PLANNING DEVELOPMENT & TRANSPORTATION … Impact Development (LID) ... just like Coke’s 1950 ad...

P L A N N I N G D E V E L O P M E N T & T R A N S P O R T A T I O N

2009 INNOVATIONS REPORT

F C G O V . C O M / P D T

TABLE OF CONTENTS ADVANCE PLANNING.............................................................................................................. 3

Plan Implementation Monitoring Project................................................................................................................ 3 Online Survey Tool ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Federal & City Grants Go Paperless in 2010 ........................................................................................................ 3 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ............................................................................................................................. 4

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ........................................... 5 New Accela Automation......................................................................................................................................... 5 Conceptual Review Process.................................................................................................................................. 5 Downtown’s Coca-Cola Sign Restoration.............................................................................................................. 5 2009 Fall Neighborhoods Clean-Up Now Detours Leaves from the Landfill......................................................... 6 CSU and the City Pilot a Program for Party Registration ...................................................................................... 6 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ............................................................................................................................. 7

ENGINEERING ......................................................................................................................... 9 Low Impact Development (LID) Technology ......................................................................................................... 9 Converting Paint into GPS Points.......................................................................................................................... 9 Capital Projects Recycling..................................................................................................................................... 9 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ........................................................................................................................... 10

PARKING SERVICES ............................................................................................................. 11 eCommerce Services for Parking Customers ..................................................................................................... 11 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ........................................................................................................................... 11

STREETS................................................................................................................................ 13 “We Know Snow” Snow & Ice Removal Campaign Tweets ................................................................................ 13 Improving Sweeper Wash Pit .............................................................................................................................. 13 Pavement Management Joins Streets................................................................................................................. 13 Streets Will Switch from Rock to Brine ................................................................................................................ 13 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ........................................................................................................................... 14

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ............................................................................................ 15 Safe Routes to School (SRTS)............................................................................................................................ 15 FC Bikes .............................................................................................................................................................. 15 Update of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) ............................................................................................... 15

TRAFFIC OPERATIONS......................................................................................................... 17 Pedestrian Hybrid Traffic Beacons ...................................................................................................................... 17 Flashing Yellow Arrow ......................................................................................................................................... 17 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ........................................................................................................................... 18

TRANSFORT........................................................................................................................... 19 Mobile Video Security System............................................................................................................................. 19 Two Extended Evening Bus Routes .................................................................................................................... 19 Greyhound Agreement ........................................................................................................................................ 20 QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) ........................................................................................................................... 20

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 1

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Colleagues, In 2009, the City of Fort Collins and the City Manager made innovation an organizational priority. The Planning, Development & Transportation (PDT) service unit is a creative, focused group, and we embrace this crucial direction in hopes of improving our quality services with limited resources. PDT has a highly-talented, motivated work force of approximately 276 staff. We pride ourselves in providing great customer service. We also find great satisfaction in developing new products and better services. This report is a snapshot of some of our innovations in 2009. It also gives you a peek at some of our innovations slated for 2010, ranging from new tools for

engaging citizens, to e-commerce, better equipment and more efficient processes. All of these advances were developed by teams working together in fulfilling the City’s vision of “creating a vibrant, world-class community.” While these innovations reside in PDT, we are thankful for the help from all corners of the organization. I hope you find this report a “good read,” demonstrating just a few of the City’s commitments towards innovation. Regards,

Jeff Scheick Executive Director Planning, Development & Transportation fcgov.com/pdt

2 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ADVANCE PLANNING: AFFORDABLE HOUSING | HUMAN SERVICES | LONG RANGE PLANNING

PLANNING DEVELOPMENT & TRANSPORTATION 2009 INNOVATION REPORT 3

Federal & City Grants Go Paperless in 2010 ADVANCE PLANNING “This online tool will make both

applicants and staff greener and happier with its ease of use and lack of paper!”

Plan Implementation Monitoring Project The project will involve a review of 19 existing City Plan related documents to identify implementation strategies or actions and a timeframe for completion of these actions. Staff will produce a report containing information on an initial nine plan documents in October, 2009. The report will be updated semi-annually. The report will ultimately be presented to City Council.

