Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan Executive Summary Introduction
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Executive Summary Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan Acknowledgements SpeCial thankS Steering Committee Thank you to the hundreds of people who participated in the Steve Lambert, Albemarle Rural Planning Organization Director* development of this plan through public comment forms, social media, Erin Burke, Town of Manteo Planning and Zoning public outreach events, and meetings. Gretchen Byrum, NCDOT District Engineer Willie Mack Carawan, Tyrrell County Administration albemarle regional planning Commission Angela Cole, Elizabeth City Planning and Community Development Camden County: Clayton Riggs, Bill Norton At-Large Chip Cowan, Citizen Representative Chowan County: Jeff Smith, Jack Perry At-Large Shelley Cox, Pasquotank County Planning Currituck County: Marion Gilbert Donna Creef, Dare County Planning Dare County: Robert Woodard, Sr. Andy Garman, Town of Duck Community Development Gates County: Henry Jordan Donna Godfrey, Perquimans County Planning and Zoning Hyde County: Earl Pugh, Jr. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy, Citizen Representative Pasquotank County: Gary White Jay Greenwood, Merchant’s Millpond State Park Perquimans County: Tammy Miller-White Joy Greenwood, Dismal Swamp State Park Tyrrell County: Leroy Spivey, Chuck Boucher At-Large Wes Haskett, Town of Southern Shores Planning & Code Enforcement Washington County: Tracey Johnson, Charles Sharp At-Large Joe Heard, Town of Kitty Hawk Planning and Inspections Landin Holland, Chowan County/Town of Edenton Planning Consultant nDt C o Morgan Jethro, Gates County Planning & Development Services Ann Keyes, Washington County Planning and Safety Helen Chaney, Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Doug Lequire, Pettigrew State Park John Vine-Hodge, Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Greg Loy, Town of Kill Devil Hills Planning and Inspections Gary S. Mitchell, Citizen Representative ConSultantS Mike Murray, National Park Service Outer Banks Group Alta/Greenways (lead consultant) Kris Noble, Hyde County Economic Development and Planning Kimley-Horn & Associates Dan Porter, Camden County Planning and Development Street Plans Collaborative Brandon Shoaf, Town of Hertford Planning and Zoning Donna Stewart, Dismal Swamp State Park Elizabeth Teague, Town of Nags Head Planning and Development Bobbi White, Elizabeth City Parks and Recreation Holly White, Currituck County Planning and Inspections Ben Woody, Currituck County Planning and Inspections *Project Manager 1 Executive Summary 2013 Executive Summary Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan introDuCtion Summary Contents The Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan provides a separated bicycle facilities for both long-distance, Introduction framework for improving bicycle transportation and recreational bicycling and short, utilitarian bicycle Vision Statement & recreation in the Albemarle RPO region. The plan trips. In addition to a connected bicycle network, the Goals acts as a blueprint for improving both regional and plan recommends policies and programs, along with local connectivity with a comprehensive toolbox an implementation strategy for all recommendations, Planning Process of facility types that are appropriate for a range of designed to effectively and efficiently improve the Existing Conditions landscapes, rural to urban. The plan emphasizes safe, region’s bikeability. Needs Assessment ViSion Statement & goalS Recommendations The following vision statement guides the Albemarle Implementation Regional Bike Plan: The Albemarle region is a Bicycle Destination for the World where roadways comfortably accommodate all modes of transportation. Opportunities exist for residents and visitors to safely and efficiently bicycle for both transportation and recreation. Cycling is a common, fun, and preferred means of transportation, recreation, and healthy living that improves our communities. The purpose of this plan is to make this vision a reality. Specific goals derived from this vision are listed below. Goal 1: Increase the quality of bicycling throughout the region Goal 2: Improve health outcomes in the region Goal 3: Improve safety for all cyclists Goal 4: Increase bicycling trips by residents and visitors Public Input was collected at regional events, stakeholder meetings, and through social media. Goal 5: Promote and encouarge the growth of the tourism economy Executive Summary 2 Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan planning proCess The Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan was funded through the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). 