Bicycle Wayfinding Signage Study

Transcription

1 Bicycle Wayfinding Signage Study Fargo Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments January 2016 Version

2 Introduction The purpose of the Bicycle Signage Study was to set forth a method of creating wayfinding signs along popular bicycle and pedestrian routes. Wayfinding signage would support the current bicycle and pedestrian network by aiding bicyclists in finding destination points such as parks and schools. Many of the routes are interconnected; thereby creating a network that traverses the entire region and in many cases can be used to create loops from community to community. Study Approach The following recommendations were vetted though the Study Review Committee, which was comprised of: Name Cheryl Stetz Christine Laney Jeremy Gorden Kim Lipetzky Meagin Rude Michael Maddox Dan Farnsworth Spencer McCombs Tim Solberg Vic Pellerano Organization Representing City of Dilworth River Keepers City of Fargo Engineering Fargo Cass Public Health City of Fargo Planning Metro COG Metro COG City of Moorhead City of West Fargo Planning Fargo Park District The members of the steering committee were instrumental in developing all the aspects of this plan. They represent the many jurisdictions that deal with bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the Fargo Moorhead Region. Bicycle Signage Routes The project steering committee developed the routes shown in Figure 1 and the associated implementation policies. The overriding mantra in developing the routes was to encapsulate destinations that bicyclist would want to access. The Bicycle Signage Routes were developed based upon existing bicycle facilities, both on street and off street facilities, so no new connections would need to be constructed. Bicycle Signage Routes, as described in this section, were chosen for the placement of wayfinding signage to destinations on or in close proximity to the route. Figure 1 shows the various routes that have been proposed for signage to be placed upon. Route Naming Conventions Bicycle Signage Routes were named in two ways. First, those existing routes that have been identified, or are identifiable were named according to the existing route. In some cases, routes with identifiable destination were named according to the destination. For example, routes that lead through local universities were given the name of their corresponding mascot. All named routes were given the trail designation following the name. Named trails are as follows:

3 YellowRoute BisonTrail SugarBeetTrail DilworthTrail MoorheadTrail DragonsTrail CobbersTrail RedRoute GreatPlainsTrail LoopTrail PinkRoute PurpleRoute OrangeRoute <Null> BlueRoute HjemkomstTrail MilwaukeeTrail OakGroveTrail RedRiverTrail Miles [ Bicycle Signage Routes Bicycle Signage Study Figure 1

4 Red River Trail Hjemkomst Trail Bison Trail Dragons Trail Cobber s Trail Moorhead Trail Dilworth Trail West Fargo Loop Great Plains Trail Sugar Beet Trail Oak Grove Trail Secondly, all other routes that are not identifiable with a specific place were assigned a color. These facilities were designated as routes. Route examples are as follows: Red Route Yellow Route Pink Route Orange Route Blue Route Purple Route Signage Route Descriptions Below are descriptions of the each of the purposed routes and a corresponding map of the individual route. Figure 2: Bison Trail Bicycle Signage Route Bison Trail The Bison Trail begins at the Fargodome and ends at Renaissance Hall, though it connects to the Red River Trail via 4 th Avenue North. The main purpose of this route is to provide wayfinding between the North Dakota State University s main and downtown campuses. The north/south portion of the trail utilizes the one way pair system of 10 th Street and University Drive. 10 th Street has a bike lane that should only be utilized for northbound trips, while University Drive has a bike lane that should only be utilized for southbound trips. The connection downtown occurs via 4 th Avenue North, which eventually provides a connection to the Red River Trail. The Bison Trail is approximately 5 miles long.

5 Red River Trail The Red River Trail traverses the entirety of Fargo via a shared use path along the river. However, much of the trail relies on paths located alongside of roadways as well as on street facilities. The trail begins at Riverwood Park on the north side of Fargo and end at the intersection of 88 th Avenue South & University Drive on the south side of Fargo. Throughout the downtown area, from Oak Grove to Lindenwood Park, the trail consists of a shared use path that is adjacent to the Red River of the North. This is by far the longest trail facility in the region, and can serve long distance north/south trips. It also connects too many other of the routes and trails purposed in this study. There are at least seven locations to cross the Red River of the North along this trail. The Red River Trail is approximately 17.5 miles long. Figure 3: Red River Trail Bicycle Signage Route Milwaukee Trail Portions of the Milwaukee Trail follow the old alignment of the Fargo and Southern rail line, which was converted to a trail facility in southern Fargo. However, the route was expanded to create a trail that traverses the Fargo from north to south. The Milwaukee Trail, as it is designated for the purposes of this study, starts at the intersection of Main Avenue and 25 th Street. It follows 25 th Street until after crossing I 94. It then follows the traditional alignment of the Milwaukee Trail until reaching 25 th Street once again where it continues until 76 th Avenue South. There is turns on 76 th Avenue South and connects to the Red River Trail along University Avenue. The Milwaukee Trail is approximately 9 miles long. Figure 4: Milwaukee Trail Bicycle Signage Route

