WALK WILMINGTON Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan

1. WALK WILMINGTONComprehensive Pedestrian Plan Final Plan Presentation July 7, 2009

2. Today’s Presentation • Vision and Goals • Plan Overview • Plan Highlights • Questions

3. Vision • The City of Wilmington will become a pedestrian-friendly environment where citizens and visitors have safe and attractive alternatives for walking in and around the city.

4. Plan Goals • 1. SAFETY- All pedestrians can travel safely along and across Wilmington’s roads and paths • Reduce pedestrian crashes • Install new signalized pedestrian crossings • Educate drivers, pedestrians and police • 2. TRANSPORTATION CHOICE- Pedestrians of all abilities have comfortable and convenient options • Add two miles of sidewalk annually($420,000) • Address barriers such as crossings, bridges, missing sidewalks • Design streets to balance needs of all users • Improve off-road connectivity (paths, greenways) • Ensure sidewalks and paths are maintained and accessible

5. Plan Goals • 3. BUILT ENVIRONMENT, LAND USE AND CONNECTIVITY- Development enhances the pedestrian experience and encourage walking • New regulations promote pedestrian-scaled development • Require pedestrian connections to adjoining properties, sidewalks and neighborhoods • 4. EDUCATION, AWARENESS AND ENFORCEMENT- Drivers, pedestrians and officials understand pedestrian rights and laws. Increased pedestrian activity • Public service announcements and marketing campaigns • Promote walking and bicycling (e.g. Walk to School Day, Wilmington Walks

6. Plan Goals • 5. HEALTH- Wilmington’s residents are physically active and can make more pedestrian trips • Recommend daily levels of physical activity • Improve air quality through reduced routine car trips • 6. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- Visitors and customers have an attractive and inviting walking environment • Pedestrian lighting in busy pedestrian areas • Include benches, plantings and other amenities in streetscape improvement projects • Continue to revitalize commercial areas (e.g. downtown Wilmington) that attract tourists and shoppers

7. What’s in the Plan? • Planning Inputs • Review of adopted plans and policies (City & NCDOT) • Assessment of planned and proposed projects (City & NCDOT) • Stakeholder Input • Public surveys and questionnaires • Interviews with City staff, NCDOT, WAVE Transit, New Hanover County Schools, etc. • Extensive field assessment • Data analysis • Demand for pedestrian facilities • Crash data • Stakeholder comments

8. What’s in the Plan? • Facility Recommendations (Infrastructure) • Sidewalks, crossings, signals, etc. • Project phasing • Approximate cost • Funding opportunities • Policy Recommendations • Make sure improvements happen during: • New road projects • With road repaving or upgrade • NCDOT projects • Development projects

9. What’s in the Plan? • Design Standards • Road markings (intersections/crossings) • Parking lot design • Medians and pedestrian islands • Program Recommendations • Enforcement • Driver and Pedestrian Education • Encouragement • Implementation and Funding • Phasing • Responsibility • Funding strategies

10. planning inputs

11. Planning Context • Several complementary goals, priorities and strategies in other plans. • Choices: Wilmington Future Land Use Plan • Wilmington Vision 2020: Downtown Waterfront Plan • WMPO Long Range Transportation Plan • Cape Fear Historic Byway Corridor Management Plan Sidewalk Priority Areas Map from Choices: Wilmington Future Land Use Plan

12. Online and In-Person Surveys • Web based survey available from February through June • In-person survey conducted at Downtown at Sundown, Saturday Farmer’s Market, Juneteenth Festival

13. Pedestrian Survey • Unsafe and uncomfortable crossings the most critical issue for pedestrians (online 67% , in-person 29%) • Factors making it unpleasant to walk • Missing sidewalks • Drivers not stopping for pedestrians • Heavy traffic and fast moving vehicles • Areas where improvements are needed • On major corridors – 80% • Near highway interchanges – 65% • Near parks and recreation areas – 50% • 76% said they would accept longer car trips if it made it safer to walk

14. Public Comments • “The existing built environment does not support pedestrian travel” • “There are very few places that one does not require a car to get to” • “Over 50% of bus stops do not have sidewalks” • “Very few kids walk or bike to school” • “At most major intersections, there are no pedestrian cross-walks or "Walk" lights - cars rule”

15. Staff and Agency Interviews • City Departments • Engineering • Traffic Engineering • Police • Parks, Recreation & Downtown Services • Planning • NCDOT • Division 3 • Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation • Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority (WAVE Transit) • New Hanover County Public Schools