By using ZoomGrants™, Advance Planning’s entire Competitive Process moves onto its website. Applicants complete and submit their proposals. The two boards and staff then review those proposals, comment on them, score them, and vote on them. The Competitive Process becomes a very efficient process, saving significant time, effort, and trees.

Online Survey Tool “Hard to find a more cost effective, sustainable, and fun way to get feedback and even more importantly, listen.”

Screenshot taken from ZoomGrants online demo.

Advance Planning serves many groups within Fort Collins: citizen-based boards rely on staff for support, non-profit/human services agencies vie for funds, lenders apply for assistance for first-time homebuyers, and the public wants a voice in the plans and vision affecting their world. In 2009, we surveyed: Competitive Process applicants,

Lenders using the Home Buyer’s Assistance program

Anyone attending a public events, and Boardmembers. To illustrate how effective this process can be, one comment was “[Need to be able to] fill out the forms on the screen.” That’s a great idea. See the next innovation.

ADVANCE PLANNING: AFFORDABLE HOUSING | HUMAN SERVICES | LONG RANGE PLANNING

QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) Advance Planning implemented a “buddy

system” for an internal review of Council agenda item summary and work session items. They also created a “Council Cheat Sheet” a one-page visual aide outlining the buddy system, deadlines, formatting tips and submittal instructions. This handy tool is available to all departments on CityNet at citynet.fcgov.com/pdt.

For the first time, the Homebuyer Assistance

Program used amortized loans to help eight families avoid foreclosure.

Council Materials Cheat Sheet

4 PLANNING DEVELOPMENT & TRANSPORTATION 2009 INNOVATION REPORT

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES New Accela Automation “Accela is an e-government solution providing better, faster, more efficient services to our customers, 24 hours every day.” Looking for information about undeveloped land, vacant lots, construction, home occupation or contractor licensing, rental housing, occupancy, or code enforcement? Look no further than the new consolidated system for information. Customers have 24/7online access to information like real time staff comments, a parcel’s history. More features will follow as we continue to integrate our separate systems. In 2009, staff added the following new components: Conceptual Review –This component will

capture project specifics, as well as staff comments creating a permanent record for researching a current or previous conceptual review application. This component is scheduled for implementation on January 1, 2010.

Zoning & Environmental Follow-up Site

Inspections – This component is a reporting and inspection tool. It ensures commercial development remains compliant to landscape and other site requirements set out in the original project plan. These inspections are done once a year for three years following construction. A permanent record is created providing both staff and customers information at their fingertips.

Conceptual Review Process “No more waiting for weeks afterwards to get staff comments!” Staff will change Conceptual Review in January, 2010. Under this new process, applications will

be due on Tuesdays with a Conceptual Review meeting scheduled for two weeks out, instead of the following Monday. Even with this added time, this process itself will NOT take longer. The time is saved at the conceptual review two ways. Staff is able to make real-time changes and generating an automated report at the end of the review. No more waiting for weeks to get these comments! This change also provides these benefits to the customer: provides additional time for staff to give a

more comprehensive review, allows staff to see all comments in order to

reconcile or at least identify a potential issue, allows applicants to ask questions about staff

comments during their review, and provides applicants with staff comments

before leaving their review. Staff believes this change will provide a more comprehensive initial review, more valuable comments, limit interdepartmental conflict, and give staff the ability reconcile or at least

identify areas of potential conflict. Downtown’s Coca-Cola Sign Restoration “We hope this sign’s restoration is just like Coke’s 1950 ad says; ‘Only Coke gives you that refreshing new feeling…that special zing’…but for downtown.” In the spring/summer of 2010, work will begin to restore a stunning 1950s era Coca-Cola advertising sign, on the east wall of Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing located at Five Old Town Square. This sign is one of the most recognized historic resources in downtown and the subject of many artists’ and photographers’ work. There are two things adding innovation to this restoration. One is the restoration itself will be a public activity, done as almost theatre for downtown visitors. Activities will be very visible, and include demonstrations by the craftspeople/artisans carrying out the work, a historical perspective from the original sign


painter Don Brown, speakers on the history of ghost signs, the restoration techniques and historic preservation. Permanent interpretive signage about the sign and its restoration will conclude this event.

