Citywide Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Action Plan

Planning and Development Menu

Description

The Citywide Active Transportation Plan will be a policy guide that assists in the development of equitable transportation improvements for non-vehicular transportation. It will envision a safe, comfortable, and connected transportation network that supports multi-modal trips and human-powered mobility options throughout the community. The plan will support the City’s sustainability goals by encouraging more residents to take trips to work, the grocery store, medical appointments, and visits to friends and family by foot or bike rather than by vehicle resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality. The active transportation planning process will evaluate current conditions and identify opportunities for non-vehicular infrastructure improvements that connect key City assets such as parks, greenspaces, schools, commercial business districts, and employment centers including the industrial core. This will provide greater mobility and safety to those who do not have access to, do not desire to, or cannot afford to have a vehicle as their primary mode of transportation. The planning process will be led by the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission thanks to a successful 2022 Community Planning grant application and award.

The Citywide Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Action Plan project team will consist of City of Euclid and Cuyahoga County Planning Commission staff and will include extensive outreach to community stakeholders, regional transportation experts, pedestrian and bicyclist advocacy groups, and the general public. The project team will inventory what facilities currently exist, will outline the community’s vision for how it wants Active Transportation to grow and develop in the future, and will describe concrete action steps to achieve that vision. The CATP will also provide the City with a competitive advantage when applying for grants and funding.

The Citywide Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Action Plan process will begin with a public kickoff meeting and community survey in late April while the project team collects and analyzes data, trends, and information to evaluate current conditions. From there, the team will spend time collecting feedback to establish a vision for how the community wants to improve active transportation and outline specific recommendations to achieve the desired vision. The final stages of the planning process will include outlining responsibilities, partners, and priorities for implementing the plan recommendations and finalizing the document in preparation for adoption. The entire planning process will take approximately nine months and conclude in Fall 2023.

Project Considerations

The City of Euclid’s 2018 Master Plan calls for the expansion of safe, non-motorized connections throughout the city.
7% of Euclid workers (18% of total households) do not have access to a motor vehicle – compared to 5% of workers (13% of total households) in Cuyahoga County.
6% of residents in Euclid commute to work via public transportation compared to 4% of residents in Cuyahoga County.
The share of 16-year-olds in the U.S. with a driver’s license dropped 47% (46.2% to 24.5%) between 1983 and 2014.
The share of Ohio’s population over the age of 65 is expected to increase from 15.9% in 2015 to 20.8% in 2045.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic:

There was a 12% increase in the number of trips made by bicycle in the U.S. between July 2019 and July 2020.
There was a 15.3% increase in the number of pedestrian deaths in major American cities not accustomed to heavy foot traffic.

Benefits

Enhance safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and mobility device users throughout the city.
Develop active transportation networks to link users to City assets, including the Lakefront, parks and green spaces, athletic recreation sites, residential and business districts, and employment centers like downtown and the industrial core.
Improve public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased physical activity and reduced vehicle and air pollution.
Strengthen the City’s economic and community value. Active transportation drives economies by creating jobs through new infrastructure investments, helps attract and retain a talented workforce, and can increase tourism, property values, business sales, and development.
Reduced infrastructure costs. Trips taken by foot or bicycle are among the most affordable options and require less infrastructure than motorized vehicles.
Improves equitable quality of life. Active transportation not only addresses the growing demand and cultural shift towards human-powered mobility, it also addresses opportunity and access to facilities within historically disenfranchised neighborhoods where more homes without vehicles may be concentrated.