CITY OF ARLINGTON , TEXAS
• When on-street parking is provided , a minimum furnishing zone of 5 feet shall be required . This allows car doors to open and people to exit from the vehicle without blocking the sidewalk .
• At driveways , curb cuts , and road approaches , a 4-foot minimum sidewalk area must be maintained at 2 percent cross slope . Additional right-of-way may be secured to maintain minimum sidewalk widths and maximum slopes when crossing driveways or curb cuts .
• Passing space on sidewalks at intervals of no more than 200 feet should be provided . The passing areas shall be a minimum of 5 feet by 5 feet .
• Sidewalks that are narrow or in steep terrain areas should provide rest and passing areas outside of the pedestrian zone .
• In steep terrain areas , wider sidewalks are recommended to allow wheelchair and handicap users to travel in a zigzag motion to reduce the grade they must travel .
• Pedestrian signage indicating the upcoming grade is recommended in steep terrain areas .
• It is recommended that with new construction , the elevation of the buildings be coordinated with the elevation of the road to provide ADA access .
• If on street parking is permitted , periodic curb ramps along planting strips should be provided to facilitate pedestrian access onto the sidewalk .
• It is recommended that the larger the sidewalk width , the larger the width of the planter or furnishing zone that should be provided .
• When transit stops are provided , larger furnishing zones are recommended . Transit requirements vary , but should be coordinated with and connected to an accessible path of travel .
• Should new building construction occur that requires wider sidewalks to accommodate the increase in pedestrian traffic , it is recommended that the property owner donate the property to the City and be responsible for construction that meets the sidewalk standards .
• On narrow right-of-way areas , if additional right-of-way cannot be obtained , a corridor traffic study is recommended to determine if street widths can be reduced in order to create a wider path of travel for the pedestrians .
• Street tree plantings should be considered to provide a visual buffer between pedestrian and automobile traffic , improve the aesthetic appearance of the street , and provide shade or shelter in warm and windy regions . Tree and root protection devices should be used to minimize sidewalk and paving maintenance issues . The proper tree should be chosen based on the tree and site characteristics . Refer to TxDOT and City requirements for tree selection and setback requirements
• To reduce cost and to minimize inconvenience to users , sidewalks should be incorporated during the initial planning stage of a transportation project .
7-8 | Chapter 7 : Design Guidelines