Design Guidelines For Corridor Components

Adjacent Lands

Land uses adjacent to regional roads contribute to, and greatly influence, the road character and function. For example, a regional road in a downtown commercial setting will have different characteristics than in a suburban business park setting. The densities, orientation, quality of buildings, and quality of on-site landscaping determine the character and function of the road corridor.

Urban Form and Connectivity

Neighbourhood design components such as street pattern, intersection spacing, pedestrian and cycling linkages, building height and setbacks, building density and land use mixes have an important influence on road corridors. Good urban form can help create pedestrian-friendly and transit-supportive road corridors.

Plan an overall vision for the regional road corridor to direct decisions regarding urban structure in individual/ community/neighbourhood plans.
Where appropriate, plan regional road corridors as special urban districts, ideally with mixed land uses and higher densities within adjoining communities, to promote the multi-modal 24-hour use of the corridor.
Ensure that regional road corridors will act as community "integrators" rather than "dividers" by having land uses and built form relate to the road and avoid back-lotting (reverse frontage). Consider subdivision and site plan design for adjacent lands, which includes parallel local streets, frequent intersections, short blocks, side-lotting, and front-lotting with rear access.
In the cases where regional roads separate significantly different land uses (i.e. residential from retail or business park), tie the two land use edges together to maximize community integration. Accomplish this through consistency in landscape treatment, lighting, building setbacks, building heights, and signage.
Encourage a grid street and block pattern with frequent intersections to promote accessibility, connectivity and continuity along and across the corridor. To achieve a highly urban corridor, design blocks with intersecting side streets every 50 to 100m and signalized intersections every 100 to 150m.
Provide frequent pedestrian connections from adjacent lands to the regional road by including direct pedestrian routes between buildings or adjacent communities to road sidewalks.

Building Design and Orientation

The location, scale, design, orientation and continuity of buildings influence the spatial quality and function of a regional road.

Locate buildings close to the ROW with direct pedestrian access to facilitate pedestrian activity and an opportunity to establish a human scale.
In traditionally narrow urban corridors respect the existing building edge and maintain the continuity with new infill buildings.
Make creative use of surface easements, setbacks, cantilevered buildings, etc., to create a wider pedestrian zone while maintaining streetscape continuity, where the existing corridor width is constrained.
Conserve historic urban fabric along the corridor to maintain diversity and enrich the experience of corridor users.
In new residential communities, consider orienting houses to face the road, as the preferred alternative to reverse frontage.
When retrofitting suburban corridors, infill parking lots with new buildings at the street edge.
Design the building height-to-corridor width ratio to be as small as possible (i.e. 1:1 to 1:3) to create a defined corridor.
As an alternative to large format retail, arrange buildings as a series of smaller boxes located at the street edge, especially where high pedestrian activity exists or is desired.
Articulate the façade, or vary wall materials along the length of large format buildings to avoid long blank walls.
Provide windows and doors facing the road for direct pedestrian access and "eyes on the street." Ensure that windows and doors occupy at least 50% of the building façade.

On-Site Parking and Circulation

The treatment of parking areas has a key influence on the visual character of a regional road corridor.

Locate parking lots to the side or rear of buildings to mitigate their visual impact on the streetscape, to minimize the need for landscape screening, and to permit buildings to be located closer to the road. Locate adequate bicycle parking near building entrances.
Screen parking lots that abut regional roads. This screening should be 1.5 to 3m wide with trees, shrubs, berms, and/or low fences, except within sight triangles at driveways or intersections. Low level screening should be 0.75 to 1.0m high to mitigate views of parked cars yet retain a sense of personal security for parking lot users.
Design parking lots to be safe places. Ensure that parking areas are well lit and accessible from the roadway and from adjacent buildings with clear views. Ensure that parking lot screening features do not exceed 1m in height and provide escape breaks.
Include barrier free sidewalks within parking lots to accommodate pedestrians walking to the building entrance. These sidewalks should be 1.5 to 2.0m wide. They can be combined with landscape strips and lighting to assist in their delineation to enhance way-finding and to provide shaded areas in the parking lot.
Provide sidewalks that connect buildings to the roadside sidewalk and transit stops. These do not always have to be combined with vehicle driveways.
Connect buildings and parking lots of adjacent properties with vehicle aisles and barrier free sidewalks to allow the off-road circulation of vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians between sites.
Encourage shared parking lots to reduce overall parking requirements and to integrate adjacent uses. Achieve this through zoning and by reciprocal operating agreements between owners.
Locate loading, garbage and other services so they are not visible from the road.

