San Gabriel Valley Regional Bicycle Master Plan

Transcription

1 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan Made pssible with funding frm the Centers fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin thrugh the Ls Angeles Cunty Department f Public Health. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Bicycle Master Plan Blue Ribbn Cmmittee Manuel Lzan, Mayr, Baldwin Park Cruz Baca, Cuncil Member, Baldwin Park Victria Martinez, Cuncil Member, El Mnte Peter Chan, Cuncil Member, Mnterey Park Vincent Chang, City Clerk, Mnterey Park Kevin Sawkins, Cuncil Member, San Gabriel Luie Aguiñaga, Mayr, Suth El Mnte Je Gnzalez, Cuncil Member, Suth El Mnte Technical Advisry Cmmittee Daniel Wall, Directr f Public Wrks, Baldwin Park David Lpez, Assciate Engineer, Baldwin Park Cesar Rldan, Senir Engineer, El Mnte Minh Thai, El Mnte Amy H, City Clerk, Mnterey Park Cesar Vega, Engineer, Mnterey Park Daren Grilley, Public Wrks Directr/City Engineer, San Gabriel Fang-zhu Zhu, Assistant Planner, San Gabriel Manny Mancha, Planning Directr, Suth El Mnte Matt Sanchez, City Planner, Suth El Mnte Day One, Inc. Javier Hernandez, Bicycle Master Plan Prject Manager Wesley Reutimann, Envirnmental Preventin Directr Alta Planning + Design 1

2 Chapter 1 Intrductin Alta Planning + Design Brett Hndrp, Principal Paul Martin, Prject Manager Ryan Jhnsn, Planner Brianne Clhessy, Planner Mark Seinen, Planner James Pwell, Designer Vlunteers & Interns Lisa Greenquist, Azusa Pacific University Bill Chi, University f Califrnia, Ls Angeles Albert Cha, Califrnia Plytechnic University, Pmna Stephanie Hsieh, Adjunct Prfessr, University f Suthern Califrnia Andrew Fung Yip, Azusa Pacific University Jacksn Lam, Califrnia Plytechnic University, Pmna Amy Wng, University f Califrnia, Berkeley Jnathan Rdriguez, Claremnt Graduate University Alta Planning + Design 2

3 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan 1 Intrductin The San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan is intended t guide the develpment and maintenance f a cmprehensive bicycle netwrk and set f prgrams within the cities f Baldwin Park, El Mnte, Mnterey Park, San Gabriel, and Suth El Mnte fr the next 20 years. This chapter presents the reasns fr creating the San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan, hw the cmmunities have been invlved in the planning prcess, and the framewrk fr the ensuing chapters. 1.1 Setting The San Gabriel Valley regin is lcated in the east-central prtin f Ls Angeles Cunty and includes cities alng and between the Interstate 10 (I-10), Interstate 210 (I-210), and State Rute 60 (SR-60) freeways. This bicycle master plan fcuses specifically n five cities within the San Gabriel Valley regin that have agreed t participate in this planning effrt. Tgether, the cities f Baldwin Park, El Mnte, Mnterey Park, San Gabriel, and Suth El Mnte cmprise apprximately 31 square miles f land area and have a cmbined ppulatin f ver 300,000. The five participating cities vary in size, ppulatin, sciecnmic factrs, climate, and in existing levels f bicycle infrastructure and bicycle usage. Figure 1-1 displays the San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan partner cities, and Table 1-1 shws the ppulatin statistics fr each city as cmpared t the prject area as a whle. Table 1-1: Ppulatin f the Bicycle Master Plan Cities Lcatin Ppulatin Percent Prject Area Ppulatin Baldwin Park 75,390 24% El Mnte 113,475 37% Mnterey Park 60,269 20% San Gabriel 39,718 13% Suth El Mnte 20, % TOTAL 308, % Surce: U.S. Census 2010 Alta Planning + Design 3