6 Orange Route This loop route both begins and ends at the Red River Trail in South Fargo. It starts at 40 th Avenue South and continues west until 42 nd Street where it heads northward for one block. It then continues west on path along Drain 57. The Orange Route continues along this path until the drain crossing between 51 st Street and 47 th Street where it turns eastward. After a short jog south on 47 th Street, the Orange Route follows 52 nd Avenue South eastward until it once again connects to the Red River Trail. The Orange Route is approximately 8 miles long. Figure 5: Orange Route Bicycle Signage Route Pink Route The Pink Route is an extension of the Orange Route that accesses neighborhoods along the Sheyenne River. The Pink Route both begins and ends at points along the Orange Route. The Route starts at the intersection of the path along Drain 27 and 40 th Avenue South. It then continues eastward until 66 th Street where it turns southbound. This section can either be completed as an on street or off street connection. 66 th Street becomes 45 th Avenue South. At this point, the route turns back toward the east. As the Pink Routes heads eastward, it follows a new shared use path on the south side of Osgood Golf Course until it reaches Veteran s Blvd where it turns to the south for one block. Utilizing the roundabout crosswalk to traverse Sheyenne Street, the Pink Route continues on a shared use path until it once again connects to the Orange Route. The Pink Route is approximately 3 miles long. Figure 6: Pink Route Bicycle Signage Route

7 Great Plains Trail The majority of the Great Plains Trail follows an abandoned railroad grade making for a nice shared use path not adjacent to an arterial street. The trail is a mixture of a loop and out and back route. It begins at the intersection of 52 nd Avenue South and Veteran s Blvd. The trail follows Veteran s Blvd northward until Osgood School Park where it turns to the northeast. The Great Plains Trail then continues on this path until 32 nd Avenue South. At this point, the trail becomes a loop around the Urban Plains Development utilizing facilities along Brandt Drive, 28 th Avenue South, 23 rd Avenue South, and 51 st Street. This route accesses many of the residential and commercial uses in the Urban Plains Development including Scheel s Arena. The Great Plains Trail is approximately 5 miles long. Figure 7: Great Plains Trail Bicycle Signage Route Southwest Loop The Southwest Loop accesses areas in both Fargo and West Fargo. The loop route connects to the Great Plains Trail in three locations, and shares a segment as well. Starting at the intersection of 23 rd Avenue South and 42 nd Street, the route goes west along 23 rd Avenue South. At Veteran s Blvd, the route turns south until 26 th Avenue South. Following 26 th Avenue South, the Southwest Loop goes west until 4 th Street East (West Fargo), where it turns southbound. At 36 th Avenue South the route turns back to the east and continues along 36 th Avenue until turning northbound on 42 nd Street and coming to the point at which it started. The total loop is 6.5 miles and services mainly residential areas. Main attractions along the route include the Red River Zoo, Anderson Softball Complex, and the Southwest Youth Ice Arena. Figure 8: West Fargo Loop Bicycle Signage Route

8 Purple Route The Purple Route connects elements of the Orange Route and Milwaukee Trail. The route utilizes onstreet bike facilities, shared use paths, and offstreet arterial routes that comprise a loop system connecting residences, shopping areas, and schools with one another. The route starts on 25 th Street just south of I 94 where the Milwaukee Trail turns. At 23 rd Avenue South the route turns westward and continues along the road until it becomes Wheatland Drive, at which point the route is heading south. When the Purple Route reaches 28 th Avenue South, it turns west onto an off road shared use path which connects to the I 29 Frontage Road. At 32 nd Avenue, the route goes eastward until 32 nd Street where it heads south. It again turns to the west at Stonebridge 2 nd Park. After going through the park the shared use path follows 35 th Avenue South to 36 th Street. Figure 9: Purple Route Bicycle Signage Route The purple route follows 36 th Street southbound until 52 nd Avenue South where it encounters the Orange Route. Utilizing the Orange Route to connect it, the Purple Route head back to the north utilizing the shared use path, which runs along Drain 53. When this path reaches 40 th Avenue South, it turns eastward for a short distance until reaching 25 th Street, which leads back northward to the start of the route. The Purple Route is 10 miles long. Red Route The Red Route runs between Elmwood Park in West Fargo and West Acres Mall. This route also connects other regional facilities such as Ranabus Park. The majority of the Red Route utilizes an arterial shareduse path that runs along the 17th Avenue South corridor; however, once in West Fargo it utilizes offroad shared use paths to connect to 13 th Avenue South. The Red Route is approximately 3.5 miles long. Figure 10: Red Route Bicycle Signage Route

