Wed. night plans? Come talk streets with Planning Commission
Planning Commission Meeting • Tonight at 7PM • Governmental Center 2nd FloorIn attempt to proactively address infrastructure issues before it’s too late for changes, a la 8th Street, the Traverse City Planning Commission will review the 2010 street projects and their conformity, or non-conformity, to the city master plan passed in 2009.
It’s never that simple. There are times when there are legitimate constraints. But, patience & trust are running thin.
TC 3 Traditional Neighborhood Streets call for sidewalks, bike lanes in Master Plan.
Staff has proven that it will repeatedly meet the bare-minimum requirements or ignore them if there is lack of oversight. Then, the arguments are that the proposed designs fit within an overall conceptual intent. Or, an increasingly popular argument is that implementing something like a bike lane would require widening of the streets which wasn’t within the scope, budget or intention of the project. (Despite it being questionable if a street widening is indeed required).
- When will the prioritization of non-motorized transport be part of a project?
- When will complete streets and street calming measures be applied?
- How do we implement long-term, complete street projects that aren’t piecemeal?
The portfolio for Street Projects in 2010 is below. There are 11 projects to be discussed and not all of them are in need of a major re-prioritization. However, a few seem prime for improvement …here are quick responses in need of further evaluation:- Cass St.: new parking deck going in, is free street parking necessary–> room for bike lanes.
- Maple St.: Can East/West crosswalks be added/improved at Front St.
- Union St.: Part of the signed bike route, yet no plans for bike lanes or improved “bike belong” signage. Widening not needed if you lose the free parking.
- Hannah Ave.: Just a short section, but has heavy foot and bike traffic connecting to Woodmere off of Barlow. Please, complete the sidewalk (can be done) and add bike lanes the length of Hannah.
- Barlow St.: Major traffic calming needed and beautification would go a long way. At 73′ wide there is plenty of room to begin implementing bike lanes.
- Airport Access: has speeding issues, heavy foot traffic, connects to TART & potentialyl the bay. And, why only improve to Indian Trail? One more block and you reach Parsons.
- Boyd/Bates St.: Not a major issue, but some enhanced connection to the TART Trail would be appropriate.
___
If you see something you like, please subscribe to this BLOG’s feed and also pass this link on to a friend.
Well, it wasn’t a great night at the Planning Commission, but it wasn’t a total disaster either. Maybe, just maybe, the next time a street project is designed someone may actually follow the City Master Plan, and pursue the walkability and non-motorized transportation options that TC residents are demanding.
Ten projects, totaling $1.3 million, were presented for review. Not one of them extended sidewalks; bike lanes were ignored (even on Union Street, a designated bike route!)
This is the first time, in anyone’s memory, that the Planning Commission reviewed street projects to see if they met the Master Plan, so that’s a good start. City staff hid behind 2 things — that these were only maintenance projects, and that the Transportation Elements of the new Master Plan are not yet fleshed out. But if we’re going to spend that kind of money, let’s try to do it right.
None of the 10 projects is perfect, but I deceided to make issue with 3 of them; the Barlow, Hannah and Airport Access work. Supposedly the City Engineer will be bringing back possible rework on those 3, even though they’ve been approved by the PC.
Stay tuned — eventually the street network is going to start resembling what the public wants – as long as the public keeps demanding it.
Ross Richardson
TC Planning Commissioner
Thank you for the summation, Ross. And, thank you for asking some difficult questions in your role on the Planning Commission. It was heartening to see citizen led government actually asking for accountability. We’re tuned and ready, let us know how to help.
Rob, I’m not suggesting that we add curb and gutter to airport access. We could complete the sidewalk that is already there…and add a path for the rest. Where do I plan to get to? Connecting TART users (walkers and bicyclists) to the neighborhoods, the hospital, the hotel, the church, the apartments and, eventually, to East Bay would be money well spent and shouldn’t add too much to the cost. There is also a shopping center around the corner that I use TART to get to. Crossing at the A.A. intersection is the preferred crossing to get into that neighborhood.
It is a 25 zone, so lanes
shouldneed to be narrowed and 6′ bike lanes, or possibly a path, can easily, and cost effectively be added.Can you explain to me where in the world you plan to get to and from on Airport Access. Also I would hate to see the cost increases that would come from adding curb and gutter plus sidewalks to that same stretch of road.