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2015
Multi-Modal Network
Conceptual Master Plan
Columbia County, GA
Juan Migone
Columbia County Planning Department
1
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Project Background
1.2 Project Approach
1.3 Project Goals and Objectives
2.0 Community Assessment
2.1 Bicycle Facility Benefits
2.2 Community Needs
2.3 Peach Tree City, GA as a model for Columbia County
3.0 Corridor Types
3.1 Share the Road
3.2 Bike Lanes
3.3 Buffered Bike Lanes
3.4 Multi-Use Trails
4.0 Existing Biking Facilities
4.1 Public
4.2 Private
4.3 Non-Profit
5.0 Current Biking Projects
5.1 Georgia DOT Road Improvements
5.2 Evans to Lock Widening and Multi-Use Trail
5.3 Euchee Creek Greenway
5.4 Petersburg Trailhead
6.0 Implementation
6.1 Priority Connections
6.2 Community Collaboration
2
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Project Background
The creation of a county-wide multi-modal conceptual master plan was
coordinated by the Columbia County Planning Department. This is because the
department sees it necessary to pursue a prototype for this plan as the county is
forecasted to grow by 20,000 people within the next five years (2015-2020) and the
Vision 2035 Comprehensive plan is currently under development. The plan
originally started out as a bike-only plan but is now called multi-modal because it
has been adapted to include all non-motorized modes of transportation and
registered golf carts. The designs and placements of corridors and facilities and
the majority of the writing in the conceptual plan are therefore more geared
towards biking but can be further adapted to be more inclusive towards these
alternative modes of transportation. The conceptual plan provides a starting
point in creating a master plan for the county by suggesting biking facilities,
corridor designs, possible county-wide policies, and funding and implementation
methods. The conceptual plan was developed between June 1st
and July 30th
by an
intern at the Planning Department.
1.2 Project Approach
Data was collected from various sources. Maps were analyzed to view current
multi-modal facilities within the county and propose possible off-road and on-
road multi-modal facilities and corridors. These maps included Columbia
County flood plains, sewer and water, traffic volume and traffic speed, zoning,
greenspace, GDOT road improvement projects, and private subdivision master
plans. Current multi-modal projects were also studied and incorporated into the
conceptual plan. Meetings were held with members of the local biking
community to include their suggestions about biking safety and possible corridors
into plan as well. The intern also held a meeting with the vice president of
Meybohm Realtors to include opinions from the local real estate community on
biking facility development. The Euchee Creek Greenway Master Plan, the
Aashto Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, a research project on
Peachtree City, GA’s cart system, Columbia County’s Vision 2035 public surveys,
and Chapter 7 of the ARTS Bicycle and Pedestrian Final Plan were also used to
formulate this conceptual plan. All of these analyses took biking safety measures
and community needs into account when drafting the plan. Photographs,
sketches, and maps were made to display concepts and ideas. Collaboration
between the planning intern and the planning staff, traffic engineering
department, Greenspace Advisory Board, and Columbia County GIS were also
key in this plan’s creation. The plan’s implementation methods take into account
a wide variety of public, private, and non-profit collaboration and financial
sources. The methods also focus heavily on community engagement as a major
tool for success.
3
1.3 Project Goals and Objectives
This conceptual Master Plan is part of an effort to make Columbia County a bike
and pedestrian-friendly community. The plan should be incorporated as a
component for the county’s Vision 2035 Transportation and Park Plans. The
goals and objectives of this plan are to:
 create a concept for a safe and functional system for bikes, non-motorized
modes of transportation, and registered golf carts that connect parks,
neighborhoods, schools, and commercial areas within the county
 make the county less car dependent
 address the issues the county is facing with regards to bike and multi-
modal planning, safety, and facilities
 design potential off-road and on-road multi-modal corridors
 create policies and standards that incorporate bike and multi-modal
facilities into all future development within the county
 Create a realistic and organized financial goal and implementation
method for the plan
1.4 Key Terms
 Multi-Modal: includes all non-motorized modes of transportation and
registered golf carts.
 Urbanized areas: R-2, R-3, R-3A, PUD, PRD, PDD, T-R, A-R 10, A-R, P-1,
C-1, C-C, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2, S-1, and Evans Town Center Overlay
District.
 Rural areas: R-A, R-1, R-1A,
 Low-risk: Low speed limits, small car volumes. Recreational bicyclists
(the majority of the population) feel comfortable riding on these roads
 High-risk: High speed limits, large car volumes. Utilitarian bicyclists are
usually the only ones who venture out on these roads. Image 1.1
A multi-use trail in Dunwoody, GA (2)
4
 Utilitarian bicyclists: “generally more experienced and confident and will
typically choose whichever roadway (or off-road facility) provides for the
most direct, safe and comfortable travel to their destinations” (1).
 Recreational bicyclists: “generally younger and/or less experienced and
will typically choose routes for comfort or scenery, feel more comfortable
on lower-speed and lower-volume roadways, and prefer separated or
delineated bicycle facilities” (1).
References
1. United States. Georgia Department of Transportation. Design Policy Manual. N.p.:
n.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2015.
http://www.dot.ga.gov/PartnerSmart/DesignManuals/DesignPolicy/GDOT-
DPM.pdf
2. Multi-Use Trails. Digital image. HD Image Gallery.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2015.
<http://hdimagegallery.net/multi+use+trails>.
5
2.0 Community Assessment
2.1 Bicycle Facility Benefits
According to Aashto’s Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities “bicycling is a
healthy, low cost mode of travel…(which)… emits no pollution, needs no extra
energy source, and uses land efficiently…Bicycling makes neighborhoods safer
and friendlier” (1). Bicycling also “saves on transportation costs, provides a way
to routinely get physical activity (improving the community’s health)” and
reduces traffic congestion (1). “Since the bicycle is an appropriate vehicle for
many trips, it can play a significant role in sustainable land-use planning,
transportation, recreation, and economic development initiatives." Particularly in
“…suburban centers, where a large percentage of trips are shorter than two miles
in length, bicycling can serve as a part of a comprehensive approach to alleviate
traffic congestion and provide flexible, convenient, and affordable travel options”
(1). Biking facilities such as multi-use trails, bike lanes, and “share the road”
lanes also increase the mobility of those who cannot drive allowing for increased
access to commercial areas and increased revenue for businesses and the county.
For more information on bicycle facility benefits refer to the “The Value of
Walkable and Bicycle Friendly Communities” (pages 1.7 – 1.11) in the
introduction of the ARTS Bicycle and Pedestrian Final Plan.
2.2 Community Needs
Vision 2035 Survey
“Vision 2035 is the process by which the
direction of future growth and
development in the County will be
determined. The outcome of this process
will be a growth management plan and
future land use map that will act as a
blueprint for development in the County.”
–Columbia County Planning Department
The multiple surveys – landline, web, and
workshops – were an opportunity for
community input towards Vision 2035.
The results below are from the landline
survey.
It’s important that a county-wide multi-
modal master plan be created and
implemented now so as to be incorporated
in the Vision 2035 plan and to
accommodate the 20,000 incoming residents by 2020.
Image 2.1
6
*The numbers prior to the question or prompt corresponds with the numbering in the survey.
1.) Respondents’ Ratings of Quality of Life Factors in Their Area
Heads of the Augusta real estate development community even said that the majority
of home buyers moving into Columbia County ask about multi-use trails for
recreation (7).
2.) Two of the Top 5 issues affecting the county (open-ended)
(#2) 36% said the county is headed in the right direction but needs good
planning/infrastructure.
(#4) 9% said poor/unsafe traffic flow/roads are affecting the county
3.) “What types of residential development would you like to see more of?”
Two of the
lowest ratings
7
4.) What types of commercial development would you like to see more of?
5.) “20 years from now, what kind of place would you like Columbia County to be?
(open-ended)
6.) Issues that might prevent the County from becoming the kind of place you
would like it to be: (open ended)
a.) 36% - Lack of planning/uncontrolled growth/lack of infrastructure
Transportation options
included: pedestrians and
biking
8
b.) 31% - overcrowding/too much development
Demographics
Where do people in Columbia County live? (3)
2010 2015 2020
Total 124,053 141,757 161,741
Appling (30802) 6,561 6,837
Evans (30809) 42,393 49,052
Grovetown (30813) 27,053 34,753
Harlem (30814) 8,501 9,216
Martinez (city) 35,795
Annual Growth Rate (2) 2.20%
Columbia County Age Distribution (3)
Age: 2010 2015 2020
0-4 8,305 9100 10,348
5 to 9 9,424 9818 10,952
10 to 14 9,979 10766 11,899
15-19 9,457 9669 10,852
20-24 6,745 8613 8,046
25-34 15,208 17955 21,273
35-44 17,984 19230 22,548
45-54 19,305 20539 21,227
55-64 14,946 18466 21,049
65-74 7,663 11240 14,922
75-84 3,730 4661 6,488
85+ 1,307 1700 2,137
Conclusion
Based on the survey’s open-ended questions, Columbia County residents want the
county to stop growing out in such a sprawling manner for this development creates
traffic congestion and unattractive, commercial developments (#2). However,
residents want to keep the county’s single-family residential character, which adds to
sprawl (#3). Residents also want more commercial development like shopping, local
restaurants, and a downtown, urban feeling (walkable) development (#’s 4&5), but
this requires residential density. Increasing the county’s density would add more
Image 2.2
Traffic on
Washington Road
9
traffic to already increasing traffic numbers. However, the county’s traffic
congestion makes the county only seem overcrowded (#6).
The development of multi-modal facilities will increase the density of single-family
homes which will in turn allow for the development of the small, local businesses and
walkable, urban-like developments that county residents want to see (#’s 4&5).
Multi-modal facilities will make this possible because they will give residents access
to alternate modes of transportation that connect them from their homes to
destinations. People will be able to bike, walk, or (but not limited to) take golf carts
on those local trips that are too far to walk. This will then lessen car dependency and
traffic congestion in the community while creating denser, smarter growth. This is
why a county-wide bike system needs to be developed as soon as possible and possibly
be included in the Vision 2035 Comprehensive Plan.
2.3 Peachtree City, GA as a model for Columbia County
“What distinguishes (Peachtree City) from the…suburban sprawl that characterizes
much of recent development in North America is that Peachtree City boasts a
network of leisure ‘paths’ or trails forming a network of 80-90 miles. These trails
(2.4m wide, gray asphalt) are predominately used by its citizens driving golf carts and,
to a lesser extent, pedestrians and other modes of non-automotive transport. The
most fascinating aspect…is that (the trails) never constituted part of the city’s master
plan…The paths have been ‘retro-fitted’…(and) are perceived by both residents…and
City Hall…as a success, with the majority of journeys under five-miles in length now
being taken by golf cart” (4).
“Today, the extensive system of cart paths has become part of Peachtree City’s
unique identity and a major contributor to its success” (4).
Image 2.3 Images 2.3 and 2.4 provide examples of the
types of the development possible that are
in demand by county residents. These
sketches were taken from Long Farm
Village, a pedestrian friendly, mixed-use
development South of Baton Rouge, LA (8).
10
“Because the cart path system serves to
significantly reduce dead-ends and
connect adjacent local areas (via efficient,
direct paths)…then it is inherently
functional as an alternative transportation
system…Add to this, the fact that the cart
path system connects residential areas to
useful ‘destinations’ such as schools,
shopping centers, cinemas and the library
then what is created is a parallel system
that can begin to take pressure off the
road/car network. The three major
benefits of having a widespread, functional,
integrated cart system are social,
economic, and environmental…It’s not enough to have a cart system – you have to
have the right cart system and Peachtree City seems to have got it right” (4).
Peachtree City’s cart system design and implementation methods should be used as a
model for creating a successful multi-modal trail system within Columbia County’s
urbanized, urbanizing, and rural areas. Like Columbia County, Peachtree City is a
commuting, suburban community (image 2.5) with similar land development
patterns, housing construction, and roadways. Also like Peachtree City, Columbia
County will have to retrofit its new system into its grid. The former community’s
successful implementation shows that functional multi-modal trails are possibilities
in similar communities and can greatly increase the quality of life for its citizens.
The academic research these facts were based on was conducted by Ruth and Nick
Dalton and should be reviewed further if the county is to implement this system. It
provides a more in-depth analysis on the Peachtree City cart system than the above,
condensed facts. It will also provide Columbia County a basis for its work.
The creation of a county-wide bike
system will eventually alleviate
growing traffic congestion in
Columbia County. Research has
shown that denser communities
have less traffic congestion because
residents can go to and from
destinations without using a car.
“In California…creating more
compact communities…had the
effect of reducing vehicle traffic by
20 to 30 percent, as people are able
to use convenient and cheaper
alternatives to the car.” (5).
