Updated Street Standards

Ontario's 2006 Transportation System Plan defines cross-sectional street standards for different roadway functional classifications. The street standards relate the design of the roadway to its desired function. This room contains proposed updates to the street standards to incorporate best practices for roadway and bike lane design. These cross-sections would be used to inform the design of new or reconstructed roadways in Ontario.

Some key features of the new standards include separated and buffered bike lanes. Raised or painted buffers benefit people biking on roadways by separating them from traffic.

The following summarizes the proposed changes to the street sections:

Principal Arterials and Minor Arterials

Example: SW Fourth Avenue

• Replace conventional bike lane with a separated bike lane or shared-use path
• Change travel lane width from 12 feet to a range of 11-12 feet
• Change two-way left-turn lane width from 14 feet to a range of 12-14 feet

Three-Lane Minor Arterials

Example: Verde Street

• Increase bike lane width from 5 feet to 6 feet
• Add 3-foot wide painted buffer between bike lane and outside travel lane
• Change travel lane width from 12 feet to a range of 11-12 feet
• Change two-way left-turn lane width from 14 feet to a range of 12-14 feet

Collector with Bike Lanes

Example: SW Fourth Street

• Add optional painted buffer between bike lane and outside travel lane

Neighborhood Collectors and Local Streets

Example: NW Second Avenue

• Keep as is

Native grasses and shrubs can be planted in the planting strip between the roadway and the sidewalk to enhance the streetscape and help with stormwater runoff and treatment.

The exhibits on the right side of this room show the proposed street standards for Ontario. Please click through the street standards graphics to review and provide comments.