City of Oshkosh, Wisconsin Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Plan

South of Lake Butte des Morts, north of Omro Road
• Leonard Point Rd: gravel shoulder, no stripe; no sidewalks
• Oakwood Road: gravel shoulder; no sidewalk
4.3.2 WALKING CONDITIONS
Walking as Transportation
Walking is often overlooked and undervalued as a transportation mode. Yet, in
the Oshkosh planning area, 2.3 percent of commuters reported regularly walking
to work. Pedestrian commuting percentages are even higher within the City of
Oshkosh’s older neighborhoods near downtown. These percentages do not include
other pedestrian activity, such as walking trips to school, to shopping, or for
recreation. Many of these pedestrians are children and seniors who require
special consideration regarding facility design. Pedestrians also include persons
using wheelchairs or mobility devices.
Everyone is a pedestrian at some point in his or her trip, whether it is walking to
the parking lot, a bus stop, or to work from home. The most common pedestrian
facilities people think of are sidewalks. Other facilities include pedestrian ramps,
pedestrian islands (i.e. road medians), crosswalks and pedestrian signals. Where
sidewalks are not available, roads and/or road shoulders provide the public rightof-way
for pedestrians. However, what constitutes a “pedestrian-friendly” or
“walkable” neighborhood or business district is much more than merely having the
aforementioned facilities in place.
A “walkable” or pedestrian-friendly community is one that provides a comfortable
and safe environment for pedestrians. Having sidewalks certainly is one major
part of the equation; however, other amenities such as street trees, pedestrianscale
lighting, street furniture and terrace space separating vehicle traffic lanes
from sidewalks are also important. In the Oshkosh area snow and its effective
removal are another important considerations.
The quick and effective removal of snow on sidewalks and multi-use trails has a
major effect on the usability of those facilities. In Oshkosh, all sidewalks are
required to be cleared within a certain timeframe from the incidence snowfall (24
hours), however the maintenance of many of these facilities is the responsibility of
the homeowner and work schedules, vacations, and the physical abilities of the
resident can make for inconsistent snow removal. Multi-use facilities are
maintained in selected areas as budgets dictate.
Another important element of “walkable” communities is having something to walk
to. Destinations, such as commercial areas, parks, churches, and schools need to be
within walking distance and accessible if walking is going to be a serious
transportation alternative. The scale and interest of buildings can add or detract
from the pedestrian experience. Studies have also found that pedestrians like
company and seeing other pedestrians increases one’s comfort level and sense of
safety and security.
Requirements for pedestrian facilities within the Oshkosh planning area include
those for crosswalks and sidewalks. Specifically, for new subdivisions:
CITY OF OSHKOSH PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PLAN 4- 7