COLLETON COUNTY Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Prepared for: Prepared by: DRAFT: JANUARY 2015 Acknowledgements Public Participants Thank you to the many Colleton County leaders and citizens who participated in this planning process through comment forms, interviews, and public meetings. Thanks also to the many individuals of the press and those engaged in social media throughout the process. Project Partners Project Steering Committee The Project Steering Committee consisted of members of the East Smart Move More Colleton County board of directors, Colleton County and City of Walterboro staff, Lowcountry Council of Governments staff, SCDHEC staff members, active citizen volunteers, and many others. This planning effort would not have been possible without the valuable time, energy, and input provided by these individuals. Project Consultant Team Alta Planning + Design 1 Augusta St, Suite 301-C Greenville, SC 29601 p: 864-605-3980 i COLLETON COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN Table of Contents 1: Introduction 2 1.1 Plan Overview 2 1.2 Setting 2 1.3 Planning Process 2 1.4 Project Vision, Goals, and Objectives 3 2: Existing Conditions 6 2.1 Colleton County Characteristics and Demographics 6 2.2 Review of Existing Planning Efforts 14 2.3 Public Meeting Summary 20 2.4 Opportunities and Constraints 24 3: Network Recommendations 36 3.1 Recommendations Overview 36 3.2 Design Resources 36 3.3 Design for Pedestrians 37 3.4 Network Recommendations 43 i Table of Contents 4: Implementation Plan 54 4.1 Introduction 54 4.2 City of Walterboro Prioritization and Cost Estimates 54 4.3 Colleton County Prioritization and Cost Estimates 63 4.4 Priority Project Cutsheets 65 1.) Sidewalk Improvements - Jefferies Blvd 65 2.) Sidewalk Improvements - Jefferies Blvd 66 3.) Sidewalk Improvements - Forest Cir and Briarwood Rd 67 4.) Sidewalk Improvements - Hampton St 68 5.) Sidewalk Improvements - Washington St 69 6.) Greenway Trail Improvement - Green Pond Hwy 70 7.) Bike Boulevard - Henderson/Memorial/Washington 71 8.) Cycle Tracks - Jefferies Blvd 72 9.) Buffered Bike Lanes and Cycle Tracks - Hampton St 73 10.) Sidepath/Greenway - Washington St 74 5: Potential Funding Sources 76 5.1 Federal Funding Sources 76 5.2 State Funding Sources 81 5.3 Local Government Funding Sources 82 5.4 Private Sector Funding Sources 85 5.5 Other Sources 89 6: Appendix A: Project Master Tables 91 ii COLLETON COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN Page Intentionally Left Blank iii 1: Introduction The recommendations in this Plan consider the thoughtful input from multiple sources including the public, the Project Advisory Group, Colleton County and City of Walterboro staff, past planning efforts, and countywide observations and analysis. 1 COLLETON COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN 1: Introduction 1.1 Plan Overview The Colleton County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan provides a vision for a better transportation future for Colleton County. Crafted through months of background research using best practice tools for bikeway and walkway network planning, the document identifies priority projects as well as long-term goals. By including specific implementation guidelines, the document becomes a guide that will positively impact the region’s residents and visitors for years to come. 1.2 Setting Residents and visitors gave feedback at public workshops. The Plan reflects their desire for new walking and biking routes, intersections in need of improvement, and ideas to improve the Colleton County is an area proud of its Lowcountry County’s active transportation options. charm and hospitality. The region’s earliest settlers planted the seeds for iconic architectural style, quaint existing conditions of Colleton County. Through aerial tree-lined streets for strolling, and a rural economy. photography, geographic information systems (GIS) Colleton County’s current residents enjoy a way of life data, and on-the-ground field investigation, the project based in these traditions and updated with contemporary consultants identified opportunities and constraints for culture. The Plan seeks to complement these traditions bicycle and pedestrian facility development. Field research while continuing the County’s progress and advancing also included examining potential corridors, verifying community assets. road widths, studying lane configurations, and preparing a photographic inventory. A review of planning documents, 1.3 Planning Process polices, bicycle and pedestrian access to outlets for healthy foods, and existing cultural and recreational programs supplemented the analysis of the physical environment. The Project Advisory Group, along with Colleton County and Walterboro staff, guided the development of the 1.3.2 Public Involvement