Metropolitan Planning Organization

1 of 38 TOM ROWLAND, CHAIRMAN 190 Church Street, N.E., P.O. Box 1519, Cleveland, TN 37364-1519 Phone (423) 479-1913 fax (423) 559 3373 http://clevelandtn.gov/index.aspx?nid=153 MPO Coordinator Greg Thomas, AICP gthomas@clevelandtn.gov Cleveland Urban Area MPO WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2017, 11:00 O’CLOCK AM, 2nd FLOOR CITY COUNCIL MEETING ROOM, MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 190 CHURCH STREET NE, CLEVELAND, TN AGENDA 1. Call MPO meeting to order 2. Approval of meeting minutes— March 1, 2017 p. 3 3. New Business – A. 2017-2020 TIP amendment or adjustment needed to complete the next phase of the Greenway at Tinsley Park p. 5 B. Changes to MPO meeting calendar to reschedule September 13, 2017 meeting to September 20, 2017 p. 13 C. Cleveland Urban Area Transit Revenue Study p. 14 D. Georgetown Road Corridor Multi-modal Improvements Study p. 15 E. 2018-2019 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) p. 16 4. Old Business---none 5. Comments by federal, state, local agencies 6. MPO Coordinator/staff comments--- see attached “Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan” p. 17 7. Public comments  2 of 38 8. Next regular MPO meeting date is Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 11 a.m. 9. Adjourn  3 of 38 TOM ROWLAND, CHAIRMAN 190 Church Street, N.E., P.O. Box 1519, Cleveland, TN 37364-1519 Phone (423) 479-1913 fax (423) 559 3373 http://clevelandtn.gov/index.aspx?nid=153 MPO Coordinator Greg Thomas, AICP gthomas@clevelandtn.gov MPO Executive Board WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017, 11:00 O’CLOCK AM, 2nd FLOOR CITY COUNCIL MEETING ROOM, MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 190 CHURCH STREET NE, CLEVELAND, TN MINUTES 1. Call MPO meeting to order --- Chairman Mayor Tom Rowland called the meeting to order and called the roll. The other MPO members in attendance were Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis, Ted Smith (proxy for Nancy Sutherland of SETHRA), and Sara Elmore of TDOT. Others in attendance included Joe Fivas of the City of Cleveland, D. Stacy Morrison of TDOT, Theresa Claxton, Vontra Giles, and Sean Santella of FHWA., and Greg Thomas of the City of Cleveland and Cleveland MPO. 2. Approval of meeting minutes— January 11, 2017--- Mayor Rowland introduced the item and called for discussion or a motion. D. Gary Davis moved that they be approved and the motion was seconded by Corey Divel and approved unanimously. 3. New Business – a. Public Hearing on 2017-2020 TIP Amendment for Cleveland Chattanooga Commute Hub CMAQ award. Chairman Rowland opened the public hearing and called for comments. There were no comments. The public hearing was closed. b. Consider adoption of 2017-2020 TIP Amendment for Cleveland Chattanooga Commute Hub CMAQ award. Chairman Rowland introduced the item and Greg Thomas presented the staff report explaining the Cleveland Chattanooga Commute Hub. Chairman Rowland asked about the location of the park and ride lot. Mayor Davis asked about whether there could be covered parking and whether the City was buying the property. Greg Thomas explained that the design could include covered parking and that the City would not be buying the land for parking lot. A question was also asked about the buses for the CARTA connection. Mayor Rowland asked about what would happen if the  4 of 38 project was not used. Greg Thomas explained that there would be some promotional effort through Green Trips. Mayor Rowland asked about other park and ride facilities on Georgetown Road and one that is informally allowed at Scott’s furniture. Theresa Claxton explained that in order to be eligible for CMAQ funds that a service would have to be provided to the Chattanooga TPO area. A motion to approve the TIP amendment was made by Ted Smith and seconded by D. Gary Davis and approved unanimously. 4. Old Business---none 5. Comments by federal, state, local agencies--- Greg Thomas introduced Theresa Thaxton from FHWA who introduced her FHWA colleagues. Sara Elmore provided a handout on the IMPROVE Act and the project list for Bradley County. 6. MPO Coordinator/staff comments--- Greg Thomas reported on the Cycle Cleveland Walk Cleveland meeting held February 24, 2017 at the library. 7. Public comments--- none 8. Next regular MPO meeting date is Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 11 a.m. 9. Adjourn  5 of 38 MEMORANDUM TO: MPO Executive Board and TCC FROM: Greg Thomas, AICP, MPO Coordinator DATE: April 27, 2017 SUBJECT: TIP Adjustment 2017-01, Casteel Greenway Connector, TDOT PIN# 118516.00 Construction bids for the Casteel Greenway Connector (Ocoee Greenway Connector) came in high, resulting in the need for roughly $280,000 in additional construction money. TIP Adjustment 2017-01 was prepared and submitted administratively. It moves 2017 TIP money to the subject project from Michigan Avenue Road/20th Street and the Inman Street Study, pushing funding for these two projects into 2018. This will allow Cleveland to move forward in constructing the Casteel Greenway Connector. Page 1 of 1 6 of 38 7 of 38 8 of 38 9 of 38 10 of 38 11 of 38 12 of 38  13 of 38 MEMORANDUM TO: MPO Executive Board and TCC FROM: Greg Thomas, AICP, MPO Coordinator DATE: April 27, 2017 SUBJECT: Changes to MPO meeting calendar to reschedule September 13, 2017 meeting to September 20, 2017 As participants in the Tennessee Walkability Learning Collaborative initiative from the Knox County Health Department, Cleveland representatives have an opportunity to attend the National Walking Summit in St. Paul, MN, September 13, 2017. That will necessitate moving the MPO meeting from September 13, 2017 to the following Wednesday September 20, 2017. The Summit, hosted by America Walks, is built on the theme of Vital and Vibrant Communities that are: Healthy for All, Community-Designed and Safe, Artistic and Innovative, Productive and Thriving, Open and Collaborative, and Engaged and Informed. Page 1 of 1  14 of 38 MEMORANDUM TO: MPO Executive Board and TCC FROM: Greg Thomas, AICP, MPO Coordinator DATE: April 27, 2017 SUBJECT: Transit Revenue Study Presentation Transportation planning consultant Jeanne Stevens will present highlights from the recent transit revenue study, still under review and revision. In general, the study examines the impacts of funding formula changes, current rate structure, current service practice, expanded service area, etc., against potential for additional revenue through fare increases, advertising revenue, etc. Page 1 of 1  15 of 38 MEMORANDUM TO: MPO Executive Board and TCC FROM: Greg Thomas, AICP, MPO Coordinator DATE: April 27, 2017 SUBJECT: Georgetown Road Corridor Multi-modal Improvements Study Previously the MPO approved a spending plan for the remaining FTA 5303 planning funds. Work included a study of improvements on Georgetown Road, especially along the CUATS orange route where there is a need for sidewalks, intersection improvements, etc. Staff is proposing to narrow the scope of the work to a survey which will better enable the development of a design for improvements. To that end, staff has begun the process of obtaining approval for the scope of work from the TDOT Multi- modal division. The general intent would be to survey as much of the Georgetown Road area south of 25th Street as possible within the available funds, especially near Green Drive and Westside Drive where there is a concentration of school bus stops and pedestrians. Use of mobile LIDAR technology has been proposed as one method of reducing survey costs. Page 1 of 1  16 of 38 MEMORANDUM TO: MPO Executive Board and TCC FROM: Greg Thomas, AICP, MPO Coordinator DATE: April 27, 2017 SUBJECT: 2018-2019 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) A draft 2018-2019 UPWP was submitted to TDOT on March 30, 2017. Comments from TDOT are expected on May 17, 2017 or shortly thereafter. MPO staff will respond to comments and a revised draft will be made ready for Federal review. The UPWP will need to be adopted by September 2017. Page 1 of 1  17 of 38 MEMORANDUM TO: MPO Executive Board and TCC FROM: Greg Thomas, AICP, MPO Coordinator DATE: April 27, 2017 SUBJECT: Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors selected Cleveland MPO’s team as one of ten from around the nation to participate in this year’s Step It Up! Action Institute to Increase Walking and Walkability in Decatur, GA April 3-6, 2017.The result was a the attached Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan. An Executive Summary of the Walkability Action Plan is also included. Page 1 of 1  18 of 38 CONNECT CLEVELAND WALKABILITY ACTION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The National Association of Chronic Disease (NACDD) funded attendance by the Cleveland MPO’s Connect Cleveland team (Avery Johnson, Amy Davenport, Beverly Johnson, Dustin Tommey, David Sheely, and Greg Thomas) at the Step It Up!: Action Institute to Increase Walking and Walkability. Team members worked with expert faculty and other teams from around the nation. Each team is working to develop and implement a local Walkability Action Plan to improve their community’s health, economy, and environment. The Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan is to encourage Cleveland MPO area residents to walk more and to help them to reach more of the places they go by walking. Key values addressed in the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan are: EDUCATION: Share knowledge within our community about walking and walkability including the health benefits of walking, strategies for improving walkability within different neighborhoods, pedestrian mobility issues related to social justice (disability, low‐income, etc.), consumer preferences for walkable neighborhoods and other economic benefits of improved walkability, environmental benefits of reduced automobile travel, etc. SERVICE: Serve neighborhoods, political districts, and corridors with appropriate pedestrian improvements (sidewalks, improved crossings, greenways, walking paths, improved roadway shoulders, traffic calming, etc.) that make walking safe, easy, and enjoyable. CONNECTIVITY: Connect Cleveland neighborhoods to the Greenway system, the Downtown, and to Schools with pedestrian improvements. Connect outlying areas with pedestrian improvements linked to schools and other neighborhood centers. Where possible, coordinate pedestrian improvements to support connectivity with transit and bicycle modes. EQUITY: Provide an equitable distribution of pedestrian improvements among neighborhoods, political districts, and corridors while attending to the transportation needs of low‐income, minority, and disabled populations, as well as those who are more dependent on walking, biking, and transit. GOAL #1 SUMMARY: Make Walking and Walkability Priorities in Our Community. SUMMARY OF ACTION STEPS FOR EDUCATION AND FACT‐FINDING:  19 of 38 1. Present walking and public health connections to various audiences. 