A new street design manual combining and streamlining several old official papers was recently approved by Dallas City Council.
The newly approved Street Design Manual focuses on walkability and the handling of alternative transportation. Scooters and bicycles, which are increasing in popularity in cities across the country due to the rise in e-bike and e-scooter rentals, are what is meant by alternative transportation in this instance.
A Complete Street Manual was adopted in 2016 to provide guidance on streets. A lot of street improvements since the 2016 Manual was adopted, as well as several projects in the works, have used it, although it was not a requirement. The Paving Design Manual has been used to build city streets in Dallas since it was adopted 21-years ago.
The required Street Design Manual put updates in the only symbolic category. Nonetheless, increasing sidewalk widths was proposed by Councilman Chad West. For commercial areas, widths for sidewalks would go from four feet to five feet, although the preferred width is six feet.
Brochure printing enables a city to keep the public abreast of changes made to city construction requirements, including those to do with streets and sidewalks.
For the protection of trees, waivers to the increased sidewalk widths are available in addition to a number of other possible exceptions.
