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Street Plans Submittal South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards ManualCOMPLETE STREETS POLICY & DESIGN STANDARDS MANUAL Submitted to: City of South Miami August 7, 2013 R equest F o R q uali F ications #RF q #P l 2015-15 Anthony Garcia, Principal || 221 Aragon Avenue, Suite 204 || Coral Gables, FL 33134 || 305.978.6426 || tony@streetplans.org COVER LETTER...................................................................................1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................2 FIRM OVERVIEW..............................................................................3 PERSONNEL .....................................................................................4 REFERENCES......................................................................................9 PROPOSED APPROACH.................................................................10 - 18 RELEVANT EXPERIENCE..................................................................19 - 20 ATTACHMENTS: AFFIDAVITS AND SUBMISSION FORMS TABLE OF CONTENTS August 7, 2015 Maria M. Menendez, CMC, City Clerk City of South Miami 6130 Sunset Drive South Miami, Florida 33143 Dear Selection Committee: We are delighted to submit this response to the South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual Request For Qualifications. Street Plans is an internationally recognized transportation planning and design practice based in Miami and New York City. Founded in 2009, our company has demonstrated expertise in bicycle/pedestrian planning, urban design, land use planning, and best-practice education tools. Our multidisciplinary capabilities have been solicited for projects in urban, suburban, and rural environments across the United States. Our regional work makes us a natural fit for this project. We were the principal authors of the 2009 City of Miami Bicycle Master Plan, the 2014 City of Coral Gables Bicycle Pedestrian Plan, and the 2015 City of Miami Beach Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plans and Street Design Guide. At the local level, our roots in this community run deep. Anthony Garcia, President of our firm, is a South Miami local, and a daily visitor to the city. On a personal note, he has been a pedestrian and bicyclist in and around the city since childhood, and has first hand knowledge of what it is to be a motorist, bicyclist and pedestrian on the streets of South Miami. This daily user experience will be invaluable in drafting a manual for complete streets in South Miami. This effort will require an excellent understanding of design and engineering practices in the latest multimodal transportation practices, in addition to understanding the circumstances unique to South Miami. Our approach to this challenge will be informed by analyzing the South Miami’s smart growth land use and transportation context, two elements that will be incorporated into the Complete Streets Manual and Policy changes, to ensure the appropriate calibration of great streets around the city. We have brought together a team of planners and engineers tailored to meet the challenges described in the RFQ. John Mark Palacios, P.E. will be our civil engineer, with over 8 years of progressive pedestrian and bicycle engineering experience with the Florida Department of Transportation. He is an expert in Level of Service analysis, and helped beta test the LOS analysis computer programs used by the FDOT. The Street Plans team has no conflict of interest in pursuing this project and would be honored to continue our work in helping to plan a multimodal future for the communities of Miami-Dade County. Our firm’s unique ability to undertake this work is explained in the pages ahead. Sincerely, 221 Aragon Avenue, Suite 204 || Coral Gables, FL || 33134 || 305.982.7343 || info@streetplans.org Anthony Garcia Principal, The Street Plans Collaborative Page 2 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 Founded in Miami Beach in 2009 by Mike Lydon and Tony Garcia, Street Plans is an internationally recognized planning, design, and research practice with offices in Miami and New York City. The firm is a leader in transportation planning and urban design, with a focus on great streets, and compact, walkable urbanism. While we work on small and large-scale projects across the country, we also work extensively here in South Florida. About half of our projects are located in Miami- Dade County. This RFQ fits squarely within our experience, interests and expertise. We are working on very similar street design plans and manuals for clients in Burlington, Vermont, Pinecrest, Miami Beach, Lewiston, Maine, San Francisco, California and Ponderay, Idaho. While the work has varied in scale and scope, our company consistently combines our knowledge of smart growth principles with an understanding of the latest transportation design techniques. Our company places a high value on documents that are graphically beautiful and easy to understand for staff and the general public. Publications authored by Principals Tony Garcia and Mike Lydon include The Smart Growth Manual, The Open Streets Project Guide, and Tactical Urbanism Vol. 1 + 2, as well as the recently published Tactical Urbanism book, published by Island Press. They are thought leaders in the field of street design and implementation strategies. We understand the need to balance practical, short-term improvements with long-term needs. To this end we have built a practice around the idea of Tactical Urbanism - short term action, for long term change. Improving pedestrian and bicycle safety does not have to break the bank, and can happen immediately, while long-term infrastructure projects are planned and studied. We know how to use your previous plans (like the SMITP) to begin to make improvements around the city in a short amount of time. CURRENT AND PROJECTED WORKLOAD: Our company currently has the following current/anticipated work commitments throughout the course of the contract term (estimated to be 10/1/2015 to 02/29/2016): Pinecrest / US1 Bicycle Pedestrian Mobility Plan, Complete, final council meeting September 2015 Miami Beach Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan, 95% complete, finish by November 2015 Miami Beach Street Design Guide, 85% complete, finish by November 2015 Burlington Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan and Complete Streets Guide, In production, to be complete by June 2016 Freeport, ME Active Living Plan. Scheduled to begin in July and complete by October 2013 Tactical Urbanism Resource Guide, anticipated December 2015 - December 2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Coral Gables office will lead the work on this project. The address is 221 Aragon Avenue, # 204 , Coral Gables, FL 33134, Phone number - 305-978-6426 South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 3 MIKE LYDON PRINCIPAL JM PALACIOS, P.E. CIVIL ENGINEERING SUOM FRANCIS PLANNER ERIC KATZ PLANNER PLANNING OUTREACH CIVIL ENGINEERING FIRM OVERVIEW In the role of leading firm or as sub-consultant, The Street Plans Collaborative, Inc. has completed over 60 urban planning and transportation projects in the past five years. A majority of this work has included a focus on street design and planning that required design, planning, policy development, and