Image 2.6
Image 2.5
11
This page provides more photographs of how Peachtree City has retrofitted its path
system into its grid. Page 12 depicts Peachtree City’s Proposed Master Path Plan for
2010. Pages 13 and 14 include Path Rules that Peachtree City has adopted to maintain
safety along the cart paths.
12
13
14
15
References
1. Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. Fourth ed. Washington: American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 2012. Print.
2. "United States Census Bureau." USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau.
United States Census Bureau. Web. 6 July 2015.
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html>.
3. Esri Community Analyst. Web. 9 June 2015.
4. Dalton, Ruth Conroy, and Nick Sheep Dalton. "An American Prototopia: Or
Peachtree City as an Inadvertent, Sustainable Solution to Urban Sprawl." Diss.
Univeristy College London, n.d. Web. 13 July 201.
5. Getting to Smart Growth: 100 Policies for Implementation. N.p.: EPA, n.d. Print.
6. United States. Columbia County Government. Vision 2035 Survey. N.p., n.d. Web. June-
July 2015.
7. Morris, Venus. Interview by Juan M. Migone. n.d.: n. pag. Print.
8. N.d. Baton Rouge. Long Farm Village. Web. 30 July 2015.
<http://www.longfarmbr.com/>.
16
3.0 Corridor Types
“Bicycle facilities (or bikeways) may be either on-road or off-road bikeways:
common on-road bikeways include bicycle lanes and shared lanes, common off-road
bikeways include shared-use paths and cycle tracks. On-road bikeways allow
bicyclists to circulate with traffic, allow easier access to destinations, and help
bicyclists behave more predictably. Off-road bikeways may allow greater separation
from high-speed traffic but need careful consideration at driveways, intersections,
and constrained areas. These two types of bikeways are not interchangeable (or
mutually exclusive) and careful examination of their application should be conducted
on a case-by-case basis” (7).
“Communities need many links to facilitate (non-motorized) travel…[W]ithout
adequate connections, community residents are discouraged from substituting short
vehicle trips…” (9, p.31).
The corridors in this plan take advantage of already existing connecting streets,
utility easements, and waterways to create connections for non-motorized vehicles
throughout the county.
The Georgia DOT has said that bicycle facilities “should be considered on projects
that are located in areas with any of the following conditions:
o within close proximity (i.e., 3 miles) of a school, college, university, or major
public institution (e.g., hospital, major park, etc.);
o where a project will provide connectivity between two or more existing
bikeways or connects to an existing bikeway;
o where there is an occurrence of bicycle crashes;
o along a corridor where bicycle travel generators and destinations can be
expected prior to the design year of the project;
o any location where engineering judgment, planning analysis, or the public
involvement process indicates a need” (7).
This multi-modal plan follows these guidelines in regards to multi-modal corridor
placement.
17
Image 3.1
ColumbiaCounty
CompleteMulti-Modal
Network(Existingand
Proposed)
18
3.1 “Share the Road” Lanes
These corridors are shared by bikes and
cars and can be implemented in both
urbanized and rural areas. “Share the
Road” lanes should be the first phase of the
multi-modal master plan for they are
inexpensive to create as they use present
infrastructure to highlight already present
connections within the county. This
highlighting of corridors is key in making
Columbia County a bike friendly
community: it creates marked paths along
low-risk roads while increasing county-
wide connectivity. When residents, the
majority being recreational cyclists, know
of increased connectivity along low-risk
corridors they will be more comfortable in
biking through-out the county (8, p.2-5).
This can in turn foster a stronger sense of
confidence among all bikers, especially
recreational bikers, changing the mindset of the community to be more accepting
of biking as a county transportation alternative. Since more residents will be
biking because they know of connections and feel more confident riding on roads,
residents will get used to biking on streets and be more tolerant to riding on
higher-risk roads, allowing for implementation of biking corridors there. As time
goes on motorists will also become more aware of bicyclists on the road,
increasing biker safety.
Because bikes and cars will
share these corridors, bikers will
not us them if biker safety is not
taken into consideration in the
designs. Therefore, in
urbanized areas, where the lanes
will be geared for recreational
riders, these corridors can only
be on roads with speed limits of
25 mph or lower and must be
marked with the marking in
image 3.2 (8, p.2-5). Also in
urbanized areas, “share the
road” intersections must be
marked like image 3.3. These markings will make it convenient for bikers to use a
multi-modal and biking system because they will know which roads connect to
other biking corridors. Additionally they will also increase biking safety and
awareness among motorists. Road markings will be much more obvious to
Image 3.2
Image 3.3
19
motorists than “Share the Road” signs along the sides of the road making
motorists more attentive to the presence of cyclists.
“Share the Road” lanes on rural roads may be present on roads with speed limits
of up to 55 mph and must have at least a 2 foot wide paved shoulder. However, a
four foot wide paved shoulder, like image 3.4, should be placed to enhance cyclist
safety along these high-risk roads. To establish a “Share the Road” lane on rural
roads the county should request for the GDOT to place signs, like in image 3.5, to
increase motorists’ awareness of cyclists. These corridors will probably only be
used by utilitarian bicyclists. The rural routes proposed for Columbia County are
all suggestions by local bikers. “Share the Road” signs along these rural routes
would increase safety and awareness of bikers, as well as increase usage by
highlighting already established corridors.
Image 3.6 shows a suggestion for “Share
the Road” lanes on Columbia County’s
rural roads.
Image 3.7 shows a map of existing and
proposed “Share the Road” corridors.
The disconnected areas are where bike
lanes, multi-modal trails, and other
multi-modal corridors will be placed.
Image 3.6
Rural “Share the Road
Lane”/expanded shoulder
Image 3.4
Image 3.5
20
ColumbiaCounty
Proposed“Sharethe
Road”Corridors
Image 3.7
21
3.2 Bike Lanes and Expanded Shoulders
Bike lanes are defined as designated travel lanes for cyclists that are adjacent to
motorist travel lanes. These corridor types are to provide cyclists a safer
traveling lane along roads than “Share the Road” corridors can provide. Bike
lanes must be at least 4 to 6 feet wide. These corridors are designated with paint
and bicycle markings, such as in image 3.8.
Bike lanes or expanded shoulders are to be placed specifically in rural areas for
utilitarian bicyclists. Recreational cyclists (the majority of county residents) do
not want to ride on designated bike lanes because they do not feel safe to the close
proximity to higher-speed motorists.
Image 3.9 shows where rural bike lanes/expanded shoulders are to be placed.
Experienced, local cyclists have requested these areas be designated as bike lanes
or expanded shoulders because of high-speed traffic and high traffic volume
(3,4,5). These roads are needed by cyclists for county-wide connectivity to
cycling venues up at Clarks Hill Lake. For more information on expanded
shoulders please refer back to rural ‘Share the Road” lanes in section 3.1.
In urbanized areas bike lanes must be a minimum of four feet wide on roads with
a maximum speed limit of 25 mph. Roads with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph
must have a minimum of six foot wide bike lanes. Bike lanes in urbanized areas
can also only be placed on roads with automobile travel lane widths of 8 feet
wide. Bike lanes on roads with speed limits of 35 mph must be separated from
automobile travel lanes with bike lane dividers shown in image 3.7 to encourage
cyclist safety. Roads above these speed limits and travel lane widths promote
faster automobile travel which discourages recreational cyclist usage.
If roads with higher speed limits and automobile travel lane widths than
mentioned above are to be retrofitted with bike-friendly corridors they must have
designated buffered bike lanes (section 3.3) or multi-use trails (section 3.4).
Image 3.9
Image 3.8
Bike Lane Divider
22
Image 3.10
ColumbiaCounty
ProposedBikeLanes
23
3.3 Buffered Bike Lanes
These corridors must be used when the above requirements for bike lanes in
section 3.2 cannot be met. Buffered bike lanes are defined as designated bike
lanes that are separated from automobile travel lanes by planters. These
planters will encourage recreational cyclists to bike on arterial roads since
they provide a safety net from high-speed, high-volume traffic and create a
pleasant, shaded environment for cyclists.
Planters should be wide enough to accommodate large, overstory shade trees
such as oak, linden, zelkova, etc… If understory trees are to be placed in the
buffers, understory trees must also be placed between bike lanes and the
sidewalks or shoulder (as depicted in images 3.10 and 3.11) to create a shaded
environment for bikers.
Since these corridors are likely to be the more costly biking corridors to build
they should be in the later phases of implementation, once the county has
been connected via lower-risk corridors with more inexpensive biking
facilities. Buffered bike lines will also more likely be used by generations that
are more accustomed to biking as part of life.
Images 3.10 and 3.11
provide examples of bike
lanes buffered from
automobile travel lanes
with planters.
Image 3.14 depicts a
county map traced with
proposed buffered bike
lanes. It replaces the bike
lane between Lewiston
and Belair Road’s on
Columbia Road with a
buffered bike lane.
Image 3.12
Ima
ge
3.11
24
Image 3.12 (6) depicts bike lane intersections retrofitted onto roads.
The design enhances biker safety and motorist awareness of
cyclists by creating clear paths through-out the intersection and
better lines of vision between motorists and cyclists.
Image 3.13 shows that bicycle ridership increases
after the installation of protected bike lanes.
Image 3.13
Image 3.14
25
Image 3.15
ColumbiaCounty
ProposedBuffered
BikeLanes
26
3.4 Multi-use Trails
Multi-use trails are an integral part of the Multi-modal Network. These
protected corridors allow for a variety of transportation alternatives which can
encourage young cyclists, families, the elderly, and other resident’s unaccustomed
to road cycling to get places without using their cars. Therefore multi-use trails
are best suited in urbanized areas of the county. These corridors should connect
with each other to create a well-connected system of pathways.
Multi-use trails can be recreational and functional for surrounding communities.
A successful multi-use trail system should connect residences with everyday
destinations such as parks, shopping, offices, schools, and other biking facilities.
As the county’s population continues to grow, multi-use trails can alleviate road
congestion by providing alternate transportation modes to the majority of the
population via these connections.
These corridors can be constructed either in flood plains, where building
construction is prohibited, or alongside roads. To provide residents with quality
trails while maintaining reasonable construction costs multi-use trails can create
additional access to destinations from residences (see image 3.15). These
connections away from major roads will encourage youth ridership, as parents
will feel more comfortable about their children’s safety.
Single-Family Homes
Kroger
Future commercial
Image 3.15: Multi-use trails will
connect residential units to
popular destinations while
avoiding arterial roads. Therefore
this will keep multi-modal users
safe without inhibiting traffic
speeds on these arterial roads.
27
Image 3.16: An attractive
design possibility for short
trail-side lamps
It is important that multi-use trails are accommodated to avoid potential conflicts
between faster and slower moving users (3). To increase pedestrians’, cyclists’,
and cart riders’ safety and lessen future congestion on these corridors, images 3.17
and 3.18 show how sidewalks and multi-use trails should be on opposite sides of
the road. To maintain safety at night, small landscape lamps can be placed to
light up the trail (image 3.16).
Following GDOT’s recommendation of “6-ft wide buffer strips
between the back of curb and the sidewalks”, multi-use trails on roads
with speed limits of 45 mph or above should be buffered from the road
by a minimum of 6 foot wide tree buffers with overstory shade trees (it
is recommended that roads with speed limits of 35 mph or above in
residential areas include the same requirements for multi-use trails) (7).
These tree buffers are essential to successful multi-use trails as they
create a safe separation from the road incase cars veer off the road or
there is an automobile accident that travels onto the trail. The trees
will also create a more leisurely and pleasant experience for riders while
beautifying the county for motorists and local residents. However, if
tree buffers are not used multi-use trails must still be 6 inches above
road grade and separated 6 feet from the road to maintain user safety.
Multi-use paths are recommended to be 15 feet wide to accommodate
registered golf carts and two-way cycling routes. The lane widths for
the street cross-sections below (images 3-17 and 3-18) are based on
GDOT regulations: 9-12 ft. for automobile travel lanes and 4-6 ft. for
bike lanes. However, the widths in the sketches are highly
recommended because the lane and trail widths seek to maximize multi-
modal usage, not just automobile usage.
Image 3.17: Three Lane Road with
existing Bike Lanes that has been
retrofitted with a multi-use trail and a
sidewalk.
