Urban Core

Urban core locations include the highest level of density with mixed residential and commercial uses accommodated in high-rise structures. There is commonly on-street parking, although it is usually time restricted. Most parking is in multi-level structures attached or integrated with other structures. The area is accessible to automobiles, commercial delivery vehicles, biking, walking, and public transit.

Urban core characteristics also include:

  • Sidewalks and pedestrian plazas are present
  • Bicycle facilities and transit corridors are common
  • Typical land uses are mixed commercial, residential, with some government or similar institutions present
  • Commercial uses predominate, including financial and legal
  • Structures (predominantly high rises) may have multiple uses
  • With the highest land value of any category, setbacks from the street are small

The urban core context applies to many performance measures and metrics (summarized in the tables below). Note that the urban core context is relevant for practical solutions beyond those focused on mobility and economic vitality. Additional performance measures and metrics will be developed to evaluate how WSDOT projects advance WSDOT’s goals around the environment, preservation, safety, and stewardship.

CATEGORYPERFORMANCE MEASURESPERFORMANCE METRICSAPPLICABILITY
Objective: Improve Accessibility
Multimodal AccessibilityMajor Destinations AccessibleAccess to jobs by driving, transit, biking, and walking (Access Score Work)Mostly
Access to non-work destinations by driving, transit, biking, and walking (Access Score Non-Work)Mostly
Pedestrian Facility Availability & ConnectivityPercent of missing pedestrian facilities within xx mile on each side of corridor segmentMostly
Pedestrian crossing opportunities per mileMostly
Intersection densityMostly
Percentage of ADA accessible facilities along corridor segmentsMostly
Bicycle Facility Availability & ConnectivityPercent of missing bicycle facilities within xx miles on each side of corridor segmentMostly
Percent of road network that has bicycle facilitiesMostly
Transit Availability & ConnectivityFrequency of transit serviceMostly
Presence of local transit/regional serviceMostly
Population/jobs within 1/2 mile of transit stopMostly
Quality of ServiceMotorist Quality of ServiceHours of traffic congestionMostly
Travel time (speed), automobile, transitMostly
Pedestrian Quality of ServiceLevel of pedestrian stressMostly
Bicyclist Quality of ServiceLevel of bicycle stressMostly
Objective: Increase Predictability
Travel ReliabilityModal ReliabilityTravel time reliabilityMostly
Ferry reliabilitySometimes
Percent transit on-timeMostly
Network ResiliencyMultimodal RedundancyPercent of corridor segments lacking a connecting and parallel network (by mode: roadway, pedestrian, bicycle, transit)Mostly
Objective: Increase Efficiency
Mode UsageMode SharePercent mode shares (by mode)Mostly
Transit mode shift potential (commuter, non-commuter)Mostly
Person OccupancyPersons per vehicle (PMT/VMT)Mostly
UtilizationMultimodal Capacity UsageFerry persons and vehicles carriedSometimes
Transit persons and vehicles carriedSometimes
Rail persons and vehicles carriedSometimes
ThroughputVehicle throughputMostly
Person throughputMostly
Freight throughputSometimes
PERFORMANCE MEASURESPERFORMANCE METRICSAPPLICABILITY
Objective: Mobility
Accessibility to EmploymentAccess to jobs by driving, transit, biking, and walking (Access Score Work)Mostly
Accessibility to non-work destinationsAccess to non-work destinations by driving, transit, biking, and walking (Access Score Non-Work)Mostly
Objective: Business Growth and Diversity
Investment serves infill development in priority growth areasInvestment is within an Urban Growth Boundary and is identified as a need or priority in the relevant local comprehensive plan or regional Metropolitan Transportation PlanMostly
Support for growth in an identified Opportunity ZoneProposed transportation investment or strategy is located in a designated Opportunity Zone, and aligns with the local placemaking and investment plan created for that Opportunity ZoneMostly
Alignment with Statewide Freight PlanInvestment meets the evaluation criteria outlined in WSDOT’s 2017 Freight System Plan and coinciding Freight Investment PlanMostly
Land Value AddedEstimated change in US dollar value of single-family residential, multifamily residential, and commercial real estateMostly
Objective: Quality Of Life
Support for areas of health disparitiesProject is in a designated location with identified health disparities and will help address those disparitiesMostly
Monetized health benefits of improved access to active transportationEstimated dollars of benefit from increased person miles traveled by biking and walking across a defined geographic areaMostly
Access to affordable housingAverage housing and transportation costs in a specified geographic area as a percentage of household incomeMostly