Emerging Trends in Developing and Implementing Bicycle Master Plans – The Seattle Example

DATE: 
Friday, September 30, 2011, 12:00pm to 1:00pm PDT
SPEAKERS: 
Peter Lagerway, Toole Design Group

The video begins at 0:47.

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Abstract: Using the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan as a model, this presentation will provide a roadmap for developing and implementing bicycle master plans.

Toole Design Group (TDG) served as the prime consultant for the City of Seattle Bicycle Master Plan. In partnership with the City, TDG took a diverse approach to public involvement, including working with a Citizen’s Advisory Committee and local advocacy groups, conducting an online survey, and conduction highly successful public input meetings that were attended by hundreds of people. The project involved extensive GIS and field analysis, and the development of specific recommendations for street reconfigurations and wayfinding signs for a 450-mile network of on and off-street facilities. The project included design innovations such as shared-lane markings, up-hill bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, and new warning and wayfinding signs. It also included new thinking on right-of-way assignment and the design of trail street crossings. In addition, TDG developed bicycle facility design guidelines recommendations for education and enforcement programs to support and encourage bicycling, and policies for integrating bicycle considerations into all City projects and programs. The Plan focused heavily on implementation and included funding strategies as well as a timeline and phasing approach for the completion of recommendations from the Plan. The Plan set performance measures and provided cost estimates for implementation. Since adoption, more than 150 miles of on and off road bicycle facilities (including signed routes) have been installed, representing 30% of the network proposed by the Plan.