Title
Resolution to Prohibit On-Street Parking on Both Sides of Barton Drive from Northside Avenue to Pontiac Trail
Memorandum
Attached for your review and approval, please find a resolution to approve the prohibition of on-street parking on both sides of Barton Drive from Northside Avenue to Pontiac Trail.
The Barton Drive Water Main Replacement and Resurfacing project was constructed in 2020. Prior to beginning design work, staff reviewed the Non-Motorized Plan recommendations to determine if the construction of bike lanes would be feasible and advisable. Bike lanes on Barton would serve the purpose of continuing to build out the City’s bike infrastructure network and provide a key link for people riding bicycles between this area and the downtown either by on-street bike lanes on Pontiac Trail or by the lower stress off street route through Bandemer Park. Research has shown that cities who invest in improved bicycling infrastructure have better safety outcomes for all transportation users. Installing the bicycle lanes would also further the City’s Vision Zero, complete streets, and carbon neutrality goals.
Different options for the proposed street and bike lane layout of Barton Drive between Longshore Drive and Pontiac Trail were presented to public at a meeting on September 19, 2019. Residents were surveyed at that public meeting and also online through A2 Open City Hall. Residents were asked whether the City should: leave the configuration of the road as it is, remove parking from both sides and install bike lanes on both sides, remove parking on the south side (and install bike lanes on one side only) or remove parking from the north side (and install bike lanes on one side only). Additional feedback was also encouraged through the City’s project manager.
Thirty-two (32) neighborhood residents took the survey in-person at the public meeting and two hundred and nine (209) surveys were taken online at A2 Open City Hall. In both surveys, the majority of respondents were in favor of bike lanes on both sides of Barton Drive.
Based on the recommendations in the City’s Non-Motorized Plan, feedback from the Transportation Commission (Resolution attached), and the results of the public survey, City staff developed a design that included eliminating parking on the both sides of Barton Drive from Longshore Drive to Pontiac Trail and provided the recommended bike lanes.
Chapter 126 of City Code requires Council approval for the permanent or temporary restriction of parking for more than one block. Therefore, on November 18, 2019, a resolution was submitted to City Council to prohibit on-street parking on both sides of Barton Drive from Longshore Drive to Pontiac Trail. The Resolution was postponed until January 21, 2020, with Council requesting that a new resident survey be conducted prior to this item returning to City Council. In response to this request, staff conducted an additional postcard survey of residents immediately adjacent to the proposed parking removal area. The complete results of the engagement efforts are summarized in Table 1 (attached).
On January 20, 2020, City Council tabled the Resolution, wanting to revisit the elimination of on-street parking after the Lower Town Mobility Study was complete. This study has now been finalized, and the results can be found at: <https://www.a2gov.org/departments/engineering/traffic/Pages/Lower-Town-Traffic-Study.aspx>.
Amongst the results of this study is the recommendation that on-street parking on Barton Drive be removed, and bike lanes be installed at the above referenced location. Therefore, staff is reintroducing this Resolution for Council’s consideration.
Budget/Fiscal Impacts: The additional bike lanes will initially cost $5,300.00 for pavement marking and increase yearly maintenance costs by an estimated average of $1,060.00 ($885.00 for pavement marking maintenance; $175.00 for bike lane maintenance.)
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas Hutchinson, P.E., City Engineer
Reviewed by: Brian Steglitz, Interim Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City’s Transportation Plan calls for on street bicycle lanes on Barton Drive;
Whereas, Barton Drive is an important corridor connecting the city’s north side to the University of Michigan hospital and the Downtown area;
Whereas, On-street parking is currently only allowed on some parts of Barton Drive, and on-street bike lanes are currently not provided throughout the entire length of Barton Drive;
Whereas, Barton Drive is not wide enough to accommodate bike lanes, parking lanes, and vehicular traffic lanes;
Whereas, A survey of local residents in October 2019 indicated broad support for removing the parking on both sides of Barton Drive from Longshore Drive to Pontiac Trail;
Whereas; The Transportation Commission recommended that the City Council approve the prohibition of on-street parking on both sides of Barton Drive from Longshore Drive to Pontiac Trail; and
Whereas, Chapter 126 of City Code requires Council approval for the permanent or temporary restriction of parking for more than one block;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the City Administrator’s issuance of a traffic control order prohibiting parking along both sides of Barton Drive from Longshore Drive to Pontiac Trail and ordering installation of appropriate signage for “No Parking Tow Away Zone”; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.