2017-024 Oak Bike AccommodationsDate: April 21, 2017
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Oak Phase IIIA Bike Accommodations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Report No. 2017-024
Bike accommodations have been planned for Oak Street since the 2001 Pedestrian and Bicycle
Linkages Component of the Denton Mobility Plan. The adopted update in February 2012
reinforced bike accommodations on Oak Street, specifically bike lanes from Carroll Boulevard to
Bonnie Brae Street. Funds were allocated in 2014 to complete bike accommodations on Oak and
Hickory Streets from their intersection with Avenue C/Jagoe to Bell Avenue. That project was
divided into three phases for expediency and coordination with other projects. Phases I and II
included bike lanes and sharrows on Oak and Hickory Streets from Bell Avenue to Carroll
Boulevard, and was completed in September 2016. Phase III is Oak and Hickory Streets, from
Carroll Boulevard to Avenue C/Jagoe, and was divided into A (Oak Street) and B (Hickory
Street) projects, per direction from the Mobility Committee at their June 14, 2016 meeting.
After several meetings of the Mobility Committee, a design was developed for Oak Street Phase
IIIA which included a bike lane of four to six feet in width, narrowing of travel lanes, and no
removal of parking. Letters were sent to residents on Oak Street between Carroll Boulevard and
Avenue C/Jagoe informing them of the upcoming project, scheduled for start after completion of
the upcoming mill and overlay.
BACKGROUND:
In the April 2001 Pedestrian and Bicycle Linkages Component of the Denton Mobility Plan, both
Oak and Hickory Streets are designated as a bikeway connection. Neither Sycamore nor
Mulberry Streets are designated as connectors on the map. In 2010, the City began work on
updating the 2001 Plan. Freese and Nichols was hired to produce the plan and a Bicycle Focus
Group was formed with stakeholders. Members included local citizens involved with Bike
Denton, University of North Texas students and staff, Denton County Transportation Authority,
Denton Police Department, and Denton Parks and Recreation Department.
Between March 2010 and February 2012, two public meetings and eight public hearings were
held for the update. During this time, the Bicycle Focus Group advocated for keeping the bike
lanes on Oak and Hickory Streets. Both streets provide key, direct connections between
downtown and the UNT campus and accompanying activities. Concerns were raised by the City
that a bike lane would not fit in the narrow roadway without either removal of the parking lane or
a travel lane. The update was adopted on February 21, 2012 with both Oak and Hickory Streets
designated as bike lanes.
Sycamore Street was included in the update as a bicycle and pedestrian route as a direct
connection between the Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC) and the UNT campus.
Mulberry Street was not designated as it does not connect directly to the DDTC. The Bike Plan
Date: April 21, 2017 Report No. 2017-024
notes a new signal at Carroll Boulevard and Sycamore Street to make it bicycle and pedestrian
friendly.
Upon adoption of the Bike Plan by Council, yearly funding was allocated to begin
implementation of components included in the plan. County Commissioner Eads provided
$50,000 for a bike project in Precinct 4. Those funds were used to install bike lanes on Oak and
Hickory Streets from Bonnie Brae Street to Avenue C/Jagoe and bike lanes on North Texas
Boulevard from Hickory Street to Oak Street. This was completed in 2013.
Funding in the amount of $220,000 was allocated in 2014 to complete the Oak and Hickory
Streets bike accommodations from Avenue C/Jagoe to Bell Avenue. Originally planned as one
large project, it quickly became clear that it would be continually delayed by other projects. It
was decided to divide the project into three Phases: Phase I — sharrows and signs on Oak Street
from Bell Avenue to Locust Street, and sharrows and signs on Oakland Street from McKinney
Street to Oak Street (in coordination with the newly installed crossing on McKinney St.); Phase
II — sharrows, signs, and bike lanes on Oak and Hickory Streets from Locust Street to Carroll
Boulevard; Phase III — bike lanes on Oak and Hickory Streets from Carroll Boulevard to Avenue
C/Jagoe.
Phases I and II were completed in April and September, respectively, of 2016. Phase III
presented challenges as the utility work and reconstruction of Hickory Street was being
accelerated. By the direction of the Mobility Committee at the June 2016 meeting, the existing
bike lane on Hickory Street from Welch Street to Carroll Boulevard was repainted. Additionally,
an interim treatment for a crossing at the intersection of Hickory Street and Carroll Boulevard
was facilitated and designs for bike accommodations on Oak Street was advanced rather than
wait on the Hickory Street reconstruction project.
