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Douglas County Regional Pedestrian Plan

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Douglas County Regional Pedestrian Plan Douglas County Regional Pedestrian Plan Approved by the MPO Policy Board: October 5, 2016 Accepted by the Lawrence City Commission: November 15, 2016 Adopted by the Eudora City Commission: November 28, 2016 Adopted by the Baldwin City Council: December 5, 2016 Presented to the Lecompton City Council: December 19, 2016 Table of contents Regional Overview Recommendations Executive Summary 4 Lawrence 41 Introduction 6 Eudora 73 Vison & Focus Areas 7 Baldwin City 85 Benefits of Walking 8 Lecompton 97 5 E’s of Pedestrian Planning 10 Current Plans and Policy Context 11 Pedestrian Progress Toolbox 14 Lecompton Public Outreach 20 Survey Analysis 22 Regional Crash Analysis 28 Lawrence Eudora Funding 37 Baldwin City Data Collection/Evaluation 38 County Douglas Conclusion 39 Funding Note: This report was funded in part through grant[s] from the Federal Highway Administration [and Federal Transit Administration], U.S. Department of Transportation. The views and opinions of the authors [or agency] expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U. S. Department of Transportation. Title VI Note: The L-DC MPO hereby gives public notice that it is the policy of the agency to assure full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice, and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. Title VI requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity for which the L-DC MPO receives federal financial assistance. Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice under Title VI has a right to file a formal complaint with the L-DC MPO. Any such complaint must be in writing and filed with the L-DC MPO’s Title VI Coordinator within one hundred and eighty (180) days following the date of the alleged discriminatory occurrence. For more information, or to obtain a Title VI Discriminatory Complaint Form, please see our website at www.lawrenceks.org/mpo. 2 Regional Pedestrian Plan Regional Overview 3 Executive Summary This Plan represents a vision of a more accessible and safer pedestrian environment in the region. This is the first Regional Pedestrian Plan developed by the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Through a public participation process that included surveys, mobile meetings, and website feedback, residents of Douglas County expressed a desire for pedestrian friendly communities. These communities should encourage people of all ages and abilities to walk for enjoyment, exercise, and daily transportation by providing a safe, convenient, and attractive pedestrian environment. This Plan considers the many benefits of walking and identifies a diverse set of approaches encouraging more pedestrian activity. This Plan presents a toolbox of policy, program, and infrastructure ideas that cities in Douglas County can implement to improve the pedestrian environment. While there may be overlap, the needs of Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin City and Lecompton vary in population, available funding, and local priorities. This plan offers assessments and unique recommendations for each city within Douglas County. Recommendations for each city are as follows: 4 Regional Pedestrian Plan City-Specific Recommendations Lawrence Eudora Implement the Safe Routes to School Program Continue to Seek Funding for Safe Routes to School Program Use Traffic Calming Devices to Improve Pedestrian Safety and Encourage Pedestrian Trips Through Participation in National Comfort at Locations with Real and Perceived Risk Walk to School Day and Other Strategies Implement a Traffic Safety Campaign (Education & Enforcement) Use Traffic Calming Devices to Improve Pedestrian Safety and Encourage Pedestrian Trips through Wayfinding Signage and an Comfort at Locations with Real and Perceived Risk Open Streets Event Track and Measure Progress of Infrastructure, Amenities, and Reduce Block Length Standards in Subdivision Design Programming Regulations Target Resources to the Priority Network Form or Assign Responsibilities to an Advisory Committee Baldwin City Apply for Walk Friendly Community Status Track and Measure Progress of Infrastructure, Amenities, and Encourage Pedestrian Trips Through Participation in National Programming Walk to School Day and Other Strategies Enforce Current Sidewalk Repair Policy or Establish New Consider Applying for Safe Routes to School Program Funding Sidewalk Repair Program Use Traffic Calming Devices to Improve Pedestrian Safety and Establish Dedicated Funding Source for Pedestrian Comfort at Locations with Real and Perceived Risk