Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
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JUNE 2020 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN City of Portsmouth, Virginia M TS OU R T O H P B I C N Y A C L L P E N & IA PEDESTR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The City of Portsmouth and project staff would like to thank the region’s citizens, elected officials, and professional staff who supported this effort. In particular, we are indebted to the Project Committee for their commitment and expertise, as well as to the people who provided their time and vision for a walking and bicycling-friendly city. PROJECT COMMITTEE Carl Jackson, AICP, Manager of Transportation Planning, Planning Department, City of Portsmouth Bob Baldwin, AICP, Deputy City Manager, Director - Planning Department, City of Portsmouth James E. Wright, P.E., CSM, Director of Engineering, City of Portsmouth Jeff Harper, Senior Civil Engineer, Engineering & Technical Services Department, City of Portsmouth Lauren James, MD, District Health Director, Virginia Department of Health George Wojcik, Acting Director, Public Works Department, City of Portsmouth Mark Palmarchuck, Director, Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism, City of Portsmouth PLANNING DEPARTMENT PLANNING COMMISSION CITY COUNCIL Bob Baldwin, AICP Albert Williams, Chairman John L. Rowe, Jr., Mayor Regina Jackson Amy Thompson, Vice Chairman Lisa Lucas-Burke, Vice Mayor Brian Swets, AICP Peter Youngblood William E. Moody, Jr. Carl Jackson, AICP Occasio Gee Elizabeth M. Psimas Jeffrey Crimer, AICP Sherri Thaxton Nathan J. Clark Samson Okafor Edwina Ricks Paul J. Battle Stacy Porter Donna Coleman Shannon E. Glover Julie Chop Meg Pittenger Kelton Millhouse, CZA, CTM Kelly De Jesus, CZO SPECIAL THANKS TO THE Fred Brusso, Former Portsmouth Neighborhood Director PORTSMOUTH BICYCLE Bruce LaLonde, Portsmouth City Treasurer’s Office, Safety Town AND PEDESTRIAN CITIZEN’S Marjorie Mayfield-Jackson, Elizabeth River Project ADVISORY COMMITTEE Tom Miano, Former Owner SCAT Bike Shop Jonathan Nye, Ecocycling Amy Paulson, Eastern Virginia Medical School/Healthy Portsmouth Susan Wilson, VDOT, Former Portsmouth Planning Yolima Carr, Elizabeth River Project Prepared for: Prepared by: M TS OU R T O H P B PORTSMOUTH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN | JUNE 2020 I C N Y A C L L P E N & IA PEDESTR TABLE OF CONTENTS Design Guidance �������������������������������������������������64 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Barrier Assessment �������������������������������������������66 INTRODUCTION Crossing Inventory ���������������������������������������������68 Project Background �������������������������������������������15 Crossing Improvements �����������������������������������70 Project Overview �����������������������������������������������16 Prioritization �������������������������������������������������������� 74 The Value Of Walkable And Bikeable Implementation ���������������������������������������������������78 Communities ��������������������������������������������������������21 BIKE NETWORK EXISTING CONDITIONS Designing Bikeways For All Users ���������������81 Introduction ����������������������������������������������������������27 Existing Bikeway Network ������������������������������82 Past Accomplishments + Current Efforts �28 Recommended Bikeway Network ���������������85 Multimodal Corridors ���������������������������������������30 Bikeway Network Cost Estimate �����������������89 Demand Analysis ������������������������������������������������32 Intersection Design Guidance �����������������������90 Equity Analysis ����������������������������������������������������34 Prioritization ��������������������������������������������������������92 Safety Analysis (2016-2019) ��������������������������36 SHARED MOBILITY Opportunities + Constraints ��������������������������38 Introduction ����������������������������������������������������������95 Public input �����������������������������������������������������������40 What are Bike & Scooter Share Systems ���96 PROGRAMS + POLICIES Potential Benefits Of Shared Mobility �������97 Introduction ����������������������������������������������������������47 Policy Recommendations ��������������������������������98 Existing Efforts ����������������������������������������������������48 Shared Mobility Assessment ����������������������100 Partnerships ���������������������������������������������������������49 IMPLEMENTATION Recommendations ���������������������������������������������50 Introduction ������������������������������������������������������� 107 Complete Streets ������������������������������������������������52 Roles for Implementation����������������������������� 108 Maintenance ���������������������������������������������������������56 Performance Measures �������������������������������� 109 SIDEWALK NETWORK Potential Funding Sources ��������������������������� 