The City with a Heart
City of Cotati
Active
Transportation Plan
APRIL 2024
Exhibit A
Cotati Active
Transportation Plan (ATP)
1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. COMMUNITY PROFILE & WALKING, BIKING & ROLLING TODAY 3 Community Characteristics and Travel Patterns 3
Road Safety in Cotati 4
Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics in Cotati 4 Defining Level of Traffic Stress 6
3. COMMUNITY & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 11
4. VISION & GOALS 13
5. ADVANCING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION 14
Infrastructure Improvements 14
Considerations for Facility Type 14
Planned Projects 15
Engineering Treatments Toolbox 26
Programs & Policies 27
Programs 27
Policies 29
6. IMPLEMENTATION: LOCAL CONSIDERATIONS 35
Timeline 35
Policies and Programs 35
Planned Projects 36
Funding 40
Monitoring 42
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1. Introduction
The 2024 Cotati Active Transportation Plan (ATP) was developed as a component of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority‘s (SCTA’s) 2025 Countywide Active Transportation Plan (Countywide ATP) effort. As part of a regional effort, this plan focuses on improving active transportation connections within the city and creating low stress connections to surrounding jurisdictions such as Rohnert Park and Sonoma County. The Cotati ATP is also a stand-alone document to be used by the City of Cotati to guide implementation of local projects and programs and document city policy.
The primary emphasis of this planning effort is to increase access to active transportation modes by planning for infrastructure projects and supportive programs. Active transportation refers to “human-powered” modes of travel, like walking, biking, or using mobility devices. Creating an environment that encourages a shift from automobile trips to walking or biking trips also promotes improvements to mental and physical health, air quality and noise, and equity. A safer and more connected network would allow members of the community flexibility in their travel, where they would not need to rely on a personal vehicle to travel through the city and larger region.
The Cotati ATP builds off the goals of the Countywide ATP, with a focus on implementation of local active transportation projects, programs, and policies.
Projects are prioritized based on the needs highlighted by the community and city staff, and programs are in line with the city’s near terms plans and funding priorities.
The previous Cotati Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) adopted in 2014 identified a general expansion of walking and biking facilities. Since the 2014 BPMP was adopted, several changes and advancements have been made in the state of active transportation planning practices. For example, SCTA adopted Vision Zero in 2021, which is a regional commitment to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. There have also been policy changes at the national and state level acknowledging a greater need for more robust infrastructure, programs, and policies to make walking and biking safer. With those and other similar advancements in mind, this plan update focuses on:
• All Ages and Abilities – Creating spaces for people to walk, bike, and roll that are low-stress and lower risk to create more opportunities for more people to walk, bike, and roll.
• Regional Coordination - Identifying and planning regional routes between jurisdictions as part of the larger Countywide ATP.
• Implementation – Prioritizing projects and identifying funding to focus and streamline implementation.
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Low-stress network analysis was used to identify opportunities to upgrade or enhance existing or previously planned projects. The network analysis considered community and regional destinations, traffic safety, gaps in existing facilities to help inform recommendations for enhanced or new active transportation improvements.
Community input was gathered to ground truth and expand the findings from the network analysis to create a robust project list and supporting policy and programs.
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2. Community Profile &
Walking, Biking & Rolling
Today
Community Characteristics and Travel Patterns
The City of Cotati has a population of approximately 7,5001 and shares its northern and eastern border with the City of Rohnert Park. The City of Cotati extends out from “the Hub,” two concentric sets of six streets. Each set forms a hexagon, which centers around La Plaza Park and the Cotati fire station. The Hub is bisected by Old Redwood Highway and East Cotati Avenue/West Sierra Avenue. Around the Hub is a thriving, historic downtown, including mixed-use developments. Although Sonoma State University (SSU) is located just outside of the City limits, Cotati has many characteristics of a university town. Many students live in Cotati and frequent downtown restaurants, shops, and bars. The Active Transportation Plan identifies connections that encourage active transportation uses from residential areas to the downtown, Cotati Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) station, and SSU.
In the past two decades, Cotati has seen growth, both in the development of land uses and in the number of people residing within the City. Since 2000, there has been growth of approximately 1,000 residents2 and the City took on various safety improvements including sidewalk shaving to even out pavement, closing gaps in the sidewalk network, traffic calming, pedestrian and bike enhancement studies, and safety improvements at signalized intersections.
Approximately 66 percent of the City’s population is between the ages of 18 to 64, and 14 percent are 65 and older.
3 Creating an environment that accommodates those of
all ages and abilities and makes the first and last mile connections to transit is crucial in promoting and enabling more walking, biking, and rolling for daily travel needs.
Census data indicate two percent of workers currently bike or walk to work, four percent take transit, 72 percent use single occupancy vehicles, and others carpool, work from home or take other means of transportation to work. 1 https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0616560-cotati-ca/ 2 US Census Bureau. Cotati. 2020.
3 https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0616560-cotati-ca/ Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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As the City continues to grow, there is a need for safer, low stress, and betterconnected walking, biking, and rolling facilities.
Road Safety in Cotati
Among similar sized cities in California, Cotati is in the 50th percentile for number of fatal and injury collisions, which means half of similar sized cities have experienced more fatal and injury collisions and half have experienced less. 4 The City’s 2021 Local
Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) evaluated collision data from 2015 through 2019. There were zero fatalities but four people were severely injured in traffic collisions during that time (two severe injury collisions in 2016, and one severe injury collision in both 2017 and 2018). There were zero fatal or severe injury (“KSI”) collisions involving people walking or biking during this five-year period. During this period, the total number of collisions resulting in an injury (all modes) rose by approximately 72 percent. The City’s LRSP identified Old Redwood Highway and East Cotati Avenue as two corridors along which many of the collisions were reported.