2. Describe the Walkability Action Plan planning process for decision makers. 3. Working with the Bike‐Walk Cleveland citizen group throughout the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan process. 4. Engaging school officials and transit officials about needed bus stop and walkability improvements. 5. Walkability health, economic, and environmental benefit education presentations to private and non‐profit sectors to gain support. 6. Survey the community on walking habits, attitudes about walking, and barriers to walking 7. Walkability audits of neighborhoods, political districts, and corridors (walking area as a group to identify barriers). 8. Present Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan findings to decision makers. Goal #2 SUMMARY: Make Walking Easy, Safe, and Enjoyable. SUMMARY OF ACTION STEPS FOR PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING WALKABILITY IMPROVEMENTS: 1. Assess existing sidewalks, including state of repair and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) required improvements. 2. Identify areas that could be made walkable with relatively minor improvements, e.g. short sections of sidewalk. 3. List potential walkability improvements for neighborhoods, political districts, and corridors. 4. Prioritize walkability improvements—focusing on walking trips of 20 minute or less, about one mile ‐‐ for each neighborhood, political district, and corridor based upon factors stemming from the service, connectivity, and equity values suggested above. 5. Determine planning level costs for the highest‐ranking walkability projects from each neighborhood, political district, and corridor. 6. Identify schedules and budgets for ADA Transition Plan projects and Walkability Action Plan priority projects to be achieved over the following 10 years. 7. Identify funding alternatives that will allow for the achievement of the 10‐year schedules of ADA and Walkability Action Plan priority improvements. 8. Seek adoption of policy changes, plans, and budgets to implement the ADA Transition Plan and Walkability Action Plan priority improvements.  20 of 38 CONNECT CLEVELAND WALKABILITY ACTION PLAN The Cleveland Urban Area MPO received funding assistance from the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to attend the Step It Up!: Action Institute to Increase Walking and Walkability held in Decatur, GA on April 3‐6, 2017. The Cleveland MPO Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Group was one of eleven participating teams from around the continental U.S. and Hawaii which were chosen from among thirty‐five applicants. Apart from pre‐course and post‐course assignments, teams worked during the Action Institute with their members and faculty from early morning until late in the evening, and collaborated with other teams to produce draft Walkability Action Plans for their communities based upon local needs and information and resources provided during the Action Institute. These plans are to consist of Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) strategies to be pursued over coming months. The Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Group includes Avery Johnson, Vice‐Mayor of Cleveland and MPO Board Member; Amy Davenport, Health Educator with the Bradley County Health Department; Beverly Johnson, Northwest Cleveland Neighborhood Association Secretary and walkability advocate; Dustin Tommey, Executive Director of Impact Cleveland and neighborhood advocate; David Sheely, Professional Engineer and Cleveland Transportation Projects Manager; and Greg Thomas, Cleveland Planning Director and MPO Coordinator. The completed Walkability Action Plans are to be submitted by April 28, 2017 to NACDD with on‐going participation in a Community of Practice (CoP) among teams for collaboration during plan implementation. 1 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  21 of 38 The Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan is dependent upon the decisions of the people and organizations within the greater Cleveland community to understand and embrace walking and walkability as priorities, and upon their communication with elected officials and administrative staff to determine and implement specific pedestrian improvements that will make the community walkable. To these ends, the following list of value statements underlies the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan: EDUCATION: Share knowledge within our community about walking and walkability including the health benefits of walking, strategies for improving walkability within different neighborhoods, pedestrian mobility issues related to social justice (disability, low‐income, etc.), consumer preferences for walkable neighborhoods and other economic benefits of improved walkability, environmental benefits of reduced automobile travel, etc. SERVICE: Serve neighborhoods, political districts, and corridors with appropriate pedestrian improvements (sidewalks, improved crossings, greenways, walking paths, improved roadway shoulders, traffic calming, etc.) that make walking safe, easy, and enjoyable. CONNECTIVITY: Connect Cleveland neighborhoods to the Greenway system, the Downtown, and to Schools with pedestrian improvements. Connect outlying areas with pedestrian improvements linked to schools and other neighborhood centers. Where possible, coordinate pedestrian improvements to support connectivity with transit and bicycle modes. EQUITY: Provide an equitable distribution of pedestrian improvements among neighborhoods, political districts, and corridors while attending to the transportation needs of low‐income, minority, and disabled populations, as well as those who are more dependent on walking, biking, and transit. 