The Coca-Cola sign outside of Coopersmith’s Pub in Old Town Square. The second innovation is the technology behind the restoration. Too often historic fabric is lost to restoration. Meet Acryloid B72. This product, besides adhering much of the loose paint, will provide an isolation barrier between the existing historic coatings and the new paint. The sign will be essentially painted over, yet the historic paint will still be preserved underneath. Everybody wins. 2009 Fall Neighborhoods Clean-Up Now Detours Leaves from the Landfill “I’m not sure they [volunteers] truly understand the impact they have for the few hours they give. They clean up your yard but they also share their lives.” Annually about 550 Colorado State University (CSU) students volunteer to clean up yards for roughly 100 elderly or disabled households. The Fall Clean-Up is managed by the Community Liaison Program, a collaboration between CSU and the City. This year, staff added removing and composting the bags of leaves to the list of available tasks. A team made up of staff from Streets and Neighborhood Services, took steps to ensure these leaves did not end up in the landfill but rather the Hoffman Mill composting

site. Staff plans to offer this service again in 2010.

This is only part of what 1,295 bags of leaves look like. CSU and the City Pilot a Program for Party Registration Colorado State University’s Off-Campus Life and the City of Fort Collins piloted a party registration program to support commuters living off-campus and address noise complaints. The pilot program is a result of numerous requests from students living off-campus for a formal warning system. The CSU/City Community Liaison and local law enforcement worked together to design a party registration project and included input from various advisory boards, student groups and office representatives from across campus and in Fort Collins. There are numerous benefits to entice hosts to register their parties. Hosts receive educational materials in advance and a warning call to break up their party, allowing them to be pro-active and self-correct behavior before a ticket being issued. Typically, on a busy Friday or Saturday evening, it may take a police officer over an hour (or more) to respond to a noise complaint. With the party registration system, the loud party will quiet down much quicker (within 20 minutes), thus reducing tensions in neighborhood. Featured on Denver’s Channel 7 News, picked-up by three newspapers, and requested by numerous other cities and organizations, it is apparent the Party Registration program may be modeled by college towns looking to address problems associated with off-campus parties.



QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) Staff is reinstating pre-submittal code

reviews. These reviews allow applicants to meet with staff prior to their submittals to identify code issues or any other “road blocks.”

Staff implemented a “one point of contact” for all residential or commercial projects. This provides many benefits like small, simple projects are reviewed quicker.

Staff stopped issuing individual employee

cards for contractors and now keep digital, consolidated lists; eliminating multiple hours of work and paperwork.

In 2009, Neighbors In the Know (NIK) was

created as an email network for active neighbors. This monthly email provides another means for citizens to be informed without requiring a time commitment or attendance at meetings. It also provides opinions and feedback. NIK will continue in 2010.

Community Development & Neighborhood

Services (CDNS) is a new department created by combining Neighborhood & Building Services, Current Planning, Engineering Development Review and Historic Preservation. CDNS joins all staff working on development, building and neighborhoods. Employees will work more together, cross-train, eliminate duplicative efforts and provide higher levels of service.

Staff added a fee review for all new

commercial and multi-family permits, this double-check of all calculated fees will hopefully ensure no surprises due to errors in initial fee calculations.


ENGINEERING


ENGINEERING The third is a tree inlet filter, which is being installed along Mountain Avenue. As with the rain gardens, gutter flow will go into the tree box and percolate through the soils, tying into the storm drain by both a perforated pipe (low flows) and an overflow system (for high flows). A sampling box will be installed at each inlet in this area, as well as another inlet in the downtown area, which will allow for water collection and testing comparing the benefits that each system provides. The results of these experiments may help to guide future City of Fort Collins standards functionally as well as enhance sustainable environmental practices for years to come.

Low Impact Development (LID) Technology “The results of these experiments will guide the future of City standards.” In a cooperative arrangement with Stormwater and the Bohemian Foundation, Engineering is conducting experiments using LID technology in the Mountain Avenue and Walnut Street rights-of-way adjacent to the Mitchell Building. Three different systems are being installed and tested.

