Chapter 4 - West Broad Street
October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
45
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
46
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
Introduction West Broad Street is the main transportation corridor through the Hilltop and was a key focus of the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan. Previous plans within the community envisioned a “road diet� through the commercial business district. Community leaders expressed that the six-lane urban highway was detrimental to the success of local businesses. At the same time, City of Columbus policies changed in recent years to specifically encourage balanced transportation among all modes of travel. In the past, West Broad Street prioritized motorized traffic to the potential detriment of nearby residents, business owners, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Could West Broad Street be changed to improve safety for all users while enhancing the quality of life in its surrounding community? The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan conducted traffic analysis and public involvement extensively to see what changes, if any, could be feasible for West Broad Street in the Hilltop.
West Broad Street at Wheatland Avenue
Background Existing Cross-section The existing West Broad Street corridor largely consists of six 10-foot lanes for a total of 60-feet curb to curb. It includes two through lanes in each direction for the length of the corridor. The two lane section widens to three lanes in each direction just east of the railroad overpass, with parking allowed in the curb lane during non-
Figure 9:West Broad Street - Existing Cross-Section: Six lanes, off-peak parking
October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
47
peak periods, for a distance of a little over one-half mile. The roadway again narrows to two lanes approaching the Hague Avenue intersection in order to provide for leftturn lanes. The roadway widens again to three lanes in each direction with curb-lane parking just east of Hague Avenue. The third lane continues for a little over one-half mile, before being eliminated to allow for a left-turn lane into Clarendon Avenue. The corridor has sidewalks along the north and south side of the roadway, with crosswalks and pedestrian signals at signalized intersections. The existing conditions of the corridor do not include bicycle facilities. Map 13 at the end of the chapter shows an aerial of the existing West Broad Street corridor.
Existing Traffic Conditions Average Daily Traffic (ADT) numbers available from MORPC indicate that traffic on West Broad Street has fluctuated over time. In the block between Hague Avenue and Harris Avenue, the average number of cars is lower than it was almost two decades ago. The decrease in traffic corresponded to a loss of business activity to outlying areas, as well as an increase in home foreclosures and vacancies in residential neighborhoods adjacent to West Broad Street. The traffic counts over time are in Figure 10. Year 1989 1994 1996 2001 2003 2006
ADT 21,700 31,070 28,906 23,140 22,190 18,370
Figure 10:West Broad Street Average Daily Traffic (ADT) near Harris Avenue Although traffic did not grow steadily over time, the study team used a growth rate for the corridor of 0.5% per year supplied by MORPC in order to project traffic to the year 2030. The goal of the community was to increase the number of businesses along West Broad Street from present day, so traffic growth was an appropriate assumption to make. Speed data revealed that the 85th percentile speeds on West Broad Street near Terrace Avenue were 39 mph eastbound (4 mph over 35 mph posted speed limit) and 36 mph westbound (6 mph over 30 mph posted speed limit). On West Broad Street near Huron Avenue, where the posted limit is 35 mph in both directions, 85th percentile speeds were 44 mph eastbound (9 mph over posted speed limit) and 41 mph westbound (6 mph over posted speed limit). Traffic counts revealed that the peak hours for the corridor were weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Traffic analysis of existing conditions on West Broad Street indicated that six lanes were not needed to maintain automobile traffic flow, even assuming growth through 2030.
48
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
Existing Safety Issues Based upon a database of crash data from ODOT for the three-year period from 2006 to 2008, the study area section of West Broad Street experienced a crash rate substantially higher than the statewide average for similar facilities, with 562 crashes within a 1.69 mile section of roadway. The summary provided by ODOT indicated the following top-three accident types: ••
29.5% rear end
••
17.1% parked vehicle
••
16.5% angle
Regarding pedestrian crashes, during the four-year period between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008, there were 32 pedestrian-related crashes reported on West Broad Street in the study corridor. Of those 32 crashes, nine occurred at the intersection of West Broad Street and Hague Avenue. The remaining 23 crashes were spread throughout the corridor at 16 different locations; one of these locations had four crashes, one had three crashes, three had two crashes each, while the remaining had one crash each. The 27 crashes occurring during 2006 and 2007 were further analyzed by the contributing factor and the age of the pedestrian. Twelve crashes had contributing factors related to the vehicle, 12 were related to the pedestrian and three had unknown contributing factors. Five of the crashes involved a pedestrian younger than 18 years old, nineteen involved a pedestrian between the ages of 18 and 65, two involved a pedestrian older than 65 years old and one was unknown.Two of the crashes involving minors occurred at Hague Avenue.
West Broad Street near Eureka Avenue
There were 10 bicycle-related crashes that occurred on West Broad Street between 2006-2008 in the study corridor. These were spread across several locations, with the majority occurring along the Hilltop business district east of Hague Avenue. Map 14 at the end of the chapter shows pedestrian and bicycle crashes on West Broad Street between 2006-2008.
