NORTHEAST CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE (NECI) BICYCLE FACILITIES STUDY 1 st Public Meeting 01.18.2011

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE (NECI)

BICYCLE FACILITIES STUDY1st Public Meeting

01.18.2011

in collaboration with:

+ STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates

Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities StudyNortheast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study

Agenda• Introductions• Project Understanding/Process Overview

– Presentation of Facility Types and Case Studies– Existing Conditions

• Facilitated Discussion/Break Out Groups– Vision for Bike Facilities– Goals/objectives for facility types & users– Opportunities/Constraints– Outreach

• General Questions/Next Steps– Process/Schedule, etc.


Introductions

• Joe Frey, EP&M, Project Mgr.• Ken Tippette, Bike Program

Mgr.• Jim Keenan, NECI PM• Kathy Cornett, Planning• Dick Winters, Mecklenburg

County• Stakeholder Group• John Cock & Maya Agarwal,

Alta Planning + Design• Scot Sibert, STV/RWA


Project Team and PartnersCity of Charlotte

Involved Organizations CABA BAC

Neighborhood Groups UNCC

Charlotte Bike Commuters University City Partners Carolina Thread Trail

Etc.

Alta Planning + Design

Bicycle facility planning and design

Project managementStakeholder Engagement

Public Involvement

Public Agencies Charlotte Engineering & PM

CDOT Planning CATS

County Park & Recreation NCDOT CMU

STV/RWA

Public InvolvementConceptual designEngineering Review

Stakeholder engagement (NCDOT, Railroads, CATS)


Overview of NECI project• (NECI = Northeast Corridor

Infrastructure)• Voter approved bond funding• Multi-modal access improvements• Supporting economic development goals• Highest needs in station areas, with some

focus on corridor connectivity• Public input process upcoming• No implementation yet


Project Purpose

“. . .generate a long term vision plan for corridor-length (Uptown to UNCC/University City Area) bicycling routes and facilities . . ..”


Consultant Team: Alta & STV• Alta:

– leaders in bike/ped/trail planning

– Experience in planning bike facilities in RR ROW

– Implementation of 5,000+ miles bikeways & walkways

• STV: – NE Corridor LRT lead

engineering firm– On-going relationships

with railroads– SCIP & other City plan and

implementation


Stakeholder Group• Carolina Thread Trail• YMCA• University City Partners• UNCC• Bike Shop Owners (Bike Line,

Espada)• Charlotte Bike Commuter

Group• Charlotte Area Bicycle

Alliance• North End Partners• Greenways Advisory

Committee

• Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation

• Charlotte Center City Partners • UNCC Cyclists• CATS• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning

Department• Charlotte Economic

Development Department• Bicycle Advisory Committee • Mecklenburg County Safe

Routes To School Program


Stakeholder Meeting (Sept.)


“Someday we’ll look back on this and it will all seem

funny. . .”

http://everythingisjaded.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/fat_american_walking_dog_from_car.jpg

Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study

Major Questions• Vision for

corridor?• Design users?• Facility types?• Destinations?• Routes?• Other

considerations?


Types of Cyclists(Which category are you?)

A - Strong and fearless (<1%)Will ride regardless of facilities.Often ride long distances.

B - Enthused and confident (7%)Comfortable in traffic with appropriate facilities.

C - Interested but concerned (60%)Not comfortable in traffic. Prefer low-volume, low-speed conditions (neighborhood streets, off-street).

D - No way, no how (33%)

A

B C D


Strong and fearless Enthused and confident

“No way, no how” Interested but concerned

Who are “design” cyclists?


How do we attract “Interested but Concerned”?

• Comfort (incl. minimize complexity)

• safety• attractiveness• direct routes• connected system

Develop Facilities and a Network that focuses on:

(Dutch design principles)


• Bike Lane• Cycle Tracks• Signed Shared Roadway

• Wide outside lane• Bicycle Boulevard/Bike

Route• Multi-Use Path

• Rail-with-Trail• Shoulder Bikeway• Bike/Ped Connectivity

Types of Bikeways


Bicycle Lane

(Photo: City of Charlotte)


Beyond Bike Lanes. . .

