HomeMy WebLinkAboutTrans 2008-05-28 Item 3F - Discussion - Public Review of Walk and Roll PlanCity of Tukwila
Department of Community Development Jack Pace, Director
INFORMATION MEMO
To: Transportation Committe Members
From: Jack Pace, DCD Director
Date: May 28, 2008
Subject: Public Review of Draft W k Roll Plan
ISSUE
City Council review and adoption of the Walk Roll Plan.
Jim Haggerto n,Mayor
BACKGROUND
The Walk Roll Plan is an implementation tool for goals and policies of the Tukwila
Comprehensive Plan. When adopted by Council, the Walk Roll Plan will serve as a guide for
City staff in determining where new bicycle and pedestrian improvements should occur, whether
they are built as part of a street resurfacing project, as part of a grant- funded project, or as part of
the required improvements of a development project.
The City of Tukwila was awarded a grant from the State of Washington Department of
Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) in December 2005 to develop a city-
wide bicycle and pedestrian plan. Development of the Draft Walk Roll Plan included extensive
public involvement, input from which helped inform the Plan's recommendations. Public input
was received during a Walk Roll open house; Tukwila Days; the Backyard Wildlife Fair; and a
bike ride with Planning Commissioners, City Council members, local residents, and other
interested parties. Surveys were distributed to gather information on the types of bicycle and
pedestrian facilities that people would like to see built in Tukwila. A wide variety of groups were
included in the outreach effort, including members of the Cascade Bicycle Club, Feet First, the
Boeing Employees' Bicycle Club, the Tukwila School District, the Tukwila Rotary, Tukwila
employers, and staff from adjacent cities.
In April, a special work session was held with the Planning Commission, and staff joined a Parks
Commission meeting to review the recommendations in the Draft Walk Roll Plan. Discussion
topics and questions included how to implement the recommended actions, education and
enforcement, the relationship between traffic speeds and safety, bicycle detection systems at
traffic signals, how recommendations in the plan might affect level -of- service (LOS) of
Tukwila's streets, and the interface between transit use and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Over
all, the recommended actions within the Draft Walk Roll Plan were well- received by the
Planning and Parks Commissioners.
6300 Southcenter Boulevard, Suite #100 Tukwila, Washington 98188 Phone: 206- 431 -3670 Fax: 206 431 -3665
DISCUSSION
After a recent review by DCD staff of the draft Parks, Recreation, Open Space Plan
developed by the Tukwila Parks Department and currently under review, maps in the Draft
Walk Roll Plan, including the Neighborhood Links maps (Figures 7 through 14) and
Recommended Bicycle Friendly Routes map (Figure 5) will need to be updated to ensure that
recommended multi -use trail locations are consistent between the two plans.
The Draft Walk Roll Plan contains six Recommended Actions for implementation, which
will provide the tools for building a connected non motorized transportation network in
Tukwila. The plan also contains a wealth of background information on existing conditions,
and performance goals and measurements to gauge progress towards achieving the
recommendations. The six Recommended Actions include the following:
1. Adoption of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure designs Update the Public
Works' Development Guidelines and Design and Construction Standards to include
new or revised standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
2. Designation and adoption of recommended "Bicycle Friendly Routes" Replace
the map in Tukwila's Comprehensive Plan that currently shows Bicycle Friendly
Streets (titled City of Tukwila Non Motorized Transportation Plan Category 1) with the
"Bicycle Friendly Routes" map in the Draft Walk Roll Plan (see Figure 5 on page
27)
3. Continue construction of neighborhood links Using the Neighborhood Maps on
Figures 7 through 14, as well as the map for the Tukwila Hill neighborhood, prioritize
which unimproved rights -of -way, sidewalks and trail links should be constructed.
Create project sheets to be included in the city's Capital Improvement Program.
4. More than the minimum for pedestrian safety Update the Public Works'
Development Guidelines and Design and Construction Standards with extra details
(i.e., pedestrian countdown signals, in- pavement pedestrian lighting, etc.) to improve
the design of pedestrian facilities and the overall walkability of the City.
5. Railbanking for the future Railroad spurs located within Tukwila, including within
the urban center and in the manufacturing and industrial center, may in the future
become an outdated /economically infeasible way of transporting goods. If railroad
spurs are abandoned, these easements of rights -of -way can be preserved as trails, as
long as property owners who have granted easements to the railroad companies agree
to transfer these easements to the City of Tukwila for trail use.
6. Promotion and participation in biking and walking programs Devote staff time
and continue to fund education and encouragement programs to promote biking and
walking in Tukwila.
RECOMMENDATION
Forward the Draft Walk Roll Plan to the Committee of the Whole for discussion.
JR Page 2 of 2
P: \Walk and Roll\Meetings Events\Backup of TC Memo W&R_5-28-2008.wbk
05/21/2008 11:28 AM