Agenda Information Sheet
DEPARTMENT: Transportation
CM/ ACM: John Cabrales Jr.
Date: October 11, 2016
SUBJECT
Title
Receive a report and hold a discussion regarding staff’s plan for obligating the FY 2016-2017 Bike Fund for on-street bicycle accommodations, and provide an update to the FY 2015-2016 Bike Fund projects.
Body
BACKGROUND
The “Update to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Linkage Component of the Denton Mobility Plan” (Denton Bike Plan) was approved by City Council on February 21, 2012. The plan provides an overview of the existing conditions, design standards and facility types, and an implementation plan. The main purpose of the document is to guide the City on where to place and what type of bike routes. Since the Plan was adopted, a yearly budget of $200,000 has been created to implement on-street bike accommodations.
It is anticipated that the remaining project of the FY 2015-2016 Bike Fund, Nottingham Drive, will be completed by Thanksgiving. Eagle Drive is half way complete and will finish up by the end of November. All other projects for FY 2015-2016 are complete. Two projects remain from FY 2014-2015 - Crescent and Phase III of Oak and Hickory Street. Phase III is Oak and Hickory from Carroll Boulevard to Ave C. Due to the upcoming utility work on Hickory, immediate accommodations are limited to the intersection with Carroll and restriping with paint the existing bike lane. Oak Street is under design. Crescent is delayed until utility and street work finish.
Exhibit 1 lists the projects for the FY 2016-2017 Bike Fund. Projects will provide 6.2 miles of new bike infrastructure, with a mix of bike lanes and sharrows. The goal for this Fiscal Year is to complete as many of the remaining immediate projects as identified in the 2012 Bike Plan as possible. Many of the immediate projects are low-hanging fruit and connect central Denton, which is a key area with connections to grocery, commercial, universities, and neighborhoods. This dovetails with an approach championed by other cities and organizations of concentrating funds in areas where short car trips of a mile or less can be replaced with bicycle trips.
Exhibit 2 is a map of completed projects and planned projects. Since 2012, twenty miles of on-street bike accommodations have been constructed. The type of bike accommodations includes bike lanes, road diets, sidepaths, and sharrows and signs. Exhibit 3 is a breakdown of the budget for all projects undertaken since 2012. A total of $1,165,000 has been allocated for implementation of the Bike Plan since 2012. Of that, $1,140,122 has been spent or allocated.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (Council, Boards, Commissions)
1. February 21, 2012: Council approved the “Update to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Linkage Component of the Denton Mobility Plan.”
2. April 8, 2014: Initial update to Mobility Committee on Bike Program.
3. June 24, 2014: Update to Mobility Committee on Bike program and pedestrian accommodations, including a Short-term Action Plan.
4. September 8, 2014: Briefing on Planned Bicycle Accommodations for Oak and Hickory.
5. February 10, 2015: Update to Mobility Committee on staff’s plans for obligating the current Bike Program funding by December 31, 2015.
6. August 11, 2015: Update to Mobility Committee on status of Short-term Action Plan and infrastructure projects completed to date.
7. April 12, 2016: Update to Mobility Committee on status of Bike Plan implementation and presentation of Bike Count Report 2016.
8. June 20, 206: Update to Mobility Committee on Oak and Hickory Street bike accommodations.
FISCAL INFORMATION
For this current Fiscal Year, $200,000 has been appropriated for implementation of the Bike Plan. At the end of FY 2016, $35,877 was remaining in the Fund, for a total of $235,877 to be spent on bike projects this Fiscal Year. Money is programmed for projects on Ector Street, Hercules Lane, Panhandle and others. Exhibit 1 lists the planned projects with cost estimates.
STRATEGIC PLAN RELATIONSHIP
The City of Denton’s Strategic Plan is an action-oriented road map that will help the City achieve its vision. The foundation for the plan is the five long-term Key Focus Areas (KFA): Organizational Excellence; Public Infrastructure; Economic Development; Safe, Livable, and Family-Friendly Community; and Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship. While individual items may support multiple KFAs, this specific City Council agenda item contributes most directly to the following KFA and goal:
Related Key Focus Area: Sustainable & Environmental Stewardship
Related Goal: 5.5 Provide alternative modes of transportation
EXHIBITS
1. FY 2016-2017 Bike Fund Projects
2. FY 2016-2017 Bike Fund Projects map and completed projects
3. Bike Fund Budget Breakdown 2012-2017
Respectfully submitted:
Mark Nelson
Director of Transportation
Prepared by:
Julie Anderson
Bike & Pedestrian Coordinator