An Ad-Hoc Bicycle Plan from Princeton’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Yan Bennett (chair) Steve Kruse (co-chair) Laurie Harmon David Cohen Betsy Marshall Dinni Jain Liz Lempert, Jo Butler (liaison) Patti Liebermann (PRS liaison) Janet Heroux (emeritus)
p. 1 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Willow Road in Belle Mead (Montgomery Twp)
p. 2 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 The Four Types of ‘Transportation’ Cyclists
• by advancing/promoting the Four E’s, we aim to lower the Fear Threshold
Strong and Fearless [<1%]
Enthused and Confident [7%]
Fear Threshold Interested but Concerned [60%]
Novice Cyclist
No Way,No How Enthusiasm Level [33%]
Experience Level p. 3 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 A Virtuous Cycle: Safety In Numbers For Bicycle Riders • aside from the health benefits, investment in “THE FOUR E’s” can pay safety dividends
Engineering • sharrows etc. bike ridership increases due to perceived safety Education
Enforcement
Encouragement
Actual safety increases as community bike ridership increases, due to driver awareness bike ridership increases further
p. 4 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 p. 5 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 What’s the definition of “A Bicycle Plan” ?
A Bicycle Plan contains specific proposed near-term bicycle route network improvement projects.
• Specific • Proposed • Near-term • Bicycle Route Network • Improvement Projects
p. 6 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Official “Bikeway Plan” dating from circa 1996-99 • usefulness of this map is that it allows the entire network to be viewed • has several shortcomings and is cluttered by showing property boundaries
A map of the Bike Network ought to indicate: –mainroutes and connector routes – schools, train/bus stations – open space areas, parks – forbidden areas A good example: next page
p. 7 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Example: a “Bicycle Route Network” from Tallahassee
http://http://www.talgov.com/planning/trans/bike_route “Routes” = numbers “Connectors” = Letters
p. 8 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 A Second Example • Maps of Bike Route Networks all have the same style of Legend
p. 9 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Sector A → Plan Elements → Basis for the Map NameFacilities Comments Existing Proposed Arterial Roads [State/County number] Alexander Road side path PU sharrows depends on Arts & Transit village development plan Princeton Pike (Mercer St) [583] side parth side path has a disconnect/jog at Lovers Lane Lawrence Rd [206] Quaker Road [533] new gravel trail recommended for widening, bridge getting rebuilt Elm Street [604] side path Rosedale Road [604] side path Connector Roads/Trails Hutchinson Drive side path West Drive connector bike trail connects to the bottom of Springdale Rd Karin Court connector bike trail connects to parking lot of Springdale swim club Edgerstoune Road connector bike trail connects to Greenway Meadows network Updike Farm Pathway bike trail connects Updike Farm to battlefield and IAS Woods Stony Brook Pathway bike trail is there bike access next to the Hun School ? Open Space, Parks, Schools Marquand Park bike paths Princeton Country Club bridges across canal in vicinity of Emmons/Wheeler Greenway Meadows bike paths between Rosedale Road and Edgerstoune connector D&R Canal State Park bike trail D&R towpath Updike Farm Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge bike trail connects West Drive to D&R towpath ? IAS Farm IAS Woods bike trails Trolley Track, Pipeline, Swinging Bridge trails etc. Battlefield State Park bike trail gravel path, connects Princeton Pike to the IAS network Springdale G.C. Hun School striped bike lane path to the Stony Brook bridge and Jasna Polana trail p. 10 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 PJPBAC’s Ad-Hoc Bike Plan: Approach
• Authoring a proper Bike Plan is a major and expensive undertaking. Such a plan contains specific proposed near-term bicycle route network improvement projects.
• Typically a grant is sought, to fund hiring of a consulting group. » Examples: Bike Plans for Monroe Twp, West Windsor, Hoboken » Princeton document authored by Charles Carmalt (2002) » Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2007-8, 278 pages, $68,000).
