oregon bicycle and pedestrian plan

8/14/2019 Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

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OREGON

BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN

An Element of the Oregon Transportation Plan

O R E G O N D E P A R T M E N T O F T R A N S P O R T A T I O N


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STATUS OF LONG RANGE P LANS

Proposed

Schedule

Oregon Tra nsporta tion Plan ..................Dave Bishop ..........................Adopted 1992

Aviation System Plan .............................Gary Viehdorfer ....................In cr em en t a l

Bicycle an d Pedest rian Plan ..................Micha el Ronk in .....................Adopted 1995

Corridor Pla ns ........................................Ed Lee ...................................In cr em en t a l

Highway Pla n .........................................Don Byar d .............................Adopted 1991

Int erm odal Plan .....................................Steve Kale .............................Sp r in g 19 96

Pu blic Tra nsporta tion P lan ...................Bob Sh erm an .........................Adopted 1997

Rail F reight Pla n ....................................Ed Imm el...............................Adopt ed 1994

Rail P assen ger Policy a nd Plan .............Bob Krebs ..............................Adopted 1992

Tra nsporta tion Sa fety Action P lan .......Ju ne Ross ..............................Adopted 1995

Copyrigh t 1995 (S econd Ed ition) by the Oregon Depar tm ent of Tra nsporta tionPer mission is given to quote an d repr oduce par ts of th is docum ent if credit is given toth e sour ce.

To obtain ad ditiona l copies of th is plan , cont act:

Bicycle an d Pedestr ian P rogra mRoom 210 Tra nsporta tion BuildingSalem, OR 97310

Telephone: (503) 986-3555FAX: (503) 986-3896E m ail: m ich a el.p.r on kin @st a te.or.u s


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OREGON

BICYCLE AND P EDESTRIAN P LAN

A N E L E M E N T O F T H E O R E G O N T R A N S P O R TAT I ON P L A N

ADOPTED BY THE OREGON TRANSP ORTATION COMMISSION

JU NE 14, 1995

Implementa tion of the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian

Plan is dependent upon the availability of funding.

Adoption of the plan by the Oregon Transportation

Commission does not guarantee adequate f inancial

r e s o u r c es t o c a r r y o u t t h e p r oj e ct s n or c a n t h e

Commission commit the financial resources of other

agencies or p ublic bodies.

OREGON DE PARTMENT OF TRANSP ORTATION

BICYCLE AND P EDES TRIAN P ROGRAM


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OREGON TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Henr y Hewitt, Chairma nJ ohn Whitty, Vice Cha irma nSusan BrodySteve CoreyCynth ia Ford

PLAN SPONSOR:

Robert T. Reitmajer, ODOT Region 5 Ma na ger

OREGON BICYCLE AND P EDE STRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

Kar en Swirsk y, ChairRex Bu rk holder, Vice-Cha ir

Tim CollinsJ ohn DeagenChr istian Ka ylorMary HallmanDon St ath osMichael Wolfe

OREGON D EPARTMENT OF TRANSP ORTATION STAFF :

Micha el P. Ronk in, Bicycle an d P edestria n P rogram Man agerJon A. Kaplan and Michael M. Moule, Bikeway/Walkway SpecialistsMark Fa lby, Graph ic Art istEr ic Forster, Studen t E ngineering Specialist

Special thanks to the hundreds of people (the citizens of Oregon, local and ODOT

staf f ) who contributed their ideas an d recom m end at ions regarding bicycle and

pedestrian tran sportation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


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PREFACE .....................................................................................................................................................ix

EXECUTIVE SU MMARY..........................................................................................................................xiii

FIR ST PART: THE P OLICY & ACTION P LAN

THE VISION ..................................................................................................................................................2

1. THE IMP ORTANCE OF BICYCLING & WALKING ..........................................................................3A. The Bene fits of Bicycling & Walkin g......................................................................................................4B. Bicycling & Walk ing Trip s ......................................................................................................................6C. Bicycling & Walk ing in Urba n Area s .....................................................................................................6D. Accomm odatin g Bicyclists & Pedes tr ian s on Existin g St reet s .............................................................6E. The Complem ent ar y Roles of Recreat ion & Tr an sporta tion .................................................................7F. The Desir e for Improved Bicycling & Walk ing Cond itions ...................................................................7G. In crea sing Bicycling & Walk ing Tr ips ...................................................................................................8H. Popula tion & Tra nsp orta tion Pr ojections ............................................................................................12

2. STATE & FEDERAL LAWS RELATING TO BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES ..............13

1953: ORS 366.460: Constr uction of Sidewalks With in Highwa y Right of Way ....................................131971: ORS 366.514: Use of High way Fu nd for Footpa th s & Bicycle Tra ils ...........................................131973: ORS 366.112: The Oregon Bicycle Advisory Comm itt ee ................................................................131974: St at ewide Pla nn ing Goals................................................................................................................131980: Art icle IX, Section 3A of th e Oregon Const itu tion .........................................................................141991: OAR 660-12: The Tra ns port at ion Pla nn ing Ru le ...........................................................................141991: Or egon Benchm ar ks .........................................................................................................................151991: In ter moda l Su rface Tra ns port at ion Efficiency Act (ISTE A)..........................................................151992 The Amer icans With Disabilities Act (ADA) ..................................................................................151992: Or egon Tr an sport at ion Pla n (OTP).................................................................................................16

3. THE SYSTEM ELEMENT: CURRENT CONDITIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS & BICYCLISTS ........17

A. The Rura l En vironm ent ........................................................................................................................17B. The Ur ban En vironm en t .......................................................................................................................19

4. THE BICYCLE & P EDE STRIAN POLICY, GOALS, ACTIONS & STRATEGIES ........................21

Or egon Tra ns port at ion Plan .......................................................................................................................22Curr ent Policy ..............................................................................................................................................22

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5. IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................................23A. Im plem ent ing th e Actions .....................................................................................................................23B. Fin an cial Consider at ions ......................................................................................................................29

SECOND PART: THE PLANNING, DESIGN,MAINTENANCE & SAFETY OF BIKEWAYS & WALKWAYS

A. The Im port an ce of Good Design ...........................................................................................................35B. Bicyclists & Pedes tr ian s: Similar ities & Differences ..........................................................................36C. Sta nda rd Bikeway & Walkwa y Design ................................................................................................37D. St an da rd s & Minim um s........................................................................................................................37E . Ot her In nova tive Design s .....................................................................................................................38

I. P LANNIN G WALKWAY & BIKEWAY NE TWORKS

1. B ACKGROU ND ....................................................................................................................................41

A. Rela ted Pla nn ing Issues........................................................................................................................41B. Pr ior Pla nn ing Meth ods ........................................................................................................................48

2 . P LAN N IN G P R IN CIP L ES ..................................................................................................................49

A. The Imp orta nce of t he Str eet System ...................................................................................................49B. The 4 P rin ciples of Bikeway & Walkwa y P lan nin g.............................................................................49C. Ot her P lan nin g Consid era tions ............................................................................................................55D. Im plem ent ing Bikeway & Walk way Pla ns ..........................................................................................57

3. LOCAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLANS ...............................................................................61

A. Background ............................................................................................................................................61B. Rela tion to Oth er Documen ts ...............................................................................................................61C. Pu blic In volvemen t & In ter agen cy Review ..........................................................................................61D. The Bicycle & Pedes tr ian Elem ent of a Local TSP ..............................................................................61

II. FACILITY DESIGN S TANDARDS

1. ON-ROAD BIKEWAYS .........................................................................................................................65

A. Types of Bikewa ys .................................................................................................................................65B. Design St an da rd s ..................................................................................................................................66C. Pr act ices to be Avoided .........................................................................................................................71D. Ot her Design Considera tions................................................................................................................73E . Ot her In nova tive Design s .....................................................................................................................76

2. RESTRIPING EXISTING ROADS WITH BIKE LANES .................................................................81

A. Redu ce Tra vel Lan e Width s ..................................................................................................................82B. Redu ce Nu mber of Tr avel Lan es ..........................................................................................................82

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C. Reconsider t he Need for Pa rk ing ..........................................................................................................83D. Ot her Considera tions ............................................................................................................................85E. Additional Benefits ................................................................................................................................85F. Bike Lane Width s ..................................................................................................................................86

3 . BICYCLE PARKING ............................................................................................................................87

A. Recommen ded St an da rd s......................................................................................................................88B. Sign ing ...................................................................................................................................................89C. Ot her Recommen da tions .......................................................................................................................89

4. WALKWAYS ...........................................................................................................................................91

