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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBike and Ped 7-19-18 /ia Oshkosh TO: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee FROM: Alexa Naudziunas,Assistant Planner DATE: July 12, 2018 SUBJECT: Meeting Notice and Agenda for July 19, 2018 A meeting of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will be held on Thursday July 19, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. in room 404, City Hall, 215 Church Avenue, Oshkosh,WI 54901. The following items will be considered: 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of June 21,2018 Meeting Minutes 3. County Road A-Bike facility discussion-Murdock to city boundaries 4. Route Marketing 5. Pedestrian/Roundabout Safety Day-select date September 20th @ 2:30PM 6. Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan Update 7. Agenda Items for the Future Meeting(s) 8. Adjournment If unable to attend the meeting, please call the Planning Services Division at 236-5059 or email Alexa Naudziunas at anaudziunas@)ci.oshkosh.wi.us and let her know, so we are assured a quorum will be present. City Hall,215 Church Avenue P.O.Box 1130 Oshkosh,WI 54903-1130 http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES —June 21,2018 PRESENT: Adam BellCorelli,Vicky Redlin,Jim Michelson, Brad Brown, Steve Herman STAFF: Assistant Planner;Alexa Naudziunas;Assistant Director Public Works, Steve Gohde 1. Call to Order Mr. Michelson called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. The new Common Council representative Steve Herman introduced himself. 2. Approval of May 17,2018 Meeting Minutes Mr. BellCorelli moved to approve May 17,2018 meeting minutes and Ms. Redlin seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 3. Staff Updates—Bikes Routes,Winnebago County Bike Map Ms. Naudziunas provided an update on the bike lane implementation and approval. She explained that the N Main Street bike lanes were approved by Common Council. The Smith Street bike lanes were approved from Vinland Street to Jackson Street and sharrows from Jackson Street to N Main Street. She explained that the Wisconsin Street route was implemented and the other routes will be implemented later in the summer. 4. Murdock Avenue Bike Lanes—Discussion Ms. Naudziunas explained that this item no longer required discussion from the committee. The committee agreed to skip this item. 5. Service Recognition Idea (Crossing Guards) —Adam BellCorelli Mr. BellCorelli explained that he thought it might be an interesting idea to create a recognition program for the crossing guards. The committee discussed this and found out that the crossing guards are funded by the city not the school district. Mr. BellCorelli explained that he talked with Winnebago County Health Department as a potential partner for the recognition program. Sergeant Stenson oversees the crossing guards for just the city. The committee would like to focus on only the City of Oshkosh crossing guards. There are 18 crossing guards plus two substitutes. There was discussion about using State of the City to recognize the crossing guards. Mr. BellCorelli agreed to research the idea further and report back at a different meeting. 6. Pedestrian Roundabout Safety Day—Discussion Ms. Naudziunas asked the committee if they would like to organize a second pedestrian safety day similar to one that was organized last September. The committee agreed to help organize another event this September. They will continue the plan at the July meeting. 7. Agenda Items for the Future Meeting(s) The committee expressed an interest in discussing the Wiouwash Trail with city or county staff. 8. Adjournment Ms. Redlin moved to adjourn the meeting and Mr. Brown seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously at 4:59 p.m. Recorded by Alexa Naudziunas, Assistant Planner nom ; CITY OF OSHKOSH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN 2011 PLAN Adopted by the Oshkosh Plan Commission August 16, 2011 Approved by the Oshkosh Common Council September 27, 2011 2018 PLAN Adopted by the Oshkosh Plan Commission XXX 2018 Approved by the Oshkosh Common Council XXX 2018 OSHKOSH COMMON COUNCIL Mayor Steve Cummings Deputy Mayor Steve Herman Thomas R. Pech Jr. Debra L. Allison-Aasby Caroline Panske Jake Krause Lori Palmeri BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE James Michelson, Chairman Adam BellCorelli Brad Brown Lori Palmeri Vicky Redlin Benjamin Rennert Jay Stengel 1 t TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER a EXECUTIVE SUMMARY-alexa .1 Introduction 1 - 1 1.2 Existing Conditions 1 - 1 1.3 Recommendations and Implementation 1 - 2 .4 Funding Opportunities 1 - 6 1.5 Appendices 1 - 6 CIII°IAIII)TEIII12: II TOO DUCTIOII II1I,.AI I III G II)III100I..'ISS - alllexa 2.1. Why is this plan important? 2 - 1 2„2 How was this plan developed? 