Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Monday, February 8, 2016 5:30 – 8:00 P.M. 777 E. Waterman, Building 200 Wichita Transit Van Maintenance Facility Conference Room Wichita, Kansas 67202 Agenda Item Time Description 1. 5:30 pm Call to Order Jack Brown, Chairperson 2. 5:31 pm Approve Previous Meeting Notes Jack Brown, Chairperson 3. 5:35 pm Public Comments 4. 5:45 pm Discuss – WAMPO 2015 Bike Ped Count Results Tricia Thomas, Associate Planner with the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will review the results of the 2015 WAMPO Bike Ped counts. 5. 6:00 pm Discuss – Big Ditch and Active Transportation Use Jennifer Magana, Director of Law, will be present information about the legal restrictions for use of the Big Ditch, and options for actions to change allowed uses. 6. 6:15 pm Discuss –I-235 and Kellogg Project Update Gary Janzen, City Engineer, will present an update on the status of the KDOT I-235 and Kellogg project. 7. 6:25 pm Vote – Request to Update the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan – Former RR Bridge at I-235 and Kellogg Matt Freund, representing Prairie Travelers, will present a request that the WBPAB recommend that the City Council approve an update to the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan to recommend a bikeway utilizing the former RR bridge at I-235 and Kellogg. 8. 6:50 pm Discuss – Bikeways Definitions and Costs Scott Wadle, Senior Planner, will present information about the different types of bikeways and the estimated costs to construct and maintain them. 9. 7:00 pm Vote – Priority Bicycle Projects and Funding Scott Wadle, Senior Planner, will facilitate a discussion with the opportunity for the WBPAB to identify the priority bicycle projects for the next 10-year City Capital Improvement Program. 10. 7:20 pm Vote – Priority Walking Infrastructure Improvements Scott Wadle, Senior Planner, will facilitate a discussion with the opportunity for the WBPAB to identify the priority walking related projects for the next 10-year City Capital Improvement Program. Notice – City Council Members may attend this meeting. 11. 7:35 pm Vote – Central Business District and Bicycling Update Jerry Jones and George Theoharis, Board Members, will present updates from communications with the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation. 12. 7:45 pm Board Member Project Reports Jack Brown, Chairperson 13. 7:55 pm Announcements Jack Brown, Chairperson 14. 8:00 pm Closing Thoughts Jack Brown, Chairperson Notice – City Council Members may attend this meeting.  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Monday, January 11, 2016 5:30 – 7 p.m. 777 E. Waterman, Building 200 Wichita Transit Van Maintenance Facility Conference Room Meeting Notes Members Present: Melany Barnes, Jack Brown, Barry Carroll, Amy Delamaide, James Crowder , Russell Fox, Jerry Jones, Tom Lasater , George Theoharis, Tyler Stutzman Members Absent: Maxine Bostic City Staff: Scott Wadle, MAPD, Paul Gunzleman, Public Works, Jennifer Magana, Legal Department Guests: See below Item Description 1. Call to Order: Jack Brown, Chairperson, welcomed City staff and guests. 2. Approve Previous Meeting Notes: Tom Lasater moved [Russell Fox] to approve the November 9, 2015 meeting notes. Motion carried 8-0. 3. Public Comments/Proposed Chisholm Trail Parkway: Hoyt Hillman, GreenWay Alliance & Park Board Member, spoke in favor of the proposed parkway. According to Mr. Hillman, this proposed parkway could ‘tie into’ the existing Prairie Sunset Trail. According to Mr. Hillman, 2017 will be the 150th year celebration of the historic Chisholm Trail. Mr. Hillman would like to address the board again in February 2016. 4. Discussion of the 127th Street Design: Paul Gunzleman, Public Works, discussed the proposed plans to improve 127th Street from Central to 13th. Paul provided an overview of the project with various bike/ped applications. The board was very supportive of this project as presented. Tim Davidson, Public Works staff, is the project manager for this project, according to Mr. Gunzleman. 5. Discussion of WAMPO Transportation Improvement Program Applications: Paul Gunzelman, Public Works, discussed the proposed bike/ped projects: 1) Redbud Trail eastward from K-96 to 159th Street; 2) 17th Street; and 3) Pawnee-Webb to Greenwich. According to Paul, these projects will be finalized in the fall and construction could occur in 2019. The board thanked Paul for the update. 6. Discussion of Downtown Bicycle Ordinance: Jennifer Magana, Legal Department, provided a brief overview of the current bicycle ordinance. There was considerable discussion on whether the requirement to ‘ride on the sidewalk in the Central Business District’ is enforceable. Currently, there doesn’t seem to be much public concern about the ordinance as it is written. George Theoharis and Jerry Jones volunteered to meet with Wichita Downtown Development Corporation [WDDC] staff to get their input on the issue. The board elected to take no formal action and received and filed the item. 7. Approval of Letter to City Council Regarding the ‘Wichita Reports’ Computer Application: At the board’s direction, the Chairperson drafted a letter to the City Council regarding the need update the ‘Wichita Reports’ computer application to 1  include the reporting of problems associated with biking/walking plus sidewalks. Following a brief discussion, Tom Lasater moved [Amy Delamaide] to endorse the letter and forward to the City Council. Motion carried 8-0. 