A. Types of Walk ways ................................................................................................................................91B. St an da rd s ...............................................................................................................................................91C. Pa th s ......................................................................................................................................................94D. Sh oulder St an da rd s...............................................................................................................................95E. Tr an sit St ops .........................................................................................................................................95F. Accomm odat ing th e Disa bled ...............................................................................................................97G. Additional Ped est ria n Fa cilities .........................................................................................................100H. Ot her Considera tions ..........................................................................................................................101I. Pr act ices to be Avoided .......................................................................................................................102J . Oth er Inn ovative Designs ...................................................................................................................104

5 . S TR EE T CR OS S IN GS .......................................................................................................................105

A. Cr osswa lks Defined .............................................................................................................................105

B. Lega l Cr ossing Movemen ts .................................................................................................................105C. Im pr oving Cr ossing Opport un ities .....................................................................................................106D. Ot her Innova tive Design s ...................................................................................................................112

6 . MULTI-USE PATHS ...........................................................................................................................113

A. Wher e Pa th s Are Appr opria te ............................................................................................................113B. Im port an t Consid era tions ...................................................................................................................115C. Pa th s Next to Roadways .....................................................................................................................116D. St an da rd s .............................................................................................................................................117

7. INTERSECTIONS ................................................................................................................................125

A. Basic Pr inciples ...................................................................................................................................125B. Pedest ria n Cross ings ...........................................................................................................................126C. Skewed In te rs ections ..........................................................................................................................127D. Mult iple In ter sections .........................................................................................................................128E. Right -Tur n Lanes ................................................................................................................................129F. Signals ..................................................................................................................................................131G. In ter changes ........................................................................................................................................132H. Ot her Innova tive Design s ...................................................................................................................133

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8 . SIGNING & MARKING .....................................................................................................................143A. On-Road Bikeways ..............................................................................................................................144B. Mult i-Use Pa th s ..................................................................................................................................152C. Review Of Exis tin g Bikeway Sign ing .................................................................................................156

D. Walk ways .............................................................................................................................................157

9 . TR AF F IC CALMI NG .........................................................................................................................159

A. Redu cing Tra ffic Speeds ......................................................................................................................160B. Discour aging Thr ough Tra ffic on Local Str eets .................................................................................162C. Living Str eet s (Du tch Woner f).........................................................................................................163D. On-Str eet Pa rk ing ...............................................................................................................................164

10. BICYCLE MAPS ..................................................................................................................................165

A. Ur ban Bicycle Map ..............................................................................................................................165B. Bicycling Gu ide ....................................................................................................................................165C. Bicycling Tour Gu ide ...........................................................................................................................166D. City & Coun ty Bicycle Pla n Map ........................................................................................................166E. Ot her Useful Tips ................................................................................................................................168

III . MAINTENANCE & CONSTRUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

1. BIKEWAY & WALKWAY MAINTENANCE ......................................................................................171

A. User Char act er ist ics & Needs ............................................................................................................171B. Recomm ended Main ten an ce Pr actices ...............................................................................................172C. Oth er Main ten an ce Activities Th at Affect Bicycling & Walk ing......................................................175

D. Main tena nce Pr ogram .........................................................................................................................178E. Spot Im pr ovemen t Pr ograms ..............................................................................................................178

2. OP ERATING BIKE WAYS & WALKWAYS D UR ING CONS TRU CTION ...........................................179

A. Rura l High way Const ru ction ..............................................................................................................179B. Ur ban Roadway Constr uction ............................................................................................................180C. Ot her Consid era tions ..........................................................................................................................182

IV. SAFE TY CONSID ERATIONS

Tr an spor ta tion Sa fety at ODOT ...............................................................................................................184

1. B ICYCLE SAF E TY.............................................................................................................................185

A. En gineerin g Solutions to Common Pr oblems ....................................................................................186B. Ed uca tion Solut ions ............................................................................................................................188C. En forcem ent Solut ions ........................................................................................................................189D. Equipmen t Solut ions ...........................................................................................................................189E. Riding Sk ills ........................................................................................................................................190F . He lmet s ................................................................................................................................................190

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2. PED ESTRIAN SAFETY.....................................................................................................................191

Long-Term Trend s .....................................................................................................................................193A. En gineer ing Solut ions .........................................................................................................................193

B. Ed uca tion Solut ions ............................................................................................................................194C. En forcem ent Solut ions ........................................................................................................................194

APPENDICES

A: Glossa ry of Terms & Abbreviations u sed in th is P lan ......................................................................197B: Oth er Docum ent s rela ted to Bicycling & Walking ............................................................................200C: ODOT In ter pr eta tion of ORS 366.514 ................................................................................................202D: Selected Oregon Transportat ion Plan

Goals, P olicies & Actions Rela tin g to Bicycling & Wa lkin g ..............................................................205E: Pr ojects Iden tified in th e 1996-1999 STIP .........................................................................................211F: Admin ist ra tive Orga niza tion ..............................................................................................................213G: Selection Criter ia for Bicycle/Pedes tr ian Pr ojects .............................................................................215H: Bikeway/Walk wa y Pr oject Ra tin g Sh eet ............................................................................................217I: Sta tu tes P ert ain ing to Bicycle & Pedes tr ian s ...................................................................................219

INDEX ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 245

TABLES

Table 1 Bikeway & walkwa y implemen ta tion stra tegies .......................................................................24

Table 2 Guidelines for providing facilities on pa ra llel rout es ................................................................25Table 3 Bicycle & pedest ria n p erforma nce mea sur es .............................................................................26Table 4 Ur ban bikeway & walkwa y costs on sta te syst em .....................................................................29Table 5 Feder al fun ding sour ces for bikeways & wa lkways ...................................................................31Table 6 Tips for low-cost impr ovemen ts ..................................................................................................59Table 7 Sta nd ar d rur al highwa y shoulder widt hs ..................................................................................67Table 8 Recomm ended bicycle par king spa ces ........................................................................................90Table 9 Effects of on-str eet pa rk ing .......................................................................................................164Table 10 Bicycle/motor vehicle cra shes : 1993 sta tewide sta tist ics ........................................................185Table 11 Ped est ria n/motor vehicle cra sh es ..................................................................................................192

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1 9 9 5 O R E G O N B I C Y C L E A N D P E D E S T R I A N P L A N

PU RPOSE OF THE PLANBicycling and walking are important compo-nents of Oregons multimodal transportationmix. This plan is a tool Oregonians can use toincrease their t ran sportat ion choices.

The Oregon Department of Transportation hasjur i sd ic t ion over app roxima te ly 12 ,000 km(7,500 mi) of highways. This plan does notpropose specif ic projects on each sect ion of highway, but offers the general principles andpolicies t ha t ODOT follows t o provide bikewaysand walkways along state highways. I t a lsop r o v i d e s t h e f r a m e w o r k f o r c o o p e r a t i o nbetween ODOT and local jur isdict ions, andoffers guidance to cities and counties for devel-oping local bicycle and pedestrian plans.

This plan serves the following purposes:

1. To implement the Actions recommended bythe Oregon Transportation Plan;

2. T o g u i d e O D O T, MP O s , t h e ci t ie s a n dcounties of Oregon and other agencies indeveloping bikeway a nd walkway systems;

3. T o e xp l a in t h e la w s p er t a i n i n g t o t h e

establishment of bikeways and walkwa ys;4. To provide information to citizens interest-

ed in bicycle and pedestrian t ran sporta tion;

5 . To fu l fi ll t he r equ i r em en t s of t he I n t e r -modal Surface Transportation EfficiencyAct ( I STEA), whe r eby each s t a t e m u s tadopt a statewide bicycle and pedestrianplan;

6. T o fu l fi ll t h e r e q u i r e m en t s o f Or e g onAdministrative Rule 660-12 (Transporta-tion P lann ing Rule 12); and

7. To provide standa rds for plann ing, designingand ma intaining bikeways and walkways.

ORGANIZATION OF THE P LAN

As t h e r e a r e s i m i l a r i t i e s a n d d i f fe r e n c e s

between bicycling and walking; combining the

two modes in one document ensures that both

bicycling and walking receive full considera-

tion as valid transportation options. Because

bicyclists an d pedestr ians opera te in different

m a n n e r s a l on g t h e r o a d w a y , t h e d e s i gn

section of this plan addresses these differ-ences.

This document consis ts of two sect ions andappendices:

S ect ion O n e , t h e P O LI CY & AC TI ONPLAN, contains background information,such as the importance of bicycl ing andwalking, legal manda tes an d current condi-tions. This is followed by the goals, actionsand implementation strategies ODOT pro-poses to improve bicycle and pedestr iantransportation.

Se c t i on Two , BIKE WAY & WALKWAYPLANNING, DESIGN, MAINTENANCE &

SAFETY, will assist ODOT, cities and coun-

t ies in designing, construct ing and main-

ta in ing pedes t r ian an d b icyc le fac il i t i es .

