Urban Design Guidelines - Valley Metro

Page 18TRACKWAYThe trackway is the paved surfacebetween the rails of a track and extendingapproximately four feet beyondeach rail. It also includes the areabetween the two tracks in a double tracksituation. In this project, the most commontrackway condition is a medianlocation in the center of the street containinga track in each direction. A secondcondition is a side location wherethe trackway is adjacent to the streetcurb and contains one track in onedirection or two tracks in both directions.A third condition is where there isa single track in one direction next to afrontage road, such as the Jefferson/Washington couplet. Unique conditionsoccur in pocket storage tracks (near stadiums)and along the Creamery Branchand the Tempe Town Lake Bridge - bothin Tempe.It has been determined that the trackway,the most continuous element withinthe system, will be expressed throughthe use of a consistent paving treatment.A ribbon of material will be continuousbetween the rails and then the remainderof the trackway will have pavingthat can be neighborhood specific, suchas textured concrete, concrete pavers,decomposed granite, or other porousmaterials. Final determination of thematerials adjacent to the rails will occuras part of the station area designprocess.The separation of the trackway fromadjacent vehicle lanes or pedestrians isknown as track delineation. The functionof track delineation is to createclear, logical, and safe circulation routesfor street vehicles around the stationsand trackway and to protect riders andpedestrians from oncoming trains. Inorder to integrate the light rail appropriatelyinto the surrounding environments,buttons should be used to delineatestreet-running trackways in thedowntown areas and curbs should beused where the LRV speeds meet orexceed 35 mph.Urban DesignPerformance CriteriaTrackway Paving∆ Pave area between the rails in castin-placeconcrete.∆ Pave trackway areas other thanbetween the rails in ADA appropriatetextured concrete or concretepavers within all station area zones(i.e. within 1/4 mile radius of eachLRT station).∆ In all other locations, pave trackwayareas other than between the rails inconcrete or decomposed granite.∆ Ensure that trackway concrete colorcontrasts appropriately with adjacentstreet, when concrete is used astrackway paving.∆ Ensure that over the track currentand future pedestrian movementscan be accommodated.Track Delineation∆ Track delineation devices should beprovided along all portions of thesystem and should coordinate indesign, style, color, and materialswith other system-wide elements.∆ Utilize buttons to delineate streetrunningtrackbeds in the downtownareas; utilize curbs where the LRVspeeds meet or exceed 35 mph.∆ Locate curbs at both edges of tracks,adjacent to sidewalks and to streets,except at pedestrian crosswalks andvehicular intersections.∆ Provide tactile paving strips at bothedges of tracks at all intersectingpedestrian crosswalks.∆ Fabricate buttons from steel, precastconcrete, or other materials thatrelate to the system identity. Makesize, shape, material, and color of