MEMORANDUM

To: From: Date: Subject:

Mayor and City Council Michael Smith, Public Works Director 4/11/2011 Discussion of 2011 Capital Paving Project

ITEM DESCRIPTION

Approve list of streets for 2011 capital paving.

BACKGROUND

The City has budgeted $1,800,000 for paving in the 2011 budget. Additionally, $200,000 of state funding through the Local Maintenance and Infrastructure Grant (LMIG) is anticipated. The recommended 2011 project list in Attachment I has been developed based on a total paving budget of $2,000,000 and follows the recommendations of the 5-year paving plan.
BICYCLE ACCOMODATION

Roberts Drive is the only street on the 2011 project list that is designated for a bicycle facility in the Citys transportation plan. Most of the other main thoroughfares in the project list are recommended for bike routes meaning signage and sharrow pavement markings. At Councils direction, Public Works has considered the feasibility of adding on-street bike lanes as part of the paving project for all streets designated for bike facilities or routes. A field review of the conditions on each street indicates that the segments of North Shallowford, North Peachtree and Peachford proposed for paving can accommodate bike lanes through restriping with 10-foot travel lanes. Bike lanes could also be added to Roberts Drive through restriping between Chamblee Dunwoody and Austin Elementary School. North of Austin there are several segments where the existing pavement narrows. Between Aurora Lane and Manning Farm Court there is no curb on one side and there is enough room on the shoulder to add pavement for a bike lane. I estimate that this would add about 10% to the total cost of paving for Roberts Drive and would allow the bike lanes to be extended to Mill Glen. On Peeler the existing pavement between Independence Square and Huntington Hall is wide enough to accommodate bike lanes through restriping. Between Huntington Hall and Adams Road the road narrows and pavement would need to be added on the south side of the road to accommodate bike lanes. I estimate that this would add about 20% to the total cost for paving on Peeler Road.

Most of Tilly Mill Road between the City Limits and Peeler has curb on both sides of the road and is too narrow for on street bike lanes. Public Works has estimated the additional cost to move curb, drainage and sidewalk to add pavement for bike lanes will range from 2.5 to 4 times the cost of the resurfacing alone.
RECOMMENDED ACTION

I recommend approval of the 2011 project list shown in Attachment I. To work towards the Citys goal of becoming more bicycle friendly, I recommend narrowing lane striping where feasible; continuing to seek additional outside capital funding sources for bicycle infrastructure; incorporating bicycle accommodations into new road construction projects; and installing the signage and sharrows on the bike routes recommended in the transportation plan where it is cost prohibitive to widen the road for bike lanes. Upon approval, Public Works will begin preparing more detailed construction estimates and bid documents for paving.