Mayor and Council Elvis Riou, Manager, Engineering Services Bicycle Lane Project on Immel Street/Hazelwood Street

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1 Os t~ ABBOTSFORD Report No. ENG September 25, 2009 File No: COUNCIL REPORT Executive Committee To: From: Subject: Mayor and Counl Elvis Riou, Manager, Engineering Services Bicycle Lane Project on Immel Street/Hazelwood Street RECOMMENDATION 1. THAT Report No. ENG , dated September 25, 2009, from the Manager, Engineering Services, regarding the Bicycle Lane Project on Immel Street/Hazelwood Street, be received; and 2. THAT that the Immel Street/Hazelwood Street bike lane project design be modified, to allow on street parking, on the west side of Immel Street, to provide the same number of current parking spaces. (Appendix A) BACKGROUND The City's bicycle route program included installation of approximately 90 km of designated bicycle lanes in Abbotsford over the last five years. The lanes help to reduce greenhouse gases, traffic congestion, road infrastructure costs and health problems. One of the bicycle lane projects being implemented this year is on Immel Street/Hazelwood Street, which will provide a bike connection between Old Clayburn Road and Highway 11, which have bike lanes. Also, it will provide residents of this area with safer bike access to downtown Abbotsford via Old Clayburn Road and George Ferguson Way. (Appendix B) DISCUSSION The project was presented at a public information meeting held on September 10, 2008, which was attended by approximately 30 people. There were no concerns from the public regarding loss of parking on Immel Street (Appendix C - ENG ). A second public information meeting was held on April 29, 2009, which was attended by approximately 12 people. As previous, there were no concerns from the public regarding loss of parking on Immel Street (Appendix 0 - ENG ). ANALYSIS Construction information letters for this project were sent to residents along the Immel/Hazelwood route at the end of July Three residents from the townhouse complex at 3087 Immel Street were concerned about the loss of parking on Immel Street. The residents in this complex have one single garage and one designated parking spot, but no visitor parking. Visitors and residences with more than two vehicles park on Immel Street. (Appendix A)

2 Report No. ENG Page 2 of 2 Staff reviewed the design and agreed that some visitors to this address may be inconvenienced; therefore, staff proposes to allow on street parking on the west side of Immel Street, adjacent to the complex, instead of on the east side. This will provide the same number of parking spaces as there are currently. A resident at 3500 Juniper Crescent was concerned that the bike lanes will be unsafe due to the sharp turn near his home, where Hazelwood Street connects with Elmwood Drive/Immel Street. Staff supports the engineering consultant's design, which is an accepted and safe standard for bike lanes. FINANCIAL PLAN IMPLICATION There is no finanal plan impact. COMMUNICATION PLAN Upon Counl approval, staff will inform the residents of the modified design.. SUMMARY Although there were no concerns brought forward at the two public information meetings regarding the loss' of parking on Immel Street, three residents of the townhouse complex at 3087 Immel Street are now expressing this concern as the bicycle lane project is being completed. Also, one resident at 3500 Juniper Crescent is concerned about the safety of the bike lanes. Staff recommends allowing street parking on the west side of Immel Street adjacent to the complex, instead of on the east side. This will provide the residents with the same number of parking spaces as there are currently. Staff supports the engineering consultant's design of this project as being an accepted and safe standard for bike lanes. n, P.Eng Elvis Riou, P.Eng Manager, Engineering and Regional Manager, Engineering Services ER:sj

3 CURRENT PARKING and Road Marking PROPOSED PARKING and Road Marking ----I======~~~ t~ 1 ~~ ~25 t. "SIJ"'... REVIEW NO. ~TE 8"1 R YIStONS 'TECH 0rIQ_ ALTERNATE PARKING and Road Marking Os ~~ ABBOTSFORD IMMEL ST. North of OLD CLAYBURN to MACLURE Bicycle & Parking Lane Works Report ENG Appendix A

