TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kristoff T. Bauer, Deputy City Manager
FROM: Rob Stone, P.E., Director of Public Services
DATE: May 14, 2018
RE:
Title
Approval of the Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal IV: Fayetteville will be a highly desirable place to live, work and recreate with thriving neighborhoods and a high quality of life for all residents.
• To improve mobility and connectivity by investing in traffic flow strategies, sidewalks, trails and bike lanes
Executive Summary:
The City and NCDOT’s consultant, Stantec, will be presenting the final draft of the comprehensive pedestrian plan to Council to receive any final comments and request their approval of the plan.
Background:
City Council’s adopted FY2016 Strategic Plan included a Target for Action to implement pedestrian safety initiatives. To meet this direction, staff researched opportunities and learned that NCDOT was accepting grant applications for pedestrian and bicycle planning studies. On December 14, 2015, Council approved Resolution 2017-075 authorizing an application for grant funding through the NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative. On March 4, 2016, staff received notification of grant approval from the NCDOT Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation. City Council approved a municipal agreement at the regular meeting on August 8, 2016, to partner with NCDOT for funding the study. The study began on April 20th, 2017 with a kickoff meeting that included a diverse group of stakeholders and was led by the City’s consultant, Stantec. Public outreach included workshops in the downtown area and at the College Lakes Recreation Center. The final workshop was held at Westover Recreation Center on February 15, 2018. Also, an online survey was completed in the summer of 2017. Council was provided updates to the plan at their work sessions on September 5, 2017, February 5, 2018 and April 3, 2018. The final public comment period on the plan concluded on April 30, 2018.
The Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan will be an integral part of developing and executing a more complete pedestrian transportation system and will guide local and state efforts to improve conditions for pedestrians and other users of our transportation network. The recommendations will assist the City to develop construction project priorities, recommend positive changes to local policies and guidelines, develop awareness initiatives, and identify opportunities for the implementation of education, enforcement and safety programs.
As identified in the project scope, the plan identified high-activity pedestrian focus areas utilizing “Opportunities and Constraints” evaluations to suggest detailed improvements in those areas. From this analysis, the plan developed a list of projects that include sidewalk construction/maintenance projects and intersection improvements. This list includes projects near schools, connectivity projects to link existing sidewalks together, and projects to improve pedestrian crossings. The plan also identifies projects that should be integrated into the MPO transportation plan, and potential projects eligible for alternate funding sources. High level cost estimates and preliminary priorities are provided for projects, based on criteria such as potential pedestrian use, safety, and proximity to major attractors such as shopping centers, schools, and parks. Originally, the final draft plan was scheduled to be presented to City Council in April 2018, but to allow more time for review by stakeholders and NCDOT, staff is recommending the adoption be at the May 14th regular meeting.
The Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan is being developed by NCDOT in coordination with City of Fayetteville staff and the consultant, Stantec.
Issues/Analysis:
NCDOT requires the municipality adopt the Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan in accordance with the municipal agreement for the project.
Budget Impact:
The total estimated project cost is $110,000. This includes the required City 50% funding match of $55,000. These funds were included in the FY 17 budget.
Options:
• Adopt the Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan
• Reject the Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan and provide direction to staff
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends Council move to adopt the Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan.
Attachments:
Presentation, Final Draft Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan