Quatama MAX Station Bike and Ped Access Plan by Gena Gastaldi

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan

Final Report Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan Quatama MAX Station Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Plan

Project Team Gena Gastaldi Rebecca Hamilton Tessa Walker Jake Warr

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

Table of Contents 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………… 3 2. Project Understanding……………………………………………………... 3

3. Existing Conditions………………………………………………………… 5 Table 1: Selected demographics for Study Area as compared to Portland MSA and Oregon Table 2: Traffic Characteristics of Streets Surrounding Quatama

4. Opportunities and Constraints………………………………………........ 13 5. Demand Analysis…………………………………………………………… 20 Table 3: Existing Vehicle Trips and Mileage Reductions Table 4: Air Quality Benefits from Current Demand Table 5: Vehicle Trips and Mileage Reductions if Bicycle and Pedestrian Mode-shares Both Increased to 3% Table 6: Air Quality Benefits if Bicycle and Pedestrian Mode-shares Both Increased to 3%

6. Project Recommendations………………………………………………… 22 Table 7: Bicycle Parking Capacity and Usage at Quatama Station Table 8: Cost Estimates for All Recommended Projects Table 9: Evaluation Criteria and Weighting Table 10: Prioritization Matrix Table 11: Comparison of Alternative Treatments Table 11: Recommended Project Phasing

7. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………. 37

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

1. Introduction In coordination with Alta Planning and Design and TriMet, Quatama Mamas & Dude (QM&D) have developed a plan to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians in the area surrounding the Quatama/NW 205th MAX Station in Hillsboro, Oregon. The project team sought out to identify appropriate courses of action that would build upon current amenities and spur increased use of active transportation in coordination with transit. The process took place over the course of three and a half months, from the end of September to beginning of December 2012.

Fig. 1.1: The Quatama/NW 205th Ave Station welcomes transit riders.

This report presents the results of this planning endeavor, with several specific recommendations for TriMet to pursue in order to achieve established goals and objectives. The project team evaluated the costs and feasibility of these recommendations, also included in the report.

2. Project Understanding 2.1 Quatama/NW 205th Ave Station Overview The Quatama/Northwest 205th Ave MAX Station (Quatama) is a light rail station and parkand-ride serviced by TriMet’s MAX Blue Line. Built in 1998, the stop generates an average of 2,670 daily trips on weekdays and 645 daily trips on weekend days according to 2012 TriMet counts. The Quatama station is approximately 13 minutes east of Hillsboro Station and 35 minutes west of downtown Portland by rail. Station facilities include: • • • • •

310 parking spaces 1 bicycle rack, 4 Bike Lids, and 8 bike lockers Landscaping Lighting Public art

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

•

Sheltered platform

2.2 The Last Mile and the Last Block Although there are several major employment centers nearby, commuters using Quatama as a final destination may struggle to complete “the last mile” since the connections between Quatama and these centers are not fully supported for non-motorized modes. No bus lines serve the station vicinity to link riders to other destinations, and the closest employer is located over half a mile along via high traffic streets, a distance beyond the walking tolerance of most commuters. Without a reliable way to connect the final mile (or half-mile) from transit centers to employment centers, transit becomes an unrealistic option for many commuters. In addition, several factors may make it difficult for cyclists and pedestrians to complete “the last block”. The station is surrounded with dense TOD residential developments with high populations of working-aged adults, of whom a high percentage take transit to work. Despite the strong transit usage of the neighborhoods immediately adjoining the station, deficiencies in the sidewalk networks, a lack of safe road crossings, and obstacles at the station’s perimeter create unsafe and inconvenient conditions for walkers and cyclists for neighbors just a block away to access the station. Future plans for the area includes the AmberGlen development (see Figure 2.1). With an official Community Plan adopted by the City of Hillsboro in 20101, this endeavor aims to transform the area around Quatama into a vibrant mixed-use center, complete with housing, retail, open space, education, and employment connected in ways conducive to active transportation. The AmberGlen plan reinforces the importance of the Quatama Station now and in the future. Fig. 2.1: Concept illustration of AmberGlen Community Plan area built out at full development capacity.

