City Council unveils new street design standards for a modern city

Plano, Texas - The Plano City Council is taking a major step towards modernizing its city infrastructure by presenting the second version of its comprehensive 'Street Design Standards'. This set of rules, which hasn't been updated since 2009, is poised to significantly enhance the city's streets in terms of both appearance and functionality.

Dallas Metro News reported that the updated standards will serve as an important guide for all those involved in the city's urban planning and street design. They are designed to balance current traffic requirements with future infrastructure needs, ensuring that Plano's streets are prepared for changes in transportation.

Many streets in downtown Plano can trace their history back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time before city-wide standards existed. As part of this broad upgrade, the city plans to implement wider sidewalks, street parking, street trees, and various features that support pedestrian and bicycle traffic, adding a new vibrancy to these historic streets.

In today's world, where diverse transportation options are available, it is crucial for urban planning to accommodate various modes of transport. Plano's updated street design standards take this into account, incorporating safety measures and features for different forms of transit, from cars to bicycles and small-scale mobility devices like scooters.

To redefine its thoroughfare standards, the city will conduct a detailed analysis of its roads. This will allow for a more refined classification system that distinguishes between expressways, regional and local arterials, major and minor collectors, local streets, special streets, access ways (including alleys, mews, paseos, and shared streets), and downtown streets.

The new standards also impose restrictions on the use of mews in areas with high pedestrian activity. Mews will now be limited to smaller subdivisions and places where homes face shared open spaces, like paseos.

In an effort to streamline its street design standards, Plano City Council aims to eliminate redundancies while simultaneously introducing new rules. This will result in a more consistent and efficient set of guidelines that will better suit the city's evolving street infrastructure.

One of the major aspects of the proposed Street Design Standards is the implementation of traffic calming devices. These tools, set to be installed across Plano's neighborhoods, will help regulate vehicle speeds, enhancing the safety of the city's residents. This shows Plano's strong commitment to prioritizing safety in its wide-ranging urban redesign.