public involvement expertise. We are a boutique firm with five employees who pride ourselves on being selective with the projects we pursue so that we can give each project the time it deserves. While there may be times that all of the firm resources will be focused on this project, the main authors of the Complete Streets Guide and Policy Recommendations will be Tony Garcia, Suom Franics and Eric Katz. Tony Garcia will serve as the Principal-in-Charge and Project Manager for the Complete Streets Manual and Policy Recommendations. Tony has experience managing projects that combine street design manuals/guides with practical implementation projects across the United States, and specifically here in South Florida. His work with the local community and knowledge of best practices make him a natural fit to lead this project and manage day-to-day operations of the project. Tony operates our Miami office and will coordinate and manage the Street Plans team. The team includes Suom Francis, who will be the lead production designer of the Complete Streets Manual, and designer Eric Katz, who has a specialty in grading and ranking systems that balance short term ease of implementation with long CLIENT SOUTH MIAMI/ PROJECT COMMITTEE PROJECT DIRECTOR, QA/QC TONY GARCIA PRINCIPAL, STREET PLANS term impact on transportation. Mike Lydon will primarily provide additional Quality Control review as it relates to the complete streets guide and policy recommendations. Mike operates Street Plans’ New York office and is currently managing the firm’s New York area projects. John-Mark Palacios , P.E., will provide in-house civil engineering, Level of Service analysis, and cost analysis/ comparison support. As the former bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for Broward County, Florida, John- Mark’s technical skills will be of high value in determining the economic and design feasibility associated with the proposed improvements in the master plan. John-Mark is based out of the Street Plans Miami office. He is currently developing a software tool to calculate Level of Service for all modes using the criteria developed in the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. Together, this team has produced street design plans and standards for almost 40% of urbanized Miami-Dade County! We want to bring our considerable knowledge, skill and experience to our hometown South Miami. Page 4 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 PERSONNEL Anthony tepedino GArciA || principAl Anthony Garcia is Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative. Anthony leads many of the firm’s local projects, and is a leader in the field of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Prior to launching the firm’s Miami office, Anthony was Project Director for six years at the Dover Kohl & Partners affiliated architecture firm Chael Cooper & Associates. His work there gave him a strong background of urban planning that includes urban design, policy writing and code analysis. He has experience in hosting public meetings, and has completed a number of bicycle and pedestrian plans at the scale of city, neighborhood, and campus and contributed to the manuals and policies that help shape the resulting spaces. As a writer, and advocate, Tony’s work has appeared in or been featured by The Daily Business Review, Atlantic Cities, Next American City Magazine, New Urban News, The Real Deal, Momentum Magazine, Streetsblog, the Miami Herald, the El Paso Times, and The Miami New Times, among other publications. Most recently he was invited to be part-time adjunct faculty at the University of Miami School of Architecture, teaching an online New Urbansim class, and architecture studio. From 2008 to 2012 he was the Publisher and Managing editor of the transportation blog TransitMiami.com, a web journal dedicated to public participation and discourse in South Florida. He is also Chairman of the Green Mobility Network, a Miami-based organization that advocates for greater use of active transportation throughout the region. Among the many professional organizations he is active with, are Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals, the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Dade Heritage Trust, the Urban Environment League, and the Miami Chapter of the Congress of the New Urbansim. Anthony possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Urban Design from New York University. His focus of study at NYU was community development and participation in the planning process, with a concentration on the use of technology in garnering public support. He went on to receive his Masters in Architecture from the University of Miami, where he worked as a research assistant on a number of urban policy papers related to code writing and urban development. His work as a researcher at UM brought him in contact with internationally renowned architects and urban planners and helped him develop a keen understanding of the connection between urban form and the policies that shape it. He is currently pursuing his architectural license, and plans to add this skill to the company suite of services. Anthony was consistently on the prestigious Deans List at New York University prior to graduating with Honors for his research into the development of Modern Cuban Architecture. This led to an invitation to participate in a summer design studio at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. While at the University of Miami he was one of a handful of students invited to the Rome Program, an intensive six month program of study into the history of traditional urbanism and architecture. Most recently he was one of a select few regional participants in the LEED-Homes pilot program, where his work on a historic South Miami cottage led to a Gold rating and a Dade Heritage Trust Award for excellence in preservation. South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 5 anthony tePedino GaRcia 221 Aragon Avenue, Suite 204 || Coral Gables, FL || tony@streetplans.org || 305.978.6426 The STreeT PlanS CollaboraTive, PrinCiPal || MiaMi, Fl || aPril 2009 – PreSenT •Village of Pinecrest U.S.1 Mobility Plan, Pinecrest, FL •Miami Beach Bicycle Master Plan, Miami Beach, FL •Coral Gables Bicycle /Pedestrian Plan, Coral Gables, FL •Miami Beach Street Design Guide, Miami Beach, Fl •Lewiston/Auburn Complete Streets Guide, Lewiston, ME •University of Miami Pedestrian Safety Study •Northwest Community Master Plan, El Paso, TX, SmartCode Application •Bayfront Parkway, Miami, FL, Tactical Urbanism Pop-up Park •El Paso, TX Plan El Paso TX Citywide Bicycle Atlas, Handlebar Survey •Brighton Boulevard, Denver, CO, Context-Sensitive Street Design Plan + Technical Assistance •Mission Valley Infill Master Plan, El Paso, TX, SmartCode Application •Westminster, CO 2030 Bicycle Master Plan Project website •El Paso, TX Plan El Paso Comprehensive Plan, Charrette, and Website •City of Miami, FL Health District Pedestrian and Bicycle Study, Handlebar Survey •SmartCode Bicycle Module Calibration and Handlebar Survey, Fitchburg, WI •El Paso, TX Connect El Paso: BRT/Transit Oriented Development Master Plan •El Paso, TX Connect El Paso: Website, Public Outreach Tool •Miami, FL MiMo - Biscayne Boulevard Streetscape Analysis •Cambridge, MA Somerville Transportation Management Association Study •Greenville, SC