Draft Plan for review (previous version)

I am not sure this is a matter for the bike plan to address or if it is a matter to be considered when construction commences.

One of the points stressed during the presentation of the comprehensive plan was that Edina should stand out—as one traveled through one would recognize they were in Edina. An example offered of this message was citing the flower dividers recently built on Cornelia and 70th.

Is there a message here for how we designate our routes? Perhaps the kind of thing I am groping for is embedded in the teaser we got from Antonio last night when he introduced us to the Broadway art “project.”

Dwaine

test.

2.1 Map of Recommended Routes. What is the order of priority or purpose here? i.e. Which colored routes are you suggesting be done first, second, etc.? Which route is the basic "must have"? Isn't that what people want most to know? I am not finding this information anywhere yet. I think it is vitally important to recommend. At minimum, at least add detail explanation of what route types are supposed to do in the Legend.

2.5.2 Page 54 -- strike BETF because it is only a task force, not an "advocacy group." Hopefully it will continue in some form. Have we decided that yet?
Page 58 -- I would capitalize Bicycle Coordinator on all references as a title, for emphasis.

2.6 Existing Conditions -- Make it easier to understand what is being recommended for "bike racks" and amplify that by creating a sidebar of the types and descriptions (wave-type versus Inverted-U). I am not sure what type is shown as the "substandard" rack at Valley View. Interesting to learn and know. The pictures really help.

REQUEST:
I am really surprised that under Existing Conditions there is no mention of (lack of) bike racks at City Parks. I think this is critical, as it is the domain of the City of Edina --and directly related to our core BETF mission. Ballfields, playgrounds, the City of Edina Aquatics Center and Disk Golf Course at Rosland Park -- these are all prime gathering spots for families, children and individuals. Yet there are too few or NO bike rack facilities available. I absolutely think this is critical to identify as a need with specifics and make a recommendation for in this Plan. Parks and schools are priorities for families in particular.

Generally, I think the Plan reads well and I like the sidebars and photos for amplification. Thanks for the hard work, team!

Katy Campbell

For the statistics noted in section 2.3 for General Recommendations, not sure where those come from, but I found something similar/same from the Transportation Research Board from this study: http://trb.metapress.com/content/wq87468... Upon doing a quick search on relative dangers, I observed wide variances in studies. I am glad you are including information like this but this is an example where facts/studies need to be properly referenced. If you follow the APA publication guidelines, those can offer excellent standards for citations and references. Or any standard treatment I think would be good. Thanks.

I just happened to notice that the section 2.8 has a list of bus routes but it is not comprehensive: 146 is a pretty popular Vernon/Eden line. Also, 540 and 542 serve Edina. There are probably others. Suggestion: Get a list for Edina from someone that works at MetroTransit. That might be easiest. Today I biked to Southdale to take the 515. En route I saw Barry...small world (city)!

I don't have the time to reformat my MS Word doc my comments into HTML. I will email a word document that shows my comments clearly.

Thanks
Steve

Some text and diagrams from this Plan will be essential for ongoing coordination and more detailed planning and implementation. To support the future documentation and communciations, please provide the source documents for the Plan to assist us in leveraging the materials (in other words, having access only to the .pdf file is not desired). Thank you.

I think the "50th Street and Eden" is really "Vernon and Eden" if I understand correctly. Also, note that there is currently no evening service for this bus stop on weeknights or evenings...suggestion to include some kind of verbiage to the effect of "Work with MetroTransit on obtaining at least one evening return trip to the Vernon/Eden bus stop. Thank you.

The sidebar is great in my opinion for the Bicycle Coordinator section, but remove the statement assuming that the BETF would continue--that is a temporary group commissioned to support the development of the 10-year plan. However, the Bicycle Advisory Group and having representative on the Transportation Committee as you note is definitely critical. Thank you.

Here is a recommended schedule. Because this wasn't addressed with closure at the recent meeting and because the BETF needs to provide approval, here is what I see could work well:

Saturday/Sunday September 8/9:
Comments to CDG via this website...get all comments posted by afternoon on Sunday so that CDG gets a "quiet period."

Monday September 10:
Steve to arrange for meeting room logistics for upcoming week (see below).

Tuesday September 11:
a) 5 p.m. CDG posts final drafts of all sections.
b) Evening: BETF reserves time for individual reviews, comments posted.

Wednesday September 12:
a) CDG posts FINAL VERSIONs (not drafts) of all sections.
b) 7 p.m. Decision Meeting (Steve to reserve room)
c) BETF to provide approval (ideally); if there are a few remaining edits, BETF to authorize Steve to validate updates no later than Thursday September 13.

Thursday September 13 - Friday September 14:
a) Thursday only: Contingency approval if needed (see outcome from the meeting above).
b) Production: CDG to produce final copies for delivery to the City.

_______________________________________

NO WEEKEND WORK--Celebrate a timely delivery of a good outcome!

Hello, here are comments I gathered. They are labled in the section numbering scheme from last Wednesday (which might still hold true for current version).

Thank you for your review and integration.

Overall: There are lots of good statistics. Please give citations/references for statements like "Recent studies point out..." in section 1.6. This is a request for statements such as that throughout to provide both credibility and also a courtesy to readers that want to know where and when the data originated.

2.1: Route Summary:
a) ADD the missing bikeways submitted by Steve earlier (contact him if you need help finding them).
b) REMOVE the references to the hub for various reasons, including the risk that planners will focus on those without the necessary spokes.

2.2 Troy or Steve will be providing light comments on this section, mostly to highlight destinations based on Edina surveys and connections to other cities (details coming).

2.3 Light comments coming, ditto above, some regarding recommended context for Complete Streets.

2.4
a) Simplify by removing Hub diagrams.
b) Suggestion to provide a Route Inventory matrix that lists the routes along with attributes in the columns: This could be in the appendix and referenced from this section, noting that these routes would be re-assessed at least annually by the Bicycle Coordinator/bicycle advisory group.
c) For 2.4.1 ditto above regarding Hub for reasons stated above. Suggestion to contact Troy or Steve if you'd like to discuss.

Suggestion....lead with CP Rail line as a high priority to provide context for this, reference section below.

Here is what we're recommending/requesting for simplification and utility:

Preface by recommending at minimum, and at an early point, all bikeways receive signage. This is economical and establishes a level of officialness that directs bikers, informs motorists, and establishes a real bike network that can be on maps. Future transportation engineering can evolve the bikeways as situations and detailed studies warrant.

2.5 Regional

Ensure that the vital importance of the CP rail line is clear, also frame the 9-mile route as already approx. 90% integrated with proposed bikeways--future planning will need to ensure that these efforts are coordinated.

2.6 Parking: Look for some light comments from Steve or Troy.

2.7. The signing content could be moved up...as noted above, this could be a vital important/immediate step to get routes designated and on official bikeway maps. So, this section could potentially be removed as a result of integrating above.

2.8 Transit: This section might warrant higher placement. This can be low-cost and big benefits for bikers/transit riders.

2.9 Education: Please integrate education for police department, both for its enrichment/understanding and for its involvement in bike education in the community.

2.10: Refer to MN DOT resources and maybe instead just focus on areas that you recommend being better/different.

3.1: Suggestion to keep this high-level. Benchmarks are existing measures. Very important though as a consideration for transportation goals/objectives for Edina--not sure if detail can be obtained in time for the plan giving our timing now.

3.2 Transportation Commission to have a mode representative for biking, ideally someone from the Bicycle Advisory Committee or whatever it should be called and organized.

Thanks! You can contact me directly if you'd like clarifications. Anyone else please pipe in.