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Preservesexistinglocalstreetscapes;Cityisprobablyunlikelytoimprovelocal <br />Advantages: <br />streetswithoutsubstantialpressurefromresidents;eliminatesanysense(or <br />reality)ofdislocationamongcurrentresidentstotheextentthatimprovements <br />maynarrowfrontyards,cutdowntrees,increasetrafficandattendantnoise; <br />narrower(presumably)pavedstreetsectionscandetertrafficspeedsandÒshort- <br />cutÓtraffic;theCitybackloginimprovinglocalstreetsissogreatthatÒas-isÓisin <br />effectthede-factooperationalpolicy. <br />Mayperpetuatesafety,drainageorotherproblemsassociatedwiththeolder <br />Challenges: <br />streetsection(ifsuchproblemsinfactexist);retainingolderstreetsectionsmay <br />requireincreasedmaintenancecosts <br />Whenexistinglocal(andperhapsminorcollector) <br />OptionNo.3:LocalStreetTransitions- <br />streetsareextendedbynewdevelopment,theCitycouldconsiderutilizingtheimprovementlevel <br />oftheoldersection(oradoptingsomemiddlegroundsuchamatchedstreetwidths,eliminating <br />sidewalks,etc.)inbuildingthenewextensions.Thisapproachshould,however,beappropriately <br />mitigatedwherethestreetisorbecomesanaccesstoamajoractivitycentersuchasaschoolor <br />park.Citystreetstandardsarecurrentlybeingreassessedwithrespecttonarrowerstreet <br />sections,curb-lessstreets,andavarietyofotherÒminimumÓdesignparameters.Ifappliedtolocal <br />andcollectorstreetsinRiverRoadandSantaClara,thesenewstandardscouldhelpaddress <br />streettransitionandupgradeconcerns/ <br />Betterpreservesexistinglocalstreetscapes;providesforuniformityalong <br />Advantages: <br />individualstreets(e.g.:avoidshavingimprovementstransitionbackandforthto <br />differingstandards);Citystreetstandardsarecurrentlybeingmodifiedtopermit <br />narrowerstreetsandotheroptionsthatmayhelptopreservelocalcharacter. <br />Residentsofnewersectionsmayprefertohaveurbanlevelstreetimprovements; <br />Challenges: <br />opportunityfortheCitytoobtainfullstandardstreetsthroughdevelopment <br />dedicationsmaybelost;maynotbedesirablewheretheextensionmeansthe <br />streetbecomesanaccesstoasignificanttrafficgenerator <br />Manylong-timeneighborhoodresidentsliketheirlongdead-ended <br />OptionNo.4:ConnectivityÐ <br />olderstreets.Absentsomeover-ridingandsignificantpublicsafetyoraccessconcern,theCity <br />couldmoderateitsrequirementsforconnectivityinassociationwithdeferringupgradesoflocal <br />streetsections(seeoptionsabove).Asamiddleground,theCitycouldperhapsacquireright-of- <br />wayconnectionswithoutbuildingtheactualconnection,and/orinitiallylimitconnectivityto <br />pedestriansidewalksand/orbikelanes. <br />Preservesexistinglocalstreetscapes;limitsanysense(orreality)ofdislocation <br />Advantages: <br />amongcurrentresidentstotheextentthatimprovedconnectionsmayincrease <br />trafficandattendantnoise;right-of-wayacquisitionpreservesoptionsforphysical <br />connectionsinthefuture;whenassociatedwithbikeandpedestrianconnectivity <br />mayreducesomevehicletrips <br />DeferringconnectivityiscontrarytooneofthegoalsofconnectivityÐreducing <br />Challenges: <br />dependenceonandlengthofvehicletrips;opportunityfortheCitytoobtainfull <br />standardstreetsthroughdevelopmentdedicationsmaybelost;theState <br />TransportationRulemakesconnectivityandtheprovisionofnon-vehicular <br />alternatives(suchaspathwaysandbikeways)amongthekeyconsiderationsin <br />transportationplanningandimprovements. <br />Avarietyofeffectiveandprovenimprovementsareavailableto <br />OptionNo.5:TrafficCalming- <br />slowtrafficanddeterÒshort-cuttingÓofthroughtrafficintolocalresidentialneighborhoods.Such <br />trafficcalmingmeasurescangoalongwaytopreservingtheÒfeelÓofalocalstreet,evenasthe <br />communitygrowsandtrafficincreasesaroundtheneighborhood.TheseÒcalmingÓimprovements <br />includespeedhumps,trafficcircles,medianislands,narrowedpedestriancrossings,etc. <br />RiverRoad/SantaClaraCommunityTransitionProject37 <br />TransitionandHeritageWhitePaperMay2006 <br /> <br />