9 Sugar Beet Trail The Sugar Beet Trail is named because of the American Crystal Sugar processing plant that is located along the corridor. This trail utilizes mostly on street bicycle facilities, especially along the 11 th /Oakport Street corridor where a wide shoulder accommodates bicycle traffic. Users of the Sugar Beet Trail should be cautious of large vehicle such as those hauling sugar beets as well as vehicles moving at highway speeds. The north end of the trail connects to the Red River Trail across the Oakport Bridge on Wall Street Avenue North. The Sugar Beet Trail is approximately 6 miles long. Figure 11: Sugar Beet Trail Bicycle Signage Route Oak Grove Trail The Oak Grove Trail is extremely short as it only serves to connect the Red River Trail to trails on the Minnesota side of the river via the Oak Grove Pedestrian Bridge. This is one of the few opportunities to cross over the river, especially because it is only one of two pedestrian only facilities in the region. Currently the pedestrian bridge is raised on stilts during high water events and is not taken down until flood threats have subsided. This leaves this connection broken for large time periods during the year. The Oak Grove Trail is approximately.5 miles long. Figure 12: Oak Grove Trail Bicycle Signage Route

10 Hjemkomst Trail This trail is named after the Hjemkomst (Norwegian for homecoming) Interpretive Center located in Viking Ship Park along the river in Moorhead, MN. Much of the trail runs through the park. In the winter, the portion of the trail through Viking Ship Park is used as a groomed cross country ski trail and is not open to bicyclists or pedestrians. The trail is approximately 2 miles long. Figure 13: Hjemkomst Trail Bicycle Signage Route Figure 14: Moorhead Trail Bicycle Signage Route Moorhead Trail Aptly named because the trail runs across the width of the City of Moorhead, the Moorhead Trail provides east/west connectivity to many other trails on the Minnesota side of the river. It accesses destinations such as the Moorhead Center Mall/City Hall. The Moorhead Trail is approximately 2 miles in length.

11 Dilworth Trail A logical extension of the Moorhead Trail, the Dilworth Trail provides bicycle connection between Dilworth and Moorhead. The Dilworth Trail was designed to access many of Dilworth s community facilities such as the community pool, community center, and many of its parks. The Dilworth trail is approximately 2.5 miles long. Figure 15: Dilworth Trail Bicycle Signage Route Dragon s Trail This trail is names after the Minnesota State University Moorhead mascot since the one of the primary destinations of this route is the campus. It also connects to the Hjemkomst Trail on the west side and the Yellow Route on the east. The route utilizes mainly on street bike facilities, although the roadway corridors do have sidewalks or shared use paths. The route is approximately 3 miles long. Figure 16: Dragon's Trail Bicycle Signage Route

12 Cobber s Trail Named after the mascot of Concordia College, this trail provides access to the Concordia College Campus. It also provides a means of creating a looping route system by connecting to the Dragon s Trail and the Red River Trail via the Gooseberry/Lindenwood Park pedestrian bridge. The trail consists of mainly on street facilities; however, the roadway corridors this trail utilizes have sidewalk facilities along them. The main destination is Concordia College as the route goes through its scenic campus. The trail is approximately 2 miles long. Figure 17: Cobber's Trail Bicycle Signage Route Figure 18: Blue Route Bicycle Signage Route Blue Route The blue route was chosen do to the regional event venue at its western terminus. Bluestem is an outdoor amphitheater catering to concerts and plays during the summer months. The Blue Route creates an opportunity for residents living in the area to bike to the venue, which may serve to alleviate parking concerns. The trail is approximately 5 miles long.