Converting Paint into GPS Points The first is a porous paver system within the parking areas along both streets. Two different porous paver sections are being installed, one in each street. The installation of the two different sections will allow for comparisons in water quality, maintenance and durability of the two different designs. In both cases, water falling or running across the paver sections will percolate down between the paving stones, through sand and rock and into a system of small pipes that will collect the water and direct it to the adjacent inlets.

“This saves substantial time spent re-marking between planning and construction, and it minimizes paint removal and public reaction to the marking paint.” Engineering purchased two sets of Geographic Positioning System (GPS) equipment. In the past, Engineering used paint to mark locations of utilities and proposed reconstruction areas. When work finished, City Code requires expensive, time consuming techniques for removing acrylic paint markings. The GPS systems allow staff to survey repair locations which can then be represented graphically on a map. We plan to use this system on the downtown sidewalk improvement project, an area specifically sensitive to marking paint. The map can be used to easily re-identify repair locations for planning, bidding and construction activities. This will save substantial time spent re-marking between planning and construction, will aid inspectors and contractors alike during construction, and minimize paint removal and public reaction to the marking paint.

Mountain & Walnut: oils and solids drop out of the stormwater before it enters the storm system which ultimately drains into the Poudre River.

Capital Projects Recycling

The second is a rain garden. A couple of these are being installed within the parkways along both streets. Gutters will flow into the rain gardens and percolate through the soils into a perforated pipe which ties to the storm drain inlet.

The Capital Projects group is currently working on a sustainability performance metric based upon the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) rating system for our projects. This system was developed to evaluate

ENGINEERING

environmental performance by encouraging waste reduction, the use of regional materials and the shortest haul distances for construction equipment. Presently, there is not a rating system which applies to Capital Projects. Staff is researching rating systems which are currently under design by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Federal Highway Administration to see if another metric may be a better fit. Staff will apply our newly developed system toward the upcoming Arthur Ditch bridge replacement project at Magnolia and Whitcomb Streets. Demolition and construction materials will be tracked, and results quantified in a report. The following are based upon credits found in the LEED™ NC (New Construction) rating system: construction activity pollution prevention –

erosion and sedimentation alternative transportation – public transit

access material reuse construction waste management – landfill

diversion rate recycled content regional materials For the Construction Waste Management item we will track the removed asphalt and concrete, which will be disposed of at the City Streets facility, and broken down for reuse on other projects. The scrap rebar will be hauled locally to Colorado Iron and Metal for recycling. The excavated soil will be hauled to a City facility for reuse on another project. All of these materials will be diverted from the landfill and can be reused or recycled while moving them a limited distance within Fort Collins. QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) Staff is developing construction incident

protocols to be used by all engineering construction staff as well as all contractors working on City projects. During the summer construction of West Harmony road improvements a gas line broke. Although crews responded quickly and the break was repaired without any major issues, the potential for injury became apparent. These new protocols will prescribe how events such

as utility breaches, traffic incidents and other accidents are handled and what ultimate reporting is required.

We have established a relationship with

Colorado State University’s (CSU) Civil Engineering Department to develop senior and graduate level design projects to be completed in concert with our City Engineering department. We have developed a series of lectures that cover such topics as capital project delivery, pavement management analysis and design, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database tracking of news racks and other items in public rights of way and bridge design, analysis and construction. Members of our staff will work with CSU to both provide guest lectures as well as hands on project experience.

Data Driven Intersection Improvements:

Capital Projects is undertaking a project to prioritize intersection improvements funded by the 2005 voter-approved ballot issue, Building on Basics. An Intersection Improvements Priorities Study will evaluate a wide range of data for major intersections in Fort Collins. This will obviously be focused on reducing congestion and increasing safety at intersections, but will also include other criteria such as size of project, ability to leverage other funding, and impact on economic development. We also are proposing a significant public outreach effort to ensure that the biggest perceived intersection “headache” problems are evaluated. The outcome of the study will ensure the City’s ability to deliver results to the taxpayers by improving the highest priority intersections and establishing that priority with a thorough, open, and data-based process.


