1. Mobility Planning for Active Transportation Infrastructure and Sustainable Communities Sustainable Development Program
Kevin Kokes, AICP
January 22, 2018
American Council of Engineering Companies of Dallas

2. Sustainable Development Planning Projects
Land Use-Transportation Corridor Studies (Urban Thoroughfares)
Rail Station Area/ TOD Plans Infrastructure Analysis
Context Sensitive Transportation Plans
Form-Based Codes and Design Guidelines
Downtown Plans/ Area Visioning Studies
Safe Routes to Schools and Safety Plans

3. Planning / Designing for All Ages and Abilities
(Ages 8 to 80)
Children
Walk
Commute
Adults
Fitness

8. Evaluation and Scoring Criteria for Active Transportation Projects (2017 Transportation Alternatives Program)
Category
Scoring (pts)
Description
Regional Network Connectivity 25
Improves connectivity of Mobility 2040 regional paths and bikeways between cities and counties.
Mobility 20
Improves connections and access to transit.
Safety 15
Improves safety and provides facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists with a high level of comfort and suitability for users of all ages and abilities.
Reducing Barriers 10
Provides safe crossing of existing travel obstacles such as major roadways, interchanges, railroads, and bodies of water.
Congestion Reduction
Provide alternative travel options as an option to motor vehicle trips in areas with greater opportunity for walking and bicycling
Destination Density 5
Provides access to areas with a high density of major employers and destinations.
Air Quality Benefits
Improves air quality by supporting non-motorized facility usage.
Equity
Improves access to disadvantaged populations and underserved communities.
Local Network Connectivity
Implements locally planned priorities.

9. Existing/Funded Planned Total 11 miles 34 miles 45 miles

10. Regional Veloweb Trail Project Area
Seven Participating Agencies
Transportation Agencies (2):  DCTA and DART
Cities (3): Lewisville, Carrollton, and Coppell
Counties (2):  Denton Co. and Dallas Co.
Approx. 6.5 mi. From Hebron Station to Campion Trail
Additional 7.5 mi. of Trail Connections
North Carrollton/Frankford DART Station,
Trinity Mills DART station, and
The Existing North Levee Trail Along Denton Creek in Coppell West of MacArthur Blvd.

11. Fort Worth to Dallas Regional Veloweb Trail
Existing and Funded
17.7 miles
7.4 miles
4.5 miles
13.1 miles
10.1 miles
Planned and Unfunded
5.7 miles
3.5 miles
1.5 miles
10.7 miles (Approx. $16M) unfunded
Irving
Arlington
Grand Prairie
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Fort Worth

12. Cotton Belt Regional Veloweb Trail
(12 cities in 3 counties)
Grapevine to Plano: 25.5 miles
Fort Worth (West of Handley Ederville Rd) to Plano: 46 miles (Existing = 11 miles, Funded = 3 miles, Planned = 32 miles)

13. What are Complete Streets?
Multimodal Complete Streets There is no singular design prescription for Complete Streets; each one is unique and responds to its community context.
Source: City of Dallas
They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Source: Smart Growth America

14. Design Guidance
NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide (2012) (National Association of City Transportation Officials)

15. Dallas Road Retrofit and Cotton Belt Trail Extension

16. “A true walkable radius does not typically exist.”
Pedestrian and Bicycle Routes to Rail Stations Distance and gaps in the actual “Routes” to stations (walksheds) nctcog.org/RoutesToRail
Barriers and Gaps in the
Network
Rail
Station
Destination
0.5 mile actual
walk distance
0.5+ mile
Disconnected
pedestrian facility

17. nctcog.org/RoutesToRail

18. FHWA Pedestrian-Bicycle Safety Focus States and Cities States and cities with the highest pedestrian fatalities and/or fatality rates
One of the questions asked to address is “how pedestrian safety became a priority”
Texas and DFW are designated on the FHWA Safety Focus States and Cities with the highest pedestrian fatalities / fatality rates.
For the North Texas / Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region – landing on the list of Focus States and Focus Cities is part of the reason for elevating the priority.
This is not a good list to be ranked near the bottom.
We understand this is a region-wide issue, not just the cities of DAL and FW
Mapping and reviewing the crash and fatality data and seeing the locations and hot spots were issues are occurring is eye opening.
Also asked to address “Ways the Agency has begun to shift attention on the issue”. Will talk today about the MPO’s efforts related to:
Reviewing the data and hot spots
Education /Training for key stakeholders in the region to focus on the issues
Special studies – such as Safety Audit, and Pedestrian Access to Rail Stations
Location of new Schools and related Policies
Regional Safety Education Campaign to raise awareness
MTP Priorities for addressing the safety issues and active transportation such as through funding programs.
Pedestrian Fatality Rates* (Per 10K walking commuters)
#41: Texas
Top 50 Cities*
#26: Austin
#37: Houston #44: San Antonio
#47: Dallas #50: Fort Worth
*Source: Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2014 Benchmarking Report

19. At the regional level it is important to see the pattern of crashes in the region, and common characteristics of the areas where the crashes are occurring.
Mapping the location of crashes has helped to identify “hot spots” of pedestrian crash activity.
This map represents the 4 largest counties by population in the MPA, with yellow representing areas of lower crash activity and the highest concentrations identified with the pink and dark blue.
Tarrant County (Fort Worth) is the lower left and Dallas Co. is the lower right – will zoom in to show Dallas Co. in more detail.

20. At the regional level it is important to see the pattern of crashes in the region, and common characteristics of the areas where the crashes are occurring.
Mapping the location of crashes has helped to identify “hot spots” of pedestrian crash activity.
This map represents the 4 largest counties by population in the MPA, with yellow representing areas of lower crash activity and the highest concentrations identified with the pink and dark blue.
Tarrant County (Fort Worth) is the lower left and Dallas Co. is the lower right – will zoom in to show Dallas Co. in more detail.

21. Safe Routes to School Plans and Infrastructure Projects
Address identified barriers for students to safely and comfortably walk and bicycle to school – in combination with education, encouragement, and enforcement efforts.
WHY:
Improve safety
Reduce traffic congestion
Reduce air pollution
Improve students’ mental and physical health, and foster lifelong healthy habits
Promote a stronger sense of community

22. Education and Training
Designing for Safety Workshops
NCTCOG Hosts Workshops for Engineers and Transportation Planners
TxDOT, City Staff, Transportation Agencies
Case Study Site Visit Exercises
Education and Training
A significant emphasis in the region is focused on raising awareness, and bringing stakeholders together to share information and to collaborate.
For roadway designers and planners throughout the region this includes workshops to explore best practices.
Shift the mentality of moving more vehicles quicker through a corridor, to considering all modes of transportation equally.
Often the most valuable portion of these workshops are the on-site case studies allowing the participants to experience actual conditions experienced by pedestrians, and discuss options to make improvements.

23. Kevin Kokes, AICP Principal Transportation Planner kkokes@nctcog
Kevin Kokes, AICP Principal Transportation Planner (817) nctcog.org/bikeped
Thus, much of what we do at the MPO level is collaborate on regionally significant projects and build partnerships to implement regional goals and policies of the MTP adopted by the Regional Transportation Council.
This includes training / workshops, stakeholder meetings, partnering in TOD / land use studies with local municipalities, participating in demonstration projects as models for the region, and campaigns to raise awareness and focus attention on the issues.
Appreciate the opportunity to speak today and talk about active transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
January 22, 2018
American Council of Engineering Companies of Dallas