Pedestrian Bicycle Safe Routes Task Force Update Project
Pedestrian, Bicycle & Safe Routes Task Force Update & Project Recommendation
History of Walking & Biking in Bellevue § Pedestrian and bicycle issues have been discussed at the Town and Village Board level since the early to mid 1990’s. § Task Force created in 2008 to address safe walking routes to school.
Issues in Bellevue § § Lack of safe routes to school Lack of cross-town connections Standards and Specifications Consensus of scope
Opportunities in Bellevue § § § Large areas of undeveloped land allow opportunity to construct facilities when areas are developed. Resident interest is high. Grant funding is available in some cases. Officials are interested in developing a program. The addition of pedestrian/bicycle facilities will help sell development and raise property values.
Desires in Bellevue § § Officials make fair, consistent policies regarding the placement, installation and maintenance of facilities. Residents are educated on proper use. Future facilities are designed to encourage high volume use. Points of destination, such as schools, parks, places of worship and business districts, are connected to pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
Desires in Bellevue § Motorists are aware and abide by traffic laws designed to protect pedestrians and cyclists. § An established plan is the defining tool for the location and type of future pedestrian/bicycle facilities. § Pedestrian/bicycle facilities help promote health, wellness and community.
What do we have? The Village of Bellevue has: Only 4. 5% of all roadways in the village provide pedestrian and or bicycle facilities! § 83 miles of roadway § 1 mile of sidewalk § 2. 8 miles of side-paths § 2. 2 miles of recreational trail (East River Trail)
What do we have? § § § 2009 Citizen Survey: A majority of survey participants (65%) would like to see additional recreational trails and many (57%) would like the addition of sidewalks. Half of all trips are shorter than 3 miles - a 15 minute bike ride One in ten households do not own an automobile 1/3 of the population do not drive an automobile About one in nine trips are made by foot or bicycle already
Existing Guidelines & Plans National § Manual On Uniform Traffic Control (MUTCD 2003) § AASHTO Bicycle Design Guide (1999) § AASHTO Pedestrian Design Guide (2004) § ADA State § Wis. DOT Bicycle Facility Design Guidance § Wis. DOT Pedestrian Facility Design Guidance Brown County § Green Bay MPO Long-Range Transportation Plan Village of Bellevue § Comprehensive Plan § Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan
What do we want? § A pedestrian and bicycle transportation system that effectively connects points of destination; § schools § parks § businesses § public facilities and places of worship
What do we want? § A pedestrian and bicycle transportation system that is safe and accessible for the abilities and training of the expected users.
What do we want? § Integrate the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians into the Village’s planning, budgeting and maintenance processes.
What do we want? § Support the effectiveness of the village’s pedestrian and bicycle transportation system through engineering, education, enforcement, and encouragement measures.
What’s next for the Task Force? § Review our goals and objectives. § How do we get what we want? § Draft Formal Policy § Specific Actions & Recommendations § Education, Enforcement & Encouragement program recommendations § Plan review & approval.
What’s next for the Task Force? § Review street projects and provide recommendations based on proposed plan policy.
Why should we care about walking and bicycling? § Most basic forms of transportation § Benefits of walking and bicycling: § Health & fitness § Environmentally friendly § Economically sound & sustainable § Social and fun!
Why doesn’t everyone walk or bicycle? § § § Time Weather Distance No Facilities Safety
Safety § Perceived vs. Actual § What bothers you the most may not be your biggest problem? § Engineer (Design) facilities that are proven to be safer! § Provide education, encouragement and enforcement measure to overcome perceived safety concerns.
Safety Disproportionate Deaths § Percent of all trips made on foot or by bicycle? 8. 5% § Percent of all traffic fatalities that are pedestrians and bicyclists? 13% References: 2005 NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts, 2001 National Household Transportation Survey
Safety Research carried out by the US DOT: § Pedestrians are 88. 2% less likely to be involved in a vehicle/pedestrian crash where sidewalk are present and used. § Vehicular speed is also a major factor in crash survival.
Typical Roadway Design: Focus on moving high volumes of motor vehicle traffic as quickly and efficiently as possible.
What Pedestrians Need: Lower volumes of motor vehicle traffic moving at slow speeds, sidewalks, separation from traffic and well-defined crossing points.
Sidewalk Width – 4 feet
Sidewalk Width – Two adults can walk side-by-side Benefits of 5 foot 5’ sidewalk, 2’ grass utility strip
Crosswalk Refuge with Traffic Calming
Crossing Islands
What Bicyclists Need: SPACE! Lack of adequate space creates hazards for bicyclists and motorists
Common Roadway and Traffic Conditions that Affect Bicyclists • • • Effective travel width for bicyclists On-street parking encroachments Volume of motor vehicles Speed of traffic Proportion of heavy vehicles Pavement surface condition
Photo by SCI
Paved Shoulders Minimum width: 4’ “any additional shoulder is better than none at all”
Wide Curb Lanes 14' Wide
Bike Lane Design
Improving Safety-Before
Improving Safety-After
Improving Safety-Before
Improving Safety-After
Improving Safety-After League of American Bicyclists
Side-Paths
What’s the risk? § Cyclists are 5 times more likely to be involved in a bicycle/vehicle crash using a side-path than on-road bike lanes. § Over half (58%) of all bicycle crashes occur at intersections -Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Types of the Early 1990 s, FHWA 1996
Problems with Side-Paths § They require one direction of bicycle traffic to ride against vehicle traffic, contrary to normal rules of the road.
Problems with Side-Paths § When the path ends, bicyclists going against traffic will tend to continue to travel on the wrong side of the street.
Problems with Side-Paths § At intersections, motorists entering or crossing the roadway often will notice bicyclists approaching from their right.
Motorist failed to yield crashes (Right on red light) -Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Types of the Early 1990 s, FHWA 1996
Motorist failed to yield crashes (Driveway or Alley) -Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Types of the Early 1990 s, FHWA 1996
Problems with Side-Paths § Signs posted for roadway users are backwards for contra-flow bike traffic.
Problems with Side-Paths Many bicyclists will use the roadway instead; because they have found the roadway to be more convenient, better maintained, or safer.
Project Recommendations Lime Kiln Road & South Huron Road
Lime Kiln Road § On-Street Bike Lanes (5 ft width) § Daly Drive {N} to Cty Hwy GV (Monroe Road) § Sidewalk on east side of street (5 ft width) § Daly Drive {N} to Cty Hwy GV (Monroe Road) § Sidewalk on west side of street when development occurs § Pave Shoulders § Daly Drive {S} to Village Limits
Lime Kiln Road
South Huron Road § On-Street Bike Lanes (5 ft width) § Eaton Road {S} to Willow Road § Sidewalk on both sides of street (6 ft width) § Grass median for pedestrian refuge during crossing and traffic calming.
South Huron Road
Why? § Design guidelines recommend these facilities. (AASHTO, Wis. DOT, etc. ) § Factual data suggests that these are the safest, most accessible, and widely accepted facilities.
Why? § Professional consultation suggests these facilities: § Schreiber Anderson & Associates § WE BIKE, etc. § Accomplishes Task Force objectives § Connectivity § Safety & Accessibility
What are others doing…? § Dickinson Rd (Town of Ledgeview)
What are others doing…? § Allouez Avenue (Village of Allouez)
What are others doing…? § South Huron Rd (City of Green Bay)
What are others doing…? § Allouez Avenue (Village of Bellevue)
Thank You!
- Slides: 68