The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink Aboutstaff report with notesJuly 24, 2014 ITEM NO.: 5 FILE NO.: MSP14-04 Name: Master Street Plan Amendment — Bicycle Plan Map Update Location: Jurisdiction wide Request: To upgrade and add 8 Bike Lanes, 2 Bike Paths and several Bike Routes Source: Staff PROPOSAL/REQUEST- To ROPOSAL/REQUEST: To amend the Master Street Plan, Bike Plan Sections to upgrade LaMarche Drive, Taylor Loop Road, Main Street (6th to Roosevelt), 7th Street (Rock to Woodrow) to Bike Lanes (Class 11) and add Louisiana and Center (Markham to 1-630), Chester (Roosevelt to Daisy Bates Drive), 91h Street (1-30 to Main) as Bike Lanes (Class 11) and to add Coleman Creek (19th to Lee Avenue), Rail Road alignment (3rd Street to 65th Street) and Rose Creek (3rd Street to River Trail) as Bike Paths (Class 1) and to add State Street (1-630 to River Trail), Commerce (Daisy Bates to 9th Street), Sherman (9th Street to 61h Street) as Bike Routes (Class III). ANALYSIS: At the end of 2013, the Bike Friendly Committee of Little Rock recommended a package of changes to the Little Rock Bike Plan. Staff reviewed the requests and set a series of public meetings to discuss the Bike Lane and Path changes proposed by the Committee. These meetings were held in February and March 2014. Written comments were received prior, during and after these meetings. Based on these comments received as well as those expressed at the meetings, a final package of changes was developed to present for amendment. New proposed Class I — Bike Paths are suggested along two creeks and a railroad right-of-way. (These routes are separate bicycle only facilities.) There are three segments proposed. The longest is along the former railroad right-of-way from Interstate Park around the State Fair grounds to 7th Street where the existing proposed Bike Path is shown. This is part of a multi -county bike path that has been proposed from Little Rock to Hot Springs (the 'Southwest Trail'). The remaining portions for that Path within Little Rock's jurisdiction are already represented on the Little Rock Bike Master Plan. A second segment would continue along Rose Creek from 3rd Street (where the existing proposed Path ends) to the River Trail. This has been reviewed by the Little Rock Parks Department and advocated by the Capitol View Stifft Station Neighborhood organization for several years. The remaining new Bike Route is along Coleman Creek from 20th Street (where a proposed Bike Route ends from UALR) to Lee Avenue in Hillcrest. This proposal would make a north —south connection from Hillcrest to the Fourche Bottoms via the UALR campus. Due to development along Coleman Creek, the actual alignment of the 'Path' may follow existing streets and street right-of- July 24, 2014 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: MSP14-04 way parallel to the creek itself. (The Creek is in a concrete `U' box with development to the open box from 20th to 12th Streets.) This amendment places a corridor on the Plan as a north -south bicycle route through central Little Rock. The Class II — Bike Lane proposals are along streets with the majority of the changes are in the downtown area. These changes are either an upgrade of a proposed Class III - Bike Route to Class II - Bike Lane or the addition of a Class II — Bike Lane. The proposal is not to enlarge any of these streets but rather to add a bicycle lane on the existing street using either a 'road diet' (changing from four lanes to three) or removal of parking on one -side. The decision on how the bike lanes would be implemented will be made at the time a street is re -surfaced or re -constructed. There are six new proposed Class II (Bike Lane) shown in central/downtown Little Rock. Four are north -south lanes and two are east -west lanes. Main Street has been re -striped with Bike Lanes from 7th Street to Roosevelt Road. This amendment recognizes the already implemented Class II —Bike Lanes. Part of this Bike Lane is new Class II (south 17th Street) and part is upgraded from a Class III (north of 17th Street) on the Plan Map. Main Street was re -striped with a `road diet' when it was re -surfaced. Chester is proposed to be added as a Class II — Bike Lane. The Bike Lane passes Philander Smith College, Dunbar Recreation Center, Dunbar Middle, Gibbs Elementary and Williams Library. Chester had an average -daily -volume of 7900 in 2012 at 11th Street. The street is primarily residential single-family south of Wright Avenue and is mixed institutional -residential uses between Daisy Gatson Bates Drive and Wright Avenue. Chester is a four -lane street with no parking, at the current volumes Chester is a good