Street Design Manual

CHAPTER 1 STREETS FOR ALL USERS

Article 1.1 Purpose and Scope This Manual has been developed in conjunction with the Unified Development Ordinance, which recognizes the critical link between land use and transportation, insuring that both work together to preserve and create great places within the City of Raleigh. Articles of the Unified Development Ordinance have been included in this Manual. The Articles and Sections in this Manual that are included from the UDO will be have a cross reference. In the case where any requirement in the City of Raleigh Code conflicts with any regulation or standard presented in this manual, the City of Raleigh Code shall control. The design guidelines contained in this Manual are intended to provide for adequate and coordinated development with necessary facilities to serve and protect all users of Raleigh’s transportation system. Staff will apply fundamental engineering principles and practices in the evaluation of the design and construction plans in review. It is recognized that certain improvements financed wholly or in part with State and Federal funds are subject to the regulations and standards prescribed by those agencies. Such regulations and standards may be different than those of the City and may take priority over City regulations and standards presented in this manual. The guidance presented herein is based on nationally-accepted design parameters, including AASHTO’s A Policy on the Geometric Design of Highways and Streets and Flexibility in Highway Design, and supplemented by context-specific guidance such as that contained in the joint ITE/CNU Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach, and context-specific guidance for design and installation of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI). The Public Works Director, or his/her designee thereafter referred to as the Public Works Director, in consultation with other City departments and state agencies, may in accordance with Section 10.2.18 of the Unified Development Ordinance , approve design adjustments for identified regulations established in Chapter 8 of the Unified Development Ordinance. Article 1.2 Complete and Context Sensitive Streets In 2009, NCDOT adopted a Complete Streets Policy. The Policy Statement is cited for reference below: Transportation, quality of life, and economic development are all undeniably connected through well-planned, well-designed, and context sensitive transportation solutions. To NCDOT, the designations “well-planned”, “well designed” and “context-sensitive” imply that transportation is an integral part of a comprehensive network that safely supports the needs of the communities and the traveling public that are served. This policy requires that NCDOT’s planners and designers will consider and incorporate multimodal alternatives in the design and improvement of all appropriate transportation projects within a growth area of a town or city unless exceptional circumstances exist. Routine maintenance projects may be excluded from this requirement; if an appropriate source of funding is not available.

Similarly, in 2015, the City of Raleigh amended the Comprehensive Plan to include Policy T 3.1 Complete Streets Implementation, stating:

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