Multi-Use
Trail
SidewalkTree buffer Bike LaneTravel Lanes
Turn Lane
Curb and Gutter
10’
28
Since multi-use trails provide a protected environment buffered from automobile
traffic they are highly successful in stimulating multi-modal transportation usage
in communities. Therefore, these corridors should make up the majority of
multi-modal infrastructure to be built within the county. Roads with existing
biking facilities, such as dedicated bike lanes, can be retrofitted with multi-use
trails as indicated in images 3-17 and 3-18. Even though it may seem redundant to
add a multi-use trail where there are already bike lanes, it increases biking
accessibility to more residents within the county for while the majority of
residents – recreational bikers - would rather ride on buffered, multi-use trails,
utilitarian bikers prefer riding on bike lanes (3,4,5). However, for financial
practicality, only roads with existing biking facilities being retrofitted with multi-
use trails should include both facilities. Future road widenings or road
construction projects do not need to include bike lanes if a multi-use trail is
present.
The multi-use trails in this Multi-modal network are modeled after the Peachtree
City, GA cart path system (section 2.3). It is recommended that Columbia
County use Peachtree City’s path rules (pages 13and 14) as guidelines for path
usage. These paths are intended to accommodate all non-motorized modes of
transportation and registered golf-carts. It is important that these trails
accommodate a broad mix of transportation uses so the county can gain greater
support from the private sector (See section 6.2, Club Car).
Image 3.18: A four lane road with a planted
median with existing bike lanes that has been
retrofitted with a multi-use path and sidewalk
Multi-Use
Trail
Tree buffer SidewalkBike LanePlanted Median
Travel LanesTravel Lanes
29
ColumbiaCounty
Multi-UseTrails
Image 3.19
30
References
1. N.d. Cycle Toronto. Web. 20 July 2015.
<https://cycletoronto.wordpress.com/tag/bike-lanes/>.
2. Williamsburg, NY - Public Hearing Tonight to Discuss Buffered Bike Lanes & On-street
Parking. N.d. New York City. Voz Iz Neias? Web. 20 July 2015.
<http://www.easybib.com/cite/edit/1437486393_55ae4d390f01b1.74747073>.
3. Cone, Phil. Personal interview. 30 June 2015.
4. DeTeau, Randy. Personal interview. 22 June 2015.
5. Komp, Lawrence. Personal interview. 15 June 2015.
6. Junction Design the Dutch - cycle friendly – way. Bicycle Dutch, 3 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 July
2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlApbxLz6pA>.
7. United States. Georgia Department of Transportation. Design Policy Manual. N.p.:
n.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2015.
http://www.dot.ga.gov/PartnerSmart/DesignManuals/DesignPolicy/GDOT-
DPM.pdf
8. Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. Fourth ed. Washington: American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 2012. Print.
31
4.0 Existing Biking Facilities
Image 4.14 depicts all existing (built and currently under construction) biking
facilities within Columbia County.
4.1 Public
The residents of Columbia county have asked, via the Vision 2035 Survey
results and the local biking community, that the county’s existing biking
facilities and parks – listed below – be connected to create a bike and
pedestrian friendly network through-out the county. The multi-modal
network conceptual master plan seeks to accomplish this by creating a multi-
modal network that can be retrofitted within the county and incorporated in
all future construction.
1. Evans-to-Lock Multi-Use
Trail (images 4.1 and 4.2)
2. Evans Town Center Park,
Blanchard Woods, Lakeside
High School Cross Country
Trail
3. Bike Routes:
GA Bike Route 15 – collaborate
with GDOT to attain more
information.
4. Euchee Creek Greenway
(image 4.3)
Image 4.1
Image 4.3
Image 4.2
32
4.2 Private
Columbia County should take advantage of
these privately built and maintained biking
facilities. Connecting these biking corridors
with county-wide multi-modal infrastructure
will create a more connected and expansive
system at little cost to the county.
Comprehensive and thorough collaboration
between the county and the developers or
neighborhood associations of these
neighborhoods is necessary to ensure a more
successful integration of these existing biking
facilities.
 Tudor Branch (images 4.4-4.5)
 Crawford Creek
 Bartram Trail Subdivision
 Riverwood
(images 4.7, 4.9, and 4.10)
 River Island
(images 4.8 and 4.11)
Image 4.4: bottom left
corner of image 4.5
Image 4.5
Image 4.6
An overstory shade tree at Tudor Branch’s multi-
use trail (images 4.4 and 4.5) provides a more
pleasant pedestrian and biking environment in the
hot Georgia summers than the trial in image 4.6
(also Tudor Branch).
33
Images 4.7 and 4.10 depict a pedestrian bridge on Riverwood’s multi-use
trail. The bridge provides for an enjoyable pedestrian experience through
its good quality design and its connecting of shaded areas of the trail.
Image 4.9 shows how the multi-use trail at Riverwood connects residential
areas. The trail eventually connects to the Publix shopping center, giving
residents an alternative to driving a car when it comes to local trips.
Images 4.8 and 4.11 capture River Island’s connected multi-use trail which
and boardwalk. Like at Riverwood this trail connects multiple residential
areas, giving residents access to alternative transportation modes. The
quality design of these facilities, with benches, water features, overstory
shade trees, and landscaping encourages residents to use these facilities.
Image 4.7
Image 4.9
Image 4.8
34
4.3Non-Profit
Many non-profit biking
organizations are active within
Columbia County. Examples
include Wheel Movement and SORBA (CSRA). These
members of the local biking community help maintain and
clean the network of mountain bike trails which run for about
43 miles along the county’s shore of Clarks Hill Lake. The
trails are an asset to the community since they provide vast
recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. In May
2015 Columbia County’s biking community hosted the USA
Cycling National Championships on these trails (3). It is
recommended that the county collaborate with these groups
for input and public awareness in implementing a multi-
modal county-wide network. Connection to these trails and
collaboration with these organizations can help
improve the quality of multi-modal facilities within the
county while alleviating the county from much work.
• Bartram Trail and SORBA (CSRA Chapter) (images 4.12
and 4.13)
Image 4.10
Image 4.12
Image 4.13
Image 4.11
35
ColumbiaCounty
ExistingBiking
Facilities
Image 4.14
36
References
1. "National Corridor Plan." Adventure Cycling Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2015.
<1. http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/us-bicycle-route-
system/national-corridor-plan/index.cfm#top>.
2. "SORBA-CSRA: Home." SORBA-CSRA: Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2015.
<http://sorbacsra.org/>.
3. "USA Cycling National Championships." USA Cycling. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2015.
<https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usacycling.org%2F2015%2Fmarathon-mountain-bike-
nationals>.
37
5.0 Current Biking Projects
5.1 Georgia DOT Road Improvements
Image 5.1 displays future road improvement projects within the county.
All GDOT projects will include bike lanes. These bike lanes are included
in image 4.14.
Image 5.1
38
5.2 Evans to Lock Widening and Multi-Use Trail
The local biking community’s biggest request has been to connect
Evans Town Center with the Evans to Lock Multi-Use Trail (1,2,3).
This connection will connect Columbia County to the Savannah
Rapids Pavilion and Augusta Canal greenway, allowing more
recreational opportunities for county residents. The biggest obstacle to
this connection – physically and financially – has been the
CSX railroad crossing. Currently the Board of
Commissioners and the county’s Traffic Engineering
Department have drafted plans for this crossing. Image 5.2
shows the plans for the Multi-use trail to continue from its
current ending point – Hunterdale Road – to the intersection
of North Belair Road and Evans to Lock Road (4). However,
this project does not connect the trail to Evans Town Center
(section 6.1).
5.3 Euchee Creek Greenway
Currently, Columbia County is planning and building the
Euchee Creek Greenway, a multi-use trail that will run along
the Euchee Creek basin from Harlem-Grovetown Highway to
Riverside Park. Image 5.4 depicts the project’s acquired land,
built trail, and future phases. The county approved the
Greenway’s masterplan in 2007 (8) and has since constructed
the first phase which runs from Harlem-Grovetown Highway
and through the Canterbury Farms subdivision.
Image 5.2
N. Belair Rd.
CSX
Crossing
Hunterdale
Rd.
Image 5.3: A section
of the Euchee Creek
Greenway at
Canterbury Farms
39
The Greenspace Advisory Board is the main recommending board to the
Commissioners for this project. They recommend where trail facilities
should go, what money should be directed towards, and when to move
forward with project phases. The project’s purpose is to create a recreational
multi-use trail that connects residential neighborhoods along the Euchee
Creek basin. This Multi-modal masterplan seeks to connect greenways like
this with the destinations mentioned in section 3.4 to create a connected
network for alternate modes of transportation for county residents.Image 5.4
40
5.4 Petersburg Trailhead
The local biking community
(including SORBA and local bike
stores) in collaboration with local
developers and other businesses have
been working together to improve the Petersburg Trailhead on Bartram Trail.
“The project is slated to include adding the larger parking lot, a 20-foot-by-20-
foot shelter with amenities such as a grill, water, electricity and picnic tables,
a bicycle repair station with tools and a pump; changing room, bicycle wash
station, trail counters and benches along the trail” (5). If the county is to
implement a multi-modal network working with groups like these, whose
goal is to foster alternative transportation facilities, will help the county
implement the project at a faster rate with little cost to the county.
Image 5.7: “SORBA-CSRA
members working on the trail” (6).
Image 5.6: A path connecting the
greenway to Canterbury Farms
Image 5.5
Image 5.8
41
References
1. Cone, Phil. Personal interview. 30 June 2015.
2. DeTeau, Randy. Personal interview. 22 June 2015.
3. Komp, Lawrence. Personal interview. 15 June 2015.
4. United States. Columbia County Government. Columbia County Board of
Commissioners. Evans to Locks Widening and Multi-Use Trial. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Prepared by Cranston Engineering Group, P.C.
5. Rowell, Valerie. "Trailhead Closed for Improvements." The Columbia County News-
Times. N.p., 26 May 2015. Web. 29 July 2015.
<http://newstimes.augusta.com/news/2015-05-26/trailhead-closed-for-
improvements>.
6. SORBA-CSRA Members Working on the Trail. N.d. National Recreation Trails. Web. 29
July 2015.
<http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/trailNRT/Bartram-
Thurmond-Lake-GA.html>.
7. Exley, Stepen. Personal interview. 29 July 2015.
8. United States. Columbia County. Commissioners' Office. Euchee Creek Greenway
Procurement Department Contract Review Form. Evans: n.p., 2007. Web. 29 July 2015.
9. Dalton, Ruth Conroy, and Nick Sheep Dalton. "An American Prototopia: Or
Peachtree City as an Inadvertent, Sustainable Solution to Urban Sprawl." Diss.
Univeristy College London, n.d. Web. 13 July 201.
42
6.0 Implementation
6.1 Priority Connections
The phases in the multi-modal plan seek to connect key areas within the county with
residences and shopping via multi-modal corridors. These key areas include future
development, schools, greenspace, parks, and state parks. The following section
depicts map layers of these key areas (image 6.1) and existing multi-modal facilities
(image 6.2) to show the lack of connectivity these areas have to alternative
transportation modes other than cars. A proposed multi-modal facilities map (image
6.3) and a map of all three layers put together shows how the plan will eventually
create a connected multi-modal network. Since development in Columbia County
is so spread out though it is important, for financial reasons, that target areas
(areas where multi-modal facilities will have the greatest immediate and long-
term impacts) be retrofitted first. This primary focus on specified connections
will help the project gain more momentum faster by the community.
Image 6.1
Key Areas
43
Image 6.2
ColumbiaCounty
ExistingMulti-Modal
Facilities
44
Image 6.3
ColumbiaCounty
ProposedMulti-Modal
Facilities
45
Image 6.4
ColumbiaCounty
CompleteMulti-Modal
Network(Existingand
Proposed)
46
Evans to Locks Multi-Use Trail • Evans Town Center Park • Blanchard Woods •
Euchee Creek
Connecting the Evans to Locks multi-use trail with Evans Town Center and the
Euchee Creek Greenway should be the first phase in implementing a multi-modal
network within the county. This connection will provide residents from both
sides of the county with direct access to multiple park venues and Evans Town
Center. The connection will contribute to the development of the Evans Town
Center node in the following ways:
1. Will attract business investment to Evans
Town Center because of increased
(pedestrian) traffic.
2. Allow Evans to possibly become a regional
center for eco-tourism via biking (especially
during regional events such as the Masters,
Iron Man, or boat races). Evans Town
Center could become a major commercial area
serving county residents and tourists alike
without increasing automobile traffic or road
congestion.
3. Connect Evans Town Center to the
Augusta Canal
4. Local bike vendors such as Chain
Reaction and the county bike rental at Evans
Town Center Park will have improved
business because of increased bike traffic.
5. Will make Evans Town Center accessible
to the county by bike (less demand for parking
spots at Evans Town Center and eventually
county-wide).
6. Create a continuous, county-wide
biking corridor.
7. Since Evans Town Center is a dense
population center within the county, this
connection will be heavily utilized.
Heavy utilization of these multi-modal
facilities by county residents will help
the rest of the plan gain momentum
from the community - residents and
businesses alike (see section 6.2 for more
information on public involvement).
