Dane County
Regional Planning Commission
Land Use & Transportation Plan
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Dane County
Regional Planning Commission |
CHAPTER 4
The Land Use and Transportation Plan
Basis for the Plan
The plan is not one of the alternatives studied and described in the Appendices volume, but rather, a combination of elements from several of the scenarios based on public input through several forums. The public responses to the three alternatives and goals presented in the May and June 1996 meetings clearly pointed toward the concentrated growth end of the scale with an aggressive program of mass transit. Various options were tested, and it was determined that the existing infrastructure and transportation system would function best if growth was slightly less concentrated in the central area than this alternative would suggest. This led to a proposed land use pattern somewhere between the Concentrated Growth and Adopted Plans alternatives. The transportation plan, however, is based on a much higher level of transit service than is available today.
The plan is guided by the goals identified during the public involvement process and confirmed by a county-wide public opinion survey. The plan also makes several primary recommendations about the desired character of development in the county.
Plan Elements and Structure
The plan is composed of two primary elements—a Land Use Plan element, and a Transportation Plan element. These plan elements were developed together in an integrated approach, even though they are presented separately in the report.
The following discussion begins with describing the overall regional development patterns and distribution that form the core of the future vision for Dane County. This overall framework outline is followed by a description of the Land Use Plan element, outlining specific objectives and implementation strategies. The Transportation Plan element, designed to provide an integrated all-mode transportation system to serve the future land use and development envisioned, is then presented with specific objectives and implementation proposals.
The two primary plan elements are intergrated and designed to reinforce each other__the Transportation Plan, by providing residents with the desired mobility, access, and choice and by locating transportation facilities and improvements to help achieve the desired land use patterns; and the Land Use Plan, by promoting land use patterns which support and reinforce a reliable all-mode transportation system which offers residents convenient and economical alternatives to automobile usage.
The plan is guided by the goals identified during the public involvement process and confirmed by a county-wide public opinion survey...
The land use plan is designed to serve the projected needs of the community to accommodate new growth and development anticipated through the year 2020. This plan is based upon the community goals discussed previously. The transportation plan which follows is based upon this land use plan and reinforces those same goals.
This land use plan is intended to be a framework for development, recognizing that each individual community will continue to create its own plans and implement local land use changes through local ordinances. The plan is intended to provide guidance to those local communities and link their individual efforts to a regional perspective.
The following description of the land use plan element is divided into three main areas of discussion:
1. Overall regional growth and development patterns and distribution;
2. Urban development areas, including the central urban area as well as outlying communities; and
3. Rural land use and development.
The Regional Development Plan Map illustrates the framework for making decisions relative to growth and development throughout the region. (See Exhibit 4-1) It is intended to be a broad representation of desired development patterns throughout the county. Specific land uses for particular parcels are not illustrated on the map, but are developed through local city, village, and town plans within the framework of the Regional Development Plan. It is not intended to represent land use recommended for specific parcels.
The main elements shown on the map consist of: 1) the areas of planned urban development (Urban Service Areas); 2) the rural development and farmland preservation areas (Rural Areas); and 3) the identification of critical natural areas and environmental resources intended to be protected from development (Open Space Corridors).
Urban Service Areas: Urban service areas (USAs) are those areas in and around existing communities which are most suitable for urban development and capable of being provided with a full range of services. Urban services are public services normally provided or needed in urban areas, including: public water supply and distribution systems; sanitary sewerage systems; higher levels of police and fire protection; solid waste collection; urban storm drainage systems; streets with curbs and gutters; street lighting; neighborhood facilities such as parks and schools; and urban transportation facilities such as sidewalks and mass transit.
Urban service areas represent the extent of planned urban growth over the planning period. Since the urban service areas are intended to accommodate 20-25 years of future growth, they are not fixed boundaries, but are periodically reviewed and expanded to reflect growth and development that has occurred and the relevant future planning period. Short-term staging boundaries can be developed to indicate where urban development should occur and services be extended over the near-term future (up to 10 years), to assist in logical staging of the growth and extension of services anticipated in the plan.
The Regional Development Plan Map also shows limited service areas where only one or a few limited services, such as sanitary sewer service, are provided to accommodate special or unique areas (remote park facilities, sanitary landfills, etc.) or areas of existing development experiencing sewage disposal problems. These areas are not intended to receive a full range of urban services or additional urban development. For more information on urban service areas and limited service areas, see the Appendix.
Rural Areas: Rural areas, as shown on the Regional Development Plan Map, are the areas outside of urban service areas intended to remain predominately rural in character. These areas include both farmland preservation lands as well as rural non-farm development which is consistent with the adopted County Farmland Preservation Plan and local town plans.
This plan recommends that agricultural lands are looked at for their importance as a community-wide resource and suggests two tools which can help focus development activities in those areas where it best serves the community. Agricultural Preservation Areas would delineate those areas with the highest quality agricultural lands and preserve them for agricultural purposes. These areas would be similar to those already delineated in the county's Farmland Preservation Plan. Rural Development Areas would delineate those areas in each town where development should be focused. Using local planning and zoning authority and new tools such as the transfer or purchase of development rights, the towns could focus growth where it best serves the needs of the entire community. Agricultural Preservation Areas and Rural Development Areas are not specifically designated on the Regional Development Plan Map, but are identified in the county Farmland Preservation Plan which incorporates local town plans.
Open Space Corridors: The open space corridors shown on the Regional Development Plan Map include two distinct components: 1) Urban Environmental Corridors within USAs; and 2) Rural Resource Protection Areas in rural areas. Urban environmental corridors are a continuous open space system based on natural features and environmentally important lands such as streams, lakes, shorelands, floodplains, wetlands, steep slopes, woodlands, and parks and other publicly owned lands. Rural resource protection areas are based primarily on floodplains, wetlands, and shoreland areas (land protected through zoning or other regulations), together with existing or proposed publicly owned or controlled lands. The plan recommends that no new development be allowed within these corridors.
...the plan is intended to provide guidance to those local communities and link their individual efforts to a regional perspective...
Dev. Plan Map
Environmental Protection Framework for the Plan
Background and Approach
The beauty of the Dane County landscape is one of the region's strongest assets. From the wooded hillsides and picturesque stream valleys of the Driftless Area in the western part of the county, to the rolling glacial marsh and drumlin topography in eastern Dane County, the region includes a wide range of representative Wisconsin landforms and natural resources. In the center, the Yahara River chain of lakes provides a spectacular setting for the state capital. In nearly every survey of public opinion, the scenic beauty and quality of Dane County's environmental and natural resources is one of the most important elements in the high "quality of life" rating of the region. Accordingly, Dane County residents place high priority on protection of environmental quality and scenic and natural resources.
Environmental protection planning for the region is based on a two-pronged strategy that incorporates both pollution control and resource protection, recognizing that either approach alone would not be sufficient.
Pollution control, as reflected in regional plans, is not limited to waste treatment facilities or technology such as emission control devices. Land design and management is recognized as one of the most effective and important approaches to preventing and controlling pollution. Appropriate location and siting of development and of waste treatment and disposal facilities, vegetation management, erosion control, utilization of natural drainage systems, and buffer areas are all approaches that can go far in protecting our environment if they are used consistently and in concert with resource protection.
Resource protection recognizes that land and natural resources perform critical environmental functions such as groundwater recharge and discharge, water quality improvement, erosion control, storage of floodwaters, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty. Some lands are particularly vulnerable in urban and developing areas. It is important that these critical and vulnerable lands and resources be identified and their environmental functions protected.
The resource protection strategy reflected in this plan recognizes the inter-relatedness of adjacent landscape types and the importance of protecting valuable ecological units and linkages. The approach to resource protection is based primarily on a county-wide system of continuous open space corridors, which recognizes that many of the lands and resources performing critical environmental functions and most needing protection are associated with stream valleys and water features. The corridors also emphasize the importance of continuity of environmental systems and protection of the land/water edge.
Goals:
The primary goals directly related to environmental protection include:
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environmental functions and protects important environmental, cultural, and historic resources.
11. Develop and promote a county-wide system of open space corridors as a framework to protect the natural environment and scenic values, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.
The more specific and detailed objectives, policies, and recommendations necessary to pursue these broad goals are outlined in other adopted regional plans, including, but not limited to, the Dane County Water Quality Plan, Parks and Open Space Plan, Farmland Preservation Plan, Solid Waste and Recycling Plan, Lakes and Watershed Plans, and Priority Watershed Plans as well as in many local city, village and town plans and ordinances.
Objectives:
The primary specific environmental protection objectives and policies that are included in this county-wide framework land use and transportation plan include the following:
· Recognize that the natural environment is an integrated system of interacting land, water and air resources; and to protect the health and stability of this resource system.
· Provide a safe, healthful and visually pleasing environment to enhance the quality of life for all Dane County residents.
· Protect shoreland, floodplain, and wetland areas through the county, and emphasize their value as focal points of natural beauty and recreation.
...the beauty of the Dane County landscape is one of the region's strongest assets...
· Preserve the role of wetlands and woodlands as essential components of the hydrologic system as well as valuable wildlife habitat, and restore or improve degraded wetland and woodland resources where possible.
· Recognize the inter-relationship of adjacent landscape types, and avoid dividing natural units or breaking important linkages.
· Minimize adverse impacts of necessary encroachment of utilities and transportation facilities into open space corridors by: (a) avoiding encroachment when reasonable alternatives are available; (b) where encroachment is necessary, select routes which minimize environmental impacts, and avoid dividing natural units; and (c) incorporating design considerations which minimize impacts and contribute to compatibility with the corridor functions.
· Protect the quality and supply of groundwater as the principal source of water supply in Dane County.
· Guide urban and rural development to those locations where adverse impacts on ground and surface water quality are minimized.
· Incorporate in the design of urban development natural drainage patterns and measures to minimize or entrap pollutants before they enter surface waters.
· Incorporate stormwater management practices, such as detention and infiltration, in urban development to maintain groundwater recharge and avoid increases in runoff.
· Guide urban development to areas where soils are suitable for such development.
· Protect the scenic values of the Dane County landscape by preserving and enhancing vegetative cover, particularly on steep, wooded slopes and stream and lake shorelands.
· Protect and maximize public enjoyment of the scenic qualities of Dane County by preserving views of landmarks, including high promontories or viewpoints, assessing the visual impact of proposed developments and facilities, and improving public access to scenic areas and views, particularly urban lake and stream shorelines.
· Minimize production of waste for disposal by supporting programs for reducing consumption, and recycling and reuse of waste materials.
· Locate and design waste disposal sites and facilities to minimize environmental impacts and health hazards, and to utilize natural or organic processes to the extent possible.
· Return resource extraction and waste disposal sites to productive use through final site design and reclamation.
· Support programs to improve air quality and control the emission of air pollutants in the region.
· Support programs to protect communities and neighborhoods from excessive noise levels.
Regional Development Patterns and Distribution
Goals:
The primary goals related to the pattern and distribution of growth and development throughout the region include:
1. Promote the development of balanced communities throughout the county with sufficient commercial, industrial, residential, and open space land to meet the needs of existing and future residents.
3. Promote the development of functionally and visually distinct communities, encouraging compact, mixed- use neighborhoods, and the efficient provision of a full range of public services.
4. Provide a full range of safe and affordable housing opportunities for all residents throughout the county
7. Support and maintain downtown Madison as the region's major activity center and seek greater diversity and vitality in that area.
8. Promote an economic development strategy that will provide suitable employment opportunities and a stable and diversified economic base.
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environmental functions and protects important environmental, cultural, and historic resources.
11. Develop and promote a county-wide system of open space corridors as a framework to protect the natural environment and scenic values, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities
The Land Use and Transportation Plan proposes that most of the region's projected population, housing, and employment growth should be located within Dane County's urban communities with only a small percentage of the expected growth accommodated in rural areas. This recommendation recognizes the desires expressed by residents for balanced communities with a variety of land uses that include a choice of living environments, diverse employment opportunities, and a full range of public facilities and services necessary to meet the needs of a large and growing population and desire for growth to occur in a cost- effective, environmentally sensitive manner.