On-Site Landscape

The landscape treatment of lands outside of the ROW can enhance the visual character of the corridor.

Develop overall landscape concept plans or themes for regional road corridors to enable integration and consistency in the individual landscape plans of land owners adjacent to the road, and to facilitate coordination of landscaping within the ROW with that on private lands.
Include a variety of trees to safeguard against the effects of disease related to individual species.
Continue to require that landscape plans be included as part of the design requirements for new or reconstructed regional roads, and as part of development applications for adjacent sites.
Allow private developers to extend on-site landscaping into the ROW when desirable, and confirm the ongoing care of this landscaping through a maintenance and liability agreement.
Coordinate on-site landscaping along the length of the road corridor with other sites on both sides of the road through Zoning, Site Plan Control, Condominium and Subdivision Approval.

On-Site Signs

Signs are an important aspect of commercial activity and can influence the visual character of a road. Besides being an important economic tool, they also present an opportunity to create a lively urban environment.

Design ground-mounted and wall-mounted signs to be in scale with the adjacent buildings and land uses in terms of height, width and surface area, and to avoid a cluttered streetscape. Prescribe maximum signage area, or regulate sign area as a percentage of the wall to which it is attached. Consider 6m as a maximum height for pylon signs.
Use shared-use or joint signs to reduce sign clutter.
Integrate landscaping features with the base of ground-mounted signs.
Regulate the use of temporary or portable signs to minimize the amount of sign clutter near the road edge, to keep sight lines as open as possible and to prevent encroachment in the effective walking area of the sidewalk.
Encourage wall-mounted projecting signs in pedestrian-oriented areas, but require them to be 2.5m above the sidewalk or higher (above head level).
Provide setbacks of at least 1m from the ROW for ground-mounted signs so they do not obscure the view of pedestrians, cyclists or motorists at intersections, driveways, or along sidewalks, and prohibit them in corner sight triangles.
Prohibit signs with flashing, animated, pulsating, rotating, or otherwise moving components, so that road users are not distracted.
Consider prohibiting the erection of large billboard signs.

Intersections, Driveways, and Pedestrian Crossings

The design of intersections, driveways and pedestrian crosswalks is an important aspect of the road corridor. These are the places in corridors where all travel modes mix the most, where people have to make the most decisions regarding their direction and speed and where user safety is paramount.

Intersections and Turning Lanes

Road intersections include a combination of through-lanes, cycling lanes, turning lanes, and cross-walks. Movements may be controlled with overhead traffic signals or by road signs. The guidelines do not fully address the complexity of intersection design. Rather, the guidelines provide ideas that will help create intersections consistent with first principles outlined in Section 6.0.

Avoid dedicated right-turn deceleration lanes and double left-turn lanes wherever possible. Assess their need on a case-by-case basis, to improve pedestrian security, to reduce vehicle speeds, to reduce the pedestrian crossing distance, to improve visibility of merging drivers and create space for landscaping.
Avoid the use of lane channelization in areas with medium to high pedestrian or cyclist traffic. Assess the need for channelization on a case-by-case basis. Consider their effects on pedestrians and cyclists and their ability to safely control traffic.
Use the smallest practical curb radii for the predominant vehicle mix to reduce vehicle speeds and the pedestrian crossing distances. Consider emergency vehicle requirements.
Acquire additional ROW for turning lanes at intersections and driveways so that the road edge components are not compromised.

Driveways (Site Accesses)

Although vehicular access to individual sites is controlled along regional roads, driveways are permitted in many instances.

