2010 Bikeway Plan
GAHANNA IMPLEMENTS BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
The City of Gahanna made progress towards implementing the Bicycle Master Plan during 2006-2010. This is a major step forward in fulfilling the goals to increase connectivity between our neighborhoods, which 81% of residents supported in the 2006 Parks Master Plan Survey. The Bikeway Plan envisions a network of on and off-street bicycle facilities that connect all parts of Gahanna, providing residents and visitors with convenient access to workplaces, schools, parks and commercial areas throughout the city. Its goal is to enhance the walkability and bikeability of Gahanna, providing access to our beautiful natural areas, providing healthy alternative transportation modes for our residents and reducing the amount of traffic on our roads. As of 2010, Gahanna has 9 miles of multi-use trails. Plans for 2011 will install one new mile of multi-use trails. Future plans include 3.6 miles of bike lanes and sharrows, 26 miles of signed shared routes and additional multi-use trails. We are also educating and encouraging children about safe, active transportation through our Safe Routes to Schools and Walk to School Day activities in partnership with the Gahanna Jefferson School District.
Through the leadership and vision of our volunteer Bicycle Advisory Committee members and City staff, the Bikeway Master Plan has been revised, and routes and facilities have been prioritized to provide connectivity for a majority of our residents.
BIG WALNUT TRAIL STATUS
A new section of the Big Walnut Trail was opened in October, 2009 connecting Gahanna Pool to Price Rd. A new bridge crossing Big Walnut Creek to connect the southern section of trail to Rocky Fork Dr through Galloway Preserve is planned to be completed in summer, 2011.
FINDING YOUR WAY
The Bicycle Master Plan will develop routes utilizing existing multi-use trails, low speed, low traffic residential streets and new bicycle facilities (bike lanes and sharrows) to connect neighborhoods to schools, parks and commercial areas. The wayfinding signage will utilize federal guidelines defined in the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for on-street route signs and Central Ohio Greenways guidelines for the Big Walnut Creek trail signs.
BIKEWAYS
“Bikeway” is a collective term that may include any of the following techniques for accommodating bicycles in the transportation system.
MULTI-USE PATH (RECREATIONAL TRAIL)
A multi-use path is provided within its own right of way separate from the highway system. In addition to unused rail corridors, multi-use paths are often provided along rivers, within parks, and connecting cul-de-sacs. By definition, multi-use paths are intended to be used by a variety of users including cyclists, walkers, runners, skaters, and wheelchair users. The minimum recommended width for multi-use paths is 10 ft plus 2 ft clear space on either side.
MULTI-USE PATH (SIDEPATH)
A sidepath is a multi-use path constructed to the side of the roadway within the street right of way. It is usually provided on one side of the road and intended for two-way bike and pedestrian traffic. A 5 ft pedestrian sidewalk is usually provided on the opposite side of the road. The minimum recommended width for sidepaths is 10 ft plus 5 ft separation from the roadway edge. While favored for their separation from motorized traffic, they do have drawbacks because they move the cyclist out of the sight lines of motorists turning into and from driveways and side streets and cause cyclists to ride opposing traffic in the adjacent travel lane. Motorists may harass cyclists who legitimately choose to ride in the street. Sidepaths work best where there are few street or driveway crossings.
BIKE LANE
Striped bike lanes are established with appropriate pavement markings and signing along higher volume streets particularly suitable for bicycle travel because of demand or destinations served. Bike lanes delineate the right of way recommended for bicyclists and motorists and encourage more predictable movements by each. On an existing road, the additional space for bike lanes may come from restriping the existing lanes or removing parking. Additional measures needed to ensure the effectiveness of the bike lanes include replacing any parallel storm water inlets that may trap bike wheels and to keep the lanes swept clear of glass and debris. The minimum recommended width for bike lanes is 5 ft.
SHARED LANE (SHARROW)
A new treatment is the Shared Lane Marking (sharrow), a bicycle symbol below two arrows. Its purpose is for use where a travel lane width is insufficient to stripe bike lanes. The symbol indicates the lateral position within the lane to be taken by the cyclist which will likely be within the space also occupied by motor vehicles. Research has found that it encourages cyclists to ride outside the “door zone” of parked cars and also increases the distance between passing motorists and cyclists. It also discourages cycling on the sidewalks and the directional arrows reduce wrong way riding in the street.
SIGNED SHARED ROADWAY
Streets may be signed with bike route signs to indicate to cyclists that there are particular advantages to these routes compared to alternative routes through high demand corridors and to provide continuity between gaps in other facilities such as bike lanes and trails. Such a bike route might identify a series of low-volume local streets to follow as an alternative to cycling on a parallel arterial street. Bike route signing also serves to advise motorists that bicycles are likely to be present.