CR 2013-048 Adopt Legislative Policy 8-I (Complete Streets Policy)A250 -
City of Hopkins
May 21, 2013
ADOPT LEGISLATIVE POLICY 8-I
COMPLETE STREETS POLICY
Proposed Action
Council Report 2013-048
Staff recommends the following motion: "Move that Council adopt Resolution 2013-025,
Resolution Adopting Legislative Policy 8-I, Complete Streets Policy."
Overview
At its October 13, 2010 Meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution supporting a Complete
Streets Policy. This agenda item presents the legislative policy that codifies those principles. A
brief summary of the policy is below:
• All modes of transportation will be considered when designing or reconstructing streets.
o Considerations include safety, access, convenience, and comfort for all modes
• Destinations of significance such as shopping, parks, and schools will be considered
• Exemptions are in place for cost, space and feasibility reasons.
• Implementation includes updating Comp Plan, working with other agencies and
maintaining infrastructure information.
Supporting Information
■ Policy 8-I
■ Resolution 2013-025
R. Bradford, P.E.
City Engineer
Financial Impact: 0 Budgeted: Y/N N/A Source: _N/A
Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.):
Notes:
POLICY 8-I
COMPLETE STREETS POLICY
1. VISION
This Complete Streets Policy incorporates the City of Hopkins' belief that streets and
roadways should be designed and operated to be safe and accessible for all transportation
users whether they are pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders or vehicular motorists.
Transportation shall include all multi -modal users regardless of age or ability.
2. PURPOSEBENEFIT
Complete streets will create transportation corridors that are safe, functional and
aesthetically attractive for all users as supported by the following principles:
1) Safety
a) The guiding principle of Complete Streets is to provide safety for all road users.
2) Public Health
a) The City of Hopkins can promote public health and physical activity through the
constructed environment.
3) Access and Transportation Equity
a) Not all residents of the City drive a vehicle and rely on safe alternative modes of
transportation such as walking or biking.
4) Affordable Transportation Choices
a) Gas prices are constantly fluctuating and alternative modes of transportation
should be supported.
5) Economic Development
a) Walking and biking offer additional means to access businesses and encourage
economic development.
6) Environment
a) Complete Streets supports many transportation options that help lessen
dependence on oil and promote cleaner air.
7) Cost Effectiveness
a) Designing roads with all users in mind from the beginning reduces costly retrofits.
8) Quality of Life/Social Capital
a) Walkable neighborhoods increase community interaction and promote a small
town feel.
3. POLICY
A. TRANSPORTATION USERS AND NEEDS:
a. The City of Hopkins will seek to enhance the safety, access, convenience and
comfort of all users of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians (including
people requiring mobility aids), bicyclists, transit users, motorists and freight
drivers, through the design, operation and maintenance of the transportation
network so as to create a connected network of facilities accommodating each
mode of travel that is consistent with and supportive of the local community,
recognizing that all streets are different and that the needs of various users will
need to be balanced in a flexible manner.
B. COMPLETE STREETS ELEMENTS:
a. Transportation improvements will include facilities and amenities that are
recognized as contributing to Complete Streets, which may include street and
sidewalk lighting; sidewalks and pedestrian safety improvements such as median
refuges or crosswalk improvements; improvements that provide ADA (Americans
with Disabilities Act) compliant accessibility; transit accommodations including
improved pedestrian access to the Light Rail Stations; bicycle accommodations,
shared -use lanes, wide travel lanes or bike lanes as appropriate; and street trees,
boulevard landscaping, street furniture and adequate drainage facilities.
