Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/06/2014

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• Continue to provide regional wastewater treatment services at rates that today are among the lowest in the country; Encourage and invest in a wide variety of housing options throughout the region to serve the increasingly diverse population, including viable housing choices for households with low and moderate incomes; • Invest in transit to expand transportation options, particularly to connect workers to jobs throughout the region; • Construct and support park and rides to expand access to transit as a transportation alternative in less dense residential areas; • Support complete streets approaches to enhance transportation choices; • Promote the preservation of existing housing, especially affordable housing, to cost- effectively maintain affordability and preserve the unique historical characteristics of the region's housing stock. Supporting the region's bicycle and pedestrian facilities to promote bicycling for transportation, recreation and healthy lifestyles Over the last ten years, bicycling as a mode of transportation has increased as a result of growing interest in physically -active lifestyles, concern about climate change, improved connections to transit, and the preferences of the Millennial generation. Our region has earned a national reputation for bike -friendliness, in large part due to the infrastructure investments made by local governments. Data from the 2010 Travel Behavior Inventory show that bicycling's share of work commute trips has grown by 70% percent over the past decade and now represents one in 11 work commutes in the central cities. Facilities for walking —which makes up 6% of all trips —are also important for transit ridership, healthy active lifestyles, and safety. The Council will collaborate with local communities, MnDOT, the Transportation Advisory Board, non-profit organizations and other partners to connect and improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Specifically, the Council will: • Focus its bicycle and pedestrian efforts on regional -scale issues and coordination among jurisdictions in the region, including: • Aggregating local bike plans into a shared regional format; • Identifying regionally important bicycle corridors in the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan; • Reducing gaps and barriers and improving links across jurisdictional borders. • Work with its partners, including MnDOT, the Transportation Advisory Board and local jurisdictions, to expand the region's bicycle and pedestrian system and increase these modes' share of the regional trips over the coming decades by: • Encouraging local jurisdictions to recognize planning and building of bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a component of new development; • Encouraging adoption of Complete Streets solutions by local communities where appropriate; • Encouraging local communities to include bicycle plans and pedestrian plans in their comprehensive plans; • Work with partners to plan, construct and maintain bicycle and pedestrian connections to regional systems (such as transit stations, highways or regional parks). DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Last revised: February 21, 2014 27