4 Chapter 1 Intrductin Figure 1-1: Lcatin f the Bicycle Master Plan Cities within Ls Angeles Cunty The San Gabriel Valley currently faces several barriers t bicycling. This regin is an area dminated by the autmbile. Many streets carry high vlumes f persnal and cmmercial vehicles and industrial freight truck traffic traveling at high speeds, creating challenging rad cnditins fr peple bicycling. Rads with fewer mtrized vehicles are ften residential streets that d nt cnnect r end in cul-desacs, frcing peple bicycling t travel far ut f their way t reach their destinatins. There is als a lack f reginal bicycle cnnectivity between San Gabriel Valley cities, with many bicycle facilities drpping at city bundaries, such as the bicycle lanes n Ramna Bulevard in Baldwin Park that end nce the street enters El Mnte. 1.2 Purpse f the Bicycle Master Plan The San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan prvides a brad visin, as well as strategies and actins, t imprve cnditins fr bicycling thrughut the regin as well as in each partner city. As a means f bettering the bicycling envirnment, this Plan prvides directin fr expanding the existing bikeway netwrk, clsing key gaps within the prject cities, and cnnecting t bicycle facilities in adjacent cities and unincrprated Ls Angeles Cunty cmmunities. In additin t prviding Alta Planning + Design 4

5 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan recmmendatins fr bikeways and supprt facilities, the Plan ffers recmmendatins fr educatin, encuragement, enfrcement, and evaluatin prgrams. 1.3 Bicycle Facility Types The San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan recmmends three brad categries f bicycle facilities. These facility types Class I, II, and III are defined by the State f Califrnia in the Califrnia Streets and Highways Cde Sectin A furth categry, bike friendly streets, has emerged recently as a distinct facility type. Althugh bike friendly streets are nt yet cdified by the State f Califrnia, they have been implemented with success in cities such as Berkeley and Lng Beach. Figure 1-2 and Figure 1-3 illustrate recmmended crss-sectins fr the fur types f bicycle facilities, which are discussed in the fllwing sectins. A cmplete set f Bicycle Facility Design Guidelines is presented in Appendix A. Alta Planning + Design 5

6 Chapter 1 Intrductin Figure 1-2: Bicycle Path and Bicycle Lane Recmmended Standards Alta Planning + Design 6

7 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan Figure 1-3: Bike Rute Recmmended Standards Alta Planning + Design 7

8 Chapter 1 Intrductin Class I Bike Paths Class I Bike Paths are paved right-f-ways fr exclusive use by peple bicycling, walking, and using ther nn-mtrized mdes f transprtatin. Class I facilities can be cnstructed in radway right-f-way r can have exclusive right-f-way ff-street, such as in utility crridrs. Bike Paths are beneficial t a bicycle netwrk because they prvide an alternative fr peple wh d nt feel cmfrtable riding a bicycle alngside autmbile traffic. When shared with pedestrians r ther nn-mtrized mdes, Class I bike paths are generally slwer mving than ther facility types. While they can be used by peple cmmuting by bicycle t safely get t and frm wrk, they are generally mst ppular with recreatinal cyclists, such as thse riding n the San Gabriel and Ri Hnd river paths Class II Bike Lanes Class II Bike Lanes are striped and signed n-street travel lanes exclusively fr bicycles. Standard bicycle lanes are mst ppular with experienced bicycle cmmuters. Hwever, Class II Bike Lanes can be enhanced t include additinal prvisins, such as painted buffers r physical barriers, t separate peple bicycling frm autmbile traffic. These types f prvisins may better attract mre peple f all ages and abilities t bicycle fr transprtatin because n-street bike lanes ften prvide the mst direct cnnectins t destinatins Class III Bike Rutes Class III Bike Rutes share the right-f-way between vehicles and peple n bicycles with signage and ptinal shared lane markings t indicate that the rad is a shared use facility. Class III facilities are typically recmmended fr: Streets with relatively lw traffic speeds (25 mph r less) and lwer vlumes (<3,000 ADT) such that less experienced bicycle riders will feel cmfrtable bicycling with mixed traffic Streets with traffic speeds in excess f 25 mph and vlumes greater than 3,000 ADT that nrmally warrant bike lanes but because f curb-t-curb r ther ROW cnstraints, peple bicycling must share traffic lanes with mtrists; careful cnsideratin must be given t designating these streets as shared radways t ensure that radway cnditins are safe fr peple bicycling 1.4 Benefits f Bicycling Bicycling is a lw-cst and healthy transprtatin ptin that prvides ecnmic and livability benefits t cmmunities. When residents and visitrs bicycle fr a trip, it alleviates cngestin, minimizes greenhuse gas emissins, and helps extend and imprve the quality f peple s lives. Belw is a brief verview f the benefits f greater investments in bicycling. Alta Planning + Design 8

