Transportation Plan - Town of Garner

show a shift in commute modes as Triangle Transit and Capital Area
Transit now service Garner, which should result in a direct rise in
commutes via public transportation and may indirectly impact walk/bike
mode shares.
The demographic analysis also reveals that the majority of Garner
commuters travel between 15 minutes and 34 minutes to work,
indicating that many Garner residents work outside of town, most likely
in Raleigh, RTP or other nearby communities. However, 21.7 percent of
Garner residents live within 14 minutes of work, wherein walking or
biking might be a realistic goal thereby setting this group as a potential
target audience for increased bike and pedestrian commute trips.
Designing for Accessibility
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and subsequent
regulations established by the United States Access Board (Access Board)
were instituted to ensure accessibility to public facilities and programs
for mobility‐impaired populations. While these regulations are intended
for mobility‐impaired populations, a well‐designed pedestrian system
provides for accessibility for persons of all ages and abilities, from the
parent pushing their child in a stroller to a senior citizen who finds it
difficult to navigate a driveway crossing due to its slope.
ADA provides comprehensive civil rights protections to persons with
disabilities in the areas of employment, state and local government
services, access to public accommodations, transportation, and
telecommunications. Title II of ADA is of most concern regarding
pedestrian facilities, as it states “no qualified individual with a disability
shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be
denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public
entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity.” 8 Title II also
requires a public entity to evaluate its services, programs, policies, and
practices to determine whether they are in compliance with the
nondiscrimination requirements of the ADA.
The Access Board’s work on design standards for public rights‐of‐way are
intended to guide municipalities in the proper methods by which to
design pedestrian facilities and parking spaces for accessibility
(http://www.access‐board.gov/prowac/) Of most relevance within the
Garner Transportation Plan are the design of sidewalks and curb ramps.
The general condition and design of sidewalks and curb ramps within
Garner were analyzed as part of the street system inventory. In general,
the configuration, widths and slopes of Garner’s existing sidewalks
Chapter 3: Existing Conditions Page | 50