The following are laws, rules, regulations, and design guidance documents that may be relevant to the design of streets. This list is provided as a reference tool, for informational purposes only, and is not an exhaustive list. All public and private actions must comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, not solely those listed below.
Download a PDF of the Glossary and Appendices for offline access to the Resources section.
Federal Laws and Regulations
State Laws and Regulations
New York State Code of Rules and Regulations
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Title 6)
- New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR)
- New York State Historic Preservation Act, Section 14.09
- New York State Department of Transportation (Title 17)
Laws of New York (use this webpage to search for the below laws)
- New York State Environmental Conservation Law (ECL)
- New York State Highway Law
- New York State Transportation Law
- New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL)
Local Laws and Regulations
- City Planning (Chapter 8)
- Department of Buildings (Chapter 26)
- Department of Citywide Administrative Services (Chapter 35)
- Department of Consumer Affairs (Chapter 64)
- Department of Design and Construction (Chapter 55)
- Department of Environmental Protection (Chapter 57)
- Department of Health (Chapter 22)
- Department of Parks and Recreation (Chapter 21)
- Department of Sanitation (Chapter 31)
- Department of Small Business Services (Chapter 56)
- Department of Transportation (Chapter 71)
- Fire Department (Chapter 19)
- Franchises, Revocable Consents, and Concessions (Chapter 14)
- Landmarks Preservation Commission (Chapter 74)
- Police Department (Chapter 18)
- Public Design Commission/Art Commission (Chapter 37)
Administrative Code of the City of New York
- Budget; Capital Projects (Title 5)
- Construction and Maintenance (Title 27)
- Consumer Affairs (Title 20)
- Contracts, Purchases and Franchises (Title 6)
- Environmental Protection and Utilities (Title 24)
- Fire Prevention and Control (Title 15)
- Health (Title 17)
- Housing and Buildings (Title 26)
- Land Use (Title 25)
- Parks (Title 18)
- Police (Title 14)
- Sanitation (Title 16)
- Transportation (Title 19)
- City Planning (Title 62)
- Community Assistance Unit (Tile 50)
- Department of Buildings (Title 1)
- Department of Citywide Administrative Services (Title 55)
- Department of Environmental Protection (Title 15)
- Rules Governing the Construction of Private Sewers
- Rules Governing the Use of the Water Supply
- Department of Consumer Affairs (Title 6)
- Department of Health (Title 24)
- Department of Parks and Recreation (Title 56)
- Department of Sanitation (Title 16)
- Department of Small Business Services (Title 66)
- Department of Transportation (Title 34)
- NYC Traffic Rules (Chapter 4)
- NYC Highway Rules (Chapter 2)
- Revocable Consents (Chapter 7)
- Fire Department (Title 3)
- Franchise and Concession Review Committee (Title 12)
- Landmarks Preservation Commission (Title 63)
- Police Department (Title 38)
- Public Design Commission/Art Commission (Title 57)
Zoning Resolution of the City of New York
City Environmental Quality Review
- CEQR Technical Manual
- New York City Charter (Chapter 8)
- Rules of the City of New York (Title 43 and 62)
National Design Guidance Sources
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
- A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7th edition (AASHTO: 2018)
- A Guide for Achieving Flexibility in Highway Design (AASHTO: 2004)
- Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities (AASHTO: 2004)
- Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 4th edition (AASHTO: 2012)
American Planning Association (APA)
- U.S. Traffic Calming Manual (American Planning Association & American Society of Civil Engineers: 2009)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
- BIKESAFE: Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System (FHWA: 2006)
- PEDSAFE: Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System (FHWA: 2004)
- Pedestrian Facilities Users Guide (FHWA: 2002)
- Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access (FHWA: 2001)
- Flexibility in Highway Design (FHWA: 1997)
- Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision–Making (FHWA/FTA: 1996)
- MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices)
- Roadside Best Management Practices that Benefit Pollinators (FHWA: 2015)
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
- Urban Street Geometric Design Handbook (ITE: 2008)
- Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach (ITE: 2010) [PDF]
- The Design and Safety of Pedestrian Facilities (ITE: 1998) [PDF]
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
- Urban Street Design Guide (NACTO: 2013)
- Global Street Design Guide (NACTO: 2016)
- Uban Bikeway Design Guide (NACTO: 2014)
- Transit Street Design Guide (NACTO: 2016)
- Urban Street Stormwater Guide (NACTO: 2017)
- Bike Share Station Siting Guide (NACTO: 2016)
- Accessible Public Rights–of–Way: Planning and Designing for Alterations (US Access Board: 2007) [PDF]
- ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines (US Access Board: 2004) [PDF]
- The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (US Access Board: 2002) [PDF]
- Accessible Rights–of–Way: A Design Guide (US Access Board: 1999) [PDF]
Local Design Guidance Sources
NYC Department of City Planning
- New York City Bicycle Master Plan (DCP & NYC DOT: 1997)
NYC Department of Design and Construction
- Active Design Guidelines: Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design (DDC, DOHMH, DOT, DCP & OMB: 2010) [PDF]
- High Performance Infrastructure Guidelines: Best Practices for the Public Right–of–Way (DDC & Design Trust for Public Space: 2005) [PDF]
- Sustainable Urban Sites Design Manual (DDC: 2008)
NYC Department of Environmental Protection
- Standards for Green Infrastructure (DEP: 2017) [PDF]
- Procedure Governing Limited Survey for Green Infrastructure (DEP: 2017) [PDF]
- Procedure Governing Limited Geotechnical Investigation for Right-of-Way Green Infrastructure Practices (DEP: 2017) [PDF]
- PlaNYC Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan (NYC: 2008) [PDF]
NYC Department of Transportation
- Standard Highway Specifications (DOT: 2015)
- Standard Details of Construction (DOT: 2010)
- Standard Drawings for Street Lighting (DOT: 2019) [PDF]
- Specifications for Traffic Signals and Intelligent Transportation Systems Construction and Equipment (DOT: 2018) [PDF]
- Standard Drawings for Traffic Signals (DOT: 2020) [PDF]
- Typical Pavement Markings Specifications (DOT)
- Instructions for Filing Plans and Guidelines for the Design of Sidewalks, Curbs, Roadways and Other Infrastructure Components
- Under the Elevated: Reclaiming Space, Connecting Communities (DOT and Design Trust for Public Space: 2015)
- Planted Raised Median Design Guidelines (DOT: 2015) [PDF]
- Select Bus Service Design Guidelines: Update (DOT: 2018) [PDF]
- Permanent Planter Design Guidelines (DOT: 2019) [PDF]
- El-Space Toolkit: Strategies for Reclaiming Sites Beneath Elevated Transportation Infrastructure, Version 1.0 (DOT and Design Trust for Public Space: 2019) [PDF]
NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
- Tree Planting Standards (Parks: 2016) [PDF]
- Park Design for the 21st Century: High Performance Landscape Guidelines (Parks & the Design Trust for Public Space: 2011)
- Native Planting Species Guide for New York City (Parks: 2019) [PDF]
NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
- Inclusive Design Guidelines: New York City (MOPD, International Code Council: 2010)
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
- New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: 2015)
Street Planning Resources
Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Study (NYC DOT: 2004)
Project Development & Design Guide (Massachusetts Highway Department: 2006) [PDF]
San Francisco Better Streets Plan–Draft for Public Review (City and County of San Francisco: June 2008)
Smart Transportation Guidebook: Planning and Designing Highways and Streets that Support Sustainable and Livable Communities (New Jersey DOT/Pennsylvania DOT: 2008) [PDF]
Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape (Lynden B. Miller: 2009)
Trees in the Urban Landscape: Site Assessment, Design, and Installation (Nina L. Bassuk and Peter J. Trowbridge: 2004)