City of Oconomowoc Bicycle & Pedestrian Trail Plan December 2006

CityCity ofof OconomowocOconomowoc BicycleBicycle && PedestrianPedestrian TrailTrail PlanPlan DecemberDecember 20062006 Schreiber/Anderson Associates, Inc. Project 2050 OCONOMOWOC BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAIL PLAN Table of Contents 1. Introdu tion 2 Need for Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Plan Development Plan Goals Plan Objectives 2. Existing Conditions 6 Regional Local Facility Types Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) Analysis Users and User Needs 3. Proa tive Bi y le and Pedestrian Planning 21 Developer Agreements and Trail Installation Pre-Development Buffers and Access along Rivers and Streams Road Upgrades (County and State Highways) Local Road Grid or Road Options Impact of Highway 1,-,. Bypass on Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Sidewal/s Bi/e Par/ing 4. O onomowo Bi y le and Pedestrian ,a ility Re omm endations 23 0 ap Definitions General Guidelines for Recommendations Regional Bicycle Facilities Local Bicycle Facilities Recommended Pedestrian Facility Improvements Signage Trailheads and Amenities 5. Im .lementation 45 Priorities and Phasing General Cost Estimates Funding 6. Edu ation, Enfor ement and En ouragement 50 1ducation 1nforcement 1ncouragement Maps A. Oconomowoc Pedestrian and Bi/e M ap B. Downtown Oconomowoc Pedestrian and Bi/e M ap C. Regional Bi/e M ap City of Oconomowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan December 2006 1 1. INTROD1CTION Oconomowoc is a city of 13 000 people situated between Lac La Belle and Fowler Lake in the northwest portion of W aukesha County. Oconomowoc wishes to become a more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly community with greater opportunities for residents to travel both within the City and outside of the City to regional destinations without motorized transportation which is why they created this Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan. There are four ,4. regional trails in the Oconomowoc area that need to be connected to the downtown and Oconomowoc/s neighborhoods. The Lake Country Trail and the Bug Line Trail ,W aukesha County trails. the 0lacial Drumlin State 2ecreation Trail ,managed by the W isconsin Department of Natural 2esources. and the Ice Age Trail ,managed by various agencies and municipalities. are tremendous resources for fitness recreation commuting and economic development and it is essential that these trails are linked to Oconomowoc so residents can take full advantage of these resources. Building on recommendations made in the 2003 Oconomowoc Downtown 2evitalization Plan and Market Analysis and on the work already completed by others in providing regional recreation trails this Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan is a master plan to connect the trails and the City parks to neighborhoods and community destinations. This Plan addresses and makes recommendations for the following6 • Establishing on-street and off-street bicycle and pedestrian connections between community destinations including downtown Oconomowoc neighborhoods parks schools the 8MCA the Interurban Trail the proposed Oconomowoc-W atertown Trail and the proposed trail at 2osenow Creek. • Identifying bicycle connections to the Lake Country Bugline Ice Age and 0lacial Drumlin Trails. • Providing crosswalk improvements including colored and te9tured pavements and pedestrian warning lights and signage. • Trailhead locations including wayfinding and interpretive signage at City Beach Fowler Park 2oosevelt Park the proposed Oconomowoc/W atertown Trail and the Historic Depot Square. The outcome of this Plan will be a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly Oconomowoc and a city that offers its residents and visitors the opportunity to travel safely and conveniently both within the City and outside of the City to regional trail destinations without having to rely on motorized transportation. City of Oconomowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan December 2006 2 Need for Bi y le and Pedestrian Planning As the population of W aukesha County and the City of Oconomowoc continues to grow automobile traffic generated by this growth makes pedestrian and bicycle travel more challenging. Therefore thoughtful and proactive bicycle and pedestrian planning is critical to ensure that developments and the roadways that serve them are as bicycle and pedestrian friendly as possible. W hile e9isting development can be retrofitted to more safely and conveniently accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians it is far easier and more cost effective to plan for and incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities as development occurs. The primary reason that communities plan for bicycle and pedestrian facilities is to provide a high quality of life for their residents. The benefits of bicycling include6 enjoyable e9ercise economical transportation ability to choose an alternative transportation mode independence or mobility for children or those who do not drive and contact with neighbors and the physical environment. Current levels of interest indicate a huge potential for increasing bicycling and walking nationwide and with improved conditions and infrastructure the safety and convenience of these activities will also increase. 