8. Discussion of 2015 Wichita Pedestrian Master Plan Implementation Report: Scott Wadle, MAPD, provide board members with a report of the 2015 activities. The board members were appreciative of the report and pleased with the progress made! The board received and filed the report. 9. Discussion of Project Tracking and Tools: Barry Carroll, Secretary, reported that members would be provided a draft tracking document at the February meeting. The board agreed that it is very important to track the various bike/ped projects. 10. Board Members Project Reports:  Redbud Trail (Bostic): Artwork and landscaping still need to be completed.  Delano/River Vista Apartments (Barnes): There will now be a 10-foot multiuse path located adjacent to the apartments! Utility work of the project has begun  Douglas Design District (Amy): The City has received HSIP funds for the improvement of the Douglas and Hydraulic intersection!  1st & 2nd Bikeways: (Carroll): Completed!  Market & Topeka Bikeways (Carroll): Construction has commenced!  Armour Bikeway [Crowder]: The work has been completed!  Woodchuck: Open bids in October 2015  Chisholm Creek Park Multi-use Path: Path is now open!  East Kellogg Expansion Project [Lasater]: Utility re-location work has started.  Prairie Sunset Trail (Stutzman): The trail is being extended eastward.  WAMPO/TAC Meeting: Jack Brown routinely attends this meeting. 11.  Announcements:  Update on the Prairie Sunset Trail: John Moore reported that the trail has been extended eastward during the summer/fall of 2015. According to Mr. Moore, the bridge over the Big Ditch has been determined to be structurally sound as well.  Flood Control Levees: Jerry Jones asked that the board invite a representative from the City to explain why bicycles are not permitted to ride on the levees? Jerry noted that several communities in the state permit bicycling on levees and would like to explore this matter at a future board meeting. 12. Closing Thoughts:  Project Tracking Form: An updated project tracking form will be developed. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, February 8, 2016. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 pm. Respectfully submitted,  2 Barry Carroll, WBPAB Secretary ____________________________________________________________________________ Members of the Public 1. Hoyt Hillman 2. Cindy Claycomb 3. Charlie Claycomb 4. Lonny Wright 5. Larry Heinen 6. Alan Kailer 7. John Moore 8. Larry Ross 3  Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board February 8, 2016 TO: Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Members FROM: Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department SUBJECT: Updates to the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan 2016 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Recommendation: It is recommended that the Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (Board) recommend that the City Council endorse the following updates to the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan (Bike Plan). 1. Make the following segments of the Redbud Path the Top Priority Off-Street (Shared Use Path) Bicycle Facilities  Redbud Path – Woodlawn Avenue to Rock Road  Redbud Path - K-96 Path to 159th Street 2. Remove the Redbud Path from Rock Road to the K-96 Path from the Priority Bicycle Network. 3. Add the Redbud Path from the K-96 Path to 159th Street to the Priority Bicycle Network. 4. Add the following bikeway to the Wichita Bicycle Network maps contained within the Bike Plan.  Prairie Sunset Trail from Hoover to South Bebe Street/West Irving Street and to West Street – utilizing the former railroad bridge (former RR bridge) and through the Kellogg (US-54) and I-235 Interchange. Background: On February 5, 2013, the Wichita City Council endorsed the Bike Plan as a guide for how the City can help make getting around the City on a bicycle easier, safer, and more convenient. The Bike Plan contains multiple elements, including recommendations for priority bicycle facilities and cost estimates. The City Council has not endorsed any updates to the Bike Plan since the February 5, 2013 action. On April 21, 2014 the Board received a staff presentation on a proposed process to update the top priority bicycle facilities identified in the Bike Plan. Staff recommended that the Board consider an update to the Bike Plan since many of the top priority on- and off-street bicycle facilities recommended in the Plan would be constructed in 2014. The Board members conducted an exercise to identify candidate bicycle facilities for citizens to vote on during the upcoming open house event. On May 27, 2014, the City of Wichita held a Bike Plan open house event, with an opportunity to vote for future on- and off-street priority bicycle facility projects. Through 2014, the City of Wichita solicited and received bids for multiple on-street bicycle facility projects. The received bids were consistently over the Engineer’s estimate for the projects and no contracts were awarded. Due to the projects not being constructed, City staff and the Board decided not to go forward with the process to update the bicycle facilities priorities in the Bicycle Plan.  