Explanation
BACKGROUND
Bicycle tourism is a growing industry in North America, contributing $47 billion annually to the economies of communities that provide facilities for tourists utilizing the facilities. The City of Columbus recognizes the importance of establishing a thorough bikeway infrastructure and has devoted substantial effort to construction of this bicycle friendly infrastructure.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials(AASHTO) has designated a west-east corridor crossing the center of the State to be developed as United States Bike Route 50(USBR 50). The Ohio Department of Transportation(ODOT) is supportive of AASHTO designated bicycle routes through Ohio, subject to ongoing collaboration with affected jurisdictions to inventory, analyze, and designate specific routes to be used.
The Department of Public Service and the Recreation and Parks Department has investigated the proposed route and found it to be a suitable route, and desire that the route be designated so that it can be mapped and signed, thereby promoting bicycle tourism in the area. The current plan includes approximately 5.2 miles of bike routes, 16.3 miles of shared use path within the City of Columbus and 25.3 miles of the route in Franklin County that are not in The City of Columbus.
Title
To express the approval and support for the development of USBR 50, and request that the route is officially designated by AASHTO as soon as this can be achieved, and authorizes the posting of signs within the City of Columbus right-of-way identifying the route through the community once the official designation has been made.
Body
WHEREAS, bicycle tourism is a growing industry in North America, contributing $47 billion a year to the economies of communities that provide facilities for such tourists; and
WHEREAS, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has designated a west-east corridor crossing the center of the state to be developed as United States Bike Route 50 (USBR 50), and
WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Transportation is supportive of AASHTO designated bicycle routes through Ohio, subject to ongoing collaboration with affected jurisdictions to inventory, analyze, and designate specific facilities the routes will traverse, and
WHEREAS, the proposed route has been investigated by The Department of Public Service and the Recreation and Parks Department and found to be a suitable route, and The City desires that the route be designated so that it can be mapped and signed, thereby promoting bicycle tourism in our area, and
WHEREAS, The City acknowledges the route may change over time because new facilities are being constructed that are more suitable for bicyclists; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City of Columbus hereby expresses its approval and support for the development of USBR 50, and requests that the appropriate officials see to it that the route is officially designated by AASHTO as soon as this can be achieved, and authorizes the posting of signs within the City right-of-way identifying the route through the community once the official designation has been made.
SECTION 2. That this resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.