Staff presented an initial design option to the Mobility Committee in November 2016, which
included a mixture of bike lanes and sharrows, with no removal of parking. The Mobility
Committee made several recommendations at the February 2016 meeting to maintain bike lanes
along the entire length of the project. The Mobility Committee made a clear directive for staff to
take another look at the project and incorporate bike lanes the entire length of the project. During
this time, three citizens sent emails to the Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator voicing support for
bike lanes on Oak Street.
In March 2016, staff presented the Mobility Committee with a design for Oak Phase IIIA that
maintained parking, retained both travel lanes, and provided a bike lane. The roadway width of
Oak Street between Carroll Boulevard and Avenue C/Jagoe varies from thirty-two feet to thirty-
four feet. To accomplish the bike lane, the parking lane was narrowed to eight feet, and travel
lanes were narrowed to ten and ten and a half feet. This provides for a five and a half foot bike
lane for most of the project, with a four foot urban shoulder for a small section. The Mobility
Committee unanimously approved this design.
Date: April 21, 2017 Report No. 2017-024
CONCLUSION:
After the March 21, 2017 Mobility Committee meeting, staff drafted a letter to be sent to
residents on Oak Street to inform them of the upcoming project. Two email responses were
received in opposition to the project, one email response in support, and two phone calls asking
for clarifying information. With the three emails received previously, the response to the Oak
Phase IIIA project is four citizens in support and two in opposition.
Staff is prepared to move forward with the pavement marking plan for Oak Street Phase IIIA.
The project has been designated in the City Council adopted Bike Plan since 2001, and had
funding allocated to the project in 2014. The Mobility Committee has been briefed on the project
nine times. The Street Department is starting a mill and overlay project on Oak Street from
Carroll Boulevard to Fulton Street on Monday, April 24. Striping will occur the following week.
ATTACHMENT(S):
2001 Pedestrian and Bicycle Linkages Component of the Denton Mobility Plan
2012 Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Map (updated March 2014)
Mobility Committee March 21, 2017 Meeting Oak Phase IIIA presentation
Oak Street Resident Letter
Oak Street Resident responses
Oak at Welch Street Bicycle Counts and Projections, 2015 and 2016
STAFF CONTACT:
Julie Anderson
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
(940) 349-7718
Julie.Anderson(yofdenton.com
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April 4, 2017
Dear Resident or Property Owner,
RE: Oak Phase III Bike Accommodations — Oak Street from Carroll Boulevard to Avenue
C/Jagoe
As part of the implementation of the City of Denton's Pedestrian and Bicycle Linkage
Component of the Denton Mobility Plan, adopted by City Council in February 2012, staff has
been working to implement bicycle accommodations throughout the City. Oak Street is
designated in the plan to have bicycle accommodations from Bonnie Brae to Bell Ave. In 2013,
bike lanes were installed on Oak Street from Avenue C/Jagoe to Bonnie Brae Street, and in 2016,
bike lanes and sharrows were installed on Oak Street from Bell Avenue to Carroll Boulevard.
The remaining portion from Carroll Blvd to Avenue C/Jagoe is the topic of this letter.
The design for the bicycle accommodations on Oak Street involves adding a four to six foot wide
bicycle lane along the north side of the road. It also requires the narrowing of the vehicle travel
lanes to 10 and to 10 �/z feet. Narrowing of travel lanes is a proven measure to reduce speeding
and provide traffic calming. The design does not change the current roadway width and nor does
it alter the current on -street parking. The design to reconfigure the lanes was reviewed and
approved by the City of Denton Mobility Committee over the course of several meetings.
Project Scope
� Project
Completed Bike Infrastructure
"Dedicated to Quality Service"
www.cityofdenton.com
Project Typical Section
4'-6' (varies) Bicycle Accommodation
I0.5' Travel Lane
I O' Travel Lane
8' Parking
Schedule
The Street Department has begun a mill and overlay project for Oak Street from Carroll Blvd to
Fulton Street. The re -striping of Oak Street from Carroll Blvd to Jagoe Street will be
implemented following the street construction. It is during the re -striping phase that the bicycle
lane will be striped.
If you have questions or comments about this project, please contact Bike/Ped Coordinator Julie
Anderson, 940-349-7718, Julie.AndersonLcityofdenton.com by April 14, 2017.
Sincerely,
Julie Anderson
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
Anderson, Julie
From: Patrick Sallings <patricksallings@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2017 11:44 AM
To: Roden, Kevin P; Gregory, Dalton R; Briggs, Keely G; Anderson, Julie
Subject: Bicycle Infrastructure Improvements on Oak St.
