Post on 18-Dec-2015
Action 2020 WorkshopSeptember 21, 2012Harrisonburg , VA
Sponsored by the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham MPO
A Local Perspective
What can we do to create a bicycle-friendly community that we can all love?
• Location: The heart of the historic and scenic Shenandoah Valley in west-central Virginia.
• Localities: • City of Harrisonburg• County of Rockingham• 7 Towns
• Bridgewater• Broadway• Dayton• Elkton• Grottoes• Mt. Crawford• Timberville
• Population: 127,354
Rockingham – Harrisonburg Region
• Economy• Agriculture - # 1• Manufacturing• Higher Ed and Health Care
• Higher Education:• Bridgewater College• James Madison University
• Eastern Mennonite University • Transportation Network
• I-81• Rt. 11 (Historic)• Skyline Drive • Public Transportation – Harrisonburg Transit• Horse-drawn buggy• Aviation (Shenandoah Valley Airport)• Freight Rail• Biking and hiking trails, Sidewalks, etc.
Rockingham – Harrisonburg Region
Bicycle Planning
Fail to plan, plan to fail.
Central Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Plan – 2005
Harrisonburg Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan - 2010
HR MPO-wide Bike-Ped Plan - currently underway
Rockingham Bicycle Advisory Committee Work Plan - 2012
Public workshop in January
• Initiated by “Citizens for Safe Cycling”
• Region-wide; covered 5 cities and 5 counties
• Made recommendations for infrastructure improvements, bike/ped programs and identified on-road routes throughout the district
• Broad in scope - laid the groundwork for more local and detailed plans to take place
• Completed in 2005
• Adopted at the same time as the State-wide bike/ped policy
Regional Bicycle Plan
VDOT Rural Transportation Grant Program matched with local government contributions.
• Adopted first Bicycle Plan in 1994; updated in 1999 and 2005
• Adopted first Pedestrian Plan in 1995
• Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan updated and adopted in July 2010
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan available on City website
City of Harrisonburg Bicycle Plan
City Funds
• Bike/Ped Plan for the MPO region:• City of Harrisonburg• Portions of the County• Towns of Mt. Crawford,
Bridgewater and Dayton
• Goals• Identify existing bicycle and
pedestrian infrastructure• Identify opportunities for future
bike/ped projects and programs• Mapping and preliminary design• Project prioritization• Cost Estimates
• Coordination with City and RBAC
• Time frame: approximately 1 year
HR-MPO funds (Federal, state and local)
HR MPO Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan
Bicycle Facilities
• Dedicated Bike LanesToday’s Total: 10.3 milesBy 2015 total: 14+ miles
• Share Lane Markings “Sharrows” Today’s Total: 4.05 miles By 2015: 9+ miles
City Funds
• Shared Use Path: Today’s Total: 2 miles By 2015 Total: 6.05+ miles
• Sidewalks: Today: ~ 62.41 miles (2.41 new miles in past 3 years)By 2015 Total: 64.7+ miles
Bike/Ped Facilities
City Funds
Bike Racks: Public & private locations K-12 schools, universities, downtown businesses, apartment complexes, etc.
City parking requirement for new development
All City buses equipped with bike racks
Bicycle Facilities
City Funds; SVBC Bike Rack matching program; Safe Routes to School program.
Bicycle Facilities
Share the Road
•Signage•Wider Shoulders•Paved Shoulders•Striping•Sharrows
VDOT
• SRTS is a federally-funded program, administered through VDOT, that is designed to encourage students to walk or bike to school.
• K- 8th grade
• The 5 E’s• Engineering (and infrastructure)• Enforcement• Education• Encouragement• Evaluation
• SRTS Projects:• Mt. View Elementary• Plains Elementary (Timberville)• Waterman Elementary• Keister Elementary
Safe Routes to School
SRTS (100% funding; no match)
Public Transportation
• Public transit must be integrated with bicycle and pedestrian network
• Operated by Harrisonburg Department of Public Transportation (HDPT)
• In 2011: carried over 2 million passengers
• Ridership is expected to increase approx. 10% per year
• All City transit buses are equipped with bike racks
• HDPT & City Public Works coordinate installation of bus shelters, benches, etc. with new road and sidewalk construction.
Public Transit
City; DRPT
Multi- use Trails• Bluestone Trail• Northend Greenway• Community Parks• National Forest Trails
Multi-Use Trails
Bluestone Trail
Multi-use Trails
• Proposed 3-mile multi-use trail in design stage
• 10-ft wide, off street, obstacle free route for transportation and recreation
• Ideal for walkers, runners, bike riders, and children
• Provides greater connectivity between neighborhoods, parks, and other destinations
Northend Greenway
• Effort being led by New Community Project, local non-profit group
• Proposed 2.5 mile shared use path
• Connects Park View to Downtown
• Design stage
Multi-use Trails
• IMBA Ride Center• Events• National Forest Trails• Massanutten Trails
Mountain Biking
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, SVBC
• Developed as a result of Region-wide Plan that was completed in 2005
• www.bikethevalley.org
• Over 40 bicycle routes• Printable maps• Turn-by-turn directions• Elevations• Scenic descriptions
• Bicycle events, festivals and organized rides and races
• Resources and Links to Bike Clubs
• Safety tips for cyclists and motoristsShare the Road GuidesBike Like Ike Rules of the Road
Bike the Valley
Bike Like Ike• A campaign geared for
college-age kids• Bus Advertisements• Campus fliers• Bike the Valley website
Bicycle Safety and Education
Rules of the Road
• Bicycle Safety Booklets distributed to:• High school students enrolled
in Drivers Ed classes • Bicycle Safety Clinics and
Events
• Boy Scout Troops
Bicycle Safety and Education
VDOT, DMV, Bike Walk Virginia
Bicycle Rodeos
Walk-Smart, Bike Smart Campaign
Helmet GiveawaysPolice DepartmentsSafe Kids Central Shenandoah Valley Schools
Other:Radio and print advertisements and public service announcements
Bicycle Safety and Education
• Benefits of Bicycling:• Recreational • Affordable• Eco-friendly• Family-Friendly• Educational• Healthy• Alternative Transportation
• Marketing the Shenandoah Valley as a Bicycle Destination
• Rack Cards• Welcome Centers• Visitor Centers• Canada Tourism
• Bike the Valley website
Bicycle Tourism
Virginia Tourism Corporation and Harrisonburg Tourism, Bike Clubs
Annual Events
April – Massanutten Yee Ha!May – DR 100 May – Bike to Work June – Massanutten Super DJune – Massanutten Hoo-Ha!July – Tour de BurgJuly – Shenandoah Valley Bike Festival Sept – Shenandoah Mountain 100Sept – Shenandoah Valley CenturySept – Jeremiah Bishop Grand FondoOct – Shenandoah Mountain Bike Festival
Annual Bike Virginia Tour
Bicycle Events
Funding OpportunitiesFederal
• FHWA• HUD (Community Development Block Grant) • NPS
State•VDOT - Transportation Enhancement•VDOT - Safe Routes to School•VDOT – Safety Improvement Projects• VDOT – Road and maintenance funds• DCR – Recreational Trails Program • DCR – Land and Water Conservation Fund• DMV – Safety Programs (Helmet)
Local• MPO (for planning)• City, County, Town capital improvement funds• Private donations• Fundraisers – bike events, organized rides, etc.
What can we do to create a bicycle-friendly community that we can all love?