13


Buffered Bike Lane


Cycletrack

17


Shared Roadways• Wide outside lanes• Other unique solutions (Shared Lane Markings)• Calm traffic• Alternate routes



• Most common type of bikeway: Appropriate on 85% of streets in a city

• Great for getting around neighborhoods: low speed, low volume

• Not as practical for longer distances

Shared Roadways


Shared Roadways: “Quiet Streets”

Portland, Oregon

Bentonville, Arkansas


Multi-use Pathways/Trails


Multi-use Pathways/Trails



Sidepaths

E. Faris Road; Greenville Tech Trail (Photo: City of Greenville)


Bike/Ped Connections

Photo: City of Charlotte, NC


Case Studies and Examples

NECI Bicycle Facilities Study


Metro Orange Line, Los Angeles

• 14.2 mile Bus Rapid Transit corridor

• Dedicated lane built on a former rail right-of-way

• 14-mile bike path and 8-mile pedestrian walkway

• 79% of riders utilizing these facilities to get to their bus stop

• Bicycle facilities within and outside of the rail right-of-way


Exposition LRT Line: Los Angeles

• Under construction (Phase 1)

• LA to Culver City• Planned series of

paths, bikeways, and bike routes along future LRT corridor

(FTA grants can be used for bicycle/ped facilities and access to transit: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/bkepedtble.htm)

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/bkepedtble.htm


Hiawatha Trail, Minneapolis

*Source: Shaw, J. and Steve Moler. Bicyclist- and Pedestrian-Only Roundabouts. Federal Highway Administration: Public Roads. Jan/Feb 2009.

• Parallels Hiawatha LRT line

• 12 mile LRT line• The intersection

of Midtown Greenway and Hiawatha Trail sees 4,000 users per day.*


Portland: 1-205/Max Path

• Path built in 70’s with interstate

• LRT came later• Currently, upgrading

path• TriMet has adopted

motto: “when you can’t bike the whole way, take TriMet”

*Source: Portland Platinum Bicycle Master Plan, Existing Conditions Report: Bicycling and Transit Integration. 2007


Commonwealth Avenue, Boston• Complements Green

Line rapid transit subway and sections of commuter rail

• Combination of:– separated path, – on-street designated

bikeway, – and on-street

recommended bike route

• Connection to Boston College


Grade-separated undercrossing

• When a grade crossing between a trail and street may not be desirable:

•Traffic > 25,000 vehicles/day

•Speeds > 45 mph

• Motorists typically will cross at grade; trail routed over or under the roadway

Grade-separated Crossings

Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study34

Bassett Creek Trail/Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Minneapolis

Trail/Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Minneapolis

Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study35

Eastbank Esplanade, Portland

Eastbank Esplanade, Portland


Existing Conditions/Planned Facilities


Previous Planning Efforts Recommendations• Centers, Corridors, and Wedges Growth Framework

• City Transportation Action Plan• Charlotte Bicycle Plan• County Greenway Plan Update• CTT Alignments for

Mecklenburg• Charlotte Connectivity Study• NCDOT Planned Projects• Planned Rail Facility Projects• Northeast Area Plan (2000)• Eastside Strategy Plan (2001)

• North Charlotte Area Plan (1995)• Newell Area Plan (2002)• Belmont Area Plan (2003)• North Tryon Area Plan (2010)• Optimist Park Plan (2002)• Rocky River Road Area Plan

(2006)• University City Area Plan (2007)• University Research Park Area

Plan (2010)• UNCC Campus Plan (Draft 2009)


Overview: Challenges

Obstacles/Challenges• Structures/grade

separations• N. Tryon: daunting

bike environment• Multiple RRs (5)• Railroads’

expectations• NCDOT expectations


Preliminary Opportunities

Opportunities• Potential partners

along the corridor• Tie into greenways• Tie to

neighborhood/area plans

• Bike/ped access to stations


Existing/Proposed Facilities

• Blue Line Extension


• Blue Line Extension• Existing Greenways



• Blue Line Extension• Existing Greenways• Proposed

Greenways




Greenways• Existing Bike Lanes




Greenways• Existing Bike Lanes• Proposed Bike

Lanes and Striped Shoulders





Lanes, Striped Shoulders, and Shared Lane Markings





Lanes, Striped Shoulders, Shared Lane Markings, and Shared Neighborhood Roadways





Lanes, Striped Shoulders, Shared Lane Markings, and Shared Neighborhood Roadways

• Proposed CTT



Carolina Thread Trail

Regional

greenway and trail system

Connecting 15 Counties

11 NC Counties, 4 SC Counties

Estimated 2.3 million people


BREAK OUT GROUPS


Breakout Instructions• Introduce selves and location on

corridor• Review map markings, legend• Answer questions on handouts in group

discussion• Allow everyone to speak• Mark on maps and take notes• Report back



PROJECT APPROACHPublic Involvement: “Active & Engaging”


Public Outreach• Stakeholder Group• Open Design Workshops• Project website• 2 Public workshops


Project Webpage

http://charmeck.org > departments > engineering > projects > NE Corridor

http://charmeck.org/


Plan ProcessStakeholder Kick off Meeting (Sept)

• Develop preliminary goals, objectives, etc.

1st Public Meeting/Design Workshop 1 (Jan ‘11)

• Design Workshop 1: Stakeholders, staff

• Preliminary alignments

2nd Public Meeting (Spring)

• Present preliminary recommendations

Final Stakeholders Meeting

• Spring/Summer

• Present draft recommendations


Questions?

Contact InfoCity of CharlotteJoe [email protected] web address

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE (NECI)

BICYCLE FACILITIES STUDY1st Public Meeting

01.18.2011

in collaboration with:

+ STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates



Additional Info (for Q&A if needed)


Trail Issues for Railroads

• What’s the right setback to the edge of the tracks?

• What’s the separation technique?

• How does one cross the tracks?

• Trespassing and vandalism must be addressed

• Negative response from the railroad companies

• Issues of liability, etc.

Existing rail-with-trail along LYNX light rail; but may have potential issues in NE Corridor


Trail Benefits for Railroads• Access to Transit

• Financial compensation (avg $800k)

• Reduced trespassing, dumping, vandalism

• Reduced illegal crossings

• Reduced petty crime• Increased public

awareness of RR industry; Good PR

• Improved aesthetics

Seattle Waterfront Trail


Bicycle Collisions 2007-2009


Portland: infrastructure breeds bike culture


Development of Portland’s Bikeway Network - 1980

LanesBoulevardsTrails


Development of Portland’s Bikeway Network - 2005

LanesBoulevardsTrails

Year:0 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Bridge Bicycle TrafficBikeway Miles

Bridge Bicycle TrafficBikeway Miles

Increasing Bicycle Use

BikewayMiles

1992:83 miles of bikeways

2,850 daily trips2007:

271 miles of bikeways14,563 daily trips

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

2,500

5,000

7,500

10,000

12,500

15,000

2,850 3,555 3,885 3,830 3,207 4,520 5,225 5,690 5,910 6,015 7,686 8,250 8,562 8,875 10,19212,04614,56378 84 86 103 113 144 166 183 213 222 235 252 254 260 262 263 266

CyclistsPer Day


15 years of bicycle infrastructure:

$60 million

Interchange along Rt. 26 outside of Portland:

$125 million

• only 0.7% of PDOT’s budget• $3.75/annual cost per capita

Relative Costs of Bikeway Investment

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NORTHEAST CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE (NECI) BICYCLE FACILITIES STUDY 1 st Public Meeting 01.18.2011

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