grouped into classes, or systems, according to the character of service they are intended to provide.” (FHWA)

• It is necessary to balance and blend three separate systems into one useable classification system:

– Federal Classification system used by VDOT, including primary National Highway System (NHS) routes, and secondary routes;

– Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan; and

– ITE classifications based on context zone characteristics, and context sensitive solutions for designing urban thoroughfares.



Recommended Functional ClassificationsRecommended Functional Classifications

Recommended Functional

Classification

Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan

Functional Classification

ITE Functional Classification

Federal Highway Function

Classification

Principal Arterial Principal Arterial Low Speed Boulevard Principal Arterial

Minor ArterialMinor Arterial or

CollectorAvenue

Minor Arterial or Collector

Collector Collector or Local N/A Collector or Local

Local Street Local Local Local



Example of Urban Arterial or CollectorExample of Urban Arterial or Collector



Example of Urban Arterial or CollectorExample of Urban Arterial or Collector



Example of Urban Local StreetExample of Urban Local Street



Example of Urban Local StreetExample of Urban Local Street



Roadway Level of ServiceRoadway Level of Service

• The Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan establishes a recommended overall Level of Service “D” (LOS).

• This level is defined as “near capacity,” and is intended to proved a minimum and maximum vehicle flow rate, thereby maintaining a balance between vehicle progression and pedestrian walkability.

• The FHWA requires that a LOS “D” be maintained to the maximum extent possible on National Highway System (NHS) routes.



Level of Service StandardsLevel of Service Standards

Recommended Functional Classification Level of Service Standards

Principal Arterial D

Minor Arterial D

Collector D

Local Street D



Tiered Approach to Level of ServiceTiered Approach to Level of Service

– Analyze the problem areas not meeting the LOS standards;– Reanalyze and provide measurable TDM mitigation measures;– Evaluate additional grid links, including offsite grid links;– Consider temporary traffic mitigation measures;– Consider permanent traffic mitigation measures;– Phase the development;– Make adjustments to the land-use mix;– Provide financial contributions;– Evaluate other traffic mitigation measures;– Analyze through, left, or right-turn lane improvements; and– Evaluate other alternative criteria.



Design and Operating SpeedDesign and Operating SpeedRecommended


Number of Through Lanes

Design Speed(mph)

Operating Speed(mph)

Principal Arterial 4-8 40 35

Minor Arterial 4-6 30-35 25-30

Collector 2-4 25-30 25-30

Local Street 2 25 25



Access ManagementAccess Management

• “Access management means the systematic control of the location, spacing, design, and operation of entrances, median openings, traffic signals, and interchanges for the purpose of providing vehicular access to land development in a manner that preserves the safety and efficiency of the transportation system.” (VDOT)

• VDOT’s current access management standards are more suitable for high speed rural and suburban design.

• The proposed standards are for low speed urban design, allow for closer spacing of street intersections, and thereby permitting the development of a walkable “grid of streets.”



Access ManagementAccess ManagementRecommended


Access Management

Operational Analysis

Signalized Intersection

Spacing

UnsignalizedIntersection

Spacing (full access)

UnsignalizedIntersection

Spacing(partial access)

Driveway Spacing

Principal Arterial

Moderate RequiredOperational

AnalysisOperational

Analysis325’-660’

Restricted Access

Minor Arterial Low Discretionary 525’-660’ 200’-660’ 200’-660’ 200’

Collector Low Discretionary 425’-660’ 200’-660’ 155’-660’ 155’

Local Street Very Low N/A 325’-660’ 100’-660’ N/A 50’



Roadway Design CriteriaRoadway Design Criteria

• Reduced 10 and 11 foot lanes are incorporated into the standards to create narrow, pedestrian scale streets, and slower vehicle speeds that are more conducive to pedestrian activity.

• On-street parking is required on most streets to create a useable street frontage that serves street-level commercial retail, and to create side friction that reduces vehicles speeds.

• Except as stipulated in the County’s Comprehensive Plan, or General Plan Overlays, raised median islands, and left-turn and right-turn lanes are discouraged in order to create narrow, pedestrian scale streets.



