Agenda - 02-22-1999 - d2b - Laserfiche WebLink

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269 BEGIN RIGHT TURN LANE YIELD TO BIKES Foreword Bicycle Transportation Plan Development Process The following Bicycle Plan Component Task Force Members: Keith Burwell, Jennie Capparella, Kelly Evenson, Barry Freeman, Adrienne Jimenez, Adera Schienker, Mark Schulz, Chuck Tharp, and Chris van Hasselt are citizens of Orange County that were appointed by the Orange County Board of Commissioners on November 19, 1997 with the following specific charge: To prepare a Bicycle Plan Component to the Transportation Element of the Orange County Comprehensive Plan, including recommendations for implementation, for all of Orange County outside of the municipal extra - territorial planning jurisdictions and the transition areas of the Joint Planning Land Use Plan. To perform research for presentation to the Orange County Board of Commissioners on innovative bicycle and pedestrian connections between subdivisions and other developments. The Bicycle Plan Component should be based on the recommendations in the DCHC Regional Bicycle Plan and the results of the 1995 Orange County Bicycle Suitability Study. Appointment to the Task Force will expire with the Board of Commissioners decision on whether or not to adopt the recommended Bicycle Plan Component. In addition to the appointed citizens Orange County Planning Board Member James Selkirk volunteered to assist in the development of the plan. Project Staff included: North Carolina Department of Transportation Maintenance Engineer for Orange County, Chuck Edwards, Orange County Deputy Sheriff, Major Don Truelove and Orange County Planning Staff consisting of Slade McCalip, Carmen Borg, and Lauren Tedder. The Bicycle Plan Component Task Force created the Bicycle Plan over a 6 -month period. The Task Force provided their input as to what the Goals of this plan should be and also which cycling routes are the most important to the cyclists of Orange County. Staff was then directed to develop a plan with recommendations for implementing the goals and making improvements to the priority routes. The Task Force endorsed the draft plan contained herein at their June meeting. The Task Force consists of members with the following cycling experience: environmental non- profit organization leadership, life -long cycling advocate that does not own a car, epidemiology experts that want to increase opportunities for physical activity, average citizens that cycle, a former bike shop owner, a cyclist involved with real estate development, a cross county cycle commuter, an Effective Cycling proponent cyclist, and a cycle commuter interested in more safety improvements. The Task Force made the following recommendations to the Planning Board and Commissioners regarding plan implementation; a) that a permanent and formal Bicycle Advisory Committee be established, b) that a Bicycle Coordinator staff position be established to support the BAC, c) that the 1974 NC Bikeways Act be updated, and d) that the current Bicycle Task Force remain together until after the Orange County Bicycle Map is completed. The Planning Board at its August 5, 1998 meeting endorsed the plan and the recommendations of the Task Force with the following exception; the Planning Board would only support providing "part time" staff support to a Bicycle Advisory Committee and not a "full time" position.