Utah Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Design Guide • Implementation and May Require Users to Redo Specific Tasks, Or

Utah Bicycle &Pedestrian Master Plan Design Guide Ack nowledgments Prepared by: Shaunna K. Burbidge, PhD, Project Manager In Association with: Maria Vyas, AICP, Julie Bjornstad, AICP, Meghan Mitman Project Task Force: Brett McIff, Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity Program, Utah Department of Health Evelyn Tuddenham, Utah Department of Transportation Jory Johner, Wasatch Front Regional Council Cherissa Wood, Safe Routes to School Program, Utah Department of Transportation Keri Gibson, Utah Highway Safety Office, Department of Public Safety Julianne Sibula, Utah Transit Authority Hal Johnson, Utah Transit Authority Kevin Condra, Violence and Injury Prevention Program, Salt Lake Valley Health Department Focus Group Participants: Scott Messel, Kaysville City; Dave Olson, City of Moab; Tom Dansie, City of Springdale; Jim Price, Mountainland Association of Governments; Paul Goodrich, Orem City; John Taylor, Taylorsville City; Tim Rose, Utah Department of Transportation; Doni Pack, Five County Association of Governments; Amy Peters, Southeastern Utah Association of Governments; Arthur LeBaron, Hurricane City; Brad Woods, MadDog Cycles; George Shaw, City of South Jordan; Colin Smith, Salt Lake County; Scott Lyttle, Bike Utah; and Isaac Pantone, Bikers’ Edge Production Support: This guide was made possible by funding from the Department of Health and Human Ser- vices and the Utah Department of Health. TableofContents 1 Introduction ............................... 1 2 Identifying Goals and Objectives .............. 7 3 Inventory of Existing Conditions .............. 21 4 Public Involvement. 47 5 Analysis and Site Selection .................. 63 6 Planning and Design Components ............ 77 7 Project Selection and Prioritization ........... 137 8 Implementation .......................... 151 9 Monitoring .............................. 167 10 Recognition Programs .................... 177 Appendix: Commonly Used Acronyms, Glossary of Technical Terms, Sample Master Plan Outline, Walkability and Bikeability Checklists .........189 1 Introduction: Why Plan for Pedestrians and Cyclists? 01 Why Plan for Pedestrians and Cyclists? There are many reasons to plan for walking and cycling. The goal of a transportation system is to provide access to goods, services, and activities. Supporting active modes gives users important transportation choices, whether it be to make trips entirely by walking or cycling, or to access public transit. Often in urban areas, walking and cycling are the fastest and most efficient ways to perform short trips. Safe and convenient nonmotorized travel provides many benefits, including reduced traffic congestion, user savings, road and parking facility savings, economic development, and a better environment. Nonmotorized travel contributes to the local economy by supporting tourism and quality development. Pedestrian-friendly conditions improve the commercial and cultural vibrancy of communities. Increased pedestrian traffic helps create a safer and more pleasant environment. Once visitors arrive in a community, they often explore it by walking or cycling. A good walking environment can enhance a visitor’s experience. Addition- ally, some trail networks are destination tourist attractions in and of themselves, bringing hundreds or thousands of visitors, and thousands or millions of dollars to a community each year. Walking and cycling are not only effective modes of transportation, they are enjoyable and healthful activities. Both are con- sistently cited as the most popular forms of recreation. Public health officials increasingly recognize the importance of fre- quent aerobic exercise and regular physical activity. Evidence has shown that transportation systems, development patterns, and community design and planning decisions can all have profound effects on the amount of physical activity residents accumulate. People can lead healthier, more active lives if communities are built to facilitate safe walking and biking. Planning for and constructing accommodations for bicycling and walking, and improving safety, education, and enforce- Introduction: Why Plan for Pedestrians and Cyclists? 