Existing Active Transportation Network Characteristics
in Cotati
Improved active transportation connections between residential and retail uses and existing trails and transit facilities are needed in Cotati. With the SMART station located on the City’s eastern border along with the north-south running SMART pathway and the Laguna trails in the northeast quadrant, the City currently lacks lowstress east-west connections along East Cotati Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Valparaiso Avenue, and across the Highway 101 corridor. Additional low-stress north-south connections are needed along Old Redwood Highway, Redwood Drive, and along Washoe Creek just west of the city boundaries. The following figures illustrate these needs.
Figure 1 illustrates the existing bikeway network. The bikeway network is classified into several distinct facility types, further detailed below. • Class I Multi-Use Paths are fully separated bike and pedestrian paths. They follow their own alignment sometimes parallel to a street, waterway, and/or other alignment through open space or undeveloped areas. Interactions with vehicles are limited to trail crossings of streets.
• Class II Bike Lanes are on-street bike facilities that use a white line or stripe (i.e., longitudinal pavement marking) to designate space on the street for bicyclists that is adjacent to a vehicle lane.
4 https://www.ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/crash-rankings-results/?wpv_view_count=1327&wpvwpcf-year=2020&wpv-wpcf-city_county=Cotati&wpv_filter_submit=Submit Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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• Class IIB Buffered Bike Lanes increase space between the bike lane and vehicle travel lane(s) using a painted buffer. The painted buffer is often made up of two parallel white lines with diagonal white lines painted between them. Green pavement markings can be used at driveways or intersections to draw attention to where vehicle paths cross bicyclists’ paths. • Class III Bike Routes are shared facilities between bicyclists and motor vehicles. Bicyclists ride in the vehicle lane. Bike routes are sometimes used to provide a connection to another bike facility or designated bike route. “Sharrows” (shared-lane markings) may be used to alert motorists of on-street bicyclists. Signs may also be used to mark the route.
• Class IIIB Bike Boulevards are streets designed to give priority to people walking and biking and allow bicyclists and motorists to safely share the road on low-volume, low-speed, local streets. Traffic calming treatments are used to encourage slower vehicle speeds and discourage non-local vehicle traffic.
Treatments can include a combination of speed tables, raised crosswalks, speed humps, traffic diverters, chicanes, curb extensions at intersections or marked crosswalks, and/or neighborhood traffic circles. • Class IV Separated Bike Lanes are on-street bike facilities that include physical separation between where bicyclists ride and vehicle traffic. Ideally, the physical separation provides protection to the bicyclist through use of materials such as concrete medians (with or without landscaping), planters, and/or the bike lane could be separated by a curb to raise the bike lane to either sidewalk height or an intermediate height. Green pavement markings can be used at driveways or intersections to draw attention to where vehicle paths cross bicyclists’ paths as well as additional intersection treatments to enhance safety.
The existing transit network, as illustrated in Figure 2, includes transit services and amenities within or immediately adjacent to Cotati. Bikes are allowed on SMART trains and service is provided throughout Sonoma and Marin counties on approximately 30- to 60-minute headways on weekdays and approximately 60- to 90- minute headways on weekends. Sonoma County Transit (SCT) buses are equipped with bike racks and service is provided on 30- to 65-minute headways on weekdays and Saturdays largely within Sonoma County. Golden Gate Transit (GGT) buses are equipped with bike racks and service is provided on 35- to 60-minute headways on weekdays and weekends. GGT provides connections to destinations in Sonoma and Marin counties as well as San Francisco. Transit routes are provided along major arterials and collectors throughout the city but existing gaps in the sidewalk network, as shown in Figure 3, and the bike network are a barrier to people walking and biking to transit stops.
As described above, to enable more people to walk, bike and roll, and to use these modes to access transit, the spaces built to support those uses need to be safe and comfortable. Figure 4 illustrates the results of a Level of Traffic Stress analysis used to gauge level of comfort in traveling along a street. Figure 4 also denotes the streets Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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within Cotati that were identified as part of SCTA’s High Injury Network5 (HIN) developed as part of SCTA’s Vision Zero Action Plan6.
An LTS 1 rating indicates the least stressful (most comfortable) facilities. Low stress (LTS 1 or 2) facilities in Cotati include the SMART Trail, Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail (Laguna Trail), and the buffered bike lanes on West Sierra Drive. LTS 4 indicates the most stressful (least comfortable) facilities. High stress facilities in Cotati overlap with the HIN segments on Old Redwood Highway as well as Redwood Drive and main eastwest arterials such as Highway 116 and East Cotati Avenue.
Defining Level of Traffic Stress
Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) analysis takes different travel corridor characteristics into consideration, including the number of travel lanes, speed of traffic, number of vehicles, presence of bike lanes, width of bike lanes, and presence of physical barriers providing protection from traffic. Based on these variables, a bike facility can be rated with an LTS ranging from 1 to 4.
The least stressful (most comfortable) facilities are given an LTS 1 rating. Facilities with this rating are typically shared-use paths, separated bikeways, low-volume and lowspeed bike routes, and bike lanes on calm and narrow streets. The most stressful (least comfortable) facilities are given an LTS 4 rating. Facilities with this rating are typically major arterials with multiple lanes of traffic (with or without bike lanes in some cases, depending on speeds) or narrower streets with higher speed limits.