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5 as ~ ABBOTSFORD Report No. ENG February 17, 2009 File No: Report ENG AppendixC COUNCIL REPORT Executive Committee To: From: Subject: Mayor and Counl Elvis Riou, Manager, Engineering Services 2009 Bicycle Route Program RECOMMENDATIONS 1. THAT Report No. ENG , dated February 17, 2009, from the Manager, Engineering Services, regarding the 2009 Bicycle Route Program, be received; and 2. THAT a Public Information Meeting be held regarding the 2009 Bicycle Route Program. BACKGROUND General Bicye routes reduce traffic congestion; provide health benefits and affordable mobility; increase travel choices; and support higher-density development (Appendix 1). The Offial Community Plan (OCP) supports the implementation of bicycle lanes in its objective Integrate Transportation and Land-use Planning, which states "develop a City-wide cycling netl/york through the implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan". Couni adopted a motion June 4, 2004, that the Bicycle Master Plan be supported in prinple, bicycle paths be taken into consideration when Engineering is retrofitting or realigning road lanes; and Counl evaluate the plan and take the initiative to make Abbotsford a cyclist and pedestrian friendly City. Counl also passed a motion November 6, 2006, to support the Abbotsford Cycling Action Group's (ACAG) initiatives toward branding Abbotsford as a bicycle friendly City. In the past four years, the Bicycle Route Program (BRP) installed approximately 56 kilometers of designated bicycle lanes in Abbotsford using funding primarily from the Federal Government's Community Works Fund, Jrom which the City receives an annual allocation to meet the objectives of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, clean water, or clean air. The City also used funding from the Province's Cycling Infrastructure Partnership Program (CIPP). New roads will be designed to accommodate bicyclists with wider curb lanes or designated bicycle lanes. Also, the asphalt resurfang program will improve and expand the road surface for bicyclists as much as possible (Appendix 2). 2008/09 Projects The 2008 BRP included a project to construct a bicycle route on Downes Road, from Mt. Lehman Road to Gladwin Road, and from Highway 11 to Old Claybum Road, which wili be co'mpleted by March 31, The section of Downes Road, from Gladwin Road to

6 Report No. ENG Page 20f2 Highway 11, will be completed later in 2009 to complete. the bicycle route link from Old Clayburn Road to Townline Road and Mt. Lehman Road. The 2008 BRP also included the following projects: Blue Jay Street, Livingstone Avenue to Blueridge Drive Lower Sumas Mountain Road (Old Yale Road), Whatcom Road to North Paralle! Road Old Clayburn Roadllmmel Street to South Fraser Way/McDougall Avenue Peardonvi"e Road/South Fraser Way to Livingstone Avenue/Blue Jay Street The consultant, Aplin Martin, presented initial concepts for these four projects at a public information meeting held September 1 0, ANALYSiS There was good support for the four projects at the public meeting, which was attended by approximately thirty people. There was some concern regarding the potential loss of parking on the north side of Old Clayburn Road for the Old Clayburn Roadllmmel Street to South Fraser Way/McDougall Avenue project. Staff then met with the Abbotsford Downtown Business Assoation (ADBA) and the ACAG, who provided feedback on the initial concepts (Appendix 3). Staff and the consultant will incorporate this feedback and prepare a set ot designs for a proposed second public information meeting. FINANCIAL PLAN IMPLICATION The BRP projects are induded in the 2009 finanal plan submission. COMMUNICATION PLAN A public information meeting was held September 10, 2008 regarding the four aforementioned projects. An additional public information meeting is recommended to allow the public an opportunity to review the designs for these projects. Staff will report back to Counl after the meeting. SUMMARY Staff received good support for four bicycle route projects at the September 10, 2008 public information meeting. Staff will continue to consult with the ADBA and the ACAG and recommends another public information be held. Elvis Riou, P.Eng. Jim rdon, P.Eng. Manager, Engineering Services ctor of Engineering

