A. Bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be established in the city's new construction and reconstruction projects in the public right of way, subject to budget limitations, unless one or more of the following three (3) exemption conditions is met:
1. Bicyclists and pedestrians are prohibited by law from using the street or city owned transportation facility. In this instance, a greater effort may be necessary to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians elsewhere within the right of way or within the same transportation corridor.
2. The cost of establishing bikeways or walkways would be excessively disproportionate to the need or probable use. A complete streets committee, consisting of the transportation director, planning director, city engineer, and airport director (if applicable), will determine whether the cost of establishing bikeways or walkways is excessively disproportionate on a project by project basis.
3. Scarcity of population or other factors indicate an absence of need, with consideration given to future population growth.
B. The design and development of the transportation infrastructure shall improve conditions for bicycling and walking through the following additional steps:
1. Planning projects for the long term. Transportation facilities are long term investments that remain in place for many years. The design and construction of new facilities that meet the criteria in the above stated exemption conditions should anticipate likely future demand for bicycling and walking facilities and not preclude the provision of future improvements. For example, a bridge that is likely to remain in place for fifty (50) years might be built with sufficient width for safe bicycle and pedestrian use in anticipation that facilities will be available at either end of the bridge even if that is not currently the case.
2. Addressing the need for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross corridors as well as travel along them. Even where bicyclists and pedestrians may not commonly use a particular travel corridor that is being improved or constructed, they will likely need to be able to cross that corridor safely and conveniently. Therefore, the design of the intersections and interchanges shall accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians in a manner that is safe, accessible and convenient.
3. Exemptions. Exemptions regarding the installation of bikeways and walkways shall be approved by the aforementioned complete streets committee and be documented with supporting data that indicates the basis for the decision.
4. Designing facilities to the best currently available standards and guidelines. The design of facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians should follow design guidelines and standards that are commonly used, such as the AASHTO "Guide For The Development Of Bicycle Facilities", AASHTO's "A Policy On Geometric Design Of Highways And Streets", the Institute of Transportation Engineers recommended practice "Design And Safety Of Pedestrian Facilities", and the U.S. department of transportation sponsored "Designing Sidewalks And Trails For Access Part II: Best Practices Design Guide". (Ord. 4-10 § 1, 2010)