MULTIMODAL and public space DESIGN GUIDELINES

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

To address the ongoing demands for more multimodal transportation solutions statewide, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) sought assistance to develop new guidelines to help communities seeking to implement multimodal strategies that support  transit oriented, walkable, pedestrian friendly places. 

We partnered with DRPT to lead this project and started with a literature review on best practices and assembling a project steering committee that represents diverse viewpoints and different geographies (urban to rural continuum) statewide. We facilitated regular working group meetings with the steering committee in different locations around the Commonwealth to conduct field tours and observe real world conditions, participate in interactive design exercises and facilitate discussions on key issues and opportunities relative to different public health, economic, housing, transit, transportation and environmental viewpoints.

The end result was a set of guidelines that includes the prototypical multimodal placetypes and corresponding street typologies reflecting a wide range of applicable community conditions. The guidelines include detailed cross-sections and guidance identifying multimodal design features consistent with VDOT’s functional classification of roadways. They also provide planning guidance for multimodal systems at the regional and corridor scales including advancing Travel Demand Management strategies. 

The Multimodal and Public Space Design Guidelines provide a valuable resource for planners across the Commonwealth trying to implement plans, policies and projects in support of more livable communities. The Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association recognized Renaissance with an award for outstanding multimodal design work in 2013.