Title
Bike Corridor Pilot Project Briefing
Recommended Action
Move to receive briefing
Report
Issue:
The City is building a Bike Corridor pilot project, which will connect the eastside neighborhood to downtown.
Staff Contact:
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Senior Program Specialist, Public Works | Transportation, 360.753.8575
Presenter(s):
Michelle Swanson
Background and Analysis:
Project Background
People have asked for an easier way to get around Olympia by bike. In 2014, the City Council funded a pilot project of a Bike Corridor. The Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) worked with City staff to identify possible routes for the pilot project. Late in 2014, the City Council provided additional direction that the pilot project should come into downtown. In early 2015, the BPAC recommended the pilot project route, attached.
What is a Bike Corridor?
Bike Corridors are streets that have been retrofit to be more welcoming to people riding bikes. They are streets that do not have much car traffic, and the traffic is traveling slowly. This makes it easier for people on bikes and people driving to share the same lane.
The City adds signs and pavement markings to the route. We also change some intersections to make them easier for people to get through on bikes. We will also make it easier for pedestrians to cross, too.
To see detailed drawings of the intersection changes, please go to the Bike Corridors webpage: olympiawa.gov/bikecorridors
Why a Pilot Project?
This is the first time the City has built this type of infrastructure. In other cities, Bike Corridors are known as “bicycle boulevards” or “neighborhood greenways.” By building a pilot project first, people will have a chance to see what a Bike Corridor is before being asked to help plan several more routes.
Because this is a pilot project, we are building it with less-permanent materials. Later, we can make the changes permanent.
Construction Timeline
The project began construction on April 4th and will wrap up by the end of May. The section between Cherry Street downtown and Lions Park will open first. We will delay opening the portion between Sylvester Park and Cherry Street to avoid conflicting with the construction of an apartment building at 7th & Jefferson. Please see the attached map.
Next Steps
After the first part of the Bike Corridor is built, we will ask people to ride it and give us feedback on the route itself in June and early July.
In mid-July, after people have had a chance to get familiar with the pilot project, we will ask them to share their thoughts on the initial routes that the BPAC identified as possible future Bike Corridors. We will consider adjustments to the routes in response to public feedback.
Next year, we hope to adopt the Bike Corridor routes into the Bike Master Plan, which will allow us to pursue grant funding to build them.
You can see a map of the preliminary routes at olympiawa.gov/bikecorridors
How the PBIA Can Help
Please consider reviewing both the pilot project and the future Bike Corridor routes this summer - we will have opportunities to weigh in online and in person.
If you would be willing to share this project with your customers and employees, we can supply flyers. If you use social media, please consider sharing our posts.
We have talked to the Downtown Neighborhood Association, the Olympia Downtown Association, and all five bike shops in the City. If you can think of other groups that we should talk to about this project, please let us know.
If you would like to get updates on the project, please send an email to bikecorridors@ci.olympia.wa.us, and we will add you to the list.
Options:
None - briefing only
Financial Impact:
The pilot project costs $346,000.
Attachments: Bike Corridor Pilot Project Map