Improvements Track and Measure Progress of Infrastructure, Amenities, and Coordinate with University Staffs on Pedestrian Policy and Programming Infrastructure Plans Target Resources to the Priority Network Target Resources to the Priority Network Lecompton Target Resources to Non-Existing and Non-Compliant ADA Encourage Pedestrian Trips Through Participation in National Ramps Walk to School Day and Other Strategies Target Resources to High-Demand Transit Corridors Target Resources to the Historic Loop Target Resources to the Grand Loop School Crossing Improvements Regional Overview 5 Introduction Over the last five years, we have heard the desire for improvements to our pedestrian environment and culture. Residents have a vision for increased pedestrian friendliness along and across our roadways, bikeways, and trails. This vision and focus areas support what the community has asked for through the comprehensive regional transportation plan, Transportation 2040 (T2040)1, Multimodal Studies2 and other ongoing planning processes. The Douglas County Regional Pedestrian Plan aims to help guide the planning of our diverse communities so that they develop into places where people are allowed the choice to get to their destinations on foot. Since the adoption of Transportation 2040 (T2040) in 2013, the MPO staff has encouraged the Lawrence-Douglas County planning staff to give additional consideration to pedestrian mobility during planning processes. To ensure that all modes of transportation are given the same opportunity for safe, convenient, and enjoyable travel, an overarching pedestrian plan should be woven into roadway design, road network planning, trail development, and maintenance of infrastructure. 1 Transportation 2040: Moving Forward Together. http://lawrenceks.org/mpo/t2040 2 Multimodal Planning Studies. http://lawrenceks.org/mpo/study 6 Regional Pedestrian Plan Vision Focus Areas Each city within the region will have unique policy, program, and The residents of Lawrence, Eudora, Baldwin infrastructure recommendations addressing the following Focus Areas. Pages 14-19 can be thought of as a toolbox that each City and Lecompton envision communities that community can use to feasibly improve its pedestrian environment. invite people of all ages and abilities to walk Safety: Improve safety by reducing the number and severity of for enjoyment, exercise, and daily crashes through infrastructure design along and across roadways, and by promoting safe driving, walking, and bicycling behaviors transportation by providing a safe, through education and enforcement. convenient, and attractive pedestrian Equity: Provide accessible pedestrian facilities for all users through public engagement, accessible design, and capital investments. environment. Health: Develop a pedestrian network that promotes active lifestyles and sustains a healthy environment. Economy: Enhance economic vibrancy by creating safe and aesthetically pleasing walking environments with easy connections to commercial centers and front doors of businesses. Connectivity: Plan and build pedestrian infrastructure creating a network to connect neighborhoods to employment, retail, community services, schools, and recreational & cultural amenities. Multimodal Connections: Develop pedestrian facilities that provide opportunities to access other modes of transportation (transit, bicycling, carpooling, or vanpooling). Land Use and Design: Employ land use planning and site design requirements that encourage pedestrian travel by making local trips easier and more pleasant by foot than by car. Regional Overview 7 Benefits of Walking Reduced Congestion Quality pedestrian environments can positively impact much more In 2010, road congestion caused 4.8 billion hours of travel delay, than the individuals who are walking. While health and access may wasted 1.9 billion gallons of fuel, and resulted in total congestion be improved for pedestrians only, reduced congestion, economic costs of $115 billion in 439 U.S. urban areas.4 gains, and improved air quality can benefit everyone in the city. 5 60% of trips under 1 mile are made by automobile. Cities within Douglas County could take advantage of a number of the following benefits with enhanced pedestrian facilities. Improved Economy Health and Wellness In 2011, driving a newer sedan cost an average of $8,946 per year and driving an SUV cost $11,360 per year.6 Only half of adults and one quarter of high school students get Improved walking environments have been correlated to the amount of physical activity recommended in national increased retail sales. While automobile drivers tend to spend guidelines.1 more
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