6 Public The plan was developed over 12 months and informed by Events Social a robust agency, stakeholder, and public engagement Steering Media process. A steering committee of representatives from Committee & Online Meetings Comment the Albemarle RPO, counties, municipalities, state parks, Forms NCDOT, and advocates guided the process. The public was engaged through both online social media applications and Community on-the-ground input sessions. Input booths were located at Outreach six, targeted regional events as part of an intercept process. Data Collection/ Base Maps Adopt Plan Begin Project Existing Draft Plan Complete/ Final Plan & Field Kick-Off Conditions Review & Begin Review Development Presentations Meeting Analysis Draft Plan Implementation Begin Online Input Begin Detailed Preliminary Revise Plan Policy/ Presentation Field Bike Based on Program to Elected Inventory Network Comments Review Officials 1 2 3 4 5 6 July 2012 August 2012 - December 2012 - mAy 2013 - July 2013 - OctOber 2013 nOvember 2012 April 2013 June 2013 OctOber 2013 3 Executive Summary CAMDEN COUNTY GATES CURRITUCK COUNTY COUNTY 2013 North of exiSting ConDitionS Sound The Albemarle region is a diverse landscape with PASQUOTANK a variety of land uses, demographics, ecological PERQUIMANS COUNTY habitats, and economies. To account for this variation, COUNTY the study area was divided into three subregions - North of Sound, South of Sound, and the Outer CHOWAN Banks. Each subregion holds unique challenges and COUNTY S o u n r l e d m A opportunities for bicycle transportation. b e A l This diversity requires a broad toolbox of engineering, TYRRELL policy, and program treatments. For closer analysis, COUNTY the region was classified into seven settlement WASHINGTON types that were used to structure context-sensitive COUNTY Outer recommendations: Banks regional Settlement typeS South of DARE Sound COUNTY HYDE COUNTY d n u o S i c o See Chapter P A m l 2 for more on this topic. Executive Summary 4 Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan ChallengeS: Like most of North Carolina, driving 1. Lower-income centers where bicycling and an automobile is currently the most convenient mode walking are critical means of transportation, and of travel in the region because the roadway network 2. Tourist areas, especially along the beach, is designed for driving. Land uses are typically where bicycling is largely a common tourist and segregated by long distances, making bicycling from recreational activity. origin to destination tedious for most trips. The area also lacks a connected and consistent network of For these reasons, the bicycle mode share in the bicycle facilities that encourages bicycling as a viable Albemarle Region is 0.4%, twice that of the rest of choice for transportation. North Carolina (Bicycle mode share in the Outer Banks alone is 0.8%). opportunitieS: Yet, the Albemarle Region has tremendous opportunity to become a “Bicycle Destination for the World.” Flat roadways, scenic needs assessment landscapes, and historic towns make bicycling The three subregions were assessed through a tourism a reality today despite the challenges above, combination of GIS data analysis and fieldwork. as well as a feasible boost to the region’s economy Needs varied by each subregion and settlement if expanded. Bicycling is already prevalent in the type. There are very few bicycle facilities, with the Albemarle region, typically in two situations: exception of some paved shoulder, in the North of Sound and South of Sound subregions. The Outer Banks subregion boasts the most bicycle facilities, mostly multi-use sidepaths for recreational bicyclists. exiSting FaCilitieS: Bicycle Facility Bicycle Facility Miles/1,000 Miles/1,000 residents roadway miles North of Sound 0.2 8 South of Sound 0.2 2 Outer Banks 6 299 Flat roadways, scenic landscapes, and historic towns make bicycling tourism a reality today. 5 Executive Summary 2013 A regional equity analysis was conducted by layering • 0.4% of residents bicycle to work (0.8% in the Outer demographic characteristics such as vehicle ownership, Banks subregion) median household income, race, and language. The locations identified through this analysis were targeted Bicycle safety is a chief issue for this region as many bicyclists with facility recommendations to ensure the needs of are struck by vehicles each year. Most bicycle crashes disadvantaged residents are met. Some key findings between 2005 and 2012 occurred along major roadways include: such as US 64, US 17, US 158, and NC 12. There are 1.6 crashes per 1,000 residents in the entire region, with higher • 1.8% of residents do not own a vehicle (4.9% in the numbers of crashes occurring in higher density areas, such See Chapter 2 for more South of Sound subregion) as the Outer Banks and Elizabeth City. about these existing conditions maps. equity analySiS biCyCle moDe Share CraSh loCationS Executive Summary 6 Albemarle Regional Bicycle Plan reCommenDationS typeS oF biCyCliStS Public Input: This diagram illustrates how people in the