D e s i g n s t a n d a r d s a r e r e c o m m e n d e d t o

ensur e that a safe, att ractive and convenient

network of walkways an d bikeways is estab-

lished. The information on safety will assist

law enforcement agencies , educators and

others in developing programs to improve

safety for all roadway user s.

The APPENDICES include a g lossary, rele-

vant stat utes, sam ple forms, etc.

PREFACE

A pleasant w alking environment

enh ance s Oregons qua lity of l i fe


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x PREFACE


OTHER RELATED P LANS

This p lan cons iders b icyc l ing and walk ing

transportation along public rights-of-way.

Recreat iona l b i cyc l ing and walk ing and

t r a i l i s s u e s are addressed in the OregonRecreational Trails Plan. For information onthis plan , cont act:

Recreation Trails CoordinatorOregon Par ks a nd Recreation Department1115 Commer cial Str eet NESalem, OR 97310

Safety policies and programs are a ddressedin the Transportation Safety Action Plan. Forinformation on t his plan, contact:

Transportation Safety ProgramMill Creek Office Pa rk555 13th Str eet NESalem, OR 97310

THE BICYCLE & PED ESTRIAN

PLAN & THE TRANSPORTATION

PLANNING PROCESS

The Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP) drivesa l l t r anspor ta t ion p lanning in Oregon. TheModal Plans, including the Bicycle and Pedes-trian Plan , are element s of the OTP.

U s i n g t h e p o l i c i e s e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e s ed o c u m e n t s , C o r r i d o r P l a n s , M e t r o p o l i t a nPlanning Organization (MPO) plans and localgove r nm en t Tr anspor t a t i on Sys t em s P l ans(TSP) are developed to provide recommenda-t ions for improvements . Projects , includingbicycle and pedestrian improvements, are thenprogrammed in either the Sta te Tran sportat ion

I m p r o v e m e n t P r o g r a m ( S T I P ) f o r s t a t eprojects, or in local TIPs for local projects (S eethe diagram on page xi for an illustration of the

interrelationship of the various phases of the

plannin g process ).

PUBLIC

INVOLVEMENT

The recommen ded goals, actions a nd st ra tegiesof this plan were draf ted in response to thefollowing inp ut from th e pu blic:

T h e O r eg on B icy cle a n d P ed es t r ia nA d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e ( O B P A C ) , w i t hBicycle and Pedestr ian P rogram st aff, haveheld quarterly public meetings around thesta te since 1973.

T he Or egon T r an s por t a t ion P l a n w a sdeveloped with comprehensive public par-ticipation; the need for improved bicycleand pedestrian facilities was expressed asa h igh pr iority.

I n J anua r y 1994, inpu t fr om cit ie s, coun-ties and interested citizens was sought viadirect ma iling and n ews releases.

In Augus t 1994, s t a ff toured the sta te seek-ing input a t pu blic meetings.

After rev iew by ODOT s ta ff, OBPAC andthe Oregon Transportation Commission, apubl ic review draf t was ci rculated to al lknown interested parties from December21, 1994 to February 10, 1995.

A public hear ing was he ld in January 1995before adoption by the Oregon Transporta-tion Commission on J un e 14, 1995.

PR EVIOUS P LANS

ODOT has previously adopted three BicyclePlans, in 1984, 1988 and 1992. The presentdocument is the first Bicycle and PedestrianP l an , and supe r sedes a l l p r ev i ous Bi cyc l ePlans.

OTHER

RELATED D OCUMENTS

See Appendix B for a listing of other relatedd ocu m e n t s , s u c h a s r e s e a r c h s t u d i es a n ddesign ma nua ls.


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xiPREFACE


The Transportat ion Planning Process

INTEGRATED TRANS P ORTATION P LANN ING

Bridge Congestion Intermodal Pavement Pu blic Tra nsporta tion Highway Safety

Man a g eme n t S ys tems

OregonTransportation

Plan

Mode/Topic Plan s

Aviat ion System Bicycle/Pedestrian H igh wa y Intermodal Facil it ies

& Connections

Public Transportat ion Rail F reigh t Rail Passenger Transportat ion Safety Action Willamette Valley Strategy

Corridor Pla n

Corr idor St ra tegy

Improvement/Management Element

Mode choices

Corr idor tr ansporta tion needs

Facility function

Locat ion & t ype of facility & service improvement s

Facility management categories

State Transportation Improvem ent P rogram

Other Agency P rogra ms

Solution Del ivery

Const ru ction /Implementation

Solution Del ivery Maintenance Operation System Management


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xii PREFACE

Oregonians enjoying an af ternoon break on dow ntown ben ches

Riverfront path enjoyed by many use rs


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P URP OSE AND ORGANIZATIONThe Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is amodal element of the Oregon TransportationPlan. It provides direction to ODOT in estab-l i sh ing b icyc le an d pedes t r i an faci l it i es ons t a t e h i g h w a y s . I t a l s o g u i d e s ci t i e s a n dcount ies , as wel l as other organizat ions andprivate citizens, in establishing facili t ies onlocal tran sportation systems.

The plan consists of two sections: one estab-lishes policies and im plementa tion strategies;the second presents design, m aintenance andsafety in forma t ion . The a ppendices conta inrelevant s tatutes , proposed projects , sampleform s, etc.

SE CTION 1:

P OLICY AND ACTION P LAN

V i s i o n : Oregon envi s ions a t ranspor ta t ion

system where walking and bicycling are safe

and convenient transportation modes for urban

trips.

Background Information: The importan ceof these modes i s expla ined f rom envi ron-

men ta l , economic an d soc ia l p e r spec t i ves .

B i cy cl i n g a n d w a l k i n g a r e o ft e n t h e o n l y

modes available to the transportation disad-

vantaged (the young, the elderly, the poor).

Potent ia l impa cts of increased use of these

modes ar e discussed. Man y oth er factors, such

as land use, influence walking and bicycling

and are beyond the scope of this plan; their

impor t an ce i s men t ioned t o pu t t he p l an s

goals in context.

The plan focuses on existing street systems inu r b a n a r e a s , w h e r e s h or t t r i p s a r e m or erealistic and where most congestion problemso c c u r . R e n o v a t i n g e x i s t i n g s t r e e t s w i t hb i k e w a y s a n d w a l k w a y s i s e m p h a s i z e d ,because these streets are already in place andserve commu nity needs.

State and Federal Laws: Laws that governthe establ ishment of bicycle and pedestr ianfacilities include ORS 366.514 (the Bike Bill),

the Statewide Planning Goals, the Transporta-t ion Planning Rule and the Americans withDisabilities Act. The Bike Bill is interpretedin detail, to guide ODOT and as a recommen-dation for cities and counties.

Current Condi t i ons for P ede s tr ians and

Bicycl ists: An overview of conditions on boththe rural and urban highway systems: condi-tions are generally good for bicyclists on ruralhighways, not very good or poor for bicyclistsand pedes t r i ans on m any u r ban h i ghways .Local systems with good walking and bicyclingcond i t i ons a r e h i gh l i gh t ed a s exam pl e s t oemulate.

P o l i c y , G o a ls a n d A c t i o n s : ODOT wi l l

provide appropr ia te pedes t r ian and bicycle

f a c i l i t i e s t o m e e t t h e f o l l o w i n g g o a l a n d

actions:

GOAL: To provide safe, accessible and conve-

nient bicycling and walking facilit ies and to

suppor t and encourage increased leve l s o f

bicycling and walkin g.

ACTION 1: Provide bikeway and walk-

way systems that are integrated with othertransportation systems.

ACTION 2: Create a safe, convenient an d

attractive bicycling and walking environ-

ment.

ACTION 3: Develop education programs

tha t im prove bicycle and p edestrian safety.

Each action is refined with specific strategies.

I m p l e m e n t i n g t h e A c t i o n s : ODOT wi l lcooperate with local jurisdictions in a compre-hensive planning process, the results of which

wi ll be inc luded in cor r idor p lans for ru ra lhighways and in local Transportation SystemPlans for urban highways. After determiningneeds an d pr ior i t ies , b ikeway an d walkwaysystems will be established in the followingways:

Rural highways will have shoulders widened inthe course of modernization projects, as well aso n m a n y p r e s e r v a t i o n o v e r l a y s , w h e r ewarranted.

