Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
February 25, 2014
Agenda Report #
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Complete Streets
INITIATED BY: Planning Department
Background: On September 20, 2012, the Georgia Department of Transportation
Board passed a resolution supporting Complete Streets. With the passage of
this resolution, Georgia became the 28th state in the nation to do so (and 8th
of 12 in the southeast). As of October 2013, Eleven (11) city or county
governments across Georgia have adopted Complete Streets policies: Decatur,
Cobb County, Roswell, Suwanee, Dunwoody, Clarkston, Athens-Clarke County,
Macon, Fulton County, Atlanta and Milledgeville. Nationwide, a total of 610
jurisdictions now have Complete Streets Policies, including 30 states, 51
Regional Planning Organizations, 48 counties and 482 municipalities in 48
different states.
The proposed resolution before council embraces the spirit of the GADOT
resolution in that it promotes the advancement of accessibility for pedestrian,
bicycle, and transit modes of transportation along streets and roadways in
Columbus. The resolution intends to create the eventual result of reducing
congestion, improving mobility and enhancing the quality of life for all users
of our roadways, whether young, old, physically able, disabled, pedestrian,
bicycle, automobile or bus rider.
Analysis: Compelling needs that are addressed: 1) Reducing Congestion (making
commute times more reliable and more flexible, 2) Enhancing Quality of Life
(health, recreation, access to employment, medical and retail centers and
safety), 3) Improving Mobility (for those who do not drive or are unable to
drive due to physical limitations, or who do not own a car), & 4) Increasing
Safety (including bicycle and pedestrian facilities can be expected to reduce
the incidence of bicycle and pedestrian crashes.
Financial Considerations: Studies show that bicycle and pedestrian networks are
leaders for economic growth (see glossary attached). These studies reveal that
the integration of bicycle and pedestrian transportation infrastructure
actually encourages and fosters, rather than inhibits, economic growth.
While balancing needs with other modes of automobile travel demand, the GDOT
Complete Streets Design Guidelines call for Warrants, as well as Exclusions,
(Section 9.4, attached hereto) to be viewed within the context of each
project.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: An oft-raised concern about Complete
Streets is the fear of additional costs when requiring accommodation for all
modes of travel. However, jurisdictions implementing a Complete Streets policy
within a balanced and fiscally sound budget find that it adds little to no
expense to their transportation budgets. The mayor of Portland, Oregon, the
nation?s marquee community for Bicycle transportation networks boasted that
Portland built their entire bike network for the same amount of money they
could have spent on one mile of urban freeway (article attached).
Complete Streets are more cost effective than the alternative ? streets made
only for cars. In some cases, Complete Streets can even help jurisdictions save
money because maintenance of bicycle facilities (paint, signage and bicycle
parking/racks) is far cheaper than repaving and restriping a highway for
automobiles only. Accommodating bicycles and pedestrians generally involves
paint and reorganization of existing space. The largest costs are associated
with dedicated multi-use trails (of which Columbus already boast two of the
marquee facilities in the entire state of Georgia: the Fall Line Trace and the
Columbus Riverwalk. Therefore, we have already done most of the heavy lifting
by installing the most expensive types of facilities. The next leg of our
journey toward a healthier community, one that has the option of commuting to
work, traveling to major public facilities (hospitals, schools, parks), is the
integration with our existing transportation network so that more people may
begin to use alternative forms of transportation (walking, biking and transit).
Complete Streets are long-term investments in the overall health of communities
who adopt such policies by focusing on quality of life, connectedness to one
another on a human scale, as well as having the additional benefit of fostering
economic growth and vitality. Complete Streets make our city a more desirable
place to live.
Legal Considerations: None at this time.
Recommendations/ Actions Adopt the resolution in support of Complete Streets in
Columbus, GA.
A RESOLUTION
NO. _____________
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUPPORT FOR A ?COMPLETE STREETS? POLICY FOR COLUMBUS
CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT.
WHEREAS the City Council of the Columbus Consolidated Government proposes this
Resolution relating to the Georgia Department of Transportation's Complete
Streets Design Guidelines, Chapter 9, attached hereto, stating guiding
principles and practices so that transportation improvements are planned,
designed and constructed to encourage walking, bicycling and transit use while
promoting safe operations for all users; and,
WHEREAS, the full integration of all modes of travel in the design of streets
and roadways is intended to reduce traffic congestion, improve mobility, and
provide more reliable commute times; and,
WHEREAS, the Consolidated Government of Columbus, GA will implement policies
and procedures related to the construction, reconstruction or modification of
transportation facilities to support the creation of Complete Streets, wherever
it is practical to do so, while recognizing that all streets are different and
in each case, user needs must be balanced; and,
WHEREAS, the Columbus Consolidated Government has the opportunity to create and
improve transportation facilities for all users by implementing Complete
Streets principles and standards into appropriate Columbus Consolidate
Government right-of-way projects.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Columbus Consolidated Government shall plan for, design and construct
all new public transportation improvement projects to provide appropriate
accommodation for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and persons of all
abilities, while promoting safe operation for all users, as provided for in the
Georgia Department of Transportation's Complete Streets Design Policy, Section
9.
2. Except in unusual or extraordinary circumstances, Georgia DOT Complete
Streets
Design Policy Guidelines will not apply:
a. to repairs made in accordance with routine Columbus Consolidated
Government maintenance programs;
b. to ordinary maintenance activities designed to keep assets in serviceable
condition (e.g., mowing, cleaning, sweeping, spot repair and surface treatments
such as chip seal or interim measures on detour or haul routes);
3. Georgia DOT Complete Streets Design Policy may be implemented through single
projects or incrementally through a series of smaller improvements or
maintenance activities over time. It is the Mayor's and the Council's intent
that all sources of transportation funding be drawn upon to implement the GADOT
Complete Streets Design Policy Guidelines. The Mayor and CCG Council believe
that maximum financial flexibility is important to implement Complete Streets
Policies.
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held the
25th day of February 2014, and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote
of _____ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting Councilor Baker voting Councilor Barnes voting Councilor
Davis voting Councilor Henderson voting Councilor Huff voting Councilor
McDaniel voting Councilor Turner Pugh voting Councilor Thomas voting Councilor
Woodson voting
_____________________________________ ________________________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
Attachments