Bicycle & Pedestrian For the Rockford Plan Metropolitan Area DRAFT Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan for the Rockford Metropolitan Area This plan was prepared by RMAP Staff in collaboration with its member agencies, partner organizations, and local stakeholders. RMAP Policy Committee: Mayor Mike Chamberlain - City of Belvidere, RMAP Chairman Chairman Frank Haney - Winnebago County, RMAP Vice-Chairman Chairman Karl Johnson - Boone County Mayor Steve Johnson - Village of Machesney Park Mayor Greg Jury - City of Loves Park Mayor Tom McNamara - City of Rockford Gary L. Marzorati, Board Chair - Rockford Mass Transit District Deputy Director Kevin Marchek - Illinois Department of Transportation, Region 2 RMAP Staff: Michael Dunn, Executive Director Jon Paul Diipla, AICP, Director of Metropolitan Planning Organization Colin R. Belle, Metropolitan Planner Sydney M. Turner, Metropolitan Planner Anna Ma, Metropolitan Planner Ben Rohr, Land Use Planner Christina Washington, Office Manager This report was prepared in cooperation with the following: U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Federal Transit Administration Illinois Department of Transportation The contents, views, policies, and conclusions expressed in this report are not DRAFTnecessarily those of the above agencies. This Plan can be amended or updated at any time. Comments and proposed refinements or changes should be directed as follows: Rockford Metropolitan agency for planning 313 north Main street Rockford, il 61101 phone: 815.319.4180 Web: www.rmapil.org i RockfoRd MetRopolitan Area -- Bicycle & pedestRian plan Introduction ............................................................................................................................1 Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning History ................................................................................................4 Local Context .........................................................................................................................................6 Benefits of Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities ........................................................................................16 Plan Development ................................................................................................................................21 Plan Outline .........................................................................................................................................24 Vision, Goals, & Objectives ................................................................................................25 Vision Statement ..................................................................................................................................27 Goals and Objectives ...........................................................................................................................27 Facility Types & Design Standards .....................................................................................31 Bicycle Facilities ...................................................................................................................................33 Pedestrian Facilities .............................................................................................................................41 Shared Use Path Facilities ...................................................................................................................47 Complete Streets .................................................................................................................................49 Existing Conditions: Bicycle Network................................................................................53 Existing Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................55 Demand .................................................................................................................................................60 Constraints and Barriers ....................................................................................................................63 Opportunities .......................................................................................................................................67 Existing Conditions: Pedestrian Network..........................................................................71 Pedestrian Suitability Index ................................................................................................................73 Existing Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................77 Demand .................................................................................................................................................79 Constraints and Barriers ....................................................................................................................80 Opportunities .......................................................................................................................................88 Engineering Recommendations .........................................................................................93 Policy Recommendations ....................................................................................................................95 Bicycle Network Recommendations ...................................................................................................98 Pedestrian Network Recommendations ......................................................................................... 105 Program Recommendations ..............................................................................................111 Education Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 113 Encouragement Recommendations ................................................................................................ 118 Enforcement Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 122 Evaluation Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 127 Plan Implementation..........................................................................................................131 Action PlanDRAFT ....................................................................................................................................... 133 Project Prioritization ...................................................................................................................... 135 Evaluation Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 140 Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 147 Appendices & Addendums ............................................................................................... A-1 Table of Contents Table ii List of Figures Figure 1. Average Monthly Temperatures & Precipitation.......................................................................7 Figure 2. Age Distribution in the Rockford MSA ......................................................................................8 Figure 3. Demographic Composition in the Rockford MSA .....................................................................8 Figure 4. Average Household Size ..............................................................................................................9 Figure 5. Occupancy Rates in the Rockford MSA ......................................................................................9 Figure 6. Educational Attainment in the Rockford MSA .......................................................................11 Figure 7. Means of Transportation to Work in the Rockford MSA ......................................................13 Figure 8. Mean Time to Work ...................................................................................................................13 Figure 9. Plan Development Process .......................................................................................................21 Figure 10. Paved Shoulder in Rural Area ................................................................................................33 Figure 11. Shared Lanes with Sharrows in Residential Area .................................................................34 Figure 12. Shared Lane Marking ..............................................................................................................35 Figure 13. Conventional Bicycle Lane in a Mixed-Use Area ...................................................................36 Figure 14. MUTCD Bicycle Lane Pavement Markings ..............................................................................36 Figure 15. MUTCD Bicycle Lane Signs ......................................................................................................37 Figure 16. Buffered Bicycle Lanes in a Commercial Area .......................................................................38 Figure 17. Separated Bicycle Lanes in a Commercial Area ......................................................................40 Figure 18. Two-way Cycle Track in a Commercial Area ..........................................................................40