EXECU TIVE SUMMARY


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xiv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


U r b a n H i g h w a y s r e q u i r e a m o r e c om p l e ximplementation strategy:

As p a r t of m od e r n iz a t ion p r oje ct s (b ik e

lanes and sidewalks will be included); As p a r t of p r es er v a t ion p r oje ct s , w h er eminor upgrades can be made;

By rest r ip ing roads with bike lanes; Wit h m in or b et t er m e n t pr oje ct s , s u ch a s

completing short missing segments of side-walks;

As bikeway or walkway modernizat ion pro-jects;

By developers as par t of permit condit ions,where warranted.

C o s t t o I m p l e m e n t t h e P l a n : The overal lcos t to re t rof i t the ex i s t ing urban h ighwaysystem with appropriate facilities is estimatedat $150 to $200 million. This would requireexpend i ng $7 .5 t o $10 m i l l i on pe r yea r t oaccomplish the goal in 20 years; this doublesthe current ODOT expenditures on pedestrianand bicycle facilities.

SECTION 2: DESIGN,

MAINTENANCE AND S AFETY

This section establishes standards for safe andat t rac t ive b ikeways and walkways ; main te-

n a n c e p r a c t i c e s a r e r e c o m m e n d e d ; s a f e t yconsiderations are explained to assist educa-tors and law enforcement personnel in theirduties.

High standards are established so facilities domore than just accommodate current walkersand bicyclists: the purpose is also to attractnew user s. Other considerat ions, such a s tr afficcalming, bicycle boulevards, r ounda bout s, et c.are presented.

P l a n n i n g Wa l k w a y a n d B i k e w a y N e t w o r k s:

The genera l principles of on-str eet net works ar epresented: the importance of arterials and the

relationship with other planning considerations

suc h a s l a nd u se , pub l i c t r a ns i t a nd a c c e s s

management. Appropriate types of facilities are

explained, as well as techniques to overcome

barriers to walking and biking (busy streets ,

freeway crossin gs, etc.).

B i k e w a y D e s i g n : T h e v a r i o u s t y p e s o f bikeways (shared roadway, shoulder bikewaya n d b i k e l a n e s ) a r e d i s c u s s e d , a s w e l l a sspecial considerations such as railroad cross-

ings.

B icyc le P arking: General recommendationsfor cities to use in t heir local ordin an ces.

Bike Lane Restriping Guidelines: An effec-tive and inexpensive treatment for improvingcondit ions for bicyclists on existing r oads.

Walkway Design: The basic urban walkway

is a s idewalk; s tandards are es tabl i shed to

meet ADA requirements; other considerations

s u c h a s b u s s t o p s a n d p l a n t i n g s t r i p s a r e

presented.

Street Cross ings: The greatest challenge topedes t r i an m ob i l i t y i s c r os s i ng t he s t r ee t ;improvements such as islands and curb exten-sions ar e presented.

M u l t i - U s e P a t h s : Pr evious ly ca l l ed bikep a t h s , t h e s e s e r v e p e d e s t r i a n s a n d o t h e rusers. Th e opportu nities an d challenges associ-ated with separated paths a re presented.

I n t e r s e c t i o n s a n d In t e r c h a n g e s : T h e s ep r e sen t cha l l enges t o u se r s an d des i gne r s ,

since conflicts occur wh ere pa th s cross; designsto improve bicycle and pedestrian safety arepresented.

Signing: Standa rdized signs and ma rkings areproposed for sta te a nd local systems.

M a i n t e n a n c e : R e c o m m e n d a t i o n s a r epresented that will enable ODOT, cities andcoun ties t o keep facilities in a usa ble condition.

Safety Considerations: The major causes ofpedestr ian an d bicycle crashes a re explored.

E n g i n e e r i n g , e d u ca t i on a n d e n f or c e m e n ts o l u t i o n s a r e p r e s e n t e d . T h e i n f o r m a t i o ncontained in this section will be refined andused to develop safety programs.

B i c y c l e M a p s : St anda r ds a r e p r e sen t ed sot h a t b i c y c l e m a p s h a v e u n i f o r m l e g e n d sstatewide.


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FIRS T PART:

THE P OLICY AND ACTION P LAN


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THE VISION

The Oregon Bicycle and P edestr ian Plan en vis ions a

transportation system wh ere:

P e o p le c a n b ic y cle o r w a lk s a fe ly a n d c on v e n ie n t ly

to a l l destinat ions w i thin reasonable w alking or

bicycl ing distance ;

Peopl e can wal k or r ide t o and from t he ir t rans i t

s tops and h ave a comfortable an d conve nient p lace

to w ait or transfer;

Touring bicyc li s t s can enjoy Oregons natural

beauty on roads and highw ays that are des igned

for bicycle trav el;

Appropri a te t ransport a ti on cho ices are ava il ab le t o

all; an d

S tr e e ts , ro a ds a n d hi gh w a y s a re d e s ig n e d to

encou rage bicyc ling and walking.



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INTRODUCTION

Walking is the most basic form of transporta-t i o n . E v e r y o n e i s a p e d e s t r i a n , i n c l u d i n gpersons using wheelchairs and other forms ofmobility a ssistan ce. Tran sit or au tomobile tr ipsbegin and end with a walk. Walking is oftenthe quickest way to accomplish short trips inurban areas.

Bicycling is the most energy efficient form oftransportation ever devised, getting the energyequiva lent of up to 1 ,500 mi les per ga l lon(according to an MIT study).

People who walk or ride bicycles are the mostvulnerable road users , be ing less pro tec tedfrom t he weat her an d more likely to be injuredin a collision with a motor vehicle; they musto f t e n u s e f a c i l i t i e s t h a t w e r e d e s i g n e dprimarily for automobiles.

This plan will assist Oregonians in creating atransportation system that is readily accessibleto bicyclists an d pedestr ians.

AN OVERVIEW

OF BICYCLING IN AMERICA

Bicycles ga ined prominence as t ranspor ta -

t i o n v e h i c l es o v e r 1 0 0 y e a r s a g o . M a n y

e a r l y e ff or t s t o i m p r o v e

road condit ions were spon -sored by organizations such

as the League of American

Bicyc l is ts . But when auto-

mobiles emerged, the si tua-

t i o n c h a n g e d r a p i d l y. U n -

l i k e E u r o p e , w h e r e m o -t o r i n g s u p e r s e d e d c y cl i n g

gradually, American cyclists

h a d l e s s o f a c h a n c e t o

coexist with motorists. The

bicycles st at us h as fluctu -

a ted th rough th e years , and

ha s been m ore often consid-

e r e d a c h i l d s t o y t h a n a

v a l i d m o d e o f t r a n s p o r t a -

t ion.

In the sixties, bicycling made a comeback aspeople turned to bicycles for transportation

a n d r e c r e a t i o n , bu t m a n y i n e x p e r i en c e d

riders feared motor vehicles. This viewpoint

led to th e bike path tr end of th e 1970s. Pat hs

att empted to separa te th e two vehicle types to

reduce conflicts. Keeping cyclists off the road

with paths was not the total answer - paths

func t ion wel l in some areas and poor ly in

others.

Today, cyclists and motorists share the road.The two modes are integrated by improvingr o a d w a y s t o a c c o m m o d a t e c y c l i s t s , c o n -se r v ing f unds and un i t i ng use r s u nde r oneset of rules for better cooperation and saferope r a t i on . M ode r n b i keways do m or e t ha naccommodate bicyclists - they invite them touse the r oads.

The deve lopm en t o f m oun t a i n b i kes i n t h e1980s and hybrids in the 1990s led to anotherbicycle revival. Their upright sitting position,modern gear shifters and brakes, light weight,rugged construction and maneuverability makethem well-suited for urban travel, especiallyw h e n e q u i p p e d w i t h f e n d e r s , l i g h t s a n d

luggage racks.

Bicycles are found in most American house-holds; the number of cyclists is rising, particu-l a r l y a m o n g a d u l t s , w h o o u t n u m b e r c h i l dcyclists.

1. THE IMP ORTANCE OF BICYCLING & WALKING

Bicyc ling in the 1950s


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AN OVERVIEW

OF WALKING IN AMERICA

Everyone is a pedestrian, an d walking is notdependent on technology and fashion. Yet it

too ha s fallen out of favor a t t imes. Whenever

a l t e rna t ives we re a va i lab le , whe the r i t be

horses, trolleys or automobiles, walking has

rarely been considered a worthy option for

t r a n s p o r t a t i on i n A m e r i c a . T h e p os t - w a r

boom of the suburbs was the period in which

wa lk ing su f fe red the g rea te s t se tback , a s

many s t ree ts were bui l t wi thout s idewalks

and crossing opportunities.

Walking i s of ten recommended as a gent le

exercise for people of all ages, but the trans-portation role of walking is still vastly under-u t i l i zed . Many people may not rea l i ze howmuch walking they do, since most other trips(driving or transit) are l inked by walks. Thee x e r c i s e b e n e f i t s o f w a l k i n g a r e b e i n gp r o m o t e d , w h i c h c o u l d l e a d t o i n c r e a s e dwalking as a tran sportat ion mode.

