Network planning for all types of transportation

Expanding the Functional Classification System to all Transportation Methods 

The City of Milwaukie is updating its Transportation System Plan (TSP) to include a functional classification for all methods of transportation, including walking, cycling, public transit, freight, and automobiles. 

What’s a Functional Classification?

A functional classification is a way to organize streets and pathways based on their intended purpose within a larger network. For example, some streets are designed to accommodate high volumes of traffic, while others are intended to provide access to more private, local destinations. You can think of it as a network plan for each method of transportation. By developing a separate functional classification for each form of transportation, the updated TSP will better reflect the different needs of people walking, cycling, riding public transportation, or using a car.

The functional classification system is made up of two key components: classification descriptions for each type of transportation and a map that assigns those classifications to each street and pathway in the city. The classification descriptions explain the role each type of facility plays within the broader transportation network, outline potential improvements that could enhance its function, and consider how surrounding land uses might support or influence the facility’s effectiveness. The map visually shows how each street and pathway is classified.

Why Adopt a Functional Classification for Other Methods of Transportation?

Currently, the city has a functional classification system that mainly focuses on managing car traffic. By creating separate network plans for people walking, cycling, driving, and using transit, the city will give each type of transportation equal attention in planning and decision-making. This will help prioritize improvements and avoid conflicts between methods of transportation when the city makes transportation investments. 

The new network plans will guide decisions about where and how to improve transportation networks. The classifications won’t dictate exactly how things should be built (like whether to put in a bike lane or crosswalk), but they will help ensure that each transportation method has appropriate facilities to keep people moving. 

An Example: Major City Walkways and 32nd Avenue 

Take Major City Walkways and 32nd Avenue as an example. You can see on the proposed functional classification map for pedestrians below that 32nd Avenue is given the classification Major City Walkway. Major City Walkways are key pedestrian routes that provide safe and comfortable walking environments along important streets and trails, especially where there’s a lot of pedestrian activity. They are often found in areas with denser land uses, like Milwaukie’s downtown, or along streets with frequent transit service or busy off-street trails like the Trolley Trail.

Here’s what the guidelines for a Major City Walkway include:

• Pedestrian Comfort: These walkways are designed to be very comfortable and safe for pedestrians, with a Level of Traffic Stress (PLTS 1) rating (see performance measures memoranda to learn more about Level of Traffic Stress).
• Land Use: Major City Walkways generally serve areas in Milwaukie’s Region 2040 Town Center, where land is zoned for high density residential, commercial, and mixed-use development, but also run along major streets through predominantly low-density residential areas. Where auto-oriented land uses are allowed on Major City Walkways, site development standards should address the needs of pedestrians for access.
• Improvements: Major City Walkways should have regularly spaced marked crossings (with closer spacing in the Region 2040 Town Center and in other commercial and mixed-use areas, such as Milwaukie Marketplace). Major City Walkways should have wide sidewalks, and a pedestrian realm that can accommodate higher volumes of pedestrian activity.

For 32nd Avenue, being classified as a Major City Walkway means the city will focus on making it safer and more comfortable for pedestrians. Improvements might include widening sidewalks to provide more space for people walking, removing sidewalk obstructions like utility poles, and adding more marked crossings for better safety. These upgrades will help make 32nd Avenue a better route for walking, in line with its role as a Major City Walkway.

In summary, these new classifications, like Major City Walkways, offer clear guidance for how streets and pathways should be developed. They ensure that each transportation method, whether walking, riding, cycling, or driving, gets the right kind of infrastructure to serve its purpose and fit the surrounding area.

Interested in learning more or viewing the classification descriptions and maps for other methods of transportation? Check out the entire functional classification memo here.