BFC_Spring_2013_closed Submitted by Michael Faught on 2013-02-26 16:54:45 Name of Community Name of Community City of Ashland State Oregon Has the community applied to the Bicycle Friendly Community program before? Yes What was the result of the community's last application? Bronze Mayor or top elected official (include title) Mayor John Stromberg Phone 541-488-5300 Email [email protected] Address 20 E. Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520 Website www.ashland.or.us Applicant Profile Applicant Name Michael Faught Title Public Works Director Department Public Works Employer City of Ashland Address 20 E. Main Street City Ashland State Oregon Zip 97502 Phone 541-488-5587 Email [email protected] Are you the Bicycle Program Manager? Yes If no, does your community have a Bicycle Program Manager? What is the Bicycle Program Manager’s contact information? Michael Faught (see above) Community Profile 1. Type of Jurisdiction Town/City/Municipality If other, describe (50 word limit) 2. For purposes of comparison, would you describe your community as largely suburban 3. ClimateAverage daytime temperature (in °F) January 47 April 62 July 87 October 68 Average precipitation (in inches) January 2.48 April 1.69 July 0.51 October 1.46 4. Size of community (in sq. mi.) Total area 6.59 Water area Land area 6.59 5. Total Population 20,232 5a. Student population (during semester) 10-25% 6. Population Density (Person per sq. mi. of land area) 3047.2 7. Median Household Income $40,140 8. Age distribution (in percent) Under 5 3.5% Age 5-17 15.9% Age 18-64 63% Age 65+ 17.6% Totals (should equal 100) 100% 9. Race (in percent) White 90.3% Black or African American 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 0.9% Asian 2.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.3% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 4.0% Totals (should equal 100) 100% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 5.1% 10. How many government employees (including the Bicycle Program Manager), expressed in full-time equivalents, work on bicycle issues in your community? Public Works 1.5 FTE; Planning 1.5 FTE; Ashland Police 1 FTE; Ashland Parks & Recreation 1.25 FTE 11. What percentage of the community's Bicycle Program Manager's time is spent on bicycling issues? 10% or less 12. Do you have a Bicycle Advisory Committee? Yes 12a. How often does it meet? Monthly or more frequently 12b. How many members serve on the committee? There are seven voting members on the Transportation Commission and twelve non-voting ex officio members. The Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission and the Traffic Safety Commission were disbanded in the creation of a single Transportation Commission. 12c. Which of the following groups are represented or regularly attend the Bicycle Advisory Committee? Check all that apply. Law Enforcement,Chamber of Commerce,Planning Department,Transportation Department,Parks Department,Recreation Department,Transit Agency,Other If other, describe (50 word limit) The Director of Public Works or designee serves as the primary staff liaison and as Secretary of the Commission. A City Council liaison and a Southern Oregon University student liaison regularly attend commission meetings. 12d. Name and email of Bicycle Advisory Committee Chair David Young - [email protected] 13. List all bicycle advocacy groups in your community Ashland Bicycle Works Ashland Cycle Sport Ashland Mountain Adventures Ashland Woodlands & Trails Association Bear Creek Bicycle Bear Creek Greenway Foundation Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association (RVMBA) (chapter of the IMBA) Siskiyou Cyclery Siskiyou Velo Cycling Club Southern Oregon Partners Active Transportation (SOPAT) Standing Stone Brewery United Bicycle Institute 13a. List the name and email of the primary contact for the bicycle advocacy community Phil Gagnon, President of Siskiyou Velo - [email protected] 13b. Do you contract with any advocacy groups for services or programs? Check all that apply. Paid,Volunteer 13c. List all advocacy groups that are working with you on this application. Ashland Woodlands & Trails Association (AWTA) League of American Bicyclists Instructors Rogue Valley Transit District (RVTD) Siskiyou Velo Cycling Club Southern Oregon Partners Active Transportation (SOPAT) 14. What are the primary reasons your community has invested in bicycling? Check all that apply. Improved quality of life,Improving public health,Community connectivity,Transportation options,Reduce car-parking demands,Climate change/environmental stewardship concerns,Decrease traffic congestion,Increase tourism,Cooperation with adjacent communities,Public demand,Economic development,Support Smart Growth or other growth management goals ,Traffic and bicycle/pedestrian safety,Meet local or state requirements,Other If other, describe (50 word limit) Ashland's vision is to retain our small-town character even while we grow. We proactively plan for modal equity ensuring we have the opportunity to conveniently and safely use the mode of choice, moving toward a less auto-dependent community. 