SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Provide update on the Complete Streets for Clearwater Implementation Plan, including a summary of preliminary implementation recommendations. (WSO)
Body
SUMMARY:
The provision of adequate transportation facilities infrastructure is one of the most important components needed to support future redevelopment in the city, and providing safe, multimodal choices will be necessary to accommodate future growth without sacrificing roadway efficiency. Complete Streets provide people of all ages and abilities with safe and comfortable travel options, balancing the needs of different transportation modes within the overall system. Streets include the entire right-of-way, not just curb to curb, and it is important to plan, design, and build streets with all users in mind, while also being flexible enough to address changes to the transportation landscape.
Recognizing this need for change, the City Council authorized a work order with Kimley-Horn and Associates to prepare a Complete Streets implementation plan, which kicked off in early 2018. With assistance from the consultant team, the Planning and Development Department worked with stakeholders from throughout the city to define mobility and infrastructure concerns and desires to be addressed by the plan. Public outreach included three Complete Streets Advisory Committee meetings, three community open house meetings, and a MetroQuest survey which was taken by 921 people and generated 190 comments.
This plan establishes a framework of various modes used for travel with a flexible design toolkit, and a method for implementation as part of transportation planning and other city processes. The goal is to incorporate Complete Streets improvements into the existing project review processes to ensure that the city's transportation system and facilities serve all users. Most enhancements would be part of other departments’ projects (e.g., stormwater, resurfacing) that impact streets, allowing Complete Streets improvements to be constructed at a fraction of the overall project cost. In addition, a wide variety of improvements can be installed using low cost materials (e.g., paint, flex posts) as demonstration projects to test the design’s safety and efficiency before moving forward with permanent installation. This approach has been used by cities throughout the country to not only test designs but also show the public how they work.
Key recommendations within the plan include:
1. Develop an inter-departmental process to integrate Complete Streets improvements into each department’s project review and goals.
2. Approve a Complete Streets Policy for the city. (Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) designation requires a Complete Streets Policy).
3. Create a Complete Streets Advisory Committee (meets a BFC designation requirement).
4. Integrate support for Complete Streets into the Comprehensive Plan.
5. Amend the Community Development Code to be consistent with the Complete Streets implementation plan guidelines (BFC designation credits plans that apply the AASHTO and NACTO bicycle facility design guides and implementation as are relied upon in this plan).
6. Create a Complete Streets education program.
7. Evaluate the plan’s success using the performance measures established within.
It is anticipated that the final plan will be ready for City Council approval within the next few months