I. Introduction The standards for the design of local streets, in particular the <br />width of streets, has been one of the most contentious issues <br />in local jurisdictions in Oregon for the past decade. The <br />disagreements have also been fought at the state level <br />among state agencies and advisory, advocacy, and profes- <br />sional groups that have sought to influence decisions made <br />at the local level. Previous efforts of these groups to provide <br />guidance have failed because of lack of consensus. <br />This document is the result of the hard work of a group of <br />diverse stakeholders that finally developed that consensus. <br />Neighborhood Street Design Guidelines was developed to help <br />local governments consider and select neighborhood street <br />standards appropriate for their communities. As the title <br />attests, the handbook provides guidelines and is not pre- <br />scriptive. The authors hope that the consideration of the <br />guidelines and examples will stimulate creative ideas for <br />street designs in local communities. <br />This guidebook explains the issues surrounding the width of <br />neighborhood streets with respect to livability and access for <br />emergency and other large vehicles. It recommends a com- <br />munity process for developing neighborhood street width <br />standards, a checklist of factors that should be addressed in <br />that process, street cross-sections, and a list of resources that <br />provide additional information. The guidelines are in- <br />tended for local jurisdiction streets that carry limited traffic, <br />not collectors or arterials. They are not intended, nor are <br />they to be used on state highways. <br />II. The Issues Why Narrow Streets? <br />Streets are key determinants of neighborhood livability. <br />They provide access to homes and neighborhood destina- <br />tions for pedestrians and a variety of vehicle types, from <br />bicycles and passenger cars to moving vans and fire appara- <br />tus. They provide a place for human interaction: a place <br />where children play, neighbors meet, and residents go for <br />walks and bicycle rides. The design of residential streets, <br />together with the amount and speed of traffic they carry, <br />contributes significantly to a sense of community, neighbor- <br />hood feeling, and perceptions of safety and comfort. The <br />fact that these may be intangible values makes them no less <br />real, and this is often reflected in property values. <br />91 <br />