Emergency Response and Narrow Streets
 For decades wide suburban-style streets have been the norm in
new developments. As the Smart Growth movement gained momentum,
emergency response agencies, especially fire departments, expressed
concern about the narrower streets seen in many Smart Growth developments.
Their fears were that these streets would slow down responding
vehicles in an emergency situation where seconds are precious,
not provide sufficient setup room for fire trucks with ladders
and “outrigger” stabilizer legs, and not allow second
or third vehicles on a scene to pass a deployed fire truck.
The Local Government Commission has prepared two new fact sheets
that address these issues, summarizing the solutions that make
safe Smart Growth streets work for emergency responders as well
as residents. The first fact sheet “Traffic Calming
and Emergency Response“ discusses retrofit solutions
and the second, “Street Design and Emergency Response” looks
at initial street design.
Traffic
Calming and Emergency Response (PDF,1.2
MB)
Street
Design and Emergency Response (PDF,
1.4 MB)
To receive hard copies, please call the LGC at 916-448-1198
These fact sheets are part of a larger
project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to
explore trends in emergency response activities, fire vehicle types,
and
model fire codes. As part of this project, the Local Government
Commission and Dan Burden of Walkable
Communities, Inc., have
conducted workshops in Northern and Southern California with planners,
engineers,
and fire officials. These sessions have discussed the hazards
represented by excessive street width, and present design solutions
that produce
narrower streets that are safer for drivers and pedestrians alike.
Development of this publication
was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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