Image 6.5 (above): A family bikes in the pedestrian
friendly suburb of Baton Rouge: Long Farm Village
(1). The a new urbanist community that allows
residents to walk to their jobs while preserving
privacy, southern charm, and the calm lifestyle of
the suburbs.
Image 6.6: A walkable, urban-like
downtown with a laidback atmosphere.
47
All of these factors will increase
pedestrian traffic in the area,
allowing for the commercial and
residential development in
demand by county residents (see
section 2.2, question 4, and
images 2.3,2.4,6.5, & 6.6). This
will in turn create the more
urban feeling downtown area
with shops, restaurants, and
housing that county residents
want without having to go to
downtown Augusta, benefitting
the county’s economy.
Image 6.7: Bike tourism. A possible economic opportunity for
Columbia County if a comprehensive, well designed, multi-
modal network is implemented.
Proposed Euchee Creek Greenway Blanchard Woods Park Evans Town Center
Image 6.8
48
Chain Reaction Bike Shop End of proposed Evans to
Lock widening and multi-
use trail project (section
5.2)
Image 6.9 displays how Evans Town
Center can be retrofitted with multi-
modal trails that connect the multi-use
trail on Evans to Locks with Euchee Creek
(image 6.10). It is imperative that the afore mentioned multi-use trail be connected to the
Town Center so the node may receive more pedestrian traffic, enhancing business
investment in the area. The highlighted paths mark where multi-modal facilities will have
the most impact on the community in the future. Connecting the library (top left) and park
will encourage county youth and families to visit these areas, increasing education quality
and health levels in the county. Also, connecting Chain Reaction bike store (lower right)
and the county bike rental (Evans Town Center Park) will benefit the business a key
stakeholder in the local biking community as well as increase income for a county facility.
Image 6.9 Library Evans Town Center Park
and bike rental business
49
Image 6.10 depicts how the multi-modal system will connect Evans Town Center to
Blanchard Woods park – which will connect to the Euchee Creek Greenway. A Share the
Road lane through the Camelot neighborhood will create a biking corridor that directs
pedestrian and bicycle traffic away from Washington Road. The Share the Road corridor
will then connect to the Gibbs Road multi-use trial which will connect residents to an
elementary and high school. A multi-use trail will then run through a power easement to
connect the gap behind neighborhoods between Gibbs and Blanchard Roads. See “Public
Involvement” in section 6.2 for how to engage home owner associations and developers on
incorporating multi-modal corridors into their neighborhoods.
Image 6.10 Power Easement High SchoolElementary School
50
Multi-Use Trail on William Few Parkway
As image 6.1 shows, the majority of future residential development in
Columbia County will occur along William Few Parkway, a 45mph+ roadway
that also connects to Riverwood Parkway, Patriots Park, and Grovetown High
school. Since these future developments will primarily be single family
homes, a multi-use trail should be another priority connection for this multi-
modal project. This trail will provide a safe, utilitarian and recreational
corridor for future families in the area, connecting future neighborhoods to the
local parks, schools, and shopping districts.
Images 6.5 and 6.6 show two boys riding bikes on the shoulder of William Few
Parkway. These images re-iterate the necessity of building a multi-modal trail
in this area, for the lack of multi-modal facilities has led to this highly
dangerous situation. If the county does not take action soon, the increase in
the area’s population may also increase these types of scenarios along county
roads.
Image 6.5 Image 6.6
51
6.2 Community Collaboration
“Engaging stakeholders early and often and sharing with them vital
information about development options will give them a greater
understanding of the importance of and challenges associated with good
planning and investment … Projects and plans developed without strong
citizen involvement will lack the community buy-in necessary for success,”
(2).
Stakeholders for Columbia County’s Multi-modal Network would include
the private sector; federal, state, and local government agencies; non-profit
organizations; and county citizens.
Private Funding & Engagement
To encourage the development of a multi-modal network it is recommended
that the county take advantage of the economic and financial resources
available to it in the local private sector. Below are lists of private businesses
and organizations and ways they can contribute to financing this project
within the county.
Engaging the private sector though will only be successful if the county
collaborates with it to “provide financial incentives to aid” (3) the
construction of multi-modal corridors. The county’s collaboration with the
private sector to support a multi-modal network “should be considered (as an)
investment in the future viability and livability of” (3) Columbia County and
its residents.
 Club Car
A multi-modal network would be a financial asset to Club Car, a
nationally renowned business, because the multi-use trails will provide
county residents the opportunity to include golf carts as an alternative
transportation mode. The possible inclusion of golf carts in the
county’s multi-modal network is why Peachtree City, GA’s cart path
system is included in this conceptual plan (see section 2.3) and why the
proposed multi-use trails are recommended to be 15 ft. wide (section 3.4:
multi-use trails, p.28). It is highly recommended that the county
collaborate extensively with this local manufacturer as they could play
a major role in implementing this project. Collaborating with Club Car
will also enhance Columbia County’s unique character as the company
is unique to Columbia County and not invested in Richmond County
or the greater Augusta metro area.
 Hospital Community
GRU, University Hospital, Doctor’s Hospital, private practice,
emergency M.D.’s
52
It is highly recommended that the county collaborate with hospitals
and local doctors to help fund the multi-modal project. These
stakeholders may hold a genuine interest in promoting this pedestrian
and bike friendly initiative because it will improve the health of county
citizens (5).
 Bike Stores
 Private health companies (insurance, pharmaceutical providers, etc…
i.e. Pfizer)
 Companies that support environmentally friendly initiatives (i.e.
Apple, Starbucks,etc…)
 Local companies that can provide construction services for the project.
Maner Builders Supply
Pollard Lumber
Mulherin Lumber
*Using local companies can improve the local economy
 Other companies located within the county (i.e. John Deere, Serta, Tax
Slayer, etc…)
 Real Estate and Development Community (Meybohm, Blanchard
Calhoun, etc…)
Collaboration with the development community is key in the efficient
implementation of this multi-modal network. These stakeholders can
give advice that helps steer the project towards an “economically
feasible and attractive” route that encourages investment from the
private sector. “In addition, experience has shown that developers who
have intimate knowledge of local conditions and community values are
able to create better communities than those developers who do not”
(2).
For more information on collaboration with the Development
community see “Friends of the Highline” (p. 55)
Public Funding
Listed below are possible financing opportunities available to the county from
the public sector. It is divided into direct financing opportunities, such as
grants and taxes, and public departments at any level of government (federal,
state, regional, etc…) that can contribute funds towards a multi-modal
network. It is recommended that the county take advantage of as many
public financial resources as possible.
1. Direct Financing Opportunities
 TEA-21 funds
 SPLOST
 (CDBG) Community Development Block Grants
 Recreation Assisstance Funds
 Land and Water Conservation Fund
53
 Governor’s Discretionary Fund
 Impact fees
 Real Estate Transfer Fees
 Tax increments
 Finance Districts
 Opportunity Zones
2. Public groups, organizations, and programs
 National Parks Service
 Georgia’s Green Light Team
 Georgia Department of Natural Resources
 EPA
 Georgia Environmental Protection Division
 Georgia Forestry Commission
 GDOT
 USDOT
 Health and Human Services
 Housing and Urban Development
 Georgia Conservancy
 Georgia Recreational Trails & Greenways Program
 Any public-private partnerships
*Also, research funding methods that other greenspace projects in the county,
state, and nation have used (i.e. Euchee Creek, Silver Comet Trail, Augusta
Canal, etc...).
Public Engagement
There are a myriad of public organizations at multiple governmental levels
that the county should collaborate with to make this multi-modal network a
reality. Below are listed a few options the county should consider. It will be
beneficial though for the county to consider all of the possible public groups
that can contribute to this project:
 Econ Development, Chamber of Commerce, Department of Leisure
Services, Visitors Bureau:
The county should work with these groups to make the multi-modal
network a resource for future economic development in land and
business development. A well-connected, well-designed, attractive, and
safe multi-modal network will also provide the opportunity for the
development of an eco-tourism economy within the county as it will
add to an already expansive system of nature trails and state parks at
Clarks Hill Lake. During major events within the CSRA, such as the
Masters, Iron Man, etc… a successful multi-modal network will attract
54
tourists to stay within the county, increasing the demand for
restaurants, hotels, and other development (see section 6.1: Evans to
Locks Multi-Use Trail • Evans Town Center Park • Blanchard Woods
• Euchee Creek). It is important to work with these departments when
preparing the multi-modal network because it will extend the benefits
of the network beyond just benefitting quality of life of county
residents.
 Schools system (public and private; University and high school
students): engage students in promoting alternative transportation
initiatives. If new business developments are stimulated by multi-
modal trails, the county should work with local university students
who want to open businesses along these trails. This can help
Columbia County become a big center for business investment.
 Work with the Safe Routes to School Program to promote alternative
ways for children to get to school so school buses won’t clog county
roads.
 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
 ARTS
 Ft. Gordon
Non-Profit Engagement & Funding
 Lyndhurst Foundation – A non-profit organization that provides funds
for projects that improve the quality of life of residents in the
Chatanooga metro-area (7). The county should look for national,
regional, state, and local non-profit organizations similar to the
Lyndhurst Foundation, ones that will provide funds towards project in
this region.
 The League of American Byciclists
 Local YMCA and health clubs
 Philanthropic organizations
Citizen Involvement and Addressing Citizen Concerns
“Ensuring a high level of public awareness is one of the most fundamental
strategies to guarantee that community needs and possible solutions are fully
considered. This strategy can help local leaders better identify and support
development that meets those needs” while letting the public know they are
being heard” (2).
In implementing the multi-modal network, the county should use local media
outlets to inform county residents of project progress. This will keep the
public informed without government officials having to use more time for
meetings. This in turn will encourage timelier implementation of the project
because government officials will be able to use that time towards working on
the project. The most successful usage of media outlets for this purpose
55
would be to create a regular column in local newspapers or magazines and
weekly airings on local tv and radio stations “that take time to unravel the
complex web of individual public and private decisions and the cumulative
changes in quality-of-life that result (for citizens)” (2).
To gain citizen approval for the multi-modal network it is important that the
county lets citizens know of the project’s projected economic results. The
county could gather information like the Delaware DOT’s review of property
value and desirability effects when bike paths are placed adjacent to
residential areas (4) (reference from section 6.1, Camelot neighborhood, p.
49).
To make the information more readable and available to the public the county
can use public meetings and the before mentioned media outlets to display the
information in interactive presentations, visuals, and audios.
Maintenance
This network will need to be readily maintained to ensure it stays as an asset
for the community. Below are groups that the county can engage in volunteer
work in maintaining the network.
 Schools
 Eagle Projects
 Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts
 National, state, and local biking associations
 Local Biking Community
o Wheel Movement
o SORBA-CSRA
 “Adopt-a-Scape”: to help with landscaping the network to ensure it the
attractiveness of the corridors while maintaining reasonable costs, the
county can engage businesses and organizations to landscape and
maintain sections of the trail. These sections of the trail can then have
signs that recognize the work of these groups.
“Friends of the Highline”:
Columba County should use “Friends of the Highline” as a model for raising
money and public awareness for, and efficiently advancing the construction
progress of this multi-modal network. “Friends of the Highline” is a non-
profit organization that acquires funds and publicizes one of New York City’s
most successful planning projects in the city’s history (8,9). This
organization’s work has helped facilitate the following economic outcomes for
the Highline: $2 billion in private investment projects, 29 major development
projects, 12000 new jobs, 423000 sq. ft. of office space, and 3.7 million visitors in
one year (9).
56
The organization’s success can be attributed to the fact that it employs
individuals who are completely dedicated to implementing the project. This
model benefits the local government because it can rapidly implement a high-
quality, public amenity that will benefit the majority of community residents
without any extra financial or labor burden to itself. Even though the
organization is a separate entity from the government the two organizations
work hand-in-hand with each other because their success is mutually
dependent on each other’s efforts. It also increases the public’s appeal towards
the project because the non-profit organization has to constantly engage
stakeholders (businesses and citizens) to move the project forward (8).
Several county organizations and employees, along with top members of the
local real estate community (6, 10) have expressed interest in following this
organization model because it moves projects through the implementation and
construction processes in a timely manner.
Following this separate non-profit model would be more efficient than
working through an advisory board, whose members cannot fully dedicate
their time or efforts towards implementing such an important project.
57
References
1. N.d. Baton Rouge. Long Farm Village. Web. 30 July 2015.
<http://www.longfarmbr.com/>.
2. "Chapter Ten: Encourage Community and Stake Holder Collaboration in
Development Decisions." Getting to Smart Growth: 100 Policies for Implementation. N.p.:
Smart Growth Network, n.d. 77-85. Print.
