COMMISSION_MINUTES_1978-03-30 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

9arnon� ,^"V'• !,•' [�� Board, criteria antl a Drogram are also determin� etl for allocetion of Fetleral Aitl Urban funds. Over 80 percent of the ezistin8 atreet system in the urbani±ed Metmpolitan Area Itfiat is, almost all locel streetsl ere safe and suitable for bike ritlinB� �ow traKC volumes, reletivaly goad pavement cond'nions and proximiry ta the ritler's orie�n land often destination as welp make this street system the most comprehensive bicycle syatem feaaible in en urbanized area. Mast municipe�kies have recognized this in their bikeway planning. end many of the bikeways plenned antl built by municipalities are signed routes on lotel StteeU. As of summer of 1975, over 00 municipalities in the MetropolRan Araa had some sott of bicycle plan et various steges of implementation, akhough not all were o�tially atlopted by their reapective Ba�erning botlies. Maps of these pians were collecteO by 9he Minnesota Depart- mant of Natural fleaources and bythe Metmpoliten Couneil staff. Most of the bikeways were on-sGeet facili5es Isignetl routes orlanes) ratherthen separeted 6ike paths. Nationel stutlies have shown Me eve28e hicycle trip to be eOProximetely two miles. Tha average pedestrian trip is much shortar and is oNen made in conjunctian with another mode, such ae the eutomObile or trensit. This 9hort everege distance tloes �ot justify Dlenning at e metropolitan level of an ezteneve system for pedestrians. In moat portions of the Fully Developetl Area', pedestrian sidewalks are availeble. In addition, most of the local sveet system in the Metropolitan Area, with its low treific volumes, is also sate for petlesMan trevel. However, existing contlitions for petlestrians in areas of regional or subregional importence, SuCh as the Metro Centere' or mejor Bctivity centers, require some regional recognNiqn of the neetl for improvement. 'The "Fully DeveloDeE Area' is the Council's Development Fremework tleei8nation Por the part M tha Metropolitan Area coneisting of Minneapolis, St. Faul and 74 finFrinB wbur6s. "'Metro Canten" is another Devebpment Framework term, referting to the two cen- trol ciry downtowns an0 imme0letaly e0je- cent tleveloDmenf. NEEDS Needs for improvin8 the petlestrier facilities in the Metto Centers entl mejor activiry centert heve bean itlentified in the Transportation Policy Plen (Policies 4, 26, 38 antl 021. The two besic needs for improvin8 bicycle facilitiea are the neetl for connnuous facilinas, inclutling the removal of physical barriers and ensuring syetem conNnuity acroas polkicel bounderiee, end the naed to provide forincreesed sefery ofthe bicy- cle entl its user, including safe parking facilities antl pro[ectetl, separate bicycle facilities in ereas of potentielly great bicycla/motor vehicle con- flicts. A majar drawbeck to the use ot local streats for bikewaYS is a lack ot continuiry, including physicel entl psychological barriere, end the in- abiliry to reach a tlestinatian entirely by use ot locel stteets. Psychological berriers are D/imerily busy streets which are physically Ooseible m cross at-grade, but tha perceivetl Eifficulty of this crossing creates a berriarin the biker's mintl. These are more difficult to itlenGiy tlua to varying percaptions, and therefore more diHicult to overcome. Studies tlone in tha Twin Cities area intlicete e significant patantial for bicycle ritlerehip evan in a climata whers, for ebout four end a hatt mon- ths, the bicycle is not an attrac[ive means ot transportetion.' Hitlers can 6e cete8orizetl by their ekill antl the dietances they otten trevel in the bieyele mode. Skill, trip purpoae, and length of trip effect Me type of fecility thay prafer to use. Other fectors that affect bicycle MOe ere weather, safe parking at destinations, ritling ew- face, length of days Idarknass is a hintlrencel, trip time end lrip distence. METROPOLITAN BICVCLE SYS7EM PLAN The plan mep presented in this amentlment is limited to bicycle facilities since the ehort average diatence of pedestrian trips tloec not justity plenning or mepping of an extenaive repionel ayafem. The Bicycle Systam Plan map provitles a guitleline fo the eetebliehment antl location of bicycle facilitiec (orminB Ma metropolitan eyarom. The ma0 tloes not daeiB�ate epeciflc avaeta but �howe tlniratl corv 'Carl E. Ohrn, "Ealimaling Potantiel Bicyele Uae end Public Inrenment". Berton- Aechmen Asocinea, Inc. 1973.