Title
Update Regarding Citizen Petition Requesting the Development of an Urban Bike Path
Body
The following is a chronological background and summary of this item:
On April 22, 2016, Ms. Brenda Fleming filed a petition requesting the development of an urban bike path through the center of town connecting to the existing Canyon Rim Trail suitable for all users.
On May 3, 2016, Council approved a motion acknowledging the petition, thanking the petitioners for the recommendation, and requesting that staff investigate/research the matter in collaboration with the Transportation Board and petitioner, and return to Council with information, options, and/or recommendations for action within ninety (90) days.
On June 2, 2016, the petitioner presented her request to the Transportation Board where a subcommittee was formed to formulate recommendations.
On June 16, 2016, a conceptual map of urban bike path and pedestrian routes developed by Engineering Staff was presented to the subcommittee. Staff incorporated recommendations made by the subcommittee which included a high priority corridor that links the Canyon Rim Trail to downtown and Canyon Road points of interest. The high priority corridor also considers further development of the Canyon Rim Trail from its current terminus at Knecht St. west towards 20th Street in accordance with the 2011 Canyon Rim Trail Master Plan and funded with $1 Million in CIP funds for easement acquisition (approved by Council on March 1, 2016); extension of 20th Street south of Trinity Dr.; and ongoing development efforts in furtherance of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.
On July 7, 2016, the map was presented to the Transportation Board and the following motion was passed by a unanimous vote: I move that the Transportation Board approve and advise Council to do further study, costing, and engineering designs into the bicycle, pedestrian and route concepts that were created by the bicycle subcommittee and that the Transportation Board will continue this agenda item as the engineering and routes are developed. Updates to the map were made to address comments by the Board.
On July 26, 2016, Council unanimously approved the following motion: I move that Council approve the Bicycle and Pedestrian Route Map formulated by the Transportation Board and Bicycle Subcommittee for inclusion in the forthcoming update of the Bicycle Transportation System Plan for use in programming future improvements, and further move that we have additional discussions in the January time frame on this subject.
The following outlines the progress and status to construct various multi-use trail segments along the High Priority Corridor identified on the map:
Canyon Rim Trail (Knecht to 20th Street)
On December 20, 2016, Council approved on-call engineering service agreements. A task order utilizing this contract is underway for easement acquisition and preliminary design. Estimated costs are as follows:
Easement Acquisition Costs = $225-320K
Design Costs = $150K
Construction Costs = $990K
To date, Council appropriated $1 Million in CIP funds for this endeavor and asked staff to pursue all trail grant opportunities to leverage the $1 million set aside to continue the Canyon Rim Trail. On October 25, 2016, Council approved Resolution No. 16-20 related to a NMDOT grant application for design and construction of an underpass beneath NM 502 near Entrada Drive west of the Co-op and commits $340K in matching funds from this fund if the County’s grant application is successful. Results of the grant application are anticipated in the spring of 2017. Please note, acquisition of right of way or easements are not eligible activities under this grant program.
Urban Trail Segment 1 (20th Street - Canyon Rim Trail to Trinity Dr.)
The design of the 20th Street Extension is underway and being developed in-house. The project will include this trail segment. Construction is scheduled for June thru September 2017. This project is funded using part of the $4M CIP Fund placeholder for 20th Street, Deacon St. and DP Road infrastructure.
Urban Trail Segment 2 (20th/19th/Nectar/Peach/Spruce - Trinity Dr. to Canyon Rd.)
Estimated costs are as follows:
Design Costs = $0 (In-house Design)
Construction Costs = $420K
Urban Trail Segment 3 (Canyon Road - Tennis Court Entrance to Aquatic Center)
Estimated costs are as follows:
Design Costs = $0 (In-house Design)
Construction Costs = $320K
Council may utilize the above estimates for future CIP project budget programming. For those improvements not within the “High Priority Corridor”, Public Works staff will identify opportunities through street maintenance operations for on-road shared use bicycle improvements such as sharrow placement and bicycle lane striping, as budget allows.
It is anticipated with progressive completion of additional bicycle infrastructure, Los Alamos County will improve the likelihood of being recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.
Public Works is engaged with Parks & Open Space staff to plan and collaborate on updates to the Bicycle Transportation System Plan and Trail Management Planning Documents to incorporate logical street and transportation trail connections to recreational trails and open space in furtherance of the overall economic development goals of the County.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/New Item
No fiscal and staff impact at this time until such time Council chooses to program funding for planning, design and construction of improvements.
Attachments
A - Urban Trail Presentation