Objectives:
Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Recognize the types of suburban development patterns that have led to automobile-oriented travel.
- Demonstrate different strategies for re-designing suburban areas to accommodate non-motorized transport.
Pre-Instruction:
Components | Activities |
---|---|
Motivation |
Take the class for a walk along a commercial strip or other equally pedestrian-unfriendly location in your area. Point out the problems with the development type in terms of how it discourages pedestrian and/or bicycle travel. |
Objectives |
Present and explain the two lesson goals listed above (V-5-1). |
Information Presentation:
Components |
Activities |
Information Sequence |
Outline the presentation of the lecture (V-5-2 and V-5-3). |
Information |
Review the historical development of urban and suburban land use as covered in Lesson 1. Focus on the suburban practices of leap-frogging and in-filling. Explain the importance of understanding the needs of the various users of non-motorized transportation, developing strategies to promote bicycling and walking, and recognizing current suburban land use forms that discourage non-motorized transportation (V-5-4 through V-5-6). Explain the inherent dangers in certain types of suburban development and land use features that affect bicyclists and pedestrians (V-5-7). Contrast planning for the automobile with planning for non-motorized transportation (V-5-8 and V-5-9). Demonstrate how good pedestrian and bicycling connections to transit services can encourage a symbiosis between these various modes. Provide examples of commercial and office developments that encourage walking and biking (V-5-10 and V-5-11). |
Example(s) |
Much of the information transmission should be done by way of example. The viewgraphs reflect this. |
Student Participation:
Components |
Activities |
Practice |
Use the activity provided in the student notes. |
Feedback |
Provide comment and feedback to the class as appropriate. |
Follow-Up:
Components |
Activities |
Enrichment |
Assign reading for Lesson 6. Ask the students to find an example of neo-traditional development completed within the last 10 years. Have them be prepared to report their findings to the rest of the class. |
Review |
Provide a summary of Lesson 5 (V-5-12). |
Exercise |
5.10 Exercise |
Lesson Objectives:
- Recognize suburban development patterns that have led to automobile travel
- Demonstrate strategies for re-designing suburban areas to accommodate non-motorized transportation
Lesson Outline:
- Historical development of urban and suburban land use
- User needs
- Strategies that promote bicycling and walking
- Suburban land use forms that discourage non-motorized transportation
- Safety concerns
Lesson Outline (continued):
- Planning for the automobile
- Planning for non-motorized transportation
- Connections to transit services
- Commercial and office developments that encourage walking and biking
Suburban Development:
- Streetcar suburbs
- Leap-frogging
- Auto orientation
- In-filling
- Abandonment of the street
User Groups:
- Children
- Parents
- Elderly
- Commuters
- Recreationists
Promotional Strategies:
- Serve large groups
- Improve unsafe, frequently used locations
- Improve the busiest locations
- Attract new users
Present Land Use Forms:
- Individual tract subdivisions
- Linear arterial streets
- Bypassed vacant land
Planning for Non-Motorized Transportation:
- Conceptual planning
- Build around existing routes
- Arterials vs. collectors
- Identify major generators of non-motorized traffic
Planning for Non-Motorized Transportation (continued):
- Identify major attractors of non-motorized traffic
- Compare existing routes vs. demand
- Consider where improvements should be made
- Existing
- New
- Consider the impacts of new development
Development Features That Encourage Walking and Biking:
- Setbacks
- Orientation and facades
- On-site walkways
- Access between adjacent developments
- Lighting
Development Features That Encourage Walking and Biking (continued):
- Improvements between the building and the street
- Lot coverage
- Parking reduction
- Parking lot design
Lesson Summary:
- Suburban development patterns have made it difficult to use non-motorized transportation
- There are many ways to change this condition
- Existing retrofits
- New developments