Page 2 On March 24, 2015, the Wichita City Council received a workshop briefing on the Proposed 2015- 2024 Capital Improvement Program (Proposed CIP). During the briefing, a member of the City Council requested that the Board: 1. review the Proposed CIP; and 2. review the top priority bicycle facilities recommended in the Bike Plan. The Council Member suggested that the priorities review should take into account the Wichita and surrounding communities’ bicycle improvements that have occurred and/or are underway since the Bike Plan was endorsed in 2013. On May 11, 2015 during a discussion of the recommendation letter for the proposed Wichita 2015-2024 CIP, at least one member of the Board indicated a desire to update the listing of the top priority on- and off-street bicycle facilities contained in the Bike Plan. On May 19, 2015, the City Council approved the revised budgets and amending resolution to authorize an additional $500,000 of GO at-large bonds to construct the bicycle facilities deferred in 2014 due to a lack of funding. It was anticipated that the following bicycle facilities would be constructed by the end of 2015.  Redbud Path – I-135 to Oliver  1st and 2nd Street Bike Lanes – Seneca to I-135  Market and Topeka Bike Lanes – 21st St. to Kellogg  Armour Bikeway – K-96 Path to Gypsum Creek Path  Sycamore Shared Lane Markings – Douglas to Orient and Glen  Woodchuck Bikeway – Sedgwick County Park to University  WSU to I-135 (Phase I) – Central Ave. to I-135 Path On July 13, 2015, the Board discussed the need for updates to the Bike Plan and recommended that staff present recommended updates to the Board at their August meeting. On March 3, 2015, the City of Wichita entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Prairie Travelers for the development of the City railbanked portions of the Prairie Sunset Trail (the former railroad corridor south of Kellogg between 167th Street and Hoover Road. Subsequently, Prairie Travelers entered into an MOU with Sedgwick County for their railbanked portion of the Prairie Sunset Trail. On August 10, 2015, the Board recommended that the City Council endorse the following updates to the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan. 1. Make the following segments of the Redbud Path the Top Priority Off-Street (Shared Use Path) Bicycle Facilities  Redbud Path – Woodlawn Avenue to Rock Road  Redbud Path - K-96 Path to 159th Street 2. Remove the Redbud Path from Rock Road to the K-96 Path from the Priority Bicycle Network. 3. Add the Redbud Path from the K-96 Path to 159th Street to the Priority Bicycle Network. On November 9, 2015, Kelly Keele, Road Design Leader for the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), presented information about the interchange project to Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board. Ms. Keele indicated that the former RR bridge would be removed as part of the interchange project Red Phase starting in later that month. The Board approved sending a letter to KDOT recommending that the bridge not be demolished. On Monday, January 3, 2016, KDOT preliminarily approved leaving the bridge in place through the Red Phase – with additional details, coordination, and final agreements to come soon. On Monday, January 25, 2016, staff from KDOT informed City staff that if KDOT chose to proceed with the extension of the Prairie Sunset Trail (utilizing the former RR bridge and through the future  Page 3 interchange project), then the City would need to update the Bike Plan to recommend a bikeway in that location. On Monday, February 8, 2016, Matt Freund from Prairie Travelers is scheduled to present a request that the Board recommend to the City Council that the Bike Plan be updated to include an extension of the Prairie Sunset Trail from Hoover to McCormick Avenue. Analysis: In order to help ensure that the Bike Plan reflects the needs of Wichita residents and stakeholders, it is recommended that the Bike Plan be updated on a regular basis. Typically plans are updated every five years, ideally every three. The Bike Plan Strategy 28 recommends that minor updates be made to the Bike Plan every year and major updates every four years. Since the Board recommendation for updates to the Bike Plan in 2015, the recommended updates have not been presented to the City Council. In addition, the City has partnered with Prairie Travelers to develop the Prairie Sunset Trail and KDOT provided preliminary approval that the former railroad bridge over the Big Ditch will not be demolished as part of the KDOT Kellogg (US-54)/I-235 interchange project. The preservation of the bridge makes a direct connection between the Prairie Sunset Trail and the Wichita Bicycle Network on McCormick KDOT interchange project possible after the completion of the first phase of the Kellogg and I-235 interchange project (Red Phase). Utilization of the former RR bridge and extension of a shared use path/trail through the interchange project would allow for an east-west connection through/over/under I-235 and the Big Ditch. This would be the only bicycle and pedestrian specific crossing of I-235 and the Big Ditch south of Zoo