Existing Policies and Plans Existing policies and plans helped guide the development of alternatives for analysis for West Broad Street. Bicycling and Complete Streets Columbus City Council passed a resolution to express support of Complete Streets principles in 2008 to accommodate all road users in all street construction, reconstruction, and repair projects. Additionally, a major recommendation of the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, a citywide plan approved by Columbus City Council in 2008, called specifically for the creation of bike lanes on West Broad Street through a road diet. Significant text was devoted to West Broad Street in the bikeways plan, which stated, “West Broad Street, from the city boundary to downtown, forms a key corridor for bike improvements. Not only is October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
49
the west side of Columbus underserved by bike/ped facilities, there exists a six-lane cross section through this area which could be reconfigured to include bike lanes in conjunction with fewer travel lanes, center turn lanes, or medians and landscaping.” The bikeways plan also stated that “City staff should strategically pursue infrastructure projects.” It explained that if construction in conjunction with another roadway project were possible, then the City should implement bicycle projects at the same time as other scheduled road improvement projects. The bikeways plan included a collision analysis of the years 2000-2004 conducted by MORPC for the 2006 Regional Bicycle Transportation Facilities Plan. This analysis showed that the eight-mile segment of Broad Street that includes the mobility plan area had the third highest rate of bicycle crashes per linear mile in the city. Bicyclists in the Hilltop
The Columbus Metro Bike Users Map, created in 2009 by a collaboration of government and advocacy groups, indicated that West Broad Street was poor for bicycles and best used only by advanced cyclists. The category applied to West Broad Street stated, “Extreme caution should be used on these roadways. Suitable only for bicyclists with advanced skills”. Parking Apart from bicycle considerations on West Broad Street, parking issues east of Hague Avenue have been well documented in previous plans. In 1994, the Hilltop I&II Reinvestment Area Report and Action Plan called for shared parking among neighboring businesses. It stated, “Hilltop Business Association and neighborhood CDCs working jointly could encourage businesses to share parking spaces and/or create policy relating to common parking lots.” In 1999, an Urban Commercial Overlay (UCO) was established on West Broad Street between Hague Avenue and Highland Avenue. The UCO was a new zoning overlay that aimed to protect and re-establish the unique architectural characteristics of older, urban commercial corridors while encouraging pedestrian-oriented design. West Broad Street in the Hilltop was one of several areas where the UCO was applied throughout the city. After the establishment of the UCO, the Greater Hilltop Area Commission created a Parking Committee Report in 2000 that made recommendations later included in the West Broad Street Economic Development Strategy (2005). The West Broad Street Economic Development Strategy addressed several parking issues and stated: ••
“Restore on-street parking between Highland and Clarendon avenues.”
••
“24-Hour Parking - Permit on-street parking along West Broad Street at all times. The hours of on-street parking between Hague and Clarendon avenues should be expanded to all hours of the day, including peak traffic periods in the morning and evening. In order for this recommendation to be effective, business owners must restrict the use of parking in front of their establishments to patrons only.”
••
“Off Street Parking - Allow parking two lots deep north or south of existing alleyways for developments that strictly adhere to the commercial overlay district requirements. However, do not allow alleyway to be vacated for
Off-street parking lot along West Broad Street
50
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
parking or development.” It adds that pass-through walkways and landscaping should be included in development plans. ••
“Public Parking Access - Support continued access to parking lots improved with public funds. Several years ago, public funds were used to improve parking lots located behind the buildings on the south side of the street between Oakley and Wayne avenues and the lot immediately east of the Hilltop Lutheran Church. In exchange for the public funds, the property owners were required to use the lots for general public parking. The lease agreements outlining the conditions have expired. It is recommended that the city of Columbus explore shared used agreements with the current landowners to allow the lots to be used for general parking. Once this is established, signs prominently noting the lots are for general use should be installed.”
••
“Public Parking - Seek financial assistance to promote improvement of existing parking facilities. Noticeable along the eastern edge of the West Broad Street business district is the absence of improved parking facilities that are visible from the street.” It adds that private parking should be made public on the southwest corner of Wheatland Avenue and West Broad Street, and signage should be installed to alert customers of public parking areas.
••
“Parking Meters - Consider the use of parking meters only after demand increases. At this early stage of redevelopment, the installation of parking meters is not warranted.”
Parking lot between Wayne and Oakley along West Broad Street
Following the West Broad Street Economic Development Strategy, the Highland West Visioning Charrette was created in 2006, showing on-street parking and curb extensions on both sides of West Broad Street between Highland Avenue and Terrace Avenue. Across several previous plans, a point of contention was lack of parking on the south side of West Broad Street between Clarendon Avenue and Highland Avenue. Many small businesses lost their parking when the ODOT/ODPS buildings were constructed and West Broad Street was realigned in that area. A school behind those businesses between Clarendon and Highland restricts the businesses’ ability to increase parking behind their buildings. Greater Hilltop Plan
Buildings along West Broad Street
Of the documents described above, the West Broad Street Economic Development Strategy and the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan were adopted by Columbus City Council. The economic development document called for parking on both sides of West Broad Street, while the bikeways plan called for bike lanes on West Broad Street. A final document, created in 2001 with Hilltop leaders and also adopted by City Council, was the Greater Hilltop Plan. This plan mentioned both parking and bicycle facilities on West Broad Street. It stated, “Investigate the feasibility of establishing a bicycle right-of-way on West Broad Street, connecting the Hilltop to downtown.” At the same time, it stated, “Allow on-street parking along both sides of West Broad Street.” As these previous plans show, dual desires existed for parking and bicycling enhancements on West Broad Street. As a result, on-street parking, bicycle facilities, October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
51
and traffic flow were key considerations on West Broad Street early on in the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan process.
Initial Public Input During a monthlong period in January and February 2009, the study team collected comments from over 700 people in the Hilltop. As previously discussed, the initial public involvement appeared to support the goals of the mobility plan and City of Columbus policies that embraced all modes of transportation. Community members desired better infrastructure for bicycling and walking. The top specific location where respondents requested bicycling improvements was West Broad Street. Respondents stated that they desired to be able to ride their bicycles safely to downtown for commuting to work. Some respondents also wanted to be able to ride to the Olentangy Multi-Use Trail and to other destinations around downtown for recreational purposes. During public input, Hilltop residents shared stories of harrowing attempts to ride their bikes downtown, especially when gas prices rose in 2008. Stories of injuries from automobiles and harassment from drivers kept riders from attempting bicycling downtown again. Public involvement in the Hilltop
Given the documented desires of Hilltop leaders in the past, which called for full-time parking on both sides of West Broad Street, the survey also asked the Hilltop public about parking issues. Respondents provided mixed support for parking on West Broad Street, in contrast to strong support for bicycling. Many residents’ feelings about the businesses on West Broad Street could be aptly summarized by a quote from a planning document fifteen years ago. In 1994, the Hilltop I&II Reinvestment Area Report & Action Plan described, “There are too many undesirable businesses in the neighborhood, such as pawn shops, adult bookstores, and bars, and the community feels a lack of control over the situation.” Many residents, when asked about parking for businesses during the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan, stated that there were few or no businesses on West Broad Street where they would shop. Many residents indicated that they did not view the existing business corridor as an asset to the community, so they did not feel additional on-street parking was an important issue. However, many respondents felt differently and saw the addition of full-time on-street parking as a good benefit to businesses. While initial public involvement provided an overview of transportation desires for West Broad Street, the study team planned to go back to the public after specific alternatives were created.