2 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  22 of 38 The purpose of the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan is to encourage Cleveland area residents to walk more and to get to more of the places they go by walking. Physical exercise improves health and lowers health‐ related costs and improves productivity. Walking is a form of exercise that requires no special skills or equipment ‐‐‐ excepting wheelchairs or other mobility aids for some‐‐ and is possible for people of all ages, abilities, and economic circumstances to incorporate into their daily routines. Walkability emphasizes the ability to incorporate walking as a form of transportation into our daily routines for short trips for work, school, shopping, social activities, etc. Walkability is a sought‐after characteristic that promotes higher property values and higher levels of economic activity. Walkability is improved with community design to provide a mixture of land uses connected with sidewalks and other facilities in an area where population is concentrated. Walking is known to increase where the built environment is walkable. Why are people not walking and what can be done about it? Heavy automobile‐dependency, long commute times, and sedentary lifestyles are recognized to contribute significantly to poor health, often in combination with other conditions. Published data as well as primary research on walking habits, attitudes toward walking, and impediments to walking experienced by Cleveland MPO area residents would be helpful in shaping policy responses including those coming from the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan. It would be helpful to have this information on walking as the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan is begun, and after a significant period of implementation, e.g. 10 years. As a target, the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan encourages participants to think primarily in terms of trips that could potentially be made within about 20 minutes under suitable conditions. That implies some proximity of people, land uses, and activities as well as connection with pedestrian facilities. It is also recognized 3 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  23 of 38 that other non‐motorized modes are important in supporting a community designed for walkability, namely cycling and transit. The mixture and density of land uses that supports walking also supports cycling and transit. A commuter may cycle part way and put her bike on a bus before placing the bike in a bike rack near her destination and walking the rest of the way. Transit users, and school bus riders, are often dependent upon sidewalks to get safely to and from the bus. Some facilities serve both pedestrians and cyclists, such as street crossing improvements, traffic calming, multi ‐use paths, e.g. the Greenway, etc. Some amenities like bike racks and transit shelters and shade trees are integrated with the sidewalk, while other amenities like facilities for showering and changing, restrooms, etc. can serve cyclists and pedestrians. Interlinking pedestrian facilities with these other systems can extend the reach of the 20‐minute travel area for pedestrians, and the 20‐minute travel area for a cyclist is obviously greater. Taken together walking, cycling and transit increase physical activity which is the primary reason for supporting walking and walkability. Those who are implementing the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan should be alert to opportunities to integrate benefits for the cycling and transit modes; plans for bicycle improvements and transit improvement should likewise be aware of and responsive to those for pedestrian improvements that will be embodied in the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan. Much of the Cleveland area has urbanized in recent decades with automobile‐oriented suburban development located on or near major corridors radiating outward from downtown Cleveland with a wide interspersing of green area further from the center of town; in effect, it is a typical urban sprawl condition. Compared to national averages, it is believed that relatively little of the population would be living in a walkable location in terms of sidewalks and other facilities connecting them with jobs, recreation, school, shopping, etc. within a relatively short distance. Where pedestrian facilities do exist within the area to otherwise make it walkable, a sizeable proportion of these facilities are believed to be in disrepair or in need of upgrades consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). There is a need to assess current walkability conditions and possible walkability 4 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  24 of 38 improvements in Cleveland and the Cleveland MPO area. Because of the development pattern extending along major streets, identifying high‐impact potential arterial and collector street pedestrian improvements should be part of the overall strategy. The Greenway is a special case facility within the overall considerations of walkability. It functions both as a transportation resource connecting people with schools, parks, shopping, etc., and as a linear park. It provides mobility for both pedestrians