First of two public meetings provides information, collects input on bike and pedestrian plan

On a scale from A to F, Shelby County has an average grade of “D” for walking conditions and a “C” for bicycling conditions along its roads, according to an analysis by Sain Associates.

These grades were presented on maps on Jan. 10 at Chelsea City Hall during a county hosted public workshop. The first of two public workshops, the three hour stop-in meeting served as an opportunity for Sain and the county to gain an idea of to what level and in which locations Shelby County residents would like to see increased bike and pedestrian amenities.

The grades, identified as levels of service, doled out in the analysis were based on typical bicycling and typical walking conditions, said Alicia Bailey, a representative of Sain Associates. Elements such as lane width, shoulder width, paving, presence of sidewalks and other items were factored into the study.

For bicycling conditions, a road received an A for the greatest level of safety and comfort, few interruptions and increased freedom to maneuver; a C for a good level of safety and comfort, smooth travel surface and moderate room to maneuver; and an F for a rough travel surface, poor maneuverability and high amount of ride interruptions such as high levels of traffic. As examples, Highway 62 received an A, Valleydale Road received a C and the unpaved Gurnee-Straven Road received an F.

The only roads that received an F were unpaved, Bailey said, because the uneven surface is not a smooth place for cyclists to ride.

For walking conditions, an A was given if there was low to no competition with motorists and an available sidewalk; a C was given for moderate competition and adequate room for more than one person to walk; and an F was given for low level of safety and comfort and the highest competition with motorist. As examples, S. Main Street in Columbiana received an A, Highway 31 a C and U.S. 280 received an F.

Around Chelsea, there were several C and F roads for walking conditions, while walking conditions were marked E and F around Oak Mountain State Park and marked D and C around Dunnavant Valley. The highest graded walking areas were downtown Columbiana and downtown Montevallo, where there is a high concentration of sidewalks, Bailey said.

For cycling, Chelsea roads received grades ranging from A to C, with U.S. 280 receiving a C on most segments of the road. Dunnavant Valley received Cs and Ds, while roads surrounding Oak Mountain State Park received Ds and Es.

“What we’re trying to do is say, ‘This is where you’re existing,’” Bailey said.

Tom Opie, a Dunnavant Valley resident, has previously worked with the county to put up more “Share the Road” signs. An avid road cyclist, Opie said it is important to make motorists aware of cyclists and to make cyclists aware of their responsibility to following the rules of the road. The signs, he said, help encourage both parties to be safer and more responsible on the road.

“I just want people to be able to have an alternative means of transportation and a safe way and place to ride their bike,” Odie said.

The United States, and especially Alabama, is behind other areas of the world in regard to providing the means of alternative modes of transportation such as biking or walking, Odie said, and he is interested to see what the county will do once it has citizen input to combine with the analysis already done on the county’s roads.

In addition to maps marking the current state of roads, a demand map was also on display. This map showed where the highest need of better bike or walking conditions is expected, highlighting mainly high density areas such as the parts of Hoover and Pelham that border Jefferson County.

“It looks at if there was a facility there, would it be used,” said Peyton McLeod, who was explaining the demand map to those in attendance.

Areas with denser populations or a higher concentration of businesses, homes and schools were labeled as having higher demand for more walking and biking amenities.

After looking at all of the maps and grades on display, residents were encouraged to respond to a survey about bike and walking conditions. They gave a desired level of service for the county as a whole on a scale of A to F. They also specified roads where they would utilize more amenities.

“You can say, ‘I live here, and if those roads had accommodations, I’d ride my bike there,’” Bailey said.

If survey respondents said they wanted to see an overall grade of “C,” Bailey said the county would know to focus more efforts on improving D, E and F roads. Or, if they identified a certain area as needing “B” roads, the county would know citizens see those roads as a priority. She also noted, however, that requesting an A on bike and walking conditions would increase the overall cost of the project in addition to extending the timeline for improvements.

The input would allow for a "rational plan as funds come available," McLeod said.

Sally Kelley and Robert Kelley, residents of Yellowleaf Ridge Estates, attended the meeting to discuss potential walking and biking trails along Yellowleaf Creek, which passes through the park in their neighborhood. Both were also interested in looking at the current conditions of roads in the area.

“Right now you take your life in your hands if you try to walk anywhere,” Robert Kelley said, who added that he was surprised to see present ratings were so low.

Both would like to see more walking and bicycling areas around some of Chelsea’s shopping centers to allow alternative means of travel to those areas. A lot of children live in the area, Sally Kelley said, and providing walking and biking areas would help make it safer for them.

“I’d like to see it developed for these kids so they can have areas they feel safe in,” Kelley said.

On her survey, Sally Kelley said she would like to see A conditions in Chelsea, but Robert Kelley said he realizes it is a work in progress.

“I realize we take it one step at a time, so I didn’t ask for As,” he said.

The information gathered at the meeting will be used to construct a Bike and Pedestrian Plan for the county. That plan will be used as a reference in determining the priority of different projects as funding is acquired, McLeod said.

Some funding requires the addition of bike lanes or sidewalks when it comes to road projects, Bailey said, and having a plan allows the county to see which areas have a need for greater levels of service as well as which areas have an adequate level of service.

A second meeting will be held Thursday, Jan. 12 from 4-7 p.m. The meeting will be at the Shelby County Services building at 1123 County Services Drive in Pelham. 

Information presented at the public workshop, in addition to a link to the online survey, is available at the county’s website at shelbyal.com. Responses to the survey will be accepted through Jan. 23.