Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan Draft Plan February 2013

Prepared by: Alta Planning + Design Prepared for: City of Alhambra

 

City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan

Acknowledgements Prepared for: City of Alhambra Mary Chavez, Director of Public Works Chris Paulson, Administrative Analyst

Prepared by: Alta Planning and Design Brett Hondorp, Principal Jessie Holzer, Planner

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Acknowledgements

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City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan

Table of Contents 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Land Uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Goals and Policies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.1 Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2 Goals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.3 Existing Plans and Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3 Existing Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 3.1 Existing Bicycle Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 3.2 Multi-Modal Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 3.3 Education, Encouragement, and Enforcement Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3.4 Past Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

4 Needs Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 4.1 Types of Bicyclists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 4.2 Public Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 4.3 Bicycle Commuter Estimates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 4.4 Collision Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5 Recommended Improvements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 5.1 Proposed Bikeways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 5.2 Proposed Bicycle Support Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 5.3 Additional Municipal Code Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 5.4 Recommended Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

6 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 6.1 Project Cost Estimates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 6.2 Bikeway Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 6.3 Project Prioritization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 6.4 Funding Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Appendix A: Online Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Appendix B: Bike Lane Implementation Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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Table of Contents

List of Figures Figure 1-1: Proximity Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Figure 1-2: Land Use Policy Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Figure 2-1: West San Gabriel Valley Proposed Bikeways Adjacent to Alhambra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Figure 3-1: Caltrans Bikeway Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Figure 3-2: Existing and Proposed Bikeways Adjacent to Alhambra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Figure 3-3: Multi-Modal Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Figure 4-1: Types of Bicyclists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Figure 4-2: Respondent Bicyclist Ability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Figure 4-3: Respondent Commute Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Figure 4-4: Barriers to Bicycling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Figure 4-5: Interest in Programmatic Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Figure 4-6: Bicycle Collisions, 2006-2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Figure 5-1: Recommended Bikeways. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Figure 5-2: Recommended Bicycle Parking Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

List of Tables Table 2-1: Relevant Bicycle-Related Municipal Code Ordinances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Table 3-1: Existing and Proposed Bikeways Adjacent to Alhambra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Table 4-1: Means of Transportation to Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Table 4-2: Existing Bicycling Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Table 4-3: Existing Bicycling Air Quality Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Table 4-4: Projected Year 2030 Bicycling Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Table 4-5: Projected Year 2030 Bicycling Air Quality Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Table 4-6: Bicycle Collisions, 2006-2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Table 4-7: Collision Details, 2006-2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Table 5-1: Recommended Bikeways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Table 6-1: Bikeway Unit Cost Estimates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Table 6-2: Annual Operation and Maintenance Cost Estimates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Table 6-3: Prioritization Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Table 6-4: Prioritized Bikeways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Table 6-5: Federal Funding Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Table 6-6: State Funding Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Table 6-7: Regional Funding Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Table 6-8: Other Funding Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan

1

Introduction

The Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan is intended to guide the development and maintenance of a comprehensive bicycle network and set of programs and policies throughout the city over the next 10 years. The plan provides a vision to improve conditions for bicycling throughout Alhambra, and create local and regional connectivity. Implementation of this plan is meant to promote and increase bicycle ridership for all ages and levels of ability through safe, accessible, and consistent bicycle infrastructure, and the policies and programs that support it. This chapter introduces the City of Alhambra and the Bicycle Master Plan. It is meant to provide context and background for future chapters in the Plan.

1.1

Setting

The City of Alhambra has a population of approximately 83,389 residents and, as shown on Figure 1-1, is located in central Los Angeles County, several miles northeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city has a land area of approximately 7.5 square miles and is built-out. Within the city there are 11 different colleges and four business districts. The business districts include:

• • • •

Main Street Valley Boulevard Fremont Avenue Mission-Palm

The top three employers in Alhambra are: • • •

1.2

Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (3,600 employees) Alhambra City Schools (2,136 employees) County of Los Angeles Offices at The Alhambra (1,500 employees)

Land Uses

Land uses in Alhambra are shown in Figure 1-2. Just over half of the City’s land area consists of residential uses, including single family residential (35 percent) and multifamily residential (18 percent). Office/professional uses in the city are located on Garfield Avenue and Fremont Avenue, while commercial uses are concentrated along Main Street. The City’s automobile commercial land use, representing Auto Row, is also situated on Main Street.