9 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan Envirnmental Benefits Due t emissins frm cld starts (i.e., when a car hasn t been driven in a few hurs and the engine is cl), a ne-mile autmbile trip emits up t 70 percent as much pllutin as a 10-mile excursin. This means that when peple decide t bicycle r walk even just fr very shrt trips, they are still significantly reducing their envirnmental ftprint. 1 Decreasing greenhuse gas emissins helps the regin meet state legislated targets set by Assembly Bill 32 and Senate Bill 375. Frm reducing lcal levels f harmful pllutants that cause asthma and ther respiratry illnesses t addressing glbal climate change, higher rates f bicycling prvide tangible, significant air quality benefits. Bicycling als des nt pllute water as driving an autmbile des. Cars leak il, petrleum prducts and ther txins nt rad surfaces that eventually make their way t strm drains, creeks, and large bdies f water. This nn-pint surce pllutin is a majr threat t urban aquatic habitats, cntaminates drinking water, and can cause majr illness. Sme txins and metals accumulate in sea life and cause medical prblems t peple when eaten. Others cause explsive grwth f algae, which 2 depletes water f xygen, killing fish and aquatic life. Every bicycle trip is ne less pprtunity fr these txins t enter the envirnment, which n a large scale can make the difference in the health f lcal water ways and aquatic systems Ecnmic Benefits t Cities Multiple studies have shwn that bikeable neighbrhds are mre livable and attractive, helping increase hme values 3 and retain a mre talented wrkfrce that result in higher prperty tax revenues and business cmpetitiveness. Similarly, bike lanes can imprve retail business directly by drawing custmers and indirectly by supprting the reginal ecnmy. Patrns wh bike t lcal stres have been fund t spend mre mney when visiting lcal businesses than patrns wh drive. 4 The League f American Bicyclists reprts that bicycling makes up $133 billin f the US ecnmy, funding 1.1 millin jbs. 5 The League als estimates bicycle-related trips generate anther $47 billin in turism activity. Many cmmunities have enjyed a high return n their investment in bicycling. Fr example, the Outer Banks f Nrth Carlina spent $6.7 millin t imprve lcal bicycle facilities, and reaped a reprted benefit f $60 millin f annual ecnmic activity assciated with bicycling. 1 Bay Area Air Quality Management District. (2007). Surce Inventry f Greenhuse Gas Emissins. 2 City and Cunty f Hnlulu Department f Envirnmental Services 3 Crtright, Je fr CEOs fr Cities. (2009). Walking the Walk: Hw Walkability Raises Hme Values in US Cities. 4 The Clean Air Partnership. (2009). Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business: A Study f Blr Street in Trnt s Annex Neighbrhd. 5 Flusche, Darren fr the League f American Bicyclists. (2009). The Ecnmic Benefits f Bicycle Infrastructure Investments. Alta Planning + Design 9