PARKING SERVICES


PARKING SERVICES eCommerce Services for Parking Customers For a long time, many of our customers asked for routine parking services to be web-based. This includes basic functions like: purchasing a parking permit, reviewing account history. appealing or contesting a citation, and paying for a parking citation. Currently, most of these functions are done in person at Parking Services (some, but not all, payments can be taken over the phone). Customers must find time in their busy day between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM to get in their car and drive to our office to conduct business. In 2010, our new website will allow customers to perform these transactions online, a practice known as eCommerce. There are several additional benefits to this website, in addition to providing convenience to our customers. Think of all the miles saved when customers no longer get in their cars to pay the over 30,000 citations Parking Services hands out each year. The Climate Action Plan is an important part of City Council’s policy agenda, and this innovation will make a direct contribution to that effort. Other agencies using eCommerce see an increase in revenues due to its ease. Revenues for citation payments alone are likely to increase by 5% in the first full year of implementation, and 10% in the second year. In Fort Collins, this translates into an increase of about $33,000 in year one, and more in year two. The estimated $50,000 cost to create the eCommerce site will be completely paid back in the first two years. QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) Implemented in or planned for 2009 or 2010 Use of a faster, improved credit card

processor instead of the traditional box/phone line

Email credit card receipts for phone payments rather than sending through the mail

Entry of all Police fobs into access control system to allow officers to enter and exit garages more easily without payment

Use of red-curb areas and loading zone for taxi-stands downtown

Daily reconcile report is now “electronic” rather than manual. In the past, employees transcribed end-of-day figures from the parking management software onto a piece of paper and manually added up the total. We have now programmed the management software to generate the report automatically, eliminating manual transcription and calculation.

Change in surface lot permit from a hang-tag to a reusable punch tag, saving thousands of dollars

Changes to the validation program to help eliminate errors. In the past, booth attendants had to look up validation codes on a piece of paper and then punch the code into their cash register. We have now given rubber stamps to our validation customers that imprint the code directly onto the validated ticket, saving the booth attendants’ time and making it more likely that the correct code will be used at the cash register.

Use of the new “Gen-3” license plate recognition system to enhance enforcement

Custom interfaces between the parking database and the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles, the collection agency, and the internal access and revenue control system

Use of a “trailer” or “core” route to enhance enforcement in the busiest parts of downtown. Since the core of downtown is so crowded, we sometimes stagger two officers an hour apart rather than using our normal procedure of one officer every two hours. This helps create more turnover and prevents vehicles from being able to park nearly four hours in a two-hour zone just because they park right after an officer has gone by their parking space.

Installation of a new solar-powered pay machine in the Mason lot (2010 budget)

Remodel of the front counter area to facilitate security and privacy (2010 budget)

New lighting in the garages, which will reduce electricity charges (2010 budget)

PARKING SERVICES


STREETS


STREETS a one-stop-shop for customers to get clear, concise information from the singular source responsible for the pavement program,

“We Know Snow” Snow & Ice Removal Campaign Tweets

improvement of coordination of pavement work, more efficient scheduling of resources,

“By using Twitter, drivers can get up- to-the-second road conditions on their phones.”

tracking citizen calls on pavement concerns, the additional PMP engineering inspectors

will help monitor the work of contractors as well as roadway conditions during snow storms, and

Example of a tweet.

mapping of all project costs to each street. Streets Will Switch from Rock to Brine “The most visible change will be trucks de-icing before a storm.” Streets is in the planning and procurement stage of adding a salt brine maker in the second half of the 2009-2010 snow season. This process will cut liquid de-icer costs by 60% when conditions allow the use of salt brine. With an upfront cost of $105,000, the estimated payback time for the capital investment in brine-making equipment is approximately 1.3 years.

For the 2008-2009 snow season, Streets launched “We Know Snow” with a completely redesigned website, web video, print publications, brochures and radio announcements. These efforts will continue for the 2009-2010 season with new tactics targeted for the social media arena including Twitter.

