3.3.3 Rural Town Context
A rural town does not have a specific population definition and thus may reside in either an urbanized or rural area as currently defined in the
. Rural town contexts feature small concentrations of developed areas, including historic towns, surrounded by rural areas, undeveloped areas, and natural areas. Building densities are lower, but often resemble urban development patterns and consist of low-rise structures (one or two stories). Most land use is residential or commercial. Relatively compact residential uses are expected, and schools may be present. Building setbacks are small and much narrower than surrounding areas. A basic street network is usually in place. Rural highways change character where they enter a rural town. Driver speed expectations are lower, with a higher likelihood of encountering slowed or turning vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Examples of typical rural town areas are shown below.
Typical characteristics are:
- Low development densities with mixed land uses;
- Some on-street parking;
- Average building setbacks less than 50 ft;
- Average driveway densities greater than 30 driveways/mile on both sides of the road;
- May include residential neighborhoods, schools, industrial facilities, and commercial main street business districts; and
- Some pedestrian and bicyclist activity, often with sidewalks and marked crosswalks in some locations.
Figure 3-5: Example Roadway in Rural Town Context
Source: Google Maps