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0

101

0.5

Downtown Los Angeles

5

1

110

Miles

N

LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES COUNTY (unincorporated)

710

SOUTH PASADENA

10

MONTEREY PARK

ALHAMBRA

60

SAN MARINO

MONTEBELLO

LOS ANGELES COUNTY (unincorporated)

ROSEMEAD

SAN GABRIEL

LOS ANGELES COUNTY (unincorporated)

Chapter One | Introduction Figure 1-1: Proximity Map

City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan Figure 1-2: Land Use Policy Map

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N

ON GT N I T PIN

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DR

ST

MB HA AL

ATLANTIC BLVD

A AD

E AV

ST

E AV

N MI S S I O

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SAN MARINO AVE

NT

ST

RAMONA ST

ALMANSOR ST

CHAPEL AVE

MARGUERITA AVE

MARENGO AVE

PALM AVE

ORANGE ST

6TH ST

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D AR DW

MAIN ST

BLVD AR PL

COMMONWEALTH AVE

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RD

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§ ¦ ¨ 10

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YNEZ AVE

HELLMAN AVE

NEW AVE

ROSS AVE

GARFIELD AVE

GLENDON WY

ATLANTIC BLVD

FREMONT AVE

NORWOOD PL

GARVEY A VE

§ ¦ ¨ 710

Source: City of Alhambra 2012

Low Density Residential

Automotive Commercial

Industrial

Specific Plan

Medium Density Residential

Regional Commercial

Parking

Downtown Specific Plan Overlay

High Density Residential

Central Business District

Public Facilities

General Commercial

Office Professional

Open Space

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Chapter One | Introduction

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City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan

2

Goals and Policies

This chapter presents the goals, objectives, and policies for the Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan. It also reviews existing plans and policies related to bicycling that will help guide this Plan, organized by City of Alhambra, Los Angeles County, and Other Plans and Policies.

2.1

Vision

The overall vision of the Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan is to create a community where bicycling is a safe, convenient, and viable form of transportation. Through the development of the

Plan and the goals, objectives, and policies presented in this chapter, the City aims to become a place where residents and visitors can bicycle to their destinations, whether it be home, work, or commercial centers.

2.2

Goals and Objectives

The broad, over-arching goal of the City of Alhambra’s Bicycle Master Plan is to encourage and promote bicycling as a form of transportation through engineering, education, enforcement, and encouragement. Specific goals and objectives for achieving this goal are as follows.

Goal 1: Bicycle Network Create a bicycle network in Alhambra for all types of bicycle riders and all trip purposes Objective 1.1 Develop a bicycle network with a comprehensive system of bike paths, bike lanes, and bike routes

Policies

Objective 1.2

 Plan and install new bicycle lanes on major arterials with sufficient width  Plan and install shared lane markings (“sharrows”) and signage on bicycle routes where bicycle lane implementation is demonstrated to be infeasible  Ensure that all facilities are designed consistently in accordance with the latest local, State, and Federal standards  Promote consistent signage that directs bicyclists to neighborhood destinations and increases the visibility of the bicycle network Implement a system of bikeways with connectivity between homes, jobs, public transit, recreational resources, and adjacent communities  Plan and install bicycle facilities adjacent to schools  Plan and install bicycle facilities adjacent to major employment and shopping centers  Plan and install bicycle facilities that will connect to regional facilities  Work cooperatively with adjacent cities to coordinate bicycle planning and implementation activities  Support the development of bicycle facilities that provide access to regional and local public transit services wherever possible