The recommendation to concentrate most of the region's growth in the urban areas also acknowledges that only modest amounts of carefully-located, non-farm development can be accommodated in the rural areas if the functional and visual distinction between urban and rural communities is to be maintained. Dane County residents have consistently identified this distinction, and the beauty of the rural/agricultural countryside, as among the region's most valuable attributes.
The specific objectives proposed to pursue these goals through year 2020 include:
· Directing 34% of the new dwelling units to the Outlying Urban Service Areas (OUSAs), planning for rural non-farm development as described on page 36 and directing the balance of new dwelling units to the Central Urban Service Area (CUSA). Currently, about 70% of the dwelling units are in the central urban service area; 17% in the outlying USAs; and 13% in the rural areas. This recommended development scenario is somewhat denser than proposed in the Adopted Plans scenario but less dense than proposed in the Concentrated Growth scenario as described in the Appendices volume.
· Create balanced communities with a variety of economic and housing opportunities. By reducing the proportion of new growth in the CUSA and correspondingly increasing it in the outlying USAs, the plan moves to create the balance called for by the goals. This reflects a shift from 1990 existing conditions where 70% of the residential units were located in the CUSA, 17% in the outlying USAs, and 13% in the rural areas. If this goal can be achieved, it would result in about a 3% shift in housing to the outlying USAs by year 2020 from the CUSA. This shift would help attain the goal for balanced, distinct communities in the outlying USAs. This shift in housing would correspond with efforts to create job opportunities in these same communities which could accommodate some portion of these new residents.
· Focus the approximately 57,000 new jobs into areas of the county where they can be served by public utilities as well as enhance the use of transit. To accomplish this, the plan recommends 74% of new non-agricultural job growth be located in the CUSA and 25% in the outlying USAs. This compares to the CUSA's 83% of total county employment in 1990. The allocation of these additional jobs to these outlying USAs is an attempt to create local employment options rather than making it necessary for most residents to commute to the CUSA. This recommendation concentrates somewhat more on job creation in the outlying communities than proposed in the Adopted Plans alternative, and less concentrated than proposed in the Concentrated Growth alternative. If this goal is realized, it would result in an increase in percentage of total jobs to outlying USAs of about 2% from the CUSA. Rural, non-agricultural jobs would remain about the same proportion of total jobs in the county.
· Provide a broad range of housing opportunities throughout the county with a slight shift in the locations of single-family and multi-family housing. Trends suggest a need for more duplex and multi-family housing in the county. This objective attempts to spread that housing out somewhat to provide a variety of housing types and styles in all communities. This will offer residents a number of choices in where and how they live. Under this plan, the county-wide goal for new construction in urban areas would decrease the average net single-family residential lot size from 11,000 square feet to 9,500 square feet. Similarly, the average density for multi-family units would increase from 12 to 16 dwelling units per acre. Recognizing the local diversity of current housing patterns, the plan encourages local communities to consider contributing toward these county-wide goals. This concept was supported by 79% of the community in the public opinion survey mentioned above.
· Provide a more balanced mix of housing types throughout the county. In 1990, the ratio of single-family units to multi-family units in the county was about 55 percent single family and 45 percent multi-family. In the CUSA, this ratio was closer to 50/50, while in the outlying communities, this ratio was about 70/30. Outlying communities should provide more duplex and multi-family units in order to provide a variety of housing types for a stable, balanced community providing for the diverse needs of residents. Multi-family housing refers to all housing that is not detached single-family. It implies nothing about the ownership of the units, and can occur at a variety of densities and costs. Examples of multi-family housing include rental apartments and duplexes, owner-occupied condominiums, and owner-occupied townhouses. It should be noted that it is not necessarily the single family to multi-family mix that is most important but also the owner/renter mix.
The Land Use and Transportation Plan proposes that most of the region's projected population, housing, and employment growth should be located within Dane County's urban communities with only a small percentage of the expected growth accommodated in rural areas...
· Communities should provide a range of housing options which will meet the anticipated needs of their residents and families. Providing a diversity of housing types allows people of different ages, life situations, and incomes to live together in the community. This plan projects a 2020 distribution of single-family units to multi-family units in the outlying urban service areas of 59% to 41%, if trends since 1980 continue.
· Provide a slightly greater share of the County's duplex and multi-family units in the outlying USAs to achieve a more balanced regional distribution of housing types, as well as a wider range of housing opportunities in the outlying communities. A strong majority of respondents to the November 1996 phone survey of Dane County residents felt that all communities throughout Dane County should provide a variety of housing choices.
The following implementation strategies are recommended to pursue the goals and specific objectives to achieve the recommended regional development pattern:
· Encourage and assist all local communities in developing detailed local comprehensive plans consistent with balanced community and neighborhood planning concepts.
· Review local and county land use, zoning, subdivision, and siting decisions as well as proposed urban service area expansions for consistency with adopted local and county-wide plans and policies.
· Assist outlying urban service areas in promoting job creation and economic development that will enable them to move toward diverse employment and community balance.
· Review and encourage the revision of county and local land use and zoning regulations and ordinances to remove barriers to balanced community development, diversity of housing choice, and traditional neighborhood planning approaches which encourage mixed uses.
· Encourage the revision of local plans and zoning ordinances to allow smaller lot sizes and in some cases, narrower neighborhood streets.
· Promote the redevelopment of underutilized or unused parcels within urban service areas to reduce the pace of expansion into undeveloped open space or agricultural lands.
· Review and encourage the revision of county and local land use and zoning regulations and ordinances to remove barriers to balanced community development, diversity of housing choice, and traditional neighborhood planning approaches which encourage mixed uses.
· Encourage the revision of local plans and zoning ordinances to allow smaller lot sizes and in some cases, narrower neighborhood streets.
· Promote the redevelopment of underutilized or unused parcels within urban service areas to reduce the pace of expansion into undeveloped open space or agricultural lands.
Urban Form and Design
Goals:
The primary goals related to urban form and design throughout the region include:
2. Promote compact urban development in new areas adjacent to existing urban areas and in the redevelopment or infill development of existing neighborhoods.
3. Promote the development of functionally and visually distinct communities, encouraging compact, mixed-use neighborhoods and the efficient provision of a full range of public services.
4. Provide a full range of safe and affordable housing opportunities and choices for all residents throughout the county.
6. Encourage concentration of employment and activity centers at nodes and along transit corridors to maximize the efficiency of the existing and future transportation system.
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environmental functions and protects important environmental, cultural and historic resources.
11. Develop and promote a county-wide system of open space corridors as a framework to protect the natural environment and scenic values, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.
While there are many differences in size and character among Dane County's urban communities, the Land Use and Transportation Plan includes broad objectives and recommendations that are applicable to all. Individual communities may address the issues covered by the recommendations differently, and it is expected that each may seek to carry out the recommendations in somewhat different ways based on local situations, preferences, and styles.
The overall recommendation for urban development is to create urban communities that are relatively compact, that can be efficiently provided with the full range of urban services, and within which land uses and activities are arranged to facilitate use of several alternative means of transportation, including automobiles, transit, bicycling, and walking. This compact, walkable urban form is characterized by concentrated activity centers where a mixture of complementary land uses exist in close proximity at relatively high densities. Often these mixed-use activity nodes are also located on relatively high-capacity roadways, along public transportation corridors, and in neighborhood business districts.
The related goals of maintaining visual separation between urban communities and visual and functional separation between urban and rural communities respond both to the "growing together" of expanding cities and villages, and to the "blurring" of the urban/rural distinction. This loss of separation and distinction is created not only by city and village urban growth, but also by continued non-farm development (primarily residential development) in the countryside, and by premature, often relatively low-density development at the urban fringe, often without the full range of urban services.
Realizing this goal of urban separation will require expanding cities and villages to develop plans and methods for maintaining a permanent physical separation between themselves. There have been some encouraging steps in this direction by some communities, but this objective is complicated by other conflicts at the urban edge. Maintaining distinctive rural/agricultural communities within these separation areas requires limitations on the amount of non-farm development and careful siting and design for the development that does occur.
Planning for urban development also needs to recognize and respect important environmental interrelationships and functions, and protect important environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Sometimes this is best achieved by directing urban development away from sensitive or valuable resources or locations. In other situations, well planned and designed urban development can preserve and even enhance the enjoyment of valued natural and cultural features within the context of an urban environment.
· Locate new urban development in communities where a full range of urban services are provided and at locations within the community where these services can be provided most efficiently.
The urban service area concept was introduced by the Dane County Regional Planning Commission in the 1973 Land Use Plan. Urban service areas are areas in and around existing urban communities which have been identified as most suitable for future urban expansion and capable of being provided with urban services. Location within an urban service area is a pre-requisite for approval of public sanitary sewer service extensions to serve new development.
· Identify and preserve in agricultural or other open space uses those lands which can provide a permanent visual and physical separation between urban communities.
· Designate as Urban Transitional Areas lands at the fringes of urban areas planned for eventual urban development with a full range of urban services. Premature development, or development with less than a full range of urban services, should be restricted to allow for development at urban densities with full services at the appropriate time.
Non-farm rural development within the planned long-term growth areas of urban areas (mainly cities and villages) creates numerous barriers to orderly urban expansion and efficient extension of a full range of urban services. Recognizing the areas planned for eventual urban expansion or for urban development at such time that a full range of urban services is available would help prevent inappropriate or premature development. The actual designation of specific urban transitional areas is beyond the scope of this plan.
· Develop compact urban communities by seeking opportunities to develop or redevelop vacant or underutilized properties within the community before converting undeveloped land at the edges of the community to urban uses.
· Within urban areas, locate community-scale development along major transportation corridors which are, or will be, served by transit. Within these corridors, concentrate the largest and most intensive developments primarily at transit stops and other intermodal transportation transfer points.
· Areas around transit nodes and other inter-modal transportation points should be developed with uses, densities, and design qualities that encourage and facilitate pedestrian activity and high levels of transit service and ridership. (See the Appendices volume for guidelines for transit-oriented development.)
· Increase the opportunities for pedestrian and bicycle transportation within urban communities by developing a comprehensive system of walkways and bikeways (on-street and off-street) that provide direct, convenient connections to most destinations.
· Recognize and protect from urban development Environmental Corridors and other important natural areas, environmental resources, and scenic resources.
· Design new urban development to complement and be compatible with important cultural and historical resources.
Goals:
The primary goals related to economic development throughout the region include:
1. Promote the development of balanced communities throughout the county with sufficient commercial, industrial, residential, and open space land to meet the needs of existing and future residents.
2. Promote compact urban development in new areas adjacent to existing urban areas and in the redevelopment or infill development of existing neighborhoods.
3. Promote the development of functionally and visually distinct communities, encouraging compact mixed-use neighborhoods and the efficient provision of a full range of public services.
4. Provide a full range of safe and affordable housing opportunities and choices for all residents throughout the county.
5. Provide an integrated, all-mode transportation system which offers the efficient, effective, and safe movement of people and goods, and provides mode choice wherever possible while enhancing and, where relevant, preserving the character and livability of the neighborhoods and residential areas where transportation facilities are located.
7. Support and maintain downtown Madison as the region's major activity center and seek greater diversity and vitality in that area.
8. Promote an economic development strategy that will provide suitable employment opportunities and a stable and diversified economic base.
9. Protect agricultural lands and limit non-farm developments in order to maintain the county as one of the nation's most productive agricultural areas.
The high quality of life in Dane County is dependent on a growing and diversified economy that provides jobs, tax revenues, and a range of goods and services. Dane County has not experienced the economic decline and fluctuations felt elsewhere in the state and nation due, in large part, to the region's role as a major governmental, educational, and service center. However, there is still a need for action to encourage continued economic growth and diversification to provide employment for residents of the region.