10 Chapter 1 Intrductin Benefits t Husehlds and Individuals Biking is nt just a frm f travel; it is an imprtant frm f exercise. Many public health experts assciate the rising and widespread incidence f besity with autmbile-dminant develpment patterns and lifestyles that limit such incidental and daily frms f physical activity achieved thrugh bicycling. 6 This assciatin is perhaps mst apparent, and acute, with respect t children and schl travel. After decades f declining rates f walking and biking frm rughly half f all nn-high schl students in 1968 t just 14 percent in 2009 besity amng yuth has becme an epidemic. 7 In Califrnia, ne in three kids age 9-17 are nw at risk f becming r are already verweight. 8 Fr children, the Center fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin recmmends 60 minutes f daily aerbic exercise. The CDC recmmends 75 t 150 minutes f vigrus exercise, in cmbinatin with muscle strengthening exercises, fr adults n a weekly basis. Fr many adults and children, walking r biking t wrk r schl is a viable if nt the nly ptin fr achieving these recmmended exercise regimens. Bicycle infrastructure als prvides transprtatin chices t thse wh cannt r d nt drive, including peple with disabilities, yuth, senirs, and peple with limited incmes. Families that can replace sme f their driving trips with bicycling trips spend a lwer prprtin f their incme n transprtatin, 9 freeing additinal incme fr lcal gds and services. Fr thers wh d nt live within walking distance f their emplyment site, r wh wrk a distance frm transit rutes, bicycling may prvide the nly affrdable and reliable means f cmmuting. 1.5 Public Outreach Due t the unique partnership between the cities f Baldwin Park, El Mnte, Mnterey Park, San Gabriel, and Suth El Mnte, as well as Day One/BikeSGV, cmmunity utreach was extensive. During fall 2013 and winter 2014, the prject team cnducted a series f utreach activities t engage the participating cmmunities in identifying initial challenges, pprtunities, and ideas fr imprving the cycling experience in the San Gabriel Valley. The fllwing prvides a list f cmmunity engagement activities that were cnducted during the initial input gathering phase f the prject: Cmmunity Outreach Bths Octber 5, 2013: Suth El Mnte s Mayr Ride, City Hall, Suth El Mnte Octber 19, 2013: Think Tgether Sprts Turnament, Olive Middle Schl, Baldwin Park Octber 19, 2013: Children s Day Parade & Harvest Festival, Arce Park, El Mnte 6 Octber 27, 1999 issue f the JAMA 7 United States Department f Transprtatin, Natinal Husehld Travel Survey 8 The Califrnia Endwment. (N Date). Fighting Califrnia's Childhd Obesity Epidemic. 9 Center fr Neighbrhd Technlgy. (2005). Driven t Spend: Pumping Dllars ut f Our Husehlds and Cmmunities. Alta Planning + Design 10

11 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan Octber 19, 2013: Harmny Festival Car Shw & Artisans Faire, Barnes Park, Mnterey Park Octber 27, 2013: BikeSGV s Hallween Bike Train, Santa Fe Dam, Baldwin Park Nvember 1, 2013: Carnival, Mrgan Park, Baldwin Park Nvember 2, 2013: Suth El Mnte Mayr s Ride, City Hall, Suth El Mnte Nvember 16, 2013: 5K Turkey Trt, Vincent Lug Park, San Gabriel Nvember 21, 2013: Farm Cuisine Restaurant Grand Opening, Mnterey Park Nvember 23, 2013: Teen Center 10-Year Anniversary, Hilda Slis Park, Baldwin Park Nvember 24, 2013: BikeSGV s Bike Train, Peck Rad Park, El Mnte December 6, 2013: SGV Service Center Open Huse, Suth El Mnte December 29, 2013: BikeSGV s Bike Train, Legg Lake, Suth El Mnte January 23, 2014: Urban Greening Twn Hall Meeting, El Mnte January 25, 2014: Chinese New Year, Mnterey Park January 26, 2014: BikeSGV s Bike Train, Santa Fe Dam, Baldwin Park Jurisdictinal Meetings December 3, 2013: Mnterey Park Bruggemeyer Library December 4, 2013: Suth El Mnte Senir Center December 5, 2013: San Gabriel Public Library December 11, 2013: Baldwin Park Arts & Recreatin Center December 17, 2013: El Mnte Senir Center Infrmatin Kisks in Each City Yuth Wrkshps: Mark Keppel High Schl s Prmting Yuth Advcacy Club (4 dates between Octber 2013 and January 2014) Online and Hard-Cpy Survey Survey was pen frm Octber 1, 2013 thrugh January 31, 2014 Website with Mapping Tl, Plls & Suggestin Frm Alta Planning + Design 11

12 Chapter 1 Intrductin Cmmunity Outreach Bths Public utreach was cnducted at several cmmunity events thrugh a "pp-up bth" staffed by BikeSGV vlunteers and members f the prject team. The prject team created large-print maps shwing the Emerald Necklace trail netwrk, existing and planned bikeways in each f the five prject cities, and bikeways thrughut the larger San Gabriel Valley area. Members f the public were asked t review the maps and prvide input n challenges and pprtunities fr bicycling in the respective city and thrughut the regin. Hard cpies f the Bikeways Survey were available fr bth visitrs t cmplete n-site. Thse wh stpped by the bth were als prvided with materials such as bike maps, stickers, pamphlets, and infrmatin abut BikeSGV s mnthly Bike Train grup rides and bicycle advcacy in the San Gabriel Valley. Finally, visitrs were invited t sign-up t receive future updates abut the prject. The events usually included a large number f children and families. Mre detailed lists f cmments prvided at these utreach events can be fund in Appendix B Jurisdictinal Meetings Rund 1 In December 2013, the prject team facilitated five (5) public Jurisdictinal Meetings (ne in each participating city) t present an verview f the plan prcess and gather input frm the individual cmmunities. All f the five individual meetings tk place frm 6:30pm 8:00pm at centrally lcated public facilities. Detailed descriptins f each wrkshp and the public input received can be fund in Appendix B. The meetings fllwed an Open Huse frmat, with varius statins thrughut the rm. Staff and vlunteers frm BikeSGV jined Alta Planning + Design staff t answer questins and prmpt cmmunity members t prvide their wn ideas fr hw t create a mre bike-friendly San Gabriel Valley. In additin t the Sign-In Table, six statins were prvided t prvide infrmatin and t cllect ideas: 1. Bicycle Master Plan Presentatin 2. Mapping 3. Bicycle Facility Types Alta Planning + Design 12