5 The High Injury Network is a compilation of road segments with an elevated risk of crashes resulting in an injury or fatality, identified through an analysis of the frequency, severity, and mode of past crashes. https://scta.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sonoma-Vision-Zero-Action-Plan_Final1.pdf 6 https://scta.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sonoma-Vision-Zero-Action-Plan_Final-1.pdf W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Multi-Use Path
Bike Lane
Buffered Bike Lane
Bike Route
Bike Boulevard
Separated Bikeway
Traffic Calming
Corridor Study
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 1
Existing Bikeway
Network
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Figure 2
Existing Transit Network
Sonoma County Transit Stops
Sonoma County Transit Routes
Golden Gate Transit Stops
Golden Gate Transit Routes
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
Gap on one side
Gap on both sides
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 3
Existing Sidewalk Gaps
N
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
Lowest Stress (LTS 1) HIN
Low Stress (LTS 2) Schools
Moderate Stress (LTS 3) Libraries
High Stress (LTS 4)
SMART Station
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 4
Existing Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) and 2022
Countywide High Injury Network (HIN)
N
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3. Community &
Stakeholder Engagement
Initial outreach for the Cotati ATP began in 2021. City staff hosted pop-up engagements at the local Farmer’s Market throughout the summer. Also in 2021, community input was gathered through development of the 2022 Cotati Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP) and at the Planning Commission on September 20, 2021.
In 2023, in coordination with City staff, staff from other participating jurisdictions, and SCTA, the Countywide ATP project team prepared a Stakeholder Coordination Plan and Community Engagement Plan to guide community engagement and milestone presentations to local and regional advisory bodies and relevant committees. More details on the countywide community and stakeholder engagement approaches and outcomes are detailed in the 2025 Countywide ATP.
Public engagement restarted in Cotati in June 2023 when the project team presented the overall approach for the Countywide ATP and how Cotati’s ATP would be included in the countywide “umbrella” plan to the Planning Commission. In October 2023 the Countywide ATP project team published a project webpage and online survey and distributed it through the City of Cotati website, social media, and the City’s November newsletter. SCTA/RCPA also distributed the webpage and survey through its newsletter, mailing list, and social media. During the first round of outreach in Fall Project Web Map Survey with 70+ comments in Cotati
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2023, over 70 comments were received in Cotati. The project team also reviewed over 130 comments received as part of the 2022 LRSP.
In Fall 2023, City Staff hosted two additional pop-up engagement events at the Cotati Farmer’s Market in September 2023 and a third event at Oliver’s Market in October 2023. These events gathered input from the general public on existing conditions for walking and biking in Cotati.
In general, public feedback received
through the first round of outreach
between 2021 and 2023 revealed
the following themes:
• Biking: more bike lanes,
protected facilities (paths,
protected bikeways,
intersection treatments)
• Walking: close sidewalk
gaps, improve existing and
add new crossings, consider
pedestrian only areas
• Traffic calming: implement
on collectors and residential streets
• Trails: maintain existing trails and improve trail access and connections, e.g., Laguna Creek Trail, Copeland Creek Trail
• Destinations: better pedestrian/bike access to downtown, SMART station, Oliver’s Market shopping center, Rohnert Park, SSU
• Roadways: more active transportation improvements are needed include Gravenstein Highway/Highway 116, Old Redwood Highway, E. Cotati Avenue, Sierra Avenue, Valparaiso, Benson Lane, Helman Lane
City staff and the project team presented the draft vision and goals, and a draft proposed projects list to the Planning Commission in November 2023. Comments received included support for safe routes to school improvements, especially to Thomas Page School; the need to require new development to provide active transportation options; a desire for better connections to SSU; and support for improved regional connections such as to Stony Point Road and coordinating with SCTA and Sonoma County to motivate implementation.
City staff also presented the draft policies for the ATP update to the Planning Commission in December 2023. In collaboration with SCTA and Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, City staff and the project team also hosted an open house in February 2024. Feedback was gathered on draft proposed projects and prioritization, draft programmatic recommendations, and the overall Draft Plan. Finally, on March 12th and March 18th of 2024, City staff and project team presented the Draft Plan to City Council and Planning Commission, respectively.
City staff hosting pop-up event at Olivers Market and
feedback collected
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4. Vision & Goals
The vision and goals statements were developed to be consistent with SCTA’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Moving Forward 2050, and were refined based on input provided by SCTA’s Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Cotati Planning Commission, and other regional committees. The City of Cotati’s active transportation vision is:
“Our guiding principles are to improve safety, connectivity, equity, and quality of life. The transportation system shall be safe and inviting for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike, and roll for everyday transportation and recreation, by providing a continuous and interconnected active transportation network linking daily activities and housing, and supported by programs and policies that encourage walking, biking, and rolling.” The City’s active transportation goals are:
1. Connected and Reliable – Deliver a continuous active transportation network that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.
2. Safe and Well-Maintained – Create and sustain a high-quality and lowstress active transportation network. Employ Vision Zero and Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal.
3. Community Oriented and Place-Based – Tailor projects to urban, suburban, and rural communities, that support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation.
Cotati has also developed a series of Policies and Actions to guide implementation of the ATP, which are aligned with these three goals and presented in Chapter 4’s Programs & Policies section.
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5. Advancing Active
Transportation
The following are the planned infrastructure and programmatic improvements for enhancing active transportation in the City of Cotati.
Infrastructure Improvements
Enhancing the safety and comfort of existing facilities as well as expanding the infrastructure and spaces available for active transportation modes are critical to being able to provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike, and roll. The section below presents locations, extents, and brief descriptions of planned projects followed by a summary of types of treatments and engineering resources the City may use in designing and implementing the planned projects.
Considerations for Facility Type
As mentioned earlier in this Plan, the bikeway facilities are classified into several distinct facility types (see page 4 & 5 for descriptions). The transportation planning and engineering profession is evolving towards using Class I Multi-Use Paths, Class IIB Buffered Bike lanes, Class IIIB Bike Boulevards and Class IV Separated Bike Lanes as often as possible to increase safety and comfort for people biking. Those facility types provide more separation between bicyclists and moving vehicles and/or slow vehicle speeds to under 25 mph.
Class IIIB Bike Boulevards are streets where there are at most one vehicle lane in each direction and traffic calming treatments are used to slow vehicle speeds to under 25 mph and discourage non-local vehicle traffic. Treatments can include some combination of speed tables, raised crosswalks, speed humps, traffic diverters, chicanes, curb extensions at crosswalks, and/or neighborhood traffic circles at intersections.
Table 1 summarizes the conditions under which each bike facility type is ideally applied.
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Table 1. Bike Facility Selection for Urban, Suburban, Rural Town Centers1 Bike Facility Type Prevailing Vehicle
Speed (mph)
Vehicle Volume
(vehicles per day)
Class I Multi-Use Paths2 n/a n/a
Class II Bike Lanes3 25 to 30 mph 3,000 to 6,500
Class IIB Buffered Bike Lanes3 25 to 30 mph 3,000 to 6,500 Class III Bike Routes4 Under 25 mph Less than 3,000
Class IIIB Bike Boulevards4 Under 25 mph Less than 3,000 Class IV Separated Bike Lanes5 30 mph and Higher 6,500 and Above Notes:
(1) Table content summarized based on information in FHWA’s Bikeway Selection Guide7. (2) Multi-use paths are off-street and are on their own alignment. They can be useful for providing parallel, low stress routes to existing streets regardless of those streets volumes or speeds. (3) Class IIB Buffered Bike Lanes are preferred over Class II Bike Lanes. (4) Class IIIB Bike Boulevards are preferred over Class III Bike Routes. (5) Class IV Separated Bike Lanes physically separate bikes from moving vehicles using treatments that provide protection such as medians, planters, or raising the bike lane to a height similar to a sidewalk.
The planned projects identify a facility type to either enhance existing facilities or close gaps in the network. Generally, speaking facility type selection was informed by the information summarized in Table 1 as well as considerations for feasibility and continuity with existing land use and street context.
Planned Projects
Table 2 presents planned projects for enhancing walking, biking, and rolling conditions in Cotati, including bikeway, pedestrian crossing, and ADA improvements.
It includes the priority for each project. Tier 1 indicates high priority, Tier 2 medium priority, and Tier 3 low priority. Section 5 describes the prioritization process. 7 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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Table 2. Planned Infrastructure Improvements for Walking, Biking and Rolling Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
1 Derby Lane from
Highway 116 to City
Limits (and onward
to Washoe Creek in
Unincorporated
County)
Create low-stress connection to Washoe
Creek maintenance trails and work with
County to formalize maintenance trails and
connections to Rohnert Park and Sebastopol. Tier 3
2 Copeland Creek Trail
and Highway 101
Support Rohnert Park’s Bridge across
Highway 101 at Copeland Creek Trail and
connect it to citywide bike and pedestrian
network.
Tier 3
3 Helman Lane to
Highway 116
Create a north-south trail connection on west
side with connectivity from Helman Lane to
Highway 116 as part of proposed
developments, along the proposed northsouth road identified in the General Plan.
Tier 2
4 Laguna de Santa
Rosa
Formalize Class I multi use path trail along
Laguna west of Highway 101, with new bridge
connecting to Copeland Creek Trail.
Tier 2
5 Redwood Drive Create low-stress protected Class IV
separated bikeway and close sidewalk gaps
over long term. City installing partially buffered
Class IIB bike lanes in nearer term.
Tier 1
6 Highway 116 Create Class I facility parallel to Highway 116 with connectivity to the citywide network in
accordance with Caltrans design criteria and
the City’s Circulation Element.
Tier 1
7 Highway
116/Highway 101
interchange
Interchange study to improve multi-modal
safety and reduce level of traffic stress for
people walking and biking through Highway
101 interchange. Study to include potential
relocation of NB on-ramp from Commerce
Boulevard to the existing NB off-ramp
terminus.
Tier 2
8 Gilman Ranch Road Create Class IIIB bike boulevard on Gilman Ranch Road as part of long-term planned
connection to Madrone Place/Madrone
Avenue.
Tier 3
9 W Cotati Oaks Trail Formalize and enhance W Cotati Oaks Trail between Maple Avenue and Highway 116 to
create a Class I multi-use path.
Tier 1
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
10 Commerce
Boulevard
Identify low-stress protected facility (e.g.,
Class IV separated bikeway) on Commerce
Boulevard to city limits, potentially as part of
future study of Highway 101 interchange.
Tier 1
11 Old Redwood
Highway
Conduct study to identify and develop lowstress (e.g., Class I or Class IV) facilities on or adjacent to Old Redwood Highway from
southern city limits to Gravenstein Way. As
part of study, create a low-stress, protected
(e.g., Class I or IV) facility or Woonerf adjacent
to Old Redwood Highway between St. Joseph
Way and William Street.
Tier 1
12 W School Street Install Class II bike lanes and improved tunnel lighting on W School Street, and improve
asphalt trail adjacent to W School Street
between Richardson Lane and Maple Avenue.
Provide more width for bicyclists.
Tier 1
13 W Sierra Avenue Upgrade Class IIB buffered bike lanes on W Sierra Avenue to Class IV separated bikeway
(consider as pilot project). Tier 1
14 Valparaiso Avenue Close sidewalk gaps and calm traffic on Valparaiso Avenue. Tier 1
15 Laguna Trail Repave and do maintenance work (e.g.,
trimming) on Laguna Trail between East
Cotati Ave and Commerce Boulevard.