Since 1980, employment increases have come primarily from growth in the private sector, although more than one out of four jobs are in the public sector. Past and future employment increases are dependent on the continued rise in the rate of females in the labor force. In addition, with strong growth in county-wide employment, the region is expected to continue to import labor from outside Dane County.
Economic development objectives and implementation measures seeking to create jobs should focus on: encouraging a steady and continued growth of existing and new businesses; assisting local development organizations; recognizing the needs of future employees; and providing the necessary infrastructure to support business growth.
· Encourage the expansion of existing businesses and the development of new businesses in Dane County that increase employment and improve income without adversely affecting local communities.
· Aid local development organizations to retain and expand existing businesses and to attract desirable new businesses.
· Assist communities in planning and development of commercial and industrial areas that are well designed and properly located.
· Encourage employers to recognize the needs of employees, such as day care facilities and transportation, and the needs of older workers and persons with disabilities.
The increase in the size of the workforce will depend on a number of factors. The increasing number of working parents, two-wage-earner families, and single-parent households will continue to create a demand for quality child care services. The financial burden on low- to moderate-income workers for day care or transportation can restrict employment opportunities. Flexible hours may be necessary to accommodate part-time workers, including workers that come out of retirement.
· Provide the necessary public infrastructure to enable businesses to operate successfully. Incentives should be directed to business expansion that benefits the local and regional economy.
Public financial assistance in the form of tax incremental financing or loans or grants should be provided by communities to only those potential employers whose projects would not otherwise be feasible, are clearly supported by financial feasibility analysis, and can demonstrate a needed public benefit to the area.
· Encourage tourism as an important economic activity in Dane County.
· Encourage the protection of agricultural lands, the continued viability of farming operations and support of agribusiness as an important part of Dane County's economy.
Goal:
The primary goal related to neighborhood development throughout the region is:
3. Promote the development of functionally and visually distinct communities, encouraging compact, mixed- use neighborhoods, and the efficient provision of a full range of public services.
Neighborhoods are the heart of urban communities. The Land Use and Transportation Plan recommends that Dane County communities seek to create and maintain strong, stable, compact, mixed use neighborhoods as an essential element of their development plans. Neighborhoods are more than a concentration of houses or apartments; they more importantly provide the environment in which most residents spend a considerable portion of their time. When possible, neighborhoods should include opportunities for recreation, some convenience shopping, and perhaps even some employment. Some neighborhoods include public schools and many include religious or community institutions. Non-residential uses may sometimes be located at the center of a neighborhood. In other cases, these uses may be at the edge of the neighborhood or of several neighborhoods.
Clearly, there are differences between neighborhoods in relatively small urban communities and in very large communities. There are many unique characteristics that distinguish the neighborhoods within a given community. The differences between neighborhoods are part of their charm and their identity. The range of uses that may be considered desirable or possible will differ from neighborhood to neighborhood, and in all cases, the location, scale and design of any new development needs to be carefully planned to ensure compatibility with the neighborhood as a whole, and to protect existing properties and uses from undesirable impacts from new development.
...neighborhoods are more than a concentration of houses or apartments; they more importantly provide the environment in which most residents spend a considerable portion of their time...
The recommendations for neighborhood development seek to encourage relatively compact neighborhoods characterized by:
· Residential areas which offer a variety of housing op- portunities.
· Densities linked to planned service and transportation system capacities.
· Concentration of higher-density residential uses clos- est to activity centers, neighborhood focal points, ma- jor open space, and mass transit routes or stops.
· A neighborhood focal point or center, such as neigh- borhood shopping district, a community center, or a park, or open space feature.
· Protection of significant environmental, cultural, and historical features.
· Adequate public and private recreation facilities and open space.
· Development siting recommendations, stormwater management facilities, and well location and management policies to protect water resources.
· A circulation system which includes planned arterial and collector streets, a local street system which discourages non-local traffic but provides efficient bus routes and high levels of connectivity within the neighborhood, and a system of paths and walkways for pedestrians and bicyclists providing convenient access to all neighborhood focal points.
· Design and development standards which insure that individual developments will complement and reinforce the neighborhood objectives.
There has been growing interest in the neighborhood development and design concepts often described as "traditional neighborhood design" (TND) or "new urbanism." TND incorporates many concepts similar to those listed above, but places even greater emphasis on the organization of uses within the neighborhood, on the design and siting of individual buildings, and on the design of streets and other public spaces.
Objectives and Implementation:
· Seek the preparation and adoption of detailed neighborhood development plans for all developing areas before extending public infrastructure or granting development approvals. Encourage local units to require development proposals to follow the recommendations of the neighborhood development plan.
· Within larger urban communities, develop compact, walkable neighborhoods as a means to provide structure, variety, and individual identity to sub-areas within the larger whole.
· When feasible, provide a variety of land uses and a range of residential densities and housing types at appropriate locations within each neighborhood.
· Develop appropriately-located, neighborhood-scale commercial developments within or at the edges of residential neighborhoods to provide neighborhood focal points and locations where convenience goods and services may be obtained within a short distance of most residents' homes.
· Provide all urban neighborhoods with a system of roadways, walkways, and bikeways (not necessarily separate facilities) that facilitate easy movement by a variety of routes and transportation modes between neighborhood locations, and particularly between commercial nodes or activity centers, parks, and recreational facilities, schools, community institutions, higher-density developments, and transit stops or transportation transfer points.
· Promote new development which complements and reinforces existing neighborhoods and development, rather than having an undesirable impact on existing neighborhoods and existing urban facilities and services.
· To the extent feasible and consistent with community objectives, utilize traditional neighborhood design guidelines in planning for new development and redevelopment areas within urban communities. (See the Appendices volume for a listing of some TND guidelines.)
Goals:
The primary goal related to urban housing and design throughout the region is:
4. Provide a full range of safe and affordable housing opportunities and choices for all residents throughout the county.
The Land Use and Transportation Plan recommends that Dane County urban communities seek to increase the average county-wide density of residential development. There are several benefits from this recommendation, both within the urban areas and in the county generally. Developing at slightly higher concentrations reduces the amount of agricultural and undeveloped land that has to be converted to urban residential uses to accommodate the housing needs of a growing population.
Increased residential concentrations along transit routes and around transit stops also increase the feasibility of mass transportation service by bringing more potential riders within convenient walking distance, generally assumed to be one-quarter mile. This development pattern can also help provide the market support for a wider range of neighborhood-serving uses, such as a convenience store or a community center.
The residential patterns recommended in this plan for urban development represent relatively modest increases in density from recent development trends. As the population of Dane County increases over the planning period, it is likely that the market trend will be toward smaller lot sizes. Research during plan preparation identified many examples of new neighborhoods featuring similar average lot sizes throughout the county. It is important to understand that the recommendations are for average development patterns; in each community a variety of housing choices will be available, including lot sizes both above and below the recommended average.
The Land Use and Transportation Plan also projects a slight shift in the proportion of duplex and multi-family housing units developed in the outlying urban service
areas. Currently, the Central Urban Service Area, and particularly the City of Madison, is accommodating a significant share of the multi-family development in Dane County. While the CUSA is in many ways a logical location for multi-family housing, the low levels of multi-family development in many other urban communities reduces the choices of many Dane County residents about where they can live. Increasing the proportion of duplex and multi-family units in the housing mix of the outlying urban service areas will allow a more balanced distribution of housing types throughout Dane County, and somewhat lessen the concentration of multi-family units in the CUSA.
Objectives and Implementation:
· Decrease the amount of land consumed per unit of new urban housing development in Dane County to provide more compact, walkable neighborhoods, to increase opportunities for efficient transit service, and to reduce the amount of agricultural land converted to residential uses.
Reduce the county-wide average lot size for new single-family residential urban development from the current 11,000 square feet to an average of 9,500 square feet.
Increase the average net density for new multi-family residential development from the current 12 dwelling units per acre to 16 dwelling units per acre.
· Locate the relatively higher-density residential development in a community within walking distance of potential high-capacity transit routes, within mixed use settings where appropriate.
The mile-wide east/west corridor extending from Sun Prairie to Middleton via USH 151, the Madison Isthmus, and University Avenue, with a potential linkage to the West Towne area, has been identified for additional study as a prime candidate for enhanced forms of mass transit, including commuter rail, light rail, and busways. Several additional longer-term regional high capacity transit corridors were identified and are addressed in the transportation portion of this plan.
· Provide a full range of housing types and price opportunities in all Dane County urban service areas so that households of all sizes and income levels have a choice of residential locations, both among and within communities.
· Develop a county-wide housing plan. The plan should consider methods to:
- Provide affordable housing for low-income residents and families;
- Preserve existing affordable housing for low-income people;
- Require safe (where safe means "habitable") housing;
- Promote accessible housing for people with disabilities;
- Promote diverse housing options;
- Coordinate housing services and agencies throughout Dane County.
· Recognize the value of existing housing and established neighborhoods, and to support improvement and rehabilitation efforts, both public and private.
· Support efforts to provide housing for low- and moderate-income residents in a variety of communities experiencing growth or increased employment opportunities.
Central Urban Service Area and Major Activity Centers
Goal:
The primary goal related to the CUSA and major activity centers is:
7. Support and maintain downtown Madison as the region's major activity center and seek greater diversity and vitality in that area.
Although all urban communities are encouraged to develop with a balanced range of activities and land uses, the Central Urban Area is still expected to remain the predominant location for employment and regional shopping, recreation, and entertainment activities as well as housing.
Within the Central Urban Service Area, the Land Use and Transportation Plan uses the concept of Major Activity Centers to recognize major concentrations of existing and projected employment and commercial activity. These concentrations of relatively intensive or large-scale mixed land uses result in high levels of travel and trip generation, and tend to be the focus of continued real estate investment and new development and redevelopment, requiring significant public facility and service investment to accommodate transportation and other needs. In concept, the plan seeks to encourage development in Major Activity
Centers, particularly for large-scale and region-serving activities, as a means to maximize utilization of the public facilities already in place, and as a means of reducing the need to extend public facilities to serve new major employment or commercial centers at unanticipated locations. Minimizing the number of scattered concentrations of major employment and commercial development is of particular importance to developing efficient forms of enhanced mass transportation.
The major activity center for the entire Dane County region is the central Madison area bounded generally by Blair Street on the east and Park Street on the west, with closely associated concentrations centered on the University of Wisconsin campus and the hospital and medical facilities area along the Park Street corridor. Other major activity centers are located near the University Hospital, Hilldale Shopping Center, West Towne area/Odana Road, East Towne area/High Crossing/American Center, Oscar Mayer, South Towne, along the South Beltline, the World Dairy Center area in southeast Madison, the Old Sauk Trails Research Park, and the Greenway Center development in Middleton. In some of these areas, particularly those near the urban periphery, there remains a very large potential for additional development. Large concentrations of employment and commercial activity are also developing at new locations not identified as major activity centers. Major activity centers are shown in Exhibit 4-2.
Within the Central Urban Area, downtown Madison is expected to continue to be the region's major activity center, particularly for government, educational, cultural, recreational, and entertainment activities serving not only Dane County, but the State of Wisconsin and beyond. Recommendations for the Madison Isthmus include improving the balance of uses in the downtown area by encouraging additional housing development and other improvements to enhance the Isthmus area as stable residential environments attractive to a wide variety of citizens.
Activity Center Map
Promote the development of desirable, attractive, compact, and convenient shopping and commercial areas that are an economic and aesthetic asset to the region.
· Encourage all communities within the central urban area to adopt standards that minimize the adverse impacts of commercial development such as traffic congestion, incompatible land uses and poor pedestrian circulation.
· Discourage commercial strip development by encouraging new commercial development on arterial roadways to cluster into districts.
· Encourage planned mixed uses within commercial areas in order to promote more efficient use of the land.
· Continue efforts to improve transit service to all shopping and commercial areas.
Promote and support a range of development activities and employment centers in the central urban area communities that contribute to the economic stability of the region without degrading the natural environment or residential neighborhoods.
· Support local community efforts to encourage new desirable industries.
· Assist in the development of industrial parks for both the expansion of existing industries and to attract new industries; to assure that sites are compatible with adjacent and surrounding land uses.
· Encourage the preparation of feasibility and impact studies for major industrial development proposals indicating positive economic effects and potential negative impacts.
· Encourage the expansion of industrial, governmental, and educational areas to be consistent with adopted regional and local plans.
· Urge local units to develop detailed plans of emerging major activity centers to guide public services and facilities and to serve as an overall guide to the private developments which are anticipated.
The Land Use and Transportation Plan incorporates the Isthmus 2020 Citizens Advisory Committee recommendation that a significant share of the employment and housing growth allocated to the CUSA be located within the expanded Isthmus area. The focus of the recommendation is to maintain and enhance the long-term vitality of the downtown and Isthmus neighborhoods, and to increase the feasibility of developing enhanced transit services, both within the CUSA and regionally. The expanded Isthmus 2020 Study Area is defined as Glenway Street on the west, Highway 30 on the north, Starkweather Creek and Lake Monona on the east and Wingra Creek on the south.
· It is recommended that an additional 4,500 housing units be developed in the expanded Isthmus area between 1990 and the year 2020. The Isthmus 2020 Committee determined that, when properly planned, this level of growth can be accommodated on the Isthmus in a way that is compatible with and enhances the character of established neighborhoods.
Recommendations for the Madison Isthmus including improving the balance of uses in the downtown area...
· In keeping with recommendations of the Isthmus 2020 Committee, it is also recommended that employment in the expanded Isthmus area be increased by 14,000 employees between 1990 and the year 2020. This amount of employment growth represents an increase over recent trends and current projections. Realizing this objective will require implementation of a long-term strategy to establish the expanded Isthmus area as an attractive and competitive location for a wider variety of business activities.
· These strategies place some development in the expanded Isthmus area rather than on the fringe of the urban area. In that sense, the Isthmus 2020 Committee recommendations help diminish slightly the amount of development which might otherwise be expected on the periphery. This does not mean that development would or will not occur on the periphery of CUSA.
· Recognize downtown Madison as the region's major activity center (generally Blair Street to Park Street), and encourage greater diversity and vitality in the continuing development of the downtown area.
· To promote more residential uses, cultural and entertainment events and facilities in order to encourage greater occupancy, use, and enjoyment of the central Madison area during non-office hours.
Rural Area Recommendations
Rural areas in Dane County are dominated by agricultural uses and natural areas. However, rural areas also contain elements of the built environment, such as rural non-farm development and transportation facilities.
For the purposes of this section rural areas are defined as all those areas outside urban or limited service areas, see Exhibit 2-1. Towns are frequently labeled as rural areas. However, some town lands lie within urban service areas (e.g. Windsor), and thus have areas considered urban. Conversely, parts of some cities and villages are outside of service areas (e.g. Fitchburg), and are thus considered rural.
Many difficult planning issues occur in rural areas. Agricultural preservation is a widely accepted goal of this plan. Over 75% of respondents to the November 1996 telephone survey indicated that it was "very important" that Dane County preserve its farms and rural areas. Still, this goal often conflicts with landowner desires to sell land for development. Pressure to convert land from rural to urban uses at the expanding fringe of urban areas raises other related issues. These issues occur most often for towns surrounding the central urban service area, and are complicated by the fact that multiple political jurisdictions have an interest in planning for these areas.
Goals:
The primary goals related to rural form and design in the region include:
9. Protect agricultural lands and limit non-farm devel- opments in order to maintain the county as one of the nation's most productive agricultural areas.
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environ- mental functions and protects important environmen- tal, cultural, and historic resources.
11. Develop and promote a county-wide system of open space corridors as a framework to protect the natural environment and scenic values, and provide outdoor recreation opportunities.
Throughout this planning process, both urban and rural residents have supported the goal of protecting agricultural lands. In the November 1996 phone survey, 63 percent agreed that Dane County should adopt regulations to limit growth in rural areas, while 31 percent disagreed. Participants at the May/June 1996 public meetings echoed this sentiment. A significant amount of non-farm housing in rural areas conflicts with agricultural uses by consuming farmland, raising farmland values and property taxes, and leading to lifestyle conflicts with farm operations and transportation conflicts on rural roads. Rural housing also increases public service demands and costs, negatively affects travel times, and may result in groundwater contamination if built in significant concentrations.
Agricultual preservation is a widely accepted goal of this plan...
Still, there is a need to plan for some non-farm development in rural areas. This need exists to supply a full range of housing opportunities throughout the county and allow farmers some non-farm economic return on their land. Such development should, however, be directed to areas where it does not conflict with agricultural uses and is not in the path of urban growth. Further, it should be located and designed to minimize environmental impacts and avoid detracting from the "rural" character of the landscape.
· Continue to preserve the vast majority of rural areas, including prime and productive agricultural lands, as Agricultural Preservation Areas in which non-farm development opportunities would be limited. It is recommended that these areas be identified and incorporated into town plans as they are updated.
· Preserve in permanent agricultural and open space uses other key lands which provide visual and physical separation between existing communities, protect rural
resource protection areas, and preserve scenic landscapes.
· Enhance the economic viability of retaining land in agricultural open space uses through creativity and flexibility in regulations and incentives.
Where possible, farmers should be allowed to benefit from the County's economic growth without having to divide their land or sell it for development. Consider the use of such tools as transfer of development rights or purchase of development rights to accomplish this objective.
· Plan goal for rural, non-farm development is:
1) A lesser amount of development in towns than at present;
2) Clustering of rural development based on historical patterns (existing hamlets, subdivisions, etc.) and environmental factors (soils, slopes, view, etc.);
3) Smaller lots which are consistent with health and environmental concerns;
4) Channel town development to areas with substantial clustered development with a relatively high level of urban services.
· Designate as Urban Transitional Areas lands at the urban-rural fringe planned for eventual development with a full range of urban services including public sewer and water systems. Premature rural development at low densities should be limited to allow for higher density urban development at the appropriate time.
· Designate as Rural Development Areas lands away from Agricultural Preservation Areas and beyond Urban Transitional Areas. Rural Development Areas would be planned for eventual residential development on private well and septic systems. These areas should be sized according to the planned quantity of rural development through 2020 and appropriate development densities. These areas would be identified by towns as they update their local land use plans. The actual designation of specific rural development areas is beyond the scope of this plan.
· Restrict access to major transportation facilities which extend through rural areas in order to reduce development pressure.
Rural Area Design
Goals:
The primary goals related to rural area design include:
9. Protect agricultural lands and limit non-farm developments in order to maintain the county as one of the nation's most productive agricultural areas.
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environ- mental functions and protects important environmen- tal, cultural, and historical functions
Design in rural areas should preserve the predominant agricultural and open space character of the landscape. For those areas identified as Rural Development Areas and other areas where limited rural development occurs, design and siting are crucial to assure preservation of rural character. Inappropriately placed or designed rural development may interfere with neighboring farm operations, result in environmental problems, or impair a scenic rural landscape.
Objectives and Implementation:
· Prepare with local governmental units Neighborhood Development Plans for designated Rural Development Areas to promote subdivision patterns which protect environmental corridors, avoid prime and productive farmlands, and provide effective access, circulation, and drainage. Require development proposals to comply with Neighborhood Development Plans before granting approvals.
· Develop rural development design and siting guidelines and regulations to (a) minimize the impact of rural development on agricultural operations; (b) preserve scenic views and community separation areas, and (c) facilitate access and provision of public services.
· Encourage cluster design for new rural housing developments, reduce the lot sizes in rural areas, and promote the location of such clusters adjacent to existing hamlets or subdivisions, where additional development is appropriate. Redirecting rural housing into clusters instead of large estate lots can result in the preservation of 70 percent or more of surrounding land in agricultural or open space use.
As a simple example, consider a rural parcel of 105 acres including productive farmland. A small estate style division might yield three lots averaging 5, 10, or even 35 acres each. With an alternative cluster plan, the division could still yield three lots, but average lot size could approach one acre sized lots. The remaining acreage if appropriately positioned, could be leased by, or sold to the adjacent farmer for continued farming. These benefits become even more tangible if applied to potentially larger rural developments. Such clustering can also increase the feasibility and reduce the cost of future public services as well as preserve the aesthetic character of the rural areas.
· Preserve historic farmsteads and hamlets which contribute to the cultural history and aesthetic beauty of Dane County.
Goals:
The primary goals related to rural residential development include:
9. Protect agricultural lands and limit non-farm dev- elopments in order to maintain the county as one of the nation's most productive agricultural areas.
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environ- mental functions and protects important environmen- tal, cultural, and historic resources.
Rural development density is a complicated issue, in part because it has dual meanings. First, rural density may be understood in terms of a "density ratio," or a certain number of homes or lots allowed based on total acreage (e.g., one home site per 35 acres owned). Actual lot size is not considered in this first definition. It is important to note that this 35 acre standard does not represent a minimum lot size. Second, rural density may alternatively be understood as either a minimum or maximum lot size (e.g., maximum 2 acre lots). Both meanings have relevance for this plan.
The County Farmland Preservation Plan rural density policy, expressed through many Town Land Use Plans, suggests that limited rural home development is acceptable within Agricultural Preservation Areas. This policy generally allows one rural home site, regardless of lot size, for every 35 acres of farmland owned. The Land Use and Transportation Plan supports the continuation, clarification, and further adoption of the 35 acre standard as a reasonable and equitable approach to rural housing. Still, for reasons expressed earlier in this section, Agricultural Preservation Areas are best kept free of home sites. Equitable ways to achieve this goal should be pursued.
Rural density is less frequently expressed in terms of lot size. Larger lots can be attractive given the requirements of septic drainage fields, the protection of groundwater quality, the lower cost of land in rural areas, and the desires of some homeowners for a rural lifestyle. Still, lots which are too large can consume an excessive amount of agricultural land and result in more rapid, scattered rural land consumption. These scattered lots have a substantial impact on the costs of public infrastructure. This plan proposes a middle ground of moderately sized rural lots.
Objectives and Implementation:
The following are proposed to achieve the appropriate scale of rural development:
· Continue to adopt, clarify, and implement the 35 acre density policy for Agricultural Preservation Areas as part of the County Farmland Preservation Plan.
· Develop and provide a means for landowners within Agricultural Preservation Areas to sell their potential to divide land or transfer that potential to other areas where non-farm development is more appropriate, such as Rural Development Areas or targeted locations within Urban Service Areas. This could reduce the number of lots divided in Agricultural Preservation Areas, while still providing land owners the opportunity to realize financial gains from community growth.
· Promote maximum lot sizes in Agricultural Preservation Areas to reduce the number of acres of farmland converted to non-agricultural use.
· When sizing Rural Development Areas and drafting Neighborhood Development Plans, consider lot sizes which promote the efficient use of land but which are also compatible with rural development constraints. Lot sizes should not be below 1 to 1 1/2 acres to avoid potential groundwater problems from on-site wastewater systems.
· Establish low density ratios and high minimum lot sizes within Urban Transitional Areas to discourage such lands from being prematurely developed at lower densities than would occur with eventual urbanization.
Rural Land Use Development Types
Goal:
The primary goal related to rural land use development types in the region is:
10. Promote planning and design that preserves environmental functions and protects important environmental, cultural, and historic resources.