Reduce driveway width and turn radii to decrease conflicts with pedestrians. Ensure that driveways can accommodate the turning movements of trucks that require access to the site.
Consolidate driveway accesses to reduce the number of vehicular connections to regional roads.
Align driveway accesses on either side of the road to create a more familiar intersection pattern and to coordinate the location of median breaks and future intersections.

Pedestrian Crossings

Sidewalks along regional roads may cross intersecting regional roads, other public streets, and private driveways. These crossings may be signalized or not. The width of the crossing may range from as little as 3m (a one-lane private driveway) to greater than 30m (multiple lanes with a median). The variables in the crossing design include the vertical elevation of the sidewalk (continuous or depressed), the sidewalk cross-slope, the sidewalk surface material, and the curb treatment (i.e. continuous, returned or depressed).

Where a sidewalk along a regional road crosses an unsignalized private driveway, the regional road curb should be continuous but depressed along the crossing. The sidewalk should be depressed as little as possible. Grade transition should occur in the inner and outer boulevards where they exist. The sidewalk surface material should be continuous across the crossing. This design reinforces pedestrian priority and continuity of the road edge.
Where a sidewalk along a regional road crosses another regional road, public street, or signalized private driveway, the regional road curb should be returned to meet the curb of the intersecting street or driveway. The returning curb and crossing should be depressed to the elevation of the intersection. To announce the approaching safety risk to the pedestrian, the crossing surface material should be different from the sidewalk. This guideline also applies to other sidewalks that cross regional roads.
Where extra visual emphasis on pedestrian priority is desirable, or where traffic calming is being pursued, the pedestrian crossings may require alternative designs. In such instances, the pedestrian crossing may retain a surface elevation that is continuous with the sidewalk. The crossing surface may differ from both the roadway (or driveway) and sidewalk surfaces. The use of such designs may be reviewed on a case by case basis, taking into account emergency service vehicle needs, pedestrian and vehicle traffic volumes, and accident history at the crossing.
Sidewalk cross-slopes as well as the slope and surface transition at depressed curbs or crossings should be as gentle and barrier-free as possible.
Include safeguards such as detectable warning surfaces, directional textures, warning signs, audible signals, paint markings, and clear sight lines, where sidewalks or recreation paths cross intersections or driveways, so that cyclists and pedestrians of all ability are made aware of approaching crosswalks and their routes.
Consider using bollards or other separation devices at pedestrian crossings, in certain instances, such as on medians or islands within long pedestrian crossings, to increase the visibility of the crossing location and improve pedestrian safety.
Ensure that the direction of curb ramps at pedestrian crossings are oriented in the same direction as the crossing, so that visually impaired people are directed correctly.
Ensure that there are pedestrian signal phases at all signalized intersections. For intersections where pedestrian volumes are very low, pedestrian signal push-buttons could be considered.
Ensure that push-buttons for pedestrian signals are easily accessible and unobstructed for use by those with physical and/or visual impairments.
Factor in winter conditions and the ability of seniors and those with physical and/or visual challenges when establishing the timing phases of pedestrian crossing signals.

Linear Services and Road Operation

Regional road corridors accommodate a range of services and infrastructure such as road lighting, piped and cable services, storm water management systems, snow management requirements and trees. This infrastructure is located in various locations within the ROW.

Services and Utilities

Regional roads host a range of municipal services such as piped water, sanitary sewers, and storm sewers, as well as utilities such as hydro, gas, and telecommunications (cable, telephone, data, etc.).

Bury services and utilities, where practical, to minimize their visual impact.
Maximize the shared-use of utility trenches to reduce ROW requirements.
Maximize the joint use of utility poles to minimize their number.
Coordinate landscape plans with service/utility plans, considering trees as a type of utility. Minimize long-term conflicts with tree roots and branches.
Minimize the visibility of utility accessories, i.e. utility boxes.
When widening roads or constructing or repairing utilities, use trenchless technologies to minimize damage to public infrastructure including trees, sidewalks and road pavement.

Lighting

Roadside lighting is used to light both the roadway and the sidewalk. This ensures safe night time driving, cycling and pedestrian crossing and creates a safe and secure environment for pedestrians.

For roads that have high potential for pedestrian traffic, use shorter separate pedestrian-scale lights, to add to the visual character and pedestrian appeal of the streetscape.
Design the height of pedestrian lighting between 3m and 5m, either as stand-alone poles or as attachments to street light poles or buildings. The lights should not cause glare in motorists' eyes, or not conflict with traffic lights.
Share the use of poles for overhead utilities and lights, where possible.
Design light poles to accommodate banners, signs, flower baskets, electrical outlets and festival lighting, along main streets, downtown roads or important commercial/institutional roads.
Use sharp cut-off lighting such as flat lens luminaries to reduce glare and light spillover, where roads are adjacent to light-sensitive uses such as residences.
Encourage merchants to light up their windows in the evening to contribute to sidewalk illumination and make the street more secure and animated.
Use energy efficient road lights. Use 'white light' sources, especially in areas with high volumes of pedestrians to create a safe and natural colour spectrum.
Carefully design the transition of lighting intensity when approaching or leaving intersections to allow motorists eyes to adapt to changing light conditions.
Carefully assess lighting requirements along stretches of road that permit on-street parking to minimize the risk of collisions with parked cars, and to improve the visibility of pedestrians near parked cars.
When assessing lighting options, give priority to meeting performance standards over cost.
On higher speed roads, offset the light pole 1.5m or greater from the curb to reduce the risk of vehicles hitting the pole and to leave room for snow storage. On lower speed roads, 1 to 1.5m offset is acceptable (0.75m in constrained locations).

Drainage and Curbs

Rain and meltwater need to be effectively managed on the road corridor. The effective use of inlets, catch basins, grading and curbs will result in good drainage conditions.

Design the road edge so that surface water does not pool on the sidewalk, and so that melt-water does not run onto the sidewalk and freeze causing slippery conditions. Slope the sidewalk and inner boulevard towards the curb, while sloping the outer boulevard (if one exists) away from the sidewalk.
Depress grassed medians and boulevards slightly to collect stormwater and reduce runoff.
Use curb-face inlets, as opposed to traffic lane surface-mounted catch basins to reduce the amount of differential settlement, to eliminate on-road obstacles for cyclists and vehicles, to reduce noise and vibration and to reduce long term maintenance costs.
Bevel the curb face slightly away from the traffic lane to reduce the risk of chipping by paving or snow clearance equipment, and to benefit cyclists.

Snow Management

The operational requirement to manage snow that falls onto vehicle lanes, cycling lanes, sidewalks, and recreation paths needs to be incorporated into road design. Snow management operations need to be cost-effective and create safe conditions for road corridor users. This may affect decisions on landscape strip widths, median design, planting materials, and sidewalk locations.

When providing an inner boulevard, include a sufficiently wide (2 to 3m) and unobstructed space adjacent to the curb for snow storage and removal operations.
When a wide inner boulevard is not provided, align roadside trees, light poles, utility poles, and cluster street furniture such as transit facilities, parking meters, waste baskets, and phone booths, as much as possible, to facilitate snow management activities.
In areas with high pedestrian volumes and along transit routes, give sidewalks and pedestrian crossings equal priority to traffic lanes in terms of keeping them cleared of snow and ice.
Coordinate snow management operations where sidewalks are located at or near the curb, so that the sidewalk is not obstructed in favour of a cleared vehicle lane.
Avoid planting shrubs in snow storage areas, especially along turning lanes at intersections where the road edge has been narrowed.
Use vegetation rather than snow fencing to reduce snow drifting in open windswept areas, such as at the rural-urban transition zones. Consider planting coniferous trees or high shrubs outside the ROW.

Road Edge

The road edge is the land between the road curb and the ROW limit, often referred to as the boulevard. Trees, turf, lights, utilities, road signs, sidewalks, recreation paths, paved surfaces, and street furniture are located in this zone, and various arrangements of these components are possible. The boulevard should have a sense of pedestrian scale, enclosure and provide a high level of amenity.

