1996 Local Street Tree Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

New Search

Setback sidewalks may not be compatible with streets along hilly terrain. To minimize cut slopes and environmental impacts of new streets, it may be necessary to eliminate one of the sidewalks (on one side of the street) to reduce the overall street width and/or to eliminate the setback. Allowance should also be made, in the standards for sidewalk construction, for meandering sidewalks to move around large trees. , * *INSERT PHOTO ** Topography and Natural Features. Occasionally, streets are constructed in locations which require special accommodations such as in hilly areas, or near wetlands, canals, dense vegetation, or sensitive plant or animals. In these cases, specific considerations should be made to minimize negative impacts. For example, wide streets along steep slopes require much larger hillside cuts than narrow streets. In cases where the application of the adopted design standards would result in a poor response to natural features, exceptions should be made to design standards. Exceptions could result in reduction of street widths, construction of sidewalks on only one side of the street, or allowance for curbside sidewalk segments instead of setback walks. Street Grade. Currently the city allows the grade on local streets to be 15%, but also allows grades up to 20% for short lengths. Although most automobiles can drive up steep grades at the posted speed, fire trucks are unable to travel at the same speed, thus increasing the time it takes to reach the fire or medical emergency. Grades are primarily an issue in areas of south Eugene, where some neighborhoods are outside the four minute response time zone. The increased connectivity in the public street system proposed in this plan will have an overall positive effect on response time. With most of the street systems in the South Hills area already in place, lowering allowable grades could render certain areas undevelopable, thereby reducing overall connectivity, or could result in an increase in paved area and cut/fill slopes with attendant negative aesthetic and stormwater quality impacts. Rather than lowering existing street grade standards, this plan proposes to require sprinkling of new structures where the grades of the emergency fire access routes are above the standards recommended in the Uniform Fire Code. Improved medical vehicle response times will be facilitated by increased street connectivity. * *INSERT PHOTO ** Stormwater Design Options One of the objectives of this study was to present alternative street designtstandards with narrower paving widths. One of the advantages of narrower streets is reduced stormwater runoff from streets. (Other advantages are discussed more fully below). Staff and a citizen advisory committee representing the City of Eugene Stormwater Management Program are developing recommendations for design standards to reduce stormwater runoff and improve stormwater quality. That committee provided input on local street planning principles and design standards. 31