http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Planning/documents/AmberGlen_Plan_Final_lores.pdf

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan 2.3 Project Goals QM&D has identified two project goals, each with supporting objectives. These goals address the issues of safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle connectivity which were identified and noted in the 2004 Hillsboro Transportation System Plan Update, and align with the goals of Metro’s active transportation planning initiative. Goal 1: Improve access for riders departing and/or arriving at Quatama Station by foot or bicycle Objective: Ensure safe access to station platform Objective: Identify and address shortcomings in station design Goal 2: Increase rate of non-motorized riders boarding and alighting at Quatama Station Objective: Fill in transportation system gaps Objective: Coordinate recommendations with current and planned development Objective: Make Quatama Station appealing to bicyclists and pedestrians by providing amenities where appropriate

3. Existing Conditions 3.1 Study Area In order to best analyze conditions in the area surrounding Quatama Station, the project team first identified two scales of analysis: a “walkshed” and a “bikeshed.” The team defined the station’s walkshed as a conventional ½ mile radius around the station. A similar approach was not appropriate for the bikeshed, however. Six additional MAX stations exist within a three mile radius east and west of the station, leading the team to conclude that Quatama’s potential bike-and-riders were within a narrow north-south corridor centered on the station. The bikeshed extends north from the station to an area just past Highway 26, and south to the Tualatin Valley Highway

3.2 Demographics As shown in Table 1, the population density in the total study area is greater than the population density of the greater Portland MSA by an order of magnitude, reflecting the medium-high density residential TOD that has sprung up around the station. The percentage of the population that commutes to work by transit in the Quatama walkshed is also notably

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Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

higher than average for Portland. The high percentage of young adults ages 25-44 in the walkshed and bikeshed relative to the Portland MSA (40% and 36% vs. 31%, respectively) may reflect the attractiveness of this new development for first-time homebuyers and young families. The population of the Quatama vicinity is also more diverse than the population of Portland MSA, with nearly 30% of residents reporting as non-white. Table 1: Selected demographics for study area as compared to Portland MSA and Oregon Population Pop Density (people/sq mi) Median Income Age 25 to 44 Age 45 to 64 Age 65 plus % White % Drive to work % Public transit to work % Bike to work % Walk to work Source: US Census Bureau

Walk shed 3,371 4,292 50,350 40% 18% 9% 70% 79% 13% 3% 1%

Bike shed 26,969 4,542 57,877 36% 22% 6% 71% 86% 7% 2% 1%

Portland MSA Oregon 1,745,116 3,761,925 397 39 $55,854 $49,260 31% 27% 26% 27% 11% 14% 82% 86% 80% 83% 7% 4% 2% 2% 4% 4%

3.3 Land Uses Much of the Quatama walkshed is designated by the City of Hillsboro as a Station Community Planning Area. Although this zoning designation allows mixed use development, the half-mile radius around the station is at present almost exclusively residential or vacant land. Recent medium- to high-density transit-oriented developments (TODs) border the station on three sides. Immediately north of the station is the Arbor Crossing development which features an attractive, wide pedestrian path that extends from the heart of the complex to the MAX platform (Figure 3.1).

Fig. 3.1: Pedestrian path within Arbor Crossing leading to MAX platform.

North of the station within the bikeshed are the Oregon Health and Sciences University and office campuses hosting employers such as McAfee, the Oregon Institute of Technology, Fig. 3.2: Typical multi-family housing units of developments surrounding Quatama.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan and Netflix. Above these business uses is a zone of dense multi-family housing at the northern edge of the bikeshed. The southern section of the bikeshed is filled with single and multi-family housing developed on a subdivision model (see Figure 3.2). The area has several parks and some open space. And, as mentioned previously, the AmberGlen Community promises to reshape this area significantly.