From an environmental standpoint, salt brine presents the following benefits when compared to rock salt: Sticks better on roadways, while rock salt

can bounce and scatter.

Less corrosion on bridges and metals. Improving Sweeper Wash Pit Reduces impact on trees, shrubs and grass. Salt brine production occurs on-site, and promotes environmentally and financially sustainable practices by eliminating the transport of material from distant production sites.

“Modifying how the wash pit works with innovate upgrades saves $30,000.”

Salt brine is also used in anti-icing, an innovative approach to storm pretreatment. This method reduces the amount of material applied during snow events.

In the past, all sweeper water was contained in one main pit, emptied ten times a year. In 2009, this pit was altered to catch any contaminants before entering the main pit. Now contaminant removal is reduced to three to four times a year, saving the City approximately $30,000 a year.

Pavement Management Joins Streets In late 2009, Pavement Maintenance Program (PMP) moved from Engineering into Streets. This move provides the customer with a complete end-to-end solution for street maintenance operations:

STREETS

Brine demonstration at a staff training. QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) Streets now accepts porcelain toilets and

sinks to crush and add to the recycled roadbase. This saves space in the landfill and allows homeowners and businesses to recycle plumbing fixtures at no cost to them.

In 2009, the use of recycled concrete as a roadbase saved $3 per ton on a 4,000 ton project, saving $12,000.

Analyzing the sweeping collections to see if it can possibly be recycled in some form or another could greatly reduce landfill and dumping fees

Replaced building lighting with energy saving bulbs, reducing electricity charges

Replaced throw away cups with mugs and water bottles to reduce waste

Reduced three computer servers by using MIS servers (no replacement cost)

Added a new non-intrusive pavement sensor to monitor pavement temperature at Shields and Harmony an alternative to cutting into the brand new roadway

Adding a friction sensor at the Timberline bridge over the Poudre River to automatically turn on the bridge deck de-icing spray system

Adding mounted pavement sensors on all Crew Chiefs’ trucks giving them instance access to pavement temperature while driving

A new map application for Crew Chief’s phones to display real-time location of snow plow trucks giving them instant access to vehicle locations


TRANSPORTATION PLANNING


TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Knowing how to responsibly and safely walk and bike to school is important. The City of Fort Collins, Poudre School District, local bicycle advocacy groups, and many others come together each year to teach both kids and adults safe routes to school. Fort Collins has the highest number of certified cycling instructors per capita in the nation! Engaging our bike-friendly community helps Fort Collins provide pedestrian and bicycle education with local talent.

Encouragement station for Safe Routes to School. Another program goal in conjunction with safety and education is to get more children and adults to walk and bicycle to school. The City and various community partners work collaboratively hosting encouragement events, improving sidewalks, paths, and bicycle lanes around schools, and enforcing our traffic safety laws. The encouragement events are held throughout the school year and celebrate the fun and healthy choice to walk or bike to school. Volunteers award prizes such as bicycle lights, "barbarian" bicycle flashers, and other health and safety items. FC Bikes The Fort Collins bicycle community is a regional leader regarding encouraging, educating, and planning for bicycling as a safe and attractive means of transportation and recreation. FC Bikes is planning and coordinating a

comprehensive approach to encourage and educate bicyclists while offering technical resources and materials to neighboring cities and towns within the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization boundaries. The scope of the improvement initiative includes analysis of each of the “5 E’s” for the FC Bikes program (Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, Evaluation) based upon the goals of the 2008 Bicycle Plan. The primary focus of this measure is to emphasize the “Evaluation” responsibilities for the FC Bikes program to monitor the progress and investment of resources for the City’s bicycle programs/services. The target for the Education and Encouragement measure is to increase the level of citizen participation in bicycle events/outreach campaigns by at least 10% per year. Data collection and reporting will be provided by in-house FC Bikes and Transportation Planning staff. Staff will administer customer surveys and offer on-line reporting mechanisms such as customer satisfaction surveys at events as well as on-line web-based customer feedback portals. In addition, staff will collect field data, including number of cyclists at key locations, facilities, and events as well as track accident data and enforcement data with Traffic Operations and Police Services. Transportation Planning/FC Bikes will report this information quarterly and modify workplans and program activities and expenses accordingly. For example, Education and Encouragement campaigns may be redesigned and/or redirected based on the outcomes of these measures to more explicitly reach their target audience(s). Program expenditures may be modified and/or redirected to more cost-effectively accomplish the desired results. Update of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) The TMP update process is being performed in concert with the update to the City Plan and will involve a “futuristic” analysis of long-term transportation trends that would affect the city based on 25 and 50+ year population and land-use projections. Project elements include a review and update of the Master Street Plan;

