City Moves Ahead with Bike-Pedestrian Master Plan

The Piedmont City Council is expected to approve a $120,000 agreement tonight with a consultant to develop a pedestrian and bicycle master plan — the city’s first plan devoted exclusively to non-motorized transportation.

The agreement with Niko Letunic of Eisen-Letunic, a transportation and planning consultant firm, follows approval by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (CTC) of a $102,000 grant to the city for development of the plan. The city was formally notified of the grant approval July 19.

Letunic  recently prepared the Alameda Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans, according to a city staff report.

"Members of the public have already expressed a strong interest in this project, as evidenced by the 120 letters written to the Alameda CTC in support of the grant application," says the report by city planner Kate Black and planning consultant Janet Chang.

"More than 100 members of the public have already signed up to receive emailed notices of meetings and hearings, and it is expected that more people will want to become involved once the project is under way."

The reports says there will be many opportunities for the public to participate, including presentations and public hearings before the city's Planning, Park and Recreation Commissions, the city council and — for the Safe Routes to School component of the plan — the Piedmont Unified School District.

Two community workshops will be held and an online survey will solicit coments from the public, the report says.

"The grant-application process was highly competitive," the report says. "The Alameda CTC received 29 applications for pedestrian and bicycle projects, requesting a combined $18.2 million in funding.

"After reviewing and scoring the applications, the Alameda CTC awarded only $3.7 million (20% of the total amount requested) toward only eight projects, including the Piedmont plan.

"The City’s application was greatly bolstered by the 120 thoughtful letters of support submitted by Piedmont residents and organizations, including 55 written by Piedmont middle school students."

The city council will meet at 7:30 tonight in the City Hall council chambers, 120 Vista Ave.

Before the public session, the council will meet in closed session to consider possible initiation of litigation in two cases.

The complete council agenda and related staff reports are available on the City of Piedmont website here.

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