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HomeMy WebLinkAboutboard of director itemsOFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMUNICATION October 21, 2003 AGENDA Subject Master Street Plan Amendment, extending the Little Fourche Bike Route to the County Line Action Required Ordinance Resolution Approval Information Report Submitted By Bruce Moore City Manager SYNOPSIS To Extent the Class I Little Fourche Bike Route from the South Loop alignment to the county line along the former Rock Island RR as part of a regional Rails to Trails effort. FISCAL IMPACT RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval. The Planning Commission approved the request at their September 18 meeting after conducting a Public Hearing on the proposal. CITIZEN The Public hearing before the Planning Commission on September PARTICIPATION 18 and meeting conducted by Central Arkansas Regional Transportation Study (CARTS). Notices of the meeting before the Board were mailed to Rolling Pines NA and Southwest Little Rock United for Progress. BACKGROUND As stated the Bike Plan calls for a Class I bike route along the Little Fourche (former Rock Island Railroad) which stops at the South Loop Alignment. The Bike Plan does not include connections to other towns and cities but rather provides a circulation pattern within and for Little Rock. Metroplan the staff for Central Arkansas Regional Transportation Study (CARTS) has been reviewing the former Rock Island Railroad route as a transportation corridor. As a result of that study, a "Rails to Trails" effort is underway. "Rails to Trails" means taking a former railroad right-of-way and using it for a bicycle and/or pedestrian trail. In the Master Street Plan, Class I Bike routes not already developed are "corridors" just as arterials are. Therefore whether the Little Fourche Route is the railroad bed or a route near the railroad bed more closely following the turns of the BACKGROUND creek is unimportant. Either of these exact alignments meets CONTINUED the Master Street Plan (Bike Plan) recommendations. The rail bed better meets the standards for a Class I Bike Route in this corridor. The CARTS effort would take the former Rock Island Railroad route from Arch and 65h Street to Bauxite. As noted most of the proposed route within the City's jurisdiction is already proposed for this use. Since our Regional and Saline County counterparts wish to develop the corridor further to the southwest, a link within our jurisdiction is missing. In order to complete the regional "Rail to Trail" effort it is necessary to extend the Little Fourche Trail approximately '/a of a mile to the Saline County line. This would be generally along the city limits (former Rock Island railroad) from the South Loop alignment to the Saline County line. FILE NO.: MSP -03-03 Name: Master Street Plan Amendment, extending Little Fourche Class I Bikeway Location: South Loop alignment to County Line generally along city limits Request: Extend the Little Fourche Class I Bikeway to the southwest Source: City Staff PROPOSAL: The request is to amend the Master Street Plan to extend the Little Fourche, Class I Bikeway, along the city limits south and west of the South Loop alignment. A Class I bikeway is totally separate from automobile traffic and designed for bicycle speeds of 35 mph while not meandering or having sharp turns. CURRENT MASTER STREET PLAN: The Little Fourche, Class I bikeway, is proposed to provide a "spine" from the Fourche route near Interstate Park south and west along the Little Fourche and former Rock Island railroad right-of-way. The Little Fourche route connects to various Class II Bike routes which move in to various parts of southwest Little Rock. The Little Fourche route currently ends at the proposed South Loop alignment where the plan calls for a Class I route along the South Loop. This South Loop route would take a cyclist east to Arch Street or west and north to Southwest Hospital. CITY RECOGNIZED NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION PLAN: A portion of the alignment amendment is within the Chicot West 1-30 South Plan. The remainder is in an area without a City recognized Neighborhood Plan. The Chicot West 1-30 South Neighborhood Action Plan does not address the Little Fourche route. It does recommend as arterials are built, bicycle facilities also be built. FILE NO.: MSP -03-03 _(Cont.) FUTURE LAND USE PLAN: The Land Use Plan from the South Loop alignment south and west recommends Single Family use. At Heinke Road the Plan shows an area for Low Density Residential. ANALYSIS: As stated the Bike Plan calls for a Class I bike