SUBJECT: STAFF REPORT
Title
Golf Cart Access Update
Body
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PRESENTER/PREPARER: Gary Behlen, Public Works Director
Russell Pennington, Deputy Public Works Director
Wendi Palmer, Civil Engineer
FISCAL INFORMATION:
Cost as Recommended: $ 0
Balance Available: $ 0
Budget Line Item Number: NA
New Appropriation Required: No
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: NA
Recommendation
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
Based on direction from the Board of Trustees, Town Staff directed Felsburg Holt Ullevig (FHU) to evaluate several golf cart routes from Vista Ridge to Historic Downtown Erie. Each route was broken into segments and evaluated based on a matrix of Facility Type, Posted Speed, Cost (high medium and low), and Safety/Comfort ranking.
FHU recommended a route that would be the least costly and require minimal modifications to existing Town regulations. The recommended route does direct the golf carts through residential streets in Vista Point.
After review of the recommendation, Town Staff requested a route be included to access the Erie Community Center and an alternate route be considered that would minimize golf carts traveling through residential streets in Vista Point.
Both the recommended route and the alternative route will require the following modifications to the Town regulations
1. Either allow golf carts to operate on streets which have a speed limit of 35 mph, or include the 35 mph section of Vista Parkway as a road that can be used for golf carts. The current Town regulations limit the speed to 25 mph with the exception of Mountain View Boulevard.
2. Approve a variance to allow golf carts to use an existing pedestrian bridge and trails southeast of Bonnell Ave. The current regulations do not allow golf carts to use pedestrian facilities.
The recommended route includes the cost of installing a parallel 10-foot wide asphalt golf cart path between the end of Columbine Ave and Bonnell Ave. If the regulations were changed to allow the shared use of the pedestrian path between these two points, the cost of the route would be reduced to the cost of providing signage only.
Route Cost
Recommended route with signage only $ 45,000
(Shared Trails and Pedestrian Bridge)
Recommended route $180,000
(Separate Golf Cart Trail and Shared Pedestrian Bridge)
Alternate route $360,000
(Separate Golf Cart Trail and Shared Pedestrian Bridge)
If providing a golf cart route is desired, the following are the next steps:
Recommended route with signage only
1. Modify the Town Code Section 6-11-14: Operation of Golf Cars
2. Install signage.
Recommended Route
1. Modify the Town Code Section 6-11-14: Operation of Golf Cars
2. Design and construct the parallel path, including signage.
Alternate Route
1. Modify the Town Code Section 6-11-14: Operation of Golf Cars
2. Design and construct the alternate path, including signage.
ATTACHMENTS:
a. Golf Cart Route Report