16. Field Analysis • The Good • Lots of people walking • Good network downtown • The Bad • Missing sidewalks along arterials and in newer areas • Many signals without ped signals or crosswalks • Drivers don’t yield to peds

17. Pedestrian Crash Statistics • Wilmington second for number of crashes per capita

18. Pedestrian Crash Statistics • Cost of pedestrian crashes to Wilmington’s economy • Includes medical costs, public services, loss of productivity, employer cost, property damage and change in quality of life

19. Identify Areas of Highest Demand for Pedestrian Facilities Population Density + School Proximity + Park Proximity + Allowable zoning density Demand for Pedestrian Facilities

20. Additional planning inputs • Recent developments and ongoing initiatives • Safe Routes to Schools • Neighborhood Traffic Management Program • WAVE Transit Route Restructuring • Cross-City Trail and River to the Sea Bikeway • Riverwalk Expansion • Upcoming developments • Traffic signal system upgrade • Pilot scramble intersection • North 3rd Street Streetscape project • Dawson and Wooster Street Pedestrian Safety Improvements • NCDOT Spot Safety Improvements

21. pedestrian facility recommendations

22. Map Existing Conditions • Existing sidewalks • Almost 290 miles • Existing signalized intersections • Existing pedestrian signal heads • Existing trails and multi-use paths

23. Recommended Improvements • 450 miles of new sidewalks • 182 signal improvements • Retrofit pedestrian signals and crosswalks to existing traffic signals • Install new traffic signals with pedestrian signals • Install pedestrian hybrid signals (HAWKs) and Rapid Flash Beacons • Phased over 20 years • Prioritized areas with highest pedestrian demand • Identified implementation and funding strategies • Grants (State, Federal, Non-profit) • Public/private partnerships • Concurrent with development • Capital improvement plan • Concurrent with road improvement projects

24. Project Phasing

26. policy recommendations

27. Policy Recommendations • Changes to Land Development Code • Fee-in-lieu of constructing sidewalks • Install crosswalks and pedestrian signals on all legs at signalized intersections • Reduce crossing distances • Reduce turning vehicle speeds • New pedestrian signal types • HAWK • Rapid Flash Beacon

28. Fee in Lieu of Constructing Sidewalks Concept Recommendation City would establish fees for pedestrian facilities Similar to park fees City would identify pedestrian benefit zones (next slide) Money must be spent within a defined time period • Allows applicants to contribute money to sidewalk fund instead of building sidewalk • Sidewalk projects can be phased or consolidated • Money can be used to build facilities in places where they are most needed- even off-site.

29. Pedestrian Benefit Zones Concept • Complements Fee in Lieu program • Funds spent near the development and will benefit pedestrians in that zone • Zones should focus on improving continuity and road crossings

30. Pedestrian Fatality Related to Speed Fatalities based on speed of vehicle. A pedestrian’s chance of death if hit by a motor vehicles traveling at different speeds 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 20 mphmph 30 mph 40 mph Killing Speed and Saving Lives, UK Department of Transportation Intersections and Roadway DesignPosted Speed Limit Reductions Considerations • Higher speeds contribute to increased likelihood of injury or death when hit • Reduced speed limits provides opportunity to reduce travel lane widths- • Pedestrian median refuges may be provided without increasing overall road width • Wilmington may request speed limit reductions/modifications along NCDOT roadways within city limits

31. Intersections and Roadway DesignPosted Speed Limit Reductions Recommendation • Speed limits based on road classification and development character • Lower speeds where pedestrians are likely to be present • Downtown • Commercial areas • Neighborhoods

32. design details

33. Design Details • Driveway design • Crosswalk marking • Signalized intersections • Non-signalized intersections • Midblock crossings • Crossing islands and medians • Parking lot design e.g. Proposed Crossing Island Detail

34. programseducation, encouragement and enforcement

35. Education, Encouragement and Enforcement Education Encouragement Walk to School Day Annual event celebrating kids and parents walking Walking and Running Clubs Regularly scheduled events Clubs for all ages and abilities • Safe Routes to Schools • Provides funds to support projects and programs • NHTSA Child Pedestrian Safety Curriculum • Develops safe walking skills in elementary school kids • Collaboration with Media • Newspapers, web, radio and television

36. Education, Encouragement and Enforcement Enforcement • Police training • Pedestrian laws, rights and responsibilities • Accurate crash reporting • NCDOT officer training curriculum • Targeted enforcement • Improve driver and pedestrian behaviors • Jaywalking and failure to yield • Crosswalk stings • Speed control

37. implementation and funding

39. Questions?