Tuesday, October 28, 2014 Ohio Transportation Engineering Conference Cuyahoga County, Ohio Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority In a nutshell, complete streets are… … roadways designed and operated to safely and comfortably accommodate multiple users of all ages and abilities, including cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, elderly, delivery and service personnel, and emergency responders; and to accommodate and slow stormwater runoff as part of a comprehensive storm water management system. Cuyahoga County, Ohio Cuyahoga County, Ohio Steps to Implementing Complete Streets 1. Collaborating Local Communities Regional Networks 2. Adopting a policy Legislative Resolution Planning Documents Tax District 3. Changing Procedures & Implementing Design Road Projects – criteria for selecting, checklists, signalization Design Guidelines – including streetscape Codes and Procedures – stormwater, parking, bicycle facilities Traffic enforcement – parking, speed, bicycle clearance 4. Select Project and Apply for funding 5. Measuring performance Cuyahoga County, Ohio • Cuyahoga County Toolkit for Complete Streets Implementation 59 communities with different levels of • • • Commitment Interest in complete streets Varying demographics, geography, and development patterns • Home Rule in Ohio • County can legally provide • • • Advocacy for benefits of complete streets Technical assistance with plans and policies Improvements to County roads if approached by community Thus a toolkit: • • • Provides options for different needs and starting points Promotes a common language among communities Offers starting point for conversation between communities and county Cuyahoga County, Ohio Principles of the Toolkit • Easy to read/ lots of graphics • Targeted to communities with different levels of commitment Community not sure about it benefits and challenges Community eager to implement implementation chapter Community with specific project design guidelines • Primary audience: planners, engineers, elected officials, advocates • Each chapter able to stand alone for future updates Cuyahoga County, Ohio When to Include Complete Streets (or is my project too far down the road?) Include complete streets considerations as early as possible in the project development process to avoid costly change order or project modifications Planning, and Scoping • Meaningful and extensive integration of complete streets elements possible Leverage STP dollars • Complete streets elements can be designed and built for the same or less costs than if they are considered later in the project Cuyahoga County, Ohio Preliminary Engineering and Design • Minor improvements for all users of the road possible Final Design • Projects that are too far down the road can still include some complete streets elements such as striping and signing. Toolkit Outline • Chapter 1: Background • Chapter 2: Planning a Road Project • Chapter 3: Complete Streets Typology • Chapter 4: Design Elements • Chapter 5: Steps to Implementation Cuyahoga County, Ohio Finding Opportunities for Complete Streets Step 1: Analyze existing and future road context Development Patterns Street Network Type of Project Commercial, Retail, Office Option for Multi-modal access to: Maintenance Neighborhood or residential Greenways or parks Industrial Semi-Rural Regional bike network Other Transit Resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Determine desired Review existing Select complete mode priorities roadway conditions streets elements Priorities for Public Investment Roadway Dimensions Design Elements >70’ Large Street Road or Lane Diet 48’ - 69’ Medium Street Transit Facilities Reconstruction New Construction Schools Business Centers Cuyahoga County, Ohio Pedestrian Facilities 30’ – 47’ Small Street <30’ Very Small Street Bicycle Facilities Water Management and Landscaping Parking Management Step 1 – Analyze Network and Needs: Consider the Street Network Cuyahoga County, Ohio Step 2 – Mode Priorities: Impact of Mode Priorities on Design Choices Cuyahoga County, Ohio Step 3 – Existing Conditions: Reviewing the Existing Road Conditions Land Use Based • Commercial • Industrial • Semi-rural • Subdivision / Cul-de-sac • Residential Lane Cuyahoga County, Ohio Network Based • Commuter • Boulevard • Neighborhood Connector • Transit Spine • Access/ Alleys • Bridges Roadway Dimensions • Large • 5 or more traffic lanes • Medium • 3 – 5 traffic lanes • Small • 2 – 3 traffic lanes • Very Small • 1 – 2 traffic lanes Step 3 – Existing Conditions: Example of Street Typology (Land Use Based) Street Typology Main Focus Commercial Shopping, entertainment, commercial activity Industrial Connectivity of industrial areas Semi Rural Narrow lanes, natural edges, non-standard traffic Subdivision / Cul-de-sac Low speed, low volume, limited through-traffic. High volume of pedestrians and children Residential Lane Very small, private or public street, limited access to homes Cuyahoga County, Ohio Primary Users Secondary Users Step 3 – Existing Conditions: Example of Street Typology (Network Based) Street Typology Main Focus Commuter Pleasant, safe, quick method of transportation Boulevard Multiple lanes with a median, slow speeds, enhanced landscaping Neighborhood Connector Connect neighborhoods to businesses Transit Spine Current or future express bus or rapid transit corridor (GCRTA) Access and Alleys Local access for commercial, residential, or industrial areas Bridges Used by all users, provides safe passage over an obstacle Cuyahoga County, Ohio Primary Users Secondary Users Depends on location in network Step 4 – Design Elements: Suggested Complete Streets Elements Manual includes: • • • • • • Right of Way Considerations (Section 4.1) Pedestrian Facilities (Section 4.2) Transit Facilities (Section 4.3) Bicycle Facilities (Section 4.4) Landscaping and Stormwater (Section 4.5) Parking Management (Section 4.6) Large Commuter Street Bicycle Facilities • • • • • • Cuyahoga County, Ohio Small Neighborhood Connector Bike