Pedestrian Routes

The sidewalk is a critical component in the design of public rights-of-way. It defines the main pedestrian thoroughfare that is vital for accessing the adjacent buildings and lands and for travelling along the corridor.

Provide barrier free sidewalks along both sides of all roads. In business parks it is acceptable (although not preferred) to have sidewalks along only one side of the road.
Provide an effective sidewalk width (clear pedestrian travel zone) of at least 2m to allow for the simultaneous passage of a pedestrian and a wheelchair. Before compromising the 2m width, consider reduction of medians, boulevards, or lane widths. Under no circumstance should the effective sidewalk width be less than 1.5m.
Provide wider sidewalk widths of 3m or greater for locations with high pedestrian volumes such as in core urban areas, along mainstreets, and in Town Centres.
In urban contexts with zero building setbacks, the area between the curb and building should ideally be a minimum of 4.25m wide. It should include a 2m wide furnishings zone at the curb for street trees, lights, benches, etc.; a 2m wide clear pedestrian route and a 0.25m frontage zone.
For wider roads in suburban contexts, the road edge should be a minimum of 6 to 7m wide to accommodate a 2m wide clear pedestrian travel route, a 2 to 3m wide landscape buffer and a 2 to 3m wide inner boulevard.
Separate the sidewalk from vehicle lanes by trees, landscape strips, light standards, utility poles, parking meters, signage, transit shelters, etc., to enhance the sense of security for pedestrians and to improve splash protection.
Protect pedestrians from the effects of sun, rain, snow, and wind by the creative use of building insets, cantilevered buildings, overhangs, tree canopies or wide storefront awnings to prevent drips on pedestrians.
Include recreational pathways within road rights-of-way instead of a sidewalk only when there is no alternative route to maintain continuity in the pathway system. At intersections, the recreational pathway should be located and controlled similar to a sidewalk crossing. Pathways serving as sidewalks should be cleared of snow.
Construct recreational pathways with asphalt and at a width of 3 to 4.5m, depending on the volume and mix of users, with 1m clear zones on either side.
Apply international standards for surface treatments as cues for warning and direction for visually impaired pedestrians.

Road Edge Landscape

The effective combination of landscape elements can have the greatest effect on the environment for pedestrians and other road corridor users. These landscape elements include trees, shrubs, grasses, sod, paving stones and other hard surfaces.

When selecting trees, shrubs and other vegetation, consider their tolerance to road salt, subsoil limitations, heat, drought, strong winds and shade.
Select species that are native to the Region over non-native species of equal suitability.
Select landscape elements (trees, shrubs and decorative hard surfaces, etc.) that integrate with the character of the landscape and buildings.
Select deciduous trees when planting along sidewalks or recreation paths, as they provide shade in the summer and allow sunlight to penetrate in the winter. Supplement with conifers where space permits.
Consider the height and spread of trees and shrubs and their roots, at maturity, in relation to above-ground and below-ground infrastructure. Do not place services within the tree dripline unless they are buried 2m or more.
Select a diversity of trees and shrubs that are easy to transplant, quick to establish and easy to maintain. Select species that are resistant to diseases and insects, have a long life cycle, produce few seeds, flowers and fruits and have a root system which is non-invasive.
Plant shrubs, tall grasses or wildflowers where trees are not possible due to ROW, space, height or operational limitations.
Provide trees with a clear, permeable surface area of approximately 10m2 minimum. Where possible, an area equal to the size of the expected tree canopy is desired. In an urban context, ensure that the clear tree planting area is a minimum 2m wide by 2m deep continuous trench of planting soil.
Plant two trees when one live one is removed. Plant one tree to replace one that is dead or dying.
If the inner boulevard is less than 1.25m, make every effort to widen the boulevard to increase the survivability of turf and trees in this space.
When there is insufficient ROW, plant on adjacent lands under an agreement with the private landowner.