13 Bicycle Wayfinding Signage This section delineates the methodology and policy developed for creating a system of wayfinding signs to guide bicyclists around the community. The first step of the study, as explained in the preceding section, was to develop routes where signage can be placed. The second step, as explained by the subheadings below, was to choose locations along and/or adjacent to those routes. Designations were chosen based upon their perceived attraction to bicycle users. Only public places such as parks, schools, or municipal facilities were chosen. A few private places were chosen because of their regional significance. A prime Figure 19: Bicycle Wayfinding Sign example is West Acres Shopping Mall, a regionally recognizable destination that also acts as a transit hub for MATBUS. An example of a bicycle wayfinding sign is shown in Figure 19. Wayfinding Signage Policies The policies below govern the development and implementation of the usage of wayfinding signage. These policies govern everything from the placement to the design of the signs. Mileage Each wayfinding sign will record the distance to the destination it lists. The mileage listed on each sign will be rounded to one tenth of a mile. A sign listing zero miles will indicate the destination has been reached. In some instances, destination may not be exactly on the route. In these cases, an arrow will be placed on the sign indicating the direction of travel off of the designated route. Those destinations not directly on or adjacent to a route will be in the direction indicated on the sign without making any turns. Sign Standards Sign standards will be chosen by the implementing agency. Generally a sign standard will be a metal pole anchored in the ground onto which wayfinding signs are attached. No more than three wayfinding signs should be located on any one standard. This does not include a sign designating the name of the route/trail. Signs should be located approximately 1/3 of a mile apart from one another. This gives ample direction for users to follow the path to each of the destination points. Signs should also be located anywhere the route makes a defined turn. Location of signs Wayfinding signs should be located adjacent to the facility in which it directs users. If the intended users are on a path facility, then the signs should be adjacent to the path. If the

14 SignLocations LoopTrail YellowRoute PinkRoute BisonTrail PurpleRoute SugarBeetTrail OrangeRoute DilworthTrail <Null> MoorheadTrail BlueRoute DragonsTrail HjemkomstTrail CobbersTrail MilwaukeeTrail RedRoute OakGroveTrail GreatPlainsTrail RedRiverTrail Miles [ Bicycle Sign Standard Locations Bicycle Signage Study Figure 20

15 intended users are on and on street facility, then the signs should be located in the right of way of that roadway. Wayfinding signs should be placed dependent upon the type of facility and the direction of travel. Path Facility Signage along a path on one side of a roadway should take into consideration that users might be coming from either direction. In this case, there are one of two options. Signs can either have printing on one side, or have signs on either side of the standard. In the second option, this would mean that there would be six signs on a standard, three in either direction. On Street Facility Sign standards should be placed on either side of a roadway on segments where users share the road with vehicles. These signs would indicate destinations in opposite directions. Sign Design The signs should be designed the same a typical standard street sign. However, if the implementing agencies so chooses, it can color the signs according the colored routes. For named routes, the implementing agency may delineate any color or design it deems fit as long as it does not conflict with any other sign color that has been designated or implemented. Wayfinding Kiosks In addition to wayfinding signs along routes, kiosks could be placed in key spots throughout the bicycle network to guide users to the various routes along the region. These kiosks could be as elaborate or simple as the implementing agency desires. At a minimum, the kiosk would have a map containing both the bicycle route network as defined in this document, and various other bicycle facilities located throughout the region. Kiosk Design There are a number of options for the design/construction of wayfinding kiosks. There are numerous companies that sell a wide variety of kiosks at varying price points. It was the direction of the Study Review Committee for this project not to be prescriptive as to the design of the kiosks. There are places throughout the bicycle network that require different designs based on their individual location. A prime example is any kiosk that would be located along the Red River of the North. Due to frequent flooding, kiosks would have to be designed to be inundated by water or removed during high water events. Kiosk Maintenance Maintenance for the wayfinding kiosks would be the responsibility of the implementing agency and/or land owner, such as a municipality or park district. The route maps will be updated from time to time by Metro COG and distributed to the implementing agencies for printing and distribution to the kiosks. Kiosk Location Kiosks will be located at key spots around the region such as intersections of routes, trailheads, parks, schools, or prime activity hubs. The kiosks should be placed adjacent to marked routes so as to direct users throughout the system. Other kiosks could be located at prime activity hubs such as city halls or

16 on each of the university campuses. The kiosk should be easily identifiable as a resource for wayfinding, the route map being the paramount item. The Figure 21 details the possible locations for kiosks on the routes that have been identified.

17 Possible Wayfinding Kiosk Locations Bicycle Signage Study KioskLocations YellowRoute BisonTrail SugarBeetTrail DilworthTrail MoorheadTrail DragonsTrail CobbersTrail RedRoute GreatPlainsTrail LoopTrail PinkRoute PurpleRoute OrangeRoute <Null> BlueRoute HjemkomstTrail MilwaukeeTrail OakGroveTrail RedRiverTrail Miles [ Figure

18 Appendix A

19 Sign Locations Table