Happy Trails to You: Developing the Dallas Trail Safety and Awareness Campaign

Texas Trails & Active Transportation Conference

February 2, 2012

Happy Trails to You!

Michael Hellmann Manager, Park Planning and Acquisition City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department

Jared White, AICP Project Coordinator City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department

City of Dallas Trail Network Master Plan

p Current Trail System n  Existing: 111 Miles n  Funded: 21 Miles n  Planned: 152 Miles n  Total: 284 Miles

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Trail Safety Initiatives

p As trail usage has increased, so has the need for emergency response and trail etiquette awareness: n  Improper behavior n  Accidents and/or injuries n  Crimes

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TRAIL EMERGENCY LOCATOR SYSTEM

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Trail Emergency Locator System

p Addressing Trails n  Most of the major linear trails are in railway

and utility easements, with limited street access

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Addressing Trails

p  It was proposed that unique 911 Pole Markers be installed n  Problem:

p  The 911 dispatch center uses a Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) system that also requires addresses to which emergency apparatuses can be sent

p  It was imperative that the 911 Pole Markers: n  Could be seen from any location on the

trail n  Would be the same on every trail

throughout the network n  Could be purchased within current budget

allocations 6

Addressing Trails

p  The solution was to find a way to assign addresses to the Pole Markers n  Each trail would be given initials to specify

which trail p  Example: Katy Trail = KT

n  Each pole marker would have an individual number

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Addressing Trails

p Dallas Fire-Rescue n  Uses ArcGIS to plot the points along the trail n  Using ArcGIS georeferencing capabilities, DFR

adds lat/long coordinates to the attribute table n  Writes preliminary caution notes to go with

the points, to be verified once the poles were in the ground

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Addressing Trails

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Addressing Trails

p By assigning addresses to each pole, CAD is able to dispatch to the coinciding address when the pole number is entered

p Caution Notes are then added to each of these linked dispatching coordinates n  The Caution Notes are transmitted to the

Mobile Data Computers (MDC) on the emergency vehicles

n  The Caution Notes supplies directions along the trail to enable emergency crews to locate the pole and thus locate the emergency

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Post Access Point Caution

124 Harvard Ave and head north

Nothing larger than a rescue allowed on trail. Rescues enter at 3198 Harvard Ave, go NE 1.6 mile. Foot access from alley west of trail. Alley access at 3198 Harvard Ave. go NE. Bollards must be removed and returned at access point.

101 All Star Way and head north

Nothing larger than a rescue allowed on trail. Rescues enter the Katy Trail from 2740 N Houston St. north of All Star Way, go NW 1.4 mile. Bollards must be removed and returned at access point.

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Katy Trail Caution Notes

Final Installation

p DFR confirms the accuracy of the caution notes n  Rewrites as necessary n  Enters data into CAD

p  Test runs made to reduce confusion p  911 signs attached to poles

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Prioritizing Trails

p  Trails With Signs n  Katy Trail n  White Rock Lake Trail n  White Rock Creek Trail n  Bachman Lake Trail (underway)

p  Trails Requiring Signs n  Cottonwood Creek Trail n  Kiest Park Trail n  Northaven Trail n  Preston Ridge Trail n  Santa Fe Trail n  Trinity Forest Trail

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Prioritizing Trails

p Ranking Criteria n  Remoteness/Visibility n  Volume of Use n  Access

Numerical score assigned based on the trail’s degree of remoteness/ visibility, level of use, and accessibility from the nearest street(s).

Next Steps

p Sign installation process underway for the Bachman Lake Trail

p  Install system on all existing major trails p Work with adjacent cities which will have

trail connections p  Look at modifying this system to work in

large parks for identifying areas within the park

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A Regional Standard

HAPPY TRAILS CAMPAIGN

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Trail Safety Initiatives

p  In response to increasing rates of incidents a trail safety action plan was developed. n  Immediate Action n  Intermediate Action n  On-Going and Long Term Action

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Trail Safety Initiatives

p  Immediate Action – Items that have been implemented or are in the process of implementation n  Increase police presence n  Implement trail/street crossing improvements n  Update trail safety guidelines n  Promote outreach activities n  Establish the Dallas Trail Safety Advisory

Committee

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Trail Safety Initiatives – Public Outreach

Katy Trail Safety Awareness Drive October 20, 2010

Park(ing) Day September 16, 2011

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Trail Safety Initiatives – TSAC

p  Trail Safety Advisory Committee established to develop consensus on appropriateness and feasibility of various ideas on improving trail safety

p  Discussion topics include: n  Facility design standards n  User behavior and concerns n  Regulation and enforcement n  Pertinent City codes and ordinances

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Trail Safety Initiatives – TSAC

p  Key stakeholder groups represented: n  Friends of the Katy Trail n  Friends of the Trinity Strand Trail n  Friends of the Preston Ridge Trail n  Friends of the Santa Fe Trail n  Friends of Kiest Trails n  Bike DFW n  Dallas Running Club

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Trail Safety Initiatives

p  Intermediate Action – Items currently in the planning phases, to be implemented in the near future n  Launch advertising campaign to promote

proper trail use and safety n  Implement consistent/standardized traffic control

and safety treatments at all operational trail/street crossings

n  Re-stripe faded striping as needed

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p  New sign types developed to convey trail etiquette messages

Happy Trails Program – New Trail Signs

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p  Nearly 100 “Happy Trail” signs installed on all major trails with full installation now underway p  Bachman Lake Trail p  Cottonwood Creek Trail p  Katy Trail p  Kiest Park Trail p  Preston Ridge Trail p  Santa Fe Trail p  White Rock Lake Trail p  White Rock Creek Greenbelt Trail

Happy Trails Program – New Trail Signs

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p  Launch a dynamic advertising campaign to promote proper trail use and safety

Trail Safety Initiatives – Happy Trails

happytrailsdallas.com

Happy Trails to You!

“It’s the way you ride the trail that counts…”

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Happy Trails Program – Social Media

foursquare.com/dallastrails twitter.com/dallastrails

facebook.com/DallasTrails

Public Service Announcement

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Public Service Announcement

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Public Service Announcement

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Trail Safety Initiatives

p  On-Going and Long Term Action – Items with long time horizons and/or requires significant budgetary needs for complete implementation: n  Continue implementation of the Dallas Trail

Network Plan n  Continue implementation of the 911 locator sign

program for all major trails n  Begin implementation of the 2011 Dallas Bike Plan

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www.happytrailsdallas.com

www.facebook.com/DallasTrails