Phase 1 - Portland South Phase 2 - Portland North Phase 3 - Portland West PACTS Regional Bicycle Wayfinding Study The intent of this wayfinding study is to establish a consistent and repetitive information path for cyclists traveling on national, state, and regional cycling routes. PACTS Regional October 18, 2013 Designed and Submitted by: Woodworth Associates Wright Pierce 1 Bicycle Wayfinding Study Updated December 30, 2014 Graphic Design Civil & Environmental Engineers and Communications Contents 3 Background 4 Reasons for Bicycle Wayfinding 5 Study Purpose 6 Study Background – National and Regional Bicycle Routes 10 Scope of Work 12 Outreach Process 19 Recommendations 35 Appendix 36 Questionnaire 37 PACTS Regional Bicycle Wayfinding Study Area Map - Phase 1, 2, 3 38 Bicycle Sign Types 40 Bicycle Sign Types - Regional Bicycle Wayfinding: Highland Avenue and Black Point Road, Scarborough Test Intersection - Installation & Specifications 42 Bicycle Sign Types - Local Bicycle Wayfinding: Veterans Memorial Bridge and Fore River Parkway, Portland Portland Peninsula Wayfinding Plan Bicycle Signs 43 PACTS Southern, Northern, and Western Region Destinations 50 Examples of MUTCD and Selected Communities Bicycle Signage PACTS Regional October 18, 2013 Designed and Submitted by: Woodworth Associates Wright Pierce Contents 2 Bicycle Wayfinding Study Updated December 30, 2014 Graphic Design Civil & Environmental Engineers and Communications Background In 2009, the PACTS Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update recommended a “Regional Bicycle Route and Wayfinding Destination/ Signage” project as one of its top four cost- and time- effective regional improvements. The project was described as a relatively low-cost way to potentially increase bicycle tourism within the region and was envisioned as involving two primary tasks: 1. Identification of quality, longer distance bicycle routes linking key destinations within the PACTS region. Routes would combine on-road bikeway facilities and pathways that would meet the needs of moderately skilled cyclists. 2. Development of bicycle-specific wayfinding and destination signage. Potential pilot routes that were initially envisioned included the Eastern Trail from Biddeford to Portland and Portland to Freeport or Brunswick. This effort progresses the work of the 2009 PACTS Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update recommendations through preliminary schematic design. The Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS), as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Portland, Maine urbanized area, funded this Plan for Regional Bicycle Wayfinding, which was carried out in three phases. A consultant team of Woodworth Associates and Wright-Pierce was hired in February of 2013 to study the southern coastal area (largely east of I-95) in the communities of Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, and Portland. The second phase began in October of 2013, and included Falmouth, Cumberland, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth and Freeport. The final, third phase began in early of 2014, and included Portland to Westbrook, Windham, Gorham, Standish, and Raymond. PACTS Regional October 18, 2013 Designed and Submitted by: Woodworth Associates Wright Pierce 3 Bicycle Wayfinding Study Updated December 30, 2014 Graphic Design Civil & Environmental Engineers and Communications Reasons for Bicycle Wayfinding Reasons for implementing a regional bicycle wayfinding system: Signage is a relatively low-cost way to reinforce and define the regional bicycle network A regional bicycle wayfinding system would advertise the existence of the bicycle network to: Local cyclists and/or potential local cyclists Touring cyclists and/or visitors who might see the signs and plan a future bike trip Motorists, to whom the signage system communicates that they are sharing the right-of-way with cyclists Signs are one of the first and most A regional bicycle wayfinding system has the potential to boost eco-tourism and promote economic development important forms of communication within the PACTS region between a region and the visitors who use its transportation network. The A regional bicycle wayfinding system that incorporates local or regional branding has the potential to contribute overall quality and comprehensiveness of the bicycle wayfinding and signage to a sense of place and to promote the locality or region as a destination program and its ability to inform, guide, direct, and orient visitors between A regional bicycle wayfinding system can improve the safety of cyclists by giving them a better sense of their bicycle routes and significant location and aiding with lane position destinations is therefore of utmost importance. The existence of a