Many cities are creating pedestrian-orientedzones, which ar e very popular.

A. BENEFITS OFBICYCLING & WALKING

Increased bicycling and walking will help:

Reduce t ra ffi c congest ion; Reduce a ir and noise pol lu t ion; Reduce wear and t ea r on ou r r oads; Reduce consumption of pet roleum; Reduce cr a shes and pr oper t y dam age ; Reduce th e need for a dditional r oads, tra vel

lanes and park ing; and Improve Oregonians health and wel l-being

th rough regular exercise.

Providing bikeways and walkways also helpsmeet t he needs of a large segment of the popula-tion who do not have access to an automobile -th e tr ansporta tion disadvanta ged:

The poor ; The young; The elder ly; People with di sabili ti es ; and Others who do not use a motor vehicle for a

variety of reasons.

4 1. THE IMP ORTANCE OF BICYCLING & WALKING


Establi shed business dis tr icts tradi tional ly se e h igh ped estr ian use


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Bicycling and walking are low-cost transporta-

tion m odes available to all.

In Oregon, a pproximat e ly 16% of th e adu l t

population do not have a valid drivers license.Walking and b icyc l ing a re of ten the i r onlytransportation choices, especially in areas notserved by public transportation. Walkways andbikeways create new opportuni t ies for thesegroups to part icipate in t he social, cultu ra l andeconomic life of th e commu nit y.

School-age chi ldren make up approximately13% of Oregons populat ion. Walkways andbikeways enable school children to walk or bikem o r e s a f e l y a n d c o n v e n i e n t l y t o s c h o o l ,reducing the need for busing or automobiletrips by parents.

Good b icyc le and pedes t r i an fac i l i t i es a l sobenefit other transportation modes:

Transit users benefit f rom safer , more con-venient access;

Motorists and freight carr iers benefi t fromreduced congestion and wear and tear onour roads when more people switch fromdriving to oth er m odes;

P a ve d s h ou ld er s on r u r a l h igh w a ys h a vem an y s a f e t y bene fi t s f or m o t or i s t s a ndreduce roadway maint enan ce costs; and

M ot o r i s t s b e n e f it f r om a n i m p r o v e dp e d es t r i a n e n v ir o n m e n t : w h e r e t h e r e

ar e sidewalks a nd st reet crossing oppor-

tunit ies, a person can park a car once to

access s evera l destina tions. This r educes

the need for addit ional parking spaces,

circling the block, or driving from one

s h o p p i n g ce n t e r t o t h e n e x t , c om m o nbehav io r in u rban a rea s w i thou t good

pedest r ian systems.

A bicycle and pedestrian friendly environmentcan have impacts beyond transportation:

M any cit i es t h r oughou t t he coun t r y haveexperienced economic benefits by enhanc-ing non-auto t ranspor ta t ion . Bus inessesbenefit from improved access and an envi-ronment more conducive to window-shop-ping and strolling. Local examples includedowntown Portland and Ashland.

The number of people who feel comfortablewalking or riding bicycles is a measure ofth e qua lity of life of a city, coun ty or st at e.

The presence of pedestr ians and bicycl is tsin a city indicat es th at th e sense of comm u-nity is strong, people feel safe being out-doors, social interactions can occur openly,a n d c h i l d r e n a n d t h e e l d e r l y ca n h a v eaccess to public an d pr ivate facilities.

T ou r is m is a n im por t a n t in d us t ry, a ndOregons natural beauty and bicycle-friend-ly reputation attract many riders from outof s t a t e . The Or egon Coas t B i ke Rou t e

e n j o y s a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e p u t a t i o n .Comm un it ies benefi t f rom bicycle r iderswho pur cha se food a nd other needs locally.



Trees , awnings and a s idewalk cafe contr ibute to a pleasant walking environment


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B. WALKING &BICYCLING TRIP S

With minimal physical exertion, a person inreasonable physical condition can walk up too n e k i lo me te r , o r r id e a b ic y cle u p to f iv ekilometers or more, in less th an t wenty minut es- s h or t e r t h a n m a n y a u t om o bi l e or t r a n s i tcommu tes. It is estimat ed tha t one Oregonian intwo owns a bicycle. Everyone owns shoes, andnew wheelchair technology greatly increases themobility of pedestrians with disabilities.

While bicycling and walking wont replace alltrips, walking or biking can be practical formany:

Trip s t o wor k or s chool; Vis it s to fr iends and re la t ives ; Visi ts to offices for an appointment ; E r ra n ds su ch a s bu yin g m ilk ; Childrens spor t s or mus ic pract ice ; Combined t rips , such as a recrea t iona l bike

ride while looking at gara ge sales; an d Tr ips combined with other modes , such as

walking t o a bus stop or riding a bicycle toa car pool or park-and-ride facility.

C. BICYCLING & WALKING IN

URB AN AREASMost of the plan ning a nd d esign inform ation inthis plan pertains to urban systems (all incor-porated cities and some unincorporated ruralcommuni t i es a re cons idered urban) . Urbanareas benefit most from improved bicycle andpedestrian tra nsporta tion facilities because:

M os t peop le live in u r ban a r ea s ; U r ba n a r ea s h ave th e h igh e st con ce nt r a -

tion of origin a nd destina tion point s; G r oce r y s t or e s, sh op s a n d se r vi ce s a r e

more accessible to th ose with out cars; an d Average t r ip dis tances are short (typical ly

under five kilometers), and short trips arethe ones most easily made by bicycling orwalking. Short au tomobile trips:1) C r e a t e m u c h of t h e c on g e s t ion o n

urban arterials;2) Contr ibute disproport ionately to urban

air pollution du e to cold sta rts; an d3) Con t r i bu t e t o m any of t he cr a shes in

urban areas.

D. ACCOMMODATINGBICYCLISTS & PEDESTRIANSON EXISTING STREETS

Effective walkway and bikeway networks arebest achieved by modifying the existing streetsystem, rat her th an t rying to create a separa tenetwork, for severa l reasons:

The s treet system already exis ts : moststreets have been in place since before thewide-spread use of the automobile. Manyresources have been dedicated to creatingthis system. Creating a totally new infra-structure for pedestrians and bicyclists isnot fina ncially or ph ysically feasible;

Stree t s take peopl e where they wantto go: virtua lly all destinat ions a re locat edon a s t r ee t , such a s hom es , bus i nes se s ,shops and schools. People walking or bicy-cl ing need access to these same dest ina-tions; an d

Streets can be made safer: most bicyclecrashes are not a result of collisions withmotor veh icles; bicyclists r iding r esponsiblyw i t h t r a f fi c a r e a t r e l a t i v e l y lo w r i s k .P e d e s t r i a n s a r e s a f e r a n d m or e s e cu r ewhen t hey ar e on sidewalks an d visible.

Good transportation policies are based on thepremise that the public right-of-way is to besha red by all tr avel modes: well-designed roadsaccommodate all us ers.

6 1. THE IMPORTANCE OF BICYCLING & WALKING


Various travel modes are mixed

in this typical Dutch s treet scene


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E. THE COMPLEMENTARYROLES OF RECREATION &TRANSPORTATION

Although the renewed interest in bicycling andwalking arises form the transportation value ofthese modes, though recreational use remainssignificant. Walkways and bikeways designedprimarily for transportation benefit people whowalk or bike for recreation and exercise as well.The recreational benefits of providing trans-portation-oriented bicycle and pedestrian facili-ties include:

The old-fashioned walk around the neigh-borhood is made possible, enhancing tothe cohesiveness of a community;

Casua l b ike rides can be m ade wit h in t heimmed iat e vicinit y of ones h ome;

Longer b ike r ides can s ta r t a t home, avoid-ing the need to str ap bicycles to th e back ofa car a nd t o travel to a bike-friendly area ;

Facili ti es tha t have been provided pr imar i-ly for recreational use (off-street paths) canbe linked together to serve transportationpur poses, especially where t hese pa ths pro-vide short-cuts;

Rails-to-Trails projects in urban areas can

b e l oc a t e d i n c or r i d or s

that serve the tran sporta-

tion needs of a communi-

ty , a s we l l a s p rov id ing

r e c r e a t i o n a l b e n e f i t s -projects in more isolated

rur a l a reas often r equire

an automobile trip just to

access the pat h; and

Mos t sou r ce s of s t at e an dfederal funding are dedi-c a t e d t o t r a n s p o r t a t i o n .B i c y c l e a n d p e d e s t r i a nfaci l it i es mu s t se rve pr i -m a r i ly a t r a n s p o r t a t i onf u n c t i o n t o b e e l i g i b l eunder most pr ograms.

