Safer Streets Littleton: Quick-Build and Pilot Projects

Project Area Map

Existing Conditions

Data Summary

Street Type: Neighborhood Connector
Speed Limit: 35 MPH
Average Daily Traffic (ADT): 15,400
85^th Percentile Speed: 37 MPH
Serious Injury and Fatal Crashes since 2022: 2

Planned Improvements

Upgrading to protected bike lane using Orca Lane Separator.

Example of the materials being used:

Construction Timeline

Construction for this project will begin in Spring 2025. 

Project Area Map

Existing Conditions

Data Summary

Street Type: Neighborhood Connector
Speed Limit: 30 MPH
Average Daily Traffic (ADT): 1,900
85^th Percentile Speed: 25 MPH
Serious Injury and Fatal Crashes since 2022: 1

Planned Improvements

Upgrading to protected bike lane using "Zebra" lane separators and delineators. 

Example of the materials being used:

Construction Timeline

Construction for this project will begin in Spring 2025.

Project Area Map

Existing Conditions

Data Summary

Street Type: Neighborhood Connector
Speed Limit: 30 MPH
Average Daily Traffic (ADT): 3,000
85^th Percentile Speed: 24 MPH
Serious Injury and Fatal Crashes since 2022: 0

Planned Improvements

Upgrading to protected bike lane using rubber parking stops and delineators. 

Example of the materials being used:

Construction Timeline

Repaving of Pennsylvania Street from Mineral Avenue to Phillips Avenue is planned for summer 2025. As part of the pavement improvement work, crews will install the protected bike lane along this stretch. 

Project Area Map

Existing Conditions

Data Summary

Street Type: Neighborhood Connector
Speed Limit: 30 MPH
Average Daily Traffic (ADT): 16,447
85^th Percentile Speed: 34 MPH
Serious Injury and Fatal Crashes since 2020: 0

Planned Improvements

Upgrading to protected bike lane using "Shur-Curb" lane separators and removing northbound and southbound right turn lanes before planned repaving of Windermere Street. Protected bike lane will be extended north to Layton Avenue after pavement improvements are complete. 

Example of the materials being used:

Construction Timeline

Construction for the first phase of this project will begin in Spring 2025 which will include a protected bicycle intersection at Windermere Street and Belleview Avenue. Protected intersections physically separate people walking, biking, and rolling from vehicles up to and through the intersection and make it easier for these travelers to see and be seen by drivers. Repaving of Windermere Street from Layton Avenue to Ridge Road is planned for summer 2025. As part of the pavement improvement work, crews will install the protected bike lane from Sheri Lane to Layton Avenue.

Littleton's Public Works team installed numerous pilot projects geared toward bike and pedestrian safety in summer 2024, allowing them to test methods and materials for wider implementation going forward as part of the Safer Streets Littleton campaign. Pilot projects include:

• Four trail-crossing improvements identified by the 2023 Littleton Linkages trail study, on the borders of Cornerstone, Ketring, Powers, and Sterne Parks. Crossings feature new crosswalks and "bulb-out" areas, which extend the curb at an intersection to shorten the crossing distance and improve visibility for pedestrians.
• Four lane-miles of protected bike lanes along Belleview Avenue, Windermere Street, Pennsylvania Street, and Phillips Avenue. These are the first protected bike lanes in Littleton, adding physical barriers between riders and traffic – a step up from “buffered” bike lanes which demarcate a wide area between traffic lanes and bike lanes. These projects allow planners and engineers to test different types of barriers and how they impact not just rider safety but maintenance needs like street sweeping, snowplowing, and drainage.
• Reevaluation of pilot projects installed in 2023, including trail crossings, bikeway, and intersection enhancements. Existing projects will see further improvements based on data collection over the previous year, including stronger traffic calming measures in areas where speeding remains an issue.
• Pedestrian improvements in the area surrounding Euclid Middle School, including new crosswalks, bulb-outs, and signage upgrades.

