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2004 Master Plan Annual Report
Transportation
2004 Annual Report | Land Use | Economy | Community Appearance | Community Facilities & Services | Housing | Transportation | Implementation
Click here to view/download a pdf version of the Transportation section.
Transportation Meeting Summary
From Meeting Dated Tuesday, March 8, 2005
In Attendance
- Dwight Holcomb (Police Division), Moderator
- Patty Dalton, Emma Bramley (City Manager’s Office), Chad Gibson (Development Department), Steve Cothrel, Joe Valentino (Parks & Recreation Department), Jim Wood, Larry Helscel (Public Services Department)
Goal
Provide a comprehensive transportation network that is safe, convenient and accessible to the entire community.
Executive Summary
The Transportation section remains an important yet challenging component of the Master Plan. The ability to safely move vehicles and pedestrians throughout any community is imperative. At the same time, there is a desire to reduce cut through traffic in order to decrease the level of traffic congestion. In addition, the City faces a large inventory of surface infrastructure that is aging and in need of significant improvement.
Immediately following adoption of the Master Plan in 2001, the City worked to update the community’s Transportation Plan to address existing and future needs within the community. The Transportation Plan was presented to City Council and accepted in 2002, but the overall recommendations contained within it have proven a challenge to set in motion. The associated financial costs, combined with an uncertainty of the success and community acceptance of recommended traffic-calming treatments have resulted in the decision to not pursue several opportunities for change in favor of replacing existing conditions.
Additionally, while not perfect, the community’s existing surface infrastructure functions adequately and safely on the whole, raising the question of “what are the compelling reasons for significant change?”
Some traffic calming techniques were pursued in 2004, in the form of the trial roundabout at Miller Park and the re-striping of Lane Road to create bike/pedestrian lanes. Both projects have met and exceeded their objectives, and for the most part have resulted in positive comments from residents who have expressed opinions. Both results indicate that a phasing in of recommended changes might be the best way to proceed. Such options are low cost yet provide an opportunity for residents to become familiar with proposed changes and possibly to embrace their implementation in other areas of the community.
Many strategies within the Transportation section are conditioned upon redevelopment of the City’s commercial districts and are highly dependant on other areas of the Master Plan. As re-development of the commercial areas of the City occur or as major sections of arterial roads are replaced, City Council and Staff consideration of this section and to specific areas of the Transportation Plan will be necessary.
The City faces the challenge of effecting policy decisions by other entities with regard to several Transportation issues – from working to facilitate improved services with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) to awaiting opportunities for redevelopment in the City’s commercial districts. As such, progress is dependent upon decisions made by others.
Those involved with the Transportation Plan update process underwent an educational, decision-making process over the course of a year. Many residents are unaware of this process and how conclusions were reached, therefore some of the proposed treatments may appear extreme, or even unnecessary. In addition, the costs associated with the Transportation Plan were grouped into one daunting number, and perceived negatively as a result. As with the Master Plan, the Transportation Plan is intended as a guiding document, to be implemented as opportunities arise over the course of many decades.
To better address some of the ongoing issues surrounding Transportation Plan recommendations, Staff is requesting further discussion and direction from City Council.
Many of the strategies set forth in this section can be categorized as routine City business and have been marked as such for future Master Plan Annual Report updates. As a result, they will only contain update information in future reports as projects or items of note occur.
Objective Highlights
Objective 1. Maintain the functionality of the roadway network.
In recent years, the City has been able to consistently dedicate significant resources to improving the community’s surface infrastructure through its Capital Improvements Program and by allocating additional dollars to projects as they have come available. While residents continue to list road improvements high on their set of priorities for the City to address (2003 Community Survey), they also are noticing the positive change that has been occurring. However, the identified need is greater than available financial and human resources. Much of the community’s roadway inventory is aging, with significant work required at the same point in time. The need for City Council and Staff to prioritize projects, identify funding sources and regularly review progress will continue for the foreseeable future.
Improvements at the corner of Riverside Drive and Henderson Road are scheduled to occur during the 2005 construction season, promising to greatly improve this important intersection and community gateway.
Staff is recommending that Objective 1 Strategy e be incorporated into Objective 3, since it primarily addresses public transportation issues.
Successfully facilitating walking and cycling trips in the community is dependent on several factors that currently serve as roadblocks:
- While the City’s commercial districts are rezoned as Planned Mixed Use Districts (PMUDs), their redevelopment is dependent upon the private sector initiating such change.
- The costs associated with creating a network of sidewalks and separate bike paths that connect to the community’s commercial districts, park facilities and other key locations, are high.
- Typically, the responsibility for installing sidewalks falls upon property owners, and sidewalks are not always being required by the City as new houses replace old, since they would be small strips that fail to lead anywhere if no other sidewalks are in place in a given neighborhood.
During planning for the 2004 improvements along Zollinger Road at the High School, the City recognized and acted upon the opportunity to install much needed sidewalks and worked with the Schools to enable this added improvement to take place.
Objective 2. Encourage mixed-use development with multi-modal transportation connections.
Successfully implementing the strategies of Objective 2 are dependent on change occurring within the City’s commercial districts, therefore much of this objective remains pending. However, the guidelines are in place for facilitating such change as opportunity occurs.
Staff is recommending the re-wording of this objective to better reflect its intent, placing the emphasis on facilitating multi-modal transportation connections as mixed-used development occurs (see the table at the back of this chapter).
Objective 3. Expand transit options.
With a City Council member on the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Board, Upper Arlington’s interests in public transportation are well represented, however existing levels of use have resulted in a reduction of services.
As a whole, public transportation is not fully embraced by Central Ohioans at this point in time, and the City can only continue its efforts to encourage consideration of Upper Arlington’s public transportation needs as COTA reviews the needs of the region.
Since a large segment of the population that would benefit from adequate public transportation options is comprised of our older adults, it is anticipated that transportation needs will be addressed in the pending senior needs assessment study scheduled to occur in 2005. Results from this study may prove beneficial in strengthening the case for a circulator route within Upper Arlington, for example.
Objective 4. Reduce cut-through traffic.
Police Division efforts to monitor and encourage motorists to follow speed limits continues as routine business, with the recent addition of a Stealth Stat computer to support speed trailer activities. The Stealth Stat is proving a useful tool for identifying any areas that have issues with speeding motorists, with Police placing a focus on additional monitoring efforts if needed. Typically, results are showing that very few problems actually exist in neighborhoods. While there are instances of speeding occurring, average speeds are at and sometimes even below posted speeds.
A City Staff Traffic Safety Coordinating Committee often reviews traffic issues brought forward by residents/neighborhoods. Traffic calming options/solutions are discussed but not always welcomed by all interested parties, oftentimes resulting in no change being implemented.
The implementation of traffic calming measures has not been a priority to date, however two recent examples were installed in 2004 that seem to be having a positive effect and are being welcomed by the majority of residents who have expressed opinions:
- The re-striping of Lane Road to include a bike/pedestrian lane has had the additional effect of slowing motorists through this neighborhood. Stealth Stat records indicate an average reduction in speeds of approximately 3%.
- Installation of the temporary roundabout at Miller Park made possible for a minimal cost of $15,000.
The success of these two measures indicate that a gentle “introduction” to new traffic calming treatments might prove a successful means for realizing additional Transportation Plan recommendations. As the community understands the benefits of and accepts such “trial” treatments, it may then become more accepting of a broader implementation.
In addition to beautifying the community, Upper Arlington’s abundant urban forest, in particular the canopies created by street trees, has the added benefit of naturally slowing traffic
Objective 5. Expand walking opportunities.
A special committee of City Council will address the numerous issues surrounding a comprehensive network of sidewalks in 2005, and it is hoped that consideration of the best way to facilitate change over the long term will include:
- The City initiating sidewalk construction on prioritized arterial routes as road improvement projects occur.
- An inventory of the City’s properties (parks, office facilities, etc.) and consideration of sidewalk installation where appropriate.
- The establishment of formal requirements for sidewalk installation as new housing construction occurs.
- Consideration of the appropriateness of sidewalks in certain neighborhoods.
Arterial streetlight replacement has already occurred in several areas in recent years, with additional projects slated as road improvements occur, however cost issues remain a factor in the prioritization of such projects. Within neighborhoods, the responsibility falls to homeowners, and new housing developments are not currently required to install lights. For further emphasis to be placed on expanding streetlights in the community, additional consideration by City Council would be required to identify funding sources and prioritize projects.
Objective 6. Improve bicycling opportunities.
The addition of the Lane Road bike/pedestrian lane in 2004 proved extremely successful, with many neighborhood residents making use of it in the warmer months.
In the coming year, Parks & Recreation will undertake a study of existing bike lanes in the community and their current condition and usability. From this it is hoped that an expanded network along key routes can be identified. From a cost perspective, expansion recommendations will likely include options for striping existing roads to include a bike lane, as was successfully done with Lane Road in 2004.
A public information process will follow to promote existing bike routes to the community.