On narrow, lower speed roads with a high potential for pedestrian traffic:

Plant deciduous trees between the curb and the sidewalk to enclose and shade the pedestrian space. Plant trees 1 to 1.5m from the curb (0.75m minimum).
Plant deciduous trees approximately 6 to 8m (10m max.) apart to provide a continuous canopy along the corridor.
Plant trees at grade. Unless there are specific design directives, use raised planters only where there are significant conflicts with utility infrastructure. Planters should have a minimum interior dimension of 1.5m in any direction and no bottoms. They can also be designed to provide seating where appropriate.

On wider, higher speed roads with lower potential for pedestrian traffic:

Plant deciduous trees well away from the curb, preferably behind the sidewalk to mitigate salt spray, wind, fumes and reflected heat that are harmful to the trees. This also assists with screening surface parking and with defining the public space.
Plant trees in clusters. Use a mix of conifers and deciduous trees to enhance landscape diversity. If planted in-line, plant them 10m apart.
Where trees are desired close to the road edge between the curb and sidewalk, provide a 4m inner boulevard and plant the tree 2.75m +/- from the curb, leaving room for snow storage beside the sidewalk and roadway.
Preserve and protect existing healthy trees in the corridor by modifying the location of sidewalks, driveways, utilities, etc.
Enhance the success of road edge landscaping through proper installation, soil preparation and long-term care.

Transit Stops and Shelters

Transit stops have the potential to be centres of activity along regional roads. Space needs to be dedicated for transit stops, shelters, and related furniture.

Construct concrete pads at all transit stops where space is available. Erect shelters on the pads when budget and ridership permit.
Locate shelters in the outer boulevard to maximize passenger convenience, unless there is a wide inner boulevard available and/or high pedestrian and passenger volumes which could create conflicts on the sidewalk.
Ensure a clear hard surface area 1.5 to 2m wide in front of a shelter to permit safe exit by passengers, including wheelchair users. The sidewalk will often provide this space. In all cases, shelters should be set back 0.5m from curbs and sidewalks to protect them from damage by snow plows.
Design curb-side transit stop loading areas 1.5-2m wide and long enough to serve both the front and rear doors of the longest transit vehicles using the route (articulated buses).
Locate transit stops as close to intersections as possible, and coordinate their location with neighbourhood path connections and building entrances.
Consolidate benches and other roadside furniture such as waste baskets, bike racks, telephones, notice boards, newspaper boxes and refuse containers at bus stops to maximize their barrier free utility and create active public spaces.
Incorporate surface texture changes at transit stops to assist the visually challenged in locating the stop and/or shelter location.
Design transit shelters with transparent sides at eye level for maximum visibility to and from the interior, so that transit users can see approaching buses, and for personal safety reasons.
Where four-sided transit shelters are not possible, consider overhead open air canopies as an option to protect transit users from sun, rain, and snow.
Pursue innovative ways to design and deliver transit shelters and related furniture. Consider public-private funding partnerships, or integrate them into development on adjacent lands where the location suits transit user needs. Ensure that the emphasis is on amenity over advertising.

Furniture, Amenities and Art

Street furniture such as benches, phone booths, parking meters, bicycle racks, newspaper boxes, waste receptacles, planter boxes and mail boxes can make road corridors more comfortable and convenient, and can add variety to the streetscape.

Enhance the urban design quality of the road corridor by improving the quality of street furniture, sign posts, light and signal poles, etc. Identify priority corridors (such as historic areas, downtown and town centres and special commercial districts), and develop a plan.
In narrow corridors, cluster roadside furniture and amenities in-line between the curb and the sidewalk, to separate pedestrians from vehicles and cyclists travelling on the adjacent roadway. On wider, higher-speed roads, place them in the outer boulevard.
Locate roadside furniture, patios, roadside vending activities or sandwich board signs so they do not compromise a clear pedestrian route of 2m or greater.
Locate roadside patio umbrellas or awnings that encroach into the ROW so they are well-above the head level of pedestrians and cyclists.
Encourage owners in commercial areas to add their own street furniture, such as benches or shelters, in appropriate locations, subject to maintenance and liability agreements, when located in ROWs. This furniture should be consistent with the site's particular context and streetscape concept.
Encourage the location of public art (including sculptures, wall murals, fountains, decorative walls, custom designed furnishings) within or adjacent to the ROW to enhance the streetscape.

