PEER EXCHANGE August 24‐25, 2016 Tennessee Tower – Nashville, Tennessee Acknowledgement Many people helped plan and organize the Central Region Road Diet Peer Exchange. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety greatly appreciates thee cooperation of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the City of Nashville, the Tennessee Toweer contacts, and the Tennnessee Division staff in assisting in the planning and coordination efforts of the peer exchange. We also thank all those that volunteered to offer presentations and share their Road Diet stories. Everyone’s efforts made it a successful peer exchange. 2 Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 4 About the Peer Exchange ................................................................................................................................ 5 Peer Exchange Proceedings ............................................................................................................................ 6 August 24, 2016 .......................................................................................................................................... 6 FHWA Welcome and Introductory Comments ....................................................................................... 6 Every Day Counts: Advancing Road Diets ............................................................................................... 6 Participant Introductions ........................................................................................................................ 6 Topics of Interest .................................................................................................................................... 9 What Does Institutionalizing Road Diets Look Like? ............................................................................. 10 Road Diets in Tennessee ....................................................................................................................... 10 On‐site Visits to Road Diet Projects ...................................................................................................... 11 August 25, 2016 ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Identifying, Planning, and Selecting Road Diet Locations ..................................................................... 12 Marketing and Outreach for Road Diets ............................................................................................... 13 Road Diets, Roundabouts, and Public Outreach ................................................................................... 14 Evaluation Criteria, Processes, and Performance Metrics ................................................................... 15 Nashville Complete Streets Policy ........................................................................................................ 16 Road Diets for All Road Users ............................................................................................................... 17 Participant Takeaways – Next Steps ..................................................................................................... 17 Lessons Learned ............................................................................................................................................ 20 Appendix A. Central Region Road Diet Peer Exchange Agenda ................................................................... 21 Appendix B. List of Attendees ....................................................................................................................... 23 Appendix C. Presentations ............................................................................................................................ 27 3 Executive Summary As one of the initiatives included in the Every Day Countss (EDC) program, a Road Diet is a low‐cost measure that can improve safety, reduce conflicts, calm traffic, and better accommodate the needs of all road users. A typical Road Diet project involves converting a four‐lane undivided roadway to a two‐ lane facility with a two‐way left‐turn center lane. The remaining roadway width can then be repurposed for bicycle lanes, parking, transit, or sidewalks. FHWA is partnering with State and local stakeholders to accelerate the advancement of Road Diets as a potential low‐cost measure to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths along busy corridors while improving the mobility and quality of life for all roadway users. As a part of this initiative, the Central Region Road Diet Peer Exchange was held in Nashville, Tennessee, August 24‐25, 2016. States were invited based on their EDC Road Diet implementation status and goals as well as regional proximity. The attending States included IIowa, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Fifty‐five multidisciplinary representatives from FHWA, State DOTs, and local agencies had the opportunity to ask quuestions, exchange information, and share learning experiences with their peers on various Road Diet topics, such as: Identifying and evaluating candidate projects Marketing and outreach for proposed projects Design considerations and issues Multimodal accommodations Before and after evaluation factors and performance metrics Institutionalizing and funding a Road Diet program Policies that encourage Road Diets Upon completion of the peer exchange, each participatingg agency shared the next steps they would pursue to further advance their Road Diet program. 4 About the Peer Exchange Peer exchanges directly support the Mission, and Vision Sttatements contained in FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) Road Diet Implementation Plan: MISSION: Partner with local access and mobility advocates, government agencies, trade and public interest groups to accelerate advancement of Road Diets as a potential low‐cost measure to reduce crashes, injuriees and deaths in busy corridors, while improving mobility and quality of life for all roadway users. VISION: Institutionalize Road Diets as a tool to improve safety and mobility for all road users and to enhance community livability. On August 24‐25, 2016, key stakeholders—across a varieety of disciplines—gathered at the Central Region Road Diet Peer Exchange at the Tennessee Tower in Nashville, Tennessee. The objective of the exchange was to collaborate and discuss the benefits, lessons learned, challenges, and solutions related to Road Diets. Although not an exhaustive list, the peer exchange allowed the participants to learn more about: Benefits and challenges of incorporating Road Diets into safety prrograms Assessing the effectiveness of Road Diet activities and investment decisions Ideas and approaches for overcoming Road Diet implementation bbarriers Technical, institutional, or political concerns and potential solutions Increasing collaboration and establishing new partnerships Maintaining momentum among their agency/State to increase Road Diet use Guidance relating to marketing, implementing, and evaluating Road Diets Funding mechanisms for Road Diets Possibly the most important benefits of the peer exchange were the relationships and connections made among the participants during the meeting. Peer exchanges often serve as a first step toward re‐ energizing or improving upon an agency’s existing program. 5 Peer Exchange Proceedings August 24, 2016 FHWA Welcome and Introductory Comments Becky Crowe, FHWA Office of Safety, welcomed partiicipants, introduced Pamela Kordenbrock and Leslie Meehan, and explained the role and purpose of the FHWA in sponsoring the Road Diet Peer to Peer Exchange. Pamela Kordenbrock, Division Administrator for FHWA TN Division, and Leslie Meehan, Assistant Director for the Tennessee Department of Health, welcomed the aattendees to the peer exchange, described the efforts of their departments in support of Road Diets.. Every Day Counts: Advancing Road Diets Mark Doctor, FHWA Resource Center, provided a general overview of FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) Road Diet Implementation Plan. Participant Introductions Mark Doctor explains FHWA's EDC Program As part of the introductions, participating agencies were asked to: Describe the State’s current level of experience in immplementing Road Diets, Describe the benefits, challenges, and lessons learned in implementing Road Diets, and Describe expectations for participating in the Road Diet Peer Exchange (i.e. what did they hope to accomplish?) Tennessee Attendees: Tennessee Jason Oldham, State Traffic Engineer Tennessee does not currently have a lot of Road Diets. They are working on a Brandon Darks, Safety Manager Complete Streets guide, incorporating Jessica Wilson, Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator Road Diets, and moving forward to Ali Hangul, Assistant Director of Design institutionalizing Road Diets in the Sttate. Mary Beth Ikerd, Transportation and Sustainability Manager They would like to learn more about the Greg Dyer, Civil Engineering Manager 1 effects Road Diets may have on paralllel Adams Carroll, MPO Regional Active Mobility Planner routes/diversion of traffic. They are Jason Radinger, Metro Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator currently working on promoting active Michael Briggs, Transportation Planner transportation and improving safety and Leslie Meehan, Assistant Director of Primary Prevention economic development. Pamela