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Chapter Two | Goals and Policies

Objective 1.3 Policies Objective 1.4 Policies Objective 1.5

Policies

 Coordinate with transit providers to ensure bicycles can be accommodated on all forms of transit vehicles and that adequate space is devoted to their storage on board whenever possible  Coordinate with transit agencies to install and maintain convenient and secure short-term and long-term bike parking facilities – racks, on-demand bike lockers, in-station bike storage, and staffed bicycle parking facilities – at transit stops and stations, Coordinate with developers to provide bicycle facilities that encourage biking and link to key destinations  Recommend the implementation of bike lane and bicycle support facilities along key corridors  Recommend bicycle parking at key locations, such as employment centers, parks, transit centers, schools, multi-family residences, and shopping centers Support efforts to develop a Complete Streets policy that accounts for the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, disabled persons, and public transit users  Prioritize opportunities that improve walkability and bikeability by utilizing Complete Streets standards for Capital Improvement Projects Develop a bicycle parking policy  Establish bicycle parking design standards and requirements for all bicycle parking on City property and for private development  Identify where bicycle parking facilities are needed and identify the appropriate type for each site  Install and support short-term, long-term, and high capacity bicycle parking within the public right-of-way and on public property, especially in high demand locations, such as near commercial centers  Provide bicycle parking that is sheltered from inclement weather

Goal 2: Safety Improve safety for all road users through bikeway implementation, education, enforcement, and bikeway maintenance Objective 2.1 Implement projects that improve the safety of bicyclists at key locations  Review bicyclist-related automobile crashes to identify potential problem areas Policies  Implement bicycle facilities on low-speed and low-volume roads Objective 2.2 Increase education of bicycle safety through programs and trainings of the general public  Support the implementation of bicycle-safety curricula and provision to the general public and targeted populations, including diverse age, income, and ethnic groups  Partner with neighboring communities to distribute bicycle-safety education materials Policies  Encourage schools to develop and provide bicycle-safety curricula for use in elementary, middle, and high schools  Support marketing and public awareness campaigns aimed at improving safety  Implement a Safe Routes to School program for elementary and middle schools Objective 2.3 Increase education of bicycle safety through programs and trainings of City employees  Train City staff working on street design, construction, and maintenance projects to consider the safety of bicyclists in their work  Conduct bicycle-safety classes for City employees Policies  Conduct bicycle-safety workshop for City-operated transit operators and other large fleet-vehicle operators  Provide bicycle safety education to the police and those cited for moving violations that focuses on safe cycling, relevant traffic laws, and safe sharing of the roadway Objective 2.4

Objective 2.5 Policies

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Increase enforcement activities that enhance safety of bicyclists on bike paths and roadways  Increase enforcement efforts on City-streets and bikeways  Increase enforcement of unsafe bicyclist and motorist behaviors and laws that reduce bicycle/motor vehicle collisions and conflicts  Increase bicycle-mounted patrol officers  Develop and promote efficient mechanisms for reporting behaviors that endanger cyclists  Encourage targeted enforcement activities in areas with high bicycle volumes Maintain bikeways that are clear of debris and provide safe riding conditions  Establish routine maintenance schedule/standards for bikeways for sweeping, litter removal, landscaping, repainting of striping, signage, and signal actuation devices  Plan for cyclist safety during construction and maintenance activities

City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan Goal 3: Community Support

Develop a City-wide culture that respects and accommodates all users of the road Objective 3.1 Support Community Involvement  Use the Transportation Committee to steer the implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan  Encourage citizen participation and stakeholder input in the planning and implementation of bikeways and other bicycle related Policies improvements  Conduct periodic online surveys to gauge interest in bicycling and related issues throughout the City Objective 3.2 Create an online presence to improve visibility of bicycling issues in the City  Provide updates to the community about planned projects Policies  Provide closure updates to the community about City and regional bikeways Objective 3.3