Boulevard, approximately 3.41 miles to the north. Financial Considerations: No funding is attached to the Bike Plan, and endorsement of the updates by the City Council does not commit any future funding. The Bike Plan is a guide for bicycle related infrastructure, polices, and programs. Any funding to implement the Bike Plan will need to be initiated through a separate process. The Bike Plan Appendix C contains planning level construction costs estimates for the different types of bicycle facility improvements. The cost estimates were used to calculate the planning level cost estimates to construct the 10-Year Priority Bicycle Network. The Steering Committee that guided the creation of the Bike Plan recommended that the City limit the size and the scope of the Priority Bicycle Network to roughly align with the forecasted funding available to implement the Bike Plan infrastructure improvements, estimated to be approximately $12.5 million. Planning staff have created the following estimated construction costs for the two segments of the Redbud Path, using the planning level cost estimates from the Bike Plan. This costs includes 0.5 crossing signals per 2 miles of path. The costs for the Prairie Sunset Trail extension through the interchange and utilizing the former RR bridge are not included because they are unknown and the financial responsibility of the City is unknown.  Redbud Path - Woodlawn to K-96 (3.5 miles) = $1,932,000  Redbud Path – K-96 to 159th Street (2.5 miles) = $1,380,000  Prairie Sunset Trail – Hoover to McCormick Avenue (1 mile) = to be determined Legal Considerations: Any updates to the Bike Plan will need to be reviewed and approved as to form by the Law Department. Attachments: None  Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board February 8, 2016 TO: Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Members FROM: Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department SUBJECT: Priority Wichita Bicycle Infrastructure Projects and Funding ____________________________________________________________________________________ Recommendation: It is recommended that the Wichita Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board make recommendations to the City concerning: 1) the top priority Wichita bicycle projects and 2) total City of Wichita transportation investments for bicycling infrastructure. Background: On February 5, 2013, the Wichita City Council endorsed the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan (Bike Plan) as a guide for how the City can help make getting around the City on a bicycle easier, safer, and more convenient. The Bike Plan recommends that the City construct a 10-year Priority Bicycle Network (see the Bike Plan Appendix B) in order to develop a connected network that provides access to neighborhoods and activity centers in the city; and connects them to the region. On December 2, 2015, the Wichita City Council endorsed the Wichita Multi-Modal Policy. The Multi- Modal Policy recommends that the City consider all modal transportation networks for every project within the street right-of-way or access easements as an opportunity to improve the multi-modal transportation system. In late 2015, City staff begin the process of developing a draft Wichita Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the years 2016-2025. The CIP is a budget document that provides an overall 10-year plan for capital assets (i.e. roads, bikeways, etc.) and a plan to finance those projects. To fund the CIP, the City uses general obligation (GO) bonds and notes, revenue bonds, sales tax-backed GO bonds, grants from the federal and state governments, and funding from other entities. The CIP is typically developed through a multi-step process. A City CIP Committee, meets and develops the project plan for the term of the program. Each City department requests projects related to the respective department’s goals and responsibilities. The projects are reviewed according to criteria (found on page 21 of the Adopted 2015- 2024 CIP). Upon completion of the CIP Committee draft, the recommendations are forwarded to the City Manager and then to the City Council. A public hearing is held and the City Council formally adopts the CIP. Analysis: This analysis is divided into two components – funding amounts and priority projects. Bikeways Improvements Funding Amounts: The 2015-2024 CIP plans for the expenditure of approximately $1.8 billion over 10 years. Below is a table from the 2015-2024 CIP (page 17) that shows the Proposed CIP expenditures by general area and source.  Page 2 The current 2015-2024 CIP programs funding for stand-alone Wichita - Local Capital bikeways (not undertaken as part of another project – i.e. Improvements Funding 2015-2024 bike lanes installed as part of a street repaving project) under 1% Arterials the line item Bike Enhancements, contained within the Arterials section of the CIP. This line item includes $450,000 in local funding and anticipates $900,000 non-local funding Bridges on odd numbered years (every other year) from the year 48% 48% 2017- 2024. The Bike Enhancements line item accounts for Freeways approximately 0.6 percent of the local sales tax and general obligation bonds funding programmed in the 2015-2024 CIP Bike for arterials, bridges, and freeways. 