3.4 Travel and Access Behavior During weekday site observations conducted at midday and morning rush hour, driving and walking appeared to be the primary modes used to access the station. By 8:30am the park-and-ride was at 90% capacity (see Figure 3.3), and both the bike rack and Bike Lids were nearly full or full (see Fig. 3.4). These parking conditions were consistent with midday site observations. About 10% of rush-hour riders were dropped off in the parking lot. Many MAX riders walked to the station using the Arbor Crossing pedestrian path, which also functions as a pedestrian cutthrough route for users accessing the station from further north. Some users arrived by bike, and observations showed that several cyclists on Quatama were biking on sidewalks instead of using bike lanes. Pedestrians and cyclists alike were observed cutting through the landscaping perimeter along NW 205th and Quatama Road.

Fig. 3.3: Parking lot on a typical weekday morning at 8:30 am.

Fig. 3.4: Six bike rack spaces and four bike lids are all full on a weekday morning.

3.5 Transportation System Characteristics Quatama is bounded on the east by 205th Avenue, a two-lane arterial with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour and a curb-to-curb width of 70 feet. The street has a sidewalk and a bike lane on one side which connects to Quatama MAX station amenities. On the south edge of the station is NW Quatama Road, a 40-mph road which features two auto travel lanes and center

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

turn lane, a curb-to-curb width of about 48 feet (see Fig. 3.5, next page). Some segments of Quatama Road have bicycle lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the street, while others include facilities on only one side. The main entrance to the MAX station is located along this road. Table 2 shows average vehicle volumes for both streets.

Fig. 3.5: Quatama has two car lanes, two bike lanes, and a center turn lane.

Table 2: Traffic Characteristics of Streets Surrounding Quatama Vehicles/day % freight th NW 205 Ave 12,000 3.5% Quatama Rd 1063 7.5%

85th % speed 41.1 mph 33.5 mph

Source: City of Hillsboro

The major intersection near the station, 205th and Quatama Road, has pedestrian signals and striping. Sidewalks in the station’s immediate vicinity are continuous, wide, and in good condition (Figure 3.6), but gaps in the sidewalk network exist on Quatama Road and NW 205th Ave. Similarly, bike lanes exist on the station’s perimeter, but there are numerous ¼- ½ mile gaps on important through roads in the vicinity (see Fig. 3.7).

Fig. 3.6: Sidewalks surrounding the station are ADA accessible, wide, well-lit, and in good condition.

Fig. 3.7: Bike lanes and sidewalks begin and end abruptly in the station vicinity.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

As shown in Figure 3.8, the bikeshed has several small multi-use paths, many of which connect the area’s parks. Also, many of the larger roads have bike lanes, although the width of those lanes is often minimal, as in the case of Quatama Road. South of Lexington and Sutherland Meadows Parks most bike routes run east and west due to the connectivity-inhibiting design of the neighborhoods there. Fig. 3.8: The Rock Creek Trail connects several greenspaces north of the site.

3.6 Station Bicycle Facilities Given the current infrastructure, travel by bike could be an option for commuters to make the final connection to places of employment, or for local residents wishing to cycle to the station and take the MAX from there. However, space for bicycles on board MAX trains is limited and facilities at the site miss opportunities to serve cyclists’ needs. Observed issues include: ●Limited rack capacity

The rack can hold only 6 bikes ●Lack of covered facilities

The rack is unsheltered and the four Bike Lids fill quickly ●Inefficient use of secure bike parking

Only 1 of the 16 bike lockers was in use on several site visits, despite a full locker reservation list on TriMet’s website

3.7 Station Design Because Quatama Station serves as a park-and-ride facility, its design is auto-centric. The project team identified the following conditions that create difficulties for bicyclists and pedestrians: ●Landscaping perimeter

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan The trees and shrubs on the station perimeter are aesthetically pleasing, but slightly too dense. The buffer creates a physical barrier to people coming from the east and northeast of the site. Cyclists and able-bodied pedestrians must either walk through shrubbery using the numerous goat path cut-throughs to get to the platform or go out of their way to far away entrances (Figure 3.9). The density of the foliage also decreases the opportunity for optimizing safety in the park and ride through ‘eyes on the street’ monitoring, cutting off signs lines for a range of users.

Fig. 3.9: Numerous goat paths and desire trails have been cut through the dense vegetation perimeter.

