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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 06 15 Informational 101 Complete Streets InformationBICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD ITEM 101 Consent X Informational Public Hearing Regular June 15, 2011 Regular Meeting Mgr. Dept. REQUEST: The Community Development Department- Planning Division requests that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) review materials related to "Complete Streets ". SYNOPSIS: New federal legislation has been proposed related to "Complete Streets." What is meant by "Complete Streets," and What is the status of "Complete Streets" in Florida? CONSIDERATIONS: APPLICABLE LAW. PUBLIC POLICY. AND EVENTS FEDERAL- Complete Streets legislation has been introduced in Congress, H.R. 1780 and S. 1056 to address the need for safer streets and roads. This legislation would call on states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to consider the safety, interests, and convenience of all users, including drivers, bicyclists, transit users, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities, in the design and construction of federal transportation projects. This legislation would implement a federal Complete Streets policy with flexibility enough to accommodate all types of projects in all locations across the country. Complete Streets mean all users are considered at the outset of every transportation project, making walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation convenient, attractive, and safe choices. STATE- Section 335.065, Florida Statutes (Requires FDOT to provide bicyclist and pedestrian facilities wherever and whenever feasible. This legislation was updated in 1984. In 1997, new FDOT procedures were adopted, clarifying how the FDOT is to carry out FS 335.065.) http: / /www2. dot. state. fl. us /proceduraldocuments /procedures /bin /62501005 Q.pdf http: / /flbikelaw. orb/ 2009 /10 /laws - requiring- bike - lanes/ Section 335.065, Florida Statutes Bicycle and Pedestrian Ways Along State Roads and Transportation Facilities (1)(a) Bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be given full consideration in the planning and development of transportation facilities, including the incorporation of such ways into state, June 15, 2011 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Regular Agenda Item 600 regional, and local transportation plans and programs. Bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be established in conjunction with the construction, reconstruction, or other change of any state transportation facility, and special emphasis shall be given to projects in or within I mile of an urban area. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), bicycle and pedestrian ways are not required to be established: 1. Where their establishment would be contrary to public safety; 2. When the cost would be excessively disproportionate to the need or probable use; 3. Where other available means or factors indicate an absence of need. (2) The department shall establish construction standards and a uniform system of signing for bicycle and pedestrian ways. (3) The department, in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Protection, shall establish a statewide integrated system of bicycle and pedestrian ways in such a manner as to take full advantage of any such ways which are maintained by any governmental entity. For the purposes of this section, bicycle facilities may be established as part of or separate from the actual roadway and may utilize existing road rights -of -way or other rights -of -way or easements acquired for public use. LOCAL- City of Winter Springs Comprehensive Plan http: / /www.winterspringsfl. org/EN/ web /dept/cd /planning /48964 /compplan.htm Multimodal Transportation Element Policy 1.2.7- Design major roadways as complete streets to enable safe, attractive, and comfortable access and travel for all users, to the extent appropriate. Incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities and transit features to achieve a true multimodal system while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As funding becomes available, retrofit existing corridors to accommodate multimodal options. Future Land Use Element 6.1.1- TCEAMobility Strategies. Maintain mobility within the City by the implementation of the following strategies and programs in the Multimodal Transportation Element and through complementary policies in other elements of the comprehensive plan. TCEA mobility strategies may include, but are not limited to: (Cross Reference: Multimodal Transportation Element, Policy 1. 11.3) (Ord. 2010 -18; 10- 25 -10) (1) Transportation demand management program; (2) Transportation system management program; (3) Revised parking standards and regulations; (4) Local and regional transit service; (5) Enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities; (6) Transit facility improvements; (7) Complete streets policy implementation; (8) Neighborhood traffic management programs; and (9) Transit and pedestrian oriented site design standards. -2- June 15, 2011 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Regular Agenda Item 600 City of Winter Park Complete Streets Resolution (See Attachment A) http: / /www. completestreets. org /complete- streets - fundamentals /complete- streets - atlas/ http://www.completestreets.org/we docs/federal/cs-contextexamples-07 1709.pdf FISCAL IMPACT: None at this time. COMMUNICATION