Supervisors to discuss bike lane additions

Meeting will be Wednesday this week due to Presidents Day

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors will discuss whether to add bike lanes or other pedestrian and/ or cycling features as part of an upcoming widening project along North Frontage Road between Avenues 10E and 11E when it meets Wednesday.

The supervisors have been wrestling with how to accommodate the needs of the increasingly vocal cycling community on county roads, which generally were built without much consideration for their needs, without bike lanes or in many cases even a paved shoulder they can ride on.

The widening of North Frontage has been delayed while county staff has looked at alternate designs incorporating bike lanes or multiuse paths, along a heavily traveled stretch which includes the entrances to multiple RV parks frequented by winter visitors.

The design alternatives provided by staff and consulting firm Core Engineering are:

• The original plan of widening the road to four lanes, with no bike accommodations — $3.5 million

• Revised roadway with narrower vehicle lanes to make way for bike lanes — $4.1 million, including purchase of additional right of way.

• Building road to originally planned width and adding bike lanes — $4.3 million.

• Adding a shared-use path along the north side of the road — not recommended because path would conflict with multiple driveways, no cost estimate.

• A “shared roadway” design with signs warning drivers and cyclists to “share the road” — not recommended because of high vehicle speeds, no cost estimate.

The meeting will begin 9 a.m. Wednesday, and not on the usual Monday due to the Presidents Day holiday. Other agenda items include:

• Discussion on possible actions to improve safety on county roads, including forming a traffic control review committee, additional stop signs, traffic signals and lighting.

• Presentation of a plan and schedule to address planning cases with schedules for development.

• Authorizing the Department of Development Services to request proposals for permit management and electronic review software, ahead of the planned replacement of the current software next fiscal year. There is $735,000 set aside in the Capital Improvement Program for the expense.

• A proposed amendment to the county zoning ordinance increasing lot coverage maximums in the RV Subdivision, Medium Density Residential and High Density Residential zoning classifications.

• Four zoning reversion hearings, where zoning that was granted with a timeline for development that hasn’t been met could be reverted back to its former state, or possibly extended if requested by the landowner.

• A presentation from Julie Engel, president of the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation, on GYEDC’s current activities.

• Presentation of the employee Quarterly Safety Excellence Award by County Administrator Susan Thorpe.