●Station sidewalks

Sidewalk access from Quatama Road to the train platform is available only along the eastern side of the entrance lane; pedestrians coming from the western side must either cross the busy driveway to the opposite side or walk in the car travel lane (Figure 3.10). ●Lack of signage

No wayfinding assistance to guide non-motorized users to the station or to other nearby destinations.

Fig. 3.10: The main entrance is wide enough to accommodate sidewalks along both the east and west sides, but instead devotes the excess space to autos.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan 3.8 Safety

Current facilities may encourage unsafe behavior or create unsettling conditions for cyclists and pedestrians. In addition to incomplete bicycle infrastructure, the stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main entrance on Quatama Road lacks a safe crossing from the opposite side of the street (Figure 3.11). The nearest crosswalk is at the Quatama and 205th intersection, which is approximately 300 feet away. The project team observed pedestrians crossing mid-block across the three lanes of 40-mph, freight-intensive traffic.

Fig. 3.11: There is no safe and convenient way for pedestrians to cross Quatama in front of the main station entrance, which is directly across from a sizeable residential development.

4. Opportunities and Constraints The following pages describe the Opportunities and Constraints for bicycle and pedestrian access and mobility created by the existing characteristics of land use, traffic, geography, and infrastructure in the Quatama vicinity.

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Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

5. Demand Analysis 5.1 Current demand and benefits The project team utilized a tool created by Alta Planning and Design that uses a variety of demographic and contextual factors to estimate total daily trips by mode. The tool also estimates benefits in the way of trip and mileage reductions as well as air quality benefits that result from emissions reductions. While Census data says that our study area (the entire bikeshed) has 1.6% of workers commuting by bicycle and 1.3% walking to work, results from the Alta tool estimate a total of 2,818 daily bicycle trips and 11,234 daily pedestrian trips. Thus, demand currently exists in the study area for bicycle and pedestrian improvements. Based on these figures, vehicle trips and mileage reductions are presented in Table 3. Table 4 shows air quality benefits.

Table 3: Existing Vehicle Trips and Mileage Reductions Ped Bike Total Reduced Vehicle Trips per Weekday 718 264 981 Reduced Vehicle Trips per Year 187,309 68,843 256,152 Reduced Vehicle Miles per Weekday 665 1,753 2,418 Reduced Vehicle Miles per Year 173,484 457,494 630,978 Source: Alta Planning and Design

Table 4: Air quality benefits from current demand Ped Bike Total Per weekday Reduced PM10 (tons) 12 32 44 Reduced NOX (tons) 332 874 1,206 Reduced ROG (tons) 48 127 176 Reduced CO2 (lbs) 609 1,606 2,215 Per year Reduced PM10 (tons) 3,192 8,418 11,610 Reduced NOX (tons) 86,534 228,198 314,732 Reduced ROG (tons) 12,595 33,214 45,809 Reduced CO2 (lbs) 158,911 419,074 577,985 Source: Alta Planning and Design

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

5.2 Possible future demand and benefits Between planned development near the Quatama station and efforts to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, the estimates presented in section 5.1 could be even higher. If bicycling and walking to work both increase to 3% (approximately doubling current levels), the trip and mileage reductions are shown in Table 5. Overall, such an increase would reduce vehicle trips 33% further and vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) 56% further.

Table 5: Vehicle Trips and Mileage Reductions if Bicycle and Pedestrian Mode-shares Both Increased to 3%

Reduced Vehicle Trips per Weekday Reduced Vehicle Trips per Year Reduced Vehicle Miles per Weekday Reduced Vehicle Miles per Year

Ped

Bike

Total

893

407

1,300

233,036 875 228,357

106,187 339,223 2,897

3,772

756,245 984,602

Source: Alta Planning and Design

Furthermore, emissions reductions would be 56% greater (Table 6, next page).

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

Table 6: Air Quality Benefits if Bicycle and Pedestrian Modeshares Both Increased to 3% Ped

Bike

Total

Reduced PM10 (tons)

Reduced NOX (tons)

436

1,445

1,882

Reduced ROG (tons)

210

274

801

2,654

3,456

4,202

13,915

18,117

Reduced NOX (tons)

113,904

377,215

491,119

Reduced ROG (tons)

16,579

54,903

71,482

209,175

692,736

901,911

Per Weekday

Reduced CO2 (lbs)

Per Year Reduced PM10 (tons)

Reduced CO2 (lbs)

Source: Alta Planning and Design

6. Project Recommendations Project recommendations are provided at three levels: Station, Walkshed, and Bikeshed.

6.1 Station-level Recommendations The project team proposes four improvement projects to the Quatama/NW 205th Station, including a total of six components (See Figure 6.1, next page). These improvements promise to support the planâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals of improving and increasing bicycle and pedestrian access to the station. 1. New pedestrian/bicycle entrance at 205th & Quatama Road

Site observations and well-established goat paths in the landscaping between the sidewalk and the station parking lot show desire for pedestrian access at the intersection of 205th

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan and Quatama Road. Therefore, we recommend opening up the SE corner of the station’s park and ride lot to form a new pedestrian entrance. In addition to making the station more inviting to those accessing it on foot, the new entrance would draw the attention of passersby (of all modes) to increase awareness of the station’s existence. This project would involve the following actions:

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Removal of 2 or 3 trees at the corner of 205th and Quatama Road.

•

Installation of an 8’-10’ wide concrete pathway. Access should be ADA compliant so that it can also be used as bikes and mobility scooters.

•

New signage for the station and park and ride visible to all traffic at that intersection and scaled appropriately for pedestrian place-making. Fig. 6.2: Repeating art elements from the central platform reinforce visual connectivity and help establish the pedestrian pathway to the platform.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

•

Inclusion of art features from the central platform (see Figure 6.2).

Figure 6.3 provides a rendering of this new entrance. Fig. 6.3: New station entrance at Quatama/NW 205th Ave increases visibility of the station for all users while responding to pedestrian and cyclist desire for access to station at this point (as indicated by goat trails through existing perimeter vegetation).

2. Safe walkway through parking lot

To facilitate pedestrian access from the proposed new entrance to the station platform, the project team recommends a pedestrian-oriented accessway, including the following elements: •

A painted dual-line crosswalk guiding users to a current pedestrian aisle

•

Removal of bike lockers on the pedestrian aisle

•

An improved pedestrian aisle leading from the south side of the parking lot to the existing ADA access point at the east end of the station platform. We propose choosing one of two options for this recommendation: Option A: Installation of a raised-concrete walkway. This will provide buffered access from the south side of the parking lot to the existing Option B: At-grade paint treatment to increase the attractiveness of the walkway

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

3. New sidewalk extending from main entrance

To address the lack of a sidewalk on one side of the main vehicle entryway, we are proposing the installation of a second sidewalk along that segment. This will involve the following steps: •

Concrete sidewalk, curb, and gutter installation, 165’ in length and 6’ in width

•

A painted dual-line crosswalk at the end of the sidewalk leading to the platform

•

Center-line paint removal. Rather than remove the strip of landscaping, the project team recommends narrowing the accessway for vehicles (the secondary vehicle entrance is already the favored route for maintenance vehicles, so a narrower ROW would not restrict access for Tri-Met vehicles).

4.Bicycle Parking Improvements

As discussed previously, there is currently a mismatch between the bike parking facilities and the observed needs. The three types of parking around the station have usage rates shown in Table 7 (as observed by the project team). Current facilities also fill early in the morning during the week and stay full throughout the day. In addition to the fact that TriMet reports a full reservation for bike lockers, the lockers attract graffiti and are not conveniently placed for easy cycle access. The popularity of the bike lids over the racks or lockers is probably due to the fact that they are easy to use without advance reservations and offer protection from the elements. A covered, walk-up system is likely to resolve these conflicts. Table 7: Bicycle Parking Capacity and Usage at Quatama Station Number

Capacity (# of bikes)

% Full Weekdays

% Full Weekends

Rack

Lids

100

Lockers

Thus, our suggestions for optimizing bike parking for the station area are: •

Removal or relocation of the bike lockers

•

Construction of a covered bike parking facility where the current bicycle rack and lids are located, adjacent to the TriMet station maintenance building. Two options exist for this recommendation:

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

Option A: Full bike station facility, constructed out of wire mesh or other tamper-proof material which still provides visibility for safety (see Figure 6.4). This station would be accessible via keycard, keypad, or other secure measures to provide a second layer of security. Option B: Additional bike racks and a roof over bike parking.