Bicycle Infrastructure Review Bike lanes do not prohibit any cyclist from riding in mixed traffic in the roadway. But a lack of bicycle infrastructure too often favors a small group of high-speed, well-trained cyclists. There are those that believe bike lanes and similar facilities are detrimental to bicyclists, and argue that education is the key to increasing the safety and number of bicyclists on the road. The City of Columbus acknowledges that education is a key component as the amount of bicycle infrastructure increases throughout the city. But 52
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
data shows that education alone is not enough, and bicycle infrastructure matters. When the amount of bicycle infrastructure increases, the number of bicyclists increases. As more people ride bicycles, it becomes safer to ride a bicycle1. Bike lanes are more effective at creating more bicyclists than other on-street bike facilities such as sharrows and wide curb lanes. In Portland, Oregon, bikeway miles, the majority of which are bike lanes, increased by 337% between 1991 and 2006. During that same time, daily cyclists increased by 422%, an increase of thousands of bicyclists. Although the number of bicyclists in Portland has greatly increased, in 2008 the city experienced its fifth year in the past decade with zero bicycle fatalities2. As more people ride bicycles, it becomes safer to travel by any mode. Portland officials note: “The Netherlands had a 50% increase in miles driven and a 50% increase in miles bicycled between 1980 and 2005. However, in 2005, 2.5 times fewer people died in traffic crashes while either driving or riding a bicycle.” In Portland, safety of all modes has increased since traffic calming, bicycling, and other alternative transportation modes have increased in prevalence and use. Fewer people died on Portland’s roads in 2008 than at any other time in the city’s history since records began in 19253.
West Broad Street near Brinker Avenue
Davis, California is generally recognized as having the most elaborate system of cycling facilities of any city in the United States. It also has the highest bicycling modal share of 22% and a very low fatality and accident rate4. Davis has a fatality rate 15 times lower than nationally and 3 to 10 times lower than comparably-sized California cities5. A study of bicyclist behavior using GPS devices found that when bicyclists were riding for utilitarian purposes, they rode mainly on facilities with bicycle infrastructure6. The League of American Bicyclists endorses bike lanes because: bike lanes encourage bicycle use; bike lanes improve cyclist and motorist predictability; and bike lanes encourage safer bicycling behavior of riding in the street with the flow of traffic7. Federal Highway Administration reports note that surveys show that bicyclists’ stated preference is for bike lanes over wide curb lanes due to increased comfort8 9. Bike lanes are recommended where adequate width exists because bike lanes are more likely to increase the amount of bicycling than wide curb lanes. An FHWA study of bike lanes versus wide curb lanes found: wrong-way riding was significantly lower on 1 http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/9/3/205.abstract (7/29/09) 2 http://www.apbp.org/resource/resmgr/publications/portland_fatalities.pdf (8/20/09) 3 Ibid. 4 http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/CyclingSafetyOnBikewaysVsRoads_ TQ2000.pdf (7/29/09) 5 http://www.apbp.org/resource/resmgr/publications/portland_fatalities.pdf (8/20/09) 6 http://www.otrec.us/project/33 (8/20/09) 7 http://www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/Images/smart_cycling_and_bike_ lanes.pdf, (11/03/09) 8 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tfhrc/safety/pubs/99034/99034.pdf (8/14/09) 9 http://www.cambridgema.gov/~CDD/et/bike/bike_safety.html (7/29/09) October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
53
the streets with bike lanes; in approaching intersections, 15% of cyclists on streets without bike lanes rode on the sidewalks, vs. 3% on the streets with bike lanes. Research shows that without infrastructure such as bike lanes, most people simply do not bike on existing roads because of their perception of danger from cars.
Summary of Needs Based upon existing plans and policies, mobility plan goals, existing conditions, and public input, alternatives for West Broad Street aimed to:
West Broad Street near Wayne Avenue
••
Accommodate all modes (vehicles, transit, bicycle, pedestrian)
••
Maintain adequate traffic flow
••
Improve safety for all users
••
Provide adequate bicycle facilities
••
Provide adequate on-street parking
Alternatives Considered West Broad Street Study Area Western Terminus The boundaries of the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan followed those of the Greater Hilltop Area Commission and included West Broad Street between I-270 and I-70. However, the mobility plan study team did not spend resources analyzing West Broad Street west of Wilson Road for several reasons: ••
City of Columbus loses jurisdiction over West Broad Street west of the railroad tracks near Wilson Road. Between Wilson Road and I-270, West Broad Street lies within Franklin Township. Additionally, ODOT completed a study of the I-270/Broad Street interchange and associated intersections, including Georgesville Road and Wilson Road. The ODOT project will provide capacity improvements and sidewalks west of Wilson Road when that project is implemented.
••
That section of West Broad Street is also being analyzed separately by the Ohio Department of Transportation to include bike lanes in accordance with the Columbus Bicentennial Bikeways Plan.
For these reasons, the focus for the mobility plan was on the older commercial area of West Broad Street east of Wilson Road within City of Columbus boundaries. Any changes made as part of the mobility plan will not have a negative traffic impact on 54
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
Wilson Road or areas west because the railroad underpass east of Wilson Road already reduces West Broad Street from six lanes to four. The railroad overpass immediately east of Wilson Road provides a serious design challenge for accommodating bicyclists. Excess pavement does not exist to provide bike lanes, and the slope of the roadway creates a potentially dangerous situation in which bicyclists could be traveling at speeds much lower than automobiles. Sidewalks exist under the railroad overpass, so the safest and easiest treatment for bicyclists in the near-term is to dismount and walk on the sidewalks underneath the railroad tracks. Share the Road signs will also be present. Bike lanes analyzed during the mobility plan terminate at Southampton Avenue prior to the railroad overpass. Eastern Terminus The easternmost terminus for changes to West Broad Street was Lechner Avenue, which is the signalized intersection prior to the I-70 interchange. Hague Avenue Division Hague Avenue is the only arterial road that bisects West Broad Street between I-70 and the railroad tracks near Wilson Road. All other cross streets in that section of West Broad Street are local roads. East of Hague Avenue, development includes pedestrianoriented commercial buildings with parking lots adjacent or behind stores. West of Hague Avenue, development includes more off-street parking lots and automobileoriented buildings. On-street parking is a larger issue east of Hague Avenue than west of Hague Avenue. The different nature of these sections of West Broad Street caused the study team to separate alternatives between “East of Hague” and “West of Hague”. Alternatives were not exclusive, though, with some options being the same both east and west of Hague Avenue.