EFFORTS: This Agenda Item Has Been Electronically Forwarded To The Mayor And City Commission, City Manager, City Attorney /Staff, And All eAlert/eCitizen Recipients; And Is Available On The City's Website, LaserFiche, And The City's Server. Additionally, Portions Of This Agenda Item Are Typed Verbatim On The Respective Meeting Agenda Which Has Also Been Electronically Forwarded To The Individuals Noted Above; And Which Is Also Available On The City's Website, LaserFiche, And The City's Server; Has Been Sent To City Staff, Media/Press Representatives Who Have Requested Agendas /Agenda Item Information, Homeowner's Associations /Representatives On File With The City, And All Individuals Who Have Requested Such Information; And Has Been Posted Outside City Hall; Posted Inside City Hall With Additional Copies Available For The General Public; And Posted At Five (5) Different Locations Around The City. This Agenda Item Is Also Available To Any New Individual Requestors. City Staffls Always Willing To Discuss This Or Any Agenda Item With Any Interested Individuals. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff requests that the BPAC review the information on "Complete Streets." ATTACHMENTS: A Winter Park Complete Streets Resolution B Pedestrian Bill of Rights -3- A A A •• k A WHEREAS, the mobility and accessibility afforded the individual is basic to the success of the City's land use and transportation system, where complete streets are designed and operated to assure safety, comfort (i.e. perceived safety), and accessibility for all users of our roads, trails, and transit systems, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists, commercial and emergency vehicles, and for people of all ages and abilities; and WHEREAS, the early settlement patterns for Winter Park demonstrated an innate understanding of the relationship between walking and land use, integrating slower moving vehicles with walking, and an easily accessible mixture of land uses, but a century of changing development types and standards has shifted some of the City's land use and transportation system from the convenience of a walk to the convenience of a drive, resulting in greater dependence on the motor vehicle for basic travel; and WHEREAS,, the City of Winter Park's Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element includes adopted goals, objectives and policies that support Complete Streets; including Goal 2-1.1, Objective 2-1.1, and Policies 2-1.1 through 2-1.16; Objective 2- 3.1; Objective 2-5.1, Policies 2-5.1 through 2-5.6; and Objective 2-6.1, Policies 2-6.1 through 2-6.9; and WHEREAS, without proper design and understanding of bicycle and pedestrian needs, road construction and traffic operations may increase hazardous conditions for the vulnerable modes of walking and cycling, as has been reported in various studies, and WHEREAS,, the City of Winter Park's Transportation Plan already includes projects that implement Complete Streets, and should be reviewed for the inclusion of additional candidates for road `diets" on 4-lane road segments with less than 20,000 ADT. Putting this plan into action will accomplish many goals of Complete Streets and the City of Winter Park Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, increasing the opportunity for cycling and pedestrian travel through better integration of land use and transportation does reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and places Winter Park in a position to more effectively reduce greenhouse emissions; and WHEREAS, recent data on obesity and public health identifies a relationship between land use, automobile dependency, and poor health, which can and has been improved for communities exercising the principles of complete streets; and WHEREAS, various national movements have been promoting a return to a more balanced urban environment and streetscape, using terms such as "livable communities", "new urbanism," "smart growth," "complete streets," and "healthy communities," strategies, which reduce congestion, increase the overall capacity of the transportation network, decrease consumer transportation costs, improve air quality, support economic growth, increase community stability by providing accessible and efficient connections between home, school, work, recreation, and retail destinations by improving the land use and transportation connections; and WHEREAS, the Victoria Transport Policy Institute cites studies showing that reductions in traffic speeds increased adjacent residential property values by approximately 20% and that a several-hundred-per-day car volume reduction on residential streets increased home values by 18% on average; and WHEREAS, the USDOT/Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Design Guidance for Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel issued in 2000, stated that bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be established in new construction and reconstruction projects in all urbanized areas; and WHEREAS, Florida Statutes, Section 335.065, titled "Bicycle and pedestrian ways along state roads and transportation facilities" is part of the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) Pedestrian and Bicycle Procedure and states that "Bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be given full consideration in the planning and development of transportation facilities... and bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be established in conjunction with