3% Enhancements Accounting for both the City and non-City funding for the Bike Enhancements CIP line item, there is a funding gap between the amount of funding programmed and the estimated cost to construct the 10-Year Priority Bicycle Network recommended in the Bike Plan. The Bike Plan includes estimates in Appendix C that the costs to construct the 10-Year Priority Bicycle Network are approximately $12.5 million. The graph below shows a comparison of the two. As indicated in the 2015-2024 CIP, additional funding will be necessary to fully implement the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan Priority Bicycle Network within the recommended 10-year timeframe. Wichita Bikeways Funding 2017-2023 $14,000,000 $12,000,000 $10,000,000 $8,000,000 $6,000,000 $4,000,000 $2,000,000 $- WBMP 10-Year Priority Bicycle Wichita 2015-2024 CIP Network Local Non-Local 2  Page 3 Additionally, the funding gap is projected to be greater than the difference between the Bike Plan and the 2015-2024 CIP due to the limited ability to secure federal transportation funding. Historically, federal transportation funding has provided the majority of non-City funding for the construction of new bikeways. Federal transportation funding allocated for the Wichita region is administered through the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) and programmed through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).The current 2015-2018 TIP programs funding for one stand- alone bikeway ($70,200 for 17th and 18th Streets). This is less than the $900,000 estimated every other year in the 2015-2024 CIP. Multi-Modal Policy Improvements Funding Amounts: The City of Wichita Multi-Modal Policy recommends that the City consider all modal transportation networks for every project within the street right-of-way or access easements as an opportunity to improve the multi-modal transportation system. City new construction projects typically consider implementation of the Bike Plan as part of the design process and the costs of routine accommodation for bikeways are included in the overall project costs. Substantial maintenance projects with opportunities for adding new or improving existing bikeways require additional non-maintenance funding for the bikeway changes to take place, per the Street Design Guidelines Appendix A. The City currently does not have funding specifically programmed to provide for the implementation of bikeway changes through substantial maintenance projects. Bikeways Maintenance Funding Amounts: In addition to funding new construction, substantial maintenance projects/programs have been funded through the City CIP. The City is currently undertaking a process to determine the maintenance needs of the City’s path network. In the 2016-2017 Adopted Budget, the City programmed $150,000 for expanding bikeway maintenance. No other funding is specifically identified in the City budget or CIP to maintain the Wichita Bicycle Network. Priority Projects: Bicycle infrastructure projects can generally be divided into the following four categories of projects described below. Project Type Description New Bikeways Construction of bikeways where they did not exist before Maintenance Major and routine activities to keep infrastructure safe and to meet community standards for usability Enhancement Changes to existing bikeways that may include substantial changes in design; introduction of new elements; modification of existing elements Crossings / Changes to bridges, intersections, etc. Intersections The Bike Plan, 2015-2024 CIP, and the Wichita Parks Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan include a listings of recommended Top Priority Bicycle Facilities. In addition, the City collected input about the top priority bicycle facilities during an open house held on May 27, 2014. The event included opportunities for participants to vote on the top priority bicycle facilities. The results of the open house event are posted on the City’s webpage. Financial Considerations: The CIP plans for the expenditure of approximately $1.8 billion over 10 years. The current funding allocations in the City CIP and WAMPO TIP are less than the estimated costs to construct the 10-Year Priority Bicycle Network recommended in the Bike Plan. 3  Page 4 Legal Considerations: None at this time. Attachments / Links: A. Adopted 2015-2024 CIP (link below) a. http://www.wichita.gov/Government/Departments/Finance/FinancialDocuments/2015- 2024%20Adopted%20CIP.pdf B. Wichita Bicycle Master Plan – 2014 Public Open House Report (link below) a. http://www.wichita.gov/Government/Departments/Planning/PlanningDocument/WBMP %202014%20Open%20House%20Report%20-%20Final.pdf C. Wichita Bicycle Master Plan and Appendicies (link below) a. http://www.wichita.gov/Government/Departments/Planning/Pages/Bicycle.aspx D. WAMPO 2015-2018 Transportation Improvement Plan (link below) a. http://www.wampo.org/Work/OW%20Documents/A5%202015%20TIP.pdf E. Wichita Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan (link below) a. http://www.wichita.gov/Government/Departments/Planning/Pages/PROSPlan.aspx F. Wichita Street Design Guidelines (link below) a. http://www.wichita.gov/Government/Departments/Planning/Pages/Multi- ModalPolicyandStreetDesignGuidance.aspx 4