SUBJECT
Title
Action to Recommend to City Council to Consider Adoption of the Pedestrian Master Plan (Shariat)
Report
BACKGROUND
In December 2017, the City of Santa Clara was notified by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) that the City's Pedestrian Master Plan (Plan) grant application was selected for award of grant funding through the Sustainable Communities Grant. At the August 21, 2018 Council meeting, the consulting firm Alta Planning & Design was awarded the contract to assist the City with preparing the Plan. Alta Planning & Design's scope of services included project management, public outreach, reviewing existing conditions, conducting a needs analysis, developing project recommendations and associated cost estimates, and developing the overall master plan. The City held a kick-off meeting with Alta Planning & Design in September 2018.
DISCUSSION
After a yearlong effort, the City is pleased to announce the Plan is now complete. The Plan is designed as a long-rang planning document focused on encouraging walking as a safe and healthy alternative to the motor vehicle and provides a comprehensive network of safe, convenient, and comfortable pedestrian routes for people of all ages and abilities.
In mid-2018, the City and Alta Planning & Design began developing the City's first version of the Plan and developed a workplan that focused on the following five project phases: 1) Goals, Policies, and Existing Conditions; 2) Needs Assessment; 3) Recommendations; 4) Draft Plan Preparation; and 5) Final Plan Preparation and Completion.
Community engagement was a major component of developing the Plan and a variety of outreach strategies were used to seek input from stakeholders. The following outreach methods were implemented over the course of Plan development:
* Social media posts (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, Nextdoor, Channel 15)
* City Manager Bi-Weekly Blogs
* City walking tours
* School safety walk audits (2)
* Community workshops (3)
*...
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