On-Road Signs

Public signs erected within the ROW are regulated by provincial manuals and are typically related to vehicle operation and parking regulations, or are provided for directional or information purposes.

Mount on-road signs on existing utility or light poles, where practical.
Design individual ground-mounted signs to be in scale with the adjacent buildings and the streetscape.
Locate signs in-line with other features in the road edge such as parking meters, street furniture, light poles, and utility poles.
Design and locate on-road signs so as not to obstruct the view of traffic signals and other important sight-lines of pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists.

Noise Attenuation

Regional roads generally have high traffic volumes, and have the highest speed limits in suburban locations. These roads also carry buses, trucks, and other heavy vehicles. This results in sound levels which irritate people adjacent to the roadways and possibly warrant noise attenuation. In these cases, Provincial and municipal noise level guidelines apply.

In the design of residential and institutional projects, locate outdoor at-grade amenity areas away from the regional road, and consider building orientations and local street configurations which eliminate the need for noise attenuation. Use the building to attenuate noise.
Where private development is proposed adjacent to a regional road, require the developer to be responsible for the project's on-site adherence to Provincial and municipal noise guidelines and confirm this during the site plan, subdivision, condominium, and/or building permit approval processes.
Use traffic calming measures and design the road to reduce the speed levels and road noise. A reduction in speed of 10 km/h reduces noise levels by approximately two decibels.
When the growth in traffic has resulted in noise levels that exceed Provincial and municipal guidelines, consider retrofitting with noise attenuation measures on a case by case basis.
Where noise attenuation is required, consider alternatives to noise walls, such as well landscaped berms that could also provide open spaces, trails, and connect natural features.
Design openings in noise walls for bicycle and pedestrian access so that noise exceeding Provincial or municipal guidelines does no leak through to the community.
Where noise walls are used, plant vines, shrubs or trees to visually break up the fence and avoid a blank wall.
Locate catch basins and maintenance-hole covers away from vehicle wheels, to reduce vehicle-generated noise and vibrations.

Roadway

The roadway is the asphalt portion of the public right-of-way, including the median if one exists. The roadway is a conduit to move bicycles, cars, trucks, and buses. On some roads, this portion of the corridor also provides space for on-road parking. The roadway design should balance and support the needs of all users.

Cycling Lanes

On-road cycling routes can be provided either as a dedicated cycling lane, or as a wider shared curb lane.

Locate dedicated cycling lanes adjacent to the curb except where there are turning lanes, on-road parking or bus-only lanes.
Provide shared curb lanes (4 to 4.5m) as the cycling route on roads that have posted speeds of 60km/h or less, with many intersecting side-streets, and on-road parking, so that cyclists can mix relatively safely with vehicles.
Provide dedicated cycling lanes on roads that have posted speeds of 60 km/h or more, with higher volumes, and greater spacing between intersections, to provide separation from higher speed vehicles.
Design dedicated cycling lanes to be 1.5 to 2.5m wide. A 1.5m lane width is acceptable where the ROW is limited. 2m wide lanes are typical, and 2.5m wide lanes can be used when traffic volumes and speeds are high and there are many trucks or buses. These measurements include a 0.25m offset when located adjacent to the curb.
Design the roadway's stormwater drainage to avoid the storage of water or snow on cycling routes.
Have regard for cycling requirements when locating catch basins and maintenance-hole covers. Use curb-face inlets as an alternative to catch basins.
Ensure that cycling lanes do not end abruptly at intersections or mid-block locations without providing continuity of cycling facilities. When cycling lanes need to end, do so on the far side of an intersection, and provide adequate tapers and sign notification.
Consider the use of innovative cycling supportive/awareness measures such as "bike pockets"/bike slot lanes. These are spaces specifically for cyclists demarcated with painted lines to provide guidance to both the cyclists and motorists at the approach or departure from an intersection.

