2021.04.13 WS Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES The City of New Brighton has established bikeways and sidewalks to promote non - motorized travel. The system connects neighborhoods, parks, schools, transit service, shopping centers, and restaurants. The City of New Brighton has approximately 21 miles of sidewalks located along roadways, 4 miles of bituminous paths in City parks, and 5 miles of paths in Ramsey County Long Lake Park. Sidewalks are located primarily along major collectors and arterial streets. They provide a safe connection between neighborhoods any key destinations throughout the community. In most cases, sidewalks are not present on the local system within neighborhoods. New Brighton was primarily developed during the 1940's -1960's, at the same time as the rise of the automobile as the dominant transportation mode. At that time, sidewalks were not popular and were not planned. Throughout New Brighton 2040, community members expressed their desire for more pedestrian and bicycle facilities throughout the city as well as facilities that provide safe, comfortable connections to destinations within the community and along transportation corridors. Many people expressed a desire to walk or bike from their homes to local businesses or parks, but felt they could not because of barriers and gaps. Some gaps that were identified include: • Interstate 694 bisects the entire city separating it into two distinct north - south districts. Existing connections across the interstate are not optimized for pedestrians or bicyclists and often feel unsafe • Various railroads bisect the community and safe crossings are difficult • Water features, including Long Lake, create physical barriers to moving around the city, but are also destinations that should be accessible via bike and on foot • Local streets with unsafe crossings, especially Silver Lake Road and Old Highway 8 In addition to addressing these gaps, pedestrian circulation will be built into redevelopment standards as the City continues to grow. Pedestrian circulation within a site, through a site, and to local destinations was one of the major takeaways from this round of Comprehensive Planning. Regional Bicycle Transportation Network Planning the next phases of the multi -modal system within the City should correspond closely to the corridors identified in the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network (RBTN) to provide seamless connections to neighboring communities and the broader regional transportation network. According to the Metropolitan Council, the RBTN corridors and alignments make up the "trunk arterials" of the overall system of bikeways that connect to regional employment and activity centers. The goal of the RBTN is to establish an integrated seamless network of on -street bikeways and off-road trails that complement each other to most effectively improve conditions for bicycle transportation at the regional level. These routes are further classified into two tiers of corridors and alignments: Tier 1 corridors have been identified as the highest priority for regional transportation planning and investment. The priority corridors/alignments are planned in locations where they can attract the most riders and where they can most effectively enhance mode choice in favor of biking, walking, and transit over driving alone. Tier 2 corridors are the remaining corridors in the overall RBTN; these corridors 6-84 New Brighton Comprehensive Plan 1 2040