3. “Chapter Nine: Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair, and Cost Effective.”
Getting to Smart Growth: 100 Policies for Implementation. N.p.: Smart Growth
Network, n.d. 69-76. Print.
4. United States. Delaware DOT. Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths
Adjacent to Residential Areas. Comp. David P. Racca and Amardeep Dhanju. Center for
Applied Demography & Survey Research, Oct. 2006. Web. 30 July 2015.
<http://128.175.63.72/projects/DOCUMENTS/bikepathfinal.pdf>.
5. Euchee Creek Greenway Master Lan Study Final Report. N.p.: Jaeger, 2007. Print.
6. Morris, Venus. Interview by Juan M. Migone. n.d.: n. pag. Print.
7. Lyndhurst Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 July 2015.
<http://www.lyndhurstfoundation.org/>.
8. Friends of the Highline. Friends of the Highline, n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.thehighline.org/about>.
9. Migone, Juan Manuel, comp. Parks and the Growth Machine. N.p., n.d. Print. 2 Aug.
2015.
10. Columbia County Greenspace Advisory Board Meeting. 10 June 2015. Raw data. Reed
Creek Interpretive Center, Martinez, Georgia.
58

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Multi-modal Final

  • 1. 2015 Multi-Modal Network Conceptual Master Plan Columbia County, GA Juan Migone Columbia County Planning Department
  • 2. 1 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Project Background 1.2 Project Approach 1.3 Project Goals and Objectives 2.0 Community Assessment 2.1 Bicycle Facility Benefits 2.2 Community Needs 2.3 Peach Tree City, GA as a model for Columbia County 3.0 Corridor Types 3.1 Share the Road 3.2 Bike Lanes 3.3 Buffered Bike Lanes 3.4 Multi-Use Trails 4.0 Existing Biking Facilities 4.1 Public 4.2 Private 4.3 Non-Profit 5.0 Current Biking Projects 5.1 Georgia DOT Road Improvements 5.2 Evans to Lock Widening and Multi-Use Trail 5.3 Euchee Creek Greenway 5.4 Petersburg Trailhead 6.0 Implementation 6.1 Priority Connections 6.2 Community Collaboration
  • 3. 2 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Project Background The creation of a county-wide multi-modal conceptual master plan was coordinated by the Columbia County Planning Department. This is because the department sees it necessary to pursue a prototype for this plan as the county is forecasted to grow by 20,000 people within the next five years (2015-2020) and the Vision 2035 Comprehensive plan is currently under development. The plan originally started out as a bike-only plan but is now called multi-modal because it has been adapted to include all non-motorized modes of transportation and registered golf carts. The designs and placements of corridors and facilities and the majority of the writing in the conceptual plan are therefore more geared towards biking but can be further adapted to be more inclusive towards these alternative modes of transportation. The conceptual plan provides a starting point in creating a master plan for the county by suggesting biking facilities, corridor designs, possible county-wide policies, and funding and implementation methods. The conceptual plan was developed between June 1st and July 30th by an intern at the Planning Department. 1.2 Project Approach Data was collected from various sources. Maps were analyzed to view current multi-modal facilities within the county and propose possible off-road and on- road multi-modal facilities and corridors. These maps included Columbia County flood plains, sewer and water, traffic volume and traffic speed, zoning, greenspace, GDOT road improvement projects, and private subdivision master plans. Current multi-modal projects were also studied and incorporated into the conceptual plan. Meetings were held with members of the local biking community to include their suggestions about biking safety and possible corridors into plan as well. The intern also held a meeting with the vice president of Meybohm Realtors to include opinions from the local real estate community on biking facility development. The Euchee Creek Greenway Master Plan, the Aashto Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, a research project on Peachtree City, GA’s cart system, Columbia County’s Vision 2035 public surveys, and Chapter 7 of the ARTS Bicycle and Pedestrian Final Plan were also used to formulate this conceptual plan. All of these analyses took biking safety measures and community needs into account when drafting the plan. Photographs, sketches, and maps were made to display concepts and ideas. Collaboration between the planning intern and the planning staff, traffic engineering department, Greenspace Advisory Board, and Columbia County GIS were also key in this plan’s creation. The plan’s implementation methods take into account a wide variety of public, private, and non-profit collaboration and financial sources. The methods also focus heavily on community engagement as a major tool for success.
  • 4. 3 1.3 Project Goals and Objectives This conceptual Master Plan is part of an effort to make Columbia County a bike and pedestrian-friendly community. The plan should be incorporated as a component for the county’s Vision 2035 Transportation and Park Plans. The goals and objectives of this plan are to:  create a concept for a safe and functional system for bikes, non-motorized modes of transportation, and registered golf carts that connect parks, neighborhoods, schools, and commercial areas within the county  make the county less car dependent  address the issues the county is facing with regards to bike and multi- modal planning, safety, and facilities  design potential off-road and on-road multi-modal corridors  create policies and standards that incorporate bike and multi-modal facilities into all future development within the county  Create a realistic and organized financial goal and implementation method for the plan 1.4 Key Terms  Multi-Modal: includes all non-motorized modes of transportation and registered golf carts.  Urbanized areas: R-2, R-3, R-3A, PUD, PRD, PDD, T-R, A-R 10, A-R, P-1, C-1, C-C, C-2, C-3, M-1, M-2, S-1, and Evans Town Center Overlay District.  Rural areas: R-A, R-1, R-1A,  Low-risk: Low speed limits, small car volumes. Recreational bicyclists (the majority of the population) feel comfortable riding on these roads  High-risk: High speed limits, large car volumes. Utilitarian bicyclists are usually the only ones who venture out on these roads. Image 1.1 A multi-use trail in Dunwoody, GA (2)
  • 5. 4  Utilitarian bicyclists: “generally more experienced and confident and will typically choose whichever roadway (or off-road facility) provides for the most direct, safe and comfortable travel to their destinations” (1).  Recreational bicyclists: “generally younger and/or less experienced and will typically choose routes for comfort or scenery, feel more comfortable on lower-speed and lower-volume roadways, and prefer separated or delineated bicycle facilities” (1). References 1. United States. Georgia Department of Transportation. Design Policy Manual. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2015. http://www.dot.ga.gov/PartnerSmart/DesignManuals/DesignPolicy/GDOT- DPM.pdf 2. Multi-Use Trails. Digital image. HD Image Gallery.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2015. <http://hdimagegallery.net/multi+use+trails>.
  • 6. 5 2.0 Community Assessment 2.1 Bicycle Facility Benefits According to Aashto’s Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities “bicycling is a healthy, low cost mode of travel…(which)… emits no pollution, needs no extra energy source, and uses land efficiently…Bicycling makes neighborhoods safer and friendlier” (1). Bicycling also “saves on transportation costs, provides a way to routinely get physical activity (improving the community’s health)” and reduces traffic congestion (1). “Since the bicycle is an appropriate vehicle for many trips, it can play a significant role in sustainable land-use planning, transportation, recreation, and economic development initiatives." Particularly in “…suburban centers, where a large percentage of trips are shorter than two miles in length, bicycling can serve as a part of a comprehensive approach to alleviate traffic congestion and provide flexible, convenient, and affordable travel options” (1). Biking facilities such as multi-use trails, bike lanes, and “share the road” lanes also increase the mobility of those who cannot drive allowing for increased access to commercial areas and increased revenue for businesses and the county. For more information on bicycle facility benefits refer to the “The Value of Walkable and Bicycle Friendly Communities” (pages 1.7 – 1.11) in the introduction of the ARTS Bicycle and Pedestrian Final Plan. 2.2 Community Needs Vision 2035 Survey “Vision 2035 is the process by which the direction of future growth and development in the County will be determined. The outcome of this process will be a growth management plan and future land use map that will act as a blueprint for development in the County.” –Columbia County Planning Department The multiple surveys – landline, web, and workshops – were an opportunity for community input towards Vision 2035. The results below are from the landline survey. It’s important that a county-wide multi- modal master plan be created and implemented now so as to be incorporated in the Vision 2035 plan and to accommodate the 20,000 incoming residents by 2020. Image 2.1
  • 7. 6 *The numbers prior to the question or prompt corresponds with the numbering in the survey. 1.) Respondents’ Ratings of Quality of Life Factors in Their Area Heads of the Augusta real estate development community even said that the majority of home buyers moving into Columbia County ask about multi-use trails for recreation (7). 2.) Two of the Top 5 issues affecting the county (open-ended) (#2) 36% said the county is headed in the right direction but needs good planning/infrastructure. (#4) 9% said poor/unsafe traffic flow/roads are affecting the county 3.) “What types of residential development would you like to see more of?” Two of the lowest ratings
  • 8. 7 4.) What types of commercial development would you like to see more of? 5.) “20 years from now, what kind of place would you like Columbia County to be? (open-ended) 6.) Issues that might prevent the County from becoming the kind of place you would like it to be: (open ended) a.) 36% - Lack of planning/uncontrolled growth/lack of infrastructure Transportation options included: pedestrians and biking
  • 9. 8 b.) 31% - overcrowding/too much development Demographics Where do people in Columbia County live? (3) 2010 2015 2020 Total 124,053 141,757 161,741 Appling (30802) 6,561 6,837 Evans (30809) 42,393 49,052 Grovetown (30813) 27,053 34,753 Harlem (30814) 8,501 9,216 Martinez (city) 35,795 Annual Growth Rate (2) 2.20% Columbia County Age Distribution (3) Age: 2010 2015 2020 0-4 8,305 9100 10,348 5 to 9 9,424 9818 10,952 10 to 14 9,979 10766 11,899 15-19 9,457 9669 10,852 20-24 6,745 8613 8,046 25-34 15,208 17955 21,273 35-44 17,984 19230 22,548 45-54 19,305 20539 21,227 55-64 14,946 18466 21,049 65-74 7,663 11240 14,922 75-84 3,730 4661 6,488 85+ 1,307 1700 2,137 Conclusion Based on the survey’s open-ended questions, Columbia County residents want the county to stop growing out in such a sprawling manner for this development creates traffic congestion and unattractive, commercial developments (#2). However, residents want to keep the county’s single-family residential character, which adds to sprawl (#3). Residents also want more commercial development like shopping, local restaurants, and a downtown, urban feeling (walkable) development (#’s 4&5), but this requires residential density. Increasing the county’s density would add more Image 2.2 Traffic on Washington Road
  • 10. 9 traffic to already increasing traffic numbers. However, the county’s traffic congestion makes the county only seem overcrowded (#6). The development of multi-modal facilities will increase the density of single-family homes which will in turn allow for the development of the small, local businesses and walkable, urban-like developments that county residents want to see (#’s 4&5). Multi-modal facilities will make this possible because they will give residents access to alternate modes of transportation that connect them from their homes to destinations. People will be able to bike, walk, or (but not limited to) take golf carts on those local trips that are too far to walk. This will then lessen car dependency and traffic congestion in the community while creating denser, smarter growth. This is why a county-wide bike system needs to be developed as soon as possible and possibly be included in the Vision 2035 Comprehensive Plan. 2.3 Peachtree City, GA as a model for Columbia County “What distinguishes (Peachtree City) from the…suburban sprawl that characterizes much of recent development in North America is that Peachtree City boasts a network of leisure ‘paths’ or trails forming a network of 80-90 miles. These trails (2.4m wide, gray asphalt) are predominately used by its citizens driving golf carts and, to a lesser extent, pedestrians and other modes of non-automotive transport. The most fascinating aspect…is that (the trails) never constituted part of the city’s master plan…The paths have been ‘retro-fitted’…(and) are perceived by both residents…and City Hall…as a success, with the majority of journeys under five-miles in length now being taken by golf cart” (4). “Today, the extensive system of cart paths has become part of Peachtree City’s unique identity and a major contributor to its success” (4). Image 2.3 Images 2.3 and 2.4 provide examples of the types of the development possible that are in demand by county residents. These sketches were taken from Long Farm Village, a pedestrian friendly, mixed-use development South of Baton Rouge, LA (8).
