[Added 8-21-2017]
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to enable the streets of
the City of Lackawanna to provide safe, convenient, and comfortable
routes for walking, bicycling, and public transportation that encourage
increased use of these modes of transportation, enable convenient
travel as part of daily activities, improve the public welfare by
addressing a wide array of health and environmental problems, and
meet the needs of all users of the complete streets, including children,
older adults, and people with disabilities, and provide adequate parking
for commercial and residential uses.
B.
COMPLETE STREETS
STREET
STREET PROJECT
USERS
Definitions. The following words and phrases, whenever used in this
section, shall have the meanings defined in this section unless the
context clearly requires otherwise:
Design features that contribute to a safe, convenient, or
comfortable travel experience for users, including, but not limited
to, features such as: sidewalks; shared use paths; bicycle lanes;
automobile lanes; paved shoulders; street trees and landscaping; planting
strips; curbs; accessible curb ramps; bump outs; crosswalks; refuge
islands; pedestrian and traffic signals, including countdown and accessible
signals; street furniture; bicycle parking facilities; public transportation
stops and facilities; transit priority signalization; traffic calming
devices, such as rotary circles, traffic bumps, and surface treatments,
such as paving blocks, textured asphalt, and concrete; narrow vehicle
lanes; raised medians; and dedicated transit lanes.
Any public right-of-way, including arterials, connectors,
alleyways, lanes, and roadways by any other designation, as well as
bridges, tunnels, and any other portions of the transportation network.
The construction, reconstruction, retrofit, maintenance,
alteration, or repair of any street, and includes the planning, design,
approval, and implementation processes, except that "street project"
does not include minor routine upkeep, such as cleaning, sweeping,
mowing, spot repair, or interim measures on detour routes.
Individuals that use streets, including pedestrians, bicyclists,
motor vehicle drivers, public transportation riders and drivers, and
people of all ages and abilities, including children, youth, families,
older adults, and individuals with disabilities.
C.
Complete streets ordinance goals and guidelines. The City of Lackawanna
shall attempt to enhance the safety, access, convenience and comfort
of all users of all ages and abilities, providing for equality in
use between pedestrians (including people requiring mobility aids),
bicyclists, transit users, motorists and freight drivers, and businesses
and residents who need adequate parking through the design, operation
and maintenance of a transportation network, so as to create a connected
network of facilities accommodating each mode of travel that is consistent
with and supportive of the local community and businesses, recognizing
that all streets are different and that the needs of various users
will be balanced in a flexible manner to achieve complete streets.
This goal shall be implemented as follows:
(1)
The City of Lackawanna will consider including complete streets elements
in all public transportation projects, in order to provide appropriate
accommodation for bicycles, pedestrians, transit users and persons
of all abilities, while promoting safe operations for all users, in
comprehensive and connected networks, in a manner consistent with,
and supportive of, the surrounding community.
(2)
As practical, the City of Lackawanna may incorporate complete streets
infrastructure into existing streets so as to improve the safety and
convenience of users, construct and enhance the transportation network
for each category of users, and foster economic development and new
employment.
(3)
The City of Lackawanna shall recognize that complete streets may
be achieved through single elements incorporated into a particular
project, or incrementally through a series of smaller improvements
or maintenance activities over time. The City of Lackawanna shall
approach every street project and program as an opportunity to improve
streets and a transportation network for all users.
(4)
Complete streets, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities shall
be incorporated, when applicable and practical, in all City street
projects, and reconstruction, repaving, and rehabilitation projects,
with only the following exceptions:
(a)
Bicycles or pedestrians are prohibited by law from using the
facility.
(b)
The cost of establishing bikeways or walkways as part of the
project would be disproportionate in cost or to anticipated future
use (not the current use).
(c)
The existing right-of-way is constrained in a manner that inhibits
simple addition of transit, bicycle, or pedestrian improvements.
(d)
Where such facilities would constitute a threat to public safety
or health in the determination of the Director of Development or City
Council.
(5)
All initial planning and design studies, and other project reviews,
for public infrastructure projects requiring funding or approval by
the City of Lackawanna shall:
(6)
When drafting or revising design guidelines, the City of Lackawanna
shall consider including complete streets infrastructure and goals,
bicycle lanes and cycle tracks, sidewalks, street crossings, curb
geometries, and planting strips. The design of new or reconstructed
facilities should anticipate and support likely future demand for
bicycling, walking and transit facilities.
(7)
Because freight is important to the basic economy of the City and
has unique right-of-way needs to support that role, freight will be
a priority on streets classified as truck routes. Complete streets
improvements that are consistent with freight mobility but also support
other modes shall be considered on these streets.
D.
Nothing in this article is intended to impose any additional civil
liability upon the City of Lackawanna other than that which is imposed
by existing law.