13 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan 4. Educatin, Encuragement & Evaluatin What s Wrking? What Can We D Better? 5. Survey Statin 6. Kids Activity Statin Statin 1: Bicycle Master Plan Presentatin A brief, cntinuus running PwerPint presentatin prvided backgrund infrmatin abut the Reginal Bicycle Master Plan prject. The presentatin prvided an explanatin f the prject and a tentative schedule t prvide verview infrmatin and guidance n hw t stay invlved. Statin 2: Mapping Using stickers and maps f the prject cities, participants at this statin identified current cycling destinatins, places that they wuld like t bicycle t, and lcatins fr pssible imprvements. Pst-It ntes and flip charts were used t recrd additinal ntes r destinatins. Destinatins nted by stakehlders fr bicycle cnnectivity include East L.A. Cllege in Mnterey Park, the El Mnte Transit Center, grcery stres, cmmunity centers, Whittier Narrws Recreatin Area, river bicycle paths, and ther parks and recreatin facilities. On a different set f maps, participants were asked t identify challenge lcatins, such as physical barriers r cmplex intersectins. Participants frequently nted issues related t freeways bifurcating the cmmunity and freeway interchanges causing high-stress crssings, highspeed arterials such as Atlantic Bulevard and Garvey Avenue, and intersectins difficult t navigate via bicycle. Participants requested imprvements near schls t slw traffic and better accmmdate bicycle and pedestrian travel. Statin 3: Bicycle Facility Types An educatin statin was prvided with fur bards shwing different types f bicycle facilities: ne bard illustrated standard bicycle facilities cmmnly used tday (Class I paths, regular bike lanes, sharrws, etc.), anther ffered images f mre nn-standard bikeway facilities (e.g., cycle tracks, clred bike lanes, etc.), a third bard shwed bicycle parking ptins, and the last bard highlighted cmmn types f bicycle pavement markings and wayfinding signage. Participants were asked t shw which facility types they wuld like t see used in their cmmunities, and several individuals prvided ideas fr additinal treatments r Alta Planning + Design 13

14 Chapter 1 Intrductin ways t imprve thse shwn n the bards. In additin, participants were asked t discuss where these varius facilities might be installed in the future. The tw tables belw shw the ttal sticker vte cunts amng all five prject cities fr preferred Bikeway Types; Bicycle Parking Facilities; and Signage, Markings, and Wayfinding. Cycle Tracks received the mst vtes fr preferred Bikeway Type, and Bike Statins were the mst ppular Bicycle Parking Facilities amng participants. Bikeway Types Standard Bikeway Types Number f Dts Innvative Bikeway Types Number f Dts Off-Street Bike Path 6 Cycle Tracks 17 On-Street Bike Lanes 12 Buffered Bike Lanes 5 Signed Shared Radway 4 Enhanced Clred Bike Lanes 7 Bicycle Bulevard 3 Clred Sharrw Lane ( Super Sharrws ) 0 Bicycle Parking Facilities Shrt Term Bicycle Parking Facilities Number f Dts Lng Term Bicycle Parking Facilities Number f Dts On-Street Bicycle Crral 6 Bicycle Lckers 4 Curb Extensin Bicycle Racks 5 Bicycle Rms and Cmpunds 5 Sidewalk Bicycle Racks 8 Bike Statins 9 Sheltered Bicycle Racks 7 Autmated Bicycle Parking 0 Alta Planning + Design 14

