ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS City Of RiChmOnd Jakob Helmboldt Travis Bridewell Thomas Flynn SpeCial thankS tO Max Hepp-Buchanan, Sports Backers COnSultant team Melissa Miklus, ASLA Charlie Denney Fionnuala Quinn Jay Decker Nick Falbo Katie Perumbeti Scudder Wagg Jacob Thornton Richmond Bicycle Master Plan 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS introduCtiOn Overview 1-1 appendix a - deSign guidelineS PurposeandBackground 1-1 Overview A-1 Vision 1-4 DesignNeedsofBicyclists A-2 Goals 1-4 BicycleFacilitySelection A-3 ThePlanningProcessandPublicInvolvement 1-7 SharedRoadways A-5 BenefitsOfABicycleFriendlyCommunity 1-8 SeparatedBikeways A-7 CycleTracks A-9 exiSting COnditiOnS SeparatedBikewaysatIntersections A-12 Overview 2-1 BikewaySigning A-17 ExistingBikeways 2-1 RetrofittingStreetstoAddBikeways A-19 ExistingPlanReview 2-3 SharedUsePaths A-22 BicycleDemandAnalysis 2-5 BikewaySupportandMaintenance A-27 PublicComments 2-16 StandardsCompliance A-29 ProgramsandPolicies 2-18 appendix B - BiCyCle demand netwORk ReCOmmendatiOnS Overview B-1 Overview 3-1 BicycleSuitabilityIndexMethodology B-1 Methodology 3-1 TheWHO:TypesofBicyclists 3-2 appendix C - funding ReSOuRCeS TheWHERE:DemandandSupply 3-3 Overview C-1 TheWHICH:FacilityType 3-3 FederalFundingSources C-1 ImplementationConsiderationsofSelectingFacilityTypes 3-7 StateFundingSources C-3 SignificantBarriersandConflictPoints 3-8 LocalGovernmentFundingSources C-3 NetworkRefinement 3-8 PrivateandNon-ProfitFundingSources C-4 ProjectPrioritizationProcess 3-10 PlanningLevelCostEstimates 3-14 appendix d - puBliC OutReaCh DemonstrationProjects 3-19 Overview D-1 PublicInputPlan D-2 implementatiOn StRategieS ProjectResources D-3 Overview 4-1 PublicCommentFormResponses D-6 KeyActionSteps 4-1 PerformanceMeasures 4-5 KeyPartnersinImplementation 4-5 Communication,Collaboration,andImplementation 4-7 GeneralActionStepsandActionStepsbyGoal 4-8 Richmond Bicycle Master Plan 2014 Introduction OVERVIEW CHAPTER CONTENTS The City of Richmond Bicycle Master Plan will guide the city and other local partners in improving the existing bicycle infrastructure, constructing new facilities for bicyclists Overview in the city,1 and fostering a “bicycling culture” through the development of related programs and policies. This Plan strives to diversify mobility (including transportation and recreation) for residents and visitors by enhancing the network of bicycle infrastructure and improving safety to create an environment suitable for a wide variety of users. PurPOse and BackgrOund Final recommendations are built on recent strides made in implementing bicycling infrastructure as well as the considerable momentum gathering for the world road cycling championships to be held in Richmond in 2015. visiOn The Bicycle Master Plan combines adopted local and regional planning efforts with new research, analysis, and public engagement. The result is an up-to-date framework gOals for moving forward with tangible bicycle-related improvements. Beyond physical improvements, the Plan also recommends further exploration of policies and programs to encourage people to increase bicycle trip frequency, interact safely in a multi-modal environment, and grow as a community with the needs of bicyclists in the forefront of The Planning PrOcess and PuBlic planning and design initiatives. invOlvemenT As a League of American Bicyclists certified community, Richmond possesses a firm foundation of efforts to increase bicycle mode share and provide a safe, comfortable BenefiTs Of a Bicycle friendly environment for bicyclists of all ages and abilities. Advancing engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation and planning will be key components of planning for the future of the Richmond community. This Plan focuses mainly on the engineering component, with the purpose of refining the network to create a cOmmuniTy hierarchy of routes and illustrating demonstration projects that will have a high impact on improving the environment. This engineering approach will thereby contribute to encouraging bicycle use by improving the design of existing roadways and facilities. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND a fOcus On imPlemenTaTiOn A key focus for this project is to identify specific and readily implementable projects that will reap measurable benefits to users of the city streets and visible improvements to the livability of the city. Therefore, the Richmond Bicycle Master Plan has been developed with the twin objectives of: • Providing the blueprint for a comprehensive system in the city that makes bicycling for all purposes and by all users accessible, safe, and desirable; and • Providing a strong, strategic funding plan for bicycle facility expansion, improvement, and implementation citywide. The Bicycle Master Plan will include: • A vision, goals, and benchmarks • A comprehensive system of connectivity and route selection criteria • A classification system and standards for Public Works which conform to AASHTO and NACTO standards that clarifies the nature of recommended improvements • Connections to other transportation modes • Project prioritization criteria with facility type, action needed, and time frame identified • A map representing the future vision of bike facilities for Richmond Introduction | 1-1 Figure 1-1: Existing Bicycling Conditions in Richmond Downtown Richmond 0 0.25 0.5 Miles 1-2 | Introduction Richmond Bicycle Master Plan 2014 Implementation of the bikeway network consists of discreet steps completed sequentially, from ranking State of Cycling Report @ Virginia Commonwealth and phasing of each project to application of design standards, development of capital and maintenance University (2010): As part of Virginia Commonwealth costs, funding, and a capital improvement plan. Creation of an implementable bicycling network includes University’s efforts to create a sustainable campus coordination with city staff from Planning and Community Development, Public Works, and Parks environment, this report was prepared looking at and Recreation to formulate an implementation strategy that includes details on cost, responsible bicycling as a key element of transportation planning. department, scheduling, and appropriate funding. While the university drafted its first Climate Action Plan, the administration had already begun to move PasT and currenT Plans toward a more sustainable campus and increase the The Bicycle Master Plan connects with past and current planning efforts conducted at the city, regional, mode share of bicycling through a variety of initiatives, and Commonwealth levels including the following studies and reports. including adding more bicycle racks on campus. The Report described the current state of cycling on Richmond Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (2004): campus and provided recommendations for policies, This study provided a detailed plan for enhancing programs, and infrastructure improvements to increase bicycle and pedestrian options in the Richmond region, the bicycling rates. including the city. The completed plan was accepted by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as a City of Richmond Master Plan (2000-2010): The Master Plan is a key study, leaving it up to area localities to adopt the plan or policy document determining the pattern of new development and to incorporate its elements into their comprehensive redevelopment, including where road improvements should occur. The plans. Elements of the plan have been incorporated into Master Plan sets policy and direction for public and private investment the Bicycle and Pedestrian element of the MPO 2031 in the city. All jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Virginia are Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). required to prepare and adopt such a plan and update it regularly. In addition to the Master Plan, the city has adopted a Downtown Plan as Mayor’s Pedestrian, Bicycling and Trails Planning Commission Report (2010): This well as numerous detailed neighborhood plans. report was generated based on the work of the Pedestrian and Bicycling Commission, appointed by Mayor Dwight C. Jones in 2010, to give his State Bicycling Policy Plan (2011): The Virginia Department of administration advice on ways to incorporate walking and bicycling as viable Transportation (VDOT) developed the State Bicycle Policy methods of transportation in the city of Richmond and to support pedestrian Plan to ensure that bicyclists are considered as an integral and bicycle travel by becoming a community where walking and bicycling are component of Virginia’s multimodal transportation system, integral parts of the city’s transportation system. The Bicycle, Pedestrian and and to provide bicycle policy recommendations guiding the Trails Coordinator position, established in 2011, was a key recommendation planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance that grew out of the Commission report produced in 2010. of bicycle accommodations. The plan identifies strategies and opportunities for improving bicycling and integrating Richmond Strategic Multimodal Transportation Plan bicycling into the transportation network and increasing the (Richmond Connects, 2013): This Plan, known as rate of bicycling throughout Virginia. The Plan contains four Richmond Connects, focused on projects and programs main recommendations: that would help to transform Richmond’s transportation • Clarifying bicycle accommodation policies network to provide residents with alternatives to single • Providing staff with resources to integrate the occupancy vehicle travel. Recommendations included in requirements of bicyclists