route signage Multi-use path Cycle track Bike signals Two-way bike lanes Painted Bike boxes • • • Bike route signage Bike parking (at recreation sites) Sharrows Right-of-Way Considerations Road Diet or Lane Diet Traffic Calming Chicane City of Kannapolis, North Carolina Cuyahoga County, Ohio Pedestrian Facilities Speed Tables and Refuge Islands at Crosswalks Pedestrian Signage and Midblock Crossings Lee Road, Cleveland Heights University Heights, John Carroll University Cuyahoga County, Ohio Transit Facilities Bicycle Facilities Shelters and Information Buffered Bike Lane Cleveland Heights, Edgehill Protected Bus Way Bicycle Parking Cleveland Heights City of Columbus Cleveland Cuyahoga County, Ohio Stormwater Management Vegetated Biofilter City of Columbus Cuyahoga County, Ohio Permeable Pavement City of Columbus Cost Considerations Based on current Northeast Ohio price estimates Cuyahoga County, Ohio Financing Alternatives No single designated source of money for funding Complete Streets projects. Must consider long term maintenance costs while in planning process Infrastructure and facilities that contribute to Complete Streets may be funded from several existing sources. Examples include: Toolkit provides information about funding source for various programs Local State Federal Nonprofit/Foundation/Private Sector Cuyahoga County, Ohio Role of Planning Commission • • • Begins a regional identity for transportation network: all about connectivity Provide starting point for conversation with interested communities in master plans Leverage the funding: roadway, amenities, streetscape, stormwater, transit and others Role of Department of Public Works (DPW) • Provide technical input into design and funding Cuyahoga County, Ohio Advantages of Developing a Regional Toolkit • From County perspective: • • • • Builds organizational capacity for infrastructure planning Provides starting point for conversation with interested communities Establishes inter-departmental collaboration Begins a regional identity for transportation network • From a City’s perspective: • Opens door for conversations about complete streets • Provides an advanced starting point for building complete streets, adopting policies, or changing procedures • Not “on an island”; strength in numbers with neighboring communities and region; common language • Gives higher level of assurance to the community and community leaders who may be less familiar with the complete streets concept. Cuyahoga County, Ohio Lessons learned: Developing a toolkit • • • • • • It is more than bike lanes! Every street is unique, but seek the typology based on land use, existing right-of-way and function Find, consult and use the best practices Leverage the funding: roadway, amenities, streetscape, stormwater, transit and others Build a network – all about connectivity Sell the benefits of complete streets first Cuyahoga County, Ohio Project Team Complete Streets Toolkit: Office of County Executive Ed FitzGerald: Jennifer Scofield Cuyahoga County Planning Commission: Glenn Coyne (Executive Director), Alison Ball, Meghan Chaney, Michael Melko, Claire Kilbane, Dan Meaney, Robin Watkins, Andrew Boughan Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works: Bonnie Teeuwen (Director of Public Works), Gayle Lewin (project coordinator), Stan Kosilesky, David Marquard, Mike Kubek Technical Assistance: Jacob VanSickle (Bike Cleveland), Smart Growth America, North East Ohio Sewer District, Cleveland Metroparks, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority www.planning.co.Cuyahoga.oh.us/complete Cuyahoga County, Ohio Using Technology to Improve Service to GCRTA Customers o NextConnect: Real Time Arrival Information o Future of Fare Payment Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority NextConnect: Real-Time Arrivals o GPS-based technology to monitor transit vehicle locations in real-time o Provides expected arrival time for a given route at a given stop o Information is provided via: o Mobile-friendly website (http://www.nextconnect.riderta.com/) o Subscription-based e-mail notifications o Digital displays at high ridership stops/stations and along BRT corridors Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority NextConnect: Website Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority NextConnect: Website Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority NextConnect: Digital Displays Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority NextConnect: What is the Value? o Allows for more informed trip planning o Perceived wait time >> actual wait time when real- time arrival information is not available o Out-of-vehicle travel time is viewed as more of a burden than in-vehicle travel time o Real-time information shows up in customer surveys as the most important improvement Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Future of Fare Payment o Currently accept cash and magnetic strip paper tickets o Moving towards Smart Card (“Tap and Go”) Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Future of Fare Payment Paper Tickets Smart Cards Farebox Reliability Frequent maintenance on “dip” rollers Much less maintenance required for card readers Card Reliability -Can tear or become de-magnetized -No way to track a lost card -Durable, credit-card like material -Card can be registered to user Trip Speed -Payment at the farebox slows down the boarding process -Confusion on dipping vs. swiping Data Collection Data tied to a specific trip, not to a card Pre-loaded fare or pass allows riders to “Tap and Go” Data tied to a specific card allows RTA to learn more about trip patterns to help improve service for our customers Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Future of Fare Payment o Existing hardware has Smart Card capabilities o Software, web and user interface are in the design stage o No timeline set for implementation Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Thank you! Cuyahoga County, Ohio Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority