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Resolution Directing Evaluation of City Pedestrian and Cycling Transportation Environment by a Professional Engineer with Vision Zero Expertise
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The City of Ann Arbor is responsible for the management of the public right of way to ensure the safe and efficient movement of all modes of transportation. As the City’s population has grown, the demands on the transportation network have caused stresses, delays, safety concerns, and wear and-tear on the system. While the City has invested significantly in the system and many infrastructure improvements have been made over the past four years, Council is still concerned that these investments have not resulted in a proportionate decrease in pedestrian and bicycle crashes. Specifically, an FTE position was added to Engineering Unit staffing in the FY2020 budget at the request of the City Administrator to provide expertise and resources to promote the City’s Vision Zero and Complete Streets goals.
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor is responsible for effective management of the public right of way to ensure the safe and efficient movement of all modes of transportation;
Whereas, Included within the City’s governing documents and Council policies are the commitments to Vision Zero, Complete Streets, and A2 Zero, which together create the momentum to promote increases in non-motorized movements of people;
Whereas, The City’s annual operating budget and Capital Improvement Program represent significant applications of public funds for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and replacement of infrastructure in the public right of way, including the addition of fulltime staff positions in the Engineering Unit;
Whereas, While the City has made significant investments in pedestrian and bicycle facilities over the past four years, the Vision Zero goal of no fatal or serious injury pedestrian/bicyclist crashes has not been achieved and staff has not demonstrated a significant decrease in pedestrian and cycling crashes, in fact our pedestrian crash rate rose from 59 in 2018 to 74 in 2019, per Michigantrafficcrashfacts.org; and
Whereas, City Council has adopted several resolutions in the past pertaining to transportation and the right of way, including vegetation sight-distance requirements and the local crosswalk ordinance;
Whereas, Modes of alternative transportation are rapidly evolving, with technical advances, such as e-bikes, electric scooters, other micro-mobility devices; and
Whereas, The cost of an evaluation performed by Sam Swartz is estimated to be less than $10,000 and such funding is available within the existing Alternative Transportation Fund;
RESOLVED, That the City Council directs the City Administrator to engage Sam Swartz, a PE with Vision Zero expertise, to review a sample of the city’s pedestrian crossings, including, but not limited to the various facility components utilized across varied geographic installations, related city ordinances and educational communications, and interdependencies, such as, unlit crosswalks and the crosswalk ordinance;
RESOLVED, That the purpose of this evaluation is to identify deficiencies and opportunities to significantly decrease our pedestrian and cyclist crash rate; and
RESOLVED, That a preliminary report will be provided to Council by July 15, 2020, with further reports submitted on a quarterly basis.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Griswold, Lumm, and Bannister
As Amended and Approved by Ann Arbor City Council on June 15, 2020