Title
Hesperian Blvd Road Diet and Bike Lanes
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff will preview an item scheduled for the January 4, 2021 City Council meeting.
Hesperian Boulevard is scheduled for pavement maintenance work. The City as a part of its implementation of Complete Streets regularly makes improvements to the roadway during maintenance to accommodate the needs of all users of the roadways. Implementation of complete streets features on existing roadways frequently requires compromise. On Hesperian Boulevard, a choice must be made between level of service (LOS) for traffic or enhanced bicycle features.
A road diet will make room for either buffered bike lanes or a class IV bike lane. Improved bicycle facilities make riding safer and more comfortable for users. Improved bicycle facilities on this road are a goal listed in both the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and the Bayfair TOD Specific Plan. Where parking lanes exist, a road diet will permit bike lanes to be located next to the curb with a buffer between the bike lane and the parking lane. Where there are no current bike lanes, a road diet will provide room for a bike lane and buffer. These buffered bike lanes can be upgraded to class IV by installation of a barrier or other physical separation.
A road diet will reduce traffic capacity and increase congestion along the route which will increase delay for motor vehicles, including transit. This is at odds with the Alameda County Transportation Commission designation that transit is the top priority for the corridor. The road diet will also reduce the LOS to below the congestion management plan (CMP) minimum at some point in the future. It may be that by retiming the traffic signals an acceptable LOS can be maintained for the current traffic volume. However, when traffic increases and LOS drops below E the City may need to reinstate 3 travel lanes to remedy the situation or gas tax revenues may be forfeited.
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize changing the configuration of Hesperian Boulevard from Fairmont Drive to Springlake Drive such that vehicle travel lanes are reduced from three to two and buffers are added to bicycle lanes and acknowledge the future potential need to modify the roadway to meet the County’s Congestion Management Plan requirements.
PREPARED BY: Nick Thom, City Engineer, Engineering and Transportation Department