the construction, reconstruction, or other change of any state transportation facility..."; and WHEREAS, in 2005, the Florida Legislature directed FDOT to determine ways to increase the use of bicycles in order to conserve energy, reduce pollution, and improve health, and established FDOT's Conserve by Bicycle Program Study, which recommended that "public agencies accommodate bicycling on all non-limited access roadways in Florida"; and, warns that "the way Florida plans its development and roadways must change"; and Resolution No. 2083-11 Page 2 of 4 WHEREAS, Winter Park has invested in transportation systems to balance the community's mobility and accessibility, but continues to experience practical challenges in integrating mobility systems with each other and within the urban landscape; and WHEREAS, roadway classification defines the function of the roadway, where access on abutting properties on arterial and collector roads are currently determined to be of secondary consideration, despite that a balanced urban community requires that transportation routes and abutting properties be functionally integrated, since the purpose of a trip is for the person to reach the destination (accessibility), regardless of mode; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT WINTER PARK., FLORIDA, intends for complete street design and multimodall connectivity to be encouraged, with the aim of creating a comprehensive,, integrated, and connected network for all modes of transportation. RESOLVED, that the City of Winter Park affirms that all road projects should be designed to comfortably accommodate all users to the fullest extent possible; that bicycling, walking, and public transit accommodations is a routine part of the city planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operating activities; and that bicycle and pedestrian ways should be considered in new construction, reconstruction, resurfacing or other retrofit road and bridge projects. In developing these accommodations, the latest, best, and context-sensitive design standards will be used, while recognizing the need for flexibility in balancing user needs. RESOLVED, that very limited exceptions to these required accommodations are allowed under Florida Statues, Section 335.065 related to state controlled roadways. The Public Works Director will review the formal approval process related to granting these exceptions along city roadways. That being said, for streets that are under the control of other jurisdictions within the boundaries of the City of Winter Park or that influence the City of Winter Park, the City of Winter Park will highly encourage the other jurisdictions to respect and use a similar approach to complete streets as the City uses. RESOLVED, that streets that do not operate to assure safety, comfort, and accessibility for all users are considered "deficient." RESOLVED, that by August 2011, the Public Works Director is directed to work with appropriate City staff to best implement the City's Transportation Plan as part of Winter Park's "Complete Streets Policy". Some performance measurements that could be included in the annual budget report to assess the impact of the Complete Streets Policy include: the number of linear feet of sidewalk; routine pedestrian accommodation through mid-block crossings, median refuge islands, crosswalks or curb extensions at Resolution No. 2083-11 Page 3 of 4 intersections; the number of miles of on street bicycle lanes, signed routes, or off road multi-use trails; and RESOLVED, that these actions will enable the City of Winter Park to become a complete streets leader in Florida, and the nation. RESOLVED, that the City Council urges the State of Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation, Orange County, and all the other cities and towns within Orange County to embrace and adopt complete streets guidelines and policies and integrate them into their standard street design and operations. RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is instructed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to the Orange County's state congressional delegation in Tallahassee and Washington DC [Senators and Rep.], and the Director of Metroplan Orlando. ADOPTED by the Winter Park City Commission on the 9T " day of May, 2011. Mayor Kenneth W. Bradley F."UHMS A e 1 61 , Cynthia S. Bonham, City Clerk Resolution No. 2083-11 Page 4 of 4 Pedestrian Bill of Rights Pedestrian: A person going on foot — Merriam - Webster m -w.com Somebody who is traveling on foot, especially in an area also used by cars - Encarta Pedestrians, those people who are using our sidewalks, streets, roads and highways to get from place to place by walking, are endowed with these inalienable rights: 1. The freedom to walk with independence, comfort, and safety 2. Access to a complete and unimpeded network of pedestrian ways throughout urban areas 3. Safe and convenient access to common destinations and other modes of transportation 4. Adequate, safe, well- maintained, well -lit walkways, without obstructions or barriers; with special attention to the needs of children, older adults, and visually and mobility- impaired pedestrians 5. Right -of -way or traffic signal at all pedestrian street crossings 6. A driving public that is pedestrian aware and complies with pedestrian safety laws 7. A public educated on the health, social, environmental and economic benefits of walking as a means of transportation William Carpenter — 15Oct2010