  • 11. 10 “Because the cart path system serves to significantly reduce dead-ends and connect adjacent local areas (via efficient, direct paths)…then it is inherently functional as an alternative transportation system…Add to this, the fact that the cart path system connects residential areas to useful ‘destinations’ such as schools, shopping centers, cinemas and the library then what is created is a parallel system that can begin to take pressure off the road/car network. The three major benefits of having a widespread, functional, integrated cart system are social, economic, and environmental…It’s not enough to have a cart system – you have to have the right cart system and Peachtree City seems to have got it right” (4). Peachtree City’s cart system design and implementation methods should be used as a model for creating a successful multi-modal trail system within Columbia County’s urbanized, urbanizing, and rural areas. Like Columbia County, Peachtree City is a commuting, suburban community (image 2.5) with similar land development patterns, housing construction, and roadways. Also like Peachtree City, Columbia County will have to retrofit its new system into its grid. The former community’s successful implementation shows that functional multi-modal trails are possibilities in similar communities and can greatly increase the quality of life for its citizens. The academic research these facts were based on was conducted by Ruth and Nick Dalton and should be reviewed further if the county is to implement this system. It provides a more in-depth analysis on the Peachtree City cart system than the above, condensed facts. It will also provide Columbia County a basis for its work. The creation of a county-wide bike system will eventually alleviate growing traffic congestion in Columbia County. Research has shown that denser communities have less traffic congestion because residents can go to and from destinations without using a car. “In California…creating more compact communities…had the effect of reducing vehicle traffic by 20 to 30 percent, as people are able to use convenient and cheaper alternatives to the car.” (5). Image 2.6 Image 2.5
  • 12. 11 This page provides more photographs of how Peachtree City has retrofitted its path system into its grid. Page 12 depicts Peachtree City’s Proposed Master Path Plan for 2010. Pages 13 and 14 include Path Rules that Peachtree City has adopted to maintain safety along the cart paths.
  • 13. 12
  • 14. 13
  • 15. 14
  • 16. 15 References 1. Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. Fourth ed. Washington: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 2012. Print. 2. "United States Census Bureau." USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. Web. 6 July 2015. <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html>. 3. Esri Community Analyst. Web. 9 June 2015. 4. Dalton, Ruth Conroy, and Nick Sheep Dalton. "An American Prototopia: Or Peachtree City as an Inadvertent, Sustainable Solution to Urban Sprawl." Diss. Univeristy College London, n.d. Web. 13 July 201. 5. Getting to Smart Growth: 100 Policies for Implementation. N.p.: EPA, n.d. Print. 6. United States. Columbia County Government. Vision 2035 Survey. N.p., n.d. Web. June- July 2015. 7. Morris, Venus. Interview by Juan M. Migone. n.d.: n. pag. Print. 8. N.d. Baton Rouge. Long Farm Village. Web. 30 July 2015. <http://www.longfarmbr.com/>.
  • 17. 16 3.0 Corridor Types “Bicycle facilities (or bikeways) may be either on-road or off-road bikeways: common on-road bikeways include bicycle lanes and shared lanes, common off-road bikeways include shared-use paths and cycle tracks. On-road bikeways allow bicyclists to circulate with traffic, allow easier access to destinations, and help bicyclists behave more predictably. Off-road bikeways may allow greater separation from high-speed traffic but need careful consideration at driveways, intersections, and constrained areas. These two types of bikeways are not interchangeable (or mutually exclusive) and careful examination of their application should be conducted on a case-by-case basis” (7). “Communities need many links to facilitate (non-motorized) travel…[W]ithout adequate connections, community residents are discouraged from substituting short vehicle trips…” (9, p.31). The corridors in this plan take advantage of already existing connecting streets, utility easements, and waterways to create connections for non-motorized vehicles throughout the county. The Georgia DOT has said that bicycle facilities “should be considered on projects that are located in areas with any of the following conditions: o within close proximity (i.e., 3 miles) of a school, college, university, or major public institution (e.g., hospital, major park, etc.); o where a project will provide connectivity between two or more existing bikeways or connects to an existing bikeway; o where there is an occurrence of bicycle crashes; o along a corridor where bicycle travel generators and destinations can be expected prior to the design year of the project; o any location where engineering judgment, planning analysis, or the public involvement process indicates a need” (7). This multi-modal plan follows these guidelines in regards to multi-modal corridor placement.
  • 19. 18 3.1 “Share the Road” Lanes These corridors are shared by bikes and cars and can be implemented in both urbanized and rural areas. “Share the Road” lanes should be the first phase of the multi-modal master plan for they are inexpensive to create as they use present infrastructure to highlight already present connections within the county. This highlighting of corridors is key in making Columbia County a bike friendly community: it creates marked paths along low-risk roads while increasing county- wide connectivity. When residents, the majority being recreational cyclists, know of increased connectivity along low-risk corridors they will be more comfortable in biking through-out the county (8, p.2-5). This can in turn foster a stronger sense of confidence among all bikers, especially recreational bikers, changing the mindset of the community to be more accepting of biking as a county transportation alternative. Since more residents will be biking because they know of connections and feel more confident riding on roads, residents will get used to biking on streets and be more tolerant to riding on higher-risk roads, allowing for implementation of biking corridors there. As time goes on motorists will also become more aware of bicyclists on the road, increasing biker safety. Because bikes and cars will share these corridors, bikers will not us them if biker safety is not taken into consideration in the designs. Therefore, in urbanized areas, where the lanes will be geared for recreational riders, these corridors can only be on roads with speed limits of 25 mph or lower and must be marked with the marking in image 3.2 (8, p.2-5). Also in urbanized areas, “share the road” intersections must be marked like image 3.3. These markings will make it convenient for bikers to use a multi-modal and biking system because they will know which roads connect to other biking corridors. Additionally they will also increase biking safety and awareness among motorists. Road markings will be much more obvious to Image 3.2 Image 3.3
  • 20. 19 motorists than “Share the Road” signs along the sides of the road making motorists more attentive to the presence of cyclists. “Share the Road” lanes on rural roads may be present on roads with speed limits of up to 55 mph and must have at least a 2 foot wide paved shoulder. However, a four foot wide paved shoulder, like image 3.4, should be placed to enhance cyclist safety along these high-risk roads. To establish a “Share the Road” lane on rural roads the county should request for the GDOT to place signs, like in image 3.5, to increase motorists’ awareness of cyclists. These corridors will probably only be used by utilitarian bicyclists. The rural routes proposed for Columbia County are all suggestions by local bikers. “Share the Road” signs along these rural routes would increase safety and awareness of bikers, as well as increase usage by highlighting already established corridors. Image 3.6 shows a suggestion for “Share the Road” lanes on Columbia County’s rural roads. Image 3.7 shows a map of existing and proposed “Share the Road” corridors. The disconnected areas are where bike lanes, multi-modal trails, and other multi-modal corridors will be placed. Image 3.6 Rural “Share the Road Lane”/expanded shoulder Image 3.4 Image 3.5
  • 22. 21 3.2 Bike Lanes and Expanded Shoulders Bike lanes are defined as designated travel lanes for cyclists that are adjacent to motorist travel lanes. These corridor types are to provide cyclists a safer traveling lane along roads than “Share the Road” corridors can provide. Bike lanes must be at least 4 to 6 feet wide. These corridors are designated with paint and bicycle markings, such as in image 3.8. Bike lanes or expanded shoulders are to be placed specifically in rural areas for utilitarian bicyclists. Recreational cyclists (the majority of county residents) do not want to ride on designated bike lanes because they do not feel safe to the close proximity to higher-speed motorists. Image 3.9 shows where rural bike lanes/expanded shoulders are to be placed. Experienced, local cyclists have requested these areas be designated as bike lanes or expanded shoulders because of high-speed traffic and high traffic volume (3,4,5). These roads are needed by cyclists for county-wide connectivity to cycling venues up at Clarks Hill Lake. For more information on expanded shoulders please refer back to rural ‘Share the Road” lanes in section 3.1. In urbanized areas bike lanes must be a minimum of four feet wide on roads with a maximum speed limit of 25 mph. Roads with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph must have a minimum of six foot wide bike lanes. Bike lanes in urbanized areas can also only be placed on roads with automobile travel lane widths of 8 feet wide. Bike lanes on roads with speed limits of 35 mph must be separated from automobile travel lanes with bike lane dividers shown in image 3.7 to encourage cyclist safety. Roads above these speed limits and travel lane widths promote faster automobile travel which discourages recreational cyclist usage. If roads with higher speed limits and automobile travel lane widths than mentioned above are to be retrofitted with bike-friendly corridors they must have designated buffered bike lanes (section 3.3) or multi-use trails (section 3.4). Image 3.9 Image 3.8 Bike Lane Divider
  • 24. 23 3.3 Buffered Bike Lanes These corridors must be used when the above requirements for bike lanes in section 3.2 cannot be met. Buffered bike lanes are defined as designated bike lanes that are separated from automobile travel lanes by planters. These planters will encourage recreational cyclists to bike on arterial roads since they provide a safety net from high-speed, high-volume traffic and create a pleasant, shaded environment for cyclists. Planters should be wide enough to accommodate large, overstory shade trees such as oak, linden, zelkova, etc… If understory trees are to be placed in the buffers, understory trees must also be placed between bike lanes and the sidewalks or shoulder (as depicted in images 3.10 and 3.11) to create a shaded environment for bikers. Since these corridors are likely to be the more costly biking corridors to build they should be in the later phases of implementation, once the county has been connected via lower-risk corridors with more inexpensive biking facilities. Buffered bike lines will also more likely be used by generations that are more accustomed to biking as part of life. Images 3.10 and 3.11 provide examples of bike lanes buffered from automobile travel lanes with planters. Image 3.14 depicts a county map traced with proposed buffered bike lanes. It replaces the bike lane between Lewiston and Belair Road’s on Columbia Road with a buffered bike lane. Image 3.12 Ima ge 3.11
  • 25. 24 Image 3.12 (6) depicts bike lane intersections retrofitted onto roads. The design enhances biker safety and motorist awareness of cyclists by creating clear paths through-out the intersection and better lines of vision between motorists and cyclists. Image 3.13 shows that bicycle ridership increases after the installation of protected bike lanes. Image 3.13 Image 3.14
  • 27. 26 3.4 Multi-use Trails Multi-use trails are an integral part of the Multi-modal Network. These protected corridors allow for a variety of transportation alternatives which can encourage young cyclists, families, the elderly, and other resident’s unaccustomed to road cycling to get places without using their cars. Therefore multi-use trails are best suited in urbanized areas of the county. These corridors should connect with each other to create a well-connected system of pathways. Multi-use trails can be recreational and functional for surrounding communities. A successful multi-use trail system should connect residences with everyday destinations such as parks, shopping, offices, schools, and other biking facilities. As the county’s population continues to grow, multi-use trails can alleviate road congestion by providing alternate transportation modes to the majority of the population via these connections. These corridors can be constructed either in flood plains, where building construction is prohibited, or alongside roads. To provide residents with quality trails while maintaining reasonable construction costs multi-use trails can create additional access to destinations from residences (see image 3.15). These connections away from major roads will encourage youth ridership, as parents will feel more comfortable about their children’s safety. Single-Family Homes Kroger Future commercial Image 3.15: Multi-use trails will connect residential units to popular destinations while avoiding arterial roads. Therefore this will keep multi-modal users safe without inhibiting traffic speeds on these arterial roads.
