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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCoralville Bike Plan SummaryCommunity Summary 10TH ST HWY 965 7TH AVE NORTH RIDGE TRAIL West Land Use Area Sidepath Off-street Trail Bike Lanes Bicycle Boulevard/sharrows School Railroad Difficult Road Section Existing Future CORALVILLE Approximately 20 miles of existing trail (local and regional), 12 miles of sidepath, and 4.76 miles of sharrow. Opportunities Coralville has a robust system of off-street and separated bike facilities, with 19+ miles of trails (local & primary) and approximately 12 miles of sidepaths and 6 miles of wide sidewalks. Major trails include the Clear Creek Trail, which con- nects to the University of Iowa Campus and Iowa City; and the North Ridge Trail, which connects to North Liberty and the Iowa River Trail, east of 1st Avenue. Sidepaths along Oakdale Boulevard and First Avenue, north of Interstate 80, are popular among bicyclists. The provi- sion of side paths along arterial streets, as they are extended, in addition to the completion of the Clear Creek Trail to Tiffin will connect new (and future) residential neighborhoods and major retail, commercial, and employment centers across communities. The City of Coralville has identifled nearly 40 additional miles of trails or sidepaths that will be part of future develop- ment and had prioritized pedestrian and bicycle transportation in new development areas (see West Land Use Area Map on page 4). Coralville has a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists in 2016. Equity • Consider working with the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and the MPO to promote Safe Routes to Schools. • Distribute bicycle information in multiple languages. Engineering • Consider snow removal along trails and sidepaths that serve as commuter and school routes. • Restrict driveway crossings on rights-of-way where sidepaths are planned or constructed. • Establish minimum bicycle parking requirements and standards for installation and design of parking for commercial and multi-family residential development. Challenges • 12th Avenue: Traffic volumes, hilly terrain, and nar- row roadway width make for a stressful ride along this essential north-south route across the interstate. A sidepath on the section where driveways are infre- quent, between Holiday Road and 10th Street, should be considered. Alternative routes along lower volume streets—following the 10th Avenue sharrows or a proposed 7th Street to 10th Street bike boulevard would allow bicyclists to avoid a busy section of 12th Avenue south of the Interstate. • 1st Avenue: Traffic volumes and the frequency of commercial driveways make 1st Avenue, south of the interstate, a daunting route for most bicyclists. When complete, the Iowa River Trail to the east will provide a low-stress alternative between Highway 6 and 9th Street. Wayflnding signs to guide bicyclists to the trail and to crossings at signalized intersections, including 9th Street and 1st Avenue, should be a priority. • Highway 6/2nd Street: The wide sidewalk along Highway 6 is a popular bicycle route, but the number and frequency of commercial curb cuts require cy- clists to use caution. As noted in the “Safety” section of this plan (page 25), this roadway experiences the greatest number of bicycle and pedestrian collisions. The Clear Creek Trail and the 5th Street bikeway pro- vide alternative routes. • Intersections of Highway 6 and 1st Avenue in Coralville and Rockyshore and Hawkins Drive in Iowa City. These intersections are convergence points for a number of important trails and sidepaths. Ensuring that bicyclists and pedestrians can cross safely and comfortably will make bicycle commuting between Coralville to Iowa City and the University Campus more appealing. The Iowa City Bicycle Master Plan called out this area for additional study. Collabo- ration between entities on wayflnding and other inter- section improvements should be a priority. Education • Continue to fund/organize summer bicycle program- ming for youth and consider expanding adult pro- gramming. • Consider using Iowa City Transit’s “People Friendly Driver” Program to educate transit drivers and other public employees about bicycle facilities and best practices for sharing the road with bicyclists. • Consider working with other metro communities and the Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee to pro- vide basic bicycle safety information printed in multi- ple languages. Encouragement • Continue to support and coordinate with the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Io- wa City Area Development, and other area groups to promote bicycling. • Continue to designate May as “Bike Month” and to fund/promote annual activities. • Continue to distribute Metro Area Trail maps. Enforcement • Consider reviewing Coralville’s bicycle ordinance to ensure compatibility with adjacent communities and to designate where electric assist bikes may legally operate. • Work with the Coralville Police Department to enforce light and refiector laws for those riding at night. • As time permits, focus enforcement efforts at inter- sections or along streets with documented pedestri- an and bicycle collisions. Evaluation • Communicate detour routes for pedestrians and bicy- clists during road and trail closures and ensure that alternate routes are safe and clearly marked. • Consider prioritizing the ADA transition plan to en- sure curb cuts are in compliance. • Use the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community application as a tool for reviewing pro- gress. Proposed Facilities First Avenue/North Liberty Road (Oakdale Boulevard to N. Dubuque Street): This segment of First Avenue cur- rently lacks any bicycle facilities. Extending a sidepath north of Oakdale Boulevard with future roadway im- provement projects will offer an additional north/south route for bicyclists between North Liberty and Coralville. This also provides a route to and from Liberty High School and surrounding residential development. Based on speeds and traffic volumes, a separated facility such as a side path would be the most preferred option. 