Mobility Toolkit

A bioswale is a shallow, vegetated channel designed to capture, slow and clean stormwater runoff before it enters storm drains or natural waterways. Think of it as a landscaped drainage system that uses soil and plants to filter pollution while reducing flooding.

They are typically sized to treat what is known as the “first flush,” the initial rain that is often the most polluted water produced by a storm event. Bioswales are often located within curb extension treatments.

Curb extensions are typically installed at crosswalks. These sidewalk extensions visually and physically narrow the roadway, shortening crossings distances and improving safety while increasing space available for street furniture, amenities, and landscaping.

A Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) provides those walking with a head start (typically 3-7 seconds) when crossing. LPIs increase pedestrian visibility in intersections and reinforce their place in the roadway before turning vehicles.

Countdown signals let those using the crosswalk know how many seconds remain before the light changes, allowing users to judge if there is enough time to safely reach the opposite curb before entering an intersection. It is illegal for pedestrians to enter the roadway when a solid hand (“Don’t Walk”) signal appears.

A pedestrian refuge island is a raised, protected space in the center of a street where people can pause safely while crossing multiple lanes of traffic. It essentially lets pedestrians cross the road in two stages, one direction of traffic at a time, making crossings safer and less stressful.

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) are user-activated flashing lights mounted to warning signs at unsignalized intersections or mid-block crosswalks to supplement crossings signs. They can be activated by a push button or through a pedestrian detection system.

A scramble crosswalk, also known as a pedestrian scramble, diagonal crossing or exclusive pedestrian interval, is an intersection design where all vehicle traffic is stopped at once so pedestrians can cross in every direction at the same time, including diagonally.

Pedestrian-activated traffic signals are flashing amber lights mounted to the mast arm of a signal pole at intersections or mid-block crossings. These highly visible signals are typically activated by a push button to ensure motorists yield to pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the intersection.

A bicycle boulevard is a low speed, low traffic street that is intentionally designed to give priority to people biking while still allowing local vehicle access. They create a calmer, safer and more comfortable environment for cyclists by reducing car speeds, limiting cut through traffic and adding features that make biking easier and more predictable.

Bike paths and trails, sometimes called shared-use paths, typically provide a two-way, off-street bicycle facility that may also be used by pedestrians and those using other human-powered mobility such as scooters and skateboards. If heavy use by pedestrians is expected, separated space for those on bikes may be preferred, using lane markings, signage, and/or physical barriers.

A bike box is a painted area at the front of a traffic lane at a signalized intersection that gives cyclists a place to wait ahead of cars during a red light. It increases bicycle visibility, reduces signal delay and helps reduce vehicle encroachment into crosswalks. Bike boxes are most effective at intersections with right- or left-turn conflict zones, as well as signalized intersections with high bicycle and vehicle volumes. 

California classifies bike lanes into four main types (Classes I–IV) based on separation from traffic, ranging from fully separated paths to shared roadways. These include:

Off-road paths (Class I)
Dedicated, off-road facilities exclusively for bicyclists and pedestrians, separated from motor vehicle traffic.

Painted lanes (Class II)
Designated by striping, pavement markings (including sharrows/bike symbols), and signage. This includes conventional painted lanes and buffered bike lanes.

Signed routes (Class III)
A shared facility where bicycles and motor vehicles share the same lane. These are designated by signs and, in some cases, sharrows to guide cyclists along preferred routes, typically on lower-volume streets.

Physically separated lanes (Class IV)
On-road facilities that provide a physical barrier (e.g., curbs, planters, pylons) to separate bicyclists from heavy motor vehicle traffic. These are also known as cycle tracks. The City prioritizes implementing this standard on Complete Street guided projects.

A bike rest provides a handrail and footrest for bicyclists waiting at an intersection. It helps to position bicyclists at the signal for greater visibility and lets riders wait without needing to dismount for comfort and quicker acceleration. Bike rests are typically installed on a concrete island or curb where there is no conflict with right-turning motorists.

Bus Islands are dedicated waiting and boarding areas for bus passengers that are separated from the sidewalk by a protected bike lane. This treatment eliminates conflicts between buses and bikes at bus stops. Bus Islands also streamline bus service and improve accessibility by enabling a bus to stop in a vehicle through lane.

A protected intersection is a method to accommodate a separated bikeway at intersections and includes the following features: corner refuge islands, marked bicycle crossings parallel to pedestrian crosswalks, two-stage left turns for bicyclists, and free right turns for bicyclists. Protected intersections also enhance pedestrian safety by reducing the roadway crossing distance and reducing speeds of right turning vehicles.

Mini traffic circles, sometimes called neighborhood traffic circles, are designed to slow vehicles to 10 to 15 mph. Implemented at unsignalized intersections, they feature a central island, often landscaped. Unlike roundabouts, they typically use stop controls rather than yield controls for entering traffic. Landscaping, such as bushes and trees, helps direct drivers’ attention to traffic approaching from the left.

Raised intersections elevate the grade of the roadway to the same height as the sidewalk. This creates a design treatment similar to a speed hump and slows vehicles down as they cross through an intersection. Raised intersections reinforce slow speed limits and encourage vehicles to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.

Speed cushions are either speed humps or speed tables that include wheel cutouts to allow large vehicles to pass unaffected, while reducing vehicular speeds. They can be offset to allow unimpeded passage by emergency vehicles and are typically used on key emergency response routes. Speed cushions extend across one direction of travel with a longitudinal gap to allow wide-wheeled vehicles to avoid going over the hump.

A vehicle diverter is an island that prevents certain through and/or turning movements. Diverters are often used to provide protection between those walking and biking; diverters can also discourage cut-through vehicular traffic through neighborhoods.

Roundabouts are a traffic control device, like a traffic signal, designed to move traffic through an intersection. They are designed for travel speeds less than 30 mph, feature yield controls for all entering traffic, and include raised medians to channel approaching vehicles. Because users entering the intersection do not need to stop, but rather yield, this intersection treatment can improve traffic flow.

California’s Daylighting law (AB 413) requires new street designs to keep corners and crosswalks clear of parked vehicles, improving visibility and eliminating blind spots so all road users can see each other and move safely.

The City of Long Beach Speed Safety System Program is a data-driven traffic safety initiative focused on reducing dangerous speeding, improving roadway safety and supporting the City’s broader goal of preventing serious and fatal crashes.

The City of Long Beach’s 2025 Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) update reports that, since launching in 2020 under the Safe Streets Vision Zero Action Plan, the City has conducted 180 location evaluations, prioritized 17 for traffic calming improvements and processed over 2,100 total service requests. As part of this effort, the City identified 77 street segments for speed limit reductions, including restoring 42 streets to the default 25 mph, lowering speeds to 15 to 20 mph on residential streets based on radar data and implementing reduced daytime limits near parks and playgrounds. These changes aim to slow traffic, improve safety and support Vision Zero goals across Long Beach.