A broad mix of land uses is most appropriate within Urban Service Areas. Because of constraints associated with private septic systems, roads, transit, and other public services, single family residences will remain the nearly exclusive type of development in rural areas. Employment in rural areas should be primarily agricultural and agriculturally related, with opportunities for farm family businesses to provide supplemental income. Limited commercial development opportunities are, however, possible. Multi-family development and large scale commercial or industrial development should not occur in rural areas due to servicing requirements.
These uses should be provided where a full range of urban services are available.This plan advocates a mix of affordable housing opportunities throughout the county. Consistent with this goal, a range of single family housing at affordable prices should be available in rural areas.
Objectives and Implementation:
The following are proposed to achieve this plan's vision for the appropriate mix of rural development:
· Plan non-farm development in rural areas to be primarily single family residences for reasons stated earlier in this section.
· Promote development of an adequate portion of rural homes to be affordable to moderate income households.
· Direct multi-family residential development and large scale commercial and industrial development away from rural areas.
· Limit non-agricultural employment growth in rural areas to 1% of all new jobs expected in Dane County between 1990 and 2020.
The transportation system is planned and designed to serve the land use developments which are anticipated to exist by the year 2020. There is a close interdependence between the location and densities of land use developments and the need for transportation facilities and services. The system plan also provides for adequate connections for through traffic on the statewide network. The transportation system plan makes recommendations for a number of different components of the county-wide transportation system. The following transportation components are included in the overall plan:
· Transit
· Bicycle Facilities
· Pedestrian Facilities
· Streets and Roadways
· Vehicle Occupancy
· Paratransit
· Rail Transportation
· Air Transportation
· Parking
· Corridor Preservation
This transportation system plan also seeks to anticipate and plan for the travel facilities needed for existing and future travel. With over 80 percent of the anticipated development by the year 2020 already in place, the plan seeks to address many of the existing transportation problem areas while expanding services and facilities to meet expanded travel needs.
Overall Goal & Objectives
The overall goal of this transportation plan element is:
· Provide an integrated, all-mode transportation system which offers the efficient, effective and safe movement of people and goods, and provides mode choice wherever possible while enhancing and, where relevant, preserving the character and livability of the neighborhoods and residential areas where transportation facilities are located.
This overall goal can be clarified by these objectives:
· Achieve a safe, convenient, and efficient transportation system that provides the level of service necessary to support the social and economic activity of the community, without adversely affecting the neighborhoods of the communities within Dane County.
The basic role of a transportation system is the safe movement of people and products necessary to keep a community functioning. These demands influence not only the internal structure of the transportation system but also how Dane County is linked to the rest of Wisconsin and the rest of the nation. It is important, therefore, to maintain mobility on key routes like the Interstate System for through traffic to places throughout Wisconsin and beyond.
Provide an integrated, all-mode transportation system which offers the efficient, effective and safe movement of people and goods and provides mode choice whenever possible...
The social functions of the community, such as education, shopping, and recreation create demands on the transportation system, but equally important is the preservation of neighborhoods and the reduction of undesirable impacts from the transportation system on the human environment.
· Achieve a transportation system compatible with area-wide and local patterns of development recommended in this plan and in adopted local plans, including compact, walkable neighborhoods, and transit-oriented urban activity centers on a regional basis.
The effect of the transportation system on the development and redevelopment of land, and the effect of new development on the transportation system, must be carefully considered so that the transportation system and land uses may evolve compatibly. Mobility options within communities and between communities also need to be provided.
· Achieve a transportation system compatible with environmental features and which minimizes undesirable environmental impacts due to location and construction of transportation facilities.
The planning of a transportation system for Dane County requires many more considerations than in the past. Significant steps have been taken to reduce the undesirable impacts of the transportation system on the natural and human environments. The planning and design of Dane County's transportation system will continue to seek to minimize these undesirable impacts. In the case of urban streets, in some circumstances, especially in the case of major urban arterials, little can be done to minimize the impact of high volumes of automobile traffic. However, on most neighborhood streets, traffic redirection and traffic calming or the retention of on-street parking, can partially mitigate these impacts.
· Achieve a transportation system that optimizes natural, social and financial resources while maintaining consistency with community goals and objectives.
Resources will be more limited than in the past, and the cost of resources will increase as their supply decreases. The high cost of new transportation facilities will be a major consideration for the future. In addition, maintenance of the existing system and preservation of the safety of travelers will also be more costly and require resources that might have been used for expanding the system. Still, as Dane County grows, the transportation system must also grow. In meeting future needs, however, emphasis should be placed on lowcapital improvements of existing systems and alternatives to system expansion. Staging of the system's expansion should be in a manner which will lessen longrange commitments to specific facilities while retaining flexibility in the design of facilities to meet future demand.
· Achieve a transportation system supportive of energy conservation measures while meeting travel needs to the extent possible.
All available signs indicate that the design of the future transportation system must consider limited petroleum resources as a strong possibility in the long term, even though supplies are now plentiful. In order to maintain mobility and accessibility options throughout the region in such an event, the region must maintain and support its current transit system and augment the system with commuter transit to outlying cities and villages where practical.
The overall transportation goal recognizes that a transportation plan is but one functional plan element which must relate to comprehensive plans as well as other detailed functional plans. Further, this overall goal and the policies of the plan are consistent with the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) goals and the 16 designated Planning Factors listed in that legislation which seek to create an intermodal transportation system that is consistent with land use, maximizes the mobility of people and goods, and minimizes fuel consumption and air pollution.
The following objectives are intended to apply to all modes of transportation throughout the urban and rural portions of Dane County which have not been addressed above or reflect a special circumstance not addressed in the transportation mode-specific sections of this plan.
Objectives:
· Attain an area-wide transportation planning process responsive to the needs and interests of area-wide residents, groups, units of government and affected agencies, with sufficient opportunity for all to participate in policy and implementation decisions.
· Support and maintain basic transportation services such as maintenance, snow removal, traffic control, street sweeping, and other services that should be available to all residents of Dane County.
· Use public decisions on the provision of publicly financed transportation services as a tool for creating compact, well-designed and balanced communities.
· Stage the extension and expansion of urban transportation services within the urban service areas, to encourage compact urban growth in accord with the regional development policies of the land use plan element of this plan.
· Encourage and facilitate connections between various modes of travel, including connections with intercity bus (e.g., Badger and Van Galder) and intercity rail (AMTRAK).
· Encourage attention to aesthetics in the design of transportation improvements to fully integrate improvements into the environment, including consideration of scenic views and vistas, landscaping along roadsides and boulevards, and the location of signing.
· Support legislation which would facilitate the goals and objectives of this transportation plan.
· Encourage all governmental units and agencies to accept this plan, and future approved amendments, as a guide in implementing a consistent, coordinated program of transportation system improvements for all modes.
To achieve the overall transportation goal, a multitude of objectives and implementation measures are needed, many of which are mode- or issue-specific and are individually presented later in this plan. The key transportation features and concepts of this plan are as follows:
1) The plan emphasizes flexibility (e.g., mode choice options), in meeting existing and future travel needs, and in modifying plans to meet changing conditions.
2) The plan continues efforts to make the most efficient use of the existing transportation system by: efforts to increase vehicle occupancy; efforts to better manage the effectiveness of the existing system, such as minimizing conflicts between modes of travel (pedestrian, bicycles, and motor vehicles); and consideration of low and no cost improvements.
3) The plan continues a Madison urban area transit expansion emphasis, with ridership expected to increase 50% by the year 2020 with the expansion and implementation of a Transit Priority Corridor Concept,
including a closer look at alternative transit technologies, such as commuter rail, light rail, bus, and/or new emerging technologies. The expansion also assumes commuter transit service to selected villages and cities outside of the Madison Urban Area.
4) The plan continues to accept somewhat higher congestion levels (Level of Service D) during the peak hours on streets and roadways, before giving consideration to building new or expanded facilities. See the Appendices volume for Level of Service examples. Congestion growth is monitored and traffic management solutions will be tried prior to any consideration of expansion. If, following these efforts, congestion continues to grow and have negative impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, capacity enhancement options could be studied, including turning lanes and other intersection improvements. When roadway improvements do become necessary, the plan recommends that they should be designed to first meet existing and short range traffic needs. When expansion is not possible, transportation system management and demand management techniques may be possible and should be considered.
5) The plan continues to seek preservation of future travel corridors for pedestrian and bicycle use, transit, and roadways. In some corridors simultaneous uses may be possible.
6) The plan continues to strive for improved coordination and funding of services to the elderly, disabled persons, youth, and low-income persons needing special transportation services, while maximizing existing services.
7) The plan continues to encourage timely maintenance efforts (to preserve the existing system), and safety improvements.
8) The plan recognizes limited financial resources available for use on the transportation system and continues to investigate alternative means to finance local, county, and regional transportation improvements and maintenance.
9) The plan emphasizes a planning process that annually reviews and periodically adjusts short and long range plans.
10) The plan recognizes and encourages opportunities for alternatives to traditional commuting, such as telecommuting.
These features, which represent major policy areas in the transportation system, can be combined in ways to produce certain effects within the region which can also be described in a conceptual context.
Growth Area and Activity Center Linkage. This plan seeks to maintain mobility and accessibility options throughout the region. Exhibit 4-3 illustrates how Dane County's urban service areas (growth centers) are interconnected by the present system of arterial and collector roadways, and how those same centers can be served with a potential commuter rail system. Similarly, Exhibit 4-4 illustrates how Dane County's urban service areas can be interconnected with a light rail system which includes express bus service to the outlying service areas. As the outlying urban service areas continue to grow, future rail service could be extended.
Exhibit 4-3
Potential Commuter Rail Corridors & Majors Growth Areas
Balanced Transportation Concept. This plan strives to increase travel reliance on transit, carpooling and other travel options which encourage riding together, other modes of travel, such as bicycling and walking, and trip reduction. This is especially the case for work trips to central Madison during the peak hours and for school trips. This
reduces the demand on the roadway network in terms of congestion and roadway capacity and provides mobility choices for those who wish to use other modes rather than an automobile or who do not have access to an automobile. This plan also recognizes that the majority of trips made within the region will still be made by the automobile for shopping and business, and that modifications to the roadway system will be needed. (See Exhibit 4-5 for a concept map for the Madison urbanizing area).
Traffic Accommodation Concept. This plan continues to accept somewhat higher traffic congestion levels (Level of Service D), particularly during the peak hours. This is intended as a means of encouraging travel during off-peak periods, greater use of transit and carpooling, and lessening the need for expanding streets and roadways. Travel on circumferential routes (such as the South Beltline) is accommodated as a means to draw travel to these corridors wherever possible. Techniques of traffic engineering and safety improvements are made to make existing streets and roadways more efficient in moving traffic. Higher mobility levels are also maintained on some key circumferential routes to ensure efficient movement of people and goods through the region.
Traffic Direction Concept. This plan seeks to draw auto traffic to major travel corridors such as the South Beltline and other arterial roadway corridors, as a way to direct through-traffic from penetrating central Madison neighborhoods and other neighborhoods in the region. Traffic calming and other transportation system management techniques may be used to reduce and/or redirect traffic from local neighborhood streets and other sensitive areas. Bypasses around outlying villages and cities are also considered.
Other Plan Concepts. This plan seeks to broaden the understanding of the other modes of transportation and to recognize and encourage: pedestrian and bicycle travel; specialized travel needs of elderly and disabled persons; taxi and paratransit services; and integration of travel into multi-modal corridors. In addition, the plan seeks to highlight the importance of preserving corridor lands, particularly rail corridors, for possible future travel uses.
...this plan strives to increase travel reliance on transit, carpooling and other travel options which encourage riding together, other modes of travel, such as bicycling and walking, and trip reduction...