  • 28. 27 Image 3.16: An attractive design possibility for short trail-side lamps It is important that multi-use trails are accommodated to avoid potential conflicts between faster and slower moving users (3). To increase pedestrians’, cyclists’, and cart riders’ safety and lessen future congestion on these corridors, images 3.17 and 3.18 show how sidewalks and multi-use trails should be on opposite sides of the road. To maintain safety at night, small landscape lamps can be placed to light up the trail (image 3.16). Following GDOT’s recommendation of “6-ft wide buffer strips between the back of curb and the sidewalks”, multi-use trails on roads with speed limits of 45 mph or above should be buffered from the road by a minimum of 6 foot wide tree buffers with overstory shade trees (it is recommended that roads with speed limits of 35 mph or above in residential areas include the same requirements for multi-use trails) (7). These tree buffers are essential to successful multi-use trails as they create a safe separation from the road incase cars veer off the road or there is an automobile accident that travels onto the trail. The trees will also create a more leisurely and pleasant experience for riders while beautifying the county for motorists and local residents. However, if tree buffers are not used multi-use trails must still be 6 inches above road grade and separated 6 feet from the road to maintain user safety. Multi-use paths are recommended to be 15 feet wide to accommodate registered golf carts and two-way cycling routes. The lane widths for the street cross-sections below (images 3-17 and 3-18) are based on GDOT regulations: 9-12 ft. for automobile travel lanes and 4-6 ft. for bike lanes. However, the widths in the sketches are highly recommended because the lane and trail widths seek to maximize multi- modal usage, not just automobile usage. Image 3.17: Three Lane Road with existing Bike Lanes that has been retrofitted with a multi-use trail and a sidewalk. Multi-Use Trail SidewalkTree buffer Bike LaneTravel Lanes Turn Lane Curb and Gutter 10’
  • 29. 28 Since multi-use trails provide a protected environment buffered from automobile traffic they are highly successful in stimulating multi-modal transportation usage in communities. Therefore, these corridors should make up the majority of multi-modal infrastructure to be built within the county. Roads with existing biking facilities, such as dedicated bike lanes, can be retrofitted with multi-use trails as indicated in images 3-17 and 3-18. Even though it may seem redundant to add a multi-use trail where there are already bike lanes, it increases biking accessibility to more residents within the county for while the majority of residents – recreational bikers - would rather ride on buffered, multi-use trails, utilitarian bikers prefer riding on bike lanes (3,4,5). However, for financial practicality, only roads with existing biking facilities being retrofitted with multi- use trails should include both facilities. Future road widenings or road construction projects do not need to include bike lanes if a multi-use trail is present. The multi-use trails in this Multi-modal network are modeled after the Peachtree City, GA cart path system (section 2.3). It is recommended that Columbia County use Peachtree City’s path rules (pages 13and 14) as guidelines for path usage. These paths are intended to accommodate all non-motorized modes of transportation and registered golf-carts. It is important that these trails accommodate a broad mix of transportation uses so the county can gain greater support from the private sector (See section 6.2, Club Car). Image 3.18: A four lane road with a planted median with existing bike lanes that has been retrofitted with a multi-use path and sidewalk Multi-Use Trail Tree buffer SidewalkBike LanePlanted Median Travel LanesTravel Lanes
  • 31. 30 References 1. N.d. Cycle Toronto. Web. 20 July 2015. <https://cycletoronto.wordpress.com/tag/bike-lanes/>. 2. Williamsburg, NY - Public Hearing Tonight to Discuss Buffered Bike Lanes & On-street Parking. N.d. New York City. Voz Iz Neias? Web. 20 July 2015. <http://www.easybib.com/cite/edit/1437486393_55ae4d390f01b1.74747073>. 3. Cone, Phil. Personal interview. 30 June 2015. 4. DeTeau, Randy. Personal interview. 22 June 2015. 5. Komp, Lawrence. Personal interview. 15 June 2015. 6. Junction Design the Dutch - cycle friendly – way. Bicycle Dutch, 3 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 July 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlApbxLz6pA>. 7. United States. Georgia Department of Transportation. Design Policy Manual. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2015. http://www.dot.ga.gov/PartnerSmart/DesignManuals/DesignPolicy/GDOT- DPM.pdf 8. Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities. Fourth ed. Washington: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, 2012. Print.
  • 32. 31 4.0 Existing Biking Facilities Image 4.14 depicts all existing (built and currently under construction) biking facilities within Columbia County. 4.1 Public The residents of Columbia county have asked, via the Vision 2035 Survey results and the local biking community, that the county’s existing biking facilities and parks – listed below – be connected to create a bike and pedestrian friendly network through-out the county. The multi-modal network conceptual master plan seeks to accomplish this by creating a multi- modal network that can be retrofitted within the county and incorporated in all future construction. 1. Evans-to-Lock Multi-Use Trail (images 4.1 and 4.2) 2. Evans Town Center Park, Blanchard Woods, Lakeside High School Cross Country Trail 3. Bike Routes: GA Bike Route 15 – collaborate with GDOT to attain more information. 4. Euchee Creek Greenway (image 4.3) Image 4.1 Image 4.3 Image 4.2
  • 33. 32 4.2 Private Columbia County should take advantage of these privately built and maintained biking facilities. Connecting these biking corridors with county-wide multi-modal infrastructure will create a more connected and expansive system at little cost to the county. Comprehensive and thorough collaboration between the county and the developers or neighborhood associations of these neighborhoods is necessary to ensure a more successful integration of these existing biking facilities.  Tudor Branch (images 4.4-4.5)  Crawford Creek  Bartram Trail Subdivision  Riverwood (images 4.7, 4.9, and 4.10)  River Island (images 4.8 and 4.11) Image 4.4: bottom left corner of image 4.5 Image 4.5 Image 4.6 An overstory shade tree at Tudor Branch’s multi- use trail (images 4.4 and 4.5) provides a more pleasant pedestrian and biking environment in the hot Georgia summers than the trial in image 4.6 (also Tudor Branch).
  • 34. 33 Images 4.7 and 4.10 depict a pedestrian bridge on Riverwood’s multi-use trail. The bridge provides for an enjoyable pedestrian experience through its good quality design and its connecting of shaded areas of the trail. Image 4.9 shows how the multi-use trail at Riverwood connects residential areas. The trail eventually connects to the Publix shopping center, giving residents an alternative to driving a car when it comes to local trips. Images 4.8 and 4.11 capture River Island’s connected multi-use trail which and boardwalk. Like at Riverwood this trail connects multiple residential areas, giving residents access to alternative transportation modes. The quality design of these facilities, with benches, water features, overstory shade trees, and landscaping encourages residents to use these facilities. Image 4.7 Image 4.9 Image 4.8
  • 35. 34 4.3Non-Profit Many non-profit biking organizations are active within Columbia County. Examples include Wheel Movement and SORBA (CSRA). These members of the local biking community help maintain and clean the network of mountain bike trails which run for about 43 miles along the county’s shore of Clarks Hill Lake. The trails are an asset to the community since they provide vast recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. In May 2015 Columbia County’s biking community hosted the USA Cycling National Championships on these trails (3). It is recommended that the county collaborate with these groups for input and public awareness in implementing a multi- modal county-wide network. Connection to these trails and collaboration with these organizations can help improve the quality of multi-modal facilities within the county while alleviating the county from much work. • Bartram Trail and SORBA (CSRA Chapter) (images 4.12 and 4.13) Image 4.10 Image 4.12 Image 4.13 Image 4.11
  • 37. 36 References 1. "National Corridor Plan." Adventure Cycling Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2015. <1. http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/us-bicycle-route- system/national-corridor-plan/index.cfm#top>. 2. "SORBA-CSRA: Home." SORBA-CSRA: Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2015. <http://sorbacsra.org/>. 3. "USA Cycling National Championships." USA Cycling. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 July 2015. <https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usacycling.org%2F2015%2Fmarathon-mountain-bike- nationals>.
  • 38. 37 5.0 Current Biking Projects 5.1 Georgia DOT Road Improvements Image 5.1 displays future road improvement projects within the county. All GDOT projects will include bike lanes. These bike lanes are included in image 4.14. Image 5.1
  • 39. 38 5.2 Evans to Lock Widening and Multi-Use Trail The local biking community’s biggest request has been to connect Evans Town Center with the Evans to Lock Multi-Use Trail (1,2,3). This connection will connect Columbia County to the Savannah Rapids Pavilion and Augusta Canal greenway, allowing more recreational opportunities for county residents. The biggest obstacle to this connection – physically and financially – has been the CSX railroad crossing. Currently the Board of Commissioners and the county’s Traffic Engineering Department have drafted plans for this crossing. Image 5.2 shows the plans for the Multi-use trail to continue from its current ending point – Hunterdale Road – to the intersection of North Belair Road and Evans to Lock Road (4). However, this project does not connect the trail to Evans Town Center (section 6.1). 5.3 Euchee Creek Greenway Currently, Columbia County is planning and building the Euchee Creek Greenway, a multi-use trail that will run along the Euchee Creek basin from Harlem-Grovetown Highway to Riverside Park. Image 5.4 depicts the project’s acquired land, built trail, and future phases. The county approved the Greenway’s masterplan in 2007 (8) and has since constructed the first phase which runs from Harlem-Grovetown Highway and through the Canterbury Farms subdivision. Image 5.2 N. Belair Rd. CSX Crossing Hunterdale Rd. Image 5.3: A section of the Euchee Creek Greenway at Canterbury Farms
  • 40. 39 The Greenspace Advisory Board is the main recommending board to the Commissioners for this project. They recommend where trail facilities should go, what money should be directed towards, and when to move forward with project phases. The project’s purpose is to create a recreational multi-use trail that connects residential neighborhoods along the Euchee Creek basin. This Multi-modal masterplan seeks to connect greenways like this with the destinations mentioned in section 3.4 to create a connected network for alternate modes of transportation for county residents.Image 5.4
  • 41. 40 5.4 Petersburg Trailhead The local biking community (including SORBA and local bike stores) in collaboration with local developers and other businesses have been working together to improve the Petersburg Trailhead on Bartram Trail. “The project is slated to include adding the larger parking lot, a 20-foot-by-20- foot shelter with amenities such as a grill, water, electricity and picnic tables, a bicycle repair station with tools and a pump; changing room, bicycle wash station, trail counters and benches along the trail” (5). If the county is to implement a multi-modal network working with groups like these, whose goal is to foster alternative transportation facilities, will help the county implement the project at a faster rate with little cost to the county. Image 5.7: “SORBA-CSRA members working on the trail” (6). Image 5.6: A path connecting the greenway to Canterbury Farms Image 5.5 Image 5.8
  • 42. 41 References 1. Cone, Phil. Personal interview. 30 June 2015. 2. DeTeau, Randy. Personal interview. 22 June 2015. 3. Komp, Lawrence. Personal interview. 15 June 2015. 4. United States. Columbia County Government. Columbia County Board of Commissioners. Evans to Locks Widening and Multi-Use Trial. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. Prepared by Cranston Engineering Group, P.C. 5. Rowell, Valerie. "Trailhead Closed for Improvements." The Columbia County News- Times. N.p., 26 May 2015. Web. 29 July 2015. <http://newstimes.augusta.com/news/2015-05-26/trailhead-closed-for- improvements>. 6. SORBA-CSRA Members Working on the Trail. N.d. National Recreation Trails. Web. 29 July 2015. <http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/trailNRT/Bartram- Thurmond-Lake-GA.html>. 7. Exley, Stepen. Personal interview. 29 July 2015. 8. United States. Columbia County. Commissioners' Office. Euchee Creek Greenway Procurement Department Contract Review Form. Evans: n.p., 2007. Web. 29 July 2015. 9. Dalton, Ruth Conroy, and Nick Sheep Dalton. "An American Prototopia: Or Peachtree City as an Inadvertent, Sustainable Solution to Urban Sprawl." Diss. Univeristy College London, n.d. Web. 13 July 201.
  • 43. 42 6.0 Implementation 6.1 Priority Connections The phases in the multi-modal plan seek to connect key areas within the county with residences and shopping via multi-modal corridors. These key areas include future development, schools, greenspace, parks, and state parks. The following section depicts map layers of these key areas (image 6.1) and existing multi-modal facilities (image 6.2) to show the lack of connectivity these areas have to alternative transportation modes other than cars. A proposed multi-modal facilities map (image 6.3) and a map of all three layers put together shows how the plan will eventually create a connected multi-modal network. Since development in Columbia County is so spread out though it is important, for financial reasons, that target areas (areas where multi-modal facilities will have the greatest immediate and long- term impacts) be retrofitted first. This primary focus on specified connections will help the project gain more momentum faster by the community. Image 6.1 Key Areas
  • 47. 46 Evans to Locks Multi-Use Trail • Evans Town Center Park • Blanchard Woods • Euchee Creek Connecting the Evans to Locks multi-use trail with Evans Town Center and the Euchee Creek Greenway should be the first phase in implementing a multi-modal network within the county. This connection will provide residents from both sides of the county with direct access to multiple park venues and Evans Town Center. The connection will contribute to the development of the Evans Town Center node in the following ways: 1. Will attract business investment to Evans Town Center because of increased (pedestrian) traffic. 2. Allow Evans to possibly become a regional center for eco-tourism via biking (especially during regional events such as the Masters, Iron Man, or boat races). Evans Town Center could become a major commercial area serving county residents and tourists alike without increasing automobile traffic or road congestion. 3. Connect Evans Town Center to the Augusta Canal 4. Local bike vendors such as Chain Reaction and the county bike rental at Evans Town Center Park will have improved business because of increased bike traffic. 5. Will make Evans Town Center accessible to the county by bike (less demand for parking spots at Evans Town Center and eventually county-wide). 6. Create a continuous, county-wide biking corridor. 7. Since Evans Town Center is a dense population center within the county, this connection will be heavily utilized. Heavy utilization of these multi-modal facilities by county residents will help the rest of the plan gain momentum from the community - residents and businesses alike (see section 6.2 for more information on public involvement). Image 6.5 (above): A family bikes in the pedestrian friendly suburb of Baton Rouge: Long Farm Village (1). The a new urbanist community that allows residents to walk to their jobs while preserving privacy, southern charm, and the calm lifestyle of the suburbs. Image 6.6: A walkable, urban-like downtown with a laidback atmosphere.