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

consideration of changes to the street classification system, further definition of Enhanced Travel Corridors, an update to the City’s Pedestrian Plan, and incorporation of “complete”/”living streets” and context sensitive design elements. The study will also examine the potential for linking public health and transportation; review policies, barriers, and untapped partnerships; and develop options to evaluate public health outcomes of transportation choices. Anticipated outcomes include identifying future capital improvement needs associated with the 2035 City Plan preferred direction and associated operations and maintenance cost implications. The final product will consist of an updated Transportation Master Plan, which will include recommended transportation improvements, a Capital Improvement Program, Pedestrian Plan, Master Street Plan, and an Implementation Plan. The final product will also summarize potential funding sources, including federal, regional, city, district, and development contributions, and preparation of a toolbox of alternative funding methods to support transportation projects. Collaborative partnerships described in the projects included in this memo help Transportation Planning accomplish our annual work plan tasks by leveraging staff and financial resources. In addition, these important relationships motivate and inspire staff members (new & veterans) to learn about new planning ideas and concepts so that we can develop innovative measures or “Best Management Practices” for the City organization and/or the Fort Collins community.


TRAFFIC OPERATIONS


TRAFFIC OPERATIONS Pedestrian Hybrid Traffic Beacons “We believe these new beacons will promote walking, shorten delays, make drivers happier, save fuel and lessen air pollution.” You’re stopped at a red light. A pedestrian crosses the street in record time, yet until the crossing signal completes its timed cycle, you’re idling. Imagine a new beacon, which allows you to proceed with caution, once the crosswalk is clear. According to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), choices for enhancements at marked crosswalks include some variety of flashing yellow warning beacons or a normal red, yellow, green traffic signal. Flashing yellow beacons advise caution to motorists but they do not carry any force of law requiring them to yield to pedestrians waiting to cross. This can lead to unpredictable behavior. Traffic signals provide a legal basis requiring motorists to stop. However, traffic signals tend to cause unnecessary motorist delays because the signals are timed to allow for slow-moving pedestrians. This delay can cause driver frustration, poor compliance, increased fuel consumption and increased air pollution. There is a need for something in between yellow beacons and traffic signals. A new type of beacon was developed. This “pedestrian hybrid beacon” displays a solid red light to motorists requiring them to stop for pedestrians. However, after a short time, the solid red changes to a flashing red light allowing motorists to proceed when pedestrians don’t need the entire time to cross. This compromise solution provides positive guidance to motorists while still limiting delay. Research on these hybrid beacons thus far is positive. Since the beacons aren’t approved for inclusion in the MUTCD, permission from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is required. Staff recently requested and received permission to install eight hybrid beacons in Fort Collins. The first one will go at the Harmony/Regency

intersection (where some time ago a pedestrian beacon was promised to this neighborhood). The remaining seven are slated for installation at various pedestrian crossings throughout Fort Collins. Prior to installing these beacons, the City will provide educational outreach to both the community and City Council about what to expect with these new beacons and their benefits for pedestrians and motorists. The City believes the potential for these hybrid beacons to promote walking further supports the vision and policies in both the Pedestrian Plan and the Transportation Master Plan. As a condition, FHWA requires the City of Fort Collins to do a before/after evaluation to add to the growing body of national research. This evaluation will play a role in MUTCD’s decision to include these hybrid beacons in their next manual. Flashing Yellow Arrow “The flashing yellow arrow is an innovative traffic signal control allowing for safer left turns.”