Preliminary Traffic Analysis In order to determine feasible alternatives for the focus area of West Broad Street with regarding to vehicle operations, traffic analyses were performed to analyze the existing and future conditions with various configurations of travel lanes. The results of these analyses were used to determine the minimum number of travel lanes needed within the corridor, such that the remaining width could be allocated to other modes or uses. In order to analyze traffic operations, the study team used turning movement counts taken by City of Columbus staff in 2006 and taken by TranSystems in 2008-2009. The study team also created intersection inventories of items such as traffic control devices, lane width and configuration, and signal phasing and timing. Analyses were conducted in HCS, Synchro, and VISSIM. Level of Service (LOS) was analyzed in HCS for signalized intersections and Synchro for unsignalized intersections. VISSIM provided a macroscopic view of corridor traffic flow.
West Broad Street at Wheatland Avenue
Based upon the projected traffic volumes, the project team evaluated the following initial alternatives: ••
Existing condition, which varies from two to three lanes in each direction
October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
55
••
Four-Lane Alternative, which would involve two lanes in each direction
The limits of the analysis were the railroad tracks near Wilson Road to the west and Whitethorne Avenue to the east. The study team also analyzed several representative intersections throughout the study corridor, including Westgate Avenue, Hague Avenue, Eureka Avenue, Wheatland Avenue, Clarendon Avenue, and Whitethorne Avenue. Other intersections that were not analyzed were assumed to operate similarly to the analyzed intersections for the purposes of this evaluation.
West Broad Street near Terrace Avenue
The results of the analyses are given in “Level of Service” and are shown in the memorandums in Appendix D. Level of Service (LOS) is a qualitative measure describing operational conditions within a traffic stream, based on service measures such as speed and travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort and convenience. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), published by the Transportation Research Board, is the standard for determining operational analysis with LOS determinations. There are a total of six levels of service that represent the possible operating conditions; these levels range from LOS A representing optimum operation, to LOS F representing congested or unstable flow. Each LOS is represented by a range of delay values for interrupted flow conditions at intersections. Typically, LOS C is the goal for freeways and arterials within urban and urbanized areas, but LOS D is permissible with the approval of the local planning organization. Based upon the analyses, the existing condition operates at LOS D or better in most locations within the focus area. The only analyzed location that does not have an acceptable level of service in the current condition is the intersection of West Broad Street with Hague Avenue, where West Broad Street is two lanes in each direction with left-turn lanes and Hague Avenue has high volumes without adequate turn lanes. If the corridor is reduced to two lanes in each direction throughout, the intersections continue to operation at LOS D or better, with the exception of the Hague intersection that would be unchanged. Based upon these findings, the project team developed several potential alternatives for West Broad Street based upon two travel lanes in each direction.
Comparison of Alternatives In order to not impact private property or sidewalks along West Broad Street, all alternatives considered for evaluation were developed within the existing 60 feet of roadway. The following pages summarize the alternatives. Aerial views of each alternative are available on Maps 15-25 at the end of the chapter.
56
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
Alternatives East of Hague Avenue East of Hague Alt 1: ••
Four lanes; full-time parallel parking both sides; no bike lanes
••
This option provides full-time striped parallel parking (not restricted during peak hours) to both sides of the street, but bike lanes are not included due to insufficient street width. This provided maximum on-street parking but did not conform to the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan or address bicycling desires of community identified during public input.
••
This alternative potentially increased safety over the existing condition to pedestrians and vehicles due to slower vehicle speeds and fewer lanes.
Figure 11: East of Hague - Alternative 1: two lanes each direction, full-time parking both sides
October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
57
East of Hague Alt 2: ••
Four lanes; full-time parallel parking one side (alternating); bike lanes both sides
••
This option provided bike lanes, with parking on one side of the road at a time. The alternating onstreet parking provided a traffic calming effect by reducing drivers’ desire to speed in a straight path down the road. It addressed bicycling desires of the community, conformed to the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, and embraced Columbus’ complete streets philosophy. However, maximum onstreet parking would not be provided.
••
This alternative potentially increased safety over the existing condition to pedestrians, vehicles, and bicyclists due to slower vehicle speeds, fewer lanes, and bike lanes.
Figure 12: East of Hague - Alternative 2: two lanes each direction, full-time parking one side (alternating), bike lanes 58
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
Alternatives West of Hague Avenue West of Hague Alt 1: ••
Five lanes; no parking; bike lanes both sides
••
Since on-street parking was not strongly desired in this area, this option provided bike lanes while only removing one travel lane. Therefore on-street parking would not be provided. It addressed bicycling desires of the community, conformed to the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, and embraced Columbus’ complete streets philosophy.
••
This alternative potentially increased safety over the existing condition to pedestrians, vehicles, and bicyclists due to the center turn lane, fewer lanes, and bike lanes.
Figure 13: West of Hague - Alternative 1: two lanes each direction, two-way center turn lane, no parking, bike lanes October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
59
West of Hague Alt 2: ••
Four lanes; full-time parallel parking one side (alternating); bike lanes both sides
••
This option was the same as East of Hague Alt 2. It provided bike lanes, with parking on one side of the road at a time. The alternating on-street parking provided a traffic calming effect by reducing drivers’ desire to speed in a straight path down the road. It addressed bicycling desires of the community, conformed to the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, and embraced Columbus’ complete streets philosophy.
••
This alternative potentially increased safety over the existing condition to pedestrians, vehicles, and bicyclists due to slower vehicle speeds, fewer lanes, and bike lanes.
