1. NORTHEAST CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE (NECI) BICYCLE FACILITIES STUDY 1 st Public Meeting 01.18.2011 in collaboration with: + STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates

2. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Agenda Introductions Project Understanding/Process Overview – Presentation of Facility Types and Case Studies – Existing Conditions Facilitated Discussion/Break Out Groups – Vision for Bike Facilities – Goals/objectives for facility types & users – Opportunities/Constraints – Outreach General Questions/Next Steps – Process/Schedule, etc.

3. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Introductions Joe Frey, EP&M, Project Mgr. Ken Tippette, Bike Program Mgr. Jim Keenan, NECI PM Kathy Cornett, Planning Dick Winters, Mecklenburg County Stakeholder Group John Cock & Maya Agarwal, Alta Planning + Design Scot Sibert, STV/RWA

4. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Project Team and Partners City of Charlotte Involved Organizations  CABA  BAC  Neighborhood Groups  UNCC  Charlotte Bike Commuters  University City Partners  Carolina Thread Trail  Etc. Involved Organizations  CABA  BAC  Neighborhood Groups  UNCC  Charlotte Bike Commuters  University City Partners  Carolina Thread Trail  Etc. Alta Planning + Design Bicycle facility planning and design Project management Stakeholder Engagement Public Involvement Alta Planning + Design Bicycle facility planning and design Project management Stakeholder Engagement Public Involvement Public Agencies  Charlotte Engineering & PM  CDOT  Planning  CATS  County Park & Recreation  NCDOT  CMU Public Agencies  Charlotte Engineering & PM  CDOT  Planning  CATS  County Park & Recreation  NCDOT  CMU STV/RWA Public Involvement Conceptual design Engineering Review Stakeholder engagement (NCDOT, Railroads, CATS) STV/RWA Public Involvement Conceptual design Engineering Review Stakeholder engagement (NCDOT, Railroads, CATS)

5. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Overview of NECI project (NECI = Northeast Corridor Infrastructure) Voter approved bond funding Multi-modal access improvements Supporting economic development goals Highest needs in station areas, with some focus on corridor connectivity Public input process upcoming No implementation yet

6. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Project Purpose “...generate a long term vision plan for corridor-length (Uptown to UNCC/University City Area) bicycling routes and facilities....”

7. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Consultant Team: Alta & STV Alta: – leaders in bike/ped/trail planning – Experience in planning bike facilities in RR ROW – Implementation of 5,000+ miles bikeways & walkways STV: – NE Corridor LRT lead engineering firm – On-going relationships with railroads – SCIP & other City plan and implementation

8. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Stakeholder Group Carolina Thread Trail YMCA University City Partners UNCC Bike Shop Owners (Bike Line, Espada) Charlotte Bike Commuter Group Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance North End Partners Greenways Advisory Committee Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Charlotte Center City Partners UNCC Cyclists CATS Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department Charlotte Economic Development Department Bicycle Advisory Committee Mecklenburg County Safe Routes To School Program

9. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Stakeholder Meeting (Sept.)

10. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study “Someday we’ll look back on this and it will all seem funny...” http://everythingisjaded.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/fat_american_walking_dog_from_car.jpg

11. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Major Questions Vision for corridor? Design users? Facility types? Destinations? Routes? Other considerations?

12. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Types of Cyclists (Which category are you?) A - Strong and fearless (<1%) Will ride regardless of facilities.Often ride long distances. B - Enthused and confident (7%) Comfortable in traffic with appropriate facilities. C - Interested but concerned (60%) Not comfortable in traffic. Prefer low-volume, low-speed conditions (neighborhood streets, off-street). D - No way, no how (33%)A BCD

13. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Strong and fearless Enthused and confident “No way, no how” Interested but concerned Who are “design” cyclists?

14. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study How do we attract “Interested but Concerned”? Comfort (incl. minimize complexity) safety attractiveness direct routes connected system Develop Facilities and a Network that focuses on: (Dutch design principles)

15. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Bike Lane Cycle Tracks Signed Shared Roadway Wide outside lane Bicycle Boulevard/Bike Route Multi-Use Path Rail-with-Trail Shoulder Bikeway Bike/Ped Connectivity Types of Bikeways

16. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Bicycle Lane (Photo: City of Charlotte)

17. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Beyond Bike Lanes... 13

18. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Buffered Bike Lane

19. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Cycletrack 17

20. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Shared Roadways Wide outside lanes Other unique solutions (Shared Lane Markings) Calm traffic Alternate routes (Photo: City of Charlotte)

21. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Most common type of bikeway: Appropriate on 85% of streets in a city Great for getting around neighborhoods: low speed, low volume Not as practical for longer distances Shared Roadways

22. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Shared Roadways: “Quiet Streets” Portland, Oregon Bentonville, Arkansas

23. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Multi-use Pathways/Trails

24. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Multi-use Pathways/Trails (Photo: City of Charlotte)

25. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Sidepaths E. Faris Road; Greenville Tech Trail (Photo: City of Greenville)

26. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Bike/Ped Connections Photo: City of Charlotte, NC

27. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Case Studies and Examples NECI Bicycle Facilities Study

28. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Metro Orange Line, Los Angeles 14.2 mile Bus Rapid Transit corridor Dedicated lane built on a former rail right-of-way 14-mile bike path and 8-mile pedestrian walkway 79% of riders utilizing these facilities to get to their bus stop Bicycle facilities within and outside of the rail right-of-way

29. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Exposition LRT Line: Los Angeles Under construction (Phase 1) LA to Culver City Planned series of paths, bikeways, and bike routes along future LRT corridor (FTA grants can be used for bicycle/ped facilities and access to transit: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/bkepedtble.htm)http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/bkepedtble.htm

30. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Hiawatha Trail, Minneapolis *Source: Shaw, J. and Steve Moler. Bicyclist- and Pedestrian-Only Roundabouts. Federal Highway Administration: Public Roads. Jan/Feb 2009. Parallels Hiawatha LRT line 12 mile LRT line The intersection of Midtown Greenway and Hiawatha Trail sees 4,000 users per day.*

31. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Portland: 1-205/Max Path Path built in 70’s with interstate LRT came later Currently, upgrading path TriMet has adopted motto: “when you can’t bike the whole way, take TriMet” *Source: Portland Platinum Bicycle Master Plan, Existing Conditions Report: Bicycling and Transit Integration. 2007

32. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Commonwealth Avenue, Boston Complements Green Line rapid transit subway and sections of commuter rail Combination of: – separated path, – on-street designated bikeway, – and on-street recommended bike route Connection to Boston College

33. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Grade-separated undercrossing When a grade crossing between a trail and street may not be desirable: Traffic > 25,000 vehicles/day Speeds > 45 mph Motorists typically will cross at grade; trail routed over or under the roadway Grade-separated Crossings

34. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study 34 Bassett Creek Trail/Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Minneapolis Trail/Cedar Lake Regional Trail, Minneapolis

35. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study 35 Eastbank Esplanade, Portland

36. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Existing Conditions/Planned Facilities

37. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Previous Planning Efforts Recommendations Centers, Corridors, and Wedges Growth Framework City Transportation Action Plan Charlotte Bicycle Plan County Greenway Plan Update CTT Alignments for Mecklenburg Charlotte Connectivity Study NCDOT Planned Projects Planned Rail Facility Projects Northeast Area Plan (2000) Eastside Strategy Plan (2001) North Charlotte Area Plan (1995) Newell Area Plan (2002) Belmont Area Plan (2003) North Tryon Area Plan (2010) Optimist Park Plan (2002) Rocky River Road Area Plan (2006) University City Area Plan (2007) University Research Park Area Plan (2010) UNCC Campus Plan (Draft 2009)

38. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Overview: Challenges Obstacles/Challenges Structures/grade separations N. Tryon: daunting bike environment Multiple RRs (5) Railroads’ expectations NCDOT expectations

39. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Preliminary Opportunities Opportunities Potential partners along the corridor Tie into greenways Tie to neighborhood/area plans Bike/ped access to stations

40. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Existing/Proposed Facilities Blue Line Extension

41. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Existing/Proposed Facilities

42. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Proposed Greenways Existing/Proposed Facilities

43. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Proposed Greenways Existing Bike Lanes Existing/Proposed Facilities

44. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Proposed Greenways Existing Bike Lanes Proposed Bike Lanes and Striped Shoulders Existing/Proposed Facilities

45. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Proposed Greenways Existing Bike Lanes Proposed Bike Lanes, Striped Shoulders, and Shared Lane Markings Existing/Proposed Facilities

46. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Proposed Greenways Existing Bike Lanes Proposed Bike Lanes, Striped Shoulders, Shared Lane Markings, and Shared Neighborhood Roadways Existing/Proposed Facilities

47. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Blue Line Extension Existing Greenways Proposed Greenways Existing Bike Lanes Proposed Bike Lanes, Striped Shoulders, Shared Lane Markings, and Shared Neighborhood Roadways Proposed CTT Existing/Proposed Facilities

48. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Carolina Thread Trail  Regional greenway and trail system  Connecting 15 Counties  11 NC Counties, 4 SC Counties  Estimated 2.3 million people

49. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study BREAK OUT GROUPS

50. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Breakout Instructions Introduce selves and location on corridor Review map markings, legend Answer questions on handouts in group discussion Allow everyone to speak Mark on maps and take notes Report back

51. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study NECI Bicycle Facilities Study PROJECT APPROACH Public Involvement: “Active & Engaging”

52. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Public Outreach Stakeholder Group Open Design Workshops Project website 2 Public workshops

53. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Project Webpage http://charmeck.orghttp://charmeck.org > departments > engineering > projects > NE Corridor

54. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Plan Process Stakeholder Kick off Meeting (Sept) Develop preliminary goals, objectives, etc. 1st Public Meeting/Design Workshop 1 (Jan ‘11) Design Workshop 1: Stakeholders, staff Preliminary alignments Design Workshop 2 (March/April) Stakeholder meeting (refined alignments) Concept details 2 nd Public Meeting (Spring) Present preliminary recommendations Final Stakeholders Meeting Spring/Summer Present draft recommendations Implementation NECI prioritization Other funding and partnerships?

55. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Questions? Contact Info City of Charlotte Joe Frey Jfrey@ci.charlotte.nc.us 704-336-5276 Project web address

56. NORTHEAST CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE (NECI) BICYCLE FACILITIES STUDY 1 st Public Meeting 01.18.2011 in collaboration with: + STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates

58. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study NECI Bicycle Facilities Study Additional Info (for Q&A if needed)

59. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Trail Issues for Railroads What’s the right setback to the edge of the tracks? What’s the separation technique? How does one cross the tracks? Trespassing and vandalism must be addressed Negative response from the railroad companies Issues of liability, etc. Existing rail-with-trail along LYNX light rail; but may have potential issues in NE Corridor

60. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Trail Benefits for Railroads Access to Transit Financial compensation (avg $800k) Reduced trespassing, dumping, vandalism Reduced illegal crossings Reduced petty crime Increased public awareness of RR industry; Good PR Improved aesthetics Seattle Waterfront Trail

61. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Bicycle Collisions 2007- 2009

62. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Portland: infrastructure breeds bike culture

63. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Development of Portland’s Bikeway Network - 1980 Lanes Boulevards Trails

64. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study Development of Portland’s Bikeway Network - 2005 Lanes Boulevards Trails

65. Year: 00 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Bridge Bicycle Traffic Bikeway Miles Bridge Bicycle Traffic Bikeway Miles Increasing Bicycle Use Bikeway Miles 1992: 83 miles of bikeways 2,850 daily trips 2007: 271 miles of bikeways 14,563 daily trips 19911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 12,500 15,000 2,8503,5553,8853,8303,2074,5205,2255,6905,9106,0157,6868,2508,5628,87510,19212,04614,563 788486103113144166183213222235252254260262263266 Cyclists Per Day

66. Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Bicycle Facilities Study 15 years of bicycle infrastructure: $60 million Interchange along Rt. 26 outside of Portland: $125 million only 0.7% of PDOT’s budget $3.75/annual cost per capita Relative Costs of Bikeway Investment