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Feedback on City of Longmont's Equitable Carbon-Free Transportation Roadmap Proposal

Updated: May 13, 2021

This feedback has been provided in response City's staff presentation to Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting on February 14, 2021

Feedback sent to staff on March 14, 2021



Ana Lucaci, MPH

Alternate Commissioner, City of Longmont Planning and Zoning Commission


I am in support of the Equitable Carbon-Free Transportation Roadmap and its goals of reducing emissions, reducing single-occupancy vehicle miles traveled, increase vehicle electrification, and improve air quality.

Below are suggestions on some of the presented strategies and some complementary ones.


Along the highway on missing link between sidewalk and trail ~ Longmont

Suggestion: Create an Active Transportation Commission within the City of Longmont’s Boards and Commissions

  • By active transportation we refer to any form of human‐powered transportation – walking, cycling, using a wheelchair or a mobility device, skating or skateboarding and scootering.

  • This is not something innovative, many small or mid-size cities (like Longmont) have this type of Committee in similar forms (see a small sample below). Having such a committee would be an asset to Longmont, improving safety and equity for those engaged in active-transportation, increasing the number of individuals engaged in such activities, contributing to the reducing carbon-emission road-map, reaching higher LAB “Bicycle Friendly Community” ranking and Walkable Friendly Community ranking, etc.

  • Example of cities with individual Commissions on Active Transportation:

    • Large cities having both a pedestrian advisory Board and a Bicycle advisory Board – Denver, Austin, Washington DC

    • Cities with active transportation plans or goals, have Active Transportation Boards to help advise their City Councils, and encourage active transportation.

    • Cedar City, UT (32,000 residents) – Active Transportation Committee exists to create and manage their Active Transportation Plan. They also have a Transportation, Arts/Parks/Rec, and Planning Committees

    • Sioux City, IA (82,000 residents) – Their Active Transportation Advisory Committee reviews and advises on bicycle and pedestrian plans, coordinates with city departments on active transportation activities, 4 tenets: Encourage, Educate, Enforce, and Evaluate for active transportation. Board membership requires at least one member with ADA expertise. They too have the 3 advisory committees listed with Cedar City above.

    • Eugene, OR (186,000 residents) – Their Active Transportation Committee manages the Active Transportation Plan, advises Council in Transportation and Recreation planning, supports and advises projects related to walking, biking, rolling, and busing.

  • One of the ATCs activities will be to help prioritize the current strategies in the proposed equitable carbon-emission roadmap, especially in the implementation of missing links to connect bicycle and pedestrian facilities citywide – and more.


Suggestions: Address Chronic Speeding

  • Many other communities have transitioned or are transitioning to reduced speeds on residential streets from 25mph minimum to 20mph.

  • Move Towards Zero Deaths addresses more highway issues – residential and city streets need focus as well (based on traffic studies, community complaints, crash and injury data, etc.)

  • Changing street design should be a focus for reducing chronic speeding. Changing the posted speed limit is one measure, but other elements in the built-environment may help in reducing overall speeds and improving safety (Charles Marohn, Understanding the 85th Percentile Speed, Strong Towns, 2020)

  • Consider closing some streets to vehicle traffic and keep them open to active transportation, children playing (Kevin Krizek, With fewer cars on US streets, now is the time to reinvent roadways and how we use them, The Conversation, 2020)

  • Use art and other low-cost tactical urbanism tools to reduce speed and make communities more enjoyable (include community and youth input, local artists, local stores for supplies and sponsorships) Bloomberg Philanthropies is well known for its support in this matter. (Chris Teale, Up to 20 Cities to improve street safety by turning asphalt into art, Smart Cities Dive, 2021)


Suggestions: Community Outreach and Educational Programs

The City could do better on community outreach and public engagement

  • Public educational events that detail the roadmap goals and outline our goals and responsibilities to achieve the goals

  • Educational programs on small steps individuals can take

  • Outreach to businesses and organizations to improve their ridership through active transportation and transit passes, internal incentives

  • Planning for the future generations – with the future generations

    • Growing Up Boulder features a wealth of resources that are easy for policymakers/decisionmakers to understand

    • From the National Association of City Transportation Officials: The new NACTO guide, Designing Streets for Kids, is an excellent guidebook that features practical guidelines for cities


Re: Adopting Move Towards Zero Deaths

Suggestions:

  • Adopt Vision Zero philosophies, as Towards Zero Deaths is more directed to highway safety and we need safety on local and residential streets as well.

  • Create a coalition of agencies, organizations, and advocates working together to promote the initiative

  • Work with Law enforcement on transportation planning, education, public messaging, crash reporting

  • Shift away from crash victim blaming and focus on how we can ALL address the underlying problems and solutions, using a Safe Systems approach

  • Public engagement to raise awareness on the initiative and gather input on effective programs that the public would like to see prioritized

  • Educational Programs to educate the public on how they can contribute to Towards Zero Deaths


Re: Electric Vehicles

As a household with an Electric Vehicle, we appreciate the recent charging station improvements across the city. EV charging stations attract customers.

Suggestions:

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