Design Option 1: Curbside Mobility Lane

Design Option 1, the Curbside Mobility Lane, would repurpose one vehicle travel lane in each direction to create a 10-foot mobility lane located next to the curb, as shown in the image below. In areas where there are no sidewalks, this space would be intended for use by people walking, riding a bicycle, or using other small mobility devices. Where sidewalks exist today, people walking would continue to use the sidewalks. Watch this video explaining Design Option 1: Curbside Mobility Lane.

Additional design features to improve safety and comfort include:

• A painted buffer with vertical separation, where possible, to enhance separation between the mobility lane and vehicle travel lane.
• Enhance visibility in the mobility lane and at intersections with the consolidation of parking and allow for the use of vertical separation in the buffer.
• Enhanced treatments at intersections including green striping to indicate where people on bicycles or small mobility devices making left-turns or traveling through the intersection should be on the roadway.
• High-visibility cross-walk markings to improve visibility of people crossing the street.
• Painted curb extensions to narrow crossing distances at large intersections such as SE 136th Avenue and Village Loop Drive.

Primary Benefits of Design Option 1:

• Physically separates space for the mobility lane from the vehicle travel lane.
• Increases comfort for people using the mobility lane with lower level of traffic stress.
• Perceived narrowing of the roadway helps to lower vehicle speeds.

Challenges to implement Design Option 1:

• Driveway access causes breaks in the vertical separation in the buffer and conflicts between mobility lane users and vehicles.
• Concern from community bicyclists about being trapped in mobility lane by parked vehicles.
• Breaks in the buffer could result in vehicles parking or driving in mobility lane.
• May require restricting U-Turns at certain intersections.

For more information on how Design Option 1: Curbside Mobility Lane could function at intersections along the corridor, see two draft intersection concept designs for SE 136th Ave and SE Village Loop.

Design Option 2: Center Running Mobility Lane

This design option separates all modes of travel. To achieve this, one vehicle travel lane is repurposed in each direction and space is provided for a mobility lane located next to the median and a walking lane located next to the curb where in location without sidewalks. The center running mobility lane would be intended for people riding bicycles or other small mobility devices, while people walking would use the walking lane or existing sidewalks. Watch this video explaining Design Option 2: Center Running Mobility Lane.

Additional design features to improve safety and comfort include:

• A painted buffer with vertical separation to enhance separation between the mobility lane and vehicle travel lane.
• A painted buffer with vertical separation, where possible, to enhance separation between the vehicle travel lane and the walking lane.
• Enhance visibility at intersections with the consolidation of parking and allow for the use of vertical separation in the buffer between the walking lane and vehicle travel lane.
• Enhanced treatments at intersections including green striping to indicate where people on bicycles or small mobility devices making left-turns or traveling through the intersection should be on the roadway.
• High-visibility cross-walk markings to improve visibility of people crossing the street.
• Curb extensions to narrow crossing distances at large intersections such as SE 136th Avenue and Village Loop Drive.

Primary Benefits of Design Option 2:

• Eliminates driveway conflict points with the mobility lane.
• Allows for continuous buffer separating the mobility lane and vehicle travel lane.
• Creates separate space for people walking and people using the mobility lane.
• Makes left-turns easier for people using the mobility lane.

Challenges to implement Design Option 2:

• User education will be needed for the new roadway configuration and may be confusing for people who don’t use the corridor regularly.
• Likely to require restricting U-turns at certain intersections.
• Right-turns for people using the mobility lane would be more challenging than current conditions.

For more information on how Design Option 2: Center Running Mobility Lane could function at intersections along the corridor, see two draft intersection concept designs for SE 136th Ave and SE Village Loop.