San Mateo to begin work on bicycle master plan
The City of San Mateo has recently initiated a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of a citywide bikeways master plan. The RFP was issued on November 5, and the contract is expected to be awarded January 22, 2010.
The scope of the work will include an inventory of existing facilities as well as a base survey, needs and demand analysis, recommendations for a bike network, and the development of an implementation and financial plan. The ultimate goal is to produce a bike master plan for 2020. This plan will be crucial in obtaining funding for larger infrastructure projects such as a proposed pedestrian and bicycle bridge over highway 101 at Hillsdale Blvd.
This plan piggybacks on the city's Sustainability Initiatives Plan (SIP), adopted in 2007 which set ambitious environmental goals. Some of the goals related to bike usage and VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled) include:
- *Increase mode share for pedestrian and bicycle travel to 30 percent for trips of one mile or less by 2020.
- *Reduce single occupant automobile usage for trips less than 5 miles in length by 20% by 2020.
- *Reduce single purpose school trips made by private automobile by 50% percent by 2020.
- *Concentrate future development near rail transit stations.
Yes, you read that right. The city hopes that by 2020 30% of all trips will be made on foot or by bike. That is an ambitious goal considering that currently just 3% of all trips are made this way. The national average is about 1%.
Public Participation
One of the 10 tasks outlined in the RFP document is Task 3, titled Public Participation Process. The proposal calls for the participation with the Public Works Commission and members of the pedestrian and bicycle communities. Additionally the proposal calls for the possible formation of a steering committee composed of city staff and interested members of the public. Public input will also be gathered through workshops.
I will try to keep all interested cyclists current on San Mateo's bike plan so stay tuned.