2 - 3 2„3 Definition of Terms 2 - 3 3„1 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Stakeholder/Steering Group 2 - 4 3„2 Survey 2 - 4 3„3 Public Meetings 2 - 5 Cllh°°IIIAIII''l""FE31't 3: AIIISIIIOI GOAIIL.S alllexe 3 '.i., Vision Statement 3 - 1 3 : Goals and Objectives 3 - 1 CHAPTER 4: CURRENT CONDITIONS AND SAFETY 4.1 Assessment of Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendliness 4- 1 Bridge Access 4- 1 Street and Highway System Access 4- 1 Bicycle and Pedestrian System Access 4- 2 Transit Interface 4- 3 4.2 Community and User Characteristics 4- 3 Socioeconomic Data 4- 4 Travel to Work 4- 4 Land-Use 4- 5 4.3 Inventory and Assessment of Existing Facilities 4- 5 Biking Conditions 4- 5 Walking Conditions 4- 7 4.4 Bicycle and Pedestrian Statutes and Ordinances 4- 9 4.5 Existing Plans 4- 10 7.1 Crash Statistics 7 - 1 Bicycle Crashes and Countermeasures 7 - 2 Pedestrian Crashes and Countermeasures 7 - 3 7.2 Five E's 7 - 4 Education 7 - 4 Encouragement 7 - 7 Enforcement 7 - 7 Engineering 7 - 9 Evaluation 7 - 9 Equity 7 - 9 0:WPTER 5: IIACIL...I IR II r PRAC n IV ° S 5,1. Alternatives for Improved Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities 5 - 1 5,2 Bicycle Facilities 5 - 2 •Signed and Shared Roadways 5 - 2 •Striped Bike Lanes 5 - 4 •Sharrows 5 - 7 •Wide Curb Lanes 5 - 9 •Paved Shoulders 5 - 10 CHAPTER 6: RECOMMENDATIONS 6.1 Primary Recommendation 8 - 1 Establish Commission 8 - 1 6.2 Programmatic Recommendations 8 - 1 Education, Encouragement & Outreach 8 - 2 Enforcement 8 - 3 Facility Maintenance 8 - 3 Policy Recommendations 8 - 4 6.3 Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Recommendations 8 - 5 Signage 8 - 5 Program Priorities 8 - 6 Network and Facility Improvements 8 - 8 Implementation Tables 8 - 10 6.4 Cost of Developing & Maintaining Facilities 8 - 19 Facility Development Costs 8 - 19 Cost of Maintaining Facilities 8 - 19 Facility Maintenance Responsibility 8 - 20 6.5 Funding Opportunities 8 - 20 Specific Funding Opportunities 8 - 21 6.6 Plan Amendment Process 8 - 22 APPENDICES Appendix A: City of Oshkosh Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Survey Results Appendix B: Recommended Bicycle Facilites Maps Recommended Facilities Map Implemented Facilties Map Combined Map Appendix C: Priority/CIP Facility Improvement Map Appendix D: Pedestrian Hazard Areas "'!�' ill!yl I '"` V�i�1N'" y4uVl"CC`S VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV )� ��, r'% //�3JI/�,'�;»/;%%° i'' ///�/ '' "�� 1 1 � Wpi II ll� uuuuuum ouuuuum uuuuui,ll� it V ul i r ' 1 / I � our a i I - a» r � ,.nroa, wurawr rim,". :. 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 INTRODUCTION The City of Oshkosh has prepared this 20-year Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan to develop sound strategies for improving pedestrian and bicycle transportation throughout the Oshkosh area. The plan was originally developed in 2011 with the update of the plan occurring in 2018. The planning area includes the City of Oshkosh with connection to surrounding extra-territorial areas. During the 2011 plan development, oversight was provided by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Stakeholder/Steering Group, a working team formed of interested citizens, representatives from various organizations and city departments. The group was responsible for providing direction and review of plan components through an extensive series of workshop meetings. The process also included multiple public information meetings and public hearings. And in 2018, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee provided oversight to the update of the 2011 plan. 1.2 EXISTING CONDITIONS Notable land use patterns or issues for the City of The Oshkosh area consists primarily of a grid pattern Oshkosh and Winnebago street system that is altered by the area's waterways County include: such as the Fox River and Lake Winnebago. As a • Water divides the urbanized area between north result, bridges are a major concession for bicycle to south and to a lesser extent from east and and pedestrian travel. The prevalent transportation west. pattern evident in Oshkosh is the use of all of the • Development is often not contiguous; in general, street width for motorized traffic on most major Oshkosh has its distinct areas of both residential collectors and arterials. In many cases, the street is and commercial development. In many cases, divided into four narrow travel lanes, with no terrace water, or undeveloped land separates Oshkosh and with the sidewalk, if present, abutting the street. from our neighboring communities. • Development as it exists today directly The Oshkosh urbanized area is connected to the corresponds to the freeway system. surrounding rural areas by a system of State and County highways. Interstate 41 (1-41) provides the Walking is often overlooked and undervalued as a primary north- south route through the area. Travel transportation mode. Yet, in the Oshkosh area, 3.4 east to west is accommodated through Highway 21, percent of commuters reported regularly walking Witzel Avenue, 9th Avenue, West 20th Avenue and to work. These percentages do not include other South Park Avenue. Bicycle and pedestrian travel is pedestrian activity, such as walking trips to schools prohibited on 1-41; however, the Tribal Heritage Trail and universities, commercial areas or for recreation. runs adjacent to 1-41 over Lake Butte des Morts and Many of these pedestrians are children, seniors and allows for bicycle and pedestrian travel. persons utilizing wheelchairs or mobility devices who require special consideration regarding facility design. Connections between places of residence to place of employment are integral to increasing mode Areas where there are gaps in the bicycle and share. Providing safe and adequate facilities along pedestrian system include any place there is a these "commuter routes" creates opportunities for lack of biking or walking facilities, maintenance commuters who want to bike to work the opportunity issues, or