candidate for a `Street Diet', conversion to a three -lane road with parking or bike lanes. At such time as Chester is re -surfaced or reconstructed, a 'road diet' will be considered. After public input as part of the resurfacing project of Chester, re -stripping from four -lanes to three -lanes may be implemented. Both Center and Louisiana, north of Interstate 630 are one-way streets with on -street parking allowed along much of the roads. Both have two travel -lanes and have a volume of 3900 and 2400 respectively near Capitol. As part of the City re -surfacing program or if either street is re -constructed the City will have a meeting to review the implementation of a Bike Lane on these roads - either a 'Street Diet', the reduction of on -street parking or other method of implementation will be determined. (The two-way portion of Louisiana would be a Class III — Bike Route, due in part to the limitations of the road with two-way traffic, access to adjacent property, parking, etc.). The two east -west roads proposed for Bike Lane designations are 91h Street and 7th Street. 9th Street, east of Main Street is three lanes for the first three blocks and then four lanes to Interstate 30. East 9th Street through this corridor is less than 40 -feet in width, making four -lanes almost unusable as four separate lanes. MacArthur Park and a private school can be found along this segment of 9th Street as well as homes and a fire station. At the time of re -surfacing or reconstruction of East 91h Street, the design of 2 July 24, 2014 ITEM NO.: 5 (Cont.) FILE NO.: MSP14-04 bicycle facilities will be included. It may be necessary for sharrows rather than Bike Lanes along 9th Street due to limitations on widening the street. 7th Street is currently shown on the Plan as a Class III Bike Route. The proposed map change is west of Main Street upgrading to a Class II — Bike Lanes. Since the road currently is two vehicular lanes with parking on both sides for much of its length (Main to Woodrow), the proposal would be to have a Bike Lane in one -direction and a Bike Route (sharrows) in the other so as not to impact parking on both sides of the road. Traffic volumes range from 11,000 at the State Capitol to 3800 at the railroad underpass. West of the Capitol Complex, there might be room for Bike Lanes in both directions. At the time of reconstruction or resurfacing design decisions would be made. In west Little Rock, LaMarche Drive (Chenal Drive to Taylor Loop Road) and Taylor Loop Road (LaMarche Drive to Rahling Road) are proposed to be upgraded from Class III to Class II — Bike Lanes in both directions. Both roads are proposed to be constructed as 36 -foot wide roads (with or without bicycle facilities). The proposal for each road is to continue to have a vehicular travel -lane in each direction with no parking on the road (as is the case today). The City of Little Rock is constructing the connection for LaMarche Drive at this time and is scheduled to widen Taylor Loop Road. As part of the construction projects, the City intends to 'mark' both roads with Bike Lanes and two -lanes of vehicular traffic. The Class III — Bike Routes proposed to be added to the Bike Plan are all in the downtown (MacArthur Park Neighborhood) area. They are Commerce from 17th Street to 9th Street, Sherman from 9th Street to 6th Street, 7th Street from Cumberland to Sherman and State 1-630 to River Trail. Commerce Street would connect the neighborhoods south of the Interstate to MacArthur Park and on to the River Trail. Sherman takes on north of MacArthur Park to the existing bike network at Capital Avenue (and on to the River Trail). The East 7th Street route continues that route from Main Street on to Sherman. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: Notices were sent to the City's contact list for ordinance amendments. This list includes engineers, developers and neighborhood organizations. In addition the following neighborhood associations were notified: Capitol View/Stiff Station, Central High, Downtown, Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Hillcrest, MacArthur Park POA, Oak Forest, Pettaway, South End, Southend Coalition, Whitmore Circle, and Wright Avenue. Over 260 property owners adjacent to proposed Class I or II bike routes received letters informing them of the change and meeting. Staff has received several contacts as a result of the mailing. Most of the comments are related to the possible loss of parking in downtown. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff believes the change is appropriate. 3 7� -d3�R Iv'OG� X10 v I o l -.4141 SkIl IA �: iv ............................ 13 - - - - -------- - - A -0 . 10 mo 1—ki sm