Developments that implement the 10-minute rule and support transit are called transit oriented development (TOD). TOD is development that occurs within 1/2 mile of a transit stop, is linked to a network of walkable/bikeable streets, contains a rich mix of uses - retail, residential, workplace and has appropriate treatment of parking and densities appropriate to its setting.22
The 10-minute rule also applies to community design. Residents should be able to walk no more than ten minutes to a neighborhood park, retail center, or transit stop.
Provide walkways adjacent to roadways, but separate from the curb whenever possible with landscaping, a bicycle lane, or on-street parking.
The regional arterial street system is an arterial and collector street grid system. Most retail and employment development, community facilities, and destinations are located along the arterial and collector grid. Because many arterial streets provide sidewalks that meet some minimum safety standards, the arterial grid system is useful as a transportation corridor for pedestrians. This design principle encourages enhancing the safety and comfort of these pedestrian facilities by separating the sidewalk from the roadway. Often, this separation can be accomplished without sacrificing other safety considerations, such as providing median refuges, by narrowing or removing lanes, adding bicycle lanes or on-street parking.
In addition to separating pedestrians from the roadway, walkways should be provided during the initial development of a road. Because this region is developing quickly, often development is not contiguous. As a result, as development occurs, there are often gaps in the walkway. A pedestrian travelling from one development to another is consequently forced onto the roadway in areas between developments with no sidewalk or pedestrian walkway. To address this, walkways should always be provided adjacent to all roadways. These walkways can be stabilized surfaces or a paved path, but they must be designed to be separated from the roadway and safe.
Design master planned communities and subdivisions as a collection of multiple smaller neighborhoods, interconnected by a pedestrian and bicycle network.
Within the mile grid of the regional transportation system rests a myriad of subdivisions and master planned communities. Each of these developments can be designed around or include centrally located public facilities such as schools, parks, churches, and shopping. These public facility cores should be linked with safe pedestrian facilities to the surrounding residential areas.
Connect the pedestrian system with safe and comfortable facilities to other non-motorized and public transportation systems, taxi service, and airport shuttles.
Once a bicycle ride or trip on public transportation ends, users become pedestrians until they reach a final destination – be it home, car, work, or other location. By connecting the pedestrian network to other regional systems it makes it easier for people to transition between bicycles, busses, and walking, thereby lessening auto dependence.
