Concord Bicycle Master Plan

The City of Concord's Bicycle Subcommittee of the Transportation Policy Advisory Committee Bike (TPAC-Bike), PATH and the CNHRPC kicked off the City's Bicycle Master Planning Process on Monday, December 7th at 6:30pm in City Council Chambers.

TPAC-Bike and the CNHRPC is strongly encouraging bicyclists of all ages and ability levels and any other interested citizens to attend future meetings. Topics discussed included: Creating a Bicycle Route Map; "Hot Spots;" End of Trip Facilities and Transit; Education, Encouragement and Safety; Policy Objectives; and Visioning and Goals.

The meeting also introduced the public to what a Bicycle Master Plan is and discussed what TPAC-Bike has done since it was formed, including an update on the North-South Bicycle Route that was proposed this September.

The Bicycle Master Plan will include the creation of maps for bicycle routes, trails, bike parking and facilities, educational and safety opportunities and the potential development of programs like bicycle facilities at workplaces and bicycle sharing programs.

Bicycle Master Plan Progress, January 28, 2010

Central NH Regional Planning Commission staff and the City of Concord's Bicycle Subcommittee of the Transportation Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC-Bike) are continuing work on Concord's Bicycle Master Plan. 

In the last few weeks the groups have used input from December's first public meeting to draft a bike route plan map, have mapped and labeled "hot spots" and difficult corridors identified at Meeting 1, mapped automobile traffic volumes, drafted goals and vision statements based on Meeting 1 input, and began the task of identifying a route for a possible bike trail along the Merrimack River from Bow to Boscawen.

In the next week or two we hope to schedule a date for Meeting 2 sometime in March.  At Meeting 2 we will share the work we have done and seek comment on our findings from Meeting 1.

• Purpose

The purpose of the plan is to build on the City’s bicycle related components in the 2030 Master Plan. The Transportation Chapter of the city’s current Master Plan addresses bicycling’s role in Concord, but does not provide the detail that a bicycle specific plan can have. The Bicycle Master Plan intends to take the spirit and intent of the existing Master Plan and other planning documents to create a more in depth and bicycling specific plan, and to help bring forward implementation and action items to make Concord a more bicycle friendly city.

• Intended Scope of Work

As the plan is developed, drafts of the following sections will be made available for the public to view and comment on.

Review Existing Master Plan Sections
Review of Similar Planning Studies/Consultant Review
Data Collection and Existing Conditions
GIS Mapping
Education
Public Involvement
Policy Research
Bike Route Map
Trails
Bike Lane/Sharrow Painting
Bicycle Parking
Complete Streets
Recommendations and Implementation
Prioritized Recommendations/Implementation Plan

• Public Meeting Schedule

December 7, 2009 – 6:30pm at Concord City Council Chambers

Thanks to all of those who came to the first public meeting on December 7th.  With over 65 people showing up we got a lot of great feedback from area bicyclists and residents.  Below is a list of comments that were made at the first public meeting for the Bicycle Master Plan.  This is a rough, unedited, and complete as possible list of comments.  If you wish to add comments contact Craig at ctufts@cnhrpc.org or 226-6020.  A more refined summary of findings from this meeting will be available for Meeting 2 where we will prioritize the points made here.

Meeting 1 Discussion Points - 12/7/09

Public Meeting 1 Short Survey
Take this survey if you attended the public meeting on Monday December 7th to let us know how you think it went. For other comments, contact Craig at ctufts@cnhrpc.org

Photos from the event, courtesy of Dick Lemieux:

• Future Meetings

TBA (March 2010)

• Media and Press Releases

Riders share bike-seat view of city (Concord Monitor, 12/8/09)

Panel envisions bike-friendly city (Concord Monitor, 12/7/09)

Bicycle Master Plan Aims to Make City More Bicycle Friendly (CNHRPC press release, 12/1/09)

• Existing Documents

Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Salem to Concord Bikeway Feasibility Study

• TPAC-Bike Schedule

TPAC-Bike has its regularly scheduled meetings the fourth Monday of every month. Its next meeting is February 1, 2010, 5:30pm, at the 2nd floor meeting room of Concord City Hall.