Multiway Boulevard Commercial Street

The multiway boulevard, an alternative design for a commercial street, is commonly seen as a pedestrian-friendly, but high-capacity street. Multiway boulevards are typically arterials augmented with local frontage roads on either side that are designed to promote a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere with on-street parking, curb extensions, and attractive landscaping. The main arterial portion is designed as a relatively high-capacity road, while the local frontage roads provide land access.
 
Multiway boulevards typically have a four to six lane main thoroughfare and a one lane, one-way frontage road on each side, separated by landscaped medians. Access to the adjacent land properties is provided by the frontage road, which then provides access to the main thoroughfare at limited locations, increasing the capacity of the thoroughfare. Because of the additional approach legs, intersections with cross-streets can be complicated to operate efficiently. An alternative design has the local frontage roads accessing the thoroughfare prior to intersections, allowing only right turns in and out. In this design, intersections can be a standard four-leg design.
Design Guidelines
Policy & Implementation
The Role of Local Government & Transit First Policies
Guiding Principles of Land Use
Flexible Zoning Strategies
Street Design Implementation
Revising Transportation Analysis Practices
Transportation Demand Management
Rethinking Vehicle Parking Requirements
Parking Management
Best Practices to Attract Successful Developers
Clarifying Design Expectations
Integrating Retail into Transit Oriented Development
Community Planning for Rail Transit
Additional Resources
Body
An illustration of a street separated bikeway and parking.
Multiway Boulevard Commercial Street

Higher priority design elements and traffic management features on the thoroughfare of a multiway boulevard street need to balance convenient traffic movement with a high-quality pedestrian experience similar to a typical commercial street.

  • Provide safe, accessible sidewalks.

  • Provide high-amenity transit facilities.

  • Provide vegetation for shade, and aesthetics. Street trees and planting strips are encouraged as a buffer to pedestrians.

  • Provide streetscape amenities such as lighting, benches, trash receptacles and bike racks.

  • Design curb extensions to shorten crossings and increase sidewalk widths.

  • Right size the number and width of travel lanes for traffic speeds, volumes and vehicle sizes. Provide narrower travel lanes where feasible.

  • Accommodate large vehicles.

  • Manage access.

  • Prioritize transit operations

  • Design streets and intersections supportive of multimodal transportation.
The same illustration as the first image with callouts for streetscape amenities, pedestrian refuge, right-sized travel lanes, vegetation, transit facilities, and manage access.
Multiway Boulevard Commercial Street

A photo of a busy street with a median with trees.
Octavia Boulevard, San Francisco, CA (Source: CalUrbanist)

Lower-priority design elements and traffic management features on the thoroughfare of a multiway boulevard street add additional comfort to the pedestrian and bicycling experience.

  • Provide bikeways such as bike lanes.

  • Provide medians with pedestrian refuges and planting.

  • Consider mid-block crossings for large blocks.

  • Consider alternative paving materials at crossings to increase visibility.
The same graphic as the first graphic with callouts for high-visibility crosswalks, streetscape amenities, on-street parking, wide sidewalks, and vegetation.
Multiway Boulevard Commercial Street
A photo of a street with trees and parallel parking.
Avenue de Lowendal, Paris, France (Source: Wikimedia - Victor Grigas)


Higher priority design elements and traffic management features on the local frontage street of a multiway boulevard street support land use access and pedestrian comfort.

  • Provide vegetation for shade, aesthetics, and traffic calming. Street trees and planting strips are encouraged as a buffer to pedestrians.

  • Provide on-street parking for convenient access to businesses and as a buffer to pedestrians.

  • Provide streetscape amenities such as lighting, benches, trash receptacles and bike racks.

  • Provide urban design features such as public art and gateway features.

  • Provide wide sidewalks

  • Consider curb extensions to shorten crossings and increase sidewalk widths.

  • Provide high-visibility crosswalks.

  • Design streets and intersections supportive of multimodal transportation.

  • Design small curb return radii at intersections.
The same graphic as the first graphic with call outs for bike lanes, alternative paving material, planted medians, right-sized travel lanes, and mid-block crossings.
Multiway Boulevard Commercial Street
A photo of a sidewalk with a dog.
Avenue de Lowendal, Paris, France (Source: Wikimedia - Victor Grigas)


Lower priority design elements and traffic management features on the local frontage street of a multiway boulevard street focus on the additional vehicular needs that support the typical land use.

  • Right size the number and width of travel lanes for traffic speeds, volumes, and vehicle sizes. Provide narrower travel lanes where feasible.

  • Provide bikeways such as bike lanes.

  • Prioritize transit operations.

  • Provide medians for pedestrian comfort and aesthetics, including planting.

  • Manage access.

  • Consider mid-block crossings for large blocks.
  • Consider alternative paving materials at crossings to increase visibility.

The same graphic as the first one with callouts for alternative paving materials, pedestrian refuges, and mid-block crossings.
Multiway Boulevard Commercial Street
A photo of a street with crosswalks and bikes.
Octavia Boulevard, San Francisco, CA (Source: IBI Group)