Traffic Calming Terms

Vertical Protection 

• Delineator: A flexible, plastic post that is between 2 to 4ft tall and bolted into the roadway or on top of a temporary curb to provide a clear visual signal to drivers that a space is not meant for vehicles. Also called flex post or plastic bollard. 
• Temporary Curb: A durable, plastic curb that is raised on both sides and is bolted to the road. These are typically installed with delineators on top of them. 

Slow Speeds

• Bulb-out: Delineators and temporary curb are used to extend the corner of the curb at an intersection out into the street and shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians while reducing vehicle turning speeds. 
• Chicane: A combination of two or more alternating bulb-outs placed mid-block to slow vehicle speeds by narrowing and realigning the roadway. 
• Pinch-point: Delineators and temporary curb are used mid-block to extend the curb space and narrow the roadway to slow down vehicle traffic and provide a safer crossing on low-volume streets. 

Bicycle Facilities 

• Buffered bike lane: A conventional bike lane but with extra buffer space, often painted with diagonal lines, between the bike lane and the car lanes, providing more distance and safety for bicyclists. 
• Protected bike lane: A buffered bike lane that now has vertical protection installed in the buffer zone between the vehicle lane and the bike lane to signal to drivers.

Safe Pedestrian Crossings 

• Advanced pedestrian signs: Traffic signs are placed before crosswalks or pedestrian areas like school zones to alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians and encourage them to slow down and yield. 
• In-street crossing signs: Pedestrian traffic signs that are placed within the roadway at a crosswalk to increase driver awareness and visibility of pedestrians, often helping to slow traffic through crosswalks. 

Additional Strategies 

• Daylighting: Delineators and temporary curb are used to restrict drivers from parking at intersections and adjacent to crosswalks to provide visibility for crossing pedestrians.
• Short-term striping: Low-cost paint is used that fades in about 9 to 12 months. 

Other Terms

Street Types

• As defined in the 2019 Transportation Master Plan, street types factor in the typical functional classification system while also accounting for the surrounding land use intensity and character which affect the street’s operation and design.
• See Transportation Master Plan(PDF, 14MB), page 40 and page 125, for more details

Average Daily Traffic (ADT)

• Average daily traffic (ADT) is the number of vehicles that pass a given point on a road during a specific time period.
• The City collected ADT through various methods including tube counters, radar counters, and in-person observations.

85th Percentile Speed

• The speed at or below which 85% of drivers travel on a road.
• The 85th percentile speed is typically taken from speed data collected during a 24-hour weekday period.

Serious Injury and Fatal Crashes

• A fatal injury is any injury that results in death within 30 days of the reported crash.
• A serious injury is any injury other than a fatal injury which prevent the injured person from walking, driving, or normally continuing the activities they were capable of performing before the crash occurred.

Why was my street chosen for one of these projects?

• The City selects locations for Safer Streets Littleton pilot projects and quick-builds based on a combination of factors, including the following:
  • Speed and Traffic Data - Streets with high vehicle speeds or traffic volumes may be prioritized to improve safety.
    Planned Roadway Improvements - Locations scheduled for repaving or restriping provide an opportunity to test safety enhancements efficiently.
  • Crash History- Areas with a history of crashes, particularly those involving people walking and biking, may be chosen for safety interventions.
  • Roadway and Land Use Context - Factors such as street width, number of lanes, nearby schools, parks, or businesses influence project selection.
  • Community Feedback - Input from residents and stakeholders helps identify areas where safety concerns exist.

How long will construction last?

• Because the City uses quick-install materials for these projects, construction is typically completed within a few days. Larger projects, such as those spanning an entire corridor, may take multiple weeks . However, timelines can vary depending on weather conditions. The City's goal is to minimize disruption while making safety improvements as efficiently as possible.

Why does the City install these treatments using white plastic posts?

• Installing white plastic posts, or delineators, is a relatively quick and low-cost process. Posts can be installed and maintained by City staff, as well as temporarily removed if necessary due to emergencies, heavy snow, or other conditions. Just like a seamstress would create a practice garment with a cheaper fabric to see how it fits and make adjustments before using expensive fabric, the city is first using low-cost, quick-to-install materials to test and refine the design and materials before seeking to make them permanent.