COMPREHENSIVE Making BICYCLE Connections MASTER PLAN PROJECT No. ST87600080 MARCH 2014 DRAFT in association with prepared by and 25 years of excellence CHAPTER MAKING CONNECTIONS 1 VISION Vision k Goals STATEMENT: What will bicycling in Phoenix be like in 20 years? What actions and policy changes will be needed to achieve this vision? These and other questions led to development In 20 years, of the plan’s vision statement and eight supporting goals presented in this chapter. Phoenix will be a Community Input Platinum-level The bicycling vision for Phoenix was developed through a comprehensive process Bicycle undertaken from July 2013 - March 2014. Extensive public and City staff input guided Friendly development of the plan approach and content, which led to the overall theme of Making Connections. Highlights of the community outreach process included: Community. Community 4 public meetings to reach City’s diverse demographics It will be safe Workshops 196 site-specific comments on routes & intersections received and easy to Interactive web-based comment tool live for 2 months bike anywhere Wikimap Software 594 users logged in 1,000 site-specific comments in the city. A well-connected Outreach at 8 hours of outreach at 3 different transit stations infrastructure Transit Stations 91 in-person responses on bicycling habits network will Technical Advisory technical guidance from a 32-member TAC link people Committee representing 18 departments and agencies and places, Ad Hoc plan vision and oversight from a making Task Force 12-member citizens advisory group bicycling a preferred option for daily transportation, recreation, and healthy lifestyles. The Vision This plan establishes direction to transform the City of Phoenix into a bicycle-friendly community over the next 20 years. The goal is to systematically improve levels of bicycle- The 5 E’s for friendliness, as defined by the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Communities Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Phoenix received ENGINEERING a Honorable Mention in 2011; the next goal is a Bronze Creating safe and convenient places Award, progressing up to the Platinum Level as additional to ride and park recommendations of this plan are implemented over time. EDUCATION Giving people of all ages and abilities Connectivity Goals the skills and confidence to ride To achieve this vision, the City is adopting a series of eight ENCOURAGEMENT goals that address different aspects of what it will take to make Creating a strong bike culture that Phoenix more bicycle friendly. These are presented in this welcomes and celebrates bicycling chapter, along with benchmarks that can be used to measure ENFORCEMENT progress toward attaining each goal. In addition, subsequent Ensuring safe roads for all users chapters of this plan contain specific recommendations, EVALUATION & PLANNING Planning for bicycling as a safe and implementation details, and action plans for how public agencies viable transportation option and private citizens can work to achieve the following goals: Policies k A strong bike culture will be the norm, not the exception, as reflected in government Perceptions organization, community, and individual actions. Public policy will be connected with the desire to have more people riding bikes more often. Bicycling will be easy, safe, convenient, fun, and an accepted mode of transportation and recreation. Opportunities Investments made for bicycling will be smart, focused, and equitable. The city will leverage k Investments existing assets and create partnerships with local, county, and state agencies to build out the bicycle infrastructure network. People k The city’s bicycle network will connect neighborhoods with each other and into Downtown Places Phoenix. Bicycling will be a safe, fun, and convenient transportation option to access schools, parks, shopping, work, and community centers in all parts of the city. Safety Bicycling will be a safe transportation and recreation option. Streets will be designed and retrofitted to safely accommodate all modes. People on bikes will understand bicycling rules of the road through proper facility design and safety education. Bicycling will be safer by promoting accountability and responsible attitudes of all road users. Arterials k People on bikes will be able to share transportation facilities with motor vehicles and easily Collectors cross roadways. Missing gaps in the bicycle network will be completed. On-Street k Multi-use paths and trails will intersect and seamlessly connect with the street network. This Off-Street mix of facility types will provide a variety of comfortable travel options for all ages, abilities, and trip purposes. City k Region The City will be connected to bikeways in adjoining communities to provide longer-distance