The rural town context applies to roads in rural areas located within a developed community. Collectors in the rural town context will generally have design speeds of 40 mph or less. The design speeds may be decreased in stages as drivers leave the rural environment and approach the center of a rural town. On-street parking for rural town collectors should be considered in central portions of a rural town where businesses are commonly located. Additionally, pedestrian and bicyclist flows may increase within a rural town creating the need for pedestrian and bicycle facility accommodations.

Rural town environments may differ in their operating speeds, needs for parking, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities, just like suburban, urban, and urban core contexts may also differ. Flexibility in the development of design features may be appropriate to meet the varying needs of rural towns.