Stone Avenue Corridor Project Website •Miami, FL Urban Environment League Website •South Miami, Fl LEED GOLD Chael-Dover Cottage •Miami, FL Calle Ocho Mixed-Use Development •Miami, FL Biscayne Shores Mixed-Use Development UniverSiTy oF MiaMi SChool oF arChiTeCTUre, adjUnCT FaCUlTy|| MiaMi, Fl || aUg 2012 – PreSenT edUCaTion + honorS •Urban Environment League Orchid Award for Transit Commentary, 2011 •University of Miami School of Architecture, Masters of Architecture, 2005 •University of Miami School of Architecture, Rome Program for City Planning, 2003 •Harvard University, Graduate School of Design Summer Architecture Program, 2002 •New York University, B.A. Urban Planning & Architecture, 2002. reCenT leCTUreS, WriTing + aWardS •“Planning for the future,” Good Government Initiative Lecture, February 2015 •“MIami Beach Mobility - Visions for the future,” MBNU, March 2015 •Ludlam Trail Town Hall, November 2014 •“Better Streets, better place,” Bike Coconut Grove panel, November 2014 •“Transit and the Brain Drain,” Op-Ed Section, Miami Herald, February 2014 •“Regional Transportation in Miami-Dade,” CNU-Florida Statewide Meeting, 21 Feb, 2013 •“Tactical Transit,” Purple Line, 3 March, 2013 •“Connecting South Dade,” City of Pinecrest Transit Meeting, 10 Nov, 2012 •“Tactical Urbanism Panel,” Florida APA Conference, 12 Sep, 2012 •“Tactical Urbanism Panel,” Congress for the New Urbanism 20, May 12, 2012 •“Urban Freeways: Devastation & Opportunity,” Congress for the New Urbanism, May 11, 2012 •“The Greening of Biscayne Boulevard,” Op-Ed, Miami Herald, March 2, 2012 •“Miami’s Urban Renaissance,” Social Media Week Panel, February 2012 •Tactical Urbanism Volume 2, Street Plans Press, February 2012 Page 6 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 Mike lydon, cnU-A || principAl Mike Lydon is the Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative. Before launching the firm in 2009, Lydon worked for Smart Growth Vermont, the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, and Ann Arbor’s GetDowntown Program. From 2006 - 2009 Lydon worked for Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company (DPZ), an international leader in the practice of smart growth planning, design, and research techniques. At DPZ Mike worked extensively on Miami 21, the recipient of the American Planning Association’s 2011 National Planning Excellence Award, and contributed to several other research initiatives and smart growth projects. As a planner, writer, and advocate, Mike’s work has appeared in or been featured by CNN Headline News, Planetizen, Grist, Utne Reader, Next American City Magazine, New Urban News, Planning Magazine, Streetsblog, the Miami Herald, the El Paso Times, and The Village Voice, among other publications. A founding member of the New England Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), a Board Member for CNU New York, and a steering committee member of the Next Generation of New Urbanists, Lydon remains active in both local and national planning, design, and smart growth advocacy issues. He also speaks regularly at trainings and conferences on the topics of smart growth, planning and social media, complete streets, tactical urbanism, and active transportation. He currently serves on an Executive Committee for Transportation Alternatives—one of the country’s leading active transportation advocacy organizations, based in New York City and is an advisor to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Mike received a B.A. in American Cultural Studies from Bates College and a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan. Mike is a CNU-Accredited Professional. He encourages you to trade four wheels for two. Mike lydon, cnu-a 155 Water Street, Floor 2 || Brooklyn, NY 11201 || mike@streetplans.org || 917.767.9850 the Street plAnS collAborAtive, principAl || brooklyn, ny, April 2009 - preSent •Trailnet Bicycle Commuting Awareness and Encouragement Media Campaign, St. Louis, MO •Tech Town Master Plan, Detroit, MI •Miami Beach, FL Bicycle Master Plan •Albemarle Regional Bicycle Master Plan, Albemarle 10-County Region, NC •Rio Grande Boulevard Corridor Plan, Albuquerque, NM •5401North Bikeway Plan, Raleigh, NC •Jean Lafitte, LA Town Resiliency Master Plan •Allentown, PA Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan •Miami, FL Bicycle-Friendly Community Designation Application •GrowSmart Rhode Island Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Trainings •Brighton Boulevard Context-Sensitive Plan and Technical Assistance, Denver, CO •The Open Streets Project •Westminster, CO 2030 Bicycle Master Plan •Plan El Paso, TX Comprehensive Plan •City of Miami, FL Health District Pedestrian and Bicycle Study •SmartCode Bicycle Module Calibration, Fitchburg, WI •Bicycle City Master Plan, Gaston, SC South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 7 SUoM FrAnciS i project plAnner suOm Francis is a project planner at The Street Plans Collaborative with a strong background in community research methods, graphic design for urban planning and architecture projects and food sovereignty advocacy. Prior to joining Street Plans, suOm assisted in the development of an urban farm and cultural space for Native at-risk populations in Albuquerque, NM. In addition, she received a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant to research and map the Foodshed for the State of New Mexico in an effort to reduce the number of food deserts in the state as part of a team of sustainability researchers. suOm is an active member of the Caribbean Studies Association, a scholarly organization where she annually presents on Food systems Planning, Food sovereignty and environmental resilience around the Caribbean. She was also most recently a mapping specialist helping develop virtual wayfinding as part of the Google indoor maps team in the North East United States. She also worked as a technical field operator for Google Earth around the East Coast and the Caribbean. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and speaks/writes intermediate Portuguese. SuOm holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Planning and Design and a minor in Sustainability Studies from The University of New Mexico. Her focus of study was Food Systems Planning as a means of survival for culturally resilient populations. In addition , she focused on the forestry of memorial parks in urban contexts, their role in wildlife migration, and alternative context-based social uses. suoM FRancis 221 Aragon Avenue, Suite 204 || Coral Gables, FL || suOm@streetplans.org || 305.336.3413 the Street plAnS collAborAtive, project plAnner|| 2013 - preSent Miami Beach Bicycle Master Plan, Miami Beach, FL Miami Beach Street Design Guide, Miami Beach, FL City of San Marcos Smartcode Street Design Guide, San Marcos TX Coral Gables Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan, Coral Gables, Fl Ludlam Trail Safe Routes to School Program, Coral Gables, FL. GooGle nyc || U.S eASt coASt || 2012 Developed virtual wayfinding applications for Google Indoor Maps throughout the United States east coast + Caribbean. Assisted in the development of GPS driven mobile market research applications. Updated maps and developed efficient navigation routes of large venues including the National Institute of Health, SFO San Francisco International Airport and Madison Square Garden. edUcAtion + honorS University of New Mexico , Bachelor of Arts, Environmental Planning and Design, 2013. 2012 USDA Foodshed development grant recipient 1st Place Board competition APA New Mexico Chapter Conference 2013. 2nd Place Board competition APA New Mexico Chapter Conference 2013. Bioneers National Conference Scholarship Award African American Excellence Award at the University of New Mexico Page 8 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 john-MArk pAlAcioS, pe || enGineer John-Mark is a professional engineer with a passion for roadway design--not simply design that meets the standards, but design that meets human needs. He joins the Street Plans team as a special project collaborator with expertise in pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facility engineering and design. For the past three years he has been the Pedestrian/Bicycle Coordinator for the Florida Department of Transportation District 4, which covers most of the “Florida Atlantic” megapolitan area, from Broward to Indian River County. Much of his time is spent reviewing plans on screen or issues in the field, pushing for quality walking, bicycling, and transit facilities. While earning his Civil Engineering degree at the University of Florida, nestled in the hills of bicycle-friendly Gainesville, he tested the LOSPLAN software that FDOT currently uses to evaluate roadway Level of Service. John-Mark is skilled at performing pedestrian and bicycle LOS analysis, and at balancing the needs of pedestrians and cyclists with motorists. He recently started work on a Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida Atlantic University. John-Mark is a certified Professional Engineer in the State of Florida. John-MaRk Palacios, Pe 1384 NE 36th Street || Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334|| johnm@streetplans.org || 917.767.9850 the Street plAnS collAborAtive, enGineer || MiAMi, Fl 2012 - preSent • Trailnet Bicycle Commuting Awareness and Encouragement Media Campaign, St. Louis, MO • Burlington, VT Bicycle Pedestrian Plan • Miami Beach, FL Bicycle Master Plan FloridA depArtMent oF trAnSportAtion, bicycle/pedeStriAn coordinAtor || Ft. lAUderdAle, Fl, SepteMber 2009 - 2014 • Broward B-Cycle January 2010 to February 2014 • Palm Beach MPO Master Bicycle Master Plan October 2009 to March 2011 • Martin County MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan, January 2011 to February 2012 • Bicycle safety advertising campaign, 2009-2012 • Bicycle and pedestrian funding sources reference document, 2011 • District Scenic Highway Coordinator South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 9 1. Miami Beach Street Design Guide and Bicycle Plan Contact: Xavier Falconi, P.E., Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator 1700 Convention Center Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305.673.7000 x6129, xavierfalconi@miamibeachfl.gov Type: Street Design Guide and Bicycle Pedestrian Plan Description: This project is a comprehensive bicycle and pedeestrian master plan, including a ranked and graded project bank and a separate Street Deisgn Guide that details street types and designs for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users. It is currently in the last 25% of production and will be complete by November. Tony Garcia handlede day-to-day management of the project (project manager), with the help of Suom Francis (production), Eric Katz (production), Mike Lydon (production). 2. Pinecrest/US1 Bicycle-Pedestrian Mobility Plan Contact: Stephen Olmsted, Planning Director 12645 Pinecrest Parkway, Pinecrest, Fl 33156 305.234.2121, solmsted@pinecrest-fl.gov Type: Corridor plan, Street section guidelines Description: The US1 Corridor Bicycle Pedestrian plan provides short and long term projects, including incremental policy changes that need to be addressed, as well as infrastructre improvements like sidewalks, crosswalks, and street trees. Day-to-day managed by Tony Garcia (project manager), Suom Francis (production), Eric Katz (production), JM Palacios (engineering), and Mike Lydon. Project to be completed by October 2015. 3. City of Coral Gables Bicycle Pedestrian Plan Contact: Sonia Succar, Environmental Analyst 2800 S.W. 72nd Avenue || Miami, FL 33155 SSuccar@coralgables.com ||305.720.1659 Description: From Spring 2013 - Spring 2014 Street Plans helped identify bicycle projects that to could be implemented in the short term with a $400,000 investment. We conducted our analysis with an eye toward filling in gaps in the existing network and using exist- ing street widths (rather than widening streets). Day-to-day managed by Tony Garcia with the assistance of Suom Francis. This project is complete. 4. City of Miami 2030 Bicycle Plan Contact: Collin Worth, Bicycle Coordinator 305.562.1124 || cworth@miamigov.com Time Frame: Fall 2009 - Spring 2012 Description: We have a longstanding relationship with the City of Miami, and have done a variety of projects for them, including the 2030 Bicycle Plan, the Health District Bicycle Pedestrian Plan, and their recent application to become certified by the League of American Bicyclists as a bicycle friendly city. Mike Lydon was project manager and handled day- to-day activities, while Tony Garcia assisted with production.All of these projects are complete. 5. Plan El Paso Comprehensive plan Contact: Carlos Gallinar, Planning Director 915.541.4662|| gallinarrc@elpasotexas.gov Description: From Fall 2010 - Spring 2012 Tony Garcia (project manager) and Mike Lydon (production) wersubconsul- tants on the El Paso Comprehensive Plan, where they were the authors of the transportation elemetn of the plan. REFERENCES Street Plans was retained to develop a regional street design guide that includes a variety of best practice policy and design responses calibrated to typical urban, suburban, and rural land use/transportation conditions found in the St. Louis region. To best illustrate possible and desired physical transformations, Street Plans developed before and after plans, sections, and photosimulation renderings to communicate desired outcomes. Complimenting the physical design solutions are a variety of infographics, case studies, and best practice descriptions that substantiate a more balanced approach to the region’s pressing active transportation challenges. The guide will be used to educate the St. Louis region’s citizens, planning professionals, and political leaders. It will also be used to advocate for a more economically prosperous and equitable region, one that focuses on the creation of streets designed for everyone. Page 10 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 In 2014, Street Plans led the communications and outreach effort for the West Haven, CT Transit- Oriented Development Plan. The effort, which sought out ways to overcome low stakeholder engagement, used creative and cost-effective online and offline engagment techniques to entice more than 150 people to attended two public charrette meetings. IMPROVING MOBILITY FOR ALL USERS Planning a transportation network that can be implemented today and in the years to come will require a balanced approach to mobility. Street Plans believes that the key to providing more mobility options for citizens is to make it easier to walk, bike and ride transit, while also understanding the needs of motorists. Our approach to transportation