110 Sidewalk Network Approach �������������������������59 Project Implementation ������������������������������� 112 Existing Sidewalk Network�����������������������������60 Priority Project Cutsheets ��������������������������� 113 Recommended Sidewalk Network ��������������63 3 Executive Summary M TS OU R T O H P B PORTSMOUTH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN | JUNE 2020 I C N Y A C L L P E N & IA PEDESTR THE PLAN’S VISION “The City of Portsmouth Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan builds upon efforts from the City to create an active community, where bicycling and walking are safe, healthy, and fun for all ages and abilities.” WHAT DOES THIS PLAN RECOMMEND? This bicycle and pedestrian transportation plan features policy, program, and infrastructure recommendations that, if adopted, funded, and implemented, will create the bike- and walk-friendly community that residents have long supported. This plan documents the past and current active transportation planning processes in Portsmouth, and highlights some of the current conditions impacting active transportation today (see Chapter 2). PROJECT TIMELINE Public Outreach Steering Committee, Stakeholders, and General Public Begin 1 2 3 4 Implementation! Project Draft Plan Final Plan Final Plan Kick-off & Development & Development Adoption Summer 2020 Existing Review & Public Review Conditions Summer 2019 Fall/Winter Spring 2020 Summer 2020 2019 5 M TS OU R T O H P B PORTSMOUTH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN | JUNE 2020 I C N Y A C L L P E N & IA PEDESTR PUBLIC INPUT RESPONSE HIGHLIGHTS 64% said 57% said WALKING IN PORTSMOUTH today is BIKING IN PORTSMOUTH today is Fair Fair 70% said 65% said IMPROVING WALKING CONDITIONS is IMPROVING BIKING CONDITIONS is Very Important Very Important 81% said they WOULD WALK MORE IF 81% said they WOULD BIKE MORE IF there were there were More Sidewalks More Bikeways OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITIONS Demand Analysis The downtown core, Frederick Boulevard, and portions of High Street and Portsmouth Boulevard have been identified as areas with a particularly high demand for expected bicycle and pedestrian activity. Equity Analysis The analysis scored the study area to locate higher concentrations of traditionally vulnerable populations, such as minority groups, low-income individuals, children, older adults, and people with limited English proficiency. Results of the analysis (see map at right) were used to develop recommendations. Safety Analysis The majority of pedestrian and bicycle crashes occurred in the areas that fell in the highest equity tier (49% of pedestrian crashes, including 2 See Chapter 2 for detailed maps and findings fatalities). Barriers within the study area include Elizabeth River and large highways like I-264 and VA-164. 6 M TS OU R T O H P B PORTSMOUTH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN | JUNE 2020 I C N Y A C L L P E N & IA PEDESTR BASIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS Committee Connecting Mapping Existing Plans & Public Input Destinations Analysis & Facilities Online and In- Downtown, parks, High Demand Areas Portsmouth Rail to Trail person Public Input, transit, schools, Build One Portsmouth Committee Map neighborhoods, Equity Mark-ups commercial areas, Safety Analysis Master Transportation + and surrounding + + Online Public Survey Plan communities PERFORMANCE MEASURES INCREASE ENHANCE SAFETY CONNECTIVITY INCREASE MOBILITY TOP 5 PRIORITY PROJECTS Project Extents Description Churchland Bridge to Long-term: Shared Use Path High Street Academy Avenue Short-term: Sidewalk + Pedestrian Improvements Victory Boulevard/ Paradise Creek Park to Long-term: Shared Use Path Jordan Bridge Jordan Bridge Short-term: Sidewalk + Pedestrian Improvements Greenwood Drive to George Long-term: Shared Use Path Victory Boulevard Washington Highway Short-term: Sidewalk + Pedestrian Improvements Alexander’s Corner to Long-term: Shared Use Path Portsmouth Boulevard Portsmouth Sportsplex Short-term: Sidewalk + Pedestrian Improvements Port Centre Parkway to Lincoln Street Neighborhood Greenway + Sidewalks Des Moines Avenue 7 M TS OU R T O H P B PORTSMOUTH BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN | JUNE 2020 I C N Y A C L L P E N & IA PEDESTR RECOMMENDED SIDEWALK NETWORK Tier 1: Multimodal Corridors Tier 2: Transit 38 Miles 116 Miles Missing Sidewalk along Missing Sidewalk within Designated Multimodal 0.25 miles of a bus stop Corridors Miles Miles 0 0.5 1 2 ¯ 0 0.5 1 2 ¯ Tier 3: Recreation and Education Tier 4: Regional Connections 35 Miles 22 Miles Missing Sidewalk within Missing Sidewalk 0.25 miles of a park or within .25 miles of a school regional trail Miles Miles 0 0.5 1 2 ¯ 0 0.5 1 2 ¯ * See pages 68-69 for more detail on proposed pedestrian crossing improvements. 8 RECOMMENDED 38 (Tier 1) SIDEWALK + 116 (Tier 2) NETWORK + 35 (Tier 3) Tier 1: Multimodal Corridors S D A + O Tier 2: Transit R 22 (Tier