• Decided to create a preliminary or ad-hoc bike plan patterned after ones we’ve studied, to document our ideas and recommendations, and to help define an initial bike route network. » Meanwhile, look for grant opportunities to help fund a future plan.
• For manageability, parceled the Princeton map into four sectors. » Each sector gets an overview map, write-up, vision statement and wish list. » The write-up contains recommendations, and maps from various sources » Sectors A, B, and C have write-ups, while D does not.
• The resultant knowledge and bike path ideas have been distilled into a proposal for a baseline “bike route network” upon which routes with wayfinding can be defined.
p. 11 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601
CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD
CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206
B ROAD GREAT
HERRONTOWN C RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27
PROVINCE A LINE RD D
206 FACULTY
PRINCETON PIKE
HARRISON LAKE US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD
571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 12 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 The Bike Plan Gleans its Info from Many Sources
p. 13 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601
CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD
CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 GREAT ROAD GREAT
HERRONTOWN
RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27
PROVINCE A LINE RD
206 FACULTY
PRINCETON PIKE
HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD
571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 14 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Ad-Hoc Bike Plan: Overview of Sector “A” Green Lines = main routes Blue Lines = connectors Yellow Boxes = “network hubs” or “traffic generators”
SECTOR B MOUNTAIN LAKES
MOUNTAIN SECTOR C TROLLEY TRAIL JOHNSON 206 ROSEDALE PARK SCHOOL
OPEN CLEVELAND/LAFAYETTE/HODGE SPACE
ELM TRAIL + EGERS- PROVINCE BRIDGE TOUNE LINE RD LAWRENCE TWP HUN SCHOOL PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (CAMPUS)
206 LOVER’S LHT LANE ← COLLEGE ROAD HUTCHISON
QUAKER (ONE-WAY) DINKY ROW
IAS and BATTLE PRINCETON PIKE FIELD
NEW TRAIL ALEXANDER QUAKER PED BRIDGE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (OPEN FIELDS + SOLAR FARM) TH TOWPA D&R MARKET FAIR
US1
PRINCETON JUNCTION p. 15 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan summary: Sector “A”
CHARACTERIZATION → VISION STATEMENT
• The meanderings of the Stony Brook are the most important nature/scenic/historic element
• The IAS Woods and Farm, along with Battlefield S.P. are the dominant open spaces, by far.
• The arterials (Quaker Rd, Princeton Pike, 206, Rosedale Rd) have minimal bike-friendly connectors.
• Interfaces to West Windsor (Marketfair), Lawrence Twp (L.H.T.), D&R Canal Towpath State Park
• Rosedale Rd is a natural bikeway into Princeton, except for its semi-avoidable climb near Elm Rd (601).
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT → WISH LIST
• The old Trolley ROW trail between JP School and Elm Rd needs to be maintained properly.
• A flat approach into Princeton on Rosedale Rd via some new shortcut through Greenway Meadows.
• Additional access to the D&R Towpath, through discussion with IAS and/or with Sunoco gas pipeline
• Better access to the bottom of Springdale Rd after a dialog with the university re: Clubhouse Rd.