route along the Little Fourche (former Rock Island Railroad) which stops at the South Loop Alignment. The Bike Plan does not include connections to other towns and cities but rather provides a circulation pattern within and for Little Rock. Metroplan the staff for Central Arkansas Regional Transportation Study (CARTS) has been reviewing the former Rock Island Railroad route as a transportation corridor. As a result of that study, a "Rails to Trails" effort is underway. "Rails to Trails" means taking a former railroad right-of-way and using it for a bicycle and/or pedestrian trail. In the Master Street Plan, Class I Bike routes not already developed are "corridors" just as arterials are. Therefore whether the Little Fourche Route is the railroad bed or a route near the railroad bed more closely following the turns of the creek is unimportant. Either of these exact alignments meets the Master Street Plan (Bike Plan) recommendations. The rail bed better meets the standards for a Class I Bike Route in this corridor. The CARTS effort would take the former Rock Island Railroad route from Arch and 65th Street to Bauxite. As noted most of the proposed route within the City's jurisdiction is already proposed for this use. Since our Regional and Saline County counterparts wish to develop the corridor further to the southwest, a link within our jurisdiction is missing. In order to complete the regional "Rail to Trail" effort it is necessary to extend the Little Fourche Trail approximately 3/ of a mile to the Saline County line. This would be generally along the city limits (former Rock Island railroad) from the South Loop alignment to the Saline County line. PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: (SEPTEMBER 18, 2003) Walter Malone, Planning Staff reviewed the request before the Commission to extend the Class I Bikeway along Little Fourche Creek (former Rock Island Railroad). This connects with a proposal in Saline County and is at the request of Central Arkansas Transportation Study (CARTS). There already is a minor arterial in this location. The result would be a Class I the length of the former Rock Island Railroad for 65th Street to the county line and on to Bauxite regionally — Rails to Trails. 4 FILE NO.: MSP -03-03 (Cont. Commissioner Meyer asked about the three South Loop alignments. Mr. Malone stated that the Highway Department was studying the alignment (an Environmental Impact Study known EIS). The City has used an alignment from a mid-1980s study and this is one of the three alignments in the EIS. If the Highway Department approves a different alignment, there will be an amendment before you to change to that alignment. Janet Berry, Southwest Little Rock United for Progress (SWLR UP) indicated she was speaking on "process". With both Master Street Plan and Park issues, there is zero notification. Ms. Berry indicate that the item was not too serious but other Master Street Plan changes could be. The agenda page, which did not have a graphic, was the first notice of the amendment. There is a need to notify groups about these changes. Mr. Dana Carney, Planning Staff indicate this would be done in the future. Ruth Bell of League of Women Voters seconded Ms. Berry's comments, but indicated no opposition to this amendment. A motion was made to approve the change by a vote of 10 for 0 against 1 absent (Rahman). It was approved. 3 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MASTER STREET PLAN (15,519) EXTEND LITTLE FOURCHE CLASS I BIKE ROUTE FROM THE SOUTH LOOP ADJACENT, SOUTH AND WEST TO COUNTY LINE. WHEREAS, CARTS, Central Arkansas Regional Transportation Study, has studied the former Rock Island Railroad and suggests a Rails to Trails project from 65th Street in Little Rock to Bauxite, Arkansas; and, WHEREAS, the Little Rock Planning Commission after public hearing recommends the Master Street Plan be amended to include the extension of the Little Fourche Bike Route. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. SECTION 1. The Master Street Plan, Section 1: Bike Plan, Functional Classification of Bikeway, Class I subsection, is changed to as follows: NAME Little Fourche FROM Fourche Trail TO County Line SECTION 2. The Plan Map is changed as indicated on the attached graphic. SECTION 3. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days from and after its passage. PASSED: ATTEST: CITY CLERK APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY APPROVED: MAYOR Little Fourche Route Extension Case: MSP -03-03 N Location: Generally Along City Limits From South Loop Alignment To Saline Co. Line Ward: 7 PD: 15 a 250 500 Fot CT: 41.05 TRS: T1SR13W14