These little refuge islands are generally illegal in the U.S. The minimum requirements are 10 feet wide and 50 feet long (!!!)
Replies
Seattle is building one 7’ wide
jul 31, 2025, 6:19 pm • 0 0 • view
Read the thread for the corrected dimensions
jul 31, 2025, 6:20 pm • 0 0 • view
And look how long it is! 36'!
jul 31, 2025, 7:25 pm • 1 0 • view
The way this is setup, if it wasn’t that long, someone would park next to it and block visibility
jul 31, 2025, 9:26 pm • 1 0 • view
The bumpout should be really long (longer than they typically are around here), but the island doesn't really need to be.
jul 31, 2025, 9:29 pm • 1 0 • view
Also, are those actual bollards instead of flex posts??
jul 31, 2025, 5:31 pm • 1 0 • view
What law/code/standard?
jul 31, 2025, 5:08 pm • 1 0 • view
Ok I misremembered, the NACTO standard is 6x40, with a peferred width of 8-10. NHWA is min. 4', rec. 8' and doesn't seem to have a minimum length, it just says "sufficient" for the pedestrian volume. Chicago's internal standard is the NACTO standard (6x40). nacto.org/publication/...
jul 31, 2025, 5:16 pm • 4 0 • view
Hey @nacto.bsky.social maybe consider loosening your pedestrian island standards for low-speed two-lane streets?
jul 31, 2025, 5:17 pm • 7 0 • view
This sounds like local standards. NYCDOT min width is 7 ft, FHWA recommends 4ft min for ADA
jul 31, 2025, 5:12 pm • 8 0 • view
Yeah I definitely both misremembered and universalized the NACTO dimensions :)
jul 31, 2025, 5:18 pm • 1 0 • view
BUT....I have never seen a small island like this in the States so
jul 31, 2025, 5:18 pm • 0 0 • view
The NACTO minimum is 6', justified as "the length of a bicycle or a person pushing a stroller". PROWAG also has 6' min, don't know about prior ADA guidance. Per our local (LA) guidance smaller crossing islands are fine but shouldn't be treated as refuges
jul 31, 2025, 5:23 pm • 2 0 • view
Do you have a streetview (or photo) example of a smaller island in LA?
jul 31, 2025, 5:25 pm • 1 0 • view
Off the top of my head there's one or two narrow ones along Figueroa in Wilmington. LADOT has a vision zero dashboard where you can filter by project type. In general though I think the interpretation is that 6' is the practical minimum for new islands
jul 31, 2025, 5:49 pm • 1 0 • view
4’ would be about the length of a person in a wheelchair with somebody behind them standing (caretaker), which seems reasonable. This one seems to be roughly that.
jul 31, 2025, 5:14 pm • 4 0 • view
I mean, if it's a zebra crossing you shouldn't have to stop in the island!
jul 31, 2025, 5:22 pm • 0 0 • view
I wonder where NYCDOT min width comes from though, 7’ seems excessive (maybe two of those, one coming from each direction?)
jul 31, 2025, 5:15 pm • 0 0 • view
I appreciate 7' when I'm on my bike but I doubt that's the motivation.
jul 31, 2025, 5:17 pm • 1 0 • view