The Model Design Manual for Living Streets provides guidance that can replace existing road standard manuals with updated techniques to reflect a greater emphasis on active transportation and environmental sustainability. It will also be useful to help design streets on the project level. It contains the following chapters:

• Introduction
• Vision, goals, policies and benchmarks
• Street networks and classifications
• Traveled way design
• Intersection design
• Universal pedestrian access
• Pedestrian crossings
• Bikeway design
• Transit accommodations
• Traffic calming
• Streetscape ecosystem
• Re-placing Streets
• Designing land use along living streets
• Retrofitting suburbia
• Community engagement for street design

The Manual provides a template for local jurisdictions to begin updating existing manuals. Many cities today lack the resources to undertake a major revision of their manuals. Many cities will likely want to customize the manual for their own context and streets. Cities may also amend this manual by providing more in-depth guidance on selected topics, or adding new components not included here.