areas where bike paths and major routes to do so. Similarly, connections to area trails, such as should connect to other routes, recreational areas, the WIOUWASH State Trail and the 1-41 Lake Butte des residential areas, commercial centers or employment Morts trail will increase comfort levels for bicyclists of centers. Noteworthy gaps included the difficulty all abilities. of bicycle travel under or over 1-41 or through roundabouts. A general comment from the public Transportation systems and land use patterns have a about these gaps includes the usability of these well-documented reciprocal relationship. As Oshkosh areas on a year-round basis. The quick and effective has grown, the demands for transportation system removal of snow can be an issue when not done with improvements have also grown. However, these respect to crosswalk locations or curb lanes. transportation improvements have also provided more convenient access to land farther out, thus 1.3 RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION spurring outward growth. More than any other Recommendations in this Plan's update were transportation system, it has been the road network developed using an inventory and analysis of existing and the prevalence of the automobile that has facilities, Ordinances, other local plans, reviewing impacted land use patterns over the past half- recommendations in the 2011 Pedestrian and Bicycle century. Circulation Plan, and through feedback from the City of Oshkosh Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. This plan includes recommendations for programs as well as facility enhancements/ improvements. Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Recommendations Signing bike routes direct pedestrians and bicyclists Bicycle and pedestrian program recommendations to the preferred routes and also helps to direct include education, encouragement, and outreach visitors from outside the community to their desired programs; enforcement; facility maintenance and destinations safely and efficiently. The routes also policy recommendations. Education, encouragement, increase the likelihood that motorists will encounter and outreach programs were designed to foster a bicyclists which may heighten driver attentiveness and safe bicycling and walking environment and increase bicyclist confidence. All bike routes within Oshkosh the prevalence and enjoyment of walking and are recommended to be signed, whether they have bicycling. Successful encouragement and outreach bike lanes, sharrows, wide curb lanes, or are simply efforts largely rest on a foundation of extensive shared-use roadways. and effective educational programs. Education programs include identifying safe routes for bicyclists As important as bicycle facilities are for increasing and pedestrians, teaching bicycling techniques, mobility, it is also critical to maintain a comprehensive disseminating information regarding regulations that vision for creating a "walkable" and "bikable" govern bicyclists and pedestrians, and instructing Oshkosh, which includes bike lanes, shared roadways, bicyclists and pedestrians how to handle potentially multi-use trails, side paths and sidewalks. Not dangerous situations. Encouragement activities are only does this plan recommend specific facility valuable because they promote biking and walking improvements, it sets policy priorities and offers through incentives (such as rewards) or provisions guidance and tools to help promote bicycling and (such as safe and convenient parking facilities). pedestrian safety, efficiency and effectiveness. Outreach activities are among the easiest and least cost intensive initiatives that advance bicyclist and The overriding principle for bicycle and pedestrian pedestrian safety. Consistent enforcement of traffic friendly streets is to create public right-of-ways laws also plays an important role in advancing bicyclist that work effectively for and benefit all modes of and pedestrian safety. Likewise, maintenance is transportation. Regardless of whether streets and important for all types of transportation facilities. roads are included in this plan's designated bicycle Periodic and consistent removal of debris and network, bicyclists will use all available roads. resurfacing/patching of deteriorated pavement Therefore, the recommended bicycle network are important procedures for ensuring that users has been developed to formalize safe routes from are provided with safe and reliable transportation "origins" to "destinations", eliminate gaps within facilities. the current network, continue the expansion of the existing off-road facilities utilizing natural and other General Facility Improvements areas of opportunity, and improve access and While useful to encourage and sustain walking connectivity for the bicyclist within the Oshkosh and bicycling, operational programs and policies community. are futile without adequate facilities. Too often, facility planning is synonymous with planning Best facility practices must be considered when any separate trail systems. However, separated bike/ transportation network is developed, reconstructed pedestrian paths and bike lanes are the most costly or augmented. Policy and project priorities for of all facility improvements. Because of their costs pedestrians are much more programmatic while those and the amount of public right-of-way needed to for bicycles tend to be more physical in nature. accommodate these