Tempe Transportation Plan 2050

Goal 1

Provide affordable, accessible, and convenient connections to the places where residents and visitors live, learn, work, and play through a transportation network that reflects and supports Tempe’s communities and local character.

Objectives and Strategies

COMM 1.1: Increase public awareness around modal networks, roadway safety, and sustainable practices.

1. Encourage collaboration with schools and school districts to identify and implement transportation safety improvements that support safe, accessible, and convenient travel for students
2. Develop and maintain accessible documents, materials, and resources like the Tempe Bicycle/BIKEiT Map to inform transportation choice and enhance awareness for wayfinding.
3. Develop public education materials and outreach techniques to promote pedestrian and bicycling safety and compliance.
4. Use Transportation Demand Management services to partner with organizations and new development to promote multi-modal commuting practices.
5. Collect transit ridership data to support the continued refinement and optimization of the transit network in Tempe.
6. Continue to provide information on transit routes, frequency, span of service, and fare policy, leveraging both City of Tempe and Valley Metro tools and resources.
7. Collect citywide pedestrian and bicycle volume data and collaborate with community partners, such as Tempe Bicycle Action Group (TBAG), to conduct supplemental manual counts. (ALT1)
8. Collaborate in programming and special events with local partners that raise awareness for bicycling safety and benefits.

COMM 1.2: Enhance the landscape along the ROW with opportunities for engaging and interesting pedestrian experiences.

1. Require transportation projects to evaluate and implement Low Impact Development (LID) and Green Streets practices that reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality, and create safer, more attractive corridors.
2. Collaborate with neighborhoods to build amenities like shade structures, gardens, and public art along the ROW.
3. Support community initiatives that improve pedestrian pathway design and access points.

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Goal 2

Reduce mobility barriers and equitably expand access to opportunities and services through transportation investments.

Objectives and Strategies

COMM 2.1: Advance transportation investments that improve access to daily needs, services, jobs, and community destinations for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

1. Integrate emerging micromobility technologies into the existing transportation network, while ensuring access to underserved communities and accommodations for ADA needs.
2. Design, construct, and maintain ADA-compliant pedestrian curb ramps at all intersections to provide a continuous and accessible pedestrian network. (ALT1)
3. Maintain and update data related to the bicycle network and pedestrian network to prioritize access and resolve network gaps.
4. Work with Neighborhood Associations and other stakeholders to add pathway connections for pedestrians and cyclists into neighborhoods.
5. Use data-driven maps to identify communities that are underserved in the transportation network, and where services are needed.
6. Build transit shelters with amenities along neighborhood collectors that support local ridership and improve their transit experience.

COMM 2.2: Develop greater accessibility and connectivity throughout the transportation network to meet all basic daily non-work needs.

1. Prioritize accessible crossing infrastructure near essential destinations and services.
2. Use the development process to expand access to Tempe multiuse paths and recreational amenities.
3. Implement bicycle and pedestrian infill projects that address gaps in pedestrian and bicycle network and are compatible neighborhood character.

Goal 1

Develop an effective citywide multi-modal transportation network integrated with sound land use planning, to create safe, efficient, and accessible mobility for persons, goods, and services within the City, and the region.

Objectives and Strategies

CM 1.1: Eliminate gaps in the sidewalk infrastructure and build the pedestrian network to be accessible and comfortable.

1. Work with local neighborhoods and stakeholders to install pedestrian facilities where existing sidewalk gaps exist.
2. Create more frequent points of access to our Multiuse Path facilities, connecting paths, crossings, and ramps.
3. Complete installing ramps inventoried from the ADA transition plan.
4. Inventory Multi-use Paths with deficient widths (under 10’).

CM 1.2 Develop continuous, safe and comfortable routes in the Bicycle Network, and fill existing infrastructure gaps.

