An Ad-Hoc Bicycle Plan from Princeton’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee Yan Bennett (chair) Steve Kruse (co-chair) Laurie Harmon David Cohen Betsy Marshall Dinni Jain Liz Lempert, Jo Butler (liaison) Patti Liebermann (PRS liaison) Janet Heroux (emeritus) p. 1 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Willow Road in Belle Mead (Montgomery Twp) p. 2 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 The Four Types of ‘Transportation’ Cyclists • by advancing/promoting the Four E’s, we aim to lower the Fear Threshold Strong and Fearless [<1%] Enthused and Confident [7%] Fear Threshold Interested but Concerned [60%] Novice Cyclist No Way,No How Enthusiasm Level [33%] Experience Level p. 3 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 A Virtuous Cycle: Safety In Numbers For Bicycle Riders • aside from the health benefits, investment in “THE FOUR E’s” can pay safety dividends Engineering • sharrows etc. bike ridership increases due to perceived safety Education Enforcement Encouragement Actual safety increases as community bike ridership increases, due to driver awareness bike ridership increases further p. 4 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 p. 5 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 What’s the definition of “A Bicycle Plan” ? A Bicycle Plan contains specific proposed near-term bicycle route network improvement projects. • Specific • Proposed • Near-term • Bicycle Route Network • Improvement Projects p. 6 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Official “Bikeway Plan” dating from circa 1996-99 • usefulness of this map is that it allows the entire network to be viewed • has several shortcomings and is cluttered by showing property boundaries A map of the Bike Network ought to indicate: –mainroutes and connector routes – schools, train/bus stations – open space areas, parks – forbidden areas A good example: next page p. 7 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Example: a “Bicycle Route Network” from Tallahassee http://http://www.talgov.com/planning/trans/bike_route “Routes” = numbers “Connectors” = Letters p. 8 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 A Second Example • Maps of Bike Route Networks all have the same style of Legend p. 9 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Sector A → Plan Elements → Basis for the Map NameFacilities Comments Existing Proposed Arterial Roads [State/County number] Alexander Road side path PU sharrows depends on Arts & Transit village development plan Princeton Pike (Mercer St) [583] side parth side path has a disconnect/jog at Lovers Lane Lawrence Rd [206] Quaker Road [533] new gravel trail recommended for widening, bridge getting rebuilt Elm Street [604] side path Rosedale Road [604] side path Connector Roads/Trails Hutchinson Drive side path West Drive connector bike trail connects to the bottom of Springdale Rd Karin Court connector bike trail connects to parking lot of Springdale swim club Edgerstoune Road connector bike trail connects to Greenway Meadows network Updike Farm Pathway bike trail connects Updike Farm to battlefield and IAS Woods Stony Brook Pathway bike trail is there bike access next to the Hun School ? Open Space, Parks, Schools Marquand Park bike paths Princeton Country Club bridges across canal in vicinity of Emmons/Wheeler Greenway Meadows bike paths between Rosedale Road and Edgerstoune connector D&R Canal State Park bike trail D&R towpath Updike Farm Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge bike trail connects West Drive to D&R towpath ? IAS Farm IAS Woods bike trails Trolley Track, Pipeline, Swinging Bridge trails etc. Battlefield State Park bike trail gravel path, connects Princeton Pike to the IAS network Springdale G.C. Hun School striped bike lane path to the Stony Brook bridge and Jasna Polana trail p. 10 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 PJPBAC’s Ad-Hoc Bike Plan: Approach • Authoring a proper Bike Plan is a major and expensive undertaking. Such a plan contains specific proposed near-term bicycle route network improvement projects. • Typically a grant is sought, to fund hiring of a consulting group. » Examples: Bike Plans for Monroe Twp, West Windsor, Hoboken » Princeton document authored by Charles Carmalt (2002) » Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2007-8, 278 pages, $68,000). • Decided to create a preliminary or ad-hoc bike plan patterned after ones we’ve studied, to document our ideas and recommendations, and to help define an initial bike route network. » Meanwhile, look for grant opportunities to help fund a future plan. • For manageability, parceled the Princeton map into four sectors. » Each sector gets an overview map, write-up, vision statement and wish list. » The write-up contains recommendations, and maps from various sources » Sectors A, B, and C have write-ups, while D does not. • The resultant knowledge and bike path ideas have been distilled into a proposal for a baseline “bike route network” upon which routes with wayfinding can be defined. p. 11 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601 CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 B ROAD GREAT HERRONTOWN C RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27 