I n c o n t r a s t , t h e b e n e f i t s o f w a l k i n g a n d b i c y c l i n g a st ranspor ta t ion wi l l never bef u l l y r e a l i z e d b y p r o v i d i n gfacili t ies for recreational useonly.

F. THE DESIRE FORIMPROVED BICYCLING &WALKING CONDITION S

Though there are many competing demands onl i m i t e d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f u n d s , u s e r s h a v erepea tedly s ta ted the i r des i re for more andbetter bikeways and walkways:

At the na t iona l leve l, in a 1995 Har r is Pollsurvey, 20% of Americans said they wouldcommute by bicycle or on foot more regu-lar ly if better facilities were pr ovided.

At the sta te leve l, in the ODOT Cus tomerSat isfact ion and User Deman d Sta tewideAssessment , 30% of Oregonians sta ted th atp r ov i d i ng t he se f ac i l i t i e s i s ex t r em e l y

important. At t h e loca l le ve l, in t h e 1 99 3 G r es h a m

Transportation Choices Survey, more than50% of residents thought that providingbike lanes and sidewalks was very impor-tan t .

In the 1994 Ci ty of Corva l l i s Ci t izensAtti tude Survey, 64% of residents used

the ex i s t ing b ike lanes an d pa th s , and

89% said the facilities were excellent or

good.



Bicycl ist enjoys shoulders of country road


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G. INCREASING BICYCLING& WALKING TRIP S

T h e O r e g o n T r a n s p or t a t i on P l a n ca l l s fordoubling the number of bicycling and walkingtrips over th e next 20 year s.

The Nat iona l Bicyc l ing and Walking Study(commissioned by the Federa l Highway Admin-istration for t he US Department of Transporta-tion) recommends doubling the current modalsha re of bicycling and walking, an d decreasingbicycle and pedestrian injuries and deaths by10% over th e next twen ty years.

This plans prima ry pur pose is to implement anetwork of bikeways and walkways. ODOT, incoopera t ion wi th c i t i es , count ies and o theragencies such as the Department of Energy, ispursuing strategies to promote greater use ofa l t e r n a t i v e s t o t h e p r i v a t e a u t o m o b i l e ,including public transit, carpooling, flex-hoursand telecommuting.

While higher in some communities, bicyclingand walking for t ransportat ion use is fai r lylow: statewide, approximately 4% of work tripsare accomplished on foot and 1% by bicycle,(1990 US census). The census only measureswork tr ips by people over age 15; more da ta ar e

b e i n g co ll e ct e d t o d e t e r m i n e t h e s h a r e o f walking an d bicycling in relation to total t rips.

To meet the need for low-cost, efficient trans-p o r t a t i o n , p l a n n e r s a r e r e c o g n i z i n g t h ebenef i t s of b icyc l ing and walk ing , and areencouraging greater use of these modes. Thebasic steps that can be taken ar e:

1. Providing bicycle and pedestrian facilit ies,as wel l as chan ging associa ted l and usean d building orient ation;

2 . Promot iona l campaigns ; and

3. Incentives for walking and bicycling.

G.1. CONSTRUCTION OF

FACILITIES

Phys ica l improvements to the sys tem are alogical first step. Without safe and convenientfacili t ies, few people will walk or bike - thepo t en t i a l t o i nc r ea se u se i s l i m i t ed by t hequality of available facilities. Examples from

a r o u n d t h e n a t i on a n d O r e g on i n d i ca t e apositive correlation between the provision ofg oo d b ik e w a y a n d w a l k w a y n e t w or k s a n dhigher use:

The Nat iona l Bicycling and Walking Studyindicates that one factor influencing bicycleusage in urban areas is the percentage ofarterial streets with bike lanes (others fac-tors ar e land use, terr ain, etc.).

E u g en e * a n d Cor v a ll is * e xp e r ie n ce t h egreatest use of bicycles for commuting towork in Oregon (6% and 8% respectively,1990 US census). The m an y miles of arter i-al streets with bike lanes are a contribut-ing factor in both cities; Eugene has alsodeveloped miles of multi-use paths alongits rivers and canals.

As h la n d * h a s t h e h igh e st w a lk t o w or k r a t e ( 1 5 % o f t r i p s , 1 9 9 0 U S c e n s u s ) .Ashland is a compact city with transporta-tion and land use policies that enhance thepedestrian environment.

* N ote: th e stat istics for t hese college town s

are based on surveys answered by adult heads

of household. They represent the population as

a whole, not the student population.

G.2. P ROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS

Increases in recycling and seat belt use haveresulted from successful campaigns aimed atchanging behavior . Similar effor ts could beapplied to encourage increased bicycling andw a l k i n g . S u c c e s s f u l c a m p a i g n s p o r t r a y ap o s i t i v e i m a g e o f w a l k e r s a n d b i cy cl i s t s ,e m p h a s i z e t h e b e n e f i t s o f b i c y c l i n g a n dw a l k i n g , a n d i n f o r m t h e p u b l i c o f t h edra wbacks associated with over-relian ce on th eautomobile.

Even in countries with high bicycle use, promo-t i o n a l c a m p a i g n s m a k e a d i ff er e n c e : t h e

Netherlands has the highest rate of bicycle usein E ur ope (close to 30% of all tr ips); yet t he cityof Groningen has promoted bicycle use to animpr essive 50% of all tr ips.

G.3. INCENTIVES

People who walk or bicycle are often at a disad-vantage , fac ing impediments such as roadsdesigned primarily for motor vehicles, lack ofp r o t e c t i o n f r o m t h e w e a t h e r , i n a d e q u a t e




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parking for bicycles at destinations and inade-q u a t e c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h o t h e r m o d e s . T oencourage greater use, incentives and rewardscan in clude:

Financia l incent ives such as t ax breaks orcompensa t ion for not us ing automobi leparking spaces;

Faci li t ie s such a s s ecu r e b icycl e pa r k i ng,showers an d changing rooms;

Wor k s ch e du le s th a t a l low com m u t er s t oride or walk in daylight hours in the win-ter;

Rela xed dr es s cod es ; Guaranteed Ride Home by taxi, for emer-

gencies when walking and cycling arentpra ctical; and

Awards and other forms of recognit ion .

G.4. OTHER FACTORS

Establ i sh ing walkways and b ikeways a longroadways i s only par t of what i s needed toc r e a t e a p e d e s t r i a n a n d b i c y c l e - f r i e n d l yenvironment . There are many improvementstha t ma ke a t ran sporta tion system more acces-s i b l e a n d h o s p i t a b l e t o p e d e s t r i a n s a n dbicyclists.

Som e o f t he se i s sues can be dea l t wi t h byt ranspor ta t ion of f ic ia l s , and o thers requi re

support f rom other agencies and ci t izens tobring about changes. These include amendingland use zoning laws, enforcing t raff ic lawst h a t p r o t e c t p e d e s t r i a n s a n d a n o v e r a l lcom m i t m en t t o cr ea t e a m or e hum a n- sca l eurban landscape.

G.4 .a . We a t he r

O r e g o n i s b l e s s e d w i t h a m i l d c l i m a t e :moderate amounts of precipitation east of theC a s c a d e s a n d m i l d t e m p e r a t u r e s i n t h eWillamette Valley and Southern Oregon. The

sta tes exaggerated reput at ion for ra in doesntdeter many cycl is ts and walkers f rom usingt hese m odes yea r - r ound . Su r veys t aken i nEugene , Corva l l i s and Bend indica te tha t athird of regular bicycle commuters ride year-round; others ride from March to November.Traveling in the dark may be more of a deter-rent than weather .

A year - long sur vey conducted by a n ODOTemployee bicycling to work in Salem every day

dispelled the myth that the climate is too wet,too cold or too dark for year-round commuting.Ou t o f a t o t a l o f 492 t r i p s ( one - way) , t hefollowing conditions were recorded:

Precipi tat ion:

14 t r ips (3%) occur red in heavy ra in ; 75 t r ips (15%) occur red in l ight ra in ; 403 t r ips (82%) occur red wi th no ra in .

Surface moisture:

137 t r ips (28%) occurred on wet pavement; 355 t r ips (72%) occurred on dry pavement .

Temperature:

37 t r ips (8%) occurred in cold weather ; 310 t r ips (63%) occurred in cool weather ; 145 t r ips (29%) occur red in warm weather .

Light Condition s:

8 t r ips (2%) occur red in darkness; 81 t r ips (16%) occur red a t dawn or dusk; 403 t r ips (82%) occurred in daylight .