Example of a flashing yellow arrow used by another community. Currently, some drivers are confused between the meaning of a green arrow (you have the right of way to turn) and a green ball (you can turn but only after yielding to oncoming traffic). This

TRAFFIC OPERATIONS

confusion can lead to accidents. Research around the country found better driver response to a flashing yellow arrow to indicate left turns can be made after yielding to oncoming traffic compared to the more traditional green ball. The flashing yellow arrow also gives more flexibility to how left turn phasing functions, allowing for more efficient operations in some cases. The FHWA gave conditional approval to any jurisdiction wishing to implement the flashing yellow arrow as it is their intent to eventually convert all permitted left turns to this type of operation. The City recently contacted the FHWA regarding plans to implement flashing yellow arrows and got approval to proceed. Staff will implement flashing yellow arrows at some intersections in Fort Collins in 2010 after introducing the concept to the public through education and outreach. QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) Traffic Operations will begin testing the

lifespan of pavement markings. The results will determine proper intervals for street striping; evaluate different marking materials and ensure striping maximizes safety and minimizes costs.


TRANSFORT


Two Extended Evening Bus Routes TRANSFORT “Colorado State University foots the bill for evening bus routes and the whole community benefits”

Mobile Video Security System “In the event of an emergency, the ability to provide live information regarding the vehicle location could prove invaluable.”

Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU) contracts with the City of Fort Collins to provide bus service for its full-time students. This service contact allows qualified CSU students to ride Transfort free.

CSU Transit Station.

At the request of the 2009 ASCSU leadership, bus service expanded to include additional evening service for two routes serving campus. The agreement extends Routes 3 and 6 from approximately 7:00 PM to approximately 10:00 PM.

Ad campaign promoting the new evening bus service.

During 2009, Transfort added a mobile video security system (MVSS) on all passenger buses. The latest refinement was the addition of an On-Board Mobile Gateway (OMG) system providing an automated way to transfer video data captured via the MVSS from the transit vehicles to operations management for review in both recorded and live sessions. From up to 300 feet away, field supervisors and first responders have an undetected ‘live look in’ using wireless technology and laptops. The ability to see and hear inside the bus allows for improved safety for the bus operator and passengers; as well as responding personnel and citizens.

The modified service agreement requires ASCSU to pay a higher annual fee, which covers the full cost of operating these evening services. In addition, the routes are open to the general public! Transfort expanded evening bus services to its riders without additional cost to city taxpayers. For more information regarding these expanded bus routes, visit fcgov.com/transfort.

The OMG also enables an automatic vehicle location system to operate from each transit vehicle. This technology is useful for daily operations allowing dispatchers to monitor and actively manage buses; but in the event of an emergency, the ability to provide live information regarding the vehicle location could prove invaluable.

TRANSFORT

Greyhound Agreement “Greyhound leaves some of their driving to us”

Greyhound bus. On September 1, 2009, the City of Fort Collins entered into an agreement with Greyhound Lines, Inc. This agreement generates revenue in exchange for services and lease space in the Downtown Transit Center (DTC) at 250 North Mason Street. Greyhound uses the DTC for business and to accommodate bus passengers and freight. The services provided under this agreement include ticket sales; properly protecting baggage and freight; and protection of the money and property of Greyhound. All services under this agreement are provided by existing Transfort staff. The revenue from the Greyhound agreement will offset the lost revenue* from The City of Fort Collins leasing the DTC’s southern offices for Transportation Planning. In addition, this agreement also vacates the former Greyhound counter and storage area. Transfort intends to seek an appropriate vendor to lease this space, which will generate yet another revenue source. *In 2009, the City of Fort Collins leased offices at the DTC for approximately $23,000.

QIKs (Quick Innovative Kudos) In 2009, by selling advertising in their printed

bus schedules to offset printing costs, Transfort saved the taxpayer $13,380.

In 2010, CSU’s RamCard (their student ID

card) will double as a bus pass…ease on down the road.


PLANNING DEVELOPMENT & TRANSPORTATION … Impact Development (LID) ... just like Coke’s 1950 ad...

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Transcript of PLANNING DEVELOPMENT & TRANSPORTATION … Impact Development (LID) ... just like Coke’s 1950 ad...