Phase 3 of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan is Complete
In February 2023, phase 3 included public review of the draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan. The project team met with community members at several events, including a virtual open house on February 21, an in-person open house at Lincoln Park Barn on February 22 and conducted a survey online to seek comments. City Council approved the final Pedestrian & Bicycle Plan on May 17, 2023.
Phase 2 of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan is Complete
In December 2022, the City project team completed phase 2, Network Plan Development, which included drafting the pedestrian and bike network maps, updating the Active Transportation Corridors, and developing recommendations for pedestrian and bicycle facilities. These documents lay the foundations of the draft Plan and inform the vision, goals and objectives for implementing the Pedestrian and Bicycle network throughout Grand Junction. The public will be able to view all of these documents in the draft Plan.
Phase 1 of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan is Complete
In October 2022, the City of Grand Junction completed phase 1, the Community Outreach and Existing Conditions Analysis. The project kicked-off in August 2022, with the selection of the 17-member Steering Committee comprised of community members. In addition to a survey conducted earlier this fall, the city’s community development and transportation staff conducted numerous community meetings and provided opportunities for the community to participate and provide feedback online as well as in-person at locations throughout the community. The result of the comprehensive community outreach is the Existing Conditions and Needs Assessment Report. The report will guide the infrastructure, policy, and programmatic recommendations in the forthcoming draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan.
The plan will provide a framework for the city on how and where to strategically make improvements and address gaps in the places people walk and bike, incorporating best practices in bicycle and pedestrian planning and design. This plan will also provide concrete, actionable guidance for the city to better implement its existing Complete Streets Policy by incorporating those policies within the goals and objectives of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan.
Transportation Engineering Design Standards Update
The City of Grand Junction is also updating the Transportation Engineering Design Standards (TEDS) Manual. The manual contains transportation engineering standards that define all transportation improvements within the city. As such, the TEDS Manual will be a critical implementation tool for the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan. The goal of the update will be to bring the document up to current industry standards, incorporating best practices in multimodal transportation and Complete Streets designs.
The TEDS update started in July 2022 with consultant selection and identifying a technical assistance committee (TAC) comprised of local developers and engineers and government agencies. The first draft is currently being written and will be reviewed by the City, other local agencies, and the TAC prior to public review and comment. Project completion is currently scheduled for June 2023.
Project Overview
In the fall of 2022, the City of Grand Junction embarked on the exciting process of developing the City’s first citywide Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan will envision the future pedestrian and bicycle network, prioritizing effective investments that will establish Grand Junction as a comfortable and welcoming place for people walking, rolling, and biking.
As a part of the 2018 Circulation Plan, the City identified Active Transportation Corridors as important for non-motorized travel. These corridors will create Grand Junction’s backbone active transportation network, improving comfort for people walking, rolling, and biking as the City upgrades or completes pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan will refine that network to ensure it reflects the community’s current network vision and improves access to key destinations. It will identify the bicycle facility types most appropriate to each corridor. This plan will also assess barriers created by major intersections, identify high-injury crash locations, develop street cross-sections, and establish other implementation strategies so the City has a clear path for phased implementation of the bicycle and pedestrian network.
To support the implementation of the recommended projects, this plan will identify performance measures and potential funding sources. Performance measures can track progress toward plan objectives over time. This will provide a quantitative way to ensure that the City moves towards its defined goals and enhance accountability and transparency. Identifying potential funding sources will set the City up for success in grant applications and regional, state, and federal contributions.
Get Involved!
Do you currently walk or bike in Grand Junction? Are you interested in making it safer and more comfortable to walk and bike in Grand Junction? Then we want to hear from you! Learn more about the project timeline, review documents, subscribe for updates, and leave your comments online at GJSpeaks.org.