1. Improve bicycle facilities along arterials to a Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress score below 3.
2. Improve bicycle facilities in the BIKEiT network to a Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress score equal to or below 2.
3. Develop an All Ages and Ability Bicycle Network, providing a simple inventory of the most comfortable facilities in Tempe.
4. Continue evaluating the bike network for opportunities and gaps in mobility, locally and regionally.

CM 1.3 Enhance transit facilities and coordinate interconnected destinations to increase ridership.

1. Ensure frequent transit service is provided to achieve accessibility and mobility throughout the city.
2. Continue collaborating with Academic institutions like Arizona State University to develop transit programs, making transit more available to students and faculty.
3. Identify and integrate Intelligent Transportation System technologies (ITS) into transit system plans.
4. Implement improvements and locate facilities like transit shelters, mobility hubs, and ‘park and rides’ to increase transit ridership and ease of use among pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.
5. Ensure all transit facilities meet and/or exceed ADA standards and are accessible to persons with disabilities.
6. Actions on coordinating with regional partners to expand intercity and regional transit travel.

CM 1.4 Retain existing traffic capacity and reliability on our roadway.

1. Establish roadway planning and development consistent with the street classification system and the engineering design criteria.
2. ontinue integrating and updating Intelligent Transportation System, technologies into the roadway network to optimize traffic flow controls.

CM 1.5: Develop a functional relationship between the diverse land uses in Tempe and the transportation network that serves them.

1. Promote Transportation Demand Management strategies that reduce reliance on single-occupant vehicle travel, increase the use of transit, walking, bicycling, carpooling, vanpooling, and shared mobility services, and improve the efficiency of the transportation system.
2. Require or incentivize trip reduction plans for major developments, employment centers, and activity hubs to achieve measurable reductions in vehicle trips and increases in non-single-occupant vehicle travel.
3. Conduct a study to identify priority locations, operational needs, and funding requirements for variable message signs, and implement deployments that enhance event traffic management, traveler information, and detour guidance.
4. Continue to refine and optimize the transit network in Tempe to serve varying land uses and densities, recognizing that transit investments are scalable and can serve multiple travel markets.
5. Implement driveway spacing standards between adjacent driveways serving non-residential developments on collector and arterial streets, while encouraging shared access and cross-access connectivity to minimize access points and enhance corridor safety and mobility.
6. Conduct multimodal vehicle counts to understand key corridors and areas of high-density.
7. Develop design guidelines that address accessibility features, driveway spacing, bicycle facilities and crossings in areas with considerable density and growth.

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Goal 2

Provide transportation choices that move all people, goods, and services reliably, effectively, and affordably.

Objectives and Strategies

Objective on Emerging Technologies [reserved]

Goal

Maintain the transportation system in a consistent state of good repair, using robust data to prioritize investments and minimize costs.

Objectives and Strategies

IS1.1: Develop comprehensive options to address traffic congestion, while reducing reliance on automobile travel.

1. Maintain and enhance signal progression along major corridors through continued investment in signal optimization, communications infrastructure, and advanced ITS technologies.
2. Require new developments to provide direct, accessible pedestrian pathways when the walking distance to the nearest adjacent street exceeds one-quarter mile, improving connectivity, reducing travel distances, and supporting a more walkable transportation network.
3. Install or upgrade vehicle detection systems on major street approaches to support actuated signal operations. When no through traffic is detected on the major street, signal controllers may terminate the green phase early to provide more efficient service to side-street traffic.
4. Implement transit speed and reliability improvements, including transit spot improvements such as transit signal priority, queue jumps, and dedicated lanes.

IS 1.2: Ensure the System Integrity and capacity are protected through regular maintenance.

1. Continue to monitor transit operations and performance and adjust transit infrastructure, such as transit spot improvements, as needed.
2. Maintain pavement, sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and traffic control devices in a state of good repair.
3. Maintain and modernize emergency vehicle preemption systems at signalized intersections to support safe, reliable, and efficient emergency response.

IS 1.3: Establish and maintain guidelines that enhance the land-use, transportation, and neighborhood character, and historical elements in the ROW.

