REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Consider Converting all Part-Time Bike Lanes on Homestead Road Into Full-Time Bike Lanes
Report
SUMMARY OF COMMISSION ACTION
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) considered this item on May 18, 2023.
The BPAC passed a motion recommending to City Council the selection of Alternative 2 with two modifications. The first modification was to prioritize the implementation of full-time bike lanes as soon as possible by immediately prohibiting all on-street parking along Homestead Road. The second modification was to perform a Road Diet from Wright Avenue to Bernardo Avenue and not restore parking for this segment. This would allow installing buffered bicycle lanes from Wright Avenue to Bernardo Avenue. The vote was 7-0. Comments from the BPAC include the following:
• Concerned that Alternative 1 is more costly and would take longer to implement compared to Alternative 2.
• Desire to implement full-time bike lanes as quickly as possible by first replacing the signage, then adjusting the poles for better readability.
• Was in favor of a road diet and removal of all parking to align with the City’s safety priorities and give more space for the bike lanes.
EXISTING POLICY
The report to BPAC referenced outdated Land Use and Transportation Element (LUTE) policies. The current LUTE policies include:
• LT-3.8: Prioritize safe accommodation for all transportation users over non-transport uses. As City streets are public spaces dedicated to the movement of vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, facilities that meet minimum appropriate safety standards for transport uses shall be considered before non-transport uses are considered.
• LT-3.9: As parking is the temporary storage of transportation vehicles, do not consider parking a transport use of public streets.
• LT-3.10: Prioritize street space allocated for transportation uses over parking when determining the appropriate future use of street space.
• LT-3.15a: Maintain and implement a citywide bicycle plan to maximize the provision of safe and efficient bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout Sunnyvale.
• LT-3.18: Facilitate safe and orderly traffic flow and promote school pedestrian and bicycle safety.
• LT-3.22: Provide safe access to city streets for all modes of transportation. Safety considerations of all transport modes shall take priority over capacity considerations of any one transport mode.
• LT-3.24: Ensure effective and safe traffic flows for all modes of transport through physical and operational transportation improvements.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the NOVA Workforce Services reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1.Convert all part-time bike lanes on Homestead Road into permanent full-time bike lanes by removing parking and preserve some parking through a road diet between Bernardo and Wright Avenues and reallocate lane widths from Blaney Avenue to approximately 500 feet east of Blaney Avenue.
2. Convert all part-time bike lanes on Homestead Road into permanent full-time bike lanes by removing parking.
3. Continue to maintain the existing part-time bike lanes and parking as is on Homestead Road.
4. Alternative 2 with two modifications: (1) prioritize the implementation of full-time bike lanes, and (2) perform a road diet from Wright Avenue to Bernardo Avenue and not restore parking for this segment.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Convert All Part-Time Bike Lanes on Homestead Road Into Permanent Full-Time Bike Lanes by Removing Parking and Preserve Some Parking Through a Road Diet Between Bernardo and Wright Avenues and Reallocate Lane Widths From Blaney Avenue to Approximately 500 Feet East of Blaney Avenue.
Considering all elements of the Study, staff recommends converting all part-time bike lanes into permanent full-time bike lanes to provide a consistent bicycle facility along Homestead Road and preserve on-street parking between Bernardo and Wright Avenues and from Blaney Avenue to approximately 500 feet east of Blaney Avenue to minimize the parking impacts to some of the residential homes facing Homestead Road. The road diet between Bernardo and Wright Avenues would produce a balanced roadway configuration, which could potentially reduce speeding and improve safety, while still providing on-street parking for the residential homes along this stretch and potentially include buffered full-time bicycle lanes. The specific areas of Homestead Road which are shown to include buffered bicycle lanes will be resurfaced which will allow lane widths to be adjusted. In Alternative 2, the concept only changes the part-time No Parking signs to full-time No Parking signs, the cost estimate does not include resurfacing sections of Homestead Road to include buffered bicycle lanes. Adding in implementation of buffered bicycle lanes to Alternative 2 will increase the near-term costs to be similar to Alternative 1 and increase implementation time. Throughout the extensive public outreach process, the residents continually expressed concerns about the loss of on-street parking and the desire to study alternatives where parking can be maintained while providing full-time bicycle lanes. Alternative 1 allows for continued on-street parking for twenty-two (22) homes while still providing full-time bicycle lanes. Based on the five-year collision history review, there were two bicycle related collisions along Homestead Road, but none were related to cars parking along the bike lane. This alternative also works well with the preliminary design of the regional Homestead Road Safe Routes to School that Valley Transportation Authority is working on.
Staff
Prepared by: Angela Wong, Transportation Engineer
Reviewed by: Dennis Ng, Traffic and Transportation Manager
Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report to Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission [RTC No. 23-0428, May 18, 2023] (without attachments)
2. Final Report
3. Conceptual Figures of the Alternatives
Additional Attachments for Report to Council
4. Excerpt of Minutes of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission Meeting of May 18, 2023