Creating pedestrian-friendliness
Sidewalks
1. There should be a minimum width of 4 tiles. Currently, on LB Road sidewalk, each tile is about 2 feet square.
2. Pavement should be even and safe to walk without any cracks or tiles missing.
3. When the sidewalk is less than 4-tile width due to illegal encroachment, the sidewalk should be increased to 4-tile width by removing the illegal encroachments, following the criteria below:
l Shifting free-standing illegal stalls to permanent stalls provided by the Corporation at nearby locations.
l If legal street-side shops extend illegally onto sidewalks, the illegal extensions to be removed.
4. When sidewalk is less than 4-tiles wide without any illegal encroachments, it should be widened to the minimum of 4-tiles width by reducing the carriageway. The policy is that there should always be a minimum of a 4-tiles wide sidewalk. If necessary, the carriageway should be reduced, not the other way round by sacrificing the sidewalk.
5. When illegal stalls exist on a sidewalk that is more than 4-tiles wide, they may be allowed; but, confined to permanent stalls built and leased by the Corporation with strict enforcement ensuring no encroachments on the sidewalk.
6. Motorcycle and car parking to be provided only after there is a clear 4-tiles wide sidewalk and without conflicting with pedestrians on the sidewalk.
7. All obstacles on sidewalks should be removed except trees. Check for shifting of electrical equipment located in the middle of sidewalks with the Corporation and electrical departments.
8. Different textured tiles for sidewalks are recommended to demarcate that no encroachments are allowed on those tiles.
9. Coloured curbs to indicate no parking areas are recommended.
10. Encourage school children to walk to school by providing continuous and safe sidewalks and crosswalks.
11. When there are cuts in the sidewalks for access to streetside establishments and at intersections, ramps are to be provided for pedestrians to negotiate high curbs; these are not meant for 2-wheelers to park on sidewalk.
12. Proper sidewalk ramps are to be provided at places where significant handicapped (deaf, blind, and wheelchair-bound) and senior citizens travel, such as hospitals and schools.
Crosswalks at intersections
1. Safe striped crosswalks should be provided at each intersection.
2. Pedestrians should have priority at crosswalks and the green time should be set by considering both the pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic at any intersection.
3. At major intersections near schools, during school opening and closing times, there should be school guards helping children to cross streets.
4. In long blocks, mid-block crosswalks with pedestrian signals should be provided.
Bus Stops
1. Long bus stops (sometimes for the entire block) are to be provided so that buses could be pulled to the curb-side and passengers board buses direct from pavements inside the bus stop. The number of bus bays at a bus stop should depend on the number of buses serving the bus stop at the peak period. No passengers are allowed to wait on the carriageway to board buses. Sufficient space is to be provided for all passengers to wait inside the bus stop without spilling on to the carriageway.
2. The bus company should be directed not to allow boarding and deboarding of passengers other than at bus stops in view of safety of passengers and liability to the bus company. Drivers should know this rule. Probably, this rule could be strictly enforced if the buses have doors which could be opened by drivers. In the long term, all buses should be equipped with such doors.
3. Sidewalks are to be provided behind bus shelters at the bus stops.
Others
1. Consider small landscaped plots, wherever possible.
2. Trash receptacles with strong lids should be placed at appropriate places, such as intersections, bus stops and at mid-block locations. The trash cans should be emptied at regular intervals.
3. Clear on regular basis abandoned vendors' carts and other items.
4. No parking by any kind of vehicles on sidewalks.
5. No dumping or storing of building material, such as sand, on the sidewalks. Encourage each municipality to have a 3-4 member Pedestrian Facilities Team (PFT) with exclusive charge of monitoring and repairing the sidewalks and enforcing rules.
Besides this, there are block- by-block recommendations.
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