Exhibit 4-4
Potential Light Rail Corridor and Major Growth Areas
Exhibit 4-5
Transportation Concept Map for Urbanizing Area
In developing the transit system plan element for the Transportation Plan, three alternative transit technologies were identified which could operate within a high priority transit corridor. These technologies were tested to determine future ridership levels given assumptions about growth and development in the recommended land use plan for the year 2020. The technologies include:
Commuter rail is heavy rail with vehicles similar to those used by AMTRAK. A photo example of the vehicles is shown in Exhibit 4-6a. Exhibit 4-7 shows the system that was tested. It includes a main east/west line from the City of Sun Prairie to the Village of Mazomanie and a secondary north/south line from the Village of DeForest to the City of Stoughton. Future corridors for expanded lines would continue to be reserved for later development. A feeder bus system supporting the commuter rail system was also incorporated.
Light rail refers to lighter vehicles generally powered by overhead electrical power systems which could be compared with street rail systems currently found in Europe or found in American cities fifty years ago (see photo, Exhibit 4-6b). The light rail system tested, shown in Exhibit 4-8, consists of a 13-mile priority transit corridor served by light rail with a complementary feeder bus system. This system is similar to the light rail system analyzed in 1995 for the City of Madison by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. The transit corridor connects the university and downtown employment center with growth areas to the east around the East Towne shopping area, and to the west in the Hilldale area and the West Towne shopping area.
The possibility also exists to use a technology which combines the features of the heavy rail and light rail systems. Exhibit 4-6c illustrates a diesel-powered, light-rail type of vehicle. This vehicle, called the Regio Sprinter, allows stations to be closer together, uses existing rail lines, and is not dependent on electrical power from overhead wires.
The enhanced bus system refers to the use of buses on some type of dedicated transit facility such as a separate bus roadway called a busway or in a dedicated bus lane on an arterial roadway. The primary difference is the use of the transit priority corridor by buses instead of a train. In addition to the buses having their own lanes separated from auto traffic, the buses would have signal pre-emption capabilities. This system was also tested with peak hour commuter service to the Village of Waunakee and the Cities of Sun Prairie, Stoughton, and Verona. The 1997 proposed Madison Metro bus transfer system, shown in Exhibit 4-9, was also modeled without any of these higher level technologies to obtain future ridership estimates if none of the other three expanded transit systems were implemented.
Exhibit 4-6a
Example of Commuter Rail Technology
Exhibit 4-6b
Example of Light Rail Technology
Exhibit 4-6c
Example of Combined Commuter Rail and
Light Rail Technology
Exhibit 4-7
Potential 2020 Commuter Rail and Bus System
The transit modeling generally showed the more aggressive the service and technology, the higher the ridership. In 1990, the average design day ridership for the Metro system totaled 38,000. For the 1997 bus system, transit modeling based on the recommended land use plan to year 2020 resulted in an 8.4 percent increase in ridership over the 1990 total and had a minimal effect on future congestion levels (see Exhibit 4-10). All three of the more aggressive transit systems to year 2020 had ridership increases which totaled around 60,000 per day and had some impact in reducing future roadway congestion levels, mostly in the isthmus area (see Exhibit 4-11 and Exhibit 4-12).
The plan seeks to highlight the importance of preserving corridor lands, particuulary rail corridors, for possible future travel uses...
However, systemwide reductions in future congestion levels due to more aggressive transit were marginal. The light rail transit scenario demonstrated the highest increase in system ridership, which was almost 60 percent over the 1990 ridership totals. The enhanced bus ridership, which included commuter lines to Waunakee, Stoughton, Verona, and Sun Prairie, was 58 percent greater than the 1990 ridership.
The modeling for the light rail system was based on the Cambridge Systematics 1992 Transit Corridor Study which confirmed the results of the 1985 Transit Priority Corridor Study. Both studies concluded that the corridor with the greatest ridership potential extended from the East Towne area to the West Towne area via the central business district/University area and the Hilldale area. This transit primary corridor would connect the four major activity centers within the central urban service area and would provide improved transit mobility and accessibility for transit riders.
Exhibit 4-8
Potential 2020 Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Bus System
Exhibit 4-9
1997 Modified Transit System
Exhibit 4-10
Year 2020 Congestion Levels
Exhibit 4-11
Year 2020 Congestion Levels
Exhibit 4-12
Reduction in Year 2020 Congestion Levels
Table 4-1 shows a summary of estimated costs and ridership associated with the alternative transit technologies studied during this planning process. Costs are categorized as either capital or operating. Generally, national average unit costs were used to develop these planning system cost estimates. The cost estimates should be considered very preliminary at this point and subject to revision as part of future detailed planning processes. Whenever possible and reasonable, costs were included which were consistent with the 1992 Transit Corridor Study, Feasibility Analysis of Light Rail and Improved Bus Services and the 1996 Dane County Committee to Evaluate Commuter Rail Implementation Report.
Table 4-1
Summary of Costs and Ridership of Transit Alternatives
2Scenario E from 1992 Cambridge Report. Assumes light rail corridor from Hilldale to Union Corners with feeder bus system.
3Rail corridor from Mazomanie to Sun Prairie with feeder bus system.
4Ridership is based on implementation of full systems as shown earlier. Ridership will be less based on partial system costs shown in this table.
In addition, Table 4-2 shows a summary of the total transit trips and vehicle trips associated with each of the transit alternatives studied. Even with a significant increase in transit trips/day over 1990 base levels of about 20,000, the percentage share of these system-wide trips in comparison to auto trips/day increases by less than 1%, from 3.2% to 3.8%.
· Expand transit services in a manner to achieve an increasing proportion of total transit trips, and transit trips to central Madison and other major activity centers, particularly within the central urban service area.
Table 4-2
Comparison of Transit Trips and Vehicle Trips Systemwide For Each of the Transit Alternatives
Note: For all trip purposes including internal-to-external and truck-taxi for the modeled area.
· Expand the viability of transit as an alternative to auto travel for the rider who wants an alternative and to provide basic mobility services for those having less or no access to automobiles.
· Develop commuter transit and/or vanpool services to the central Madison area and to other major activity centers from outlying villages and cities.
Implementation:
The major implementation strategies to achieve these tran-
sit objectives include the following:
· Continue to support and maintain the current transit system in the short term while moving toward an expanded and more aggressive transit system contingent on future, more-detailed feasibility studies.
· Support continued expansion and improvements system-wide to transit facilities/equipment and services in a manner to meet increased transit ridership.
· Complete a Major Investment Study (MIS) to explore transit alternatives within the transit priority corridor. Federal regulations require a Major Investment Study for all capital intensive transportation projects, and the expanded transit priority corridor is one such project. This major study is a high cost item and could begin soon after the budgeted Dane County Commuter Rail Phase I Feasibility Study. The MIS will refine the modeling work completed for this plan, and look more closely at alternative technologies such as commuter rail, light rail, and dedicated bus lanes, as well as documenting detailed corridor land availability, environmental considerations, and costs. This MIS will also have to consider roadway alternatives.
Expansion of the transit priority corridor concept of the East and West Towne areas includes an existing rail corridor through the city of Madison, the city of Middleton, and a spur line loop to the Dane County Coliseum as shown in Exhibit 4-7. The corridor being considered is identified as 1/2 mile on each side of the existing rail corridor which bisects Madison running east to west and includes the identified light rail corridor connecting the East Towne and West Towne areas. The corridor extends to the east to Sun Prairie and to the west to the Village of Mazomanie.
· Complete a special analysis to determine the most appropriate institutional organization for transit administration and operation of any substantially expanded transit system. Some type of regional transit or transportation organization may be considered.
· Provide transit service to central Madison from park and ride lots located along major corridors on the periphery of the central urban service area.
· Encourage major land use developments to be located and designed in a manner supportive of increased transit usage within the central urban service area.
· Expand commuter transit and/or vanpool and carpool services from outlying villages and cities on a gradual basis as desired and supported.
· Utilize available traffic control techniques, such as special transit lanes or preferential traffic signalization where feasible, to maintain and/or improve transit service levels, particularly during peak hours.
· Convert the regular transit fleet vehicles to designs which are accessible to the special needs of elderly and disabled persons, to the extent that federal requirements (Americans with Disabilities Act) and special needs are most appropriately met.
· Encourage the use of incentives to increase transit and vanpooling/carpooling usage, particularly for commuters to central Madison, before pursuing major disincentives to low-occupancy vehicle use. Coordinate implementation of the various transportation and parking policies so that any disincentives to low-occupancy vehicle use are accompanied by improved transit service and incentives for high-occupancy vehicle use.
· Continue transit market research studies to identify potential riders, and propose promotions and services to attract increased transit ridership.
· Support intercity transit services (bus and rail) and consolidation of intercity transit terminals in central Madison with convenient connections to urban transit services, taxis, and other modes.
· Review adequacy of and, where appropriate, improve access to major intermodal facilities such as Dane County Regional Airport, AMTRAK, Badger Bus Depot, etc.
Bikeways
Over the past 25 years, bicycling has become an increasingly important mode of transportation and recreational activity in Dane County. An extensive bikeway system has been developed throughout the urban area. In addition,
rural farm to market roads in Dane County and paved shoulders along many county trunk highways provide an excellent opportunity for recreational bicycle touring throughout the area (see Exhibits 4-13 and 14). The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also operates two state bicycle trails, portions of which extend through Dane County.
Bikeway facility improvements in the central urban service area are currently guided by the Bicycle Transportation Plan for Madison and Dane County adopted in 1991. In addition to identifying specific facilities for improvement, the plan also includes policies and recommendations for the categories of facilities development, maintenance, support facilities, bicycle safety education and public information and bicycle law enforcement and licensing. This transportation plan does not attempt to provide the level of detail available in the Bicycle Transportation Plan.
Major objectives related to bicycle travel include:
· Provide for the safe, convenient and efficient travel by bicyclists throughout the region.
· Encourage bicycle travel for transportation as well as recreational purposes.
· Develop a continuous system of bikeways for the central urban service area with connections to other communities throughout the region.
Implementation:
Measures designed to achieve these objectives are:
· Continue to program and construct major bikeway facilities for the central urban service area in accord with the proposed facilities shown in Exhibit 4-14. (For purposes of readability, the map has been simplified to identify existing and proposed bicycle facilities for central urban service area jurisdictions.)
· Continue Dane County's program of paving shoulders on county trunk highways with an appropriate width paved shoulder when justifiable due to bicycle traffic or other engineering needs. In some areas it may not be possible to achieve this without major construction costs. See Exhibit 4-13 for a map of proposed locations for future paved shoulders in Dane County.
· Encourage the shoulder paving program to continue and to focus upon routes which provide connections to and from population centers to major activity areas such as county and state parks and to multi-county bikeway routes such as Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources or others may provide. Shoulder paving should also be considered along lower volume state and federal highway routes. Paved shoulders on rural roadways are helpful for cyclists but are not intended as bike paths, lanes or bicycle ways within the meaning of Chapter 346 of the Wisconsin Vehicle Code.
· Continue to implement projects to complete the design concept for the Capital City State Trail. This trail will form an unbroken link of the Military Ridge Trail in western Dane County to the Glacial Drumlin Trail in eastern Dane County and will provide a continuous 140-mile cross-state trail.
· Continue to implement the placement of the Madison-Monroe-Freeport, Illinois rail corridor in an interim Rails-to-Trails program use.
· Continue to consider special bikeway lanes and other facilities as a part of appropriate street reconstructions in all urban service areas in accord with the adopted plan.
· Continue bikeway improvements with street and roadway improvements where possible.
· All jurisdictions involved in the development of bicycle facilities including the state, county, municipalities, university, and colleges should adopt and use the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' "Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, Copyright, 1991" and subsequent revisions as the guidelines for the design and construction of new bicycle facilities. (The AASHTO guide has been adopted by the Federal Highway Administration as standards for the design and construction of bicycle routes.)
· Encourage outlying villages, cities, and towns in the county to develop bikeway system, route and facility plans as a part of transportation planning efforts they may undertake.