1. Plan transit services and infrastructure so that they are context sensitive in terms of the performance and application.
2. Upon annexation of county islands, streets shall be improved and realigned as necessary to meet current City standards; however, specific future roadway alignments shall be determined through the planning, design, and development review process.

Goal

Achieve Zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, with users feeling safe and comfortable regardless of who they are or how and when they travel.

Objectives and Strategies

S 1.1: Provide convenient and safe access between neighborhoods and destinations for vulnerable roadway users.

1. Design and maintain all City streets with sidewalks on both sides to support safe, accessible, and connected pedestrian travel.
2. Maintain dedicated funding for the resident-driven Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program to address community-identified traffic safety concerns.
3. Provide safe and accessible transit services and infrastructure for transit users, including while riding and traveling to and from these services.
4. Identify locations for transit infrastructure and transit spot improvements that have a shared benefit with the Safety Action Plan.
5. Require the dedication of bicycle and pedestrian easements necessary to preserve and implement planned multiuse path corridors. Development and redevelopment projects shall protect identified alignments, maintain corridor continuity, and provide connections to adjacent properties and existing or planned active transportation facilities.
6. On shared-use paths with significant pedestrian activity, electric bicycle users shall yield to pedestrians and operate at speeds consistent with safe shared use. The City may restrict higher-speed electric bicycles on designated segments where user conflicts are documented.

S 1.2: Facilitate safe operations along roadways and at intersections and driveways.

1. Evaluate median installation opportunities to provide access control, prioritizing arterials with five or more lanes, and those on the HIN. Identify locations that could benefit from the installation of pedestrian refuge islands and implement them along with the median.
2. Continue investing in advanced vehicle detection technologies to improve traffic signal operations and system performance.
3. Require a comprehensive High-Injury Network (HIN) update every three years to ensure safety priorities reflect current crash trends and conditions.
4. Require a left-turn safety evaluation at all HIN signalized intersections lacking protected-only left-turn phasing.
5. Monitor and evaluate safety performance at HIN intersections to identify, prioritize, and implement targeted safety improvements.
6. Design, construct, and maintain ADA-compliant pedestrian curb ramps at all intersections to provide a continuous and accessible pedestrian network.
7. Limit driveways to one per parcel, or one per 1/8th mile for larger parcels, to promote access control along arterial streets. Encourage cross-access agreements for adjoining parcels where possible.
8. Implement access management standards that limit driveways to one per parcel, or one per one-eighth mile of frontage for larger parcels, along arterial streets. Prioritize shared driveway and cross-access arrangements between adjacent properties to minimize conflict points and enhance safety, mobility, and site accessibility.
9. For developments that are not single-family residential, space driveways at a minimum of 100’ from adjacent driveways on collector and arterial streets.

Goal

Create a sustainable and resilient transportation system that supports environmental stewardship, adapts to future challenges, and provides reliable mobility for current and future generations.

Objectives and Strategies

SR 1.1: Respond to climate-related factors to achieve human comfort, utilize the built environment to promote a healthy community and to encourage active lifestyles.

1. Prioritize shade and heat-mitigation improvements along pedestrian and bicycle corridors and at transit stops to enhance comfort, safety, accessibility, and year-round use of the transportation system.

SR 1.2: Reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled locally and regionally.

1. Support mode shift to walking, bicycling, transit, and shared mobility.

SR 1.3: Promote sustainable design concepts

1. Implement sustainable design for transit, including vehicles, shelters, and other transit infrastructure.
2. Leverage advancements in transit technology to support a more sustainable and resilient transit network.
3. Incorporate low-impact development features into transportation projects where feasible.
4. Provide secure and convenient bicycle parking at key destinations, transit facilities, activity centers, and public buildings to encourage bicycling and support a connected multimodal transportation system.
5. Encourage the provision of secure bicycle parking as part of new development and redevelopment projects.