Fig. 6.4: Option A: Example of Beaverton Transit Center bike parking station. This option could be explored if bike use increased significantly.

6.2 Walkshed-level Recommendations Within the half-mile radius surrounding the station there are three recommendations for making pedestrian access significantly safer and more pleasant (Figure 6.6).

1. New Crosswalk on Quatama Road (map showing location) The Stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s auto entrance is directly across from the entrance of a housing subdivision clearly meant to support transit use. This subdivision also connects to other residential developments, including neighborhoods south of Sutherland Meadows Park. Pedestrians currently engage in midblock crossings to make this connection, indicating the need for safety improvements as this occurs at the crown of a hill with limited visibility and no protection for pedestrians (See Fig. 6.5). We recommend installing a protective

Fig. 6.5: Visibility heading west on Quatama is obscured by a large hill, creating an additional hazard for pedestrians trying to access the station entrance by making mid-block crossings.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan pedestrian facility at this point, including:

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•

A zebra-striped crosswalk

•

An on-demand Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB) for use by both pedestrians and cyclists

•

Crosswalk warning signs and advanced stop lines for auto traffic on the approach

•

Advance ‘pedestrian crossing’ signs for auto traffic

2. Wayfinding Signage Residents in surrounding neighborhoods are major targets as station users. Strategic placement of wayfinding signage can direct pedestrians to Quatama Station and reinforce Quatama’s focus on attracting people on foot. The Arbor Crossing multiuse path is already being utilized by local users as a buffered access route and shortcut from 205th north of the station directly to the station platform, so we recommend capitalizing on this opportunity as well as several others. This will require: •

Negotiating a public right of way easement with the Arbor Crossing homeowners association

•

Posting pedestrian-scale signs at the entrance to this pathway, as well as several other strategic locations in the surrounding area. (See Figure 6.7 for an example of an appropriate sign. See Figure 6.6, previous page, for a map of suggested sign locations.)

Fig. 6.7: Example of pedestrianscale wayfinding signage with locational map.

3. Completion of Quatama Road Sidewalks Pedestrians walking west along Quatama Road must cross the road several times in order to stay on sidewalks (see Figure 6.8). Where gaps exist in the infrastructure, the project team recommends sidewalk installation. This will entail the following: •

Concrete sidewalk, curb, and gutter installation totaling approximately 1,200’ in length and 6’ in width

6.3 Bikeshed-level Recommendations For bikeshed connectivity the project team chose to focus on routes which link Quatama Station to new and planned developments to the north

Fig. 6.8: Sidewalks on Quatama dead-end and require pedestrians to make mid-block crossings to remain on sidewalks.

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(Figure 6.9). Our objective for the northern part of the bikeshed is to propose a safe, appealing bike route which would significantly improve the quality of cycling throughout this corridor and which would be financially feasible to implement. We chose to focus on the north portion of the bikeshed because the housing in that area is denser, and because there are several major east-west roads which impede northward connectivity. Our objective for the southern part of the bikeshed is to offer policy and development recommendations which will foster greater network connectivity for future development. Connectivity to the north of the station currently consists of striped bike lanes on 205th - these facilities are narrow and intermittent. We have identified street and trail segments which are good candidates for bike facilities, the addition of which would improve the quality of cycling in the area and make cycling accessible to local cyclists with a broader range of confidence levels. We have identified three projects to accomplish this--one major project and two others that complement and support this project as well as our primary objectives. 1. The Qua-nectorTM There are striped bike lanes on most of 205th Ave to the north of Quatama, with the exception of a two-block gap near the station and a 1,200’-long section with a bike lane on only one side of the street. However, the existing bike lanes are very narrow and have no buffer from the curb. QM&D recommends providing a new branded facility (The Qua-nector) to serve a wider range of cyclists on this stretch. Components include: •

