Jefferson County, Colorado Regional Bikeways Wayfinding Guide
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TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES A Wayfinding Issues and Opportunities ......................................... 2 B Best Practices and Case Studies ............................................... 17 C Regional Destinations ................................................................. 45 2 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE Appendix A Wayfinding Issues and Opportunities OVERVIEW An audit of existing wayfinding facilities was completed by both driving and bicycling along Jefferson County's network of on- and off-street network of bicycle facilities. These field tours focused on larger regional networks (C-470, Clear Creek Trail, etc.) and infrastructure within the communities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge. The routes traveled represent trail and on-street facilities typical of Jefferson County and local communities. These routes are also likely to be selected as wayfinding corridors. The purpose of this audit was to document existing wayfinding infrastructure and identify opportunities. The following sections summarize the field tours through photos and observations concerning the form and function of: • Existing bicycle wayfinding • Existing community wayfinding • Regional wayfinding APPENDIX A: WAYFINDING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ,t 3 EXISTING BICYCLE WAYFINDING EXISTING BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE OBSERVATIONS Jefferson County has a network of designated on- and off-street bicycle facilities that are used for both recreation and daily travel. Existing wayfinding largely provides guidance along a single route, not to destinations or other facilities. Existing bicycle wayfinding elements primarily include: • Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) regulatory, warning, and guide signs • Customized wayfinding signage • Multi-use trail wayfinding signage • Pavement markings Inconsistent sign placement and messaging requires existing knowledge of the bicycle network to successfully navigate to destinations and other bike facilities. Sign clutter also presents navigational challenges as bicyclists may become overwhelmed while trying to interpret information while in motion. 2.1.1 MUTCD Regulatory, Warning and Guide Signs The majority of bicycle wayfinding throughout Jefferson County is standardized MUTCD signage. This uniformity provides continuity throughout the county and across jurisdictional boundaries but does not provide information prompting bicyclists of their geographic location and is often inconsistently placed along routes. Standard MUTCD regulatory signs and plaques for bicycle IAHEADJJ_ facilities appear throughout R;;l-17.,P DO IPASS Jefferson County. NOT WITH EINDS j PASS CARE R1-1 ft1i-2 A3-17 A3-17bP I R4-1 R4-2 BEGIN RIGHT TUR,N LANE &0 SLOWER I KEEP TRAFFIC IMAY USE RIGHl KEEP EXCEPT RIGHT YIIELD TO BIIKES FULL LANE TO PASS I 4 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE Bike lone signs in VVheol Ridge (left) aod Weslmiosler (right). In Lakewood, regvlo lorysignoge alertsboth bicycles ond vehicles lo bike ond vehicle travel ond p orking Ion es. Throvghovl the covnty, regv lo lory sign og ei s often obslrvcled by vegelo lion. APPENDIX A: WAYFINDING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ,t 5 ��W3-1 1113-2 ¢W3-3 WS-2 W5-4a W7-5 NO TRAIN HGH �� W8•1 W8-2 Wll,3 W10·1 W10·91' From top: Standard MUTCD warning signs, plaques, and object markers appear throughout Jefferson County. In Arvada, warning signs alert bicyclists of steep grades and direct them to slow for the upcoming curve. Signage also alerts vehicles to pedestrian and bicyclists. 6 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE IM1•8 M:2-1 t.c:J-1 M3-2 M3-3 M3-4 -M<l-1� M4-2 -M4-3 -M4-S M4-6 M4-7 DETOUR mm M4-8 M4-M MS-1 DM$-2 =MG-l M6•2 MG-4 M6•S NO MOTOR VEHrcu:s From top: Standard MUTCD guide signs and plaques for bicycle facilities appear throughout Jefferson County. In Lakewood, guide signs provide direction along bike routes. For bicyclists familiar with route networks, the markers are important to wayfinding but are absent for many segments throughout Jefferson County. APPENDIX A: WAYFINDING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ,t 7 From left: Guide signs are often in poor condition and do not provide travel clarity to bicyclist unfamiliar with the network. Overlapping signs direct bicyclists to bike routes but do not clearly indicate routes and can be difficult to interpret while in motion. CUSTOMIZED BICYCLE WAYFINDING SIGNAGE With the exception of custom multi-use wayfinding signage described in Section 3 (page 11 ), Golden is the only community with customized wayfinding signage. Golden utilizes standard MUTCD signs with the addition of a customized Golden Bikeway supplemental sign. MUTCD signs are supplemented with "Golden Bikeway" indicators