Agenda Item # 2

Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting

11/14/2017

Agenda Report # 44


TO: Mayor and Council

SUBJECT: Amendment to Resolution No. 92-14, Complete Streets Policy

INITIATED BY: Planning Department

Recommendation: Approval is requested to adopt the proposed amendments to the local Complete Streets Policy resolution.

Background: In 2014, City Council passed Resolution 92-14, authorizing a Complete Streets policy based on the statewide policy issued by the Georgia Department of Transportation. This resolution made clear that Columbus would make an effort to be inclusive of all modes of transportation including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, persons with disabilities, and would encourage transportation projects to consider safety and mobility. While this has been a step in the right direction and new projects are now being designed with other users in mind, more could be done on the policy side to ensure that these state and national objectives are being met. Georgia Bikes and the office of the Mayor have proposed that we look to other cities that are leading the way in complete streets, such as Reading Pennsylvania , in order to strengthen the Columbus Complete Streets policy and continue to promote equitable transportation. The Planning Department has drafted these proposed amendments to strengthen the policy.

Analysis: The proposed amendment calls for three major changes to the policy that will strengthen the policy, allowing for more transparency and accountability. Outlined here are the three proposed changes:

1. Adopt specific engineering design guidelines for the application of bike, pedestrian, and transit facilities; including acknowledging the role that aesthetic design can have for encouraging safe and welcoming streets.

2. Create a committee to publicly address and make transparent the process of how CCG/GDOT decide which roadways may be feasible for Complete Street implementation. This committee shall abide by objective, quantifiable, criterion when evaluating a corridor for the feasibility of a complete streets application.

3. This committee shall report a status update to the public on the state of complete streets project implementation and other metrics that are crucial to monitoring and allowing stakeholders to have the data and information available to them in order to help direct public discourse.


Financial Considerations: Implementation of these policies may have an impact on the total cost of a future road project.

Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: No projected impact can be made at this time.

Legal Considerations: None anticipated

Recommendations/ Actions: Approval is requested to adopt the proposed amendments to the local Complete Streets Policy resolution.


Complete Streets Revision 11-14-17.pdfComplete Streets Revision 11-14-17.pdf



A RESOLUTION
NO. _____

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT OF RESOLUTION 92-4, COMPLETE STREETS POLICY, TO STRENGTHEN THE POLICY AND ENCOURAGE WALKING, BICYCLING, TRANSIT, AND PROMOTING SAFE OPERATIONS FOR ALL USERS.

WHEREAS, the existing Complete Streets policy is too broadly defined and does not address specific design and aesthetic elements and does not clarify when and how Complete Streets should be implemented; and,

WHEREAS, an amended Complete Streets policy should include specific engineering design guidelines for the application of bike, pedestrian, and transit facilities; including acknowledging the role that aesthetic design can have for encouraging safe and welcoming streets; and,

WHEREAS, an amended Complete Streets policy should create a committee to publicly address and make transparent the process of how roadways are selected for Complete Streets implementation and this committee shall abide by objective, quantifiable, criterion when evaluating a corridor for the feasibility of a complete streets application.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:

That the Council of the Consolidated Government of Columbus hereby amends resolution 92-4, also known as the Complete Street Policy, to include design standards and aesthetics, while implementing an interdepartmental Complete Streets Non-Compliance Committee as shown on the attached document entitled Proposed Amendments to Resolution No. 92-14, Complete Streets Policy.


__________

Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held the _________ day of _____________ 2017, and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of
_____________ members of said Council.


Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Garrett voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.



_______________________________ __________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor