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Introduction
The vast geographic scale and topographic variation in Coconino County make travel a challenge to visitors and citizens alike. These physical characteristics not only influence transportation planning but they also impact our ability to construct and maintain an efficient, affordable CIRCULATION SYSTEM. The airports, rail lines, highways, and TRAILS move large volumes of materials and millions of people, including nearly 5 million visitors annually to Grand Canyon National Park. Our limited funding resources dictate a continuing emphasis on maintaining existing systems rather than pursuing new roadway construction and other improvements. This Element provides guidelines for managing and improving the county’s circulation system. The goals and policies strive to balance our need for providing safe and efficient travel opportunities throughout Coconino County with our need to preserve the county’s rural and scenic character. The Conservation Framework RelationshipThe goals and policies in this Circulation Element are strongly related to the CONSERVATION FRAMEWORK because roadways, rail lines, airport facilities, and trails require physical footprints. Without sound, conservation-based planning, this infrastructure can fragment or damage HABITAT, limit wildlife movement, introduce pollutants and non-native SPECIES, cause adverse hydrologic impacts, and create excessive noise. Conserving natural resources requires that our circulation system incorporate MULTIMODALISM. All five ecological principles apply to this Element. In addition, because of the potential for habitat fragmentation, conservation guidelines A, B, C, and E are especially important. We must also take care to follow conservation guideline F, which addresses nonnative species, during roadway maintenance. Our Purpose & VisionOur county vision involves providing sufficient infrastructure in rural areas to facilitate safe access for all modes in a way that minimizes impacts to the NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. The Coconino County Comprehensive Plan establishes policies that increase the efficiency and safety of our circulation system while meeting the access and mobility needs of residents, including needs for nonmotorized and alternate modes of transportation. These policies also focus on improving transit service in unincorporated areas, providing infrastructure for alternatives to motorized vehicle travel, and supporting the development of MULTIMODAL CORRIDORS. Finally, they support air travel while protecting human and natural communities from adverse impacts of aircraft and associated facilities. Roadways
Goal: Maintain a circulation network that is safe, efficient, and complementary to local communities and the environment. Policies:
Public & Private Transit Systems Transit service is extremely limited within unincorporated Coconino County and outside the boundaries of the FLAGSTAFF METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (FMPO). Coconino County provides fixed-route service (“Mountain Line”) within the incorporated limits of Flagstaff. It also provides door-to-door PARA-TRANSIT service (“VanGo”) for persons with disabilities within Flagstaff as well as in some unincorporated FMPO areas. A 5-year transit plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors specifies improvements to transit service within the FMPO boundary. As of 2002, it included no plans to extend Mountain Line or VanGo service to areas outside the FMPO or to provide additional transit services in other areas of the county. Fixed-route, intercity service is available in the Navajo Nation between Tuba City and Window Rock. This is the only route maintained by the Navajo Transit System that has a destination within Coconino County. Private intercity transit service is available from Flagstaff to destinations within and outside of the county. In 2003, these private services included vans from Flagstaff to Phoenix and Grand Canyon National Park, and seasonal service between the North Rim and South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Greyhound bus terminal in Flagstaff provides intercity service to other locations around the country. Amtrak passenger rail service is available in Flagstaff and Williams. The Southwest Chief leaves each city twice daily—once westbound, en route to Los Angeles, and once east-bound, en route to Chicago. Service from Williams to Grand Canyon National Park is available on the historic Grand Canyon Railway. This train makes one round trip to Grand Canyon National Park daily. Goal: Improve rural and regional transit service opportunities. Policies:
Airports & Airspace Arizona’s primary airport system includes commercial airports in Flagstaff, Grand Canyon National Park, and Page. It also includes publicuse airports in Tuba City, Williams, and Valle. A few Coconino County public airports fall under the secondary classification system—Marble Canyon, Cliff Dwellers, and Leupp/Painted Desert. Commercial air service connects the county to Phoenix and other points. Air service also serves an important role in delivering freight and goods that would otherwise travel by truck or rail. Coconino County has no jurisdictional authority over the administration and planning of airport facilities. Scenic flights over areas such as the Grand Canyon and Oak Creek Canyon are popular with tourists and generate revenue for tour operators. Most fly to Grand Canyon National Park from either Grand Canyon National Park Airport, Page Municipal Airport, or McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Park users have expressed concerns about noise generated by flights over WILDERNESS AREAS. Congress adopted the National Parks Overflights Act in 1987 to provide for “substantial restoration of the natural quiet and experience of the park and protection of public health and safety from adverse effects associated with aircraft overflights.” The FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) implemented regulations on overflights in 1988 and strengthened those rules in 1994. These regulations limit hours of operation, specify permissible flight corridors and minimum altitude requirements, and implement nofly zones. They continue to be the subject of debate among air tour operators, owners of private aircraft, residents, visitors, and environmental groups. Goal: Support air travel opportunities while minimizing the impacts on human and natural communities. Policies:
NonMotorized Circulation Opportunities for nonmotorized travel in Coconino County are limited. Although the county features hundreds of pedestrian and bicycle TRAILS, they are used almost exclusively for recreational purposes on Forest Service or Park Service lands. Almost all opportunities for pedestrian travel are found within incorporated cities and towns, as well as within the boundaries of the FMPO. Likewise, most bicycle commuting is also confined to cities and the FMPO area. Although state and County highways feature no designated bicycle lanes, state law allows bicycle COMMUTERS to use widened shoulders unless otherwise posted. However, the great distances between populated areas of the county severely limit bicycling as a viable choice for most people. Goal: Improve nonmotorized circulation networks and provide greater opportunity for alternative modes of travel. Policies:
Infrastructure Design & Development Economic influences such as logging, ranching, tourism, and recreation have played a role in developing the county’s CIRCULATION SYSTEM. Historically, much of this system evolved to provide access to agricultural, public, and residential lands—it was not developed in anticipation of new growth areas. Today, the design of circulation infrastructure is based primarily on the Coconino County Engineering Design & Construction Criteria manual , adopted by the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS in 1991. The manual contains guidelines for designing roadways and accompanying pedestrian, equestrian, and bicycle facilities. Based on the County’s FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, these guidelines specify engineering and RIGHT-OF-WAY requirements for roadways built through the private development process as well as through capital improvement projects. The Coconino County Subdivision Ordinance contains minimum development requirements for circulation infrastructure in platted SUBDIVISIONS. Requirements for roadway and nonmotorized transportation improvements depend on the minimum lot size of properties in the subdivision and the functional classification of roadways. Paved roads are required for all new subdivisions, although developers can apply for a paving waiver if lot sizes are 2½ acres or greater. Roadways with paving waivers will not be accepted into the County maintenance system; they must be maintained by a homeowners association using the same criteria as County-maintained roads. Practically all circulation corridors in unincorporated areas of Coconino County provide infrastructure for only one transportation mode—travel by motorized vehicle. This reality will likely continue for the foreseeable future. Efforts have been made in incorporated and within the FMPO boundaries to plan for a more balanced circulation system that includes MULTIMODAL CORRIDORS. Amenities such as bike lanes, pedestrian and equestrian facilities, and bus turnouts may not be incorporated into roadway designs for the rural county in the near future. However, adding features such as wide shoulders into reconstruction projects would accommodate these amenities at little or no additional cost in the future. Goal: Ensure the quality design and development of circulation systems. Policies:
Maintenance & Improvements Coconino County is responsible for maintaining and/or improving three types of roadways. The first type includes the roads it owns—roads that have been built to County engineering standards, located on County rights-of-way, and accepted by the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. The second type, “cooperative” roads, includes roads located on properties that the County does not own but maintains through intergovernmental agreements with other jurisdictions, including incorporated cities, ADOT, the Forest Service, and the Navajo Nation. The third type includes primitive roadways located on easements or RIGHTS-OF-WAY that have not been accepted by the County but have been open since June 13, 1975. These roadways have been “grandfathered” into the system by the Board of Supervisors. Property owners are responsible for maintaining and improving private roads adjacent to their land. Because these responsibilities are not enforced, however, private road maintenance is generally haphazard or nonexistent. Liability rests with property owners as well; those who neglect roadway maintenance could face legal consequences if someone pursues civil action. Private roads are generally local, with low AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC volumes. Nevertheless, local residents use them every day. These roads often present problems because the public cannot address issues related to dust control, maintenance and snowplowing, and access by emergency vehicles, mail carriers, school buses, pedestrians, bicycles, and equestrians. Coconino County has insufficient financial resources to pave all existing unpaved roadways. However, IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS provide a mechanism for property owners to pave, grade, maintain, or otherwise improve all or part of a street. Improvements must adhere to minimum County standards and Arizona Fire Code access road standards. In addition, those owning property fronting the roadway must deed the necessary right-of-way to the County. Once improved, these roads are eligible to be accepted by the Board of Supervisors as County roads, which are eligible for perpetual County maintenance. In most cases, improvement districts provide the only way for residents to get County and private roads paved. Another option that residents can use to a establish road maintenance program is forming a type of improvement district known as a Road Maintenance District. To be eligible, residents must improve roads to a minimum, County-defined condition rather than to County road standards. Maintenance is performed by a private contractor under the administration of County staff. Residents pay for this maintenance annually as long as the district exists. Goal: Improve and maintain circulation infrastructure while protecting the environment and community character. Policies:
Access Management & Safety Protecting the traveling public’s safety is a primary objective that the Public Works Department achieves by programming projects for the CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CIP), regularly maintaining roadways, and establishing design requirements for new improvements. Both the Sheriff’s Office and the Public Works Department maintain vehicle accident data for County roads to help prioritize programming, adjust maintenance schedules, or otherwise improve potentially unsafe situations. In addition to maintaining roadways, bridge facilities are regularly inspected and maintained to ensure safety. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT (TSM) is a process that facilitates minor efficiency improvements to enhance the safety and operation of roadways without making major capital investments. One TSM technique, ACCESS MANAGEMENT, improves roadway capacity and increases safety by regulating vehicular access to public roadways from adjoining properties. The types of land uses that can thrive along transportation corridors depend on vehicle access. Adding access points to a corridor decreases through-trip mobility because vehicles must turn into traffic, creating possible conflicts. Access management techniques can mitigate these conflicts. Common ones include adding medians, frontage roads, common driveways and parking lots, as well as controlling driveway spacing and improving the circulation patterns within developments adjacent to the roadway. Access management techniques should consider ADT volumes and FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION of the roadway. In March 2002, the Board of Supervisors approved recommendations in the first access management study to improve safety in the SR 64 corridor from the City of Williams to Grand Canyon National Park. This study was a joint project between ADOT and Coconino County. Goal: Provide for safe travel and access to property. Policies:
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Coconino County features many types of roadways—federal and state highways, a variety of County roads, U.S. Forest Service roads, and private roads, among others. Our primary, long-distance roadways include federal interstate highways, U.S. highways, and designated State Routes. Two major highways serve crucial circulation roles for Coconino County—Interstate 17, which heads south to Phoenix, and Interstate 40, the only east-west roadway extending across the county. U.S. highways in Coconino County primarily serve north-south traffic.