Agenda Item #2
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
04/25/2017
Agenda Report #118
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: Amendment to Resolution No. 92-14, Complete Streets Policy
INITIATED BY: Department of Planning
Recommendation: Approval is requested authorizing an amendment of resolution
92-14 which strengthens the policy and encourage walking, bicycling, transit,
and promoting safe operations for all users.
Background: In 2014, city council passed resolution 92-14, authorizing a
Complete Streets policy based on the statewide policy issued by the Georgia
Department of Transportation. This resolution made clear that Columbus would
make an effort to be inclusive of all modes of transportation including
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, persons with disabilities, and would
encourage transportation projects to consider safety and mobility. While this
has been a step in the right direction and new projects are now being designed
with other users in mind, more could be done on the policy side to ensure that
these state and national objectives are being met. Georgia Bikes and the office
of the Mayor have proposed that we look to other cities that are leading the
way in complete streets, such as Reading PA, in order to strengthen Columbus?s
Complete Streets policy and continue to promote equitable transportation. The
planning department has drafted these proposed amendments to strengthen the
policy.
Analysis: The proposed amendment calls for three major changes to the policy
that will strengthen the policy, allowing for more transparency and
accountability. Outlined here are the three proposed changes: (1) Adopt
specific engineering design guidelines for the application of bike, pedestrian,
and transit facilities; including acknowledging the role that aesthetic design
can have for encouraging safe and welcoming streets (2) Create a committee to
publicly address and make transparent the process of how CCG/GDOT decide which
roadways may be feasible for Complete Street implementation. This committee
shall abide by objective, quantifiable, criterion when evaluating a corridor
for the feasibility of a complete streets application (3) This committee shall
report a status update to the public on the state of complete streets project
implementation and other metrics that are crucial to monitoring and allowing
stakeholders to have the data and information available to them in order to
help direct public discourse.
Financial Considerations: None anticipated.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: None anticipated.
Legal Considerations: None anticipated.
Recommendations/ Actions: Approval is requested authorizing an amendment of
resolution 92-14 which strengthens the policy and encourage walking, bicycling,
transit, and promoting safe operations for all users.
A RESOLUTION
NO. _____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT OF RESOLUTION 92-14, COMPLETE STREETS
POLICY, TO STRENGTHEN THE POLICY AND ENCOURAGE WALKING, BICYCLING, TRANSIT, AND
PROMOTING SAFE OPERATIONS FOR ALL USERS.
WHEREAS, the existing Complete Streets policy is too broadly defined
and does not address specific design and aesthetic elements and does not
clarify when and how Complete Streets should be implemented; and,
WHEREAS, an amended Complete Streets policy should include specific
engineering design guidelines for the application of bike, pedestrian, and
transit facilities; including acknowledging the role that aesthetic design can
have for encouraging safe and welcoming streets; and,
WHEREAS, an amended Complete Streets policy should create a committee
to publicly address and make transparent the process of how roadways are
selected for Complete Streets implementation and this committee shall abide by
objective, quantifiable, criterion when evaluating a corridor for the
feasibility of a complete streets application; and,
WHEREAS, this committee shall release an annual update on the state of
complete streets project implementation and other metrics that are crucial to
monitoring and allowing stakeholders to have the data and information available
to for public discourse.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the Council of the Consolidated Government of Columbus hereby amends
resolution 92-14, also known as the Complete Street Policy, to include these
changes in policy:
1. Address specific design and aesthetic elements.
2. Specific engineering design guidelines for the application of bike,
pedestrian, and transit facilities; including acknowledging the role that
aesthetic design can have for encouraging safe and welcoming streets.
3. Create a committee to publicly address and make transparent the process of
how roadways are selected for Complete Streets implementation and this
committee shall abide by objective, quantifiable, criterion when evaluating a
corridor for the feasibility of a complete streets application.
4. Release an annual update on the state of complete streets project
implementation and other metrics that are crucial to monitoring and allowing
stakeholders to have reliable data available to them.
________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held the
_________ day of _____________, 2017, and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of ____________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Garrett voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
______________________________ _________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
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