Figure 14: West of Hague - Alternative 2: two lanes each direction, full-time parking one side (alternating), bike lanes 60
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
West of Hague Alt 3: ••
Four lanes; no parking; bike lanes both sides with striped buffer; colored bike lanes through intersections
••
This four-lane option with no parking would use extra space in the roadway to add an additional buffer between bike lanes and automobile traffic. This option would have up to 10 feet of space on each side of the road for bicycles, much larger than the standard 5-6 feet. This additional space would provide added comfort to bicyclists. The 10 feet of space would also give COTA buses enough room to pull off at stops entirely outside of the automobile travel lanes. Since the buffer could potentially increase conflicts at intersections between bicyclists and vehicles, colored bike lanes were added at intersections to provide additional safety to bicyclists.
••
This option addressed bicycling desires of the community, conformed to the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, and embraced Columbus’ complete streets philosophy.
••
This alternative potentially increased safety over the existing condition to pedestrians, vehicles, and bicyclists due to slower vehicle speeds, fewer lanes, and enhanced bike lanes.
Figure 15:West of Hague - Alternative 3: two lanes each direction, no parking, bike lanes with striped buffer October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
61
Other Alternatives Considered and Dismissed Prior to moving the previously described alternatives forward for analysis, other options were discussed. The study team wanted to consider a variety of alternatives that could possibly meet the needs for the corridor, while limiting additional analyses to those that were the most viable. ••
••
Five Lanes East of Hague: ••
This option would add bike lanes by removing one travel lane and removing on-street parking on both sides of the street. Given the nature of adjacent buildings and community desires east of Hague, parking removal from both sides was not feasible so this option was not considered for analysis.
••
Alternatively, a five lane option could include wide outside lanes instead of bike lanes. During peak hours, the wide outside lanes could be shared between traveling cars and bicycles. During off-peak hours, the outside lane could be shared between bicycles and parked cars. Peak hour parking would not be provided. After initial consideration, this option was not moved forward because full-time parking and a non-shifting bike facility would provide increased benefits.
Three Lane Alternatives: ••
A three-lane alternative (one through lane in each direction and a twoway center turn lane) could provide full-time parallel parking and bike lanes on both sides of the street. This alternative was dropped due to a three-lane option not being feasible for traffic flow.
••
Another three-lane option that was discussed included angled parking on one side of the road, with no parking on the other side of the road. This option would be able to include bike lanes on both sides of the street. If three lanes were discovered to be able to accommodate traffic flow, this option could be further evaluated versus the option with parallel parking on both sides. This alternative was dropped due to a three-lane option not being feasible for traffic flow.
••
A final three-lane alternative discussed was a bidirectional bike lane on one side of the street with a barrier separating it from traffic. Issues of drainage and maintenance of debris removal contributed to this option not being carried forward. A bidirectional bike lane could have had additional design and construction costs, followed by higher maintenance costs, than more traditional bike lane treatments. In addition to these issues, this alternative was dropped due to a three-lane option not being feasible for traffic flow.
Public Input On West Broad Street Alternatives During a monthlong period in August and September 2009, the study team presented West Broad Street alternatives for public comment (see the Public Involvement Process chapter for information on the process for obtaining input). By showing the 62
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
public drawings and images of what potential changes would look like, the study team was able to obtain opinions about specific alternatives. Over 200 people in the Hilltop provided comments. Regardless of whether parking or bicycle facilities were included, respondents overwhelmingly supported the general concept of a road diet on West Broad Street. Figure 16 shows that 79% of respondents supported reducing the number of lanes for traffic flow. This indicated that Hilltop residents generally acknowledged that West Broad Street was underutilized and fewer lanes would be beneficial.
Figure 16: Responses Regarding Road Diet on West Broad Street When asked about the specifics of a road diet, respondents indicated that they overwhelmingly preferred bike lanes and one-sided parking on West Broad Street east of Hague Avenue.
Figure 17: Responses Regarding West Broad Street Alternatives East of Hague Avenue Figure 17 shows that only 14% of respondents supported on-street parallel parking on both sides of the street, to the exclusion of bike lanes. 86% preferred the option with bike lanes east of Hague. October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
63
West of Hague Avenue, respondents also chose a combination of bike lanes and parallel parking as the preferred alternative. Figure 18 shows that 48% supported parking on one side of the street with bike lanes on both sides. Many respondents noted that the area on the south side of West Broad Street between Westgate Avenue and Brinker Avenue required on-street parking for the businesses in that section. Many respondents liked the colored bike lanes presented in Alt 3.
Figure 18: Responses Regarding West Broad Street Alternatives West of Hague Avenue The results for West of Hague could be viewed in a couple of ways. 51% chose alternatives that provided no on-street parking, which confirms that many respondents acknowledge that off-street parking is generally available west of Hague. 77% chose alternatives with four lanes instead of five lanes. This confirms that most respondents acknowledge that the roadway is underutilized and could benefit by removing more than a single lane. The public input on potential solutions appeared to confirm the initial public input obtained at the beginning of the planning process. Hilltop community members are in favor of balanced transportation infrastructure that embraces all users of West Broad Street.
ODOT Coordination and Revised Alternative During the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan, it became apparent that implementation of changes on West Broad Street east of Hague Avenue might be able to be incorporated into a previously scheduled resurfacing project in 2010 through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). The resurfacing project extends from Hague Avenue to the west, through the I-70 interchange, to Central Avenue to the east. This fortunate timing of separate projects could allow for efficient implementation of improvements while maximizing financial resources. The coordinated resurfacing/restriping project would be paid by 80% federal money and 20% local city funds. Public input led the study team to initially recommend East of Hague Alt 2. As coordination with ODOT increased, the East of Hague Alt 2 alignment was further studied and refined. The consultant, City of Columbus, and ODOT collected additional 64
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
traffic data. Based upon accident history on West Broad Street, ODOT preferred that a center two-way left-turn lane be provided. ODOT analyzed a three-lane alternative with a center turn lane and a five-lane alternative with a center turn lane. Their analyses indicated that the five lane option would function acceptably; however, this option would inhibit the ability to provide both on-street parking and bike lanes. The three-lane option was found to operate acceptably in the eastbound direction, but not westbound due to the greater volumes in the p.m. peak period. This option would allow for bike lanes and parking, but would not address vehicular needs. Therefore, ODOT suggested an asymmetric alternative, with two westbound lanes, one east bound lane, and a center turn lane. This option fit within the footprint of the four-lane options originally considered and was carried forward for consideration. See the memo dated October 14, 2009 in Appendix D that describes the additional traffic analysis. The initial bike lane alternative, East of Hague Alt 2, was refined to become East of Hague Alt 2A. This alternative is summarized on the following page, and an aerial view is available on Maps 26-27 at the end of the chapter.
