Reimagining the Right-of-Way

Abstract

The public right-of-way has long been viewed as a space to move cars and a conduit for utilities. Traditional roadway practices have focused on maintaining vehicular levels of service, often at the cost of the pedestrian realm, and applying standard sections with little consideration for the context of the street or the community. However, this approach is changing as communities recognize the value and opportunity within the public right-of-way and along transportation corridors and become involved as stakeholders during the design process. Community-driven transportation projects are remaking streets in cities of all sizes, and new best practices are being implemented to reclaim and activate underutilized rights-of-way. As a result, public rights-of-way are increasingly recognized as environmental and economic assets that support active living and healthy environments. FHWA's Livability Initiative recommends design considerations such as complete streets, context-sensitive approaches, green infrastructure, and sustainable roadway design. A core principle of FHWA's context-sensitive solutions approach is to exercise flexibility and creativity to shape effective transportation solutions, while preserving and enhancing community and natural environments. This paper explores three case studies of varying street classifications, scales, and land uses to show how program needs and design approaches initiated the reallocation of space within the right-of-way to benefit all users and achieve social, economic, and environmental goals within an existing transportation network.