PROVINCE A LINE RD D 206 FACULTY PRINCETON PIKE HARRISON LAKE US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD 571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 12 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 The Bike Plan Gleans its Info from Many Sources p. 13 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601 CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 GREAT ROAD GREAT HERRONTOWN RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27 PROVINCE A LINE RD 206 FACULTY PRINCETON PIKE HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD 571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 14 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Ad-Hoc Bike Plan: Overview of Sector “A” Green Lines = main routes Blue Lines = connectors Yellow Boxes = “network hubs” or “traffic generators” SECTOR B MOUNTAIN LAKES MOUNTAIN SECTOR C TROLLEY TRAIL JOHNSON 206 ROSEDALE PARK SCHOOL OPEN CLEVELAND/LAFAYETTE/HODGE SPACE ELM TRAIL + EGERS- PROVINCE BRIDGE TOUNE LINE RD LAWRENCE TWP HUN SCHOOL PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (CAMPUS) 206 LOVER’S LHT LANE ← COLLEGE ROAD HUTCHISON QUAKER (ONE-WAY) DINKY ROW IAS and BATTLE PRINCETON PIKE FIELD NEW TRAIL ALEXANDER QUAKER PED BRIDGE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (OPEN FIELDS + SOLAR FARM) TH TOWPA D&R MARKET FAIR US1 PRINCETON JUNCTION p. 15 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan summary: Sector “A” CHARACTERIZATION → VISION STATEMENT • The meanderings of the Stony Brook are the most important nature/scenic/historic element • The IAS Woods and Farm, along with Battlefield S.P. are the dominant open spaces, by far. • The arterials (Quaker Rd, Princeton Pike, 206, Rosedale Rd) have minimal bike-friendly connectors. • Interfaces to West Windsor (Marketfair), Lawrence Twp (L.H.T.), D&R Canal Towpath State Park • Rosedale Rd is a natural bikeway into Princeton, except for its semi-avoidable climb near Elm Rd (601). SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT → WISH LIST • The old Trolley ROW trail between JP School and Elm Rd needs to be maintained properly. • A flat approach into Princeton on Rosedale Rd via some new shortcut through Greenway Meadows. • Additional access to the D&R Towpath, through discussion with IAS and/or with Sunoco gas pipeline • Better access to the bottom of Springdale Rd after a dialog with the university re: Clubhouse Rd. • Official permission to cross the canal on ped/bike bridges belonging to the municipal golf course • An assessment of whether the level of street illumination is generally adequate for bike commuters p. 16 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601 CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 B ROAD GREAT HERRONTOWN RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27 PROVINCE LINE RD 206 FACULTY PRINCETON PIKE HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD 571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 17 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 601 CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY VALLEY RD CHERRY PROVINCE HILL RD LINE RD 206 GREAT ROAD GREAT HERRONTOWN C RIVER RD MOUNTAIN SNOWDEN HAMILTON ROSEDALE RD 206 604 NASSAU 27 PROVINCE LINE RD 206 FACULTY PRINCETON PIKE HARRISON US PROVINCE LINE RD 1 QUAKER RD 571 US 1 ALEXANDER RD WASHINGTON p. 18 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 Bike Plan: Overview of Sector “C” CHERRY VALLEY PRINCETON AVE DAVIES POOR ROCKY S A FARM HILL C U P L O T T BLUE CRESTVIEW N L K SECTOR B U L R 206 I A SPRING RD O H P M HERRON- AUTUMN HILL TOWN RESERVE WOODS MONTGOMERY BUNN CHERRY CHARTER WOODS SCHOOL DRIVE HILL MOUNT EWING LUCAS VAN DYKE H ER TRANSCO RO NT PIPELINE OW N TERHUNE COMMUNITY PARK SHOPPING R E CENTER V VALLEY RD O MOUNTAIN AVE R G MIDDLE SECTOR D (LITTLEBROOK) E AND HIGH N FRANKLIN N A SCHOOLS E L E D D R W R O MERWICK O A RIDER O CEME N Y STANWORTH M COLLEGE S A TERY B SECTOR A P. ROBESON WIGGINS HAMILTON R N E O H O T I P W S 27 206 SECTOR D (UNIVERSITY) SECTOR D (RIVERSIDE) HARRISON p. 19 • PJPBAC Sept 2012 p. 20 MOUNTAIN AVE • PJPBAC SeptPJPBAC 2012 Bike Plan:ImprovementsforSector “C” 206 CHERRY CHERRY HILL BAYARD LANE CHERRY VALLEY CHERRY BALCOURT P. ROBESON COMMUNITY CRESTVIEW PARK 206 WITHER SPOON WIGGINS HAMILTON TERHUNE MOORE VALLEY RD SCHOOLS AND HIGH MIDDLE M O U N EWING T LU C HARRISON DRIVE BUNN A S SHOPPING SHOPPING CENTER FARM POOR FRANKLIN DYKE VAN VAN GROVER SNOWDEN PRINCETON AVE H E R R O N T O W N PIPELINE TRANSCO SPRING RD BLUE 27 Bike Plan summary: Sector “C” CHARACTERIZATION → VISION STATEMENT • Sector has many busy arteries, most of the schools, plus significant climbs (Mount Lucas, Cherry Hill). • Witherspoon St. and part of Snowden - too narrow/busy and/or dark to ever get embraced by bicyclists. • Cemetery, Avalon Bay, Merwick-Stanworth, CP complex (pool, Twp, police) - numerous path blockages. • Hamilton/Wiggins - main bikeway artery across town, except savvy motorists use it to bypass Nassau St. • Valley Road, Moore, Terhune, Grover -- under consideration as initial elements of a defined Bike Network. • Very long and fast stretch of 206, between Cherry Hill and Cherry Valley, with no safe crossing.