Context Sensitive Design
Context Sensitive Design, or CSD, is a phrase heard more and more among transportation planners, and the May 23 conference breakout session on CSD was well attended. The session was moderated by Charleen Zimmer of Zan Associates. Dave Ekern, Mn/DOT assistant commissioner, began the session with an overview of his organization's CSD initiatives. Minnesota is one of five states participating in a pilot program to implement CSD practices in the design of new transportation projects, and the Department of Transportation has been strong in its support of CSD.
Ekern said that much of today's CSD implementation can be traced back to "lessons learned in the Interstate Era," referring to the period of federally mandated highway development known today for its generic style of public works design. By contrast, Context Sensitive Design emphasizes design that takes into account more than just the desired design speed and traffic capacity of a new project, and encompasses cultural and environmental factors unique to the surrounding area.
To illustrate the need for Context Sensitive Design today, Ekern presented the example of Maryland, which during the 1990s saw communities repeatedly reject public works projects in spite of their good engineering and sound financial planning. This led to a 1998 Maryland Highway Authority conference on CSD, and a new emphasis on CSD principles in the state.
Two important elements of Minnesota's approach to CSD, Ekern said, are putting discussion with the community up front, before laying out the curves of a new project, and encouraging project managers to use interdisciplinary teams from the beginning, instead of just bringing in landscape architects to mitigate negative impacts at the end of the construction process.
Traffic engineer and transportation planner Fred Dock of Mohaddes Associates, Inc., then took the podium to present his firm's work on the Robert Street corridor project in St. Paul. Following the completion of TH 52, Robert Street's function changed from a radial highway to a minor arterial, and CSD principles were applied during the redesign process to improve the usability and livability of the street in its new role.
One important aspect of the redesign was consolidation of driveways and parking areas, yielding benefits for pedestrians. The designers discovered that, even with substantial redesign, the street would still not safely accommodate bicycle traffic, so the decision was made to accommodate cyclists on parallel routes off Robert Street. The final design, not yet under construction, serves as an excellent example of the practical application of CSD.
Landscape architect Carol R. Braun of Mn/DOT, the third presenter, outlined her personal experiences as a member of several CSD design teams. Braun characterized the CSD process as proactive, rather than reactive, in addressing the needs of a public increasingly concerned with the aesthetics and usability of public works. Braun recently participated in the development of CSD workshop materials aimed at bringing practical knowledge of these design practices to a wider audience of planners in both the public and private sectors. '
—Peter Nelson
CSD workshop summary available; T2 to hold workshops
An executive summary of the prototype Context Sensitive Design workshop is available from CTS. The 12-page summary includes successful case studies and highlights of presentations by local and national experts. Call CTS at 612-626-1077 for a copy.
Mn/DOT and four other states received funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop pilot training programs for context sensitive design. Under contract to Mn/DOT, CTS led the planning and delivery of the prototype workshop in May 2000, with repeated offerings in February and June 2001.
Minnesota T2/LTAP, with support from Mn/DOT State Aid, will be offering a one-day version of the workshop for local agencies in 2002.