recreation and commuting opportunities. Bike connectivity through loops and links will be promoted. Bikes k Transit Commuting by public transportation will be a seamless and efficient choice for cyclists. Completing the first and last 2.5 miles of a transit trip will be easy to accomplish on a bike as modes will be fully integrated. Community Input 1 Community Meetings The City of Phoenix and Lee Engineering conducted four public meetings related to the Phoenix Comprehensive Bicycle Master Plan. The community outreach strategy was to reach the City’s diverse demographics, including transit-dependent groups, to engage bicyclists of all ages and abilities, as well as local Bicycle Advocacy groups. The purpose of the public meetings was to: • Provide introductory information about the City’s current efforts to prepare its Bicycle Plan; • Obtain input on bicycle-related transportation issues and priorities; and • Obtain input on biking areas that may benefit from street or other infrastructure improvements. 1.1 Meeting Notification and Attendance A water bill notice and meeting notification flyer were prepared as well as a media press release. Additionally, the meetings were posted on the City website and tweeted through the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department. Additional outreach methods included posting meeting information at bikearizona.com and direct outreach to bicycle clubs, advocacy groups, and businesses. Notifications were facilitated as follows: Media Press Release was sent to… • Figure 1 City of Phoenix Street Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (34 members) Department Tweet • MAG Pedestrian/Bicycle Committee (23 members) Media Press Release was sent to the following Village Planning Committees: • Alhambra • Maryvale • South Mountain • Central City • North Gateway • Ahwatukee Foothills • Deer Valley • North Mountain • Camelback East • Desert View • Paradise Valley • Estrella • Encanto • Rio Vista • Laveen Flyer notices were e-mailed or otherwise electronically distributed to: • Technical Advisory Committee (34 members) • Valley Metro o 10/9/13 – Commute Solutions Update e-newsletter distributed to approximately 2,100 employer representatives who participate in the Maricopa County Trip Reduction Program. th o 10/19/13 – West Plaza Neighborhood Association GAIN event, La Pradera Park at 39 Ave and Glendale (20 copies) o 10/24/13 – Grand Canyon University Fall Festival, 3300 W. Camelback Rd (20 copies) • MAG Pedestrian/Bicycle Committee (23 members) 1 • Bicycle Clubs and Advocacy Groups o Bicycle Shops and Businesses within the Cities of Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Cave Creek, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, and Town of Guadalupe Flyer notices were distributed to the following community centers for posting: • Goelet A. Beuf Community Center • Devonshire Senior Center • Desert West Community Center • Eastlake Park 1.2 Information Provided The community meetings included a Prezi presentation about the background and purpose of the study, overarching goals, and next steps in the study, namely, to compile community input on the City’s bicycle network, identifying gaps in the existing/current conditions, and developing alternatives for the future. A copy 1 of the presentation is available for viewing online . As of November 13, 2013, the presentation was viewed more than 100 times. Group discussion followed the presentation, giving participants a chance to provide general comments, ask questions, and discuss network qualities and concerns. Participants were asked to complete a survey and write down their comments on provided Comment cards. Information cards were also provide for participants to take home with contact information for the project team and URLs for the City, project Wikimap, and community meeting presentation. Participants were then given time to look at maps of the city, highlight routes that need to be addressed, and identify existing barriers within the network. They also identified missing links. These maps provided input for the study network for data collection. Maps that depicted existing bicycle facility conditions and data for the 15 villages were available at each meeting. Participants at the four community meetings, listed below, identified 196 unique routes and intersections on these maps. • October 22, 2013 – Districts 1 & 2 - Goelet A C Beuf Community Center • October 24, 2013 – Districts 3 & 4 - Devonshire Senior Center • October 29, 2013 – Districts 5 & 7 - Desert West Community Center • October 30, 2013 – Districts 6 & 8 - Eastlake Park Community Center 2 WikiMaps In addition to the community meetings, the City used crowd-sourcing to gather comments about where people currently bike and dangerous or difficult spots. Toole Design