City of Tucson Bicycle Boulevard Master Plan - Environmental Planning Advisory Committee - Pima Association

City of Tucson
Bicycle Boulevard Master Plan

Environmental Planning Advisory Committee

            December 2, 2016

Bicycle Boulevard Overview
• Why are they important?

• What are they?

• Draft Bicycle Boulevard
  Master Plan

• Implementation process and
  status of projects

• Questions

Tucson Context
• 1000+ miles of bike facilities regionally

• 90% bike lanes on major street network

• 180+ miles of off-street path network

Challenges

Standard Bike Lane

Safety on Bicycle Boulevards

Bicycle Boulevards for Tucson
Shared Roadway

Local/residential
streets

Prioritizes Bicyclists

Connects with other
bikeways

1 Introduction
• What is a Bike Boulevard?
• History of Bike Boulevards in Tucson
• Existing Conditions

2 Why Bicycle Boulevards
Safety - New Bicyclists - Accessibility - Environment - Health - Economy - Community

3 Case Studies

4 Design Elements

Route Planning

Signs and Pavement Markings

Speed and Volume Management

Major Street Crossings

Green Infrastructure (and public art)

5 Public Outreach
•   Online Survey (2013, 580 respondents)
•   Open Houses (8)
•   Neighborhood association meetings (17 groups, multiple meetings)
•   Stakeholder group meetings (9 groups)
•   Working group (15 organizations represented)

              What prevents you from biking more often?
350
300
250
200
150
100
 50
  0

6 Network Prioritization

New ranked list slide

New phasing map slide

Conceptual Plans and Cost Estimates

7 Funding and Implementation
                       Order of Priority
                 • Major Street Crossings

                 • Speed and Volume Management

                 • Signs and Pavement Markings

                 • Green Infrastructure

                 • Public Art

Implementation Process

In-Progress Projects
• Treat Avenue Bicycle Boulevard
    New BikeHawk at Broadway Blvd.
    New BikeHAWK at Ft. Lowell Rd.
• 5th Street Bicycle Boulevard
    New TOUCAN at Euclid Ave.
    Traffic Calming, signage, and crossing treatments at 4th Ave. and 6th Ave.
• 3rd Street/University Bicycle Boulevard
    Traffic diverter at Richey Blvd.
• Copper/Flower Street Bicycle Boulevard
    New BikeHAWKs at: Stone Ave. (Kelso) and 1st Ave. (Copper)
    HAWK > BikeHAWK retrofits: Oracle Rd. (Kelso)
• 9th/8th Street Bicycle Boulevard
    New BikeHAWK at Campbell Ave.
• Sahuara Avenue Bicycle Boulevard
    New BikeHAWK at Grant Rd.

Next Steps
 Publish draft Bicycle Boulevard Master Plan on website

 Public comment period (July - September 2016)
     Public Open House

 Key Stakeholder meetings
       Bicycle Advisory Committee
       Pedestrian Advisory Committee
       Pima County
       Ward Office Staff
       PAG/RTA
       Bicycle Boulevard Working Group
       Parks & Recreation

 Incorporate Feedback

 Present plan to Mayor and Council for adoption (January 2017)

Public Comment Period
• Public were invited to
  review and offer comments
  on the draft plan through
  the end of September
  2016.

• Plan and online comment
  form available at:
  https://www.tucsonaz.gov/
  projects/bicycle-boulevards

Feedback So Far
Supportive
“Thank you so much for this plan to add more safe bike paths in Tucson. I am a new bike commuter, very afraid to ride in
traffic. I take Treat Street [sic] to my work and am thankful to cross major streets with the crosswalk lights. The safer our
streets become the more comfortable I and many others will be to do more riding and less driving!!! Thanks again for the
great plans!!”

“I recently moved to Tucson, after almost a decade of visiting on business and for pleasure…I thought I should express a small
token of my support. I know there are many others who feel similarly. I'd just like to wish you the best of luck and success
with this and future projects.”

Supportive, but….
“Good plan. Appreciate the work and vision…Downtown bike infrastructure needs to be improved…Why not identify at least
one NS/EW route thru downtown?”

“One cause for concern was that there was no mention of sidewalks or off-street pedestrian facilities in the design
elements…”

Negative
“FIX the DAMN pot holes FIRST!...Fix the potholes before worrying about spending millions of dollars on bike boulevards”

Andy Bemis
Lead Planner, Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
City of Tucson, Department of Transportation
andrew.bemis@tucsonaz.gov
520-837-6596