Policies

Foster community support for bicycling by raising public awareness about bicycling and supporting programs that encourage more people to bicycle  Support marketing and public awareness campaigns through a variety of media aimed at promoting bicycling as a safe, healthy, cost-effective, environmentally beneficial transportation choice  Support programs aimed at increasing bicycle trips by providing incentives, recognition, or services that make bicycling a more convenient transportation mode  Promote bicycling at City-sponsored and public events, such as farmer’s markets, public health fairs, craft fairs, and other civic events  Encourage and promote bicycle related businesses within Alhambra  Apply for the designation of “Bicycle Friendly Community” through the League of American Bicyclists

Goal 4: Implementation and Funding Ensure adequate funds are pursued in order to implement proposed bikeways and support facilities in this Plan Objective 4.1 Integrate consideration of bicycle travel into all roadway planning, design, and construction  Incorporate the Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan in whole by reference into the City’s General Plan and amend sections of the General Plan that are relevant to bicycling according to the goals of this Plan  Ensure that all current and proposed Area Plans’ objectives and policies are consistent with the goals of the Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan.  Support the incorporation of bicycle facilities into other capital improvement projects, where appropriate, to ensure maximum leveraging of funds from outside sources Objective 4.2 Continuously monitor and evaluate Alhambra’s implementation progress of Bicycle Master Plan policies, programs, and projects.  Track trends in bicycle commuting through the use of Census data, travel surveys, and bicycle counts  Regularly monitor bicycle safety and seek a continuous reduction in bicycle-related collisions on a per capita or per bicyclist basis over the next twenty years Objective 4.3 Fund the Bicycle Master Plan  Pursue diverse sources of funding and support efforts to maintain or increase federal, state and local funding for the implementation of Bicycle Master Plan programs and infrastructures  Support innovative funding mechanisms to implement this Bicycle Master Plan  Support new funding opportunities for bicycle facilities that are proposed at the Federal, State, and Local level that impact the City  Identify and apply for grant funding that support the development of bicycle facilities  Consider using bikeways as mitigation for project-related vehicle trips

2.3

Existing Plans and Policies

2.3.1 City of Alhambra General Plan Circulation Element (1986) The Circulation Element describes the general location and extent of the existing and future circulation system required to satisfy travel demand correlated with existing and anticipated land use. In regards to bicycle facilities, the Circulation

Element states that the City does not have an established bikeway system as the existing and future major and secondary arterial highways cannot accommodate any provisions for bicycles. This is because arterial highways are too narrow, traffic volumes are too high, and the speed of the traffic too great. Policy 4.5.8 is the only policy that directly references bicycle transportation, stating the City is to “encourage the installation of on-site bicycle storage facilities in large residential, commercial and industrial developments.” page 7

Chapter Two | Goals and Policies Table 2-1: Relevant Bicycle-Related Municipal Code Ordinances Ordinance Summarized Text 10.04.020: Riding on sidewalks unlawful

It shall be unlawful to ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk

10.04.030: Operation on streets

The rider of a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as nearly as practicable within five feet of the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except when passing a standing or other vehicle or making a left-hand turn at an intersection

10.04.040: Operator’s License Required

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or use a bicycle upon any street in the city without first obtaining from the city a license therefor

14.04.030: Unlawful acts in parks or public grounds

Within the limits of any parks or public grounds, it shall be unlawful for any person to drive any automobile or ride any bicycle, tricycle, roller skates, scooters or any vehicle of any character within a park area or upon public grounds, except upon roads or streets set aside by the City Council for automobile traffic; to stand or leave standing any automobile, bicycle, tricycle, carriage or any other vehicle at any place or upon any area other than at such place or area as is provided for that purpose.