15. What was your community's most significant achievement for bicycling in the past year? (500 word limit) Road Diet: N. Main St. provides the primary access to our community from the north. With an ADT of 19,000 trips/day, N. Main St. has been one of the weakest links in our community for bike/pedestrian travel. In October 2012, a one-year pilot project was implemented reconfiguring a 1.25-mile stretch of N. Main St. from four-lanes to three-lanes with 6-ft. bike lanes and a left-turn refuge lane. The reconfiguration allows traffic to continue unimpeded by turning movements, thus reducing vehicular crashes, reducing travel speeds, and provides a safe bike and pedestrian facility encouraging residents to choose to walk or bike rather than taking their cars for local trips. At the end of the road diet trial period, the City and community will determine if they would like to keep the road diet on N. Main St. or return it to its previous form. (i.e. four-lane cross-section). The evaluation measures include: improved safety, reduced vehicle speeds, increased bicycle and pedestrian volumes, maintain acceptable vehicle travel time, and community support. Ongoing monthly data is being collected as well as community input. To date, the road diet has received tremendous support from the community and especially from bicycle enthusiasts. Ashland Watershed Master Trails Plan: The Ashland Watershed Master Trails Plan has been submitted to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for approval. The executive summary describes the Ashland watershed trails on USFS land as immensely popular. On virtually any given day you will see bikers, runners, hikers, dog walkers, and the occasional equestrian. Locals love their trails and, increasingly, others do too. Mountain bike magazines tout the Ashland trails to ride and one even devotes an article to “the perfect Ashland downhill bike.” Rated the top city for trail running in the nation by Outside Magazine (2010), Ashland was also ranked one of the top recreational cities in the country, partially based on its network of trails. However, the trails are not problem-free. Concerns of trail user conflict and safety, erosion, fire danger, habitat encroachment, deleterious effects on Ashland’s water supply and the lack of a sustainable plan for the future have prompted Ashland Woodlands & Trails Association (AWTA) to spearhead the master plan effort. Executive Summary submitted to the USFS can be found at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5371594.pdf USFS Scoping Letter: http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic.download.akamai.com/11558/www/nepa/89822_FSPLT2_149398.pdf USFS webpage dedication to Ashland Trails Project: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/rogue-siskiyou/landmanagement/projects/?cid=stelprdb5371610 16. What specific improvements do you have planned for bicycling in the following year? (250 word limit) 1) Along with plans to implement additional bike parking, sharrows and signage, the City of Ashland has secured funding to provide an additional route for local, multi-modal east-west travel. The extension of E. Nevada St. involves construction of a new 0.12 mile paved roadway linking the existing terminus of E. Nevada St. with N. Mountain Ave. It requires construction of a bridge over Bear Creek and will contain bicycle lanes and sidewalks allowing for greatly improved connectivity. The connection is a critical element for the extension of the Bear Creek Greenway, a 17.1mile paved, multi-use trail. Trail managers and the non-profit Bear Creek Greenway Foundation have identified the connection to N. Mountain Ave. as a high priority. 2) The Ashland Watershed planned improvements involve building more trails to increase safety by separating downhill bikes from other uses. This will occur both on City and USFS land and will happen with the help of community volunteers organized by the AWTA and the RVMB. Ongoing mountain bike trail maintenance will continue. 3) The neighboring city of Talent has approved a road diet design for a section of Hwy 99 adding much needed 6-ft bike lanes. The implementation of the road diet in Ashland has inspired the City of Talent to approve the redesign, thus adding key safety features for bicyclists using this heavy traveled route. The cycling community will continue to encourage Oregon Department of Transportation to extend the road diet from this section of Hwy 99 connecting it to the road diet in Ashland. Engineering 17. Does your community currently have any of the following policies in place? Check all that apply. Local Complete Streets policy ,Local bicycle accommodation policy 17a. When was it adopted? The Ashland TSP was adopted in 1998. The City Council is currently reviewing an updated TSP (link included in 17b). 17b. Provide a link or attach a copy of this legislation or policy Link to the updated Ashland Transportation System Plan (TSP): http://ashlandtsp.com/statics/draft_documents 18c.