Overall, 293 trips (60%) occurred under fair-weather condi t ions : dayl ight , no ra in , drypavement and cool or warm temperatures . Aperson can commute by bicycle for more thanhalf the year in the Willamette Valley undert he se cond i t i ons . Wi t h l i gh t s , f ende r s and

waterproof clothing, a person can r ide year-round.

For walk ing , the condi t ions a re even moreconducive, since wet pavement and darknessar e less of a deter rent .

G.4 .b . The Ease o f Us ing an Automobile

The experience of campaigns to promote alter-n a t e m o d es i n d i ca t e s t h a t i n cr e a s i n g t h eattractiveness of these modes is often insuffi-c ien t to make subs tant ia l changes in t rave l

behavior . When dr iv ing i s inexpens ive andconven i en t , o t he r m odes such a s wa l k i ng ,b icyc l ing and mass t rans i t cannot competeeffectively.

Reducing the attractiveness of driving alonecan help make other means of transportationre la t ive ly more a t t rac t ive . Observa t ions of t r ave l pa t t e r ns i n o t he r deve l oped na t i onsindicat e a correlat ion between th e relative easeof driving and th e use of other m odes.




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Some factors that decrease the attractivenesso f d r i v i ng a l one a r e h i gh gaso l i ne p r i ce s ,vehicle registrat ion fees an d pa rking r at es; lowavailability of parking; and restricted driving

privileges in downtown and other high pedes-trian use areas. New car prices and insurancecos t s a re r i s ing fas te r than inf la t ion ra tes ;these factors could also have an impact on thecost of driving.

With increases in traffic congestion and otherrelated problems, the publ ic , t ransportat ionplanners and e lec ted of f ic ia l s increas inglyrecognize the desirability to decrease auto useand increase a lternatives.

G.4.c La nd U se

M a n y l a n d u s e p r a c t i c e s r e s u l t i n l o n gd i s t a n c e s b e t w e e n o r i g i n a n d d e s t i n a t i o npoint s, requiring an au tomobile for most tr ips.

Zon i ng f o r h i gh dens i t i e s o f em pl oym en t ,hous ing an d m ixed-use development p lacesorigin and destination points closer together,creat ing a more pedestr ian an d bicycle-friendlyenvironment. This can be done more easily innew developments, but can be retrofitted intoestablished a reas with n eighborhood commer cezoning.

G.4 .d Con n e c t in g S t re e t s

Disconnected s t reets and cul-de-sacs createlong travel distances, even though the actual

d i s tance f rom or ig in to des t ina t ion may befa i r ly shor t , making walk ing and b icyc l ingimpractical.

A gr id s t r eet syst em pr ovides cont inui ty forpedestrians and bicyclists along the shortestroutes; lacking this, disconnected streets canbe improved with connecting paths (see figure8, pa ge 54).

G.4 .e S tr ee t Cr os s in g s

Wide multi-lane roadways are difficult to crosson foot.

Crossing opportunities can be provided witht echn i ques such a s r a i s ed m ed i ans , r e f ugei s l a n d s , c u r b e x t e n s i o n s a n d p e d e s t r i a nsignals, where appropriate.

G.4.f. Intersections

Intersections built for the movement of motorvehicles can be very difficult for pedestr ians andbicyclists to cross. A network of streets with

sidewalks and bike lanes does not fully accom-modate pedestrians and bicyclists if intersec-tions present obstacles. Free-turning movementsfor vehicles ar e par ticularly difficult situ at ions.

Improvements for pedestrians include refugeislands, shorter crossing dis tances, reducedcurb ra dii, crossings at right a ngles and slowertraff ic speeds. At busy interchanges, grade-separation for bicyclists and pedestrians maybe needed.



Traditional corne r store is within

walking dis tance of res ident ial area

Pedestr ians are vu lnerable

whe n cross ing s treets


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G.4 .g . Ac c e s s Ma n ag e me n t

Every dr iveway creates confl icts for pedes-tr ians a nd bicyclists.

One component of access ma nagement dealswith the number of dr iveways connect ing tothe road. Reducing the number of drivewaysand limiting access from one or more directionsimproves pedestrian and bicyclist safety andcomfort.

G.4 .h . Publ ic Trans it

Transit use is highly dependent on pedestrianaccess , ye t some bus routes a re loca ted onstreets without sidewalks. The adjacent landuse must also be conducive to transit use. Buss t o p s l o c a t e d i n a r e a s w h e r e t h e w a i t i sunpleasant , wi th inadequate protect ion fromthe weather, reduce transit u se.

Shel te r s , benches and l ight ing increase thec o m f o r t o f t r a n s i t u s e r s . B i k e p a r k i n g a tt r a n s i t s t o p s i n cr e a s e s t h e a r e a s e r v ed b ytransi t .

G.4 .i . Bu i ld i n g Ori e n ta t io n

Buildings that are set back from the road withlarge parking lots in front are uninviting and

difficult for pedest ria ns t o access.

B u i l d i n g s c l o s e t o , a n d o r i e n t e d t o w a r dsidewalks, with parking in the rear or on theside, are more likely to encourage pedestrianuse and are more transit-friendly.

G.4 .j. Traff ic No ise & Percept ion o f Danger

Roadways with sidewalks directly adjacent tonoisy, high-speed tra vel lanes a re per ceived bymost people as being undesira ble for walking.

Grea ter separa t ion , as wi th p lant ing s t r ips( e spec i a l l y wi t h t r ee s ) , and s l ower t r a f f i cspeeds increase the level of comfort for pedes-t r ians.

G.4 .k . L ig h t in g

People may be intimidated by dark streets atnight; good lighting can make pedestrians feelsafer.

G.4 .l . To p o gr ap h y

Road designers and engineers have very littlecontrol over the natural lay of the land, andr e s i den t i a l a r ea s bu i l t i n h i l ly t e r r a i n wi llgenerate less potential foot or bicycle traffictha n th ose built in flatter areas.

See Part 2, Planning Principles, for a more

detailed d iscussion of some of th ese factors.



Many busy urban arter ials create a h ost i le pede str ian e nvironment


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H. POP ULATION &TRANSPORTATIONPROJECTIONS

Oregons population is projected to grow fastertha n t he n at ions for m ost of the next 40 years(from 2.8 million in 1990 to 3.8 million in 2012and to almost 4.0 million in 2030, according toODOT forecasts).

Most of the growth will be in the cities of theWillamette Valley, where population densitieswi l l app r oach t hose o f m or e u r ban s t a t e s .Other areas that will experience rapid growthare central and southern Oregon and pocketson the coast.

Implications for Bicycl ing an d Walking

I f c u r r e n t u s a g e r a t e s s t a y c o n s t a n t , t h en u m b e r of b i cy cl is t s a n d p e d e s t r i a n s w i llincrease with population; the increase will begrea ter i f usage ra tes r i se . The demand formore and better bicycling and walking facili-ties will increase.

C u r r e n t l y , t h e i n c r e a s e i n V e h i c le M i l esTr ave l ed ( VM T s ) pe r cap i t a i s ou t pac i ngpopulation growth (four t imes faster). If thistrend continues, the increased traffic on roads

c o u l d a c t a s a d e t e r r e n t t o b i c y c l i n g a n dwalking an d t here will be competition for roadspace among the surface modes (auto, truck,t r ans i t , bicycle an d p edestr ian ). Conversely,i n c r e a s e d c on g e s t i o n c ou l d p r o m p t m o d a lshifts, if attr active altern at ives ar e available.

Plan ning for a n increase in population can leadto higher u rban densities, with the tr ansporta-t i on a dvan t ages ou t l ined i n p r i or l an d -usediscussions.

The t ransportat ion implicat ions of an agingpopulation must also be considered. Many oftodays a dults will live longer, yet ma y ha vem o b i l i t y r e s t r i c t i o n s i n t h e i r l a t e r y e a r s ,increasing the need to provide fully accessiblepedestrian facilities. The largest component ofthe populat ion increase in the next 20 to 40years wil l be the elder ly, as the baby-boomgenerat ion a ges. The elderly tend to have moreleisure time and will demand safe and conve-nient places to walk or bike.



Densely populated European c i t ies have en hanced

l ivabi l ity by improving the pedestr ian environmen t


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1953: ORS 366.460: Con stru ctio n ofs idewalks wi thin highw ay r ight of way

T h i s s t a t u t e a l l o w s O D O T t o c o n s t r u c tsidewalks, bicycle paths and equestrian trailswi th in h ighway r ight -of -way, provided theD e p a r t m e n t fi n d s t h a t s u c h f a ci li t i es w i l lcont r ibute to the safe ty of pedes t r i ans , themotoring public or persons using the highway.By adopt ion of this plan, the Department of Transportation finds that sidewalks are neces-sary to contribute to pedestrian safety in urbanand ur banized areas.