Lane Widths and On-Street ParkingLane Widths and On-Street Parking


Classification

Lane Width On-Street Parking On-Street Parking Width

Principal Arterial 11’ Restricted N/A

Minor Arterial 10’-11’ Required 8’

Collector 10’-11’ Required 8’

Local Street 10’ Required 7’-8’



Median Islands and Turn LanesMedian Islands and Turn Lanes


Classification

Raised/Landscaped Median

Median Width Left and Right Turn Lanes

Left and Right Turn Lane Widths

Principal Arterial

Required 16’-20’ Optional 11’

Minor Arterial Optional 16’-20’ Optional 10’-11’

Collector Optional 4’-8’ Optional 10’-11’

Local Street N/A N/A Optional 10’



Horizontal RadiusHorizontal Radius

Design Speed(mph)

Minimum Radius(standard crown)

Minimum Radius

emax = 0.02

(superelevation)

20 107’ 92’

25 198’ 183’

30 333’ 273’

35 N/A 408’

40 N/A 593’



Design and Control VehiclesDesign and Control Vehicles


Classification

Principal Arterial Minor Arterial Collector Local Street

DV CV DV CV DV CV DV CV

Principal Arterial WB-62 WB-62

Minor ArterialCITY-BUS

WB-50CITY-BUS

WB-50

CollectorCITY-BUS

WB-50CITY-BUS

WB-50CITY-BUS

WB-50

Local Street SU WB-50 SU WB-50 SU WB-50 P WB-50



Intersection Sight DistanceIntersection Sight Distance

Design Speed (mph)

Minimum Intersection Sight DistanceRoad Gradient (percent slope)

-9% -6% -3% Level +3% +6% +9%

20 130’ 120’ 120’ 115’ 110’ 110’ 105’

25 175’ 165’ 160’ 155’ 150’ 145’ 140’

30 230’ 215’ 205’ 200’ 200’ 185’ 180’

35 290’ 275’ 260’ 250’ 240’ 230’ 225’

40385’

(355’ SSD)

385’(335’ SSD)

385’(315’ SSD)

385’(305’ SSD)

385’(290’ SSD)

385’(280’ SSD)

385’(270’ SSD)



Multi-Modal CharacteristicsMulti-Modal Characteristics

Recommended Functional Classification

Transit Service Freight Movement

Principal Arterial Express and Local Regional and Local Truck Routes

Minor Arterial Local Local Deliveries

Collector Local Local Deliveries

Local Street Local Local Deliveries



Pedestrian FacilitiesPedestrian FacilitiesRecommended


Streetscape Zone Width

Min/Max Building Zone Width

Minimum Sidewalk Width

Minimum Landscape

Amenity Panel Width

Principal Arterial

Design Standards are per the County’s Comprehensive Plan, and Comprehensive Plan Overlays

Minor Arterial

Collector

Local Street



Streetscape Streetscape Zone DiagramZone Diagram



Bicycle FacilitiesBicycle FacilitiesRecommended


BicycleFacilities

Bike Lane Width Adjacent to Curb

Bike Lane Width Adjacent to

Right-Turn Lane

Bike Lane WidthAdjacent toParking Isle

Principal Arterial N/A N/A N/A N/A

Minor ArterialOn-Street Bike

Lane4’ 5’ 5’-6’

CollectorOn-Street Bike

Lane4’ 5’ 5’-6’

Local Street N/A N/A N/A N/A



Utility PlacementUtility Placement

Utility Location

Streetscape Zone Curb Zone Parking Isle Travel Lane

Storm Drainage

Sanitary Sewer

Water

Natural Gas

Electrical

Telecommunications



Appendix BAppendix B

Context Land Use ZonesContext Land Use Zones



Context Land Use ZonesContext Land Use Zones

• A wide variety of factors create context in the urban environment:

– Land use and zoning

– Block length

– Parking type and orientation

– Building orientation and setback

– Building height and thoroughfare enclosure

– Building width

– Building scale and variety

– Building entries



ITE Context Zone CharacteristicsITE Context Zone Characteristics

Natural ZoneC-1

RuralC-2

SuburbanC-3

General UrbanC-4

Urban CenterC-5

Urban CoreC-6

(recommended)

Natural Landscape.

Agricultural with scattered Development.

Primarily single family residential.

Mix of housing types including attached units, with a range of commercial and civic activity.

Attached housing types, such as townhouses and apartments mixed with retail, workplace, and civic activities.

Highest-intensity areas, with high-density residential and workplace uses, entertainment, civic, and cultural uses.



ITE Context Zone CharacteristicsITE Context Zone Characteristics


County of Fairfax, Virginia County-wide Urban Transportation Design Standards Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee May 8, 2012 Department of Transportation.

Documents

urban design standards

county of fairfax

transportation choices

modes of transportation

transportation policies

urban design elements

contextsensitive design

county agencies