Colleton County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. The committee is made up of citizen advocates and Outreach to the citizens and visitors of Colleton County representatives from multiple stakeholder organizations included two public workshops, an online and hard-copy and local groups. The committee met several times citizen comment form, and progress updates provided throughout the process and provided guidance on the through the Colleton County website. For development overall vision, facility recommendations, programs, of this Plan, the Project Advisory Group provided a key policies, and draft plan development. source of public input. Three Project Steering Committee meetings provided useful information about public 1.3.1 Data Collection and Analysis concerns and preferences. Throughout the planning process, the project team shared information about key The Project Advisory Group, staff of the County, events and activities related to the Plan with local media. municipalities, and regional planning organizations, and stakeholders provided baseline information about the 2 1: Introduction 1.3.3 Plan Development programs to support active transportation and healthy The recommendations of the draft Plan reflect national lifestyle choices. best practices in pedestrian and bicycle planning as well as input from the public, the Project Advisory Group, County and municipal staff, past planning efforts, and 1.4 Project Vision, Goals, the existing conditions analysis. The team shared and Objectives draft recommendations with the public, local officials, Colleton County and Walterboro staff and revised 1.4.1 Vision Statement recommendations based on this feedback. This document provides a long-term, community supported vision for Inspired by findings in the existing conditions analysis, as walking and bicycling in Colleton County. well as a robust public outreach process, the Plan provides recommendations based on the following vision statement: Research has shown that a comprehensive approach to bicycle- and walk-friendliness is more effective than a Colleton County and Walterboro will be places singular approach that would address infrastructure issues where walking and bicycling for transportation 1 only. Recognizing this, the national Bicycle Friendly and recreation are an important and normal part Community program, administered by the League of of everyday life. The community will build a robust American Bicyclists, and the Walk Friendly Community network of multi-modal travel options for people program, administered by the National Center for Walking of all ages and abilities throughout the rural and and Bicycling, recommend a multi-faceted approach developed areas of the County. Colleton County based on the following five ‘E’s: Engineering, Education, residents and visitors will enjoy comfortable and Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation. Also, a safer bicycle and pedestrian connections to where sixth ‘E’, Equity, is often included in order to ensure equal they want to travel, resulting in an improved consideration for those whom pedestrian and bicycling economy and quality of life throughout the region. improvements may benefit the most. Colleton County Through such improvmeents, Colleton County and and Walterboro are fortunate to have partnerships with Walterboro will fully realize and capitalize on their organizations such as Eat Smart Move More Colleton position as the gateway to the ACE basin – one of County, which have led education and encouragement the most important and unique wetland preserves in the world. 1.4.2 Plan Goals and Objectives Accessibility and Connectivity Objectives Implement context-sensitive designs such as bike lanes and sidewalks in urban or suburban areas as well as options such as sidepaths, paved shoulders, and sidewalks in rural areas. Close existing gaps in sidewalk coverage along all major roadways. Improve bicycle and pedestrian connections along and across roads with higher vehicle volumes and speeds Education courses encourage more people to bicycle and to do so in a safe manner. such as Bells Highway, Robertson Boulevard and Jefferies Highway. 1 Pucher, J. Dill, J. and Handy, S. (2010). Infrastructure, programs, and policies to increase bicycling: An international review. Preventative Medicine, 50. S106-S125; Krizek, K., Forsyth, A., and Baum, L. (2009). Walking and cycling international literature review. Melbourne, Victoria: Department of Transport. 3 COLLETON COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN Ensure all new pedestrian facilities are ADA Review all roadway proposals for their impact on compliant. localized and overall non-motorized activity. Ensure Facilitate improved bike and pedestrian connections that all projects take into consideration pedestrian and to existing trails,