throughout the city. 8 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE MULTI-USE WAYFIN DING SIGNAGE Multi-use wayfinding signage is largely localed along regional trai� throughout the county such as Bear Creek Tral,i Ralston Creek Trail, C-470 Bikeway, US 36 Bikeway, Little Dry Creek Trail, and Big DryCreek Trail. Wayfinding elemen1s often include trail markers, decision signs, and confirmations i gns.Wh ile networks such as the C-470 Bkewayi have consistent branding across juri sdict ional boundaries, wayfind ing elements typicallyvary bycommun ity. Thsi can make navigation d ifficult for bicyclis1s unfamiliar with the network. from left: Oecisiol'I signs along the C-470 Bikewoy provide bicyclists with information regarding distance lo destinations ond the segment of the region ol froii they ore cv rren fly lrovelin g. US 36 Bikewoy confirmof i on ond lvm sign. from left: Lil lie Ory Creek con firmol ion sig" ond sign directing bicyclists on on od ocer.t b ke lone lo lro l. j i i Rolston Creek Trail confirmation sig" in Arvo do. APPENDIX A: WAYFINDING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ,t 9 From left: Jefferson County's West 32nd Ave Trail is clearly marked with signage WEST 32ND A VE that matches signs found throughout i the open space network. TRAIL Bike route and directional signage is attached to a telephone pole JEFFERSON COUNTY directing bicyclists to the Wheat .._ o___ P_NE _s_PA_c_E Ridge Green Belt and Clear Creek . Trail. From left: Signage along the Westminster segment of Big Dry Creek Trail provides direction and orientation to cyclists. Wayfinding signs incorporate branding elements for Westminster Open Space, Jefferson County Open Space, and National Recreation Trails. Signage along roadways directs vehicle to trail parking/access sites. From left: Signs direct bicyclists to Clear Creek Trail. Directional signage along the West Rail Line Bike Path in Lakewood. Examples of Bear Creek Trail signage. ac, .I; . � · . ___ _ -·"-"":'l .,'j.- '-�, .c .... ,Bear��----- fl!=- Creek 'Iii Trail 10 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE PAVEMENT MARKINGS 01'1-sfreel povemer.t morkil'lgs In many Jefferson County commun ties, bke faci ties include simp e il'l clvde simple while bicyclist i i li l bke pavement markngs and more pronounced green boxes. Along m orkil'lg o l'ldco lored mork il'Igs i i lo reil'lforceproper bicyclist Clear Creek trail, the lack of signs has resulted in guerrillawayfind ing that p osiliol'Ii l'Ig. includes directions arrows and destinations. from left: VVheol Ridge povemer.t morkil'lg Golden's op plico lion of o green pavem ent marking from left: Arvodo'sopp licolion of green povemer.t markings . , . Lakewood pavement marking ,' ', 1 i ?-�· -' •;;41.-... :, ••-·· .-.a-I'�·- � Gverrillo woyfinding along Clear Creek Tro iigv ides Iroil vsers o nd inclvdes direction lo deslinolions. APPENDIX A: WAYFINDING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ,t 11 EXISTING COMMUNITY WAYFINDING AND BRANDING EXISTING COMMUNITY WAYFINDING AND BRANDING Multiple wayfinding initiatives OBSERVATIONS exist throughout Arvada. A variety of community wayfinding signs are located throughout Although wayfinding sign designs Jefferson County. Community wayfinding is largely present in areas with a vary, consistency is established concentration of destinations and/or visitors from outside the community. through the use of a similar color A common form of community wayfinding throughout Jefferson County palette (dark blues and reds) includes the customization of street signs to include branding indicating and application of Arvada's jurisdictional location. logo. From left: Olde Town Arvada vehicular wayfinding City of Arvada vehicular wayfinding From left: Terrace Park wellness walk wayfinding Street signs with Arvada's logo 12 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE A popular tourist destination, Golden has an abundance of wayfinding oriented towards visitorsarriv ing by caras they approach, enter and travel through the City. Within Golden's downtown, both directional signage and maps are provided for visitors traveling by footor bicycle. The wayfinding elements incorporate elements of the ol d west and tabl e mountain. �1⇒ a -�� .• APPENDIX A: WAYFINDING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ,t 13 Lakewood's branding appears on street, park, and civic center + POLICE signs. + FIRE �r.� ♦ COURT • .. r .../1 VISITOR -•Jlf&. .;JI + CIVIC CENTER NORTH • ♦ 6.PARKING� ➔ nu I l,I 11��: [\·r,11 :�·- ( ·l11111,1L1::1tv l'l.i11111T,' � r lc\·\·I, ;1,:rn :•.: hl,l'.l!H'\'1111�; f'uhl1� \\(ir�;-, 'f' West Entrance I .1L�·•,,., 1,),I ( L, It ·.11 ,! I \ ,·11 ·, : 1' .\!u11111pa1I C,Hir'. \\,l ,l·t· [ 11·;0.1 r: :1H" :1: 14 JEFFCO REGIONAL BIKEWAYS WAYFINDING GUIDE from left: E dgewo fer il'lc orporoles brol'ldil'lgOl'I street sigl'I design. VVheol Ridge olso inclvdes branding on street signs. from left: Westminster's wellness wolk directional