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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBakersfield BTP Ch 1 IntroductionIntroduction Alta Planning + Design |1-1 1. Introduction The City of Bakersfield Bicycle Transportation Plan guides the future development of bicycle facilities and programs in the City. The recommendations in this Plan will help the City create an environment and develop programs that support bicycling for transportation and recreation, encourage fewer trips by car and support active lifestyles. This Plan was developed with extensive input from the community and seeks to meet its needs and desires for a pleasant, enjoyable, and safe place to bicycle. The diligent efforts of the City of Bakersfield staff and residents interested in improving the bicycling environment in the City have contributed to this document. This Plan provides a blueprint for making bicycling an integral part of daily life in Bakersfield and supports the goals of the Bakersfield General Plan Circulation Element and other plans and policies adopted by the City. 1.1 Purpose of the Plan This Bicycle Transportation Plan provides an overarching vision supported by strategies and actions for improving the bicycling environment in Bakersfield. The purpose of this Plan is to identify strategic expansion of the existing network, complete network gaps, provide greater connectivity, educate, and encourage the public, and to maximize funding sources. This Plan also satisfies requirements of the California Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA), and other state and federal funding programs that require a bicycle master plan for project eligibility. The purpose of this Plan is to identify strategic expansion of the existing network, complete network gaps, provide greater connectivity, educate, and encourage the public, and to maximize funding sources. City of Bakersfield | Bicycle Transportation Plan 1-2 | Alta Planning + Design 1.2 Vision, Goals and Objectives The Vision, Goals and Objectives of the City of Bakersfield Bicycle Transportation Plan will guide the development and implementation of the City’s bicycle network and programming for years to come. The vision is a broad inspirational statement that presents a desired future state. Goals are broad statements of what the City and its residents hope to achieve over time and that ultimately add up to the stated vision. Objectives are specific, action-oriented statements that mark progress toward the goal. This Plan lays out a framework for creating and expanding programs and capital improvements to increase bicycling in Bakersfield. 1.2.1 Vision This Plan envisions the City of Bakersfield with a transportation system that supports the City’s goals for active living, improved safety, and a sense of community where bicycling is an integral part of daily life. The system will include a comprehensive, safe, and logical citywide bicycle network that will support bicycling as a viable, convenient and popular travel choice for residents and visitors. The following goals and objectives are identified steps towards achieving this vision. 1.2.2 Goals and Objectives Goal 1: Increase bicycle mobility. Objective 1.1: Develop a bicycle transportation plan and prioritized capital improvement program that creates and maintains a safe and logical bikeways system. Objective 1.2: Increase the mileage of bikeways by 10 percent by 2018 and 20 percent by 2023. Goal 2: Maintain the bikeway network. Objective 2.1: Establish routine maintenance schedule and standards for sweeping, surface repair, litter removal, repainting of striping, signage and signal actuation devices. Goal 3: Supplement bikeways with education, encouragement, evaluation and enforcement programs. Objective 3.1: Develop and implement educational opportunities for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists to learn about their rights and responsibilities. Objective 3.2: Develop and implement encouragement programs to promote bicycling as a viable travel choice. Objective 3.3: Develop and implement an annual evaluation program to count and survey the community on bikeway facilities and programs. Objective 3.4: Develop and implement an enforcement program to encourage safe travel behavior and to reduce aggressive and/or negligent behavior of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Goal 4: Ensure timely and efficient implementation of the bikeway network. Objective 4.1: Update the Bicycle Transportation Plan every five years to identify new facility improvements and programmatic opportunities as the bicycle network develops, assess their feasibility, gauge public support, identify funding sources and develop implementation strategies. Objective 4.2: Identify and pursue reliable sources of revenue to implement projects identified in the Bicycle Transportation Plan. Introduction Alta Planning + Design |1-3 1.3 Bicycle Transportation Plan Process The City of Bakersfield initiated the plan development process in August 2012 through its Community Development Department. To fully engage the City and residents, the City hosted a stakeholder group meeting, a bicycle tour, a community workshop, conducted a survey, and provided information on the City website to inform the community of the project status and recommendations. The first public workshop was held in December 2012 to gather community input on existing bicycling conditions, challenges and opportunities for improvement. The community survey was circulated at this time as well, and over 400 responses were collected. The survey was distributed to community members, bicyclists and non-bicyclists alike, in order to identify challenges and barriers to bicycling. In early September 2013, the Draft Plan was presented at a community workshop. The Draft Plan was also presented to the Planning Commission on September 19, 2013. 1.4 Overview of the Plan The Bakersfield Bicycle Transportation Plan contains the following chapters: Chapter 1 – Introduction: Sets the context for the Plan including purpose and structure. Chapter 2– Existing Conditions: Provides a description of the existing bicycle conditions in the City of Bakersfield. The chapter includes a map of existing bikeways and descriptions of existing bicycle programs. Chapter 3 – Needs Analysis: Reviews the relationship between bicycle activity, commute patterns, demographics, land use and collisions. This chapter also includes a review of community input. Chapter 4– Bikeway Network Recommendations: Includes recommended network, signage and pavement marking, spot improvements and bicycle parking improvements. Chapter 5– Program Recommendations: Describes proposed bicycle encouragement, education, enforcement and evaluation programs. Chapter 6 – Benefits of Bicycling: Provides an outline of congestion and air quality benefits of this Plan’s recommendations. Chapter 7 – Implementation: Outlines an implementation strategy, including cost estimates for proposed projects. Chapter 8 – Funding: Provides potential funding sources for implementing the Plan’s projects and programs. City of Bakersfield | Bicycle Transportation Plan 1-4 | Alta Planning + Design This page intentionally left blank.