Transit

Ottawa-Carleton's public transit system depends on the safe and efficient movement of buses along most regional roads. The integration of bus movements with traffic flow is an important consideration.

Design the road to give buses equal or greater priority than other motorized vehicles. In specific corridors where volumes warrant, provide dedicated bus and/or high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. In most cases, however, buses will be operating in mixed traffic in the curb lane of regional roads.
Consider using bus bays only on roads with speed limits of 80km/h or greater, or where a site specific safety hazard has been identified.

Traffic Lanes

As regional roads generally function as high-volume traffic-movers, the number and width of traffic lanes is an important design question. This is especially challenging when the ROW is narrow yet many road components are to be included in the road edge.

Keep the number and width of travel lanes as few and narrow as possible, while considering safety and capacity requirements, to reduce the amount of asphalt, to reduce the width of cross-walks, and to dedicate as much of the ROW as possible to the road edge.
Design traffic lane widths based on the road design speed, traffic volume, number and type of trucks and buses and the available ROW. Higher-speed roads require wider lanes in the range of 3.5 to 3.75m. Lower-speed roads can have narrower lanes ranging from 3.25 to 3.5m.
In narrow ROWs such as on downtown roads, consider reducing lane width in favour of increasing the width for pedestrians, cyclists and trees.
Include a curb offset of 0.25m to provide space for drainage and wheel separation from the curb.

On-Road Parking

Some regional roads play an important role in providing parking for residents, visitors or customers of adjacent land uses. However, on-road parking consumes road capacity. It can also create an obstacle to street sweeping and snow management.

Introduce on-road parking on roads with land uses that are directly accessible from the corridor and that have low posted speeds. This will calm traffic, separate pedestrians from traffic lanes, and promote road-oriented business activity.
Use parallel parking as opposed to diagonal parking, to maximize driver visibility and passenger safety, to calm traffic, and to make efficient use of the ROW.
Consider the use of curb extensions or "bump-outs" at crosswalks, and at certain locations to define lengths of full time on-road parking, to reduce the crosswalk distance. This will calm traffic and provide space for tree planting, street furniture, bus stops and/or bicycle parking.
Make curb lanes wider when shared between parallel cars and cyclists. Parking lanes should be 4.0 to 4.5m wide when doubling as a peak hour shared lane. Otherwise curb-side parking can be 2.5 to 2.75m wide.
Limit on-road parking to non-peak hours on certain roads where peak-hour vehicle capacity is required.

Medians

For roads with wider ROWs, there may be the potential for a median between opposing traffic lanes. Medians can also be used to define a special urban district, especially for main street or high density residential roads.

Limit the use of medians to reduce the road corridor width. Use medians as a traffic control measure after other measures are considered.
Consider medians on roads with higher posted speeds to divide opposing traffic lanes and reduce the risk of high speed collisions.
Construct medians along roads with numerous driveways to protect left turn lanes, to control traffic turning movements at specific locations, to provide pedestrian refuge at wide crossings, and to provide space for traffic signals and utility poles.
At intersections, design the median width to be 5m minimum, so that a 3.5m vehicle left-turn lane can be taken from the median while retaining a sufficient median width (1.5m) for pedestrian refuge, traffic signal infrastructure and signs.
On high-speed roads where left-turn lanes are required, consider using 5m wide medians only at those locations. Between intersections, use the extra 5m for landscaping the road edge or for additional pedestrian amenities.
Construct raised, curbed medians as opposed to mountable medians which are prone to uneven settling and can be expensive to maintain.
Consider landscaped medians for special districts or important roads. Medians can: accommodate road light poles, reduce the number of vehicle lanes during road retrofit projects, or spatially define wide road corridors. Plant trees on medians only on lower speed roads.
Select landscape materials for medians according to the guidelines for road edge landscape, and have particular regard for survivability, salt tolerance, and the need for consistency with landscaping on the road edge and on adjacent lands.