3 hy is this Plan Important4 Prior to the 1900s bicycling and walking were common modes of transportation in the United States. Transportation infrastructure and land use patterns reflected the need to accommodate these travel modes and compact communities allowed people to walk to most destinations. Interestingly early American urban roads were originally paved for bicyclists. As the pace of the American lifestyle quickened and automobiles were made affordable to a larger portion of the population bicycling and walking gradually dropped in priority as modes of transportation. Since the late 1940s motor vehicles have been the dominant influence on transportation and land use patterns. The convenience and fle9ibility of the automobile are easily recognized; however the automobile is not the most efficient mode of travel for some types of trips. The benefits of alternative modes of travel such as bicycling are particularly significant for short urban trips. The arguments for encouraging bicycle travel are both functional and philosophical6 • Bicycling is one of the most cost efficient modes of transportation with regard to operation development and maintenance of facilities. • Bicycling is one of the best forms of physical e9ercise and therefore can effectively enhance the health of users. • Bicycle facilities developed for transportation purposes can simultaneously enhance recreation and tourism opportunities. • Bicycling does not contribute to noise or air pollution and thus contributes to the health of the community. Also facilities developed for bicycling can protect and enhance natural resources. • Bicycling promotes social interaction within families and the larger community. City of Oconomowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan December 2006 3 National state and local units of government increasingly acknowledge the benefits of bicycling beyond a mere recreational value. 2ecognizing the efficiency of bicycling for certain types of trips versus other modes of travel is the basis for multi-modal transportation planning. The premise of multi-modalism is simple6 to create a transportation system that offers not only choices among travel modes for specific trips but more importantly presents these options so that they are viable choices that meet the needs of individuals and society as a whole. Table 12 Trans.ortation Mode for NPTS Identified Tri. Pur.oses 3 1445 Per ent of Tri.s by Trans.ortation Mode Tri. Pur.ose Bi y ling Wal5ing Personal Publi Automobile Trans.ortation W ork 9 9 21 3A 1chool/Church 9 15 A 13 1hopping/Personal 22 42 4C 20 1ocial/2ecreational 60 34 24 30 1ource: NPT1 1995 A 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey ,NPTS) demonstrated that bicycling and walking are more commonly used for social or recreational trips than are other transportation modes. Safety distance and traffic conditions are reasons often cited for infrequent use of multi- modal travel modes. A 1990 Harris Poll suggests that twice as many people would walk or bicycle as a primary means of transportation if better facilities were available. In today/s fast-paced society time and distance are perhaps the greatest impediments to non-motorized travel yet nearly 40 percent of trips made in the U.S. are less than two ,2. miles. These short trips are very easily accomplished by average bicyclists and when compared to driving require little if any additional time. The City of Oconomowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan addresses community-wide bicycle needs such as community bike routes increased safety on City streets for bicycles and connectivity to regional trails which collectively will help promote both work and recreational trips. Plan Develo.ment The City of Oconomowoc retained the consulting services of Schreiber/Anderson Associates to assist in the creation of this Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan. The consultants worked closely with the City of Oconomowoc staff the Parks and 2ecreation Board and the public to create this Plan. Plan Goals 1. Increase safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. 2. Promote a sense of community and togetherness by providing linkage to all neighborhoods parks and regional bikeway facilities. 3. 2educe congestion and pollution by providing an alternative means of transportation to the automobile. 4. Support regional tourism by providing connections from Oconomowoc to regional trails. City of Oconomowoc Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan December 2006 4 5. Foster a sense of independence in children

Load more