Urban Design Guidelines - Valley Metro

URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINESVision StatementCreate an efficient regional transportation system that offersthe new choice for linking communities and people withjobs, culture, and events. A fun, easy to use, andattractive system that respects the peoplewho use it and the people it passes by.In a community where utilities areundergrounded, special attention needsto be paid to the design of the poles.Understanding the importance of multimodal benefits and the heat of the sun,riders must walk as little as possiblewhen transferring from train to bus.And finally, in a region where the privateautomobile has had a huge impacton lifestyle and land development itcomes as no surprise that the task forcewould look to the vehicle design for"their" light rail to be modern, dynamic,and comfortable.These priorities reflect the high level ofcitizen knowledge and understanding ofregion specific issues that face thedesign and function of this light rail system.It should be noted that this understandingdid not bubble up out of a discussionon city-by-city parity; rather itcame from an understanding of thecommon needs of all of the neighborhoodswithin the Valley of the Sun.It is our hope that this project canbecome much more for this place thanmerely a rail system. It can be the newinfrastructure for a new way of thinking.It can create the realization by itsexample that this is a diverse and vitalplace. A place of opportunity. A placethat is full of choices. A place that is notlimited by boundaries. A place whereingenuity, culture and nature haveformed a valuable partnership.VisionThe vision for this project (highlightedabove) encapsulates the values of thisplace and can be broken into the significantphrases that are outlined below.New Choice∆ Provide new options for riders frommany walks of life – the young andthe old, those with disabilities andthose who are mobile, the tourist,the residents, riders from choice andriders from necessity.∆ Promote walk-ability and bike-abilityof users wanting to connect torail.∆ Enable the community to feel goodabout taking the train.∆ Streamline trip making for all usersthrough simplified ticketing andtransferring. Build on, and enhance,the service to current bus ridership.∆ Use marketing to provide informationthat is helpful as well as creatingsense of fun when riding the system.∆ Promote a sense of novelty and discoverythrough the experience of thesystem as a whole.∆ Build new public and private partnershipswith developers, planners, Page 5