Tier 1
16 Laguna Trail at
Helen Putnam Park
New bridge over the laguna connecting
Laguna Trail to Helen Putnam Park. Tier 1
17 Laguna Trail Bruce
Connection
Create connection between Laguna Trail and
the vicinity of East Sierra Avenue and Bruce
Avenue. May require negotiations and
cooperation with property owners.
Tier 3
18 Laguna Trail
McGinnis Bridge/E
Cotati Connection
Close gap in Laguna Trail between E Cotati
Avenue and McGinnis Bridge in the long term,
and formalize Marsh Way as low-stress
connection in the meantime.
Tier 2
19 Trail between Burton
Ave and Lasalle
Street
Formalize trail connection between East
Cotati Avenue and Burton Avenue at Lasalle
Street.
Tier 2
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
20 E Cotati Avenue Create low-stress protected facility on E Cotati Avenue, reduce lane widths to calm traffic and
provide space for wider or protected bike
lanes, and/or determine alternate low-stress
route.
Tier 1
21 Lincoln Avenue Create low-stress Class IIIB bike boulevard connection with traffic calming measures, as
needed, along Lincoln Avenue toward SMART
station. Will require negotiations and
cooperation with property owners.
Tier 1
22 Laguna Trail
McGinnis
Bridge/Lincoln
Connection
Formalize connection between Laguna Trail at
McGinnis Bridge and the intersection of
Lincoln Avenue and Loretto Avenue. Tier 2
23 Valparaiso Avenue ADA Improvements from West Sierra to Old Redwood Highway. Tier 1
24 W Sierra / Hillview
Drive
Crossing Improvement, adding lighted
crosswalk across W Sierra. Tier 2
25 Highway 116 / W
Cotati Avenue
Crossing Improvements associated with West
Cotati Realignment project, including
signalization and new crosswalks.
Tier 1
26 Highway 116 /
Madrone Avenue
Crossing Improvement, evaluate feasibility
and effectiveness RRFB or HAWK across
Highway 116.
Tier 1
27 East Cotati at
Charles/Arthur
Install lighting to improve visibility of
crosswalk and pedestrians using the
crosswalk.
Tier 3
28 La Plaza/West Sierra Crossing Improvement, evaluate feasibility and effectiveness of RRFB. Tier 1
29 Water Road at
Hillview Drive/Water
Road
Crossing Improvement to add crosswalk
across Water Road at Hillview Dr/Water Road. Tier 2
30 Madrone Ave next to
storage lockers
between Isabel Dr
and SR 116
Sidewalk Gap Closure, fix sidewalk grade
differential. Tier 1
31 Redwood Dr from
Portal St to W
Copeland Creek Trail
(South)
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
32 Redwood Dr from
Portal St to W
Copeland Creek Trail
(North)
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
33 Helman Ln from
Redwood Dr to Alder
Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 3
34 Redwood Dr from
Helman Ln to
Laguna de Santa
Rosa
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 3
35 Madrone Ave from
Madrone Pl to Grove
St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
36 W. Cotati Ave from
Gravenstein Hwy to
W Cotati Oaks Court
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no
continuous existing sidewalk facilities.
Existing sidewalks on southwest side of the
street between from Gilman Ranch Road to
Cohen Court.
Tier 2
37 Richardson Ln from
Tompkins Rd
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 3
38 W. Cotati Ave from
Maple Ave to Clifford
St
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 2
39 Clifford St from W.
Cotati Ave to W.
School St
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 2
40 William St from Old
Redwood Hwy to W.
Cotati Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
41 East Sierra Ave from
Arthur St to La Plaza
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
42 La Plaza from E.
Sierra Ave to E.
Cotati Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
43 Arthur St from E.
Sierra Ave to E.
Cotati Ave
Pedestrian walkway gap closure, no existing
sidewalk facilities. Tier 3
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Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
44 W School St from
Maple Ave to Clifford
St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 3
45 El Rancho Dr from
W. Cotati Ave to E.
School St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
46 Olaf St from W.
Cotati Ave to W.
Sierra Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure.
Tier 2
47 Henry St from W.
Sierra Ave to Old
Redwood Hwy
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
48 Delano St from
Henry St to Page St
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
49 Charles St from E.
Cotati Ave to Old
Redwood Hwy
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 1
50 Page St from W.
Sierra Ave to Dino Ct
Sidewalk Gap Closure. Tier 1
51 Old Redwood Hwy
from Page St to
Henry St/Cotati
Creek Bridge
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
52 Valparaiso Ave from
W. Sierra Ave to
Delano St Path
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
53 Water Rd from W.
Sierra Ave to City
Extent
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
54 West Sierra Ave
from Water Rd to
Hillview Dr
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 3
55 West Sierra Ave
from Hillview Dr to
Cypress Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
56 West Sierra Ave
from Cypress Ave to
Valparaiso Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 1
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
April 2024 21
Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
57 Cypress Ave from
Oretsky Way to City
Limit
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
58 Park Ave from Myrtle
Ave to Veterans
Memorial Building
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
59 Old Redwood Hwy
(east side) from
Valparaiso Ave to
Lasker Ln
Sidewalk Gap Closure, existing sidewalk
facilities on one side. Tier 2
60 Old Redwood Hwy
from Clothier Ln to
Eucalyptus Ave
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 1
61 Eucalyptus Ave from
Old Redwood Hwy to
Lebec Ln
Sidewalk Gap Closure, no existing sidewalk
facilities. Tier 2
62 Tompkins Rd from
Richardson Ln to
Gilman Ranch Rd
Install Class I multiuse path.
Tier 3
63 Southern City extent
from Cypress Ave to
Old Redwood Hwy
Install Class I multiuse path.
Tier 2
64 Alder Ave from
Helman Ln to City
Extent
(Unincorporated
County)
Install Class II bike lanes.
Tier 3
65 Helman Ln from
Alder Ave to Western
City Extent
Install Class II bike lanes.
Tier 3
66 West Cotati Ave
from SR-116 to
Maple Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 1
67 Gravenstein Way
from Wilford Ln to
Laguna de Santa
Rosa Trail
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 2
68 Wilford Ln and
Wilford Cir from
Ahlstrom Dr to
Install Class IIIB bike boulevard. Tier 2
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
April 2024 22
Project
#
Project Location Project Description Priority
Laguna de Santa
Rosa Trail Connector
69 The Loop: William St,
Olaf St, Henry St,
Charles St, Arthur St,
George St
Conduct study to identify and develop project
for a lower stress bicycle facility such as Class
I multiuse path parallel to the loop or a Class
IV separated bike lane.
Tier 1
70 Benson Ln from
Loretta Ave to Park
Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 1
71 Loretta Ave from
Lincoln Ave to
Loretta Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 2
72 LaSalle Ave from
East Cotati Ave to
Loretto Ave
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 3
73 Lark Drive and Eagle
Drive from Lark Drive
to Lakewood Ave
Install Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 2
74 Marsh Way from
East Cotati Ave to
Laguna de Santa
Rosa Trail
Upgrade to Class IIIB bike boulevard.
Tier 2
75 Myrtle Ave from Old
Redwood Hwy to
Copeland Creek Trail
Upgrade Class IIB buffered bike lanes on
Myrtle Ave to Class IV separated bike lanes
(consider as pilot project).
Tier 1
Notes
(1) Crossing improvements could include high visibility markings, pedestrian-scale lighting, curb extensions (a.k.a. bulb outs), leading pedestrian intervals at signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) or pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at unsignalized intersections.
(2) Sidewalk gap closures to ensure at least one side of the roadway has continuous sidewalks. (3) Project priorities are included in Table 2. Prioritization methodology is explained in Section 5. Implementation:
Local Considerations.
Figure 5 illustrates the location of the planned bikeway and corridor improvements and Figure 6 shows the location of planned pedestrian crossing and sidewalk improvements. Crossing improvements could include high visibility markings, pedestrian-scale lighting, curb extensions (a.k.a. bulb outs), leading pedestrian intervals at signals, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) or pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHB) at unsignalized intersections. Figure 7 shows planned improvements as well as the existing biking network.
16 2
17 22
18 19
62 9
63 4
6 15
3 14
7 69
20 11
10 75
5 13
67 68
74 73
71 8
70 1
72 66
21 65
64 12
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Note: This map includes draft Rohnert Park and
Unincorporated County projects for context.
Draft projects are subject to change.
Multi-Use Path
Bike Lane
Buffered Bike Lane
Bike Route
Bike Boulevard
Separated Bikeway
Traffic Calming
Corridor Study
Sidewalk Gap
Crossing Improvement
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 5
2024 Planned Bikeway
and Corridor Projects
Projects left to right
include 29 & 24
30 32
46 42
54 31
50 60
58 36
60 49
48 56
41 61
43 38
51 35
45 57
37 55
39 40
36 59
47 52
36 57
44 57
34 33
23 53
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
Sidewalk Gap
Crossing Improvement
Schools Libraries
SMART Station
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 6
2024 Planned Sidewalk &
Crossing Improvements
N
Projects left to right
include 29 & 24
16 2
17 22
18 19
62 9
63 4
6 15
3 14
7 69
20 11
10 75
5 13
67 68
74 73
71 8
70 1
72 66
21 65
64 12
25 26
27 28
W. Sierra Ave
Old Redwood Hwy
Myrtle Ave
Southwest Blvd E. Cotati Ave
Cypress Ave
Lancaster Dr
SMART
Helman Ln
Eucalyptus Ave
Burton Ave
W. School St
E. Cotati Ave
Adrian Dr
g
Redwood Dr
Old Redwood Hwy
Commerce Blvd
101 116
101
116
101
N
Note: Sidewalk gap closure projects
are included as projects 23 and 30-61,
see Figure 6. Rohnert Park and
Unincorporated County projects subject
to change.
Projects left to right
include 29 & 24
Existing 2024
Multi-Use Path
Bike Lane
Buffered Bike Lane
Bike Route
Bike Boulevard
Separated Bikeway
Traffic Calming
Corridor Study
Sidewalk Gap
Crossing Improvement
SMART Station
Schools Libraries
Jurisdiction Boundary
Figure 7
Existing and 2024 Planned
Active Transportation Network
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Engineering Treatments Toolbox
In designing and implementing the 2024 Active Transportation Network projects, and taking actions to fulfill the policies and goals identified in this Plan, City staff will use engineering treatments consistent with established industry resources and guidance published by reputable organizations such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD). The following exhibits include examples of the types of engineering treatments the City may use in the design and implementation of enhanced active transportation infrastructure.
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Programs & Policies
In addition to infrastructure improvements described above, the Cotati ATP also includes supportive programmatic and policy recommendations to support the Plan’s Vision and Goals.
Programs
The following describes the creation of an Active Transportation Program which would create dedicated, annual funding sources to support the implementation of the policies and projects identified in the Cotati Active Transportation Plan.
Active Transportation Program
The City will establish an Active Transportation Program that is comprised of:
• Staff assigned to lead and monitor the implementation of the City’s Active Transportation Plan, with responsibilities such as:
o (i) ensuring planned projects are incorporated into the City’s CIP list; o (ii) coordinating with SCTA, Sonoma County, Caltrans, and cities within the region regarding active transportation projects and topics including shared mobility programs and the Safe Routes to School Program; o (iii) oversight and management of all elements of the City’s Active Transportation Program;
o (iv) participating in and leading staff training related to industry guidance for planning, design, and maintenance of active transportation improvements making use of guidance from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO); and
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April 2024 28
o (v) identifying and helping to pursue grant funding for larger active transportation investments.
