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Report regarding a resolution adopting the Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. (Christopher Espiritu, Senior Transportation Planner and Tony Rozzi, Chief Planner)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council follow the Planning Commission recommendation and adopt a resolution approving the Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
In 2011 and 2014, the City of South San Francisco (City) adopted a Bicycle Master Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan, respectively. The two plans outlined infrastructure improvement projects to make walking and biking throughout South San Francisco safer and easier. Many of the projects outlined in those plans have been completed or require further evaluation and funding.
During its June 20, 2018, meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a consulting services agreement with Alta Planning for the preparation of a citywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan in an amount not to exceed $270,000 and adopting budget amendment 18.032 appropriating an additional $40,000 from the General Plan Maintenance Reserve in the Developer Deposit Fund for Capital Improvement Project 1705. Funding was allocated from the General Plan Maintenance Reserve because the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan will service as an important component of the Transportation Element of the forthcoming, new General Plan. The analysis conducted and goals and projects generated by the new Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan were utilized when drafting the General Plan update.
During this time, City staff and the Alta Planning Team collaborated on public outreach, working with partners on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and the community to create Active South City’s Vision and Goals. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic created a major challenge. The transportation sector was disrupted, and commute patterns changed significantly starting in March 2020. Further, in 2020 through 2021, the ShapeSSF General Plan Update Process began community engagement on the vision and guiding principles for the City through 2040. Active South City needed to account for the outcomes of this process to maintain conformance with the mobility goals of ShapeSSF and the City.
Today, Active South City is an update to the City of South San Francisco’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans. This Plan integrates walking, bicycling, and other active transportation modes into a single plan that prioritizes project and program recommendations that are designed to increase safety and comfort for people bicycling and walking in South San Francisco, also commonly referred to as South City. With a planning horizon of 20 years, Active South City guides current and future decision-makers toward a seamless and integrated active transportation network inclusive of all citizens, needs, and destinations.
The Plan was borne out of a methodology that included utilizing a mixed method of quantitative data analysis and qualitative analysis to develop comprehensive recommendations. This included assessing travel demand, trip destinations, key transit points, and assessing local needs through community engagement activities and surveys, as well as developing the high-injury network of the City. Also, the Plan ensures alignment with the ShapeSSF General Plan Update’s Mobility Element, and recent policy directions such as the City’s Vision Zero and Local Road Safety Plan, were considered.
The purpose of the Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan is to establish and improve the quality, footprint, and impact of non-automobile modes for South San Francisco residents and employees. Active South City will be used as a resource for guiding future operations, priorities, and the development and location of bicycle and pedestrian improvements and traffic safety infrastructure plans. The Plan envisions an environment that enables people of all ages and abilities to comfortably access jobs, schools, recreation, shopping, and transit by walking, biking, or using a mobility device, as part of daily life.
The following aims to realize those purpose and vision set forth by the Active South City Plan through the following goals:
§ Promote citywide and regional sustainability goals through investments in active transportation that create a culture of walking and bicycling that enables them to become an increasing part of everyday life
§ Improve access and connectivity to major transit stops including Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations, Caltrain stations, and the ferry terminal
§ Improve connectivity within and across neighborhoods with low-stress facilities
§ Improve safety, eliminate traffic deaths and serious injury collisions, and lower the traffic stress of people walking and biking in South City
§ Link community destinations (parks, schools, libraries, and community centers) together through low-stress networks
§ Improve connections across I-280, El Camino Real (SR-82), and US-101
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Bicycles:
- At full buildout, the proposed bicycle network would nearly double the existing mileage of bicycle facilities (up to 50 miles) and add just over 20 miles of Class IV Separated Bikeways. This is done through a combination of establishing new facilities on roadways and improvements to existing bikeways that will be upgraded to more comfortable and/or separated bikeways.
- To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip from beginning to end, supporting infrastructure is needed at intersections to make crossing easier and safer, wayfinding signs along the way to help guide people to their destinations, and appropriate and secure parking once you reach your destination to park your bicycle.
Pedestrians/Mobility Devices:
- Identified Pedestrian Priority Areas highlight important corridors in the city that support walking and are currently considered high stress.
- This plan identifies spot improvements for 40 intersection crossings and other locations, primarily within the Pedestrian Priority Areas. Each location has recommendations that will improve the comfort and safety of pedestrians.
In addition to specific physical improvements, Active South City also outlines citywide programs and policies that the City can implement to further support active transportation in the City.
These include Programs:
§ Expanding safe routes to school programming
§ Senior walking programs
§ Online Bicycle Map
§ Open Street Events
§ League of American Cities - Bicycle Friendly Community Evaluation
§ Shared Mobility Policy Framework
§ Tactical Urbanism Projects
§ Bicycle Parking
§ Green Infrastructure and Urban Cooling
§ Walking and Biking Supportive Facilities
Policies:
§ Vision Zero (adopted 2021)
§ Transportation Impact Analysis Guidelines
§ TDM Ordinance Update
§ Developer Impact Fee Updates
§ Crosswalk and Pedestrian Signal Policies
§ Bikeway and Pedestrian Facility Maintenance
§ Repaving Policy
Implementation of the nearly 50 miles of bikeways and over 40 pedestrian spot improvements recommended in this plan will occur through a combination of ongoing development and upgrade/maintenance of the roadway network, as well as through targeted implementation of specific projects. Funding for active transportation projects is limited and often competitive, and it is important for the City to prioritize projects based on need and benefit, as well as on how those projects align with the key criteria from major funding sources such as the Active Transportation Program. The following prioritization strategy reflects an approach that scores each project’s community benefit, as well as assesses the feasibility and complexity of project construction. Projects are sorted into four implementation categories based on the combined results of two evaluations: project priority and project feasibility.
To conclude, the Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan arrives at a time of possibility and change. In addition to new development in the East of 101, significant projects in the Downtown and the El Camino Corridor provide opportunities to shift new development projects towards a greater amount of non-automobile travel. Also, significant federal, state, county, and local funds will continue to be available through the next few years and beyond, as funding for active transportation improvements are also meant to address climate change in California. Further, the shift away from level of service and analysis of transportation through the lens of vehicular roadway capacity only, provides opportunities to prioritize other non-automobile modes on City streets.
FISCAL IMPACT
Active South City project is funded through a combination of the general fund and grant funding and is included in the City of South San Francisco’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 operating budget with $390,000 allocated to cover the project cost. To date, 72% of the allocated amount has been expended towards the development and production of the plan and there will be budgeted savings at completion.
Should the City choose to implement active transportation projects, additional funding would need to be identified through grants and/or the City’s transportation impact fee to cover all costs.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
The update and implementation of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans addresses several priority areas of the Strategic Plan, including Quality of Life, Community Connections, and Economic Vitality by supporting families who live and work in South San Francisco access and utilize non-vehicular modes of travel with safety and connectivity.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council follow the recommendations from the Planning Commission and adopt a resolution approving the Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, which is designed to improve access, connectivity, and safety of people walking, biking, or traveling on mobility devices, in the City of South San Francisco.
Attachment 1: Planning Commission Resolution 2905-2022
Attachment 2: Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
Attachment 3: Staff Presentation