On March 8th Mark and I attended the City of Edmond Bicycle Master Plan open house from 6:00 – 8:00pm in downtown Edmond. The open house was held to generate discussion and input for creating the “grand plan†for bicycling in Edmond, OK. Even though it was cold and rainy there was a large showing of Edmond citizenry interested in promoting safe bicycling in our community.
From 6pm – 7pm was set aside to visit various stations where goals and objectives were explained and for participants to note on maps where they currently ride, would like to ride, and would like to see bicycle facilities (trails, marked lanes, paths, etc.) to facilitate riding. There was a feeling of camaraderie as other’s shared their favorite routes, discussed difficulties with riding in the area and engaged in a little wishful thinking about what the future might hold. Mark and I noted on several of the maps where we ride and would ride if it was safer and easier to do so. To be honest, it was strange and beyond nice to be asked as cyclists how we thought “our†streets and community could better support our needs. As cyclists, we aren’t used to that are we!
The next hour of the open house was spent listening to staff of Kimley-Horn and Toole Design who will be constructing the bicycle master plan explain the process of developing such a plan. Jan Fees with the Edmond Bicycle Committee provided history and all parties took and answered questions from the standing room only audience.
Presently they are in the information gathering stage. There is a survey being conducted to elicit pertinent information and a comment form was distributed to open house participants for input into the bicycle master plan.
Outlined Goals and Objectives for the Edmond Bicycle Master Plan are:
Bicycle Network:
- Identify a comprehensive on-street/off-street interconnected bikeway system that can be developed in phases.
- Achieve a transportation system that is affordable and equitable for all types of users.
- Increase the convenience of bicycling to and within commercial and employment areas.
- Increase the connectivity of the bicycle network to parks, schools, Arcadia Lake, downtown, Citylink Transfer Center at Festival Market Place, trails, medical facilities and neighboring cities.
- Improve accessibility for bicyclists around barriers such as intersections, freeways, and a discontinuous street network.
- Develop a series of short loop rides around the community for the casual rider.
- Develop a long continuous loop around the City connecting various destinations for the more advanced rider.
Engineering:
- Design all bicycle facilities utilizing the most current national standards and guidelines and practices.
- Include City of Edmond bicycle facility recommendations in the Edmond Transportation Plan.
- Incr3ease the number of arterial streets that have wide shoulders or bike lanes.
Encouragement:
- Distribute a Bicycle Map and Commuter Guide.
- Promote bicycling through event and social marketing.
- Set up community celebrations and/or rides each time the community completes a new bicycling-related project. This is a great way to show off the city’s good efforts and introduces new users to the improvement.
- Design a way-finding sign program to facilitate and encourage bicycle mobility and access to facilities, services and destination.
- Promote active lifestyles by promoting bicycle ridership through community-wide health initiatives.
Education:
- Expand public education campaigns to promote the “share the road†message and the rights and responsibilities of all users.
- Education city staff involved in planning, design, maintenance, and construction about best practices for addressing bicycle needs.
- Expand the city’s Safe Routes to School program to include bicycling and encourage all schools to get involved.
- Initiate a Bicycle Rodeo to education school age children proper bicycle ridership.
Enforcement:
- Increase enforcement, taking a balanced approach that improves the behaviors of both motorists and bicyclists and reduces crashes.
- Encourage police officers to use targeted enforcement to encourage motorists and cyclists to share the road. This could be in the form of a brochure or tip card explaining each user’s rights and responsibilities.
Evaluation:
- Develop a system for identifying and understanding the type and location of bicycle crashes so that safety issues may be addressed.
- Work to improve data collection methods for bicycle usage.
- Establish a system of performance measures for plan implementation.
Implementation:
- Adopt a 5-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for bicycle improvements.
- Coordinate among city departments during the planning, design and construction phases of roadway projects to ensure that no opportunity to implement the bicycle network is missed.
- Implement a procedure to ensure that non-motorized transportation opportunities are evaluation during the planning phase for major traffic corridors.
- Develop short- and long-term goals for implementation.