Forward Dallas Transportation Element

TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT

The Current Thoroughfare Plan

The City’s current Thoroughfare Plan provides a hierarchical street

classification system that distinguishes streets based on their ability

to move automobile traffic. It identifies five types of roadways

based on this functional classification: Principal Arterials, Minor

Arterials, Community Collectors, Residential Collectors, Local

Streets. These functional classes serve as the official basis for

determining right-of-way requirements and the number of traffic

lanes. In the past the City of Dallas’ thoroughfare planning and

design process has been heavily influenced by the need to move

regional traffic. Typically, the street network design process

focuses on minimizing automobile travel time and congestion

at the regional level. This process does not always consider that

thoroughfare design needs to find a balance between the goals of

transportation mobility and land access, and also provide for a

range of modes of transportation.

Context Sensitive Design

Context Sensitive Design (CSD) is the practice of developing

transportation projects that serve all users and meet the needs of

the neighborhoods through which they pass. It is a collaborative

process that involves all stakeholders in developing street designs

that fit into the character of surrounding neighborhoods while

maintaining safety and mobility. CSD calls for an approach to

roadway design that considers the priority of each design element

such as sidewalks, travel lanes, parking lanes and medians, based

on neighborhood context, safety and transportation mobility

Context Sensitive Design principles recognize three realms that

together define roadways and provide a framework for street

design that is sensitive to the needs of different neighborhoods:

• Context Realm: This realm covers the properties adjacent

to the public right-of-way and defines the character of the

roadway in terms of land uses, activities, building form and

landscape

Travelway Realm: This realm includes the portion of the

public right-of-way from curb to curb that provides for travel

lanes for a variety of vehicles including cars, trucks, transit

and bicycles. It also includes parking lanes, transit stops and

loading or unloading zones.

• Pedestrian Realm: This realm typically includes the area

between the curb and the fronts of buildings adjacent to the

public right-of-way. It can extend into properties adjacent

to the public right-of-way or into parking lanes in order to

enhance the pedestrian experience and improve pedestrian

access to buildings. It can also overlap with the travel realm to

provide for amenities such as crosswalks.

The Thoroughfare Planning Process

The Transportation Element of forwardDallas! recognizes that

thoroughfare planning must balance the regional, sub-regional

and neighborhood functions of roadways in relation to desired

community form and character. In order to accomplish this

without major disruption of the established thoroughfare system,

the Transportation Element provides a framework for smooth

transition over time. This approach involves creation of a Context

Sensitive Design manual based on a concept of street types that

will serve as overlays on the existing Thoroughfare Plan functional

classification system. It also involves identifying the location of

specific street types through Area Plans based on community input

and evaluation of transportation networks. Targeted amendments

will be made to the Thoroughfare Plan through the Area Plan

process to achieve the desired results.

During the public workshops, participants were asked

to create a street cross-section for a major arterial

street. ...., participants overwhelmingly sought to reduce the

amount of vehicular travel lanes, add dedicated transit lanes and

improve the pedestrian environment. Participants said street design

in key areas should be changed to encourage more walking and bicycling,

to improve livability and a neighborhood feel, and to support shopping

districts. They also said that areas near DART stations are

underused and could be the logical location for new development

and new housing types to maximize use of transit.

GOAL 4.1 PROVIDE A FUNDAMENTAL LAND USE/ TRANSPORTATION LINKAGE

Policy 4.1.1 Design and improve thoroughfares to balance the need for traffic mobility.

Policy 4.1.2 Encourage distribution of traffic among multiple routes.

GOAL 4.2 PROMOTE A VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Policy 4.2.1 Support expansion of Dallas’ public transit system.

4.2.1.5 Use economic incentives to encourage transit oriented

development catalyst projects.

Policy 4.2.2 Promote a network of on-street and offstreet walking and biking paths.

4.2.2.1 Regularly update the Trail Master Plan, and complementary

plans such as the Emerald Bracelet Plan, and seek additional

resources from a combination of local, state, federal and

private funding.

4.2.2.2 Regularly update the Bike Plan to provide for enhanced bike

access in Mixed-Use Building Blocks and explore ways to

better integrate the Bike Plan with the Thoroughfare Plan.

4.2.2.3 Use “Context Sensitive Design” standards for public street

improvements to ensure safe and convenient bike and

pedestrian movement.

4.2.2.4 Incorporate bike and pedestrian amenities into public

facilities and rights-of-way, and stream corridors, including

wider sidewalks, trees, pedestrian lights, bike racks and street

signs designed with reflective materials. Use a combination

of local, state, federal and private funding to install such

amenities.

4.2.2.5 Revise plat regulations to encourage development to

incorporate convenient and reasonably direct pedestrian and

bike routes from businesses to local destinations and nearby

residential areas.

4.2.2.6 Create new zoning districts and amend existing districts to

encourage new projects to provide enhanced pedestrian and

bike amenities such as wider sidewalks, trees, pedestrian

lighting, safe bike routes and bike racks.

4.2.2.7 Conduct Area Plans to identify and implement targeted

thoroughfare amendments to encourage distribution of traffic

volumes in situations where impacts on residential streets can

be minimized, in order to reduce congestion and increase bike

and pedestrian safety. Area Plans should identify locations to

encourage the use of bike and pedestrian-friendly options.

4.2.2.8 Increase awareness and emphasis on the American

with Disabilities Act requirements and special needs

accommodations with particular attention to sidewalk and

crosswalk design.

Policy 4.2.3 Promote efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly movement of vehicles.

Policy 4.2.4 Promote the safe and efficient movement of goods.

Policy 4.2.5 Ensure continued viability of Dallas’ airports.