7 Sa ~.A ABBOTSFORD Report No. ENG May File No: COUNCIL REPORT Report ENG Appendix 0 Executive Committee To: From: Subject: Mayor and Counl Eivis Riou', Manager, Engineering Services Bicycle Route Projects RECOMMENDATIONS 1. THAT Report No. ENG , dated May 19, 2009, from the Manager, Engineering Services, regarding the Bicye Route Projects, be received; and 2. THAT tenders for construction be issued for the proposed projects (Appendix A). BACKGROUND Initial concepts for the following bicycle route projects were presented at a Public Information meeting held September 10, 2008: Blue Jay Street, Uvin!;;lstone,!\venue to Blueridge Drive; Lower Sumas Mountain Road (Gid Yale Road), VVllatcom Roacl to North Parallei Road; Oid Ciayburn Road/irnrnel Street to South Fraser V\/ay/McDougal! Avenue; and PeardonviHe Road/South Fiaser Way to Livingstone /-\venue/biue Jay Street On!\~arch 9, 2009, Counl received Report No. ENG (Appendix B) and directed staff to conduct an additional Public information meeting to allow the public an opportunity to review the designs for these projects. ANALYSIS Public Information Meeting The Public Information meeting was held April 29, 2009, at which the designs for the above projects were presented, along with those for the following projects: Peardonville Road/Simpson Road, Livingston Avenue to Mount Lehman Road; Townline Road, Peardonville Road to King Road; and Vye Road, Whatcom Road to Lamson Road There was generally very good support for all the projects at the meeting, which was attended by approximately twelve people, staff and the consultant. These projects are also supported by the Abbotsford Downtown Business Assoation (ADBA) and the Abbotsford Cycling Action Group (ACAG) (Appendix C).

8 _Report No.. ENG Page 2 of 2 One resident expressed concerns regarding loss of parking on the south side of Old Clayburn Road for the Old Clayburn Road/Immel Street to South Fraser Way/McDougall Avenue project. Parking on the north side will be increased by removing a bus stop and any potential peak demand overflow can use existing parking on Ash Street and Redwood Avenue. The design should provide a reasonable ievel of parking, while still allowing for the bike route linkage to be made between Old Clayburn Road and McDougall Avenue, through downtown Abbotsford (Appendix D). Post Public Information Meeting One resident submitted a comment sheet after the meeting regarding Livingstone Avenue. This resident suggested that consider?ltion be given to installing a barrier between the traffic lane and the bicycle lane, and that the proposed bicycle lane be widened to accommodate pedestrians as well. The leve! of pedestrian activity does not appear to warrant the extra scope and cost of installing a wider path to accommodate pedestrians at this time. Staff will monitor the pedestrian activity to determine if additional improvements may be required in the future to better accommodate pedestrians on this particular section of Livingstone Avenue (Appendix E). FiNANCiAL PLAN im P lication Funds for the design and construction of the seven bicycle lane projects are included in the Community Works Fund, from which the City receives an annual allocation to meet the objectives of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, clean water, or clean air. COMMUNICATION PLAN A Public Information meeting was held September 10, 2008 regarding the four aforementioned projects. An additional Public Information meeting was held April 29, 2009, which included the four projects and the three additional projects. Pending Counl approval, staff will issue tenders to construct the seven bicycle lane projects. The plans will be posted on the City's website and are available through the City Clerk's office. ' SUMMARY Staff received good suppoli for four bicycle route projects at the September 10, 2008 Public Information meeting and very good support for these and three additional bicycle route projects at the April 29, 2009 Public Information meeting. These projects are also supported by the ADBA and the ACAG.. Staff is requesting approval from Counl to tender the constructioh of these projects to allow construction to proceed this summer. Elvis Riou, P.Eng.. Manager, Engineering Services Jim G don, P.Eng. Gen al Manager, Engineering & Regional Utilities