Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

 

TO:

Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager

CC:

Scott McCullough, Director of Planning & Development Services

Chuck Soules, Director of Public Works

Mark Hecker, Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation

FROM:

Jessica Mortinger, Senior Transportation Planner

DATE:

February 24, 2016

RE:

Approve the 3 Locations for Downtown Bike Corrals (30 bike parking spaces) and Removal of 2 Associated Parking Spaces

 

Background

The Douglas County Community Foundation awarded a LiveWell Community Wellness Grant in the amount of $8,900 to the City of Lawrence to install 30 spaces of on street bicycle parking in three bike corrals and 44 spaces of on sidewalk bicycle parking along Massachusetts St. The proposed locations for additional bicycle parking are shown on the map on page 2.

 

Project Description

Staff identified twenty two locations where inverted U bike racks could be installed on the existing sidewalk pavement. These locations had 4 ft by 6 ft areas of space for a rack and adequate spacing on each side to allow bicycle access and not impede the flow of the pedestrian way.  These 22 racks would accommodate 44 bikes.

 

Three locations were proposed to implement a pilot bike corral project that could accommodate 10 bikes per corral for a total of 30 bikes:

1.  8th & Massachusetts St– Southeast corner, first angled parking space (shown in the sketch on page 2.)

2.  100 East 9th St – Next to US Bank Building, parallel parking space closest to the alley.

3.  707 Vermont St– In front of Lawrence Public Library, in the space currently unallocated to automobile parking.

 

Staff notified Downtown Lawrence Inc. and property owners within 250 ft. of each proposed bike corral location and invited them to provide comment and feedback both in writing and/or in person to the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC), which hosted a public comment session to receive the comment.

 

The BAC received written correspondence and one member of the public attended the BAC (see draft minutes) to comment on the bike corral locations. The BAC reviewed the comments and voted unanimously to recommend the three proposed locations for bike corral installation.

 

 

Funding Breakdown:

Racks & Bollard Materials Cost: $8,900 (Grant Awarded)

Installation: $3,700 Public Works Staff (InKind)

 

Sketch of Proposed Bike Corral Design for 8th & Mass

 

Next Steps

After installation, staff and the BAC will track the usage of the bike corrals throughout the summer/fall recording peak day and nighttime usage and research options to create a more long term solution and/or program. The pilot project provides a way to assess the success and feedback for bike corrals in Lawrence and provides an opportunity to analyze and develop a process while at the same time providing for the current demand and need for secure bicycle parking. Based on the findings, staff and BAC will report back to the Commission with proposed next steps by December 2016.

 

Additional project information is available in the grant proposal.

 

BAC Recommendation

BAC recommends approval of the three Locations for Downtown Bike Corrals and removal of two associated parking spaces.

 

Action

Approve the three locations for downtown bike corrals and removal of two associated parking spaces and direct staff to install the bike corrals.