Hello,
I am sending this message to advocate for improvements to Oak St. - particularly, 6' bike lanes all the way
through would be best. I frequently ride on Oak because I live south of campus and ride the back streets to
Kroger, etc. to shop and eat. Oak is probably one of the more dangerous parts of my ride. Bike lanes would
greatly improve this. Thank you!
-Patrick Sallings
Patrick Sallings Guitar Studio
Anderson, Julie
From: A <aaronpowell2000@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2017 5:42 PM
To: Gregory, Dalton R; Roden, Kevin P; Anderson, Julie; Briggs, Keely G
Subject: Oak Street Bicycle Idea
Hi,
Your friendly neighborhood cyclist here,
Would this be an idea that would make everyone happy for Oak St. for Carroll St. to Ave. C?
I think traffic on Oak st. could be comfortably contained in one travel lane. Bus bulbs would increase speed and
safety of any buses stopping. Buses don't usually stop at all 3 stops when going through
zi;
Oak Street Idea
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Just some food for thought. I'd love to see a separated cycle track on Oak SU
Aaron Powell
1
Anderson, Julie
From: Benn Johnson <bennjohnson9@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, March 06, 2017 4:32 PM.
To: Roden, Kevin P; Gregory, Dalton R; Briggs, Keely G; Anderson, Julie
Subject: Oak Street Bicycle Lanes
Hello,
I was recently made aware of the possible addition of bike lanes on Oak Street, from Carroll to Avenue
C. I want to strongly suggest that every effort be made to put spacious (wider than 6 feet), protected bike
lanes along all of Oak Street.
I am a resident of Denton who lives at 707 W. Hickory Street, and I try to bicycle as often as possible.
However, when I want to ride toward Avenue C, I must contend with a rather discouraging uphill battle, paired
with angry, hurried drivers, constantly shuffling to move around me, while I swerve, attempting to avoid
potholes and bumps. The sidewalk on Oak street is hugely insufficient for bicycling, as parked cars block the
view from turning drivers, who drive into and out of parking spaces without looking for bikes. If a cyclist has
not already been killed or seriously injured on this street, I am surprised. I avoid it at all costs.
Likewise, I notice that other cyclists have determined to do the same for quite some time, as I commonly see
cyclists riding the wrong way up Hickory's (already skinny, scary) bike lane --this is a disaster waiting to
happen, as drivers seldom look right on Hickory before turning into the roadway. In fact, only a few months
ago, I was walking across Bernard St. along Hickory, and a driver hit me for this very reason (failure to look
right before turning). As I was on foot, this was only annoying and scary. If I had been on a bike, I could have
been severely injured. However, cyclists avoiding Oak Street have little option but to take Hickory the wrong
way, and the arrows in the bike lane do little to prevent this.
A positive step for the city of Denton's cycling and pedestrian safety is the implementation of full bike lanes,
with a minimum of six feet in width. As you may notice, this does not even allow for proper compliance with
the Vulnerable Road Users Ordinance, which states that trucks and heavy vehicles must give bicycles 6 feet of
passing distance, and in fact, such trucks usually hug the edge of the bike lanes due to their size. It is impossible
for bikes to travel closely to the curb in most places, due to precarious debris, road hazards, dumpsters, etc.
Thus for full execution of the Vulnerable Road Users Ordinance, it seems that bicycle lanes should at least be
more than 6 feet in width, or at least include physical barriers from traffic and flashy indicators to slow down
the traffic on the street. Anything less would be irresponsible, dangerous, and insufficient. This is evidenced
even more by the fact that Hickory Street's bike lane is already quite dangerous (and is also around 6 feet).
Please consider creating safe, reasonable (more than 6 feet) bike lanes on Oak Street.
Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any other questions, you are welcome to contact me. I
would be more than welcome to discuss the matter further.
Benn Johnson
(940)399-6692
Anderson, Julie
From: Randy Hunt <hunt.randy@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2017 11:32 AM
To: Anderson, Julie; Wazny, Kathleen; Briggs, Keely G
Subject: Bike lane on W. Oak
Just receive a notice letter from you.
IF you want to help, then help us/me to improve the pedestrian walkways along W. Hickory! ! ! ! Requests for
good sidewalks and better plans for parking along W. Hickory have been ignored by city employees for
years! Glad to visit with you on creating this plan for our neighborhood has also been ignored and excluded for
years by city employees.
Your letter is yet another example.
Do you realize that there were public hearings and decisions made to NOT place the bike path down W. Oak
nor W. Hickory? Instead the path agreed on was Mulberry and Sycamore which a line with the DCTA
station. Did you alter these plans?