· Continue to provide public information brochures and/or other means to notify the public of where and when bikeway routes and facilities are available.
· Provide public information to educate cyclists and others about traffic and safety rules applicable to bicycles.
· Local jurisdictions should develop bicycle parking requirements for incorporation into zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and building permit requirements.
· Provide sufficient bicycle parking at park and ride lots, bus transfer points, and other intermodal transfer facilities.
· Encourage the inclusion of bikeway improvements in development proposals.
Exhibit 4-13
Paved Roadway Shoulders
Exhibit 4-14
Bikeway Facilities
This plan stresses the continuation of public education efforts to provide for pedestrian safety. Also emphasized are continued planning and construction of improved pedestrian facilities, particularly those which minimize conflicts with other modes of travel. The urban design strategies proposed earlier in this plan stress the importance of walkable neighborhoods and the need to encourage pedestrian trips within neighborhoods as an alternative to shorter auto trips. This directly reflects desires expressed by the community for balanced communities in the public involvement process.
Objectives:
Major objectives related to pedestrian travel include:
· Provide for safe, convenient and efficient pedestrian travel throughout the region.
· Seek to minimize conflicts between pedestrians and other modes of travel as improvements are considered to other elements of the transportation system.
Implementation:
Measures designed to achieve these objectives are:
· Consider ordinances to require the installation of sidewalks, or at least the reservation of land, in all urban subdivision developments, except where not appropriate due to steep topography. For an inventory of current sidewalk requirements in Dane County's cities and villages, refer to Table 4-3. For guidelines on sidewalk installation, refer to Table 4-4.
Urban design strategies proposed earlier in this plan stress the importance of walkable neighborhoods and the need to encourage pedestrian trips within neighborhoods as an alternative to shorter auto trips...
· Provide for paved sidewalk ramps at intersections to allow elderly, disabled and other persons to make complete use of the pedestrian facilities available.
· Adhere to the requirements that all pedestrian facilities be constructed in accordance with The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Federal Register (Vol. 57, No. 245, December 21, 1992) proposed rules, including ADA requirements for public rights-of-way (sidewalks, curb ramps, crossing controls, etc.). Continue maintenance efforts to ensure that pedestrian areas are in a usable state of repair.
· Encourage the provision of appropriate pedestrian accommodations in large scale commercial and resi- dential developments where significant pedestrian bar- riers exist or where significant pedestrian traffic is expected.
Table 4-3
Sidewalk Requirements
In Dane County Cities and Villages
Source: Dane County Regional Planning Commission.
Table 4-4
Guidelines for Installing Sidewalks
Source: "Investigation of Exposure Based Pedestrian Accident Areas: Crosswalks, Sidewalks, Local Streets and Major Arterials FHWA-RD-88-038, September, 1988.
NOTES:
1) Any local street within two blocks of a school site that would be on a walking route to school - sidewalk required on at least one side.
2) Sidewalks may be omitted on one side of new streets where that side clearly cannot be developed and where there are no existing or anticipated uses that would generate pedestrian trips on that side.
3) Where there are service roads, the sidewalks adjacent to the main road may be eliminated and replaced by a sidewalk adjacent to the service road on the side away from the main road.
4) For rural roads not likely to serve development, a shoulder at least 4 feet in width, preferably 8 feet on primary highways should be provided. Surface material should provide a stable, mud-free walking surface.
· Continue planning and consideration of pedestrian mall areas, pedestrian overpasses over major arterial roadways, improved pedestrian crosswalks, and other pedestrian facility improvements. The City of Madison is in the process of developing such a plan.
· Include pedestrian improvements with street roadway improvements where possible.
· Continue public information, education, and enforcement programs to publicize pedestrian rights and traffic rules.
· Provide for pedestrian connections to park and ride lots, bus transfer points, and other intermodal transfer facilities.
Trip-making within Dane County is directly linked to land use. It is affected by the type (e.g. residential, commercial, etc.), intensity (density), and location of the land use activity. Key variables in estimating trip-making potential are population and employment. Forecasts of nearly one-third increases in both population and employment for Dane County through the year 2020, coupled with assumptions of the distribution and density of this growth reflected in the Land Use Plan are expected to result in a 33% increase in trip-making by the year 2020.
Assumptions:
The extent of the street and roadway system needed to serve the recommended land use pattern depends on the amount of trip-making generated and the number of trips accommodated through Transportation Demand Management and by other modes of transportation such as transit, bicycling, and walking. This transportation plan assumes:
· Current levels of bicycling and walking which will expand proportionately as the area grows.
· Implementation of an aggressive transit system (light rail, commuter rail, or busways). The details of the transit technology implemented and exact physical alignment will be determined through the conduct of a Major Investment Study. With one of these higher level transit systems, transit ridership is forecasted to increase 50% to 60% (20,000 to 23,000 trips/day) over 1990 base levels of 38,600 trips/day, while vehicle trips are forecasted to increase 32% from 980,000/day to approximately 1,300,000/day.
Exhibit 4-12 shows projected 2020 congestion levels on the roadway system with the more aggressive light rail transit system assumed. This exhibit would look similar to a commuter rail or a busway system. Congestion reduction from a more aggressive transit system would occur mainly in the Isthmus area such as along Williamson Street, Atwood Avenue, Bassett Street, various streets around the Capitol Square, and other roadways within the transit priority corridor shown in light gray shading. It also illustrates the remaining roadway congestion/capacity needs after maximum levels of transit ridership have been obtained.
Objectives:
· Correct safety problems.
Continue to make improvements to the existing street and roadway system which will improve the safety and efficiency of the current system, including traffic calming.
· Encourage transportation patterns which support the concept of balanced communities, more compact urban development and more efficient rural development patterns.
This objective encourages patterns of development intended to lessen peak hour traffic congestion and promote mode choice.
· Address significant capacity problems using a variety of strategies consistent with the goals of balanced communities and modal choice.
This objective also encourages programs intended to lessen peak hour traffic congestion and includes such strategies as staggered work hours and/or flex-time. When considering improvements to the street and roadway network, design roadway expansion projects which may be needed over the long range period in a manner that is safe but accepts some peak hour congestion. Also, include the need to accommodate trucks, transit, bicycle, pedestrians, and others. A final strategy is the more extensive use of improvements to two-lane and other roads that remove obstacles to traffic flow at intersections and increase safety without widening the road, where possible.
Use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) projects is another potential strategy that can be used in some instances to address congestion. ITS is the application of advanced technologies in the areas of electronics, communications and information processing. WisDOT for instance, is studying a list of potential ITS projects which could be implemented in the I 90/94 corridor, such as providing more/improved motorist information, in-vehicle technology, alternate routing, and traveler help.
· Meet the need for major reconstruction due to maintenance problems.
Construct necessary street and roadway improvements in a phased manner with early phases meeting existing and short-range traffic needs and later phases meeting long-range needs.
· Draw traffic away from certain sensitive areas (traffic redirection).
Direct heavy traffic away from sensitive environmental or natural areas and residential areas where possible, by providing alternative corridors or improvements. Where new corridors are not possible, design new street and roadway improvements to be compatible with adjoining land uses and preserve and enhance the historical, cultural, aesthetic and environmental qualities of the corridor. This objective includes directing through-traffic from the Isthmus of central Madison to other available roadways.
· Address those capacity problems and deficiencies which support local travel and intra-urban service area travel needs resulting from new development.
This includes providing necessary access in a manner which does not lessen the function of the roadway or the overall system. Those improvements which support local and intra-urban travel help achieve the balanced community concept and reduce the travel pressure on inter-community routes.
· Provide for street and roadway continuity.
Maintain street connections and a functional classification plan of streets and roadways indicating major arterial and collector travel corridors throughout the region.
· Combinations of the above.
To meet remaining roadway congestion needs after all effective transit options have been implemented, a number of roadway improvements were tested. Exhibit 4-15 shows the roadways for which capacity improvements were assumed and the resulting levels of congestion which still remained. Exhibit 4-15 also illustrates the congestion levels system-wide of the recommended land use plan assumptions with and without the roadway improvements. There would be a significant reduction in the system-wide levels of congestion with the roadway improvements. However, even with the number of improvements shown, congestion cannot be removed from all roadways. For some roadway corridors, physical, environmental, economic, and social constraints prohibit additional capacity expansion. In planning and constructing capacity improvements, improvements which relieve congestion and increase capacity without widening the road shall be considered and employed first where possible.
All roadways which this plan recommends be considered for potential capacity improvements by 2020 are shown in Table 4-5. These are roadways which either are or will likely become congested or very congested by the year 2020. Roadways recommended for reconstruction or resurfacing for system preservation purposes are shown in the Appendices volume.
It should be noted that only arterial streets and roadways were modeled, and hence only their needs are included in this systems plan. Improvements to collectors and local streets and roadways are generally not included. The designation of a roadway as an arterial, collector, or local street generally depends on its relative traffic carrying capabilities and other factors. For a complete discussion of the Functional Classification System and its application to the street system of Dane County in map form, see the Appendices volume.
Recommended potential improvements in this system plan will require detailed corridor and project plans and public hearings, by the unit of government with jurisdiction, prior to any construction efforts being undertaken. Further, in order to make the most efficient use of the existing transportation system, somewhat greater peak-hour traffic congestion (Level of Service D) is used before giving consideration to building new or expanded facilities. This means that improvements are not considered necessary and are not recommended in this plan until a facility is operating at Level of Service "D" or higher. For a description of "Level of Service" conditions, see the Appendices volume.
Congestion growth will continue to be monitored and traffic management solutions will be tried prior to any consideration of expansion. If, following these efforts, congestion continues to grow and have negative impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, capacity enhancement options could be studied, including turning lanes and other intersection improvements.
Table 4-5 lists the street and roadway improvements that, when built, would provide for major improvement in the operation of the street and roadway network. The earlier noted travel forecast and congestion levels in all cases reflect an increase in transit usage of 50% over current levels and attainment of the vehicle occupancy goals noted in this plan.
Table 4-5 also identifies the recommended potential improvements over three time periods. Phasing recognizes that congestion levels do not suggest that all projects must be completed today. This also recognizes that limited
financial resources, detailed project planning, and implementation activities may take several years. It also indicates that major projects may be initiated somewhat later than the improvement needs may indicate. For example, any decision to undertake a street expansion would have to be preceded by specific studies of alternatives to any improvements, public meetings and hearings, plan detailing and funding. Only after the need for the expansion and type of improvement had been clearly determined and approved would detailed construction plans and construction occur. Additionally, it is emphasized that construction of most major segments will be staged over several years after project initiation. Project staging details are usually specified when public hearings are held on the detailed design.
In summary, the recommended potential arterial street and roadway improvements over the planning period include the following:
· Start detailed planning and construction of the major street and roadway projects shown in Exhibit 4-15 and listed in Table 4-5 with consideration given to staging improvement construction where appropriate. Subsequent decisions will be necessary before any road improvement construction can commence.
· Incorporate bikeway, transit, and other facilities as a part of major street and roadway improvement projects, wherever appropriate.
· Continue improvements to local streets and roadways for reasons of: maintenance problems; safety problems; growth and development in the area; and intersection improvements.
· Consider interchange design possibilities at the following intersections to aid in capacity and traffic redirection efforts: Buckeye Road and USH 51; Pflaum Road and USH 51; E. Washington Ave. and USH 51; USH 151 and CTH C/Reiner Road; I-90/94 and Lien Road; Verona Road and the W. Beltline; USH 18/151 and CTH PD; and possibly others.
· Continue to implement the Isthmus Traffic Redirection Study and Fordem Avenue Extension Study recommendations, and continue consideration of traffic improvements for access to central Madison.