clearly identified regional bicycle route system could be marketed to potential visitors. Cyclists are already visiting As such, this is an opportunity to Maine from other states and countries to cycle on U.S. Bicycle Route 1 (USBR1) and the East Coast Greenway (ECG). These visitors’ strengthen and reinforce the regional dreams of a premier touring experience are thwarted when the existing signage system lets them down. This is bad for the touring cyclist, brand. Signs that strive to meet the and it is also bad for the region. A happy visitor is a repeat visitor, and we should be doing all we can to ensure that the use of these needs of visiting cyclists by promoting bicycle routes is as frictionless, safe, and enjoyable as possible. ease of navigation, access, and safety will create a positive impression of a well-managed region and instill Bicycle routes in the PACTS region can be confusing. The PACTS region contains two national bicycle routes, the in-progress ECG, a sense of security, purpose, confidence, a developing off-road trail system, and USBR1, an on-and off-road national bicycle route. Both national bicycle routes extend along the and ultimately, community pride. Eastern seaboard to the Canadian border and Key West, Florida. The East Coast Greenway is comprised of three completed sections of the Eastern Trail in the communities of Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, and South Portland, joined by interim on-road routes, where the trail has not yet been constructed. In some areas of the region, USBR1 follows on-road routes that are different from the ECG on-road interim routes. In other areas, USBR1 follows on-road routes that are the same as the ECG on-road interim routes. Finally, there are places where USBR1 is off-road on sections of the East Coast Greenway that have been constructed as shared use paths. To add another layer of complexity, the East Coast Greenway uses shared use paths that are built and maintained by other entities, for example, the Eastern Trail Alliance and Portland Trails in the southern part of the PACTS region. Each sponsoring group has its own signage vocabulary and unique names for its trails. Finally, there are reports of visiting cyclists mistaking vehicular U.S. Route 1 for USBR1, an unfortunate circumstance that could be remedied by better bicycle wayfinding support. PACTS Regional October 18, 2013 Designed and Submitted by: Woodworth Associates Wright Pierce 4 Bicycle Wayfinding Study Updated December 30, 2014 Graphic Design Civil & Environmental Engineers and Communications Study Purpose The intent of this regional bicycle wayfinding study is threefold: 1. To provide a consistent and repetitive information path for the cycling public to find major destinations within the area served by PACTS 2. To identify longer-distance regional bicycle routes linking key destinations within the PACTS region to the East Coast Greenway, U.S. Bicycle Route 1, the Sebago to the Sea route and the Mountain Division Trail 3. To coordinate regional bicycle wayfinding with PACTS’ local wayfinding plans in downtown Biddeford-Saco and the Portland Peninsula and with MaineDOT’s plans for signing U.S. Bike Route 1 PACTS Regional October 18, 2013 Designed and Submitted by: Woodworth Associates Wright Pierce 5 Bicycle Wayfinding Study Updated December 30, 2014 Graphic Design Civil & Environmental Engineers and Communications Study Background – Two national bicycle routes, the East Coast Greenway (ECG) and U.S. Bicycle Route 1, traverse the PACTS region, connecting it in a National and Regional Bicycle Routes northerly direction to the Canadian border, and southerly along the Eastern Seaboard to Key West, Florida. East Coast Greenway The East Coast Greenway, a developing urban trail system, will ultimately create a 3,000 mile off-road route stretching from Key West, Florida to Calais, Maine. At this time, in the southern PACTS region, the East Coast Greenway is comprised of three completed sections of the Eastern Trail in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, and South Portland, joined by interim on-road routes. The Eastern Trail’s northern terminus is in Bug Light Park at the end of the South Portland Greenbelt in South Portland, while the East Coast Greenway continues north on-road along Portland’s waterfront or via water taxi until joining Portland’s Eastern Prom Trail. From there, the East Coast Greenway predominantly follows an interim on-road route until it reaches the northern end of Brunswick, with short completed off-road sections on the Beth Condon Memorial Pathway and Extension in Yarmouth, and the Androscoggin River Bicycle Path in Brunswick. Eastern Trail The Eastern Trail is open for non-motorized uses, including hiking, walking, and bicycling. While the completed