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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations

Report
This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-05-102
 Date: July 2006

Lesson 9: Walkways, Sidewalks, and Public Spaces

This slide shows a picture of a busy sidewalk that has many people walking.

Lesson Outline

  • Important sidewalk locations.
  • Basic sidewalk design.
  • Beneficial design elements.
  • Public spaces.
  • Costs and benefits of sidewalks.
  • Summary.

This picture shows a pedestrian crossing sign that has a symbol of a person walking, with a supplemental plaque below that has the text "XING".
Source: PBIC, www.pedbikeimages.org

Important Sidewalk Locations

  • Schools.
  • Transit stops.
  • Parks/sports areas.
  • Shopping districts.
  • Recreational corridors.
  • Medical complexes and hospital.
  • Public buildings.

Basic Sidewalk Design

  • Sidewalk width.
  • Bridge sidewalks.
  • Rural sidewalks.
  • Border areas and buffers.
  • Grade.
  • Cross–slope.
  • Pavement surfaces.
  • Stairs.
  • Corners.
  • Shy distances.
  • Sight distances.
  • Continuity.

Sidewalk Width

This picture shows several people walking along a wide sidewalk.

Minimum Desired
1.2 m (4 ft) (AASHTO)1.8+ m (6+ ft) (varies)
Source: PBIC, www.pedbikeimages.org

Bridge Sidewalks

This picture shows two different pictures to illustrate different examples of sidewalks on bridges.

This picture shows two different pictures to illustrate different examples of sidewalks on bridges.
Minimum Desired
On one side, full widthOn both sides, full width, separated from traffic
Source: PBIC, www.pedbikeimages.org

Rural Sidewalks