Title
Bike Corridor Pilot Project Briefing
Recommended Action
Information only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Discussion of the Bike Corridor pilot project, which connects the eastside neighborhood to downtown.
Staff Contact:
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Senior Program Specialist, Public Works | Transportation, 360.753.8575
Presenter(s):
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Senior Program Specialist, Public Works Transportation
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, shown on the attached map.
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 added signs and pavement markings to the route. We changed some intersections to make them easier for people to get through on bikes. We also made it easier for pedestrians to cross, too. To learn more about these changes, please check out 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 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 built it with less-permanent materials. Later, we can make the changes permanent.
Construction Timeline
The City has built its part of the Bike Corridor pilot project. The remaining part at the intersection of Adams and 7th Ave will be built when the nearby apartment building being constructed makes its frontage improvements. That will likely be in the fall or winter. Please see the attached map for details.
Next Steps
The City has done a lot of public outreach on the project so far. The outreach has focused on:
• Explaining what a Bike Corridor is
• Seeking feedback on the pilot project
Now, we are asking for input on the potential future Bike Corridor routes. These are the routes that staff and the BPAC identified as good candidates for a Bike Corridor before selecting the pilot project route. 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.
Attached is a map of the preliminary routes. You can see a larger map at olympiawa.gov/bikecorridors.
Share Your Thoughts
If you have not been on the Bike Corridor pilot project route yet, please check it out and share your comments. Comments can be made either in person, by phone, or by emailing bikecorridors@ci.olympia.wa.us.
We are also interested in your thoughts on the potential future Bike Corridor routes. City staff will be attending neighborhood meetings over the summer and providing online opportunities to weigh in on these routes.
Options:
None - briefing only.
Financial Impact:
The pilot project cost $346,000.
Attachments:
Pilot Project Map
Potential Future Routes Map
Project Website