and cyclists. A separate Greenway Board is active in the planning and management of the Greenway and Greenway events and amenities. Presently, the Greenway extends mostly along South Mouse Creek from just south of Willow Street to just north of Mohawk Drive. Further extension to the north is desired but it is challenging while extension further south to Inman Street and the confluence of Woolen Mill Branch is being actively pursued. Some parts are completed or underway along Fillauer Branch in the northeastern part of the City. Some planning has been done for a Greenway along Candies Creek that would be in the northern and western parts of the City. Redevelopment activity in the downtown and brownfield areas southeast of downtown is anticipated to include an extension of the Greenway along Woolen Mill Branch. Greenway paths along South Mouse Creek, Fillauer Branch, and Woolen Mill Branch could provide bicycle and pedestrian connection to much of the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Coordination with the Greenway Board, neighborhoods, and entities involved in downtown redevelopment is needed to maximize the benefits of connecting the Greenway with other pedestrian facilities. A considerable problem at present is pedestrian barriers between neighborhoods and the Greenway and the Downtown. Downtown redevelopment is a special focus of the Cleveland City Council and the City Manager. The City Manager is formulating and beginning to implement a multi‐faceted downtown redevelopment program that focuses on the downtown core near Inman Street, the major east‐west corridor through downtown Cleveland 5 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  25 of 38 where the intent is to implement a road diet with a “complete streets” approach making the Inman Street corridor more friendly for pedestrians and inviting to business. The plan also addresses the need for additional housing in the downtown and in adjacent neighborhoods. It seeks to connect surrounding neighborhoods with the downtown, including those that have been somewhat separated by physical (e.g. a railroad), economic, and social barriers. It would use a density of intersections, improvements to sidewalks and other infrastructure including bicycle facilities, the convergence of transit routes at the downtown transit center, a proposed “Cleveland Chattanooga Commute Hub” park‐and‐ride lot a commuter bus connection, and the Greenway Extension along Fillauer Branch to provide a multi‐modal transportation framework for downtown. Cleveland’s downtown is ringed by diverse neighborhoods, including a 5000‐student university, that could access jobs, shopping, and services along commercial corridors and in a downtown brownfield redevelopment area (the former Whirlpool plant site and other properties) offering a major opportunity for redevelopment. The Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan needs to coordinate with the downtown redevelopment effort. Schools will figure prominently into the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan. Several schools are located within Cleveland and others are in the City’s urbanized area. Most of the City’s elementary schools are surrounded by neighborhoods with at least some sidewalks that could permit some students to walk to school. In most cases the walkable area around these schools could be expanded with additional pedestrian improvements. A new City elementary school is to be constructed in a suburban corridor on Georgetown Road SR60, also the location of the City’s middle school, where there is presently no pedestrian access; however, a planned road improvement will bring sidewalks and bike lanes in front of both schools which could possibly be accessed from a future Candies Creek Greenway. The City’s high school is well‐connected by the Greenway and sidewalk. Bradley County Schools should be assessed for possibilities of connecting students with the addition of limited pedestrian improvements (Knox County, TN undertook such an effort). Bradley County’s Ocoee Middle School is in a highly 6 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  26 of 38 congested area inside Cleveland that should be studied to determine whether benefits could be had from additional pedestrian improvements. Apart from walking to school, another major area of concern is pedestrian improvements and shelter at school bus stops that would make them safer, more accessible, and more comfortable. Both of types of improvements, school walkability and bus stop improvements, hold the possibility of savings from better school bus utilization. The Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan is presented in the NACDD tabular format below. The plan sets forth two goals, one focused on education and information gathering and the other focused on determining specific walkability improvements and implementing them. The plan contains several action steps for each goal, the whole of which involves several participants from citizen advocates to government officials. The action steps within the plan, to be taken over about a two‐year period, lead to a set of specific walkability improvements and policy changes and budget resources to achieve those improvements over ten years. The intention is that the information and experience gained in each of the action steps would be documented as part of the on‐going Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan effort as would progress toward specific walkability improvements. Goal #1: Make Walking and Walkability Priorities in Our Community. By March 31,2018, the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Group and Cleveland MPO will educate and engage schools, Cleveland Urban Area Transit, private / non‐profit sectors, public officials, and residents on the importance of walkability and active transportation. Surveys will be conducted to assist with the identification of barriers and in efforts of improving Active Transportation. Estimated reach:. The target estimated reach is the Cleveland MPO population of approximately 90,000. 