5. Transportation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
5. Transportation Chapter Highlights Edina’s Transportation Planning This chapter of the Edina Comprehensive Plan Mission: discusses the transportation network; its existing and planned future design, function, The mission for transportation planning in Edina is to and operational characteristics. Current and provide access and facilitate the movement of people and future conditions are considered against three goods efficiently, safely, cost effectively, and comfortably to aspects of movement: 1) to and from, 2) any desired destination while, at the same time, seeking to within, and 3) through the City. As presented improve community livability and the environment and in this chapter, movement is broadly discussed minimize associated negative impacts. to take into account: Transportation planning is not an end in and of itself. • The municipal transportation system Instead, transportation planning is performed to comprising local streets, pedestrian ways, proactively identify the most suitable travel modes and bicycle facilities, and City-operated pathways to help achieve a desirable and livable community transit services; and accommodate safe and convenient travel to, within, and through the community’s nodes, parks, and City • The regional transportation system of State of Minnesota and Hennepin County facilities. Toward this end, this chapter considers the roles highways of a range of transportation infrastructure (roadways, transitways, walkways, bikeways, railways and flyways), to • Transit services that are provided by the support a variety of vehicles, each operating successfully Metropolitan Council/Metro Transit, and in a manner that minimizes conflicts with each other Southwest Metro Transit; and the City of and surrounding land uses. Edina through a contractual arrangement with DARTS. Edina is a near fully developed community, and the existing • Non-motorized transportation modes roadway network is essentially complete. Today’s primary supported by the City and Three Rivers transportation planning focus is not on building new roads Park District. or new alignments but on: 1. Renewing, managing, and improving the existing The chapter defines the existing system, transportation system (network); identifying the locational and physical 2. Ensuring that the transportation system can characteristics of system components and accommodate travel demand imposed by new assesses them against factors such as: developments; 3. Improving the City’s non-motorized transportation • capacity, system to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle movement • safety, and increase active transportation; • efficiency, 4. Supporting and encouraging transit use; • environmental and social impacts, and 5. Increasing safety; • overall contribution to: a) the ability to 6. Implementing the City’s Living Streets Plan (2015) to conveniently move around and b) the ensure that the transportation needs of all users will physical design of the City. be considered and all modes will be appropriately accommodated; and 7. Ensuring that the City will manage the existing and future transportation systems in an efficient and responsible manner to achieve livability, sustainability, and a high level of environmental quality. 5-1 Edina Comprehensive Plan 5. Transportation Chapter – Approved 08-18-20 Fourteen goals developed for this chapter, which follow, focus on developing a multi-modal transportation system that is conveniently accessible to all users. The goals recognize and seek to reverse the advantage that automobile travel has had over transit and non-motorized modes; thus enabling residents and visitors to travel without increasing greenhouse gas emissions, personal costs, and costs to society. 1. Improve mobility for residents, visitors and businesses with a balanced system of transportation alternatives for transit users, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. 2. Implement a fully multi-modal transportation system that supports the land use vision and future land use plan for managing and shaping future growth. 3. Minimize the impacts of the transportation system on Edina’s environment and neighborhood quality of life and emphasize methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 4. Reduce the overall dependence on and use of single-occupant vehicles by promoting land use patterns that allow for shorter vehicular trips and the use of alternative travel options. 5. Promote a travel demand management (TDM) program through a coordinated program of regulations, marketing, and provision of alternative workplace and travel options. 6. Encourage and support attractive and reliable high-performance transit service and connections. 7. Develop and manage parking provision to encourage joint and shared use of facilities, ride-sharing (car pools and van pools), and bicycle parking. 8. Invest in infrastructure to support the continued growth in low- to zero-emission technology and support regional and statewide efforts to educate and adopt electric vehicles. 9. Provide for efficient movement of goods within Edina, while minimizing the impacts of freight traffic on other trips and reducing negative impacts on land uses on freight corridors. 10. Engage, seek input from and educate all segments of the community regarding transportation- related issues and projects impacting the City. 11. Identify new and continuing sources for transportation infrastructure funding by seeking to partner where feasible with federal, state, county and adjacent community sources. 12. Design roadway facilities according to their intended service function and neighborhood context. 13. Provide and maintain adequate access to and from, and safety on, local and regional roadways. adjacent community redevelopment and other activity that potentially impacts the City of Edina. 14. Manage, maintain and operate roadways to maximize wherever possible the safety and mobility of all users and all modes. These goals are consistent with and support the City’s Living Streets Plan (2015), a policy plan that is divided into three elements: Vision, Principles and Implementation. The policy plan includes a description of core services provided by the City of Edina that are related to or implemented in part through Living Streets. (https://www.edinamn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1199/Living-Streets-Plan-PDF?bidId=) Excerpts from the policy plan are provided below. Living Streets Policy Living Streets balance the needs of motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders in ways that promote safety and convenience, enhance community identity, create economic vitality, improve environmental sustainability, and provide meaningful opportunities for active living and better health. The Living Streets Policy defines Edina’s vision for Living Streets, the principles Living Streets will embody, and the plan that will guide implementation of their construction. 5-2 Edina Comprehensive Plan 5. Transportation Chapter – Approved 08-18-20 Living Streets Vision Edina is a place where ... Transportation utilizing all modes is equally safe and accessible; Residents and families regularly choose to walk or bike; Streets enhance neighborhood character and community identity; Streets are safe, inviting places that encourage human interaction and physical activity; Public policy strives to promote sustainability through balanced infrastructure investments; Environmental stewardship and reduced energy consumption are pursued in public and private sectors alike; and Streets support vibrant commerce and add to the value of adjacent land uses. Living Streets Principles Fifteen principles guide implementation of the Living Streets Policy in the areas of all users and all modes, connectivity, context sensitivity and sustainability. The City will incorporate these principles when planning for and designing the local transportation network and when making public and private land use decisions. All Users and All Modes Principles: • Principle 1: Living Streets are high-quality transportation facilities that meet the needs of the most vulnerable users such as pedestrians, cyclists, children, seniors and the disabled. • Principle 2: Living Streets provide access and mobility for all transportation modes while enhancing safety and convenience for all users. Connectivity Principles: • Principle 3: The City designs, operates and maintains a transportation system that provides a highly connected network of streets that accommodate all modes of travel. • Principle 4: The City seeks opportunities to overcome barriers to active transportation by preserving and repurposing existing rights-of-way and adding new rights-of-way to enhance connectivity for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit. • Principle 5: The City prioritizes improvements to non-motorized connections to key destinations such as public facilities, public transit, the regional transportation network and commercial areas. • Principle 6: The City will require new developments to provide interconnected street and sidewalk networks that connect to existing or planned streets or sidewalks on the perimeter of the development. • Principle 7: Projects will include consideration of the logical termini by mode. For example, the logical termini for a bike lane or sidewalk may extend beyond the traditional limits of a street construction or reconstruction project, in order to ensure multimodal connectivity and continuity. Context Sensitivity Principles: • Principle 8: Living Streets are developed with input from stakeholders and designed to consider neighborhood character and promote a strong