Traffic Calming Measures - Sample: Raised Crosswalk

So far I have mentioned several items I have developed to make better and more effective devices. I have also shared a few sample drawings, and more will follow. However, I will proudly claim that I created a new curb and gutter with a bridge system for raised crosswalks, which made it possible to become a true “raised crosswalk.”

The reason for constructing a raised crosswalk is to make it possible, for the most part, for people on wheelchairs to cross from the sidewalk on one side of street, over a “speed hump” painted with a crosswalk, to the other side of street, with the least difficulty possible.

Although there are so-called raised crosswalks in many places all over the country, they actually are more like speed humps with a crosswalk. They still do not address the main problems a person in a wheelchair will have to deal with: how to wheel down from sidewalk to street level, and then how to easily and safely wheel up the edge of the hump to the top on crosswalk, all to face the same hurdles again on the other side.

And how about then solving the issue of water flow?

With creation of a new curb and gutter with a bridge system, I solved all of those problems, so we in Sacramento were able to construct the first true raised crosswalk. Over the years I updated my sample drawing to include additional details for a variety of situations.

In case of the first raised crosswalk I built, like any new ideas, not everything came out perfectly. There were a few things I learned from the actual construction: The slope up and slope down on sides of the crosswalk were too long. The bridges, although designed only for pedestrians, weren’t used as designed, so it turned out they needed to be made much stronger to handle possible vehicular crossing. The other was the difference in type and height of the existing curbs on two sides of street , which made a big difference in the effectiveness of the device. These issues were addressed with addition of new and modified details.

The most important factor in designing a raised crosswalk is its position in relation to water flow in the gutters. If the location of the raised crosswalk is on top of the street slope, the design work will be much easier, and the construction cost lower.

At the high point, concrete detail work is less, and there is no need for a steel bridge.

In contrast, if the location is other than high point, we will have more design work and much higher material and construction costs.

Transition to the existing curb and gutter on either side is required.

At below the high point, new curb & gutter need to be constructed to support a steel bridge.

Transition to existing C&G on either side is required.

WITH EITHER CASE: The curb & gutter (CG) on both side of the street need to be of the vertical type with 6” height above the flow line. Should any portion of the curb & gutter within the construction limits be of different types, they must be converted to the dimensions indicated on the plans, for at least 5 feet.

With the location of a raised crosswalk lower than the high point requires more details in design and construction, and higher cost, particularly due to fabrication of steel grates (see 3D model below). Again, existence or construction of standard vertical curb (CG2) is required. Next, there need to be a pair of mirrored curbs (CG2-B), and the center piece , the CG2-A which is going to support the steel bridge.

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