• As funding becomes available, invest in the planning and design of planned projects identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan. • Pursue regional, state, or federal grant funds to support planning, design, and construction of planned projects identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan.
• Explore developing and implementing a quick build program to facilitate the design and implementation of low-cost active transportation improvements at planned project locations identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan.
This would include identifying improvements that could be implemented via the City’s repaving program and/or as part of other routine maintenance activities.
• Develop and implement a bike parking program consistent with the policies and actions identified in the City’s Active Transportation Plan. • Partner with Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, the City Police Department, and Public Health to develop and distribute educational materials and/or host community events that promote safe road user behavior in support of improving walking, biking, and rolling for all ages and abilities.
Transportation Demand Management Supportive Programs
The City will work with SCTA to implement Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program objectives to encourage non-auto trips (such as walking, biking, and transit), and reduce single occupancy vehicle trips. This may include education and encouragement activities targeted at larger residential developments and employers.
Potential actions could include:
• Develop a local TDM ordinance based on SCTA’s Shift Model TDM Ordinance, including considerations for employers and developers, infrastructure, and programs.
• Coordinate with employers on the development and implementation of commute programs by engaging with employers, transit agencies, and shared mobility programs.
• Market existing TDM programs to employers and developers through business assistance programs, green business certifications, and commute fairs. • Assist employers with the development of commute programs and marketing alternative modes of transportation to employees.
• Coordinate countywide policy actions via the SCTA/RCPA.
Sidewalk/Crosswalk Maintenance and Gap Closure Program
The City will establish a local sidewalk maintenance and gap closure monitoring program, to achieve the goals outlined in Policies 1-3, 1-5 and 2-1. Program elements include:
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
April 2024 29
• Develop a sidewalk repair program to ensure the City maintains or enforces maintenance of current and future sidewalks.
• Prioritize closure of sidewalk gaps that connect people to activity centers, Thomas Page Academy, transit, parks, and the downtown area. • Regularly evaluate where new crosswalks may be needed and/or where there are needs for crosswalks enhancements (e.g., high visibility paint, RRFB, HAWK signals)
• Continue to engage with the community to prevent obstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities with parking, trash bins, signs, etc. • Monitor and update tracking of sidewalks built and/or percentage of roadways with sidewalks citywide.
Bicycle Parking Program
The City will establish a Bicycle Parking Program, aligned with Policy 1-8. The program will include the following activities:
• Establish a standard type or types of bike rack for use within the city. • Review and/or update Municipal Code to ensure adequate bike parking is included in all new development projects, multifamily and commercial remodels, and Use Permit approvals.
• Assess bike parking needs within the City’s parks and right-of-way and develop a program to provide adequate bike parking near amenities and at key destinations.
• Require temporary bike parking (e.g., racks, bike valet) at limited term and special events such as the Accordion Festival and Kid’s Day. • Create incentives for local businesses to install bike parking of their own (in accordance with city standards).
Policies
The City of Cotati also has a series of Policies and Actions to guide the implementation of the ATP including actions to promote active transportation within Cotati. The Policies and Actions support each of the Plan’s goals as shown below.
GOAL 1: Connected and Reliable
Deliver a continuous active transportation network that allows people of all ages and abilities to use a variety of transportation types easily, affordably, and dependably.
POLICY 1-1: Prioritize and implement bike and pedestrian projects identified in the ATP, given the amount of funding available to Cotati.
Action 1-1.1: Continue to require project sponsors, as a part of their development proposals, to construct frontage improvements, internal bike and pedestrian circulation, and bike and pedestrian projects identified in the ATP that intersect or are adjacent to their property.
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Action 1-1.2: Identify current local, county, regional, state, and federal programs that would fund bike and pedestrian capital improvements and programs, along with specific funding requirements and deadlines.
Action 1-1.3: Identify non-governmental funding sources for bike and pedestrian capital improvements and programs such as non-profit or foundation grants, public-private partnerships, and community organizations.
Action 1-1.4: As opportunities present themselves, pursue multi-jurisdictional funding applications with Sonoma County, SCTA, neighboring cities, and other potential partners such as SMART, Sonoma Water, and Sonoma County Regional Parks.
Action 1-1.5: As budget allows, amend Cotati’s 2015 Traffic Impact Fee Study to include certain projects identified in the updated ATP.
POLICY 1-2: The City’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Program shall incorporate and include funding for bike and pedestrian improvements identified in the ATP, as well as maintenance of active transportation facilities.
POLICY 1-3: Prioritize closure of sidewalk gaps that connect people to activity centers, Thomas Page Academy, transit, parks, and the downtown area.
POLICY 1-4: Prioritize bike and pedestrian connections across Highway 101 to better connect east and west sides of the City.
POLICY 1-5: All public streets shall have a sidewalk connecting to the broader network, on a minimum of one-side, phased as City funding and/or nexus with private development allows. Determining the appropriate side shall be based on the existing sidewalk network, environmental conditions, and impediments to construction. In all cases, the City shall take into consideration unique roadway space, visibility, and topographical constraints in the area. Pedestrian walkways shall utilize context sensitive designs.
POLICY 1-6: As part of City or private development projects, enhance pedestrian and bike facilities along or adjacent to all arterial roadways, including East Cotati Avenue, Old Redwood Highway (between Hwy 116 and East Cotati Avenue), Redwood Drive, Highway 116, and Valparaiso Avenue. Class I multi-use path and Class IV separated bike lanes should be the first choice in the design of all new multi-modal infrastructure.