23.44.030: General design standards

While encouraging the broadest possible range of individual and creative design, the Planning Commission, or the Director of Development Services, where authorized, may grant design review approval only if the proposal conforms to: The project design shall provide for access and circulation of vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle and emergency vehicle traffic in a safe, logical and efficient manner, both to the site (off-site) and within the site (on-site) Non-residential development of 25,000 square feet or more shall provide a bulletin board, display case, or kiosk displaying transportation information located where the greatest number of employees are likely to see it, including but not limited to, bicycle route and facility information, including regional/local bicycle route maps and safety information, and a listing of facilities available for carpoolers, vanpoolers, bicyclists, transit riders and pedestrians at the site.

23.82.040: Transportation Demand Management

Non-residential development of 50,000 square feet or more shall additionally provide bicycle racks or other secure bicycle parking/storage to accommodate four bicycles per the first 50,000 square feet of non-residential development, and one bicycle space per each additional 50,000 square feet of non-residential development. Calculations which result in a fraction of .5 or greater shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number. A bicycle parking facility may be a fully enclosed space or locker accessible only to the owner or operator of the bicycle, which protects the bicycle from inclement weather. Specific facilities and location (such as provision of racks, lockers or locked rooms) shall be to the satisfaction of the city. Non-residential development of 100,000 square feet or more shall additionally provide safe and convenient access from the external circulation system to bicycle parking facilities on-site.

23.86.040: General Regulations

Emergency shelters, shall meet the following development standards: Bicycle racks that allow for the secure storage of bicycles shall be provided. Bicycle racks shall accommodate at least one bicycle storage space for every five beds. All bicycle racks are required to be on-site and located in an area that is not visible from the public right-of-way.

Community Profile (2012)

Alhambra Municipal Code

In collaboration with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the City of Alhambra produced the Envision Alhambra 2035 Community Profile, which provides a basic framework for identifying and understanding the broad range of issues the City of Alhambra is facing as an agency. It describes Alhambra’s opportunities, advantages and challenges as compared to its neighbors in the region. One of the top reccurring themes from public outreach for the Community Profile was bicycle circulation and safety. Narrow arterial highways and high traffic volumes have posed a challenge for adding bicycle provisions in Alhambra.

The Alhambra Municipal Code includes policies that guide planning and development within the City. Several sections of the Code include ordinances that govern the use of bicycles. Bicycle-related policies that are relevant to the Bicycle Master Plan are summarized in Table 2-1.

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2.3.2 Los Angeles County Cycle South Pasadena: Bicycle Master Plan Update (2011) The City of South Pasadena, which borders Alhambra to the northwest, recently updated its Bicycle Master Plan. Several existing and proposed bikeways end at Alhambra’s city limit.

City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bicycle Transportation Strategic Plan (2006)

Bikeways that intersect with Alhambra include Class I bike paths, Class II bike lanes, and Class III bike routes, which are described in the following chapter. These routes will be considered in the development of Alhambra’s bicycle network to improve connectivity to the surrounding region.

As the Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is the primary local funding source for transportation projects, including bicycle and pedestrian projects. The Bicycle Transportation Strategic Plan (BTSP) developed by Metro provides an inventory of existing and planned facilities within Los Angeles County. This inventory assisted in identifying routes that may eventually provide trans-jurisdictional continuity for bicyclists. The BTSP also outlines a strategy for prioritizing regional bikeway projects, as well as funding projects that improve bicycle access to transit or that close gaps in the regional bikeway network.

Los Angeles County Bicycle Master Plan (2012) The County of Los Angeles adopted its Bicycle Master Plan in March of 2012. The Plan proposes approximately 831 miles of new bikeways throughout unincorporated areas of the County and recommends various bicycle-friendly policies and programs to promote bicycle ridership amongst users of all ages and skill sets. Alhambra lies within the West San Gabriel Planning Area and is adjacent to the Metro Planning Area. No portions of Los Angeles County border Alhambra and thus there are no on-street County-proposed bikeways that intersect the City’s boundaries. However, the proposed Alhambra Wash Bike Path alignment would travel through the northeast portion of the City.