This sounds like a pet project for a Council person who very soon departs the Council and who forced back in
parking on our City.
This also sounds like city employees continue to make decision without the support for the residents who live
here and pay for services. A key example - which I now conclude was your decision - was to terminate the two
lanes of traffic on W. Hickory is a single lane as it crosses Carroll Blvd. Stupid and uncalled for confusion at
this major intersection. People continue to drive in "both" lanes to continue travel across the intersection.
Your news is not welcomed nor appreciated,
Randy
Anderson, Julie
ONNUMMMMM
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Ms. Julie Anderson
ME Anderson <meanders38111@yahoo.com>
Thursday, April 06, 2017 2:11 PM
Anderson, Julie
No bike lanes on oak
It was previously agreed that bike lanes were to go on Mulberry, now I see more people want to
tell our neighborhood what to do by adding bike lanes, aren't buses on Oak enough?
1. Did anyone do a bike traffic survey to determine the need for a bike lane? As a longtime
resident, I can honestly say that few people bike, not because there are no bike lanes, but because
it is too hot for much of the year. So there is no need for a bike lane.
2. Has anyone asked the all of owners on Oak if they want a bike lane, our parking is already
very limited. I have not been asked recently, only the last time when the city agreed to go on
Mulberry.
No bike lanes on Oak Street. Put it on Mulberry.
I'm not against bikes, I ride one often when I lived in Denmark, only against the location of the
bike lanes.
Sincerely,
Mary Anderson
924 W. Oak
Denton
Sent from my iPhone
Anderson, Julie
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Attachments:
Mr. Hunt,
Thank you for your comments.
Anderson, Julie
Friday, April 14, 2017 11:53 AM
'Randy Hunt'; Wazny, Kathleen; Briggs, Keely G
RE: Bike lane on W. Oak
Oak at Welch Bike and Pedestrian Count Overview.pdf
The Update „to the Pedestrian and Bicycle LinkaReLLComponent of the Denton Mobility Plan (Bike Plan), was adopted
February 2012 by City Council after multiple public hearings and meetings. This plan guides the City in developing an on -
street bicycle network. It is this plan that designates Oak Street as a bicycle route, and specifically as a bike lane from
Carroll Boulevard to Bonnie Brae Street. To view a larger map of the Bike Plan click here. The Plan includes bike
accommodations on Oak, Hickory, and Sycamore Streets. This 2012 adopted plan supersedes any other plans.
This restriping project is through the budget allocation to the Bike Fund, and therefore is just for implementation of the
Bike Plan. Funding for sidewalks or street repairs is from separate funds. This project will not remove parking, alter the
roadway width, or remove travel lanes.
The intersection of Hickory and Carroll Blvd was restriped to include bike accommodations for those on bikes going
through the intersection. No travel or turn lanes were removed; it was previously a left turn lane, a through lane, and a
right turn lane.
Attached is bike and pedestrian count information from the city's yearly bike counts. Of the 8 locations counted, Oak
Street has the highest numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians.
Thank you,
Julie Anderson
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
City of Denton
215 E. McKinney
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 349-7718
www. BikeWalkDenton. com
__._.._.._.__.._........ ............... w.........._.� w.� —
www.facebook.com/BikeWalkDenton
From: Randy Hunt [mailto:hunt.randy@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2017 11:32 AM
To: Anderson, Julie <Julie.Anderson@cityofdenton.com>; Wazny, Kathleen < Kath lee n.Wazny@cityofdenton.com>;
Briggs, Keely G <Keely.Briggs@cityofdenton.com>
Subject: Bike lane on W. Oak
Just receive a notice letter from you.
IF you want to help, then help us/me to improve the pedestrian walkways along W. Hickory! ! ! ! Requests for
good sidewalks and better plans for parking along W. Hickory have been ignored by city employees for
Anderson, Julie
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Attachments:
Ms. Anderson
Thank you for your comments.
Anderson, Julie
Friday, April 14, 2017 11:53 AM
'ME Anderson'
RE: No bike lanes on oak
Oak at Welch Bike and Pedestrian Count Overview.pdf
I believe at one point, prior to adoption of the current Bike_ ,1r7, it was discussed to not place a bike lane on Oak and/or
Hickory Streets. This was due to concerns of parking being taken away in order to facilitate the bike lane. However, in
the process of creating the updated Bike Plan, which had a focus group and held multiple public hearings and public
meetings before being adopted by City Council in February 2012, Oak and Hickory were designated as bicycle routes,
both with bike lanes from Bonnie Brae Street to Carroll Boulevard. See a map of the proposed bike routes here.