• Official permission to cross the canal on ped/bike bridges belonging to the municipal golf course
• An assessment of whether the level of street illumination is generally adequate for bike commuters p. 16 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601
CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD
CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206
B ROAD GREAT
HERRONTOWN
RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27
PROVINCE LINE RD
206 FACULTY
PRINCETON PIKE
HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD
571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 17 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601
CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD
CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 GREAT ROAD GREAT
HERRONTOWN C RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27
PROVINCE LINE RD
206 FACULTY
PRINCETON PIKE
HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD
571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 18 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan: Overview of Sector “C”
CHERRY VALLEY
PRINCETON AVE
DAVIES POOR ROCKY S A FARM HILL C U L P O T T BLUE CRESTVIEW N L K SECTOR B U L R 206 I A SPRING RD O H P M HERRON- AUTUMN HILL TOWN RESERVE WOODS MONTGOMERY BUNN CHERRY CHARTER WOODS SCHOOL DRIVE HILL
MOUNT EWING LUCAS VAN DYKE H ER TRANSCO RO NT PIPELINE OW N TERHUNE COMMUNITY PARK SHOPPING R
E
CENTER V
VALLEY RD O MOUNTAIN AVE R
G MIDDLE SECTOR D (LITTLEBROOK) E AND HIGH
N FRANKLIN N A SCHOOLS
E
L
E D
D
R
W
R
O MERWICK O A RIDER O
CEME N Y STANWORTH M COLLEGE S A TERY
B
SECTOR A P. ROBESON WIGGINS HAMILTON
R
N
E
O
H
O
T
I
P
W S 27
206 SECTOR D (UNIVERSITY) SECTOR D (RIVERSIDE) HARRISON p. 19 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan: Improvements for Sector “C”
CHERRY VALLEY
PRINCETON AVE
POOR BALCOURT FARM S A C U L T BLUE CRESTVIEW N U O SPRING RD M
BUNN CHERRY DRIVE HILL 206
H EWING ER RO VAN NT OW DYKE N TRANSCO PIPELINE TERHUNE COMMUNITY
SHOPPING R PARK CENTER E
V
VALLEY RD O MOUNTAIN AVE R
G MIDDLE
E AND HIGH
N
N E SCHOOLS FRANKLIN
A
E
R
L
D
O
D
W
O
R
O
M
A
N
Y
S
A
B
P. ROBESON WIGGINS HAMILTON
R
N
E
O
H
O
T
I
P
W S 27
206
HARRISON p. 20 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan summary: Sector “C”
CHARACTERIZATION → VISION STATEMENT
• Sector has many busy arteries, most of the schools, plus significant climbs (Mount Lucas, Cherry Hill).
• Witherspoon St. and part of Snowden - too narrow/busy and/or dark to ever get embraced by bicyclists.
• Cemetery, Avalon Bay, Merwick-Stanworth, CP complex (pool, Twp, police) - numerous path blockages.
• Hamilton/Wiggins - main bikeway artery across town, except savvy motorists use it to bypass Nassau St.
• Valley Road, Moore, Terhune, Grover -- under consideration as initial elements of a defined Bike Network.
• Very long and fast stretch of 206, between Cherry Hill and Cherry Valley, with no safe crossing.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT → WISH LIST
• Assessment of needs/patterns of those whose only option is to bicycle to/from work along 206.
• A “Nassau bypass” bikeway from Gulick Farm to Community Park South via Grover Park, Guyot, etc.
• Is a hilly “back door” access trail connecting River Road (Rocky Hill) to Herrontown Road feasible ?
• Survey bike traffic patterns and attitudes for residential areas between Cherry Hill Rd and 206
p. 21 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 p. 22 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Summary: Distilling a Wish List from the Bike Plan
• we want the Circulation Element to incorporate our input and key goals.
• the table below is not quite finalized, but shows the general format
p. 23 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Extra Slides
p. 24 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Alignment with the Charles “Bike Circulation Plan” Report (2002)
p. 25 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Princeton Future (Feb ‘03)
p. 26 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan: Overview of Sector “B”
MONTGOMERY TWP
601 TRANSCO PIPELINE CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD RIDGEVIEW PROVINCE SACRED LINE RD DRAKES CORNER RD HEART CHERRY STUART HILL RD HOPEWELL WOODFIELD TWP RESERVATION STUART SCHOOL SECTOR C PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL JOHN WITHERSPOON WOODS 206 COVENTRY FARM (FARMVIEW PRETTY BROOK RD FIELDS) MOUNTAIN LAKES LAWRENCE- HOPEWELL COMMUNITY TRAIL PARK STONY BROOK GREAT COMMUNITY SOUTH ROAD PARK NORTH
MOUNTAIN TRANSCO PIPELINE ETTL BIRCH FARM JOHNSON PARK SCHOOL 206 604 ROSEDALE RD LAWRENCE TWP SECTOR A p. 27 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan summary: Sector “B”
CHARACTERIZATION → VISION STATEMENT
• This sector is defined by the ridge, and by its large gems - Mountain Lakes and Woodfield Reservation.