  • 48. 47 All of these factors will increase pedestrian traffic in the area, allowing for the commercial and residential development in demand by county residents (see section 2.2, question 4, and images 2.3,2.4,6.5, & 6.6). This will in turn create the more urban feeling downtown area with shops, restaurants, and housing that county residents want without having to go to downtown Augusta, benefitting the county’s economy. Image 6.7: Bike tourism. A possible economic opportunity for Columbia County if a comprehensive, well designed, multi- modal network is implemented. Proposed Euchee Creek Greenway Blanchard Woods Park Evans Town Center Image 6.8
  • 49. 48 Chain Reaction Bike Shop End of proposed Evans to Lock widening and multi- use trail project (section 5.2) Image 6.9 displays how Evans Town Center can be retrofitted with multi- modal trails that connect the multi-use trail on Evans to Locks with Euchee Creek (image 6.10). It is imperative that the afore mentioned multi-use trail be connected to the Town Center so the node may receive more pedestrian traffic, enhancing business investment in the area. The highlighted paths mark where multi-modal facilities will have the most impact on the community in the future. Connecting the library (top left) and park will encourage county youth and families to visit these areas, increasing education quality and health levels in the county. Also, connecting Chain Reaction bike store (lower right) and the county bike rental (Evans Town Center Park) will benefit the business a key stakeholder in the local biking community as well as increase income for a county facility. Image 6.9 Library Evans Town Center Park and bike rental business
  • 50. 49 Image 6.10 depicts how the multi-modal system will connect Evans Town Center to Blanchard Woods park – which will connect to the Euchee Creek Greenway. A Share the Road lane through the Camelot neighborhood will create a biking corridor that directs pedestrian and bicycle traffic away from Washington Road. The Share the Road corridor will then connect to the Gibbs Road multi-use trial which will connect residents to an elementary and high school. A multi-use trail will then run through a power easement to connect the gap behind neighborhoods between Gibbs and Blanchard Roads. See “Public Involvement” in section 6.2 for how to engage home owner associations and developers on incorporating multi-modal corridors into their neighborhoods. Image 6.10 Power Easement High SchoolElementary School
  • 51. 50 Multi-Use Trail on William Few Parkway As image 6.1 shows, the majority of future residential development in Columbia County will occur along William Few Parkway, a 45mph+ roadway that also connects to Riverwood Parkway, Patriots Park, and Grovetown High school. Since these future developments will primarily be single family homes, a multi-use trail should be another priority connection for this multi- modal project. This trail will provide a safe, utilitarian and recreational corridor for future families in the area, connecting future neighborhoods to the local parks, schools, and shopping districts. Images 6.5 and 6.6 show two boys riding bikes on the shoulder of William Few Parkway. These images re-iterate the necessity of building a multi-modal trail in this area, for the lack of multi-modal facilities has led to this highly dangerous situation. If the county does not take action soon, the increase in the area’s population may also increase these types of scenarios along county roads. Image 6.5 Image 6.6
  • 52. 51 6.2 Community Collaboration “Engaging stakeholders early and often and sharing with them vital information about development options will give them a greater understanding of the importance of and challenges associated with good planning and investment … Projects and plans developed without strong citizen involvement will lack the community buy-in necessary for success,” (2). Stakeholders for Columbia County’s Multi-modal Network would include the private sector; federal, state, and local government agencies; non-profit organizations; and county citizens. Private Funding & Engagement To encourage the development of a multi-modal network it is recommended that the county take advantage of the economic and financial resources available to it in the local private sector. Below are lists of private businesses and organizations and ways they can contribute to financing this project within the county. Engaging the private sector though will only be successful if the county collaborates with it to “provide financial incentives to aid” (3) the construction of multi-modal corridors. The county’s collaboration with the private sector to support a multi-modal network “should be considered (as an) investment in the future viability and livability of” (3) Columbia County and its residents.  Club Car A multi-modal network would be a financial asset to Club Car, a nationally renowned business, because the multi-use trails will provide county residents the opportunity to include golf carts as an alternative transportation mode. The possible inclusion of golf carts in the county’s multi-modal network is why Peachtree City, GA’s cart path system is included in this conceptual plan (see section 2.3) and why the proposed multi-use trails are recommended to be 15 ft. wide (section 3.4: multi-use trails, p.28). It is highly recommended that the county collaborate extensively with this local manufacturer as they could play a major role in implementing this project. Collaborating with Club Car will also enhance Columbia County’s unique character as the company is unique to Columbia County and not invested in Richmond County or the greater Augusta metro area.  Hospital Community GRU, University Hospital, Doctor’s Hospital, private practice, emergency M.D.’s
  • 53. 52 It is highly recommended that the county collaborate with hospitals and local doctors to help fund the multi-modal project. These stakeholders may hold a genuine interest in promoting this pedestrian and bike friendly initiative because it will improve the health of county citizens (5).  Bike Stores  Private health companies (insurance, pharmaceutical providers, etc… i.e. Pfizer)  Companies that support environmentally friendly initiatives (i.e. Apple, Starbucks,etc…)  Local companies that can provide construction services for the project. Maner Builders Supply Pollard Lumber Mulherin Lumber *Using local companies can improve the local economy  Other companies located within the county (i.e. John Deere, Serta, Tax Slayer, etc…)  Real Estate and Development Community (Meybohm, Blanchard Calhoun, etc…) Collaboration with the development community is key in the efficient implementation of this multi-modal network. These stakeholders can give advice that helps steer the project towards an “economically feasible and attractive” route that encourages investment from the private sector. “In addition, experience has shown that developers who have intimate knowledge of local conditions and community values are able to create better communities than those developers who do not” (2). For more information on collaboration with the Development community see “Friends of the Highline” (p. 55) Public Funding Listed below are possible financing opportunities available to the county from the public sector. It is divided into direct financing opportunities, such as grants and taxes, and public departments at any level of government (federal, state, regional, etc…) that can contribute funds towards a multi-modal network. It is recommended that the county take advantage of as many public financial resources as possible. 1. Direct Financing Opportunities  TEA-21 funds  SPLOST  (CDBG) Community Development Block Grants  Recreation Assisstance Funds  Land and Water Conservation Fund
  • 54. 53  Governor’s Discretionary Fund  Impact fees  Real Estate Transfer Fees  Tax increments  Finance Districts  Opportunity Zones 2. Public groups, organizations, and programs  National Parks Service  Georgia’s Green Light Team  Georgia Department of Natural Resources  EPA  Georgia Environmental Protection Division  Georgia Forestry Commission  GDOT  USDOT  Health and Human Services  Housing and Urban Development  Georgia Conservancy  Georgia Recreational Trails & Greenways Program  Any public-private partnerships *Also, research funding methods that other greenspace projects in the county, state, and nation have used (i.e. Euchee Creek, Silver Comet Trail, Augusta Canal, etc...). Public Engagement There are a myriad of public organizations at multiple governmental levels that the county should collaborate with to make this multi-modal network a reality. Below are listed a few options the county should consider. It will be beneficial though for the county to consider all of the possible public groups that can contribute to this project:  Econ Development, Chamber of Commerce, Department of Leisure Services, Visitors Bureau: The county should work with these groups to make the multi-modal network a resource for future economic development in land and business development. A well-connected, well-designed, attractive, and safe multi-modal network will also provide the opportunity for the development of an eco-tourism economy within the county as it will add to an already expansive system of nature trails and state parks at Clarks Hill Lake. During major events within the CSRA, such as the Masters, Iron Man, etc… a successful multi-modal network will attract
  • 55. 54 tourists to stay within the county, increasing the demand for restaurants, hotels, and other development (see section 6.1: Evans to Locks Multi-Use Trail • Evans Town Center Park • Blanchard Woods • Euchee Creek). It is important to work with these departments when preparing the multi-modal network because it will extend the benefits of the network beyond just benefitting quality of life of county residents.  Schools system (public and private; University and high school students): engage students in promoting alternative transportation initiatives. If new business developments are stimulated by multi- modal trails, the county should work with local university students who want to open businesses along these trails. This can help Columbia County become a big center for business investment.  Work with the Safe Routes to School Program to promote alternative ways for children to get to school so school buses won’t clog county roads.  National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)  ARTS  Ft. Gordon Non-Profit Engagement & Funding  Lyndhurst Foundation – A non-profit organization that provides funds for projects that improve the quality of life of residents in the Chatanooga metro-area (7). The county should look for national, regional, state, and local non-profit organizations similar to the Lyndhurst Foundation, ones that will provide funds towards project in this region.  The League of American Byciclists  Local YMCA and health clubs  Philanthropic organizations Citizen Involvement and Addressing Citizen Concerns “Ensuring a high level of public awareness is one of the most fundamental strategies to guarantee that community needs and possible solutions are fully considered. This strategy can help local leaders better identify and support development that meets those needs” while letting the public know they are being heard” (2). In implementing the multi-modal network, the county should use local media outlets to inform county residents of project progress. This will keep the public informed without government officials having to use more time for meetings. This in turn will encourage timelier implementation of the project because government officials will be able to use that time towards working on the project. The most successful usage of media outlets for this purpose
  • 56. 55 would be to create a regular column in local newspapers or magazines and weekly airings on local tv and radio stations “that take time to unravel the complex web of individual public and private decisions and the cumulative changes in quality-of-life that result (for citizens)” (2). To gain citizen approval for the multi-modal network it is important that the county lets citizens know of the project’s projected economic results. The county could gather information like the Delaware DOT’s review of property value and desirability effects when bike paths are placed adjacent to residential areas (4) (reference from section 6.1, Camelot neighborhood, p. 49). To make the information more readable and available to the public the county can use public meetings and the before mentioned media outlets to display the information in interactive presentations, visuals, and audios. Maintenance This network will need to be readily maintained to ensure it stays as an asset for the community. Below are groups that the county can engage in volunteer work in maintaining the network.  Schools  Eagle Projects  Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts  National, state, and local biking associations  Local Biking Community o Wheel Movement o SORBA-CSRA  “Adopt-a-Scape”: to help with landscaping the network to ensure it the attractiveness of the corridors while maintaining reasonable costs, the county can engage businesses and organizations to landscape and maintain sections of the trail. These sections of the trail can then have signs that recognize the work of these groups. “Friends of the Highline”: Columba County should use “Friends of the Highline” as a model for raising money and public awareness for, and efficiently advancing the construction progress of this multi-modal network. “Friends of the Highline” is a non- profit organization that acquires funds and publicizes one of New York City’s most successful planning projects in the city’s history (8,9). This organization’s work has helped facilitate the following economic outcomes for the Highline: $2 billion in private investment projects, 29 major development projects, 12000 new jobs, 423000 sq. ft. of office space, and 3.7 million visitors in one year (9).
  • 57. 56 The organization’s success can be attributed to the fact that it employs individuals who are completely dedicated to implementing the project. This model benefits the local government because it can rapidly implement a high- quality, public amenity that will benefit the majority of community residents without any extra financial or labor burden to itself. Even though the organization is a separate entity from the government the two organizations work hand-in-hand with each other because their success is mutually dependent on each other’s efforts. It also increases the public’s appeal towards the project because the non-profit organization has to constantly engage stakeholders (businesses and citizens) to move the project forward (8). Several county organizations and employees, along with top members of the local real estate community (6, 10) have expressed interest in following this organization model because it moves projects through the implementation and construction processes in a timely manner. Following this separate non-profit model would be more efficient than working through an advisory board, whose members cannot fully dedicate their time or efforts towards implementing such an important project.
  • 58. 57 References 1. N.d. Baton Rouge. Long Farm Village. Web. 30 July 2015. <http://www.longfarmbr.com/>. 2. "Chapter Ten: Encourage Community and Stake Holder Collaboration in Development Decisions." Getting to Smart Growth: 100 Policies for Implementation. N.p.: Smart Growth Network, n.d. 77-85. Print. 3. “Chapter Nine: Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair, and Cost Effective.” Getting to Smart Growth: 100 Policies for Implementation. N.p.: Smart Growth Network, n.d. 69-76. Print. 4. United States. Delaware DOT. Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths Adjacent to Residential Areas. Comp. David P. Racca and Amardeep Dhanju. Center for Applied Demography & Survey Research, Oct. 2006. Web. 30 July 2015. <http://128.175.63.72/projects/DOCUMENTS/bikepathfinal.pdf>. 5. Euchee Creek Greenway Master Lan Study Final Report. N.p.: Jaeger, 2007. Print. 6. Morris, Venus. Interview by Juan M. Migone. n.d.: n. pag. Print. 7. Lyndhurst Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 July 2015. <http://www.lyndhurstfoundation.org/>. 8. Friends of the Highline. Friends of the Highline, n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2015. <http://www.thehighline.org/about>. 9. Migone, Juan Manuel, comp. Parks and the Growth Machine. N.p., n.d. Print. 2 Aug. 2015. 10. Columbia County Greenspace Advisory Board Meeting. 10 June 2015. Raw data. Reed Creek Interpretive Center, Martinez, Georgia.
  • 59. 58