Parking will not be removed as part of this restriping. All parking will remain. This restriping will not remove travel lanes.
Oak Street is an important street in the City of Denton transportation network, and we are working to provide citizens
with multiple transportation options to include vehicle, public transit, bike and foot.
In 2015 and 2016, Oak Street at Welch was counted as part of the Annual Bike Count. Of the 8 locations counted, it has
the highest bicycle and pedestrian use. It is estimated that 1,500 trips by bike are taken on Oak Street a week (see
attachment).
Thank you,
Julie
Julie Anderson
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
City of Denton
215 E. McKinney
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 349-7718
www. BikeWalkDenton.com
www.facebook.com/BikeWalkDenton
From: ME Anderson [mailto:meanders38111@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2017 2:11 PM
To: Anderson, Julie <Julie.Anderson@cityofdenton.com>
Subject: No bike lanes on oak
Ms. Julie Anderson
Anderson, Julie
From: ME Anderson <meanders38111@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2017 1:24 PM
To: Anderson, Julie
Subject: Re: No bike lanes on oak
That's really funny and not true. I live on Oak, and have for 12 years. Bad study. Try summer, winter. Mostly I
see people going to cement city and once a month Armstrong wantabees.
Have you asked those I oak directly not at hard to attend meeting for those who work.
Sent from my Whone
On Apr 14, 2017, at 11:52 AM, Anderson, Julie.1ulie. Anderson,( �c _1�.yoh l��� tots co]11> wrote:
I'l
Ms. Anderson
Thank you for your comments.
I believe at one point, prior to adoption of the current Bike Plan, it was discussed to not place a bike lane
on Oak and/or Hickory Streets. This was due to concerns of parking being taken away in order to
facilitate the bike lane. However, in the process of creating the updated Bike Plan, which had a focus
group and held multiple public hearings and public meetings before being adopted by City Council in
February 2012, Oak and Hickory were designated as bicycle routes, both with bike lanes from Bonnie
Brae Street to Carroll Boulevard. See a map of the proposed bike routes here.
Parking will not be removed as part of this restriping. All parking will remain. This restriping will not
remove travel lanes. Oak Street is an important street in the City of Denton transportation network, and
we are working to provide citizens with multiple transportation options to include vehicle, public transit,
bike and foot.
In 2015 and 2016, Oak Street at Welch was counted as part of the Annual Bike Count. Of the 8 locations
counted, it has the highest bicycle and pedestrian use. It is estimated that 1,500 trips by bike are taken
on Oak Street a week (see attachment).
Thank you,
Julie
Julie Anderson
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
City of Denton
215 E. McKinney
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 349-7718
www.BikeWalkDenton.com
www.facebook.com/BikeWalkDenton
Anderson, Julie
From: Randy Hunt <hunt.randy@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2017 1:12 PM
To: Anderson, Julie
Cc: Wazny, Kathleen; Briggs, Keely G
Subject: Re: Bike lane on W. Oak
I do not accept your conclusions. I and others in our neighborhood were at the Public Hearing(s) and know of
the results. It sounds like yet another city employee making decision without the support of the community that
pays for salaries.
If this bike lane appears, it will be very clear how the City elects to work with residential neighbors.
On Fri, Apr 14, 2017 at 11:52 AM, Anderson, Julie <Jtilie Aiideisoii"ra),eit)tofderiton coiii> wrote:
Mr. Hunt,
Thank you for your comments.
The Ur)date to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Lin,Kgp Com oner2t of the Denton Mobility Plan (Bike Plan), was adopted
February 2012 by City Council after multiple public hearings and meetings. This plan guides the City in developing an
on -street bicycle network. It is this plan that designates Oak Street as a bicycle route, and specifically as a bike lane
from Carroll Boulevard to Bonnie Brae Street. To view a larger map of the Bike Plan click here. The Plan includes bike
accommodations on Oak, Hickory, and Sycamore Streets. This 2012 adopted plan supersedes any other plans.
This restriping project is through the budget allocation to the Bike Fund, and therefore is just for implementation of the
Bike Plan. Funding for sidewalks or street repairs is from separate funds. This project will not remove parking, alter the
roadway width, or remove travel lanes.
The intersection of Hickory and Carroll Blvd was restriped to include bike accommodations for those on bikes going
through the intersection. No travel or turn lanes were removed; it was previously a left turn lane, a through lane, and a
right turn lane.