2.7 miles Rustic Ridge (First Avenue to N. Dubuque Street): A sidepath on Rustic Ridge Road would provide connection between 1st Avenue and North Dubuque Street, expand- ing options for recreation and commuting in northeast Coralville. 0.3 mile 22nd Avenue (from Highway 6 to 14th Street): 22nd Ave- nue, north of Highway 6, is a collector street with the nec- essary pavement width to support on -street bike facilities such as bike lanes. Designating an exclusive space for bikes along this roadway would make it more appealing for many bicyclists. An on-street facility in this location would provide a connection to bike facilities south of Highway 6 (Clear Creek Trail). Wayflnding signage at the north end of 22nd Avenue could direct bicyclists west to the nearby Coral Ridge Mall and North Ridge Trail and I - 80 underpass. 0.6 mile Camp Cardinal Boulevard (Kennedy Parkway to High- way 6) Existing edge striping on Camp Cardinal may be converted to bike lanes to align with existing bike lanes on Iowa City's portion of the roadway to providing a con- sistent facility connecting the communities. This segment also provides an additional link to the Clear Creek trail for bicyclists and could be continued further north to 22nd Avenue. 1.0 mile 7th Avenue (Biscuit Creek Trail to 7th Avenue): The 25- mph speed limit and lower vehicle volumes on this set of streets make this a low-stress alternative to 12th Avenue. A quieter on-street route such as this may invite more inexperienced bicyclists. Weekday bicycling data collected from Strava users shows that this route is already being used by some riders. Wayflnding signage combined with shared lane markings would increase its familiarity with more bicyclists. 1.1 miles 10th Street Bikeway (25th Avenue to the CRANDIC Rail- road): Because 10th Street is not 30 feet in width for its entire length, there is not adequate space for a dedicated bike lane. However, it could be used as an on-street route, treated with pavement markings and signage to alert motorists of the presence of bicyclists. An on-street route would provide an east-west bikeway connecting to the existing trail system near Coral Ridge Mall and be- tween proposed facilities on 22nd Avenue and 7th Avenue. 1.2 miles Planned Facilities Clear Creek Trail connection under I-80/380 from Cor- alville to Tiffin. This project has secured funding and is scheduled for completion in 2024. 1.9 miles North Park Road sidepath from Forevergreen Road to I-80. 2.0 miles Additional neighborhood trails and sidepaths as required in the development in the West Land Use Area Plan. Iowa River Trail missing segment CRANDIC Park to Clear Creek Trail 0.45 mile Coralville’s Community Plan prioritizes pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle circulation for its West Land Use Area—a major area of planned growth located west of Highway 965 and east of I -380. The plan accounts for trails (shared-use paths) located within parks, open spaces, and greenways with connections from surrounding residential and commercial development as well as to Tiffin. In order to promote and support the beneflts of bicycling, the plan calls for bicycle parking and related sup- port facilities to be included as part of all multi-family and commercial sites as follows: • All retail and office uses are to provide on-site surface or in-building bicycle storage space or bike racks at a rate of 1 space for every 35 vehicle parking spaces with a minimum of 4 spaces per site. • All multi-family developments must provide on -site surface on in-building bicycle storage space or bike racks at a rate of 1 space for every 15 dwelling units with a minimum of 4 spaces per development. • Office uses are encouraged to provide in-building bicycle facilities, including bike lockers, repair and maintenance areas as well as shower or changing facilities. • Exterior bicycle parking is to be located in a visible area close to the front entrance of the main building or buildings on a paved surface and connected to adjacent trails or parking lots by a paved access. • The design of all bicycle facilities should consult and consider the guidelines of from the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP)- Essentials of Bike Parking, Revision 1.0, September 2015. Recreational Bicycling in Coralville The City of Coralville has taken the lead in establishing recreational off -road bicycling facilities in the metro with two unique facilities, described below. Both parks are accessible from the Clear Creek Trail and, once the trail connection is established under the I-380 interchange, bicyclists from all metro communities can reach these facilities by bike via the off-street trail system.  Opened in 2017, Coralville’s Creekside Cross Park is the flrst, and only, permanent cyclocross course in the Johnson County area and just the third in Iowa. Located along the Clear Creek Trail, the park provides a 2.6-mile course with mowed paths and terraced switchbacks through hilly terrain. The idea for the park was conceived by local bicycle racing groups and provides a practice facility for riders training for the annual Jingle Cross race in Iowa City. Clinics and local races are now featured at the park. Trails can also be used for hiking, running, and Nordic skiing. The City is in the process of adding a two -mile fiow track to the park.  Coralville also offers the only urban single -track trail within metro city limits. The Woodpecker Trail is located within the Clear Creek Greenway with a trailhead provided along Camp Cardinal Boulevard on the Clear Creek Trail. With the comple- tion of a second loop in 2019, Coralville now has six miles of single track trail located on both sides of Camp Cardinal Boule- vard with a connector passing under the street. Trails are de- signed for beginner through more advanced riders and include pump-track sections. In the winter, the trails are groomed for fat tire bicycling. Creekside Cross Park in Coralville. Photo © Think Iowa City A pump track at the Woodpecker Trail in Coralville. Photo © Think Iowa City