October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
65
East of Hague Alt 2A: ••
Asymmetric four-lane alternative with full-time parking on south side and bike lanes both sides
••
This option accommodated traffic flow with two westbound lanes, one eastbound lane, and a twoway center turn lane. The center turn lane increased safety, while the south side parking allowed transit buses to not impede traffic.
••
This alternative placed the one-sided parking all on the south side of the street, rather than alternating between north and south sides. A benefit of providing parking on the south side arose from the fact that this alternative had two westbound travel lanes, but only one eastbound travel lane. Buses would have sufficient room to pull over outside of the travel lane at bus stops (where parking is always restricted), traffic flow would be maintained in the single eastbound travel lane, and sufficient room would exist in the road for bike lanes in both directions. If parking did not exist on the south side in this alternative, stopped buses would impede traffic flow in the single eastbound lane.
••
This alternative potentially increased safety over the existing condition to pedestrians, vehicles, and bicyclists due to slower vehicle speeds, fewer lanes, and bike lanes.
Figure 19: East of Hague - Alternative 2A: Parking South Side with Bike Lanes, one eastbound lane, two westbound lanes, two-way center turn lane 66
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
Recommendation West Broad Street - East of Hague Recommendation The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan recommends East of Hague-Alt 2A: Parking South Side with Bike Lanes. This alternative would reduce the six lanes on West Broad Street to four lanes between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue. The changed roadway would include full-time parallel parking on the south side, one eastbound lane, center two-way left turn lane, two westbound lanes, and bike lanes on both sides of the street. The recommendation for West Broad Street-East of Hague can be viewed on Maps 26-27 at the end of the chapter. Benefits of recommendation The recommended alternative for Parking South Side with bike lanes has several benefits over the existing condition. Many benefits were similar regardless of whether the Parking South Side alternative or parking on both sides were implemented: ••
The changed roadway will maintain automobile traffic flow while providing improvements to the corridor.
••
Pedestrian safety will likely be improved by having fewer lanes of traffic to cross. On-street parking and bike lanes both provide a buffer between the sidewalk and traffic, enhancing comfort for pedestrians.
••
Reducing the number of automobile travel lanes will likely decrease speeding, thereby increasing safety for all users of the roadway.
••
On-street parking will be striped for full-time use, rather than the existing restricted parking. Striped parking likely sends a stronger signal to customers that parking is available without having to check signs for restrictions. Striped parking enhances safety because the road is clearly divided between travel lanes and parking lane, thereby reducing confusion that can lead to crashes.
••
On-street parking on the south side of West Broad Street will include the block between Highland Avenue and Clarendon Avenue. This fulfills a longstanding desire of the Greater Hilltop Area Commission that supports local businesses in that block. A school behind those businesses restricts the businesses’ ability to increase parking behind their buildings.
There are many reasons why the Parking South Side with bike lanes alternative is recommended rather than the alternative with parking on both sides and no bike lanes: ••
••
The area of West Broad Street east of Hague Avenue had a high number of vehicle crashes. The center two-way left turn lane will provide a refuge for turning vehicles, remove turning vehicles from the traffic stream, and add a buffer between eastbound and westbound traffic. The two-way left turn lane will provide greater vehicle access to businesses and parking lots for customers. The loss in on-street parking in the business district will be minimal, and other
October 2010
Parking lot east of Hilltop Lutheran Church adjacent to West Broad Street near Eureka Avenue that is underutilized during weekdays.
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
67
strategies exist to accommodate parking needs besides on-street parking (see parking discussion below).
New health center opened in 2009 along West Broad Street
Examples of bike racks that can be installed free of charge at a business’s request
68
••
Bike lanes on West Broad Street were desired by a majority of Hilltop residents, which became clear during extensive public input for the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan.
••
A major recommendation of the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, a citywide plan approved by Columbus City Council in 2008, called specifically for the creation of bike lanes on West Broad Street. Columbus City Council also passed a resolution to express support of Complete Streets principles in 2008 to accommodate all road users including bicyclists in all street construction, reconstruction, and repair projects.
••
The goals of the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan include balancing the transportation system to accommodate all users of the road, including bicyclists.
••
More bicyclists can be accommodated in less roadway space than a similar number of drivers, allowing for an efficient use of pavement and the potential to reduce congestion.
••
Bicyclists, like drivers, want to travel the shortest route possible, and West Broad Street provides the most direct route to downtown Columbus. The trip of about three miles between the Hilltop and downtown is a relatively easy distance to ride a bicycle. National data shows that nearly 50% of all trips in metropolitan areas are three miles or less.
••
The bike lanes on West Broad Street in the Hilltop provide an initial segment of a future corridor of continuous bike lanes on West Broad Street further to the east and west. The Bicentennial Bikeways Plan calls for bike lanes on the entire length of Broad Street throughout Columbus in addition to bicycling improvements to other areas throughout the Hilltop. See Map 28 at the end of the chapter to view bicycle connections in progress around the West Broad Street area.
••
Sidewalk riding by bicyclists, witnessed during field visits to West Broad Street, is dangerous to bicyclists because they are not visible to cars when vehicles pull out of driveways or side streets. The high speeds of bicyclists do not allow sufficient reaction time to avoid such conflicts. Sidewalk riding bicyclists are also a danger to pedestrians. Installing bike lanes on West Broad Street will reduce the prevalence of sidewalk riding, thus increasing safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.
••
More bicyclists on the road will lead to more acceptance among motorists of the regular presence of bicycles. Bike lanes on high visibility arterials like West Broad Street are self-advertising and are important in creating the cultural shift in which motorists increasingly accept bicyclists on the road. Bike facilities on side streets such as bike boulevards are a key recommendation in the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan, but those facilities are in addition to bike facilities on arterials such as West Broad Street.