Attached is bike and pedestrian count information from the city's yearly bike counts. Of the 8 locations counted, Oak
Street has the highest numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians.
Anderson, Julie
From: ME Anderson <meanders38111@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2017 1:04 PM
To: Anderson, Julie
Subject: Re: No bike lanes on oak
It is less safe than Mulberry: we have speeding cars and trucks, buses, ambulances as well as the many drunk
drivers. Also, please prove need for bike lanes, people almost never ride, and those who do do no obey safety
laws.
No to lanes on Oak. Annuity case of the city doing as it pleased with out asking the residents impacted.
Sent from my i.Phone
On Apr 14, 2017, at 11:52 AM, Anderson, Julie <Julie ra l t c r r cJtyol l t�tox r� r% wrote:
Ms. Anderson
Thank you for your comments.
I believe at one point, prior to adoption of the current Bike P1 ark,, it was discussed to not place a bike lane
on Oak and/or Hickory Streets. This was due to concerns of parking being taken away in order to
facilitate the bike lane. However, in the process of creating the updated Bike Plan, which had a focus
group and held multiple public hearings and public meetings before being adopted by City Council in
February 2012, Oak and Hickory were designated as bicycle routes, both with bike lanes from Bonnie
Brae Street to Carroll Boulevard. See a map of the proposed bike routes here.
Parking will not be removed as part of this restriping. All parking will remain. This restriping will not
remove travel lanes. Oak Street is an important street in the City of Denton transportation network, and
we are working to provide citizens with multiple transportation options to include vehicle, public transit,
bike and foot.
In 2015 and 2016, Oak Street at Welch was counted as part of the Annual Bike Count. Of the 8 locations
counted, it has the highest bicycle and pedestrian use. It is estimated that 1,500 trips by bike are taken
on Oak Street a week (see attachment).
Thank you,
Julie
Julie Anderson
Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator
City of Denton
215 E. McKinney
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 349-7718
www.BikeW,alkDenton.com
www.facebook.com/BikeWalkDenton
From: Mike Cochran <gm.cochran@icloud.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2017 5:46 PM
To: Anderson, Julie
Subject: Oak St.- bike -lane comments
Dear Julie,
I am in receipt of your letter of April 4, 2017, concerning bike lanes and I am shocked that the City could come up with such a
reasonable plan. Your proposal for how to solve the problem of keeping existing parking and allowing for safe bike lanes is exactly
what I suggested in 2009 to Frank Payne. The last time this came up it was almost a textbook example of how to NOT solve a
public safety problem. Both the biking community and the neighborhood were opposed to it. This current proposal will accomplish
two things in my opinion: allow for safer bike traffic, AND narrow the lanes thus calming the traffic. I live in the first house off
Carroll on Oak and this has become a raceway with the wider lanes encouraging faster traffic. I have reams of data on the advisability
of narrower lanes in pedestrian areas but this has fallen on deaf ears in the past. This is a good plan and I am in favor to it.
Thanks to whoever is responsible.
Regards,
Mike Cochran
610 W Oak St.
FYI- Here is a letter from 2009 to the former Mayor Mark Burroughs outlining the problem with the the previous bike -lane proposal.
From: Mike Cochran [giail,9.t1.tilmike i,)Iiii koc�ocl,i�aul, I�,et
Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 12:55 AM
To: mark.burroughs@cityofdenton.com
Subject: Parking / bike -lane comments
Mark,
You asked about the process by which the bike lane plan was promoted to the citizens and if I had any comments to
make on the subject. On the advice of my wife I have intentionally minced my words and preemptively deleted any
expletives which might represent my true sentiments on the subject.
I believe that this bike -lane plan was presented to the community in such a ham-handed manner that it was doomed
to failure from the beginning. Where there should have been some positive feelings generated towards the City for
attempting to do something pro -active and progressive it had the exact opposite effect and instead caused the City to
look heavy-handed and dimwitted. The crudeness of this approach caused an unnecessary anxiety on the part of
citizens and generated real fear among some that our on -street parking would be taken away. It was so
poorly conceived and presented to the public that it almost seemed as if it were designed to fail... to sabotage bike
lanes, and rile up the public in the bargain.
The pity of all this is that what should have been an opportunity for the City, the residents, and the biking
community to come together in unity... went terribly wrong.
This is one of those lessons that has to be taught on a continual basis because it seems the staff never seems to learn
from previous mistakes. The basic lesson about plans that affect peoples lives is to consult with citizens BEFORE
the plan is finalized. Bring them on board so that they have some buy -in to and feel that they are partners, not an
inconvenient nuisance, to be avoided at all costs.