systems, separate bikeways seldom form a complete bicycle and pedestrian Pedestrian Facilities system. For the City of Oshkosh, it is most efficient Oshkosh's pedestrian framework is partially in place and cost effective to make use of established in that sidewalks or trails are required for new transportation right-of-ways, especially within the subdivisions and other development. Sidewalks older developed areas of the City. Trails and side form the backbone of the physical portion of our paths are mainly utilized in newer areas of Oshkosh, pedestrian transportation network, however, what at natural corridors and where physically and constitutes a "pedestrian-friendly" or "walkable" economically feasible. community is much more than merely having sidewalk facilities in place. High quality, navigable, The proposed recommended improvement is appropriately sized sidewalks certainly are one part of delineated into three sections that correlate with the equation; however, other elements and amenities facility recommendations: such as crosswalks, signalization, traffic calming, •Signed and striped roadways - a portion of the pedestrian-scale lighting, street furniture, and space roadway which has been designated by striping, separating vehicle traffic lanes from sidewalks are also signing and other pavement markings for the extremely important. Best facility practices for preferential or exclusive use by bicyclists. Oshkosh pedestrian facilities include three primary •Signed and/or shareways - also known as stripeless facility types: bike lanes, do not have corridors reserved for -Sidewalks - paths located within a right-of-way along bicyclists, but signs and pavement symbols indicate the side of a road and are normally separated from that they are bike routes and heavily used by the vehicular section by a curb bicyclists. •Sidepaths - segregated facilities located next to or •Multi-use trail - segregated trails or paths located alongside a roadway separated from motor vehicle within their own right-of-way or easement area and traffic by a physical barrier and/or increased are not closely associated with a roadway. greenspace. -Multi-use trails - segregated trails or paths located within their own right-of-way or easement area and 1.4 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES are not closely associated with a roadway. The Plan recommends that the City of Oshkosh appropriate annual funds for bicycle and pedestrian Bicycle Facilities improvements just as it does for other roadway Suitably designed bikeways can be identified formally projects. In addition, bicycle and pedestrian as "Bike Routes." These routes indicate a major route projects may be eligible for state or federal funding. that most bicyclists will feel comfortable using. Pedestrian improvements that benefit public health and safety should be funded through the general This plan recommends a comprehensive and fund and included in the Capital Improvement Plan, interconnected bicycle network by suggesting a supplemented by available state and federal grants, facility type (bike lane, sharrow, multi-use trail) rather than through assessment. throughout the Oshkosh area. It is important to state that the design approach behind the recommended 1.5 APPENDICES bicycle facility types and routes contained within this The plan is supplemented by four appendices that planning document was guided and shaped with a are referenced within the document and help to critical design consideration in mind. provide information that is readily accessible and/ or would potentially be "lost" within the body of the Design approach document. These appendices are described below: The design consideration behind route determination that must be described is what type of bicyclist is Appendix A: City of Oshkosh Bicycle and Pedestrian best served by the City's bicycle facility network. Plan Survey Results-A survey to solicit information The Bicycle and Pedestrian Stakeholder/Steering regarding biking and walking within Oshkosh by Group made thedecision that all network route and Oshkosh residents and visitors. Posted on the web as facility choice decisions had to be made with the basic well as provided at bicycle and run/walk events. bicyclist in mind, not the novice or advanced rider. To this end, the design approach contained the principal Appendix B: Recommended Bicycle Facilities of locating designated bicycle routes off unsafe, Map- Depicts the recommended bicycle facility high traffic volume streets & truck routes, wherever network including routes, facility types and areas of possible. Furthermore, the group also focused on intersection improvements. route placement as it related to existing traffic Implemented Bicycle Facilties Map - Depicts facilities controlled intersections and the separation of bicycle which have already been implemented since this plan travel from vehicular traffic such as the utilization of was adopted. park properties, greenways and rail corridors Implemented and Recommended Bicycle Facilities Combined Map - Depicts a combined version of recommended and implemented facilities. Appendix C: Priority/ Capital Improvement Program Map - Depcits recommended routes and planned Capital Improvement Program projects. Appendix D: Pedestrian Hazard Areas-Areas and intersections identified as pedestrian hazard areas such as schools, parks, and commercial areas as well as long blocks that should be given special attention.