A 10’-wide multi-use path (MUP) installed on the east side of the street from the intersection of 205th to NW Cornell Road

•

Two options on John Olson Road, from NW Cornell to the Rock Creek Trail access point: Option A: New bike lanes Option B: Continuation of MUP

•

Branded wayfinding signage at strategic points to guide users along the Qua-nector to Quatama Station

2. Sharrow route on NW Rock Creek Boulevard In support of the Qua-nector and to take advantage of an existing opportunity in NW Rock Creek Blvd, we propose installation of Sharrows on NW Rock Creek Blvd, from NW Cornelius Pass Road west to NW 185th Ave. The low traffic volumes, ample width (approximately 45’), lack of painted centerlines, and low frequency of curb cuts make this street a prime candidate for such a treatment. 3. Other Wayfinding signage Both the new and existing bicycle facilities should connect users to surrounding amenities,

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan including Quatama Station. We therefore propose signs at strategic locations directing users to nearby parks, other bicycle routes, and Quatama Station.

6.4 Further Policy Recommendations Connectivity to the south of the station to the end of our study area at Tualatin Valley Highway currently consists of narrow intermittent bike lanes on 205th Ave and Cornelius Pass Road. While the existing routes present the rough outline of a possible network, both roadways have high traffic volumes, high speeds, low perceived safety for cyclists, and wide rights-of-way with between three and five auto lanes. For this reason we believe that an alternate systems of routes offering direct access to and through subdivisions would ultimately be a safer and more appealing to users, including local residents. Residential development in this portion of our bikeshed is being constructed at more slowly than the north part of the bikeshed, and it is less dense than the developments to the north. Our proposed modifications begin with the lengthy process of securing public access between development parcels. Furthermore, the project team has attempted to emphasize what we have identified as the greatest and most realistic opportunities for infrastructure implementation in the near future - the north bike routes. For these reasons we will only offer generalized policy recommendations for the southern area of the bikeshed at this point. •

The mega-block and cul-de-sac development pattern which dominates the southern half of the bikeshed forces cyclists onto busy roadways. Future zoning language for this area should consider the inclusion of public ROW easements between adjacent development parcels as alternative access points for low traffic modes.

•

205th south of the station is too narrow to comfortably incorporate bike lanes. If a bike route along this road is considered optimal after lower traffic routes have been established then ROW and easements should be negotiated for a MUP right-of-way parallel to the road.

•

The bridge on 205th should be evaluated for bicycle access as bicycles currently use the auto lane for crossing (Figure 6.10). With the addition of our proposed MUP, a bridge expansion or a bicycle and pedestrian river crossing should be considered.

•

If Cornelius Pass Road is still a candidate for bike network connectivity after alternate lower volume routes have been established then easements and ROW should be negotiated

Fig. 6.10: NW 205th narrows south of Quatama, eliminating space for bike lanes as it crosses over a creek.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan parallel to Cornelius Pass Road and a MUP should be installed.

6.5 Cost Estimates The proposed station improvements and network upgrades have been designed so that they can be implemented in stages as funding becomes available. In order to maximize flexibility the costing for these projects has been calculated for each individual treatment, so that Tri-Met can incorporate Quatama Station improvements in system-wide funding goals at their discretion. Table 8: Cost Estimates for All Recommended Projects

6.6 Prioritization Evaluation In order to guide implementation priorities QM&D has created a prioritization matrix which evaluates each project according to a range of weighted criteria. The criteria considered are presented in Table 9-Criteria:

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

Table 9: Evaluation Criteria and Weighting Criteria Weighting Definition Network 1-10 Contribution of treatment towards providing contiguous Connectivity routes for active transportation. Comfort and Safety 1-10 Assessed effectiveness of improvements for increasing safety and accessibility for all users, as well as perceived safety and travel comfort for cautious and vulnerable users. Cost Ease of Implementation Maintenance

1-5 1-5 1-5

Funding required to complete project. Time, staffing, and disruptions of daily station use required to complete project. Ongoing maintenance burden implicated in safe continued use of completed projects.