Transportation
Strategy Responsibilities / Recommended Amendments
Objective 1. Maintain the functionality of the roadway network.
a. Updating the Thoroughfare Plan.
| Public Services, Public Safety
| Short Term / Completed
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b. Maintaining intersection levels of service (LOS) to ensure reasonable traffic flow.
| Public Services, Development, Board of Zoning & Planning, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Ohio Department of Transportation
| Short Term and Ongoing / Routine
|
c. Minimizing curb cuts along arterial streets.
| Public Services, Police, Development, and Board of Zoning & Planning
| Ongoing / Routine
|
d. Addressing level of service deficiencies along Riverside Drive and on Henderson Road at Riverside Drive by building roadway improvements.
| Public Services, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Ohio Department of Transportation, City Council, Police
| Immediate – due to development at Riverside Drive and Henderson Road / Ongoing
|
e. Working with COTA to improve bus service within and between the City, The Ohio State University, Downtown Columbus, and suburban employment centers.
| Public Services, Central Ohio Transit Authority, City Manager
| Short Term / Combine with Objective 3d Remove
|
f. e. Facilitating walking and cycling trips – and thereby reducing congestion – by enabling mixed-use developments.
| Public Services, Board of Zoning & Planning, Development, Economic Development, Community Improvement Corporation, property owners
| Short Term / Ongoing
|
g. f. Continuing the street surface re-pavement program.
| Public Services, City Council
| Immediate / Ongoing Routine
|
Objective 2. Encourage mixed-use development with multi-modal transportation connections. CHANGE TO: Encourage multi-modal transportation connections as mixed-use development occurs.
a. Evaluating transportation implications of Study Area development proposals.
| Public Services, City Council, Board of Zoning & Planning, Development
| As redevelopment occurs in the Study Areas
|
b. Facilitating bus and cab service to mixed-use developments.
| Public Services, Development, COTA, community transportation providers
| Ongoing as redevelopment occurs in the Study Areas
|
c. Ensuring mixed-use developments are fully accessible by the sidewalk system.
| Development, Board of Zoning & Planning, City Council
| Ongoing as developments are proposed
|
d. Requiring the provision of support facilities in office, major retail, mixed-use, and institutional development to benefit walkers and cyclists.
| Development, Development, Board of Zoning & Planning, Economic Development, Community Improvement Corporation
| Ongoing as redevelopment occurs
|
Objective 3. Expand transit options.
a. Working with COTA to expand bus service as warranted by increased ridership or new supporting development.
| Public Services, Central Ohio Transit Authority, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Development, Economic Development, Community Improvement Corporation
| Short Term / Ongoing
|
b. Providing pedestrian connections to existing bus stops through sidewalk improvements.
| Public Services, Central Ohio Transit Authority, Board of Zoning & Planning, Economic Development, Community Improvement Corporation
| As new developments are considered and Short Term Ongoing
|
c. Requiring the provision of support facilities for bus transit to serve new developments along existing routes.
| Public Services, Central Ohio Transit Authority, Board of Zoning & Planning
| Mid Term
|
ADD: d. Working with COTA to improve bus service within and between the City, The Ohio State University, Downtown Columbus, and suburban employment centers.[Previously Objective 1e]
| Public Services, Central Ohio Transit Authority, City Manager
| Ongoing / Routine
|
Objective 4. Reduce cut-through traffic.
a. Continuing to use a special radar “speed trailer” to monitor and enforce speed limits.
| Police
| Immediate and Ongoing / Routine
|
b. Implementing traffic-calming measures on key neighborhood collectors and local streets that are affected by cut-through traffic.[This strategy also encompasses Land Use 4c which has been removed from that section]
| Public Services, Police
| Immediate and Ongoing / Routine
|
Objective 5. Expand walking opportunities.
a. Completing major gaps in the sidewalk system along arterials and collectors, and linking major activity centers.
| Public Services, Board of Zoning & Planning, City Council
| Ongoing / Further direction required
|
b. Facilitating street lighting to enhance safety, visibility, and security.
| Public Services, Board of Zoning & Planning, City Council
| As new developments occur / Further direction required
|
Objective 6. Improve bicycling opportunities.
a. Implementing bikeway recommendations of the regional bikeway plan prepared by MORPC.
| Public Services, Police, Parks & Recreation Task Force, new entity
| Short Term and Mid Term
|
b. Providing a comprehensive bikeway system that interconnects major activity centers and regional bike facilities.
| Parks & Recreation, Parks & Recreation Task Force, Public Services
| Short Term and Mid Term / Further consideration required
|
c. Considering the creation of a committee to advise City Council on greenways, walkways, and bikeways.
| Parks & Recreation, Parks & Recreation Task Force
| Short Term / Completed
|
d. Considering the creation of a Bicycle Suitability Map to inform citizens of the skill level recommended for different routes.
| Parks & Recreation, Public Services, Task Force
| Short Term
|
City Manager's Office
City of Upper Arlington
3600 Tremont Road
Upper Arlington, OH 43221
Phone: 614-583-5040
Fax: 614-457-6620
www.ua-ohio.net
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