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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 8/24/2021 - Memorandum From Aaron Iverson And Cortney Geary Re: Safe Bicycle Routes To Trail Systems FC Moves 281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 970.224.6058 970.224.6057 - fax fcgov.com/fcmoves Planning, Development & Transportation DATE: August 11, 2021 TO: Mayor Arndt and Councilmembers THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager Kyle Stannert, Deputy City Manager Caryn Champine, PDT Director Dean Klingner, PDT Deputy Director FROM: Aaron Iverson, FC Moves, Interim Senior Manager Cortney Geary, FC Moves, Active Modes Manager RE: Safe Bicycle Routes to Trail Systems Purpose This memo is a follow up to community comment provided to City Council regarding the need for safe routes for bicyclists to access the soft surface trail system. Staff were asked to summarize existing plans and programs as well as opportunities to improve trail access. Bottom Line The low-stress bicycle network provides safe routes to many soft surface trails. The low-stress network consists of low-speed and low-volume streets with comfortable crossings, paved trails, and protected bike lanes. In particular the Spring Creek Trail and Fossil Creek Trail connect to the soft surface trails in the Pineridge and Maxwell natural areas, and the Poudre Trail connects to soft surface trails in natural areas along the Poudre River such as McMurry, Salyer, and North Shields Ponds. Several adopted City of Fort Collins plans include goals and recommendations for improving access to trails including: City Plan, Transportation Master Plan, ReCreate: Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, Paved Recreational Trail Master Plan FC Moves is currently developing an Active Modes Plan, which combines updates to both the bicycle and pedestrian plan into one plan. Additionally, Parks will be updating the Paved Trail Master Plan in the near future. Both efforts will provide additional opportunities for the community and those specifically interested in mountain biking, to provide detailed and in-depth input. Adopted Plans City Plan, which incorporates the Transportation Master Plan, plan that guides how the community will grow and travel in the next 10-20 years. The plan includes the following policy guidance related to trail access: Trails and parks should be connected to neighborhoods Encourages the development of a dense low-stress bicycle network with seamless connections to community destinations, including trail heads and parks.. Supporting and enhancing safety for all modes of transportation. ReCreate: Parks and Recreation Master Plan examines park and recreation needs and articulates a vision for parks and recreation in the future. The plan includes a following actions: Expand the network of paved, multi-use trails. Increase safe routes to parks and recreation facilities. Ensure trails function for a range of recreational and transportation users. The Bicycle Master Plan establishes the infrastructure, policy, and programmatic framework for people of all ages and abilities to have access to a comfortable, safe, and connected network of bicycle facilities. This includes creating a bicycle network with continuous routes throughout the city, connecting neighborhoods to one another and to major destinations such as trails. The full build bicycle network identifies specific projects along Overland Trail from the Poudre Trail to the Fossil Creek Trail and a network of protected and buffered bike lanes spaced approximately one- half mile apart providing east-west connections to Overland Trail and the trail system to the west. The Paved Recreational Trail Master Plan assesses current needs and identifies future improvements to the paved trail system. While the plan focuses primarily on recreational uses, it recognizes the role the paved trail system plays in encouraging people to walk and bike for -street bicycle lanes and sidewalks. The recreational trail system provides 8.5 miles of paved trails across natural areas; provides trail connections to 19 natural areas; and functions as critical wildlife corridors between natural areas. Natural Areas and Park Planning continue to partner to acquire additional lands and rights of way to provide even more important trail connections and wildlife corridors. The plan aims to connect the hard-surface trail system with planned natural surfaced trails. Upcoming Plans In Fall 2021 the City will kick-off the Active Modes Plan, which will update and consolidate the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans. This process will allow community members to provide input on trail access and implementation priorities. In addition to conducting broad public engagement, the project team will invite a representative of the Overland Mountain Biking Association to serve on the Community Advisory Committee to ensure that a voice for safe bicycle access to trails is included in this guiding stakeholder group. Staff have already connected with the Overland Mountain Bike Association to learn about their priorities as they relate to bicycle transportation. Representatives from Natural Areas and Parks Planning will be invited to serve on the Technical Advisory Committee to ensure that plans for on-street bicycle and pedestrian facilities, paved trails, and natural surface trails are aligned. The Paved Trails Master Plan, which is currently scheduled for 2023, will also allow community members to provide updated input on access and implementation priorities. Our collaborative, multi-departmental approach for both planning efforts will ensure alignment between the strategies and priorities of the Active Modes Plan and Paved Trails Master Plan.