Council Communication Office of the City Manager	Date	December 17, 2007
	Agenda Item No. 31 Roll Call No. 07- Communication No. 07-735 Submitted by: Donald M. Tripp, Park and Recreation Director

AGENDA HEADING:

Approving goals to make Des Moines a bicycle friendly community.

SYNOPSIS:

Recommend approval of goals to help Des Moines become a more bicycle friendly community. The goals will then be referred to the City Manager to work toward implementation.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Amount: There is no direct fiscal impact from this action. However, during the regular budget process staff will bring forward recommendations to carry out implementation of the goals. Many of the goals can be implemented using existing resources. Other actions will require additional direction and approval from City Council. A spreadsheet is included in the Council packet that outlines the existing resources and anticipated budget needs.

Funding Source: Various departmental budgets may be impacted, including Park and Recreation, Engineering (Traffic & Transportation) and the CIP.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

In March of 2006, the Park and Recreation Department submitted an application to the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) for consideration of the City of Des Moines as a Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) in their Bicycle Friendly Community Program. A Bicycle Friendly Community provides safe accommodation for cycling and encourages its residents to bike for transportation and recreation. The City of Des Moines and Polk County Conservation Board Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee (TAG), which is a committee of the Des Moines Park Board, worked with City staff to complete the City’s application to this program.

Des Moines was not selected as a Bicycle Friendly Community in 2006, but reviewers from the LAB hoped that the application marked a commitment on behalf of the City of Des Moines to make Des Moines more bicycle friendly. The reviewers encouraged Des Moines to work on implementing more on-street facilities to connect the network of off- and on-street facilities. The BFC reviewers encouraged Des Moines to expand its education, enforcement, encouragement and evaluation efforts in order to be considered a Bicycle Friendly Community in the future.

Based on the feedback received from the BFC program, the TAG Committee created goals to guide Des Moines toward becoming a Bicycle Friendly Community. Gaining BFC status will help Des Moines become a more bicycle friendly community and also helps to achieve several of the City of Des Moines’ goals as adopted by the City Council on October 23, 2006, such as those relating to a vibrant downtown and a sustainable green community. The City Council received and filed the TAG Committee goals on October 8, 2007, and referred them to the City Manager for review and recommendation. The staff recommendation is included in the attached list of goals (included in the Council packet).

The suggested goals to make Des Moines a Bicycle Friendly Community fall into the following categories:

§ Training for City Staff in Bicycle Facility Design

§ Trail Network Improvements

§ Bicycle Network Improvements

§ Bicycle Education for Users and Automobile Drivers

§ Bicycle Parking

§ Safe Routes to School Program

The ultimate goal is that the City of Des Moines be recognized as a “Bronze Level” Bicycle Friendly Community in 2009 and “Silver Level” Bicycle Friendly Community in 2012. Achieving these goals will be challenging and require significant commitment from the City of Des Moines and the bicycle community. In addition to working with the bicycle community through the TAG, the City has staff representation on the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Central Iowa Bicycle-Pedestrian Roundtable advisory committee. Staff will continue to keep the MPO informed as we work to implement the goals.

The cost to produce a bicycle master plan for the City of Des Moines is estimated to be $100,000. Completion of a master plan will give a better estimate as to the future costs associated with achieving these goals. Where possible, estimated costs for implementation were placed with the goals. The anticipated costs are preliminary based on early research. Additional funding would be pursued during the budget process for developing the Capital Improvement Program (Parks Improvements – Recreation Trails – PKS045). The Park and Recreation Department also seeks additional funding for trail construction through multiple granting programs.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

Date: October 8, 2007

Roll Call Number: 07-1993

Action: Receipt of “Goals to Make Des Moines Bicycle Friendly Community” from Des Moines Park and Recreation Board’s Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee.  (Council Communication No.  07-614) Moved by Kiernan to receive and file the “Goals to Make Des Moines Bicycle Friendly Community” and refer to the City Manager for review and recommendation.  Upon receipt of review and recommendation, the goals will be submitted to the City Council for adoption.  Motion Carried 7-0.

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):

Date: June 26, 2007

Roll Call Number: 07-076

Action: Park and Recreation Board approved Bicycle Friendly Community Goals.

Date: April 24, 2007

Roll Call Number: 07-052

Action: Park and Recreation Board received and filed Bicycle Friendly Community Goals.

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:

Upon approval of goals, Council will be asked to consider funding for a bicycle master plan and associated improvements through the regular budget process.