Bristol Bicycle Network Project

Welcome to the digital home of the Bristol Bicycle Network Plan!

PROJECT PROGRESS UPDATES

Coming Spring 2023 – Our pilot program for bicycle facilities and wayfinding signs downtown!

See the PDF below for which streets will be included to have on-pavement sharrow markings painted and wayfinding signs installed to invite people to explore the Downtown Waterfront and the connection to the East Bay Bike Path.

Final Design Plans - Rev.pdf

Thames Street Concept Design

Thames Street is being reimagined with a shared street/urban design approach! This design is aimed at creating everyday spaces where residents and visitors can gather, sit and enjoy the commercial and scenic area while also slowing vehicle speeds and reducing “cut through” traffic. This design will enhance connectivity to/from key places like Independence Park, State Street Dock, Rockwell Park, Prudence Island Ferry, and Fireman’s Memorial Park. Additionally, this design aids in creating zones where sections of the street can be temporarily closed and made into pedestrian or limited access areas for community events and gatherings. See the PDF below for Concept Designs.

Thames St Concept Sketches.pdf

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

As part of its overall Bristol Bicycle Network Project, funded by a grant from the RIDEM Bikeways Program, the Town of Bristol has been studying ways to improve overall safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and vehicles, and foster economic growth in downtown Bristol. We are studying ways to create a more bicycle friendly downtown as a first step in an overall bicycle network throughout Town.

In earlier phases of the project, the project team proposed Thames Street as a shared street. A shared street is a roadway designed for slow travel speeds where pedestrians, cyclists and motorists all share the right of way. As part of this phase of the study, we are exploring design options for improvements for Thames Street to become a shared street.

The primary goals of the project are to:

· Create conditions for safer pedestrian and bicycle travel

· Slow vehicular speeds and reduce “cut-through” vehicular traffic

· Service resident, customer, visitor, and delivery traffic to the area

· Create everyday spaces and places where residents and visitors can gather, sit, and enjoy the commercial and scenic waterfront area

· Enhance connectivity to/from key spaces and destinations such as the entrances to East Bay Bike Path, Independence Park, State Street Dock, Rockwell Park, Prudence Island Ferry Terminal, and Fireman’s Memorial Park

· Create zones for community events and gatherings where sections of street may be temporarily closed and made into pedestrian/limited vehicular areas.

The project team has created several potential design options for improvements that meet these goals, including changes to pavement materials, curb modification, enhanced gateways, street furniture, wayfinding signs, and enhanced landscape features, including landscaping that addresses coastal resiliency.

We invite you to come to an in-person workshop where the project team will present these design options and be available to hear your feedback.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Attend live at the In -person at the Bristol Maritime Center, located at 127 Thames Street, Bristol, RI.
If you can’t attend in person to participate, the presentation portion of the event will be simultaneously broadcast on Zoom for VIEWING ONLY. To view the live presentation on Zoom, please visit zoom.com and type in the meeting code 86822467500. Please be advised that the link to the virtual meeting will allow viewing only and will not allow for public participation.
However, we welcome you to join us in person for feedback, or email us via the project website where you can also learn more about the project. https://sites.google.com/view/bristol-bicycle-connector/home.

For questions, please contact Diane M. Williamson, Director of Community Development dwilliamson@bristolri.gov or by phone at 401-253-7000 ext. 126. Town of Bristol website: https://www.bristolri.gov

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!

Project Summary: Bristol Bicycle Network Plan

Initially a goal of the project was to identify a single route that would connect the East Bay Bike Path to points in Bristol further south. However, many participants in this fall's workshops expressed an interest in not having a single designated “bike route”. Having heard those opinions, the project team has reconfigured the project to make simple, low-cost improvements to a network of streets in the project area where there is pedestrian and cycling use is already high.

The reconfigured Bristol Bicycle Network Plan now includes improvement to several streets in downtown Bristol:

Streets such as High, Wood, Constitution, Church, etc.) that already have adequate sidewalks would receive pavement markings for shared bicycle use, improved crosswalk/stop markings and wayfinding signage.
The west side of Ferry Road and the portion of Hope Street that do not currently have any sidewalks would receive a multi-use path to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists.
All existing on-street parking would remain the same under the proposed plan.

The project design still meets the goals of the State of Rhode Island's Bicycle Mobility Plan, one of which is to create regional connections. One of the "gaps" identified in the plan is the area from the end of the East Bay Bike Path to the Mount Hope Bridge.

The project team has prepared draft plans, drawings, and illustrations to show how these proposals would be implemented and they are available to review on the Design Details page of this site.

