Borough of Carlisle, PA Smart Transportation Projects

Borough of Carlisle, PASmart Transportation Projects

SCORP Technical Advisory CommitteeNovember 18, 2010

Blue Lines = Existing Trails & Bike Lanes

Green Lines = ProposedConnector Trails & Bike Lanes

Community-Wide Multi-Modal Network:• “Smartly-Designed” Streets• On-Street Bike Lanes• Off-Street Bike & Pedestrian Trails• Sidewalks

Builds on Existing Assets:• Densely-populated town center• Parks, schools, shops, restaurants all within

walking distance of residential neighborhoods (www.walkscore.com)

• Community-wide sidewalk network• Wide cartways running North/South and

East/West through downtown• Individual trail segments throughout community-

wide park system• Traditional town character

Addresses Current Liabilities

• Four-lane “highways” through downtown– Speeding– Lane Jockeying– Loss of “small town feel”

• Vehicle conflicts with bikes/pedestrians• Truck traffic, noise, and pollution• Several trails, but no connectivity• Urban blight/suburban sprawl

Traffic Safety & Mobility Project

• Began with community-initiated traffic study.• Reduce main downtown streets from 4 lanes to 3 (dedicated

left turn lane in center)– AKA “road diet”

• Two-way bike lanes on both main downtown streets (High & Hanover: SRs 11, 34, 74, 641)

• Smart traffic signal technology• Curb “bump outs” for pedestrian safety• Truck traffic mitigation measures• Improvements to LeTort Nature Trail

Existing Street Cross-Section

Future Street Cross-Section

Current Street Conditions

Future Street Conditions

LeTort Nature Trail Improvements

Cross Section of Upgraded Nature Trail

Status: Traffic Safety & Mobility Project

• Traffic study completed with local funds• Received $2.8 million in Round 1 PCTI funds

for construction• Engineering & design ($225,000) funded

locally• Construction began September 2010• Expected completion in June of 2011

Bike/Pedestrian Trail Network• Began with community-initiated trail study by

LeTort Regional Authority• 10 mile network of bike lanes and walking trails

providing connections to and between:Borough Parks7 Borough SchoolsExisting trails throughout the Borough (including downtown

bike lanes & LeTort Nature trail)Downtown Carlisle

(Provide connection opportunity to three surrounding municipalities as envisioned by the LRA Urban Trail/Greenway Plan.)

Regional Perspective

Inter-municipal Connections

Community Connectivity

On-Street Bike Lane Cross Section

Status: Bike/Pedestrian Trail Network Project

• LeTort Authority Urban Trail/Greenway Plan completed with local dollars

• Existing trail segments completed with over $1.2 million in NON-PCTI funds

• Applied for $539,643 in Round 2 PCTI funds to complete project– Application highly ranked by County Planning

Commission and HATS region– Currently awaiting PennDOT consideration

Two Integrated Projects: “HUBS” Completed

Consistencywith

Smart Transportation Principles

Town centers (like Carlisle) struggle with “suburban flight” and suburban sprawl associated with an automobile-dominated society.

In order to survive, town centers must employ community development & land use principles which capitalize on their unique strengths.Streets with a “sense of place,” not highways.WalkabilityBikeability

Integration of Land Use &Transportation Decision Making:

LeTort Regional AuthorityDickinson CollegeCumberland CountyCarlisle Area Health and

Wellness FoundationPA Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources

Downtown Carlisle Association

Elm Street ProgramEast Side Neighbor AssociationAppalachian Trail Conservancy

Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce

Carlisle Area School District Clean Air Board of Central PA Cumberland Valley Visitor’s

Bureau North Middleton Township South Middleton Township Middlesex Township Downtown Neighborhood

Connection Carlisle Area Sertoma Club SoSo Neighborhood

Association

Collaboration with Stakeholders:

• Builds on existing resources, rather than constructing new infrastructure:– Re-design of downtown streets and traffic

signal system– Existing trails incorporated into network.– Existing streets/alleys reconfigured to

accommodate bike lanes.

Money Counts:

Leverage & Preserve Existing Investments:

Local Funding Match:

Leverage & Preserve Existing Investments: Downtown Street Project

• Re-design of downtown streets– Restores invaluable downtown character that

cannot be duplicated

11:Individual trail segments which will become inter-connected as part of this project.

$1,335,804:Amount of non PCTI funds allocated for trail development/connectivity in the Greater Carlisle area.

248%:Return on investment of $539,643 in requested PCTI funds.

Leverage & Preserve Existing Investments: Trail Project

• For a reasonable cost:Increase quality of lifePromote economic developmentPromote healthier lifestylesReduce pollution and congestion by promoting a multi-

modal transportationImprove safetyBuild a stronger community

Choose Projects with High Value/Price Ratio:

• Reduce conflicts between bicycles/pedestrians/vehicles– *2010: PA placed 42nd in bicycle

friendly rating in United States

• Improve vehicular safety in downtown Carlisle

• Provide safe off-road walking and running trails for the public.

Safety Always and Maybe Safety Only:

*Study from League of American Bicyclists

• Economic Development• Downtown

Revitalization• Tourism• Recreation• Conservation• Healthy Lifestyles• Family Values

Look Beyond Level-of-Service:

• 13.2 % of Carlisle residents do not own or have access to a motor vehicle.

• Focuses on providing a community-wide network connecting schools, parks and neighborhoods for pedestrian and bicycle travel while maintaining our road system for vehicular travel.

Accommodate all modes of travel:

Enhance Local Network:

• Capitalizes on advantages of urban community (highly navigable by foot and bike)

• Maintains and enhances Carlisle (as a viable place to live, work, play, visit)

– (As opposed to auto-dominant transportation projects which promote sprawl and lead to degradation of town centers like Carlisle.)

Build Towns, Not Sprawl:

Understand the Context; Plan & Design Within the Context

Downtown street modifications are model partnership between PennDOT and local government

Both projects integrate transportation initiatives with community development goals

Develop local governments as strong land use partners:

Consistency with Local and Regional Plans

Related Plans:

Consistency with Local and Regional Plans

Related Plans:

• Establish Carlisle as a model for other communities.

• Both the trail network and road diet projects:

– Launched from a solid planning foundation.– Demonstrate extensive community collaboration.– Leverage and augment existing resources.

Teachability:

Questions?