C. PLANNING AND DESIGN:
a. Early consideration of all modes for all users will be important to the success of
this Policy. Those planning and designing street projects will give due
consideration to bicyclists and pedestrians, from the very start of planning and
design work. This will apply to all roadway projects, including those involving
new construction, reconstruction, or changes in the allocation of pavement space
on an existing roadway.
b. It will be important to the success of the Complete Streets policy to ensure that
the project development process includes early consideration of the land use and
transportation context of the project, the identification of gaps or deficiencies in
the network for various user groups that could be addressed by the project, and an
assessment of the tradeoffs to balance the needs of all users. The context factors
that should be given high priority include the following:
i. Whether the corridor provides a primary access to a significant destination
such as a community or regional park or recreational area, a school, a
shopping / commercial area, or an employment center;
ii. Whether the corridor provides access across a natural or man-made barrier
such as a river or freeway;
iii. Whether the corridor is in an area where a relatively high number of users of
non -motorized transportation modes can be anticipated;
iv. Whether a road corridor provides important continuity or connectivity links
for an existing trail or path network; or
v. Whether nearby routes that provide a similar level of convenience and
connectivity already exist.
c. The design of new or reconstructed facilities should anticipate likely future
demand for bicycling and walking and should not preclude the provision of future
improvements. [For example, under most circumstances bridges (which last for 75
years or more) should be built with sufficient width for safe bicycle and
pedestrian use in anticipation of a future need for such facilities].
d. The City will generally follow accepted or adopted design standards when
implementing improvements intended to fulfill this Complete Streets policy but
will consider innovative or non-traditional design options where a comparable
level of safety for users is present.
D. POLICY EXEMPTIONS:
a. Consideration of bicyclist and pedestrian transportation users shall be included in
street construction, re -construction, re -paving, and re -habilitation projects, except
under one or more of the following conditions:
i. A project involves only ordinary maintenance activities designed to keep
assets in serviceable condition, such as mowing, cleaning, sweeping, spot
repair, concrete joint repair, or pothole filling, or when interim measures are
implemented on temporary detour or haul routes.
ii. The Public Works Director, City Engineer, and City Planner determine there
is insufficient space to safely accommodate new facilities.
iii. The Public Works Director, City Engineer, and City Planner determine there
are relatively high safety risks.
iv. The City Council exempts a project due to the excessive and disproportionate
cost of establishing a bikeway, walkway or transit enhancement as part of a
project.
v. The Public Works Director, City Engineer, and City Planner jointly determine
that the construction is not practically feasible or cost effective because of
significant or adverse environmental impacts to streams, flood plains,
remnants of native vegetation, wetlands, steep slopes or other critical areas, or
due to impacts on neighboring land uses, including impact from right of way
acquisition.
4. IMPLEMENTATION
The Complete Streets Policy will become effective upon approval of the City Council
and will be implemented through the following practices:
1. City street construction and reconstruction projects shall be reviewed at staff level by
the City Engineer, Public Works Director and City Planner to determine appropriate
level of complete street implementation. Greater attention will be made to those
projects within the Downtown and Transit Oriented Development Districts.
2. The City will work with governmental agencies such as Hennepin County and
Minnesota Department of Transportation to encourage incorporation of the City's
Complete Street policy into street and road projects under their jurisdiction.
3. Update City's Comprehensive Plan to include Complete Streets policy.
4. The City will maintain a comprehensive inventory of the pedestrian and bicycling
facility infrastructure integrated with the Capital Improvements Plan and will carry
out projects to eliminate gaps in the sidewalk and trail networks where feasible.
5. Complete Streets maybe achieved through single projects or incrementally through a
series of smaller improvements or maintenance activities over time.
6. The City will develop implementation strategies that may include evaluating and
revising manuals and practices, developing and adopting network plans, identifying
goals and targets, and tracking measures such as safety and modal shifts to gauge
success.
7. Staff will continuously educate themselves, Council and Planning Commission
members about best practices and cost-effective measures to design and construct
Complete Streets.
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 2013-025
RESOLUTION ADOPTING LEGISLATIVE POLICY 8-11
WHEREAS, the City of Hopkins adopted a resolution supporting complete streets in October
2010; and
WHEREAS, the Policy promotes equal consideration for all modes of transportation; and
WHEREAS, the Policy promotes public health and physical activity through the constructed
environment; and
WHEREAS, walking and biking offer additional means to access businesses and encourage
economic development; and
WHEREAS, designing roads with all users in mind from the start reduces costly retrofits;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hopkins hereby adopts
Legislative Policy 8-I as detailed.
Adopted this 21St day of May, 2013
Eugene J. Maxwell, Mayor
Attest:
Kris Luedke, City Clerk
HopcivihResolution.Gimberline 1