7 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  27 of 38 Action Steps (to include timeline): Responsible Party: Additional Comments: Action Steps are specific activities, benchmarks, or achievements Agency, Group, or individual responsible Added comments or resources useful for that assist in accomplishing the goal; the timeline is an estimated for achieving the action step achieving the action step completion date for that stated action step Action Step 1.1: Health Department staff Teach the benefits of active By May 1, 2017, continue implementation of “Healthy lifestyle and active transportation, Tennessee” education program. emphasizing walking, to strategic public audiences Action Step 1.2: Public Health and MPO staff The intention here is to brief By May 31, 2017, provide a short written briefing on the members from Connect Cleveland elected officials and administrative Walkability Action Plan process to elected officials, the Walkability Action Group officials on the process that is Health Department, and the MPO. underway, not to discuss specific pedestrian improvement proposals that may be developed during the planning process. Officials should be alerted to the intent to carry out neighborhood/district level walkability audits. Action Step 1.3: Connect Cleveland Walkability Bike‐Walk Cleveland, a citizen‐led By June 1, 2017, begin working with Bike‐Walk Cleveland Action Group, Bike‐Walk Cleveland planning and advocacy group, is to implement the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action members currently forming with an Plan. organizational meeting on April 24, 2017. Meet with them by July 1, 2017 to present Walkability Action 8 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  28 of 38 Institute (WAI) information on health and economic benefits of improved walkability, to get input on the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan, and to begin planning neighborhood/ district level walkability audits. Bike‐Walk Cleveland leaders for walkability Audits should be identified for each neighborhood/district Action Step 1.4: MPO staff Review and analyze data related to By July 1, 2017, engage with school officials concerning school bus stop walkability and walkability improvements that would allow nearby children to walkable areas around schools to walk to school, as well as pedestrian improvements needed to determine priority school‐related support school bus stops. walkability improvements. Action Step 1.5: MPO staff Review and analyze data related to By July 1, 2017, engage with Cleveland Urban Area Transit walkability and walkable areas along concerning pedestrian facility improvements, and related bus transit routes, including locations that stop improvements, needed to support current and future may be generating high ridership and operations of the fixed route transit system locations of proposed transit stops 9 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  29 of 38 and shelters as the CUATS fixed route system transitions toward a fixed stop operation. Action Step 1.6: Health Department staff, Connect Presentations to key groups in the By July 1, 2017, begin walkability health and economic benefit Cleveland Walkability Action Group private and non‐profit sectors education presentations to private and non‐profit sectors. (Realtors, Homebuilders, Chamber of Commerce, Mainstreet Cleveland Civic and religious Organizations, and Environmental Justice communities) focusing on the community health and economic benefits of improving walkability and the Walkability Action Plan. Provide data‐driven compelling evidence for public health and economic benefits that follow from making the community more walkable. Use data from Health Department and related agencies, Realtors and others. Action Step 1.7: Connect Cleveland Walkability Presentations should be made to By August 1, 2017, make Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Group from WAI and Bike‐ the Bradley County Health Council, Action Plan presentations to key public sector entities. Walk Cleveland City and County Schools, Cleveland MPO, and City and County Planning Commissions. Presentations should include community health and economic benefits of improving walkability, the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan, and the proposed neighborhood/district level 10 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  30 of 38 walkability audits. It is important that members of these bodies be challenged to participate in the neighborhood/district level walkability audits. Action Step 1.8: Health Department staff and MPO Develop and Implement a Survey of By October 1, 2017, do a survey of walking, walking attitudes, Cleveland MPO area residents to and walking impediments among community residents. assess the extent to which they have integrated walking into their daily lives and the barriers to walking that they experience and their attitudes toward walking; conduct the survey at the beginning and repeat after a period of Walkability Action Plan implementation, e.g. 10 years. Other published data and comparative data should be integrated into this analysis. This task may require outside assistance and resources for design and implementation. Results will be used in the final Walking Action Plan that is presented to the Cleveland City Council and Bradley County Commission Action Step 1.9: Bike‐Walk Cleveland with support Conduct walkability audits in By November 1, 2017, conduct walkability audits from Connect Cleveland Walkability neighborhoods and City throughout the community. Action Group and MPO staff Council/County Commission districts, including neighborhood representatives, elected officials, 11 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  31 of 38 school officials, transit officials, planning commissioners, transportation officials. Prior to the walkability audits, audit Walkability Action Groups will need training and there will need to be a walkability audit form for their use in the field. Data will then need to be compiled and analyzed Action Step 1.10: Connect Cleveland Walkability Presentations to the City Council and By March 1, 2018, make formal Walkability Action Plan Action Group from WAI and Bike‐ County Commission should include presentations to the City Council and County Commission. Walk Cleveland the community health and economic benefits of improving walkability and the most up‐to‐date Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan with the highest ranking walkability projects from each neighborhood, district, or corridor (see Action Steps 2.3 through 2.5 below). Key stakeholder representatives should be present and recognized during the presentations (Bike Walk Cleveland, Schools, Transit, Neighborhood representatives, etc.) Results from the community survey will be presented. 12 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  32 of 38 Goal #2: Make walking easy, safe, and enjoyable. By August 1,2018, the Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Group’s and the MPO staff’s goal is to develop for adoption the policy changes, capital project plans, budgets, and other implementation resources to improve pedestrian facilities to connect neighborhoods to the Greenway system, to Downtown Cleveland, and to schools, while serving transit and cycling modes, linking people to activities, and distributing transportation benefits across the community with equity toward those impacted by disability, minority status, low income, or limited access to automobiles. Identified improvements to be achieved over 10 years. Estimated reach: The Cleveland MPO area contains approximately 90,000 people. Action Steps (to include timeline): Responsible Party: Additional Comments: Action Steps are specific activities, benchmarks, or achievements Agency or individual responsible for Added comments or resources useful for that assist in accomplishing the goal; the timeline is an estimated achieving the action step achieving the action step completion date for that stated action step Action Step 2.1: MPO staff, City and County planning These maps and data will be used to By August 1, 2017, locate and map existing walkable and and GIS staff inform the walkability audit process. potentially walkable areas in the community. Within the MPO area, determine areas near arterial and collector roadways with significant clustering of population and pedestrian attractors (schools, parks, office and commercial 13 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  33 of 38 areas, etc.) that are walkable due to existing sidewalks, connecting low volume streets, etc. Likewise, determine such areas that are potentially walkable with the addition of short sections of sidewalk, trails or walking paths, improvements to roadway shoulders, use of connecting low volume streets, etc. Develop a map and calculate square miles within these walkable and potentially walkable areas. The maps can be updated once the sidewalk inventory process is complete Action Step 2.2: MPO and Engineering staff and The inventory should document By November 1, 2017, complete an inventory of existing interns the location and condition of sidewalks. existing sidewalks together with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance issues as indicated in the published PROWAG standards. Action Step 2.3: Connect Cleveland Walkability Using the information developed in By December 1, 2017, develop a list of potential Action Group from WAI and Bike‐ the walkability audits and other walkability improvements for each Walk Cleveland data, develop a prioritized list of neighborhood/district and along major corridors. pedestrian improvements for each neighborhood/district and along major corridors at a community level. The project description 14 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  34 of 38 should be general but include project termini and what is being connected. The focus should be primarily upon arterial and collector streets, using other local streets where necessary, and including local streets with low traffic volumes (with or without additional traffic calming, shoulder widening, etc.) as part of the pedestrian circulation network. Action Step 2.4: Connect Cleveland Walkability Evaluate the prioritized list of By January 1, 2018, evaluate the list of potential Action Group from WAI and Bike‐ projects for safety, environmental walkability improvements using a matrix of benefits Walk Cleveland justice impacts, economic and/or impacts development impacts, connectivity to downtown Cleveland, connectivity to the Greenway, support for walking to school or school bus transportation, support of access to transit, and support of access to other pedestrian destinations, and coordination with bicycle improvements. The goals are to connect neighborhoods to the downtown (especially those within a 20 15 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  35 of 38 minute walk) to support downtown revitalization and redevelopment, to connect neighborhoods to the Greenway system (existing and future), to connect people with schools, transit, and other activities, and to provide greater transportation equity for areas with historically higher concentrations of minority and low income populations. Projects within each neighborhood, district, or corridor should be ranked according to their level of benefit or impact. Action Step 2.5: MPO staff and City Engineering staff Determine a planning level cost for By February 1, 2018, develop a planning level cost the highest ranking walkability estimate for the highest ranking walkability project in improvement projects in each each neighborhood, district, or corridor to inform the neighborhood, district, or corridor. budget making process This determination should expand as necessary upon the general project description to include intersection improvements, crossings, traffic calming, landscaping, etc such as may be proposed within the project. 16 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  36 of 38 Project descriptions should be formatted to work within the TDOT cost estimating tool. The purpose is to inform the budget request to elected officials. Action Step 2.6: Connect Cleveland Walkability Action The package of walkability projects By April 1, 2018, establish a walkability support program Group, Bike‐Walk Cleveland, and will need to be supplemented by to design and implement amenities and services that others additional programs and policies support quality pedestrian experience (and where and their associated costs that are coordination is possible, quality cycling and transit beyond the scope of the TDOT experiences) for each of the selected walkability estimating tool; such programs to projects. encourage supporting facilities (bike racks, showering and changing facilities, adjacent businesses catering to active transportation users, a visually interesting streetscape, etc.) outside of the public right‐of‐way. Action Step 2. 7: MPO staff and City Engineering Develop the Draft ADA Transition By April 1, 2018, complete a Draft ADA Transition Plan to staff Plan by April 1, 2018 and from that inform the budget making process. the first‐year ADA Transition Plan Improvements budget request. The information in the sidewalk inventory will be critical to the Draft ADA Transition Plan, which must document the sidewalk improvements needed for ADA 17 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  37 of 38 compliance and establish a budget and timeframe by which the local government intends to make the improvements. For purposes of plan development, a 10 year timeframe could be used for implementation. Action Step 2. 8: MPO and City Engineering staff Funding alternatives should consider By April 15, 2018, develop funding alternatives for a 10‐ actions such as setting aside a year program of ADA Transition Plan Improvements and percentage of USTBG funds through Priority Walkability Improvements. the MPO for pedestrian improvements, dedicating a portion of general fund revenues to a pool for pedestrian improvements, establishment of a fee for pedestrian improvements. Action Step 2.9: MPO and Engineering staff The information in the sidewalk By July 1, 2018, complete for adoption an ADA Transition inventory will be critical to the ADA Plan for improvements that must be made to existing Transition Plan, which must sidewalks. document the sidewalk improvements needed for ADA compliance and establish a budget and timeframe by which the local government intends to make the improvements. For purposes of plan development, a 10 year timeframe could be used for implementation. 18 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan  38 of 38 Action Step 2.10: MPO and Engineering staff This will rely on synthesis of By July 1, 2018, complete for adoption a Walkability information gained through preceding Action Plan Improvements Program that includes a planning steps and develop more schedule and budget of priority walkability complete project descriptions, schedules, and budgets. improvements to be made over the next 10 years Action Step 2.11: Administrative and elected officials Changes will require approval of By August 1, 2018, Adopt established standards for planning commissions and legislative pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities bodies Action Step 2.12: Administrative and elected officials Changes will require approval of By August 1, 2018, Adopt changes to land development planning commissions and legislative regulations to facilitate greater density and mixture of bodies uses as well as the provision of sidewalks and bicycle facilities. Action Step 2.13: Administrative and elected officials Changes will require approval of By August 1, 2018, Adopt changes funding mechanism planning commissions and legislative for pedestrian improvements to implement ADA and bodies priority walkability improvements. 19 Connect Cleveland Walkability Action Plan