••
Bike lanes on West Broad Street will increase the livability of the Hilltop. Bike
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
lanes will contribute to a distinct, vibrant community on the west side of Columbus. The alternative Parking South Side with Bike Lanes best meets the needs of the corridor and balances competing interests of parking and bicycling. Additional consideration of parking issues follows below. Parking Issues Parking issues were analyzed between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue to obtain a general determination of parking usage and capacity along the corridor. Field visits and aerial photography suggested that there were currently approximately 31 unrestricted on-street parking spaces on the south side and approximately 54 restricted parking spaces on the north side, for an estimated total of 85 on-street parking spaces. The unrestricted spaces could be parked in at any time because there were no signs restricting parking in those areas. The restricted spaces had signs stating “No stopping 4-6 pm� and other restrictions. The Parking South Side alternative will increase full-time on-street parking from approximately 31 spaces to approximately 70 spaces. No existing unrestricted parking will be removed. The overall loss in on-street parking between Harris and Clarendon from the existing condition is estimated to be approximately 15 spaces. This is a result of the fact that currently the south side has no parking in some areas that will gain parking under the recommended alternative.
Parking lot east of Hilltop Lutheran Church adjacent to West Broad Street near Eureka Avenue. Several signs state unnecessary and inefficient restrictions on parking in this underutilized lot.
Some community members voiced concern that a loss of off-peak parking on the north side of West Broad Street would restrict the ability of deliveries to be made to north side businesses. Columbus City Code says stopping on bike lanes for loading/ unloading passengers & freight is legal. Therefore, deliveries from FedEx or UPS will not be impeded by the bike lanes. The majority of businesses along the affected corridor between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue have off-street parking on their property and do not rely on onstreet parking. Changes implemented on West Broad Street will not remove any offstreet parking spaces. It is estimated that there are well over 600 off-street parking spaces for customers and visitors to the Hilltop between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue. Off-street parking is currently underutilized throughout the West Broad Street corridor. Business leaders suggested that the blocks between Eureka Avenue and Wheatland Avenue were the most in need of on-street parking because sufficient off-street parking did not exist. However, a surface parking area north of West Broad Street between Wayne Avenue and Oakley Avenue is owned by the owner of that block of buildings. That lot is for the shared use of those businesses on the north side of West Broad Street between Wayne and Oakley. It is currently underutilized and not well advertised from West Broad Street. According to the West Broad Street Economic Development Strategy, adopted by City Council in 2005, “public funds were used to improve parking lots located behind the buildings on the south side of the street between Oakley and Wayne avenues and the lot immediately east of the Hilltop Lutheran Church. In exchange for the public funds, the property owners were required to use the lots for general public parking. October 2010
Parking lot between Wayne Avenue and Oakley Avenue has appropriate sign restrictions: 2 hour parking ensures turnover for customers, and overnight restrictions allow abandoned cars to be towed nightly.
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
69
The lease agreements outlining the conditions have expired. It is recommended that the city of Columbus explore shared used agreements with the current landowners to allow the lots to be used for general parking. Once this is established, signs prominently noting the lots are for general use should be installed.� Although the terms of the lease may have expired, the owner of the parking lot on the south side of West Broad between Wayne and Oakley allows it for public use and does not tow cars for parking there, according to a local real estate agent. The lot can hold over 30 cars and includes lighting. Some lights need new bulbs but the pavement and landscaping are in good condition. The lot is currently vacant at all times of day and not well advertised from West Broad Street. Wayfinding signage should be placed along West Broad Street and in front of stores that point visitors to the lot, as has been done in other successful commercial districts around the city. For customers crossing West Broad Street to north side businesses, crossing is particularly easy in this location. Signalized intersections and crosswalks exist at both Eureka Avenue and Oakley Avenue, just two blocks apart. The other lot mentioned in the 2005 document above includes unnecessary barriers to efficient usage and is underutilized. The lot east of Hilltop Lutheran Church fronts onto West Broad Street, with an aesthetically pleasing fence and landscaping with a pedestrian pass-through to the street. This lot is near Eureka Avenue and ideal as a public parking lot during weekdays for nearby businesses. The lot contains several signs restricting parking to church patrons only. Shared parking agreements could be created that allow this parking lot to be used for church patrons only on Sundays
Parking lot between Wayne Avenue and Oakley Avenue behind storefronts on the south side of West Broad Street that is vacant weekday mornings, afternoons, and evenings. 70
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
and for church events, but allow business customers to park at all other times of the week. Shared parking agreements between institutions can be established in order for this stretch of West Broad Street to realize its full parking potential. Unnecessary sign restrictions should come down and a new system of shared parking should take its place. Parking demand differs across time of day and day of week depending on the business or institution. In addition to the parking lot between Wayne and Oakley that is already available for public use, potential shared parking opportunities include Hillcrest Baptist Church (north side between Terrace and Eldon), St John Lutheran Church (SW of Harris), Hilltop Lutheran Church (south side between Terrace and Eureka), St Aloysius Church (SE of Clarendon), and Westside Health Center (NE of Wheatland). These suggestions are not comprehensive and additional opportunities may exist. A good way to facilitate shared parking arrangements might be through the Greater Hilltop Area Commission or the Hilltop Business Association. Those organizations might be able to convince the different neighbors along West Broad Street that it’s in the business corridor’s interest to share off-street parking.
Examples of public parking wayfinding signs
Without shared parking agreements or before they are in place, parking for existing businesses will still be readily available immediately after the Parking South Side alternative is implemented. Experience over the mobility planning process has shown that weekday parking throughout the day on the north side of West Broad Street is generally confined to the two blocks between Oakley Avenue and Eureka Avenue. Generally, zero to two cars are parked on the north side elsewhere between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue. Between Oakley Avenue and Eureka Avenue, four to seven cars are parked on the north side of the street on weekdays. Map 29 at the end of the chapter shows that parking for those cars will be available in a number of locations either using on-street parking on the south side of West Broad Street or on side streets in the initial block before residences begin. If the Parking South Side alternative is implemented, there will be minimal impact on existing parking for businesses, based on current utilization. Future parking to accommodate business growth along the corridor can be improved with effective use of off-street parking and increased wayfinding signage.