3 ment programs are critical to increasing mobility work, and play in environments that facilitate such for pedestrians and bicyclists. Few improvements activities. will ever be implemented without a plan. Good planning can reduce the cost of improvements How to Use this Guide by allowing non-motorized improvements to be This document is designed to walk users step-by- incorporated into scheduled road projects. Addi- step through the process of creating a Bicycle and tionally, external funding is often available for non- Pedestrian Master Plan. Each chapter outlines the motorized projects and programs, but obtaining unique situations faced by individual jurisdictions this support requires that a community have a plan by providing a variety of options within a consistent identifying and prioritizing projects and programs. framework. The following topics are covered in detail: The purpose of this document is to assist users in developing a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan • Identifying Goals and Objectives to guide the implementation of a network of quality • Conducting an Inventory of Existing Conditions bicycle and pedestrian facilities for both transpor- • Public Involvement tation and recreation in their community. Increas- ing accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians • Analysis and Site Selection will improve quality of life by providing transporta- • Planning and Design tion options and creating a reality where all Utahns • Project Selection and Prioritization can be physically active because they will live, 4 Utah Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Design Guide • Implementation and may require users to redo specific tasks, or • Monitoring result in analysis problems. • Recognition Programs This document is intended to be thorough and comprehensive; however, users are encouraged Each chapter is set up to allow users to choose to utilize as many resources as possible to maxi- their level of expertise on any given topic. Tasks mize planning efforts. References for sources are organized and categorized based on their level described in the guide are cited at the end of each of difficulty and the experience needed to com- chapter and links to other helpful resources are plete them. Difficulty levels are indicated using the provided throughout the text. Additionally, a list of same characterization scheme as the world class frequently used acronyms and a glossary of techni- ski slopes Utah is known for. cal terms are provided at the end of the document to help prevent any ambiguity or confusion. BASIC level tasks are indicated by a green dot. These tasks should be completed by all No matter your motivation for creating a Bicycle users. This could be referred to as the “easy and Pedestrian Master Plan or current level of way down” in terms of bicycle and pedestrian expertise, as this guide was designed to provide planning. all the resources necessary for beginners, experts, INTERMEDIATE level tasks are indicated by and everyone in between, including planners, a blue square. These tasks are more compli- engineers, politicians, advocates, and concerned cated and complex and will require additional citizens. Before beginning the planning process, resources in terms of time and expertise. Some it may be helpful to take some time and browse of the intermediate tasks may require the assis- through the entire guide. This will provide a more tance of an outside consultant. comprehensive idea of the time and resources that will be needed and will allow users to develop a ADVANCED level tasks are indicated by a better idea of the level of planning that will be black diamond symbol. These tasks will be appropriate for a given location. feasible only for highly technical agencies, large municipalities, or regional agencies, and will most likely require the assistance of a consul- /// CROSSING /// tant or specialist. Graphics, Sidebars, and Call-Outs Each level is cumulative; therefore, all Basic tasks While the main text outlines the process of creating should be completed before beginning the In- a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, many helpful hints, local examples, and other useful pieces of termediate tasks, and all Basic and Intermediate information are provided as graphics, sidebars, tasks should be completed before moving on to and call-out boxes throughout the document. the Advanced tasks. Much of the information or For example, although an entire chapter is dedi- data needed for the Intermediate and Advanced cated to public involvement and outreach (Ch-4), tasks is acquired through completing the Basic each chapter contains “Public Involvement Alerts” to remind users of key times to involve citizens and tasks. other interest groups. WARNING: Skipping to a higher level before completing the prerequisite tasks is not recommended, Introduction: Why Plan for Pedestrians and Cyclists? 5 Notes ach community will have a gen- eral or focused motivation for E creating a bicycle and pedestrian master plan. This motivation will be unique depending on a number of factors including location (geo- graphic and urban/rural), population (including demographics), political will, staff availability, and technical expertise. This chapter provides guidance for identifying 1) a purpose of the bicycle and pedestrian master plan, 2) goals 2 and objectives of the plan, and 3) methods for integrating this plan into the community’s

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