The basic problems were:
No citizen input in the creation of the plan -
No proper communication with citizen who might be affected by the plan -
Where there was written notice it was confusing and misleading -
The staff report at the TSC meeting was misleading, and just plain wrong in some instances -
and It was a really stupid plan... (which might have been salvaged with citizen input)
You will be pleased to know that Frank Payne was at least not a credit hog in this matter... he gave you full credit for
the idea, and he was just following orders.
As far as public input in developing the plan it is not as if the staff was not warned. I am not sure what instructions
you all gave but in Gretchen Bataille's letter of March 6th, she offered conditional support for the plan but was smart
enough to realize that the plan would go nowhere without stakeholder input. Her letter to you contained two
paragraphs emphasizing this point. It's not just touchy-feely stuff, but strategically sound advice. They were warned
5 months ago and apparently Bud promised to host a forum on the subject which did not happen.
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According to Frank Payne, he thought that bringing the item to the Traffic Safety Comm. WAS a public forum... of
course on the agenda it was styled to "hold discussion and make a recommendation By that point... we are not
collaborators. Having 3 minutes to respond to their staff report and misinformation is not adequate at all and it just
serves to infuriate the very people who might have been allies to a well prepared plan. I think Payne's comments
about that being a Forum were disingenuous at best. Public input can be messy and you cannot always control the
results, but in the end you have public buy -in and more accurately reflect the wishes of the community.
This should just be basic city policy and I know that you are experienced enough to realize this. I know you all are
trying to reach out to the neighborhoods and understand that there have been some neighborhood forums involving
city staff and select neighborhoods groups, but to us in the Oak Hickory Neighborhood Organization (OH -NO) it
seems like lip service. I first spoke to Frank Payne on May 21st and informed him that the neighborhood would not
like the idea of having our parking removed, giving him ample notice that there was real concern over
their proposal. Yet at the neighborhood forum held June 11th, our neighborhood was specifically NOT INVITED to
it. (I have yet to hear an explanation as to why this was so, but it is a fact.) Those that called about it were informed
that they could attend if they wanted to but no invitations were sent to our neighborhood. They had a break-out
session for the various neighborhood groups invited, and the few members of our neighborhood who attended had to
leave because there was no place for them.
This might have been an opportunity to bring up this really big plan that would affect our neighborhood... but
according to everyone I have spoken to who was there, there was scant mention of the bike plan and nothing about
the the plan to remove all the parking from our street. Fred Green, when I spoke to him at the Traffic Safety Comm.
meeting insists that Frank Payne talked about it... but only one person remembers him having done so at all. I have
no reason to question Fred, but it does seem likely that if you informed a group of residents that all their parking was
about to be removed... that someone would remember it.
Elise was there and outraged when I informed her of the plan.
Now a quote from Elise:
"Someone from traffic did speak at the meeting in June. The idea of a bike path was mentioned. What was not
mentioned was that they had a specific plan nearly ready for presentation, ... that the plan would completely remove
parking from Oak in the residential areas, nor that they were getting ready to send the letters out. We expressed
concerns about closing down half the parking on Oak with no consideration or plan concerning where it would
go. Specifically that it would go to already overloaded streets, and other nearby streets that are narrower and have
no sidewalks. To this they had no comment. Please feel free to share any of this aspect of the bike lane fiasco with
Mark Burrroughs. The city wanting to engage with neighborhoods has proven to be bogus on a whole slew of levels
here."
As for getting the stakeholders on board they did not even consult with the bike lane advocates and some of those
folks are very knowledgeable on the subject. They heard about it from me (Howard Draper did not even receive a
written notice in the mail) and I only heard about it when I talked with a road crew employee putting temporary
stripes on the street in front of my house. He told me, "They are taking all the parking off of Oak St..." I told him not
to be so sure.
Me talking to a road crewman is NOT a public forum either.
The notification letters that went out only went to property owners. Renters are stakeholders too and the multi-
family properties in the area use on -street parking. Business which were rented also did not receive the mailed
notice. I have heard that after one merchant complained that they sent someone out and hand delivered notices, but I
still talked to businesses that had not received notice.
The Dev. Code requires that changes in traffic and street use in the Historic District are required to go before the
HLC. This was hastily scheduled AFTER Peggy Capps complained about it. That would have been another
opportunity for public vetting. Does the traffic department know the Code?
