Title
Consider Adopting the On-Street Bicycle Master Plan and Fund the Initial Implementation Plan (Years 1 - 3) in the Amount of $100,000 per Year for the First Three Years for a Total of $300,000
Requested Action
Consider adopting the On-Street Bicycle Master Plan
Recommendation
Adopt the On-Street Bicycle Master Plan
Description/History
The Mansfield Park Facilities Development Corporation's (MPFDC) 2009 Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Spaces Master plan approved by the MPFDC and City Council in January of 2010 included a general overview of proposed bicycle routes and trails throughout the City of Mansfield.
The Master Plan provided a broad overview of all the proposed routes for pedestrian traffic including trails and on-street routes. This more comprehensive look at bicycle and pedestrian routes including on-street bike lanes would include data gathering, site research, site analysis and documentation, visioning sessions, benchmarking, program development, concept development for on-street lanes, preliminary master planning and concept design, and culminated with a final bicycle and pedestrian trail and on-street bike lane plan.
On April 29, 2013, the Park Planning staff in conjunction with the Engineering Department met with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to review the current bike plan and routes included in the Parks Master Plan and entertain retaining them as a consultant to provide a supplement to the current bike route plan as an On-Street Bicycle Master Plan. At the meeting, staff requested that Kimley-Horn provide a proposal for a study that will provide actual implementation guidelines to the Master Plan including actual proposed on-street routes, off-street routes, design guidelines and different sections of the routes. A copy the proposal is attached.
July - At their June 20th meeting, the MPFDC unanimously approved the proposal from Kimley-Horn for preparation of the On-Street Bicycle Master Plan. The proposal for the study was subsequently approved at the July 8th City Council meeting by a 5 - 2 vote. Staff is presently working to gather information requested by the consultant, and plans to bring a schedule for the development of the Master Plan to the August meeting.
August - In concert with the contract, the consultant has completed Task 1 which included collection of GIS data from the City, Determined the area of study for Bicycle Master Plan, Identified with the Master Thoroughfare Plan for On-Street Routes, Identifying other areas in preparation for field work scheduled to begin August 8, submitted the preliminary schedule for the plan inception through completion. The preliminary schedule will be distributed at the meeting for discussion.
September -The consultant met with the staff technical committee to review information collected to date with the onsite studies. It was determined that a twofold approach would be taken with a recommendation to provide an implementation plan of routes and improvements that can immediately be undertaken and a long range planning map showing all future recommended routes and improvements. Discussions were held and dates discussed for focus group, staff, City Council, MPFDC and public input. These input meetings will take place in October. The overall project is approximately 30% complete at this time.
October - All dates for the public input sessions have been set. The focus group with area cyclists will be held on Tuesday, October 15th, at 6:30 pm. A joint City Council and MPFDC work session will be held on October 28th, and an open forum, public meeting will be held on October 30th. The consultant continues to move forward with planning, data collection and compilation of maps for the study. October will be a transitional month for information gathering and incorporating the information from the public meetings into the plan. The plan will then begin to be formalized for reviews and future adoption in December.
November - The public input meetings were held along with a joint work session with City Council in October with lots of input provided. The Consultant has been compiling the information and has set a work session with Staff on Wednesday November 20, 2013 to review the information and begin formulation of the preliminary master plan. Staff expects presentations of the plan for review and input to take place in early January 2014. Staff will have more information available to discuss after the meeting on November 20th and will provide this at the Board meeting.
January, 2014 - No Update
February - Draft Master Plan is complete and presented to Council and MPFDC at the January 27th joint work session. Consultant working on the direction from the meeting and we are scheduled for a public meeting on February 6th. An update will then be provided at the February 13th meeting in reference to the public meeting. On February 13th we will also have a work session to better update the Board on the overall plan, its components and justifications for plan profiles.
The current schedule has been altered to allow more time for Council, MPFDC and the public to review the plan, its components and provide for a clear understanding. Presentation for consideration of plan adoption is now scheduled for March, 2014.
March - Work session with MPFDC on Feb 13th, reviewing the updated elements in the plan including the reductions requested, City Council was updated on February 27 under staff comments on the items presented to the board and a brief overview of the discussion. Council agreed to attending a joint work session on March 17, to review the information in more detail. After the March 17 work session, if the board would like to consider the plan for adoption, it will be placed on a future MPFDC agenda and if approved then the plan would be placed on a future City Council agenda for consideration.
April - The revised On Street Bicycle Master plan was discussed at the March 20th MPFDC board meeting. An in depth discussion was had with several members desiring that the overall plan should be considered for adoption, with the three year implementation plan discussed at the joint work session with City Council on March 17 to be given consideration for funding. Staff was directed to remove the road diets from the plan but include them as an alternative in the tool box and add language to the plan that reflects that direction. The three year implementation projects were decided to be all that would be considered for funding and future projects would be considered on a project by project basis. Staff will bring back to the board in at the April meeting the revisions to the plan as directed for discussion and consideration for adoption. The revised plan will be distributed at the April 17th MPFDC meeting.
May - Plan revisions have been finalized based on the input from the Mansfield Parks Facility Development Corporation and at City Council's direction. The plan includes an initial three year implementation plan and a funding option of $150,000 per year for the first three years. In addition, it states that this plan is not a funding document, but it provides a recommended implementation strategy to can be applied as funding is made available and as demand and interest for on-street bicycling increases.
The On-Street Bicycle Master Plan is included in the Board's packet and will be given to the City Council at their meeting on Monday, May 12 for review before considering action. The plan is available on the website for the public to review as well.
Justification
The MPFDC allocated funds for a study of bike lanes/MP trail improvements in the current year's budget. City staff requests to retain a consultant to work with the Board and other departments to formulate the proposed On-Street Bicycle Master Plan for the City of Mansfield as outlined in the MPFDC's Strategic business plan.
Funding Source
Half Cent Sales Tax
Prepared By
James Fish, RLA, CPSI, Sr. Park Planner, Community Services
817-804-5794