10 MAINTENANCE

The purpose of this maintenance section is to promote a wellmaintained, sustainable, safe, secure, and enjoyable bicycle and pedestrian network within the City of Columbus. This plan provides baseline information for short- and long-term maintenance tasks to be completed by the City and includes standardized maintenance expectations for every facility type, with the exception of sidewalks, in the network.

The following defines key aspects of facility management, beginning with operational policies, followed by the division of maintenance responsibilities, maintenance standards, and labor and equipment recommendations.

Operational Policies

Standard Of Care

The standard of care for all facilities will be consistent across the network to provide reliable and consistent transportation and recreation facilities.

Public Sidewalks

This chapter addresses maintenance expectations and tasks to be completed by the City of Columbus for all bicycle and pedestrian facilities with the exception of sidewalks. Property owners are responsible for the care and maintenance of public sidewalks adjoining their property.

Facility Condition

All bicycle and pedestrian facilities managed by the City of Columbus will be maintained in a safe and usable manner and facilities should be maintained to provide a continuous, even, and clean surface. Cracked or uneven pavement, severe bumps or depressions, obstructions to sight visibility, and similar conditions along the network should be repaired in a timely manner. Furthermore, pavement markings and signage should remain legible, visible, and clear. Conditions that pose an immediate safety risk should be prioritized above other maintenance needs.

Trailheads And Points Of Access

Trailheads and points of public access will always be maintained in a clean, usable, and safe condition.

Environmental Resources Policy

Where possible, environmental preservation and restoration should be considered and included in network facility design and ongoing maintenance, including preventative measures to protect environmentally sensitive areas; planting of vegetation along the network to enhance the user experience; and the selective use of herbicide to eliminate invasive species and problem species, such as poison ivy.

Record Keeping

The City should keep accurate and organized records of the maintenance and operations program in order to track the completion of maintenance tasks over time, eliminate gaps or overlap in maintenance services, document facility condition, and prioritize maintenance needs. Record keeping should, at a minimum, include: the schedule of routine and long-term maintenance tasks; inspection reports; hazards, incidents, and safety issues observed and action taken; and trail user input and feedback. Other record keeping items could include prioritization of maintenance projects, annual maintenance budgets and costs, and projected costs for maintenance in subsequent years.

Facility Closures

The Parks and Recreation Department and the Department of Public Works will, from time to time, officially close certain sections of the network in order to conduct repairs and upgrades to facilities and due to other maintenance activities, utility work, flooding, or other adverse weather events. At such times, the Parks and Recreation Department and Department of Public Works will post signs and install barriers that stipulate facility closure. Also, when possible, safe alternative routes for bicyclists and pedestrians will be identified and adequately signed.

Division Of Maintenance Responsibilities

Columbus’ current bicycle and pedestrian network, with the exception of sidewalks, is maintained by both the Parks and Recreation Department and the Department of Public Works.

Specific responsibilities for each department should be identified in a Schedule of Routine and Long-Term Maintenance Tasks. This schedule should be evaluated and modified as gaps or overlap of tasks are identified. As new types of facilities are added new maintenance procedures and tasks will also be required. The schedule should be reviewed annually and revised to avoid gaps in responsibility and to keep maintenance tasks located in the appropriate department.

Parks And Recreation Department

Duties for the Parks and Recreation Department will include maintenance and operations of all facilities designated as part of the People Trail network, including shared use paths, trailheads, wayfinding, and other elements of the People Trail network.

Department Of Public Works

Duties for the Department of Public Works include maintenance and operations for all on-road facilities and all offroad facilities (shared use paths) not designated as part of the People Trail network. This includes neighborhood bicycle routes, conventional and buffered bicycle lanes, cycle tracks, and select shared use paths.

Bartholomew County Highway Department

When rural bicycle routes are implemented, which are proposed on rural roadways outside of the Columbus city limits, the Bartholomew County Highway Department will be responsible for the maintenance and operations of these on-road facilities.

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (INDOT)

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is typically responsible for the maintenance and operations of all bicycle and pedestrian facilities within its public right-of-way of state highways, including crosswalks and pedestrian signals. Sometimes, as determined on a case-by-case basis and through an agreement, the City will maintain bicycle and pedestrian facilities within the INDOT right-of-way.

Agreements

The local and state agencies listed above may execute agreements that modify or otherwise assign duties and responsibilities.

Volunteers

Volunteers can provide services to help offset or reduce the costs of maintenance for the system of facilities. The use of volunteer citizen groups are especially useful for activities such as trash and litter control, invasive species removal, and safety patrols. The Columbus Park Foundation’s Adopt-A-Trail program is an excellent way to engage local citizens in the care and maintenance of the network. Through the Adopt-A-Trail program, residents, businesses, trail users, and various community groups can have an active role in maintaining the lands and facilities of the network. Volunteers in this program work with the Parks Department to provide the following services: litter collection, leaf raking, removal of invasive species, landscaping installation, and similar tasks.

Maintenance Standards For Facilities

The maintenance standards in this Plan describe when and how infrastructure within Columbus’ bicycle and pedestrian network is to be maintained. These standards establish clear expectations and ensure consistent aesthetics and functionality throughout the system. The maintenance standards described below should be amended as appropriate as maintenance needs change.

Shared Use Paths

Snow

BICYCLE LANES, BUFFERED BICYCLE LANES, CYCLE TRACKS

Vegetation

Monthly for cycle tracks only if vegetation serves as physical barrier

NEIGHBORHOOD BICYCLE ROUTES, RURAL BICYCLE ROUTES

MAINTENANCE

Inspection Once

Vegetation

Repave

Miscellaneous

Maintenance Task Details

The following recommendations, from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), describe how maintenance tasks should be performed in order to facilitate safe and efficient travel for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Inspection

Inspection of facilities should include an assessment of the current condition of each facility. The condition of each facility should be documented, including short-term issues such as the need for debris removal and long-term issues such as pavement failure or faded striping. Inspection should occur more frequently along facilities that experience frequent flooding or vandalism.

Vegetation Management

Vegetation management should include mowing, edging, and trimming vegetation as necessary to maintain a clear path for bicyclists and pedestrians. Vegetation should be maintained to ensure adequate clearance and sight visibility at driveways and street intersections and clear visibility of signage. Vegetation that obstructs the view of pedestrians and bicyclists to approaching motorists should also be removed.

CLEANING (BLOWING/SWEEPING)

Facilities should be cleared of all debris, including glass, gravel, and plant litter (leaves, branches, fruit). The clearing of plant litter may be required more frequently in the summer and fall.

Sweeping/blowing should occur after mowing near shared use paths to ensure that paths remain clear of grass clippings, which can result in slippery conditions particularly after a rainfall. Bicycle lanes, buffered bicycle lanes, and cycle tracks should be inspected and cleared after sweeping of roads to ensure that roadway debris does not collect and cause unsafe conditions in the bicycle lanes and cycle tracks. Roadways with curbing should be cleared with maintenance vehicles that pick up debris; for facilities without curbing, debris can be swept off the pavement.

Gravel can be reduced on roadways, sidewalks, and shared use paths by paving gravel driveway or alley approaches.

SIGNS / PAVEMENT MARKING MAINTENANCE

Signs should be replaced, repaired, and cleaned as needed to ensure readability. Crosswalks and other pavement markings should be repainted as needed.

Snow Removal

On streets with bicycle lanes, buffered bicycle lanes, and cycle tracks, snow should be removed from all travel lanes, including the bicycle facilities. Snow should not be stored in or on on-street bicycle facilities, shared use paths, or sidewalks. Snow removal of People Trails should be prioritized based upon commuter usage.

Drainage Repair

Drainage and catch basin grates should be flush with pavement on bicycle facilities to facilitate safe bicycle and pedestrian movement. Unsuitable grates should be replaced with bicycle and wheelchair compatible grates during resurfacing and reconstruction projects. Faulty drains that result in the pooling of water in crosswalks, curb ramps, or in any other location along a bicycle and pedestrian facility should be replaced or repaired.

