Town of Summerville Planning Area - BCD Council of Governments

The BoulevardTwo-lane Blvdwith left and rightturn lanes, wideplanted medianand street trees.The Boulevard typically serves areas of lower intensity land uses such as the Medium Residential NeighborhoodDistrict identified on the Future Land Use Map. The Boulevard balances mobility for all travel modes, includingheavy truck traffic. Traffic moves freely through intersections, without channelized (or “protected”) right‐turnlanes and double right‐turn lanes. Roundabouts and traffic circles are suitable alternatives to four‐wayintersections.A Boulevard may also have two or four travel lanes. The outer lanes may be designed as shared travel lanes forbicyclists, typically 15 feet wide; however, separated bike lanes may be desirable, especially if the target speed is35, rather than 30, miles per hour. The typical travel lane is 11 feet wide, and bike lanes are typically five to sixfeet in width.Sidewalk width ranges from five feet up, separated by five to ten feet from the curb by a verge. Trees andshrubs are planted in the verge to shield pedestrians from motor vehicle traffic. A verge is commonly referredto as a planting strip typically located between the pedestrian facilities and the road. Utility lines in the right‐ofwayshould be located under the verge.The Boulevard is characterized by a landscaped median, typically 15 to 20 feet wide. A wider median may bedesirable to preserve mature trees in certain situations. The median also helps manage access and breaks forleft‐turn lanes at intersections.Within Commercial Activity Centers or Central Neighborhoods, land development is coordinated to ensureadequate pedestrian access and mobility. Commercial buildings and housing units are typically oriented to aperpendicular road that intersects the Boulevard. The Boulevard is more of a parkway such as Bacons BridgeRoad identified on the Road Type‐Map #4. On‐site parking between the road and the primary building shouldnot be discouraged and pedestrian access to the primary entrance should be protected. Land developmentdesign along the parkway is addressed in more detail in the Land Use Element. On‐street parallel parking isoptional on Boulevards; angled parking is inappropriate. Avenues should regularly intersect a Boulevard,providing on‐street parking and access to Commercial Activity Centers.Transportation Design Element Page 5