• Great Road is nowadays a speedy descent from the ridge by experienced cyclists. Cherry Hill less so.
• The Transco Gas pipeline is prominent as it cuts entirely through this sector and branches to the north.
• Linkage to the Lawerence-Hopewell Trail (LHT) may happen near the old bridge on Province Line Rd.
• Despite the existing side paths along arterials, the typical cyclist would consider these roads too steep.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT → WISH LIST
• To prevent catastrophic crashes on descents, pothole reporting mechanism should be widely known.
• The section of Province Line Rd between Stuart Rd West and Drakes Corner Rd should become a trail.
• Mountain Road is a safe spot to cross 206 and enter Community Park (via fence gate). Needs signage.
• Neither Great Road nor Cherry Hill Road is a particularly enjoyable climb or descent, except by experienced cyclists, due to the grade as well as the volume of traffic. Starting from Community Park South, it would ideally be possible to climb via a more “indirect” scenic route through the Mountain Lake Preserve, PDS, Pretty Brook Rd, Province Line Rd, to the boundary of Hopewell (Drakes Corner Rd). p. 28 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601
CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD
CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 GREAT ROAD GREAT
HERRONTOWN
RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27
PROVINCE LINE RD D
206 FACULTY
PRINCETON PIKE
HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD
571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 29 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan: Overview of Sector “D”
HERRONTOWN
WELLER MONTGOMERY TRACT TWP SECTOR C VAN DYKE RIVER RD
LITTLE BERTRAND 206 BROOK WITHERSPOON SCHOOL
RIDER
WIGGINS HAMILTON UNIVERSITY SNOWDEN SHADY PUBLIC BROOK, LIBRARY ROLLINGMEAD DODDS QUARRY PARK MOORE GULICK
PALMER HARRIET FARM ROPER SQUARE NASSAU POE 27 JEWISH CENTER
206 KINGSTON
U N I V E R S I T Y RIVERSIDE OLDEN HARRISON
RIVERSIDE SCHOOL MERCER Freedom PROSPECT Trail WASHINGTON BUTLER FACULTY APARTMENTS
SECTOR A HARTLEY 571 ALEXANDER RD L A K E C A R N E G I E
WEST WINDSOR TWP p. 30 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan summary: Sector “D”
CHARACTERIZATION → VISION STATEMENT
• Sector is dominated by constant traffic on Route 27, by lake crossings, and by the university properties.
• Desire for a recreational loop around Lake Carnegie via Kingston Locks, Mapleton (Plainsboro) etc.
• Nassau-Kingston is bike-friendly (wide shoulders) until it narrows at the corner of Riverside/Snowdon.
• Prospect will be an obvious element of any Bike Network, with safe crossing of 27 at Roper and/or Poe.
• Weller Tract paths, Herrontown and River Rd are popular; bike paths in Gulick Farm are not yet known.
• Corner of Harrison/Nassau is a choke area; bike commuters use Cedar Lane and Harriet to avoid this.
• The Freedom Trail (South Brunswick), a rail-trail conversion, may someday have a US1 overpass.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT → WISH LIST
• Consider Western Way and Streiker Bridge as basis for a cross-campus “Riverside to to Dinky” route.
• Intense AM car traffic on River Rd at 27. Consider a diagonal downhill shortcut through Gulick Farm.
• Cooperation/coordination with the university, e.g. Merwick-Stanworth, wayfinding, needs to improve. p. 31 • PJPBAC Sept 2012