· Continue official mapping and other programs to preserve corridors for possible future travel uses such as the extension of High Point Road to CTH PD, the extension of Lien Road to Reiner Road, the extension of Post Road from Fish Hatchery Road to Syene Road, Pleasant View Road, the extension of Pleasant View Road to CTH M, the Reiner Road/Sprecher Road/CTH AB Corridor as a future arterial, CTH M from CTH Q to STH 113, the North Ring Corridor, and the Stoughton Bypass (USH 51 via CTH B and CTH N).
Note: Concern has been expressed regarding official mapping of the possible easterly extension of CTH PD from Fish Hatchery Road to connect with South Towne Drive at Moorland Road. This concern is due to the possible impacts a roadway, if built, might have upon the E-Way open space corridor preservation and trails in this area, and concerns that it may encourage more urban development in the northeast corner of Fitchburg and the northern part of Dunn. This possible roadway corridor has been identified on transportation plans since the 1950's as a possible long-range roadway to provide east-west traffic circulation through the City of Fitchburg. Alternative routes to provide east-west traffic circulation will continue to be explored in planning for this area of Fitchburg.
Current official mapping should be revised to provide the most compatible location for such a possible roadway to accomplish a parkway-type rural cross section compatible with the E-way and adjoining lands. However, no detailed roadway design plans are expected to be undertaken until such time as construction is imminent. It is anticipated that trails through the E-Way for pedestrian or bike purposes would be separated from any roadway parallel to or crossing the E-Way.
· Consistent with WisDOT MIS Process Guidance, the North Ring Corridor connecting I 90/94 with USH 12 should be considered as a candidate for a Major Investment Study (MIS) to be conducted at a later time in the planning period. Similarly, other roadway improvements requiring an appropriately detailed MIS should also be considered as candidates.
· Use street and roadway access control measures as a means of preserving travel capacity on existing streets and roadways, and of seeking safe and appropriate driveway access points.
· Encourage landscaping and other amenities to be incorporated into street improvements, including boulevard-type improvements with median landscaping.
· Encourage land use developments which are compatible with anticipated street and roadway functional classification plans.
· Monitor travel and growth trends of developments on a continuous basis and adjust timing and nature of improvements if required.
· Continue transportation system management (TSM) measures, to make the most efficient use of the existing transportation system.
Forecasts of a nearly one-third increases in both population and employment for Dane County through the year 2020, coupled with assumptions of the distribution and density of this growth reflected in the Land Use Plan are expected to result in a 33% increase in trip-making by the year 2020...
Vehicle Occupancy
Increasing the efficiency of an all-mode transportation system includes promotion of the ridesharing program which encourages usage of high occupancy vehicles.
Objective:
· Encourage ridesharing by carpooling, vanpooling, and mass transit, particularly for trips to work and trips to school, and for trips not conveniently served by the transit system.
Implementation:
Anticipated efforts toward increasing vehicle occupancy for work and school trips include the following activities:
· Continue the activities of the Dane County Ridesharing Program to promote and assist commuters to travel in carpools and vanpools. Provide public information efforts, emphasize company-sponsored programs, coordinate interagency activities and planning, expand incentives to be utilized for carpoolers, vanpoolers, and transit users, and provide name-matching services among program participants including telephone name-matching via the 266-RIDE service. The City of Madison currently gives preferential treatment to carpoolers for monthly rentals in the city's parking ramps.
· Continue efforts to establish vanpools through the Dane County Vanpooling Program and Wisconsin
Department of Transportation's van loan program. Encourage commuter participation in the Wisconsin Department of Administration State Employer Vanpool Program through referrals to state van drivers.
· Assist large employers, including federal, state and local government, in organizing for a fast, area-wide, computerized name-matching program which can be used to provide information to employees who may wish to carpool or vanpool. Assist these same employers with Transportation Demand Management (TDM) options and methods.
· Promote carpooling/vanpooling in outlying areas and residential developments to the extent practical.
· Publicize cost-effective ridesharing efforts which have occurred in this area and elsewhere in the country.
Paratransit (Specialized Transportation)
Specialized Transportation involves the provision of transit services to those segments of the population that require more accessible vehicles and more "enhanced" and flexible routing than fixed-route, main-line transit services. This type of service generally provides transportation for those with specialized transportation needs or with limited transportation alternatives.
Objectives:
· Improve coordination of services to elderly and disabled persons needing special transportation services and expand transportation services available to these groups.
· Include taxis and other privately operated services in specialized transportation plans.
Exhibit 4-15
Transportation Plan 1997 to 2020
Table 4-5
Potential Arterial Street and Roadway Improvements, 1997-2020
1) For cost estimating purposes only. Design and magnitude of improvement is subject to more detailed levels of planning and approval by unit of government with jurisdiction.
2) Considering the fiscal constraints on the plan, some projects may not be funded, and all the roadway projects
Anticipated future specialized transportation activities include the following:
· Expand public information and special transportation services which are available.
· Increase utilization of innovative approaches like the City of Madison's "Local Motion" routing to contain costs and provide adequate service coverage.
· Improve coordination of service among the various providers of specialized transportation service.
· Consider consolidation of funding opportunities for agencies providing transportation.
· Continue programs for replacement and expansion of the vehicle fleet for specialized transportation services, based on an evaluation of existing service performance coordination and plans for future service improvements. Also continue maximum utilization of available state and federal funds to aid in the purchase of those vehicles.
Existing rail corridors in Dane County constitute a valuable and irreplaceable resource. When rail service is discontinued, the economic well-being of the region can be maintained and enhanced by working to preserve rail corridors for:
· Foreseeable future transportation alternatives;
· Public recreation or scenic uses;
· Traditional and nontraditional utility/communications related uses;
· Other unforeseen future public uses.
Negotiations are currently underway to place the Madison-Monroe-Freeport, Illinois rail corridor in an interim Rails to Trails Program use, and its conversion is likely.
In 1994 the Dane County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution creating the Dane County Committee to Evaluate Commuter Rail Implementation. In February 1996, this committee recommended further study to determine the feasibility of implementing commuter rail service on existing Dane County rail corridors.
Objectives:
· Seek to preserve rail corridor lands throughout the county for current and future transportation and other public uses.
· Continue rail freight service to all users where justi- fied and needed.
· Work with rail companies to consolidate rail tracks, and seek to use excess rail lands for alternative trans- portation or scenic/recreational uses.
Implementation:
Anticipated efforts to help fulfill these objectives include:
· Assist Dane County and the City of Madison in con- ducting a Phase I Commuter Rail Feasibility Study in 1997 and 1998.
· Encourage the state, county, and City of Madison to
continue investing in the preservation of rail corri- dors for future public uses throughout the county and providing the research and documentation needed to help facilitate this effort.
· Monitor requests to the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion for future rail abandonments within the county to allow for as much time as possible to develop spe- cific analyses of the impacts of these abandonments.
· Cooperate with City of Madison and rail company efforts to consolidate rail trackage, while continuing service by all companies involved.
· Continue to seek a direct rail passenger (AMTRAK) connection to Madison via Sun Prairie-Watertown- Milwaukee or Portage - Madison - Sun Prairie - Watertown-Milwaukee.
Air Transportation
The Dane County Regional Airport (DCRA) represents an important resource to the region. In addition to providing service to scheduled air carriers, general aviation and the military, the 4,000 acre airport site includes 112 leased buildings housing over 4,500 employees. Dane County also contains five basic utility airports (Morey Field in Middleton, Waunakee, Edgerton, Verona and Cottage Grove) which accommodate most single-engine and many small twin engine aircraft.
Objective:
· Provide safe and convenient airport facilities to meet air transportation needs for the region.
Implementation:
Anticipated efforts to help fulfill this objective include:
· Participate in implementation studies of proposed Stage II and Stage III DCRA improvements.
· Participate in further efforts to address reliever air- port development issues.
· Assist WisDOT in identifying potential future reliever airports in Dane County in conjunction with the 1996 State Airport System Plan.
· Work with the Airport Noise Abatement Committee.
· Participate in and monitor implementation of airport land use compatibility legislation.
Parking
As travel and parking demands have increased over the years, there has been a recognition of the need to better manage transportation and parking facilities, to minimize the amount of valuable land needed for travel and parking purposes, and to minimize the public investments required for transportation uses. Over time, this has led to the removal of on-street peak and/or all-day parking in some areas to meet traffic demands, the development of parking ramps to conserve valuable land, and the encouragement of mass transit to meet peak travel needs and giving preference for obtaining monthly stalls to carpoolers. In some business districts, the removal of on-street parking may not be practical.
Objectives:
· Provide for parking needs in the central Madison area in a manner complementary to the objectives and policies of adopted land use and transportation plans.
· Develop alternatives to all day commuter parking in the central Madison area.
There has been a recognition of the need to better manage transportation and parking facilities, to minimize the amount of valuable land needed for travel and parking purposes, and to minimize the public investments required for transportation uses...
· Continue to promote alternative modes of travel for the work trip commuter to lessen all-day parking demand in public ramps, thereby freeing space for the short-term parkers.
· Designate park and ride lots on the periphery of the Madison urbanizing area as rapidly as transit services to the major activity centers can be made available.
· Consider a park and ride lot study to address carpool/vanpool needs of outlying communities in Dane County. This study should also address park and ride lots at key arterial roadway crossings in the county for reverse commuting to locations outside of Dane County.
· Investigate alternative ways to provide some modest increase in peak period parking for vehicle trips to the central Madison area.
· Direct additional financial capabilities of the Madison Parking Utility toward the provision of new public parking in conjunction with redevelopment projects and multi-use rather than single-use development to encourage more efficient use of parking space over long periods of the day.
· Encourage private developers to provide sufficient parking to meet at least the accessory needs of major redevelopment projects.
· Participate in an intensive, ongoing, interagency sponsored marketing program to inform the general Madison community that parking is available and affordable for the short-term user in central Madison.
· Seek a solution to the illegal parking problems that: a) eliminates the practice of selling residents' parking spaces to the `highest bidder' (commuters); b) minimizes traffic in residential areas; c) avoids incentives to tear down vacant buildings for parking space; d)minimizes the exodus of businesses from the Central Business District; e) provides a pleasant environment with adequate usable open space for residents; and f) recognizes the role that Madison Metro and the Madison Parking Utility must play in the transportation process. Eliminating the backyard parking problem could have a substantial impact on the parking supply in the short term.
· Consider removing parking or restricting on-street parking along arterial streets and roadways prior to considering roadway capacity expansion. In some business districts, the removal of on-street parking may not be practical.
· Encourage consideration of the special parking needs of bicycles, and of motorcycles and mopeds, especially in major activity center areas.
· Continue preservation of lands which may be needed for possible future transportation uses by encouraging local units of government to place new and/or expanded corridors on their official maps.
· Continue street and roadway access control measures to preserve travel capacity along existing major streets and roadways.
Anticipated efforts relating to corridor preservation for possible future travel corridors include:
· Continue to encourage cities and villages to undertake official mapping of new and/or expanded future anticipated travel corridors, particularly for new areas that are being subdivided and developed, as soon as sufficient data is available for a recommended right-of-way width and corridor alignment.
· Continue official mapping of certain corridors located outside the Central Urban Service Area, to assure additional setbacks for new land uses, to provide contingency lands if these roadways ever need to be expanded. Examples of corridors within this category are Reiner Road and Sprecher Road east of the urban area, and County Highway M north of Lake Mendota.
· Encourage review of state enabling legislation regarding official mapping to broaden official mapping authority to counties (now limited) and the state (not currently permitted).
· Continue and encourage expanding the use of street and roadway access control measures that will aid in increasing travel capacity along existing major streets and roadways. (The state, county, and some cities now employ access control measures along certain major streets and roadways.) Also, there exists a need to maintain consistency in the application of access controls along major streets and roadways.
· Continue to recognize the importance of preserving special transportation corridors for future yet-to-be-determined uses. Discourage the conversion of special transportation corridors to uses unrelated to transportation.
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Revised: February 04, 1998