15 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan Signage, Markings & Wayfinding Categry Facility Signage and Pavement Markings Number f Dts 15 Wayfinding Signage 6 Statin 4: Educatin, Encuragement & Evaluatin A statin was established fr participants t discuss varius nn-infrastructure cmpnents typically included within a bicycle master plan. Educatin events include yuth bicycle rdes and adult bicycle skills curses t teach peple hw t safely and cnfidently ride bikes, encuragement prgrams t get mre individuals riding, and enfrcement activities that aim t reduce bicycle/mtr vehicle cnflicts and ther surces f ptential injury. Participants were asked t share if any f these nninfrastructure prgrams were currently in place in their cmmunities. In additin, visitrs shwed which types they wuld like t see implemented in their cmmunities by vting with dt stickers (shwn in the table belw). Acrss all five cities, Encuragement Prgrams received the mst vtes, with Educatin Prgrams clse behind. Preferred Nn-Infrastructure Prgrams Categry Number f Dts Educatin 11 Encuragement 13 Enfrcement 8 Statin 5: Survey Statin Hard cpies f a survey were available fr participants t cmplete. Small gifts (bike lights, safety straps, water bttles, etc.) were prvided t participants that cmpleted the surveys. Alta Planning + Design 15

16 Chapter 1 Intrductin Statin 6: Kids Activity Statin At each Meeting, kids were given the pprtunity t create drawings abut biking and bike safety. This table was ppular at all five Jurisdictinal Meetings and prvided an pprtunity fr families t visit the wrkshp and participate. Images fr clring by children were related t bicycling and prvided simple safety guidance Infrmatin Kisks An infrmatin kisk was created fr each city. The kisks were strategically placed in areas f high ft traffic with high visibility such as city hall, cmmunity centers, libraries, schls, day care facilities, senir centers, etc. Each mnth, the kisks were placed in different lcatins within each city Mark Keppel High Schl s Prmting Yuth Advcacy Club In partnership with Mark Keppel High Schl, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the Asian Pacific Islander Obesity Preventin Alliance, a grup f teenage cmmunity leaders vlunteered t participate in an extracurricular club knwn as PYA (Prmting Yuth Advcacy) which met weekly n campus and n the first Saturday f each mnth frm 12pm- 3pm. The Saturday class was used t educate yuth abut varius health and envirnmental inequities in the San Gabriel Valley while actively engaging them in the Reginal Bike Master Plan develpment prcess t address thse inequities. Dates and tpics fr the Saturday classes are as fllws: Octber 5, 2013: General Intrductin t Healthy Eating, Active Living and Existing Cnditins in the San Gabriel Valley Nvember 2, 2013: Bike Master Plan Overview Alta Planning + Design 16

17 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan Basics f bicycle rutes, infrastructure, prgrams, and plicies Walking Street Audits, Part I December 7, 2013 Explring the Transfrmative Nature f Open Streets events Fix-a-Flat & Patch-a-Tube January 11, 2014: Walking Street Audit, Part II Bicycling Survey Digital and hard cpy surveys were prvided t cmmunity members t gather input fr the creatin f the Reginal Bicycle Master Plan. Between Octber 1, 2013 and January 31, 2014, 487 respnses were received. The cmplete survey frm and detailed survey results are lcated in Appendix C. Of the 487 respndents, the majrity f them were between 18 and 45 years ld, nearly a third were ver 46 years ld, and 18 percent were under 18 years ld. Sixty percent f survey respndents identified as male. Only fewer than 5 percent f respndents d nt wrk r g t schl. Nearly half (46%) f respndents have a cmmute t wrk r schl that is under five miles, which is typically cnsidered t be within easy bicycling range fr mst peple, and half f thse respndents live less than tw miles frm their wrk/schl destinatin. Of thse wh cmmute t/frm wrk, mst drive alne (57.6%), Figure 1-4: Reasns fr Bicycling Surce: San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan - Bicycling Survey Alta Planning + Design 17