1971: ORS 366.514: Use of hig hw ay fu nd fo r

footpaths and bicy cle trai ls

Often referred to as the Oregon Bike Bil l ,this law applies equally to bicycle and pedes-trian facilities. The law, the first of its type int h e n a t i o n , r e q u i r e s t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f b ikeways and walkways . The in tent was toensure that future roads be built to accommo-d a t e b i cy cl e a n d p e d e s t r i a n t r a v e l, w h e r ewar ranted . I t a l so enables road funds to beused for constructing bikeways and walkwaysalong existing roads.

The ma in provisions of th is stat ute a re:

1. I t requires ODOT and the ci t ies and coun-t i e s o f O r e g o n t o e x p e n d r e a s o n a b l eamounts of the highway fund to providebikeways and walkways.

2 . I t r equires the inclus ion of b ikeways andwalkways whenever highways, roads andstreets are constructed, reconstructed orrelocated, with three exemptions (wherethere i s no need or probable use , wheresafety would be jeopardized, or where the

cost is excessively disproportionate to theneed or probable use).

ORS 366.514 drives most of ODOTs bicycleand pedestrian activities. Some of the provi-sions of this bill have been misunderstood orm i s a p p l i e d , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e p r o vi s io n t oe x p e n d a m i n i m u m o f o n e p e r c en t o f t h ehighway fund on bicycle and pedestrian facili-ties. See Appendix C for ODOTs interpretationof ORS 366.514.

1973: ORS 366.112: The Ore gon Bicy cleAdvisory Comm ittee

This eight-member commit tee, appointed bythe governor , ac t s as a l i a i son be tween thepublic and ODOT. In 1995, the TransportationCommission officially recognized their role inpedestrian issues; the committee became theO r e g on B i cy cl e a n d P e d e s t r i a n A d vi s or yCommittee. They advise ODOT in the regula-tion of bicycle and pedestrian traffic and thees t ab l i shm en t o f b i keways and wa l kways .Members serve four years and hold meetingsquar terly. Members include:

An employee of a uni t of local governmentemployed in land-use plann ing;

A representa t ive of a recognized environ-mental group;

A person engaged in the business of sell ingor repa iring bicycles;

A m e m be r d es ign a t e d b y t h e O r eg onRecreat ion Tr ails Advisory Coun cil;

At least one member under the age of 21 a tthe t ime of appointmen t; and

Th ree mem ber s a t la rge.

1974: Statew ide P lanning Goals

Senate Bill 100 created the Land Conservationand Development Commission (LCDC), whichestablished 19 statewide planning goals aimedat preserving the natural resources, farmlandand livability of the state. Goal 12 pertains totransportation and land use; it guides many ofODOTs curr ent programs.

GOAL 12: To provide and encourage a safe,

conv enient and economic transportation system :

A t ransp ortation plan shall (1) consid er allm odes of transportation including m ass transit,

air, water, pipeline, rail, highway, bicycle and

pedestrian; (2) be based upon an inventory of

local, regional and state transportation needs;

(3) consider the differences in social conse-

q u e n c es t h a t w o u l d r e s u l t f r om u t i l i z i n g

differing combinations of transportation modes;

(4) avoid principal reliance upon any one mode

of transportation; (5) minimize adverse social,

economic and environmental impacts and costs;

2. STATE & FEDERAL LAWSRELATING TO BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES


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(6) conserve energy; (7) meet th e needs of th e

transportat ion disadvan taged by im proving

transportation services; (8) facilitate the flow of

goods an d services so as to strengthen the local

an d regional econom y; (9) conf orm w ith localand regional comprehensive land use plans.

Each plan shall include a provision for trans-

portation a s a key facility.

1980: Article IX, Sectio n 3A of the Oregon

Constitution

Through this const i tut ional amendment , thevoters of Oregon limited expenditures of thestate highway fund for use on s t reets , roadsand highways only. The major effect this hadon bicycle and pedestrian facili t ies was thath ighway funds could no longer be used forconstruct ing paths in parks and other recre-a t iona l a r eas , r a i l s -to-t r a i l s convers ions oreducation and pr omotion progra ms.

1991: OAR 660-12: The Transp ortati on

Planning Rule

T h e L a n d C o n s e r v a t i on a n d D e v e l op m e n tCommission adopted OAR 660-12, the Trans-portat ion P lann ing Rule, to implement Goal 12o f t h e S t a t e w i d e P l a n n i n g G o a l s . I t w a sdra fted in coopera tion with ODOT. In essence,t he r u l e r equ i r e s ODOT and t he c it i e s and

counties of Oregon to cooperate and to developbalanced transportation systems. Two impor-tan t aspects of th is rule are:

I t t ie s land use t o t r anspor t a t ion : and I t m an d at es t h at t r a n sp or t a t ion p la n n in g

reduce reliance on any one mode of trans-portation.

The link between land use and bicycling andw a l k in g i s p a r a m o u n t . M o s t w a l k i n g a n dbicycle trips ar e sh ort . Long distan ces betweendes t i na t i ons a r e de t e r r en t s t o wa l k i ng and

bicycling, as are destination points designedf o r a c c e s s o n l y b y a u t o m o b i l e . L a n d u s ep a t t e r n s c r e a t e d w i t h a u t o m ob i le s a s t h eintended mode faci l i tate their use, perpetu-at ing t ra nsportat ion pat terns that discouragewalking and bicycling.

The Transportat ion Planning Rule addressesthese issues through land use regulations andthe provision of transit and bicycle and pedes-trian facilities.

Elements that Pertain to Bicycl ing and

Walking

The Rule requires local Transportation System

Plans to include a Bicycle/Pedestrian compo-nent , es tab l i sh ing a ne twork of b ik ing andwalking facilities throughout th e planning ar ea(660-12-020(2)(d)).

S o m e o f t h e k e y r e q u i r e m e n t s r e l a t i n g t obicycling a nd walk ing a re in 660-12-045 (3):

Local governments shal l adopt land use or

subdivision regulat ions for urban areas an d

rura l communi t i e s as se t f or th be low . T he

purposes of this section are to provide for safe

and convenient pedestrian, bicycle and vehic-

ular circulation consistent with access manage-

ment standards and the function of af fected

s t r e e t s , t o e n s u r e t h a t n e w d e v e l o p m e n t

provides on-site streets and accessways that

provide reasonably direct routes for pedestrian

and bicycle travel in areas where pedestrian

and bicycle travel is likely if connections are

provided, and which avoids wherever possible

levels of automobile traffic which might inter-

fere with or discourage pedestrian or bicycle

travel.

(a) Bicycle parking facilities as part of new

residential developments of four units or more,

new retai l , of f ice and inst i tut ional develop-

ments and al l t rans i t t rans fer s tat ions andpark and ride lots.

(b) On-site facilities shall be provided which

accommodate safe and convenient pedestrian

and bicycle access from within new subdivi-

s ions , m ul t i - fami ly d evelopm ents , shopping

centers and commercial districts to adjacent

r es iden t ia l areas and t rans i t s t ops , and t o

neighborhood activity centers within one half-

mile of the development. Single family residen-

t i a l d e v el o p m e n t s s h a l l g e n er a l l y i n c l u d e

streets and accessways. Pedestrian circulation

t h r o u g h p a r k i n g l o t s s h o u l d g e n e r a l l y b e

provided in t he form of accessways.(A) N eighborhood activity cent ers inclu des,

b u t i s n o t l i m i t e d t o , ex i s t i n g o r p l a n n e d

schools, parks, shopping areas, transit stops or

employm ent centers.

(B) Bikeways shall be required along arterials

a n d m a j o r c o l l e c t o r s . S i d e w a l k s s h a l l b e

required alon g arterials, collectors an d m ost

l o c a l s t r e e t s i n u r b a n a r e a s , e x c e p t t h a t

sidewalk s are n ot required along control led

access roadw ays, such as freeways.

14 2. STATE & FEDERAL LAWS RELATING TO BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES



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Detailed discussions of th ese requiremen ts canbe found in the design sect ion of this plan,including bicycle parking requirements and amodel for deve loping loca l Transpor ta t ion

System Plans.

Relat ionship between the Transportation

Plann ing Rule and ORS 366.514

Subsection 660-12-020 (2)(D)(d) of the Rulerefers to the requi rements of ORS 366.514when it a ddresses bicycle an d pedestr ian facili-t ies; ORS 366.514 requires ODOT to recom-mend constru ction standa rds.

One of the purposes of this plan is to specifyt h e a p p r o p r i a t e t y p e s o f b i k e w

oregon bicycle and pedestrian plan

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