The Town hosted a series of neighborhood meetings in late January and early February to present and discuss the bicycle project design in more detail with each of the various neighborhoods. Check out our Public Participation page for links to recordings of those meetings and more information.

Network Map.pdf

Project Introduction

For the past several years, the Town of Bristol has been exploring ways to enhance connectivity for both bicyclists and pedestrians between the terminus of the East Bay Bike Path in downtown Bristol and the southern areas of Bristol, Roger Williams University (RWU) and eventually the Mount Hope Bridge. RWU is interested in increasing bicycle infrastructure for its students, faculty and staff, including establishing a bicycle connector trail head on its campus.

Such a connection would be an important link in local and regional bicycling infrastructure and provide a safe path connecting to downtown Bristol, fostering expanded opportunities for RWU students, staff and faculty to commute and further integrate with the community, and spur economic growth for downtown businesses. There is also a significant public health benefit to people for the increased opportunity to have more recreation options, an alternative commuting method, reduced vehicle traffic and improved air quality. Bike paths offer an opportunity to view our communities from a new lens and connect us to underappreciated natural resources.

This project is a planning and design effort that is taking place from July 2020 through February 2021. The project is examining possible on-street improvements, engaging with stakeholders and interested citizens and formulating alternative treatments for different types of roads and streets in different parts of Bristol. The project will be constructed and designed in phases as State and Local funding becomes available. The Mount Hope Bridge connection will be a future phase in the State and Regional linkage.

This project is funded by a Bikeways Program Grant from the RI Department of Environmental Management investment to expand and improve the state’s bikeway network that runs through many Rhode Island communities for bicyclists and pedestrians. This grant program was funded by RI voters through the 2018 RI Green Economy Bond.

Project Description

The Bristol Bicycle Connector Project will conduct an alternatives analysis to evaluate four (4) potential routes, engage with stakeholders, and interested citizens and to select a Preferred Alternative. Specific tasks include:

Phase 1: Background Investigation

Review existing conditions information, DOT data and prior related studies
Project Kickoff/Program Development with Steering Committee – 6/24/20
Identify User Groups
Create Design Program with Project Objectives and Design Criteria

Phase 2: Route Planning and Alternatives Analysis

Route Planning and Alternatives Formulation meeting – 7/16/20
Create Route Evaluation Criteria
Develop four (4) Preliminary Route Alternatives including for each route:
- - - - Concept design plan and section drawings
      - Order of magnitude cost estimates
      - Potential route phasing
Present Route Alternatives in workshop format and gather community feedback
- - - - Steering Committee and Town Administrator (week of 8/3/20)
      - Town Council (8/19/20)
      - Create and launch project website and social media channels (8/20/20)
      - Community Workshop #1 (8/25/20)
Public Engagement period
Present Prioritized Route Alternatives in Community Workshop #2 (10/28/20)
Present the Recommended Route to Town Council for consideration/action (11/18/20)

The Project Steering Committee

The Town of Bristol has convened a Steering Committee to help guide the project and build consensus for the preferred project concept. There are representatives from Town departments of Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Economic Development as well as representatives from Roger Williams University.

Project Consultant Team

Fuss & O’Neill (Project lead) was founded in 1924 and has six offices across the New England with civil engineers, planners, landscape architects, transportation engineers, and environmental scientists. They are experienced in engineering, planning, urban design and permitting in Rhode Island with national expertise in bicycle facilities and complete streets planning and design. Members of the team have lived and worked in Bristol for 20 years and have deep local knowledge and connections, and several are avid cyclists.

Toole Design is a key partner on the Fuss & O’Neill team. Jennifer Toole founded Toole Design in 2003 with a simple mission: to support innovative streets and dynamic communities where people of all ages and abilities can enjoy walking, biking, and access to transit. This is more than just a description of what they do; it is the lens through which they see the world, and it defines their approach to every project they work on. From a single office in Maryland, Toole Design has grown to 17 offices throughout the United States and Canada. Their talented team of planners, engineers, and landscape architects are committed to delivering quality work that meets the needs of people in motion, regardless of age or ability and no matter how they choose to travel.

Bristol is a beautiful, historic coastal community with a vibrant downtown and is home to the southern terminus of the popular East Bay Bike Path. The Path extends along the East Bay from Providence to Bristol and was developed within an existing railroad right-of-way by the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT). The total length of the bike path is 14.5 miles used by 1.1 million people annually. Since the Path’s completion in 1992, cyclists have accessed the East Bay Bike Path at Bristol’s Independence Park and have used unmarked local streets to connect to the downtown center, residential neighborhoods, and RWU.

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