Abstract Manager

Engineering and planning practices for defining road rights-of-way have been evolving to address the changing needs of municipalities. Historically, road engineering standards have provided technical guidance into the traffic capacity, utility accommodation and other engineering operational needs based on road classification (e.g. arterial, collector, local roads). More recently, Regions, Cities and Towns have been developing complete streets guidelines that define the needs for all modes of travel, urban design and streetscape opportunities relevant to the context of the street. A challenge that municipalities now face is: How does one balance between road classification standards and Complete Street guidelines? How do these practices inform appropriate road rights-of-way?

The accommodation of additional elements into road rights-of-way (e.g. dedicated pedestrian and cycling facilities, street amenities, low-impact development features, urban forestry assets) have increased the street width requirements. There are constraints, however, to acquiring land dedications to meet designated right-of-way widths. It is not always possible to accommodate all street elements given challenges such as: existing built form, cultural heritage sites, natural heritage assets, impacts to development feasibility and landowner cooperation. In some cases, compromises to land dedications are made that lead to unintended consequences such as non-linear or inconsistent right-of-way widths.

Working with the City of Hamilton, we have developed a harmonization strategy that integrates transportation engineering and urban design objectives. The approach rationalizes the future rights-of-way by integrating road classifications and Complete Street typologies and balancing competing street needs in consideration of roadway constraints. This results in trade-offs to the cross-sectional street elements that can be incorporated into the ultimate design.

Through the project, we established a strategy to apply context-sensitive solutions in dealing with right-of-way constraints. We identify flexibility and efficiencies that can be achieved in Complete Street design guidelines and supporting policies to determine appropriate road widths at the planning stage rather than through development applications or Environmental Assessments; this supports a more seamless and integrated transportation system. Through this study, we have developed a holistic decision-making framework to update planned right-of-way widths for City roadways through the rationalization of Complete Street typologies and road classifications, while being sensitive to the ability to effectively obtain land dedications.