West Broad Street - West of Hague Recommendation After preliminary traffic analysis and public input, the study team recommends West of Hague - Alt 2, which included four travel lanes, full-time parallel parking alternating on one side of the street, and bike lanes on both sides. This option received the greatest support from the public. The recommendation for West Broad Street-West of Hague can be viewed on Maps 22-23 at the end of the chapter. Prior to implementation of changes, it is likely that additional detailed traffic analysis will need to be conducted on West Broad Street west of Hague to supplement the preliminary traffic analysis from the mobility plan. Additional analysis could further refine the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan recommendation for West Broad Street west of Hague, including issues such as exact locations of turn lanes and on-street October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
71
parking. If existing turn lanes are found to be necessary after additional analysis, then they should remain between Powell Avenue and Chase Avenue as well as between Sylvan Avenue and Southampton Avenue. Abundant off-street parking exists in these blocks, so bike lanes and turn lanes can be accommodated, similar to what is shown in West of Hague-Alt 1 in those sections. A road diet with bike lanes, on-street parking on the south side between Brinker and Westgate and in other locations, and fewer travel lanes should remain the key elements of the implemented roadway west of Hague. The western terminus of the proposed bike lanes is Southampton Avenue, which is the final signalized intersection before West Broad Street reduces to four lanes under the railroad tracks. Southampton provides safe crosswalks across West Broad Street for bicyclists who want to travel into the Westgate neighborhood. Southampton also provides direct access to Westgate Park a few blocks south of West Broad Street. Westgate Park was repeatedly mentioned in public input as a great community amenity for walking and biking. Finally, the Southampton/Broad intersection includes a COTA Park and Ride. This amenity provides the opportunity for multimodal transportation, whereby travelers could combine trips between bicycling and taking the bus. All COTA buses provide bike racks and allow bikes to travel for no extra charge. Colored bike lanes through intersections were presented as a part of West of HagueAlt 3 to offset any added danger resulting from the bike lane buffers. The public responded positively to the colored bike lanes during the mobility plan public input. Colored bike lanes are an innovative bicycle treatment that has been successfully implemented in other cities. They are not included in the recommended Alt 2 images and maps, but the City could consider their use at conflict points if deemed necessary for additional safety.
Steering Committee Approval The Hilltop Community Mobility Plan Steering Committee endorsed the study team’s recommendations for West Broad Street in November 2009. The Steering Committee was comprised of a geographically diverse group of Hilltop residents with a history of dedication to the Hilltop.
Implementation The opportunity to implement changes in 2010 added urgency to formalizing the decision regarding West Broad Street-East of Hague.
Additional Public Input Towards the end of the planning process, TranSystems recommended Alternative 2A-Parking South Side with Bike Lanes for West Broad Street east of Hague, which 72
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010
provided parking on the south side and bike lanes on both sides of the street. The potential for immediate implementation led community leaders to request additional input from businesses and community members regarding West Broad Street east of Hague out of concern for the loss of off-peak parking on the north side of the street. As a result, the study team spent several weeks in November 2009 accepting additional input from the community. Additional effort was particularly focused on businesses that had not participated in previous public involvement. Many businesses along the affected section of West Broad Street preferred parking on both sides to the exclusion of bike lanes, while others liked the consultant’s recommendation for bike lanes. Most businesses stated that they had parking available on their property, but it was clear that the majority of businesses preferred on-street parking on both sides of West Broad Street. After the additional public input, the study team maintained its recommendation for the Parking South Side with Bike Lanes alternative due to the benefits of the alternative and the support for bike lanes displayed by community members during previous public involvement. As part of the resurfacing project in 2010, bike lanes were also recommended to continue east of Clarendon Avenue to Central Avenue to extend for the length of the resurfacing project.
Chosen Implementation Alignment Prior to implementation of changes as part of the resurfacing project, the City of Columbus conducted additional parking analysis and public involvement in the first half of 2010 regarding West Broad Street between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue. A public meeting was held on May 6, 2010 at the West Broad Street Health Center to obtain comments and facilitate additional discussion. In May 2010, the City decided to implement a hybrid bike facility on West Broad Street during the 2010 resurfacing project as shown in Map 30 at the end of the chapter. Selected pavement marking plans from ODOT are included in Appendix E. The alignment chosen for implementation in 2010 includes: an eastbound bike lane between Hague Avenue and Central Avenue; a westbound bike lane between Central Avenue and Wheatland Avenue; a westbound signed shared lane for motorists and bicyclists between Wheatland Avenue and Hague Avenue; full-time parallel parking on the south side between Harris Avenue and Clarendon Avenue; and off-peak parallel parking on the north side between Harris Avenue and Wheatland Avenue. In order to accommodate bicyclists not comfortable riding in the signed shared lane, additional signage and markings will be placed north of West Broad Street to Steele Avenue. Steele Avenue is a residential street to the north that will include bicycle accommodations between Wheatland Avenue and Westgate Avenue.
West Broad Street near Belvidere Avenue looking towards downtown
Future Process The chosen alignment for implementation on West Broad Street east of Hague maintains many elements of the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan study team’s recommendation. This section of West Broad Street will be given a “road diet” that October 2010
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
73
will: be more pedestrian-friendly; calm vehicular traffic speeds; create a more vibrant street designed in the context of its neighborhood; become a safer road for all users; and will be a complete street that accommodates all modes. The implemented alignment on West Broad Street east of Hague Avenue will be evaluated over time for operational effectiveness and community reception. Depending on these issues, the Hilltop Community Mobility Plan recommendation for the “Parking South Side with Bike Lanes� alternative could potentially be implemented in the future to provide increased benefits to bicyclists. For the section of West Broad Street west of Hague Avenue, implementation will be programmed for design and construction as funds become available through the City of Columbus’ capital budgeting and prioritization process. During future phases of implementation, the mobility plan recommends additional improvements on West Broad Street both east and west of Hague Avenue. Curb extensions near full-time on-street parking and medians in the center turn lane are recommended. These improvements will provide additional safety and comfort to all users of the road.
74
Hilltop Community Mobility Plan
October 2010