The staff report presented to the Traffic Safety Comm. was flawed in many senses. They misrepresented the Code to
the commissioners when they stated, "City code requires that a parallel parking stall be a minimum of 9 ft. in
width." This is just not true. The Transportation Criteria Manual gives several options of 6' to 8' for residential on -
street parking lanes. A "parking stall" is not a parking lane. The only place the term "parking stalls" is used is in the
section pertaining to parking lots and garages (p. 67 TCM) and yes, they are 9' wide, as they should be. I may not be
a professional engineer... but I know how to read a public policy document and know the difference between a
parking lot and public street.
This whole conflict hinges on the staff intransigence over the notion that parking lanes have to be 9' wide, traffic
lanes have to be 12' wide and bike lanes have to be 6' wide, therefore to add a bike lane on Oak (where the streets
are 37' or less) means you have no choice but to remove the parking... I found the AASTO (American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) guidelines which give a range of options for a variety
of circumstances... (10' traffic lanes, 7' parking lanes and S' bike lanes" are acceptable) this same situation is
handled gracefully in a number of other cities. There is general acknowledgement that all situations are not equal
and quite literally, "one size does NOT fit all." The professional manuals realize that in inner city situations you
can't always have the widest possible lanes which is why they specifically mention safe, reasonable alternatives. If
the Historic District does not qualify as a special situation, then I cannot imagine what would. Much of the street in
the Historic District is 34' wide and could easily accommodate parking and bike lanes, and still satisfy AASHTO
safety standards.
When the staff finally perceived •that Oak St. residents were not happy about losing their on -street parking they came
up with a hastily conceived alternate plan: buy up property in the Historical District and widen the road. It is almost
laughable in its failure to understand local citizen values. We fought that battle in 1989 when staff envisioned Oak
and Hickory as a 6 -lane couplet going from the Square to the Interstate. As I wrote to Mayor Stephens at the time,
the staff was proposing a "major boulevard with the Historic District as the median."
The staff is guilty of presenting what were essentially "worst case scenarios" about the specs for traffic, parking and
bike lanes, when there were a range of options available approved by AASHTO and in use all across the country. By
this technique they sought to lead the commissioners to the conclusion which the the staff preferred. There is a name
for this practice: it's called "policy making".
An additional problem with tracking the staff position on this is that from the public notices sent out to citizens, to
the staff back-up for the TSC meeting, to the staff presentation given at the meeting, the staff position seemed to
change, as if morphing before our very eyes.
The initial citizen notice letter states that the creating the bike lanes would, "result in the addition of No Parking
zones on the south side of Oak St...." The map on the reverse side of this letter shows where parking would be
removed and in the West Oak HOA area, between Jagoe and Bonnie Brae, there is a notation the the parking would
be removed from the "north side of Oak only", yet the back-up material for the TSC meeting clearly states that all
the parking would be removed from that section. This was very confusing to many of the residents there who
assumed that they would still have on -street parking on the south side of their street.
At the meeting it looked as if they were just making it up as they went along. I had read the staff report before the
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commissioners.
leads me to the conclusion that they did not learn much during their 2 hour public shellacking.
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communication problem can be corrected and it can be turned into a positive learning experience for conscientious
[R R' servants.
your humble serv't,
Mike Cochran
Oak at Welch Bike and Pedestrian Count Overview
In 2015 and 2016, Oak Street at Welch Street was a location counted during the Annual Bike Count.
Using dates and information from the National Bike and Pedestrian Documentation Project (NBPDP), a
volunteer counted this location on a weekday and weekend for two hours in the second week of
September. From those counts, projections for daily, weekly, monthly, and annual use is extrapolated.
These counts are a snapshot -in -time and are intended to show trends over time of biking and walking.
Below are the raw counts for each year, as well as the projected use from those counts.
2015
Tuesday Wednesday
Saturday Sunday
People on Bikes
Female
5
2
0
Male
20
5
8
Pedestrians
Female
50
1
44
Male
54
14
41
Other
Projected Use
6
Weekday
1
Weekend
0
Daily
188
56
Weekly
1,500
313
Monthly
6,429
1,339
Annually
107,143
22,321
2016
Tuesday Wednesday
Saturday Sunday
People on Bikes
Female
7 7
2
0
Male
17 15
4
10
Pedestrians
Female
71 57
6
44
Male
77 64
6
45
Other
m
Projected Use
1
Weekday
0
Weekend
0
i
Daily
173
60
Weekly
1,380
333
Monthly
5,914
1,429
Annually
98,571
23,810
Use is consistent from year-to-year. This location will continue to be counted each year during the
Annual Bike Count to assess use and improvements or modifications.
Denton Bike/Ped Count
Location 05 - Oak @ Welch