These prioritizations have been weighted so that the categories of Network Connectivity and Comfort and Safety received the most emphasis. Totals are conveyed as averages in order to keep weighting consistent for projects which do not involve all categories (for example, bike parking does not impact network connectivity). Color coding offers a visual shortcut for prioritization - totals of 3-4.9 have been assessed as the lower priority projects, 5-5.5 are the medium priority, and from 5.6-10 are the highest priority projects. This matrix should be used as a decision-making guide for project prioritization, together with other factors. These projects offer benefits to a range of local populations, as well as environmental and health benefits with wider implications for the region. Final decisions should be implemented as a multi-stakeholder process which utilizes the priorities matrix but considers a range of planning factors.

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

Table 10: Prioritization Matrix

6.7 Treatment Alternatives As described in the recommendations we are offering three pairs of treatment alternatives. These are projects where the intensiveness of treatment can vary due to usage levels, or where there is a large funding gap between various options. A comparison of prioritization and pricing on these options is below. Table 11: Comparison of Treatment Alternatives

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan

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Pedestrian Path: Two pavement treatments options are outlined for the link between the station platform and the pedestrian station entrance at the corner of 205th and Quatama Road. The priority rating measurements suggests that a raised sidewalk treatment would be the optimal solution, offering the best solutions for pedestrian comfort and safety.

â&#x20AC;˘

Bicycle Parking: The recommendations section outlined options for covered bike racks or a keycard-access bike and ride facility. Priority ratings suggest that roofed parking is the preferable solution here. This treatment is low-cost, easy to implement, and is appropriate for the current and near-future rates of bicycle parking demand at the station. As bicycle parking demand increases in the future a full bike and ride facility could be installed at a later phase of development.

â&#x20AC;˘

Bicycle Facility on John Olson Road: The priority matrix shows that a bike lane is currently a better solution than a mixed use path. Aside from the cost difference there are several other factors that make a bike lane a good choice for this network segment. With two travel lanes and a turning lane, a 40 foot curb-to-curb width, few curb cutes, and low traffic volumes there is ample space on John Olson for a safe and pleasant bike lane facility. Existing signalized pedestrian crossings on Cornell Road can accommodate the transition between the bike lanes and the MUP station link.

6.8 Phasing Based on the priority calculations we suggest the following phasing implementation:

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan Table 11: Recommended Project Phasing

Phase one consists of bicycle network improvements and the Quatama Road midblock crossing, which would constitute a needed safety upgrade. Aside from the prioritization matrix there are additional reasons for implementing the bicycle network in phase one. Area demographics show that in the bikeshed commute trips by transit are 5.5% lower and vehicle use is 7% higher than in the walkshed. A safe and appealing bicycle network may encourage a mode shift for the short trips to the station, with immediate benefits for local traffic and health impacts. Phase two is made up of pedestrian improvements. By implementing these projects concurrently pedestrians would benefit from complete treatments improving pedestrian access, solving one of the main pedestrian issues in the study site as a whole, the non-contiguous nature of pedestrian facilities in the area. Phase three projects fall into two separate categories. First the proposal for complete sidewalks on the north side of Quatama Road fills in a needed pedestrian link to housing west of the station. When the funds are available we strongly recommend this infrastructure upgrade. The

Quatama MAX Station Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan other phase three projects are expanded treatments of bicycle parking and bicycle facilities on John Olson Road. Initial improvements in both of these areas are budgeted for phase one. As latent demand for bicycle infrastructure emerges, these projects can be considered as service expansions.

7. Conclusion The future of the area around the Quatama/NW 205th Avenue MAX station offers significant opportunities to encourage alternative modes of transportation. The package we have proposed promises to seize this opportunity and improve the livability of the area. As one of the fastest growing cities in the Portland region, Hillsboro has shown a commitment to sustainable development that balances residential, employment, and environmental needs. This report supports this effort and provides specific ways to accomplish commonly held goals between Hillsboro, TriMet, and the greater region.