Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan the City of Columbus, Ohio

Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan The City of Columbus, Ohio March, 2008 The bicycle is an important Executive Summary solution as Columbus works “By implementing the Bicentennial to take local action on global Bikeways Plan, Columbus can In 2012, the City of Columbus will celebrate issues including climate its bicentennial. This event provides a change, peak oil, the physical shift 10 percent of the city’s historic opportunity for developing innovative inactivity epidemic, the loss transportation to bicycling, solutions that build upon the city’s past and of young professionals to walking, transit and other create a better future. The bicycle is a symbol other regions, affordable transportation options. Ten of these efforts – a vehicle with signifi cant housing, aging in place, and potential to help meet the City’s environmental, the need to attract businesses percent equates to biking to work mobility, health, economic and social goals. to places with a high quality just 2 days per month.... “2 by The Bicentennial Bikeways Plan provides a of life. The Bicentennial 2012” will be a goal that citizens, new vision of transportation, recreation and Bikeways Plan cannot quality of life for Columbus. This vision completely solve all of these government and the private sector is connected to the City’s Green Initiative, problems, but it does provide can achieve together.” the Commit to Be Fit program, and broader real solutions that work with efforts that support a sustainable future. The current technology and can projects, policies and programs included in this be implemented quickly. document will provide the City with a lasting According to the 2001 legacy for 2012 and beyond. USDOT National Household Travel Survey, nearly half of The Bicentennial Bikeways Plan will create all trips by car are for distances a more livable Columbus by developing a less than 3 miles – an ideal network of on-street bicycle facilities and distance for travel by bicycle. completing the shared-use path system. Ohio has adult obesity rates The Plan includes a balanced approach to of 24.9 percent, ranking the “Four E’s” of Engineering, Education, it the 15th heaviest in the Encouragement and Enforcement. This nation, according to a 2006 approach is based on the League of American report by Trust for America’s Private Sector Commute Options: Employers Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Communities Health (TFAH). The Ohio are choosing to locate their businesses in places (BFC) program, and will enable the city to earn Public Health Association that provide a high quality of life. Employees national recognition for its innovative efforts. calls childhood overweight want to be able to enjoy active lifestyles. For A key to implementing the plan is a new and obesity “An Epidemic of example, Humana Healthcare in Louisville Complete Streets policy, which will enable the Modern Times”. provides free bikes to employees to use during the City to integrate bicycle facilities into ongoing workday. infrastructure projects. Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan 1 In the late 1960s Columbus constructed its Complete Streets: Adopt a new City policy fi rst shared use paths along the Olentangy consistent with the model adopted by the and Scioto Rivers to meet the Columbus Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission to Recreation and Parks Department’s goal to integrate bicycle facilities into infrastructure connect its parks with shared use paths. In the projects. late 1980’s, when Schrock Road was widened, bike lanes were included. In recent years, 100 Miles of Bikeways by 2012: Phase one bicycle lanes have been installed on Hard of the plan involves expanding the existing Road and Morse Road and bicycle route signs system to 100 miles with 50 miles of new have been posted for several identifi ed bicycle projects created by integrating bike lanes routes. In the past decade, bicycle racks have into street paving and construction projects, been added to the local bus fl eet. Columbus implementing ‘road diets’ on streets with extra now has 50 miles of shared capacity, and continuing the development of use paths along the Olentangy shared use paths using current funding. and Scioto Rivers, Alum Creek, and I-670, and 6 miles 200 New Miles by 2018: The second phase of bicycle lanes. Other U.S. of the plan involves the next 200 miles of cities, including Portland, bikeways, with a continued emphasis towards Chicago, and Louisville are on-street facilities that link throughout the City. implementing ambitious In the long term, if the resources and support bikeway systems, and are available, the completed system will reach a Columbus has the potential to total of more than 500 miles. be the best bicycling city in the Green Initiative / Carbon Footprint: Bicycling nation. City-wide Share the Road Campaign: The is an important part of the solution to climate education, encouragement and enforcement change. Columbus has unique elements of the plan are as important as the advantages for being a bicycle engineering elements. The Plan calls for friendly city: fl at topography, a major campaign that provides bicyclists, a large college-age population, motorists and other roadway users with the rivers that run through the information they need to improve traffi c city, the state capitol and a safety on the City’s streets. This campaign large private-sector presence. will complement other programs including The new Bicentennial Safe Routes to Schools, Commit to be Fit, and Bikeways Plan is proposed in a employer-based commuter choice initiatives. series of phases that allow for Columbus to create the new infrastructure and programs 100 Bike Friendly Intersections: Safety at as resources and opportunities intersections is a critical issue for improving become available. The mobility as Columbus becomes a Bicycle If people bicycled to work just twice a month, Plan calls for the following Friendly Community. Each year, ten 10 percent of commuter trips will be made by initiatives: intersections will be improved with enhanced bike. signage, pavement markings, bicyclist actuated signals and other features. 2 Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan 1000 New Bike Racks: Just like driving a become available. The car, having a secure place to park is essential key funding elements are for travel by bicycle. A new Bicycle Parking described as follows: Ordinance has been proposed by the City of Columbus Bikeway Advisory Committee. Bicentennial Bikeways Bonds New bike parking can be installed as a typical (“B3” Bonds): The City element of streetscape design, and worksites, will include the Bicentennial public buildings and schools throughout the Bikeways in the proposed City. 2008 bond package that will provide funding for key The Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan initiatives related to the City’s Quality of Life: Bikeways are an important guides the future development of bicycle celebration in 2012. legacy for the future of Columbus. facilities, education, enforcement, and encouragement programs for the City of Federal transportation ‘Green Columbus over the next ten years. This Tea’ demonstration project Plan was developed with public input from funding: The reauthorization the community, but continued outreach and of the federal SAFETEA civic participation is encouraged through transportation legislation neighborhoods, area commissions, districts will provide a signifi cant and organizations. The Plan inventories and opportunity for implementing evaluates the City’s current bicycle network, the Bicentennial Bikeways addresses the opportunities and constraints plan. The City will work for improving bicycling in Columbus and with Ohio’s Congressional recommends policy changes to enhance delegation and other partners bicycling. The Plan also presents design to secure this funding. guidelines for constructing high quality Bicyclists and pedestrians in downtown facilities, including shared use paths, bike Columbus. Private sector ‘adopt a lanes, signed shared roadways, bicycle parking bikeway’ endowment and innovative treatments such as bicycle campaign: Key private sector and boulevards and shared lane markings. The philanthropic partners will be engaged in a plan prioritizes bicycle facilities and establishes fundraising effort to adopt each mile of the a funding and implementation plan for the bikeways system. This program will enable next 10 years. community partnerships to sustain the trail system into the future. Funding for implementation of the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan will come from a Funding from other state and other local range of sources, including federal and state sources: There are a range of public, transportation funds, parks and recreation private and non-profi t sources that can funds private sector partnerships, and a supplement the primary funding, including proposed Bicentennial Bond package that is land conservation, public transit, utilities, similar to the bonds that were issued for the environmental mitigation, health and physical City’s sidewalk program. The phasing of the activity, education and other sources. plan allows for implementation as resources Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan 3 Parks & Recreation Funding: The Recreation existing bikeways, an increased interest in and Parks Department and Metro Parks are leading healthy lifestyles, growing concern for planning to spend approximately $2,500,000 the environment, and the need for sustainable in 2008 for land acquisition, design and economic development, these actions will construction associated with shared-use trails move Columbus

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