As this plan looks to increase connectivity, accessibility, and sustainability, the stakeholder and public perspectives play a pivotal role in informing regional decisions. This plan serves as a conduit for dialogue between stakeholders and policymakers for priorities and preferences. Full details of the public engagement process and responses received are in the Appendix X
Focus Groups and Stakeholder Interviews
The project engaged the following stakeholders
- El Paso County
- City of Fountain
- Manitou Springs
- Green Mountain Falls
- Pike Ride
- Bike COS, RMFI (Rocky Mountain Field Institute), Trails & Open Spaces
- Woodland Park
- Palmer Lake, Monument & CDOT
- Colorado Springs
- UCCS Stakeholder Meeting
- Colorado Springs School District 11
- Colorado Department of Transportation – Region 2
Key Takeaways
The following bullet list is key takeaways and themes heard throughout the stakeholder process. These goals will be woven throughout this report and incorporated into the project and non-infrastructure recommendations.
- Safety
- Crime, perceived and real
- Visibility of users and infrastructure
- Speed differential of modes and users in the same corridor
- Intersection treatments
- Homelessness on trails
- Connectivity
- Efficient and high-quality connections between existing infrastructure
- Between Live, Learn, Work, and Play locations
- Facilitate a robust trail system throughout PPACG
- Leverage planned improvements
- Connectivity to transit
- Communication
- Between departments
- Between jurisdictions
- Education that collaborates with other efforts and safety advocates
- Drivers
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Students
- Regional Safety Campaign with local Police Departments
- Articulate the desire/need for active transportation infrastructure
- Regional Guidelines
- Clearly define different types of facilities, such as design or desired minimum widths
- Define best-use locations for defined facility types
- Utilize a Complete Streets approach
Public Outreach
Project Webpage
The project leveraged the PPACG website and webpage previously dedicated to the regional non-motorized plan. The page was updated with current project information, schedule, a sign-up feature for future email awareness, and hosted the public input materials.
Webpage: https://www.ppacg.org/transportation/walk-bike-ride/
Public Input Map
Alongside the public survey, an online mapping exercise allowed participants to identify different characteristics about the PPACG region. The map asked about Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities for bicycle or pedestrians in the region.
Input Map: PPACG Public Input Map (arcgis.com)
Public Surveys
Two surveys were conducted specific to the ATP. A general public survey ran from February through mid-April to gather public sentiment, perception, and preferences for active transportation improvements in the PPACG region. The general survey was hosted on the project webpage. An additional survey leveraged a yearly membership mailer for the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) by including an additional piece of paper with a two-sided survey.
Public Meetings
To Come in a Future Deliverable
PPACG Committees
Transportation Advisory Committee
Summary of Role, discussion
- Transportation and technical representatives for the communities
- Presented x times
Workshop
The regional plan workshop was a structured event with three key input activities. First, dot exercise was carried out, where attendees noted which characteristics they found important in a regional active transportation infrastructure. Characteristics ranged from servicing residents to going to regional destinations, as well as if the regionally significant system should consist of any on-street facilities. The second exercise focused on highlighting important trails and connections for TAC jurisdictions. Attendees wrote out key “must have” projects and corridors around the region, which provided a base understanding of important corridors for local jurisdictions and agencies were expecting to see in this plan. Next, a discussion was held about the potential for the plan to generate new projects. This was accompanied by another post-it note exercise where participants could propose example projects that hadn’t been previously proposed in local plans. The final key discussions during the workshop related to non-capital projects, strategies, and programs that should be looked at for the region. This discussion garnered interest in wayfinding and maintenance related topics. The input gathered from the workshop was instrumental in the development of the regional plan.
Citizens Advisory Committee
Summary of Role, discussion
- Citizen representatives for the communities
- Presented x times