planning is simple: design the facilities that the most people will use, understanding that most people do not use only one mode of transportation. Our contemporary mobility patterns involve many forms of transportation, yet the predominant paradigm of our age is to design for motorists alone. In addition to addressing vehicular mobility, we aim to foster a low-stress, safe bicycle and pedestrian network. This will require more than the planning and construction of individual facilities; greenways, bikeways, sidewalks, roadway improvements, safe crossings must feature truly context-sensitive design and be in step with fiscal constraints if they are to be successful. The Street Plans team is very excited about working with the City of South Miami to address these challenges. We believe that our team’s expertise and willingness to go beyond project expectations will help educate and encourage stakeholders in the pursuit of a more sustainable city. The tasks below illustrate our proposed approach to this project. The end word product will be a cohesive mobility plan, with recommendations for maximizing public safety and mobility of vehicles, golf carts, bicycles, and pedestrians. Our goal is to establish high-quality, engineer-approved design and materials guidance for Complete Streets projects in South Miami. We envision creating a downloadable guide, dynamic website, and outreach that will establish clear guidance for design, materials, and implementation of common street safety pilot projects (crosswalks, curb extensions, bikeways, plazas etc.), especially as it relates to achieving safety goals like those outlined in the South Miami Transportation Plan. During the project initiation phase, our team will meet with the client team to finalize project goals, discuss the task-by-task methodology, and finalize the time line for completion of both projects. This discussion will inform our final project management plan. Following these key steps, the Street Plans team will kick off the planning process by closely reviewing all relevant local, regional, and state plans, studies, policies, and recently completed projects. HOW WE’LL DO THE WORK Portland Area North Bicycle & Pedestrian IMplementation Plan PACTS Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System In 2013-14 Street Plans completed a Bicycle and Pedestrian Implementation plan for five towns in the north of Portland region. South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 11 TASK 1 - DATA COLLECTION While Street Plans is familiar with several past and recent transportation planning initiatives in the region, we’ll kick off the study by reviewing relevant local, regional, and state policies, studies, plans, data and completed projects. This information will be used to reinforce our knowledge and capability in conducting the analysis and recommendations. We will review existing capital improvement projects to ensure that the needs of all users are considered, and will prevent redundancy, reduce chance of error, and identify those places where improvements for one mode can dovetail with other planning processes. In particular, Street Plans’ involvement with other adjacent and regional planning efforts in areas such as Pinecrest, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, and the City of Miami, will help ensure important regional connections. 1.a Existing Plan Review. While, Street Plans is familiar with several past and recent transportation planning initiatives in the region, we’ll kick off the South Miami South Miami Complete Streets Manual by reviewing relevant local, regional, and state policies, studies, plans, and completed projects. This information will be used to reinforce our knowledge and capability in conducting the analysis and recommendations. We will review existing capital improvement projects to ensure that the needs of cyclists and pedestrians are considered, and will prevent redundancy, reduce chance of error, and identify those places where pedestrian and bicycle improvements can dovetail with other planning processes. In particular, Street Plans’ involvement with other adjacent and regional planning efforts such as Coral Gables and Miami will help ensure important regional connections. Plans to be reviewed include, but are not limited to: •All Current South Miami Capital Improvement Plans •Miami-Dade Bicycle Master Plan (1997) •Miami-Dade County Unified Planning Work Program •City of South Miami Zoning Code •City of South Miami Comprehensive Plan •Previous transit and parking plans 1.b: Transportation Survey Street Plans will deploy a data collection survey to catalogue important qualitative and quantitative data about transportation patterns in the study area. This process will include photo & written documentation of street conditions, crash data, speed data, transit data, travel behavior, safe routes/dangerous routes, and interactions with pedestrians and bicyclists regarding issues of safety, desire for facilities, and needs of the community. This user-level approach is fundamental to the Street Plans approach, and will allow us to identify solutions to existing opportunities and challenges, such as possible barriers to connectivity. It will also provide the team with first hand experience and an understanding of less measurable characteristics, such as the “feeling” of safety when walking & biking. Elements to be surveyed may include: Collaborative “issue-mapping” is just one of several public involvement exercises our team utilizes as part of the planning process. The Handlebar and Walkabout Survey is a collaborative analysis and community involvement process allowing the consultant, client, and stakeholders to obtain information through real-world experience. Plus, it’s fun! Street Plans develops and manages websites for public sector clients that may incorporate the city’s branding and an easy-to-use back-end Page 12 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 - Sidewalk inventories, pavement conditions - Parking resources, - Location and conditions of existing bike routes, paths, lanes, and park areas as well as an analysis of pedestrian bicycle infrastructure and conditions and other bicycle amenities (bicycle parking location/quality, changing facilities, etc.) - Land use and development patterns around transit - Crash data (all modes) - Posted Speed limits vs. Actual Speed - Right-of-way widths - Traffic counts (ADT) - Metrorail, Metrobus, Shuttle ridership/station/stop boarding information - Crosswalk and Intersection amenities - Areas of high pedestrian activity - Safe routes/dangerous routes - Lighting (scale, location, needed maintenance) A four-lane to three-lane road diet makes way for high-visibility crosswalks, including a rapid flashing beacon, median refuges, and buffered bicycle lanes.AFter A four-lane commercial arterial thoroughfare where crosswalks and bicycle facilities are noticeably absent. Be FOre Street Plans led the creation of the St. Louis Regional Streets for Everyone Design Guide. The Guide was developed using six typical rural-to-urban street design and land use contexts found throughout the metropolitan region. Street Plans is working with Miami Beach, FL to develop dozens of design alternatives for the city’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan and Street Design Guide Project. EXISTING OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3 In the City of Miami, Street Plans recommended a number of ‘road diets’ to more efficiently utilize Miami’s available, but limited street space.These projects were implemented soon after our plan was approved. South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 13 - Signage amenities (wayfinding/caution) - Quality/Safety of interactions between people walking, biking and driving. The Street Plans team will work closely with the city and stakeholders to analyze the Survey findings and develop criteria for identifying improvement priorities. All material and research to be used in the Existing Conditions section of the final report. The report, including photos and written documentation, will best inform localized recommendations for small scale interventions like crosswalk striping and bicycle parking facilities, to larger items like needed roadway improvements, and the designation of on & off-street bicycle facilities (lanes, sharrows, greenways, paths etc.) TASK 2 - CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Our team will work closely with the City of South Miami to develop an appropriate stakeholder engagement plan. In particular, Street Plans has a national reputation for developing creative stakeholder engagement activities. We will develop a brand identity for the project, We thrive in a robust public engagement setting and can apply “plan-by-doing” methodologies that not only test out physical infrastructure types, but work with stakeholders to actually physically deliver the project! PUBLIC MEETINGS Our team will work with the Client to design and host one public charrette as outlined in the RFQ. This charrette may include a project overview, best practice presentation, and interactive exercises like collaborative “issue mapping,” that allows for the identification of issues and opportunities In the fall of 2014 Street Plans worked with the City of Morgan Hill, CA and dozens of citizen-volunteers to design and deliver an alternatives analysis in real-time using low-cost and temporary materials. Input was solicited and a clear favorite emerged.The approach inspired the city council to proceed with a six month pilot test that includes a robust data collection process. In June, 2014 Street Plans worked with the Atlanta Regional Commission, People for Bikes, and the local community to build and test out low-cost buffered bicycle lanes and new intersection design treatments. Cycling increased 83% and speeds decreased by 35% along Auburn Avenue. Page 14 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 By establishing standards for design and materials, this guide will help city departments and community groups to “speak the same language” and collaborate on pilot projects that improve streets and neighborhoods. We like the idea and the spirit. But... •What materials are safe to approve? •What level of design is needed, and what are the standards? •What are the protocols for safe installation and removal? •What are our evaluation metrics? We want to create a short-term pilot for traffic calming measures at a dangerous intersection in our neighborhood. •How can we get city approval? This type of work does not fall within existing permitting structures. •What is the best way to design the temporary facility? •What are the best materials for our project and budget? within the city. Complete Streets issues will be an obvious focus of the meeting, but so too will environmental, land use, and urban design. Our team believes strongly in developing street designs that consider the total urban context and the many factors that impact bicycling and walking beyond street design. STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP The Street Plans team will initiate contact with all appropriate South Miami stakeholders to schedule a series of regular meetings. The agenda for these meetings will evolve alongside the development of the project, but will certainly include material and exercises generated by the Street Plans team, and include project updates, sharing of resources and best practices, the gathering of technical input, identification of challenges and opportunities, and the discussion of existing and proposed operations/planning policy barriers. HANDLEBAR AND WALKABOUT SURVEYS In order to include as many people, we also propose supporting the public meeting with walkabout and handlebar surveys that allow the project team, Client, and community stakeholders to physically walk and bicycle South Miami. This user-level approach ensures a more personal and qualitative understanding of the existing conditions information our team will be collecting and analyzing, specifically projects identified in the SMITP. The Handlebar and Walkabout Survey is also a great opportunity to engage select project stakeholders who may be invited to take part in the survey process and help us obtain local knowledge about special locations and share wider perspectives on what makes a street safe and inviting for walking and bicycling. This aspect of our planning process will lead to recommendations regarding the suitability of adding various bicycle and pedestrian facilities, with a special eye towards balancing the land use and urban design goals of various city initiatives. This includes identifying opportunities for potential reduction in lane width or reassigning street space as well as understanding impacts to the movement of bus and other forms of motorized vehicles. TASK 3 - POLICIES, PROCEDURES & DESIGN STANDARDS MANUAL Following the Data Collection from Task 1 and public comments from Task 2, the Street Plans team will identify a series of short- term recommendations to improve the quality of existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the City of South Miami, and potential new improvements. The recommended improvements will include descriptions of estimated capital and operating costs, and specify the necessary coordinating entities that would be affected by the improvements (FDOT, MDT, local municipality etc.). Projects/recommendations may include: •improved Bicycle and Pedestrian facilities •Closing pedestrian and bicycle network gaps South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 15 A cycle track in Missoula built one way (above), and a cycle track built in New York City another way (below), may have different costs.Thus, Street Plans will work with the Client to calibrate the material, labor costs, type, configuration, and location context to the Miami region, especially where local precedents do not currently exist. Before/after images, like these showing a proposed a buffered, two-way bicycle facility are key to explaining projects in documents such as a street design guide.These were created for just such a guide in St. Louis. . •Improvements/repairs to signalized intersections •Lowering posted and actual vehicular speeds •Land use characteristics/regulations •Improved open space connections and landscaping •Improved public transportation options/integration •Adding/improving bicycle parking •Improved wayfinding amenities •Enhanced pedestrian crossings Working with Client team and all other stakeholder and advocacy groups our team will develop alternatives for a select number of given corridors (to be deteremined by a negotiated contract). Street Plans will develop a narrative with accompanying graphics that represent feasible multimodal treatments alternatives for selected projects, with a focus on enhancing connectivity. The graphics may include street sections, plan views, photorealistic or hand-drawn renderings, and diagrams capable of communicating the design alternatives in a clear and visually compelling manner. In addition, we propose developing at least one low-cost “pilot project” within this time line. This pilot project would use temporary materials to test out a street design option, as well as to educate people about the possibility for change. Street Plans is a leader in this “test before you invest” planning process, which is of high value for our clients and project collaborators because it allows aspects of complete streets (bikeways, curb extensions, mid-block crossings, two- way street conversions, intersection markings etc.) to be tried out as “renderings in real-time.” Street Plans has national experience with such demonstration projects that allow communities and city leaders to test out new street design treatments so that public feedback is gathered and options shown to be viable - or not - before making substantial financial and political commitments to more permanent infrastructure. If desired, our recommendations will explain how an alternatives testing project could be accomplished on one or more corridors and then carried out in a very short period of time. These recommendations will include effective methods for conducting public outreach and engagement, material selection, and other ways to utilize existing city policy and procedures to implement the projects over a set period of time. COMPLETE STREETS MANUAL Street Plans will develop a Complete Streets Manual that details specific dimensions and intersection conditions. This task will involve drafting typical street sections that correspond to each of the typical Right-of- Way conditions found in South Miami. The guide will include a full range of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, traffic calming measures, and intersection treatments. The task would entail drafting the existing conditions and calibrating each typical street width and intersection type (50’, 100’…etc) for different bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Page 16 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 These drawings will be central to the master plan. Street Plans will also include before/after renderings with corresponding data that demonstrate how to reduce stress and improve safety and connectivity within the greenway and pedestrian network. If desired, these drawings could depict appropriate treatments at the convergence of more than one bikeway type. We believe this to be an important part of the proposed project because the highest proportion of stress, as well of crashes, occurs at intersections, not in mid-block locations. This material will be integrated into the final plan. The guide will be illustrated with simple and clear imagery, with the goal of serving as a “plug-in” to the field’s most effective resources, like the NACTO Street Design Guide and Vision Zero policy framework. All design drawings, materials, and procedures included in the guide will be reviewed by a licensed engineer for compliance with best practices in design and safety. The completed PDF Guide will: •Create engineer-approved standards and a “kit of parts” design model to help city staff (from Departments of Transportation, Public Works or Parks) safely create and/or evaluate proposals for pilot projects of varying durations. •Assist community groups, not-for-profit advocacy organizations, and citizen groups spearheading Tactical Urbanism projects in creating safe, effective projects that can easily “speak the language of Engineers” and obtain approval from the necessary local agencies. FINAL DELIVERABLES: The final deliverables for the project, as identified in the RFQ will be: •Complete Streets Manual •Policy recommendations for code / comp plan •Funding recommendations for implementation •Grading/ranking system for transportation network •Specific project recommendations for short term implementation The Consultant team will aggregate information from the team’s planning process into a draft document(s) to be presented to the City of South Miami staff, and any other key stakeholders for review. The Consultant team will integrate all input to produce final Plan sections and recommendations for inclusion in city’s final Plan. As detailed in the RFQ, the final deliverables will be both draft and final reports that include all of the items listed in the tasks above. These include the plan, including, but not limited to, the street sections, design guide, short term improvements, Our evaluation and ranking system takes into account qualitative and quantitatve measures to establish a project bank. The metrics by which we score projects is based on how much it will impact modeshare, in this case with the hope of increasing the number of people who walk, bike and take transit.We also factor in the ease of implementation, including metrics such as political support, cost, and public support. These elements toegther provide a weighted score with which to rank projects. The Open Streets Guide Opening Streets to People || Sharing Resources || Transforming Communities The Open Streets Project is a collaboration between Street Plans and the Alliance for Biking & Walking.The project resulted in a print guide, dynamic website, and set of templates and tools to share best practices for open streets programs. Since the materials were originally published 4 years ago, this project has helped scale open streets nationally. South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 17 and description of the overall methodology, findings, supporting justification, recommendations, priorities and projected planning level budget for an implementation plan. T6 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 LB ml C ity of f itChburg C hapter 23 S mart C ode diStriCt The Fitchburg SmartCode Bikeway Design Guide details more than 25 street types, intersection treatments, and bicycle parking types. In January 2012 this document was unanimously approved by the local Council and quickly put to use, enabling the design ofWisconsin’s first cycle track, which as was under construction a year later in January 2013, (pictured at above). PROJECT SCHEDULE: Per the specifications in the RFQ, the following is Street Plans understanding of the project schedule. In our experience, a five month time-line is highly ambitious, but we are up to the task. Complete Streets Manual + Policies Nov 2015 Dec 2015 Jan 2016 Feb 2016 Mar 2016 Task: 1.Project Management 2.Data Collection 3.Stakeholder Meetings (1x month) 3.Charrette 4.Draft Manual + policies 30%60% 4.Final Manual + policies These street sections were produced as part of the El Paso Comprehensive Plan Update in 2010. Street Plans wrote the transportation element of the plan as subconsultants to Dover Kohl and Partners, and helped craft a complete streets policies at the city-wide level. Page 18 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 Transforming COMMUNITIES with Tactical Urbanism Plazas. Parklets. Open Streets Events. Pilot Complete Streets Upgrades. Whether you live in a community large or small, you’ve likely seen it for yourself. Cities around the world are embracing the incremental approach and grassroots energy of “Tactical Urbanism” to implement street safety and neighborhood improvement projects. Examples of Tactical Urbanism include highly-visible and formalized efforts, such as New York’s Pavement to Plazas program, or San Francisco’s Parklet program, both of which have been replicated in dozens of cities across North America. Examples may also be seen in rapid implementation of small projects to advance Vision Zero goals, such as with San Francisco MTA’s commitment to complete at least 24 traffic safety improvements within 24 months of adopting the Vision Zero framework. At the same time, Tactical Urbanism may come in the form of guerrilla crosswalks or curb extensions created by frustrated residents or activists in the middle of the night. Sometimes sanctioned, sometimes not, Tactical Urbanism projects are defined by the following characteristics: •A deliberate, phased approach to instigating change; •The offering of local solutions for local planning challenges; •Short-term commitment and realistic expectations; •Low-risk/low-cost approach, with a possibility for high reward; •The development of social capital and social cohesion among community members; and •Enhanced collaboration between public, private, and non-profits sectors. A growing body of international case studies demonstrate the many benefits of the Tactical Urbanism approach. Tactical Urbanism: •Is responsive and action-oriented, simultaneously testing the long-term vision while making sure community needs are met in the short-term •Is inclusive and transparent - it empowers communities by engaging stakeholders as co- creators •Enhances resiliency by helping communities strengthen social connections •Presents a low-cost and low-risk option for experimenting with controversial projects, allowing a host of local actors to test new concepts before making substantial political and financial commitments tactical urbanism: a city and/or citizen-led approach to neighborhood building using short-term, low-cost and scalable interventions to catalyze long-term change. From New York City (top), Hamilton, ON(left), or Morgan Hill, CA (right), cities and citizens are finding ways to integrate Tactical Urbanism into the project delivery process. Although our publications provide detailed case study narratives, they do not provide any level of design guidance, nor do they discuss details of recommended materials. This proposal outlines our vision for meeting this need with a high-quality design and materials guide for Tactical Urbanism projects. South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 • Street Plans Collaborative • Page 19 The Street Plans ranking and grading system utilizes a two tier approach to gauge a project’s potential impact on modeshare and ease of implemention. This yields a project bank that balances far reaching goals with short Street Plans has been advising the city on every major capital improvement project over the past two years. An integral part of the work has been an exhaustive analysis of street plans and sections like the one above of Washington Avenue. Miami Beach Bicycle Plan + Street Design Guide Street Plans was hired by the City of Miami Beach to re-imagine its transportation network. Working with Atkins North America, Street Plans launched Bike-Walk Miami Beach, a multi-phase project that envisions a holistic and comprehensive redesign of the Miami Beach street network to re-balance transportation priorities and take into account the concerns of pedestrians, cyclists, tree canopy advocates, and neighborhood associations alike. The project builds on previous mobility, bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic safety studies to inform the best methods for integrating active transportation modes into the network. The project started in June 2012 with two kickoff bicycle summits, where community residents were introduced to the planning team, and heard a lecture on the latest best practices in transportation planning from Street Plans. In addition to the Bicycle Summits, Street Plans designed and built a project website that further augmented the public participation process. Following the initial meetings, the project team documented existing conditions, leveraging Street Plans’ innovative handlebar survey process, and meeting with community residents. Since October 2014, we have been in production on the Bicycle Pedestrian Plan for the city, and a Street Design Guide that will Street Plans is now in the process of developing the final plan for this project. The plan includes a robust existing conditions analysis, and detailed section and plan-view drawings to illustrate project recommendations. The plan makes recommendations for policies and programs, and provides detailed guidance on implementation. A Street Design Guideline insert will support the implementation section of the final plan. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Project List Categories Project Information CriteriaRanking Score The Street Design Guide explains in simple and beautiful graphics the basics of street design, including detailed street types, transit station area improvements, and other public space guidelines, like Page 20 • Street Plans Collaborative • South Miami Complete Streets Policy & Design Standards Manual RFQ #PL2015-15 Though it is not known for its bicycle or pedestrian infrastructure, in 2010 the Coral Gables City Commission took the historic decision to invest $400,000 in the expansion of bicycle facilities around the city. At that time, the city also embarked on an ambitious public works campaign to repave city streets and implement traffic calming projects around the city. The primary purpose of this study was to identify the projects that to could be implemented in the short term with the initial $400,000 investment, while also identifying investments that can be made in the years ahead. We conducted our analysis with an eye toward filling in gaps in the existing network and looking for opportunities to implement the plan using existing street widths (rather than widening streets). The initial success of the plan has exceeded our expectations. Less than one year after the approval of the plan, the city had already implemented one of the easiest projects, along Sevilla, with plans for an additional 10 miles of bikeways within the first five years. Coral Gables Bike-Ped Plan US1 CORRIDOR BIKE/PED MOBILITY PLAN With a goal of putting a regional bikeway within a 1/4 mile of every village residents, the ambitious US1 Corridor Bicycle Pedestrian plan provides short and long term projects. Pinecrest’s existing suburban land use pattern is a primary obstacle to improving bicycle pedestrian mobility. To that end, we have proposed a series of incremental changes that will allow the Village of Pinecrest to make changes at a pace that works for them. To make this happen, the Plan introduces policy changes that need to be addressed, as well as infrastructre improvements like sidewalks, crosswalks, and street trees. This bike lane is evidence of our ability to get visible projects on the ground with the help and support of staff. Annoted renderings like the one above allow the public and elected officials to understand how changes add up over time. Sections and photos, as below, add to the story.