Surface Repair

Repairs should be made promptly after identifying cracks, potholes, bumps, or other surface irregularities that could negatively impact bicycle and pedestrian mobility. AASHTO recommends the following regarding surface maintenance and care:

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Prevent the edge of a roadway surface repair from running longitudinally through a bicycle lane or other bicycle or pedestrian facility.

Take preventative maintenance measures, such as ensuring drainage infrastructure is working properly and eliminating intrusive tree roots.

Sweep project areas after repairs. .

Minimize long-term maintenance needs and extend the life of bicycle and pedestrian facilities by building facilities to a high pavement standard. This could include selecting pavement material that is resistant to root damage or selectively placing root barriers in locations where root damage is expected to be a concern.

REPAVE ASPHALT / REPLACE CONCRETE SLABS

AASHTO recommends the following with regard to pavement overlays:

. Correct pavement edge drop-offs.

Extend overlays over the entire roadway surface, including shoulders if intended for bicycle use, to avoid leaving an abrupt edge within a riding area.

Maintain the surface of inlet grates and utility covers to within 0.25 inches of the pavement surface and replace any that are not bicycle compatible. .

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Pave at least 10 feet back on low-volume driveway connections and 30 feet back or to the right-of-way line, whichever is less, on unpaved public road connections to prevent gravel from spilling onto shoulders or bicycle lanes.

Sweep the project area after an overlay to prevent loose gravel from adhering to the freshly paved surface.

AASHTO also recommends that municipalities establish a process that enables the public to report complaints about surface condition, snow removal, etc. and for the City to respond in a timely manner.

Labor And Equipment Recommendations

With phased development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, new personnel and equipment will be needed to undertake the day-to-day management of the system. It should be understood that shared use path and on-road facility management and operations is separate from other land management responsibilities currently associated with drainage, parks, and public streets. As such, the following offers guidance for how labor and equipment should be assigned for the care and management of the network.

OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

One (1) three-person trail crew should be employed by the Parks Department specifically to carry out daily maintenance, management, and stewardship of the People Trail network, including trailhead facilities, signage systems, furniture (benches, picnic tables, etc.), landscaping and vegetation, and other elements of the system.

People Trail management by the three-person crew should be performed by subdividing the People Trail into management zones. Based on the current size of the People Trail network, it is recommended that the Parks Department create three (3) management zones, containing approximately 6 miles per management zone. The trail crew would perform complete management activities within each management zone including inspection; mowing; sweeping/blowing; invasive species management; repair of trailheads, furniture and furnishings; vegetation management; and drainage channel management. As new sections of the People Trail network are constructed, additional maintenance crews should be added at the rate of one additional three-person crew for every 30 miles of added trails.

Equipment Needed By The Parks And Recreation Department

The Department of Parks and Recreation will require the use of a commercial mower, a 4-wheel drive pickup truck, power trimmers, power blowers, chain saws, ATVs with snow plows, pruning sheers, hand shovels, and rakes in order to manage mowing and other land management activities associated with the People Trail network. This needed equipment is in addition to other needs for maintaining Parks Department facilities and land.

Equipment Needed By The Department Of Public Works

On street bicycle facilities can mostly be maintained as part of other routine roadway maintenance. However, bicyclists are especially sensitive to conditions of the roadway, particularly potholes, debris, and uneven surfaces, so greater attention to detail and, in some cases, specialty equipment, may be needed. The Department of Public Works will require a street sweeper, replacement brooms, and a utility work machine, such as a Bobcat Toolcat, in order to care for bicycle lanes, cycle tracks, and the shared use paths not designated as part of the People Trail network.

In addition to labor and equipment, it is recommended that an annual budget be set aside to pay for annual costs for fuel, materials, repair to equipment, and other miscellaneous charges and costs for completing the maintenance and management of the bicycle and pedestrian network. The City should track costs and reevaluate the maintenance budget annually.

In order to maintain a high quality bicycle and pedestrian network, it is imperative that multiple stakeholders, including the City of Columbus and the Columbus Park Foundation, contribute to the funding for maintenance of existing facilities.

The appendix consists of a stand-alone document titled Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Wayfinding and People Trail Visual Identity This document describes a high level approach to wayfinding along the City’s entire bicycle and pedestrian network, as well as a visual identity system for Columbus’ People Trail network.