18 Chapter 1 Intrductin althugh apprximately 70 percent f respndents claim t be cmfrtable riding in at least sme traffic. Over 40 percent f respndents cmmute t wrk/schl by bicycle at least ne day per week, while 64 percent ride a bike fr recreatin r exercise at least nce each week. As shwn in Figure 1-4, the main reasns that peple bicycle are fr Health and Exercise/Recreatin. The next mst ppular reasn t bicycle is because it is gd fr the envirnment. Additinal reasns entered fr Other include aviding parking csts, nt wanting t drive/wn a car, scializing, and fr fun. When asked what prevents survey respndents frm bicycling mre ften, if nt at all, respndents indicated that the tp three reasns are a lack f designated bikeways, the behavir f mtrists, and vehicle vlumes and/r speeds. Figure 1-5 displays the results f this questin. Figure 1-5: Barriers t Bicycling Surce: San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan - Bicycling Survey Additinal reasns given in the Other categry include the risk f bicycle theft, their jb requires them t use a mtr vehicle, cncerns abut persnal safety during nighttime, r lack f bicycle wnership. The mst imprtant cnsideratins that respndents make when making a decisin t ride a bicycle are the presence f designated n-street bikeways, a netwrk f rutes between cities, behavir f mtrists, traffic vlumes/speeds, and the cnditin f the bikeway/radway (e.g., pavement quality). Prgrams that respndents are the mst interested in are riding skills and safety educatin fr children and adults, public awareness campaigns, bicycle maps and guides, bicycle infrmatin websites r smart phne applicatins, and special bicycle events/prmtins such as Open Streets r Bike Mnth. When asked t list places in the San Gabriel Valley respndents wuld like t see new bicycle facilities, sme cmmn themes were evident. Amng the lcatins suggested by respndents were majr arterials Alta Planning + Design 18

19 San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan (especially Valley Bulevard, Rsemead Bulevard, and San Gabriel Bulevard), Main Streets thrugh dwntwn districts, areas arund bus and rail transit hubs (e.g., Gld Line statins & the El Mnte Bus Statin), and in and arund the City f Pasadena. When asked t prvide additinal cmments, several respndents requested that mre bicycle and mtrist educatin be prvided in the San Gabriel Valley. Many thers specifically asked fr physically separated cycle tracks, reflecting an interest in maximizing separatin frm vehicular traffic Website with Mapping Tl, Plls & Suggestin Frm The prject team established an nline website ( t prvide infrmatin t the cmmunity and slicit input abut the Bicycle Master Plan. Visitrs t the website can sign-up fr prject updates, cmplete the prject survey, and participate in mnthly nline plls abut tpics related t bicycling in the San Gabriel Valley. A key fcus f the website, thugh, is the suggested Alta Planning + Design 19

20 Chapter 1 Intrductin bikeways map that allws website visitrs t respnd t a set f initial rutes prpsed by the prject team and/r make their wn suggestins fr bikeways in the prject cities. The images belw are taken frm the website. Pll results and suggestins submitted thrugh the website can be fund in Appendix D. 1.6 Plan Organizatin The San Gabriel Valley Reginal Bicycle Master Plan is rganized int the fllwing chapters: Chapter 2: Visin, Gals, Objectives, and Plicies summarizes existing reginal plans and plicies that relate t the bicycle planning effrts in the San Gabriel Valley and prpses cncrete gals, bjectives, and plicy actins fr the prject cities. Chapter 3: Baldwin Park presents the existing bicycling cnditins that influenced recmmendatins in this Plan, as well as prpsed plicies and bicycle facilities in the City f Baldwin Park. Chapter 4: El Mnte presents the existing bicycling cnditins that influenced recmmendatins in this Plan, as well as prpsed plicies and bicycle facilities in the City f El Mnte. Chapter 5: Mnterey Park presents the existing bicycling cnditins that influenced recmmendatins in this Plan, as well as prpsed plicies and bicycle facilities in the City f Mnterey Park. Chapter 6: San Gabriel presents the existing bicycling cnditins that influenced recmmendatins in this Plan, as well as prpsed plicies and bicycle facilities in the City f San Gabriel. Chapter 7: Suth El Mnte presents the existing bicycling cnditins that influenced recmmendatins in this Plan, as well as prpsed plicies and bicycle facilities in the City f Suth El Mnte. Chapter 8: Recmmended Prgrams discusses prpsed educatin, encuragement, and enfrcement prgrams, as well as public awareness campaigns t increase bicycling in the participating cities; it als presents methds fr mnitring and evaluating the success f the Plan. Chapter 9: Funding discusses ptential funding surces t help the participating cities t implement their prpsed bicycle netwrks. Alta Planning + Design 20