Metro Long Range Transportation Plan (2009) Metro’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) identifies transportation options that will best serve Los Angeles County over the next 30 years. It also includes funding forecasts for

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Figure 2-1: West San Gabriel Valley Proposed Bikeways Adjacent to Alhambra

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Chapter Two | Goals and Policies the 30-year timeframe, multi-modal funding availability for the Metro Call for Projects program, sub-regional needs, and project performance measures. The Plan helps implement the BTSP discussed above by funding an expansion of the bicycle network and coordinating links with other transportation modes.

2.3.3 Other Plans and Policies Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan (2012) The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) adopted its Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) in April 2012 with the goal of increasing mobility for those who live in and visit Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties. The Plan has an active transportation chapter that recommends increasing regional bikeway mileage from 4,315 to 10,122 miles, as well as retrofitting sidewalks to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and implementing safety improvements. SCAG estimates that active transportation improvements recommended will cost approximately $6.7 billion. In addition to bikeways that Los Angeles County had proposed at the time of development of the RTP, SCAG also recommends key bikeways to connect the region and facilitate bicycle travel. Policies included in the RTP that pertain to biking in the region include addressing bicyclist safety, increasing bicycle mode share, encouraging local active transportation plans, and improving air quality. Bicycle Transportation Act The California Bicycle Transportation Account (1994) requires all cities and counties to have an adopted bicycle master plan in order to be eligible to apply for Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) funding. California Government Code §65302 (Complete Streets) California Assembly Bill (AB) 1358, also known as the Complete Streets Bill, amended the California Government Code §65302 to require that all major revisions to a city or page 10

county’s Circulation Element include provisions for the accommodation of all roadway users including bicyclists and pedestrians. Accommodations include bikeways, sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb extensions. The Government Code §65302 reads: (2) (A) Commencing January 1, 2011, upon any substantive revisions of the circulation element, the legislative body shall modify the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways for safe and convenient travel in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan. (B) For purposes of this paragraph, ‘users of streets, roads, and highways’ means bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors. Deputy Directive 64 & Traffic Operations Policy Directive 09-06 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) adopted two policies in recent years that are relevant to bicycle planning initiatives. Similar to AB 1358, Deputy Directive 64 (DD-64-R1) sets forth that Caltrans address the “safety and mobility needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in all projects, regardless of funding.” In a more specific application of complete streets goals, Traffic Operations Policy Directive 09-06 presents bicycle detection requirements. For example, 09-06 requires that new and modified signal detectors provide bicyclist detection if they are to remain in operation. Further, the standard states that new and modified bicycle path approaches to signalized intersections provide bicyclist detection or a bicyclist pushbutton if detection is required. California SB 375 – Sustainable Communities (2008) Senate Bill (SB) 375 is intended to compliment Assembly Bill (AB) 32: The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and encourage local governments to reduce emissions through improved planning. Under SB 375, the California Air Resources

City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan Board (CARB) is required to establish targets for 2020 and 2035 for each region covered by one of the State’s 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). Each of California’s MPOs will then prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) that demonstrates how the region will meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target through integrated land use, housing, and transportation planning. One way to help meet the emissions targets is to increase the bicycle mode share by substituting bicycle or walking trips for automobile trips. Alhambra’s efforts to encourage non-motorized transportation will contribute to the regional attainment of these targets.

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Chapter Two | Goals and Policies

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City of Alhambra Bicycle Master Plan

3

Existing Conditions

3.1

Existing Bicycle Network

Class III Bike Routes

3.1.1 Bikeway Types

Bike routes share the right-of-way between vehicles and bicyclists with signage. These facilities are typically recommended for streets with relatively low traffic speeds (25 mph or less) and lower volumes (