POLICY 1-7: Seek opportunities to separate existing and future bike facilities from motor vehicle traffic with buffers or greater protection such as a curb, flexible bollards, delineators, or other more durable barriers on streets where vehicle speeds are greater than 25 mph. Use best practices when designing bike facilities such as the bikeway design guidance published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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Action 1-7.1: Adopt a Complete Streets ordinance and typical cross-sections for different street typologies to guide construction of new streets and retrofitting of existing streets.
Action 1-7.2: Update the City’s Design Standards for streets and roadways to incorporate separated and/or protected bike lanes (i.e., Class IV) and pedestrian infrastructure by January 2026. Low stress bike facilities (e.g., Class I trails/paths, Class IV separated bike lanes, Class IIIB Bike Boulevards) should be the first choice in the design of new multi-modal infrastructure.
POLICY 1-8: Ensure adequate bike parking is available citywide.
Action 1-8.1: Establish a standard type or types of bike rack for use within the city.
Action 1-8.2: Ensure adequate bike parking is included in all new development projects, multifamily and commercial remodels, and Use Permit approvals per City’s Municipal Code.
Action 1-8.3: Assess bike parking needs within the City’s parks and right-ofway and develop a program to provide adequate bike parking near amenities and at key destinations.
Action 1-8.4: Require temporary bike parking (racks or bike valet) at limited term and special events such as the Accordion Festival and Kid’s Day.
Action 1-8.5: Create incentives for local businesses to install bike parking of their own (in accordance with city standards).
GOAL 2: Safe and Well-Maintained
Create and sustain a high-quality and low-stress active transportation network. Employ Vision Zero and Local Roadway Safety Plan policies and strategies to advance this goal.
POLICY 2-1: Develop and operationalize a sidewalk repair program to ensure the City maintains or enforces maintenance of sidewalks. Continue to engage with the community to prevent obstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities with parking, trash bins, signs, etc. Investigate the feasibility of creating a “Pedestrian and Bicycle Pathway Condition Index”.
POLICY 2-2: Maintain all bike lane symbols, striping, green paint, and buffer paint and ensure all bike lanes have standard bike symbols. Ensure bike lanes are kept free of trash bins, vehicles, and debris.
POLICY 2-3: Increase pedestrian safety at crossings, where needed, to complete pedestrian networks and provide access to destinations.
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Action 2-3.1: Assess and prioritize additional crossings or improvements to existing crossings using established industry resources, such as FHWA Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) Guide, to inform decisions.
Action 2-3.2: Continue to utilize crossing enhancements such as Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) or Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs).
Explore additional safety measures for other crossing enhancements, such as reflective poles on crosswalk signs.
Action 2-3.3: As part of City or private development projects, upgrade crossings to meet accessibility standards such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant wheelchair ramps, push buttons with auditory or tactile aids for visual and hearing disabilities, or other improvements to accommodate all people.
Action 2-3.4: As part of City or private development projects, add sufficient lighting to light deficient crosswalks and assess any additional lighting needs.
Use established industry resources, such as Caltrans’ Roadway Lighting Manual, to inform decisions.
POLICY 2-4: Provide additional pedestrian safety improvements at intersections.
Action 2-4.1: Explore opportunities for painted intersections to increase safety and awareness at intersections with high pedestrian volumes or potential for pedestrian activity.
Action 2-4.2: Identify opportunities to utilize technology and signals to increase pedestrian safety at signalized intersections such as passive detection, leading pedestrian intervals, or pedestrian only “scramble” phases.
POLICY 2-5: Improve bike safety at controlled and uncontrolled intersections.
Action 2-5.1: Prioritize painting and maintaining a designated, marked space for the bike lane at all intersection approach as well as through intersections.
Action 2-5.2: As part of City or private development projects, apply green conflict zone markings through controlled and uncontrolled intersections for all bike lanes on arterial streets.
Action 2-5.3: As part of future intersection improvements, apply green conflict zone markings where bike lanes cross dedicated right turn lanes.
Action 2-5.5: Consider two-stage turn queue bike boxes where high rates of left turn bike movements are expected.
POLICY 2-6: Explore opportunities to utilize technology to improve bike safety and accommodation.
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Action 2-6-1: As part of City or development projects, upgrade bike detection system or other detection options at signalized intersections.
Action 2-6-2: Explore signal timing improvements for bicyclists such as leading intervals and bike only phases.
POLICY 2-7: Implement and incorporate actions in SCTA’s adopted Sonoma County Vision Zero (VZ) Action Plan.
Action 2-7.1: Support Safe Routes to School program and school districts to promote safe, active transportation through education, school policies, and pick-up/drop-off procedures (VZ Action 3.1).
Action 2-7.2: Prioritize low-cost quick-build projects to rapidly implement bike and pedestrian safety improvements along the High Injury Network (i.e., Old Redwood Highway) (VZ Action 4.1).
Action 2-7.3: Prioritize closing gaps in bike and pedestrian networks and design facilities for all ages and all abilities (VZ Action 4.6).
Action 2-7.4: Update street design standards to reflect latest research and best practices around safety and Complete Streets, with an emphasis on serving diverse road users of all ages and abilities (VZ Action 4.8).
GOAL 3: Community Oriented and Place-Based
Tailor projects to urban, suburban, and rural communities, that support a diversity of uses and users and create community through active transportation.
POLICY 3-1: Cotati city staff shall work with the City of Rohnert Park, Sonoma State University (SSU), SCTA, Sonoma County Transit, and the SMART to explore the feasibility of an electric shuttle service connecting fixed points of interest/amenities in each City with SSU and the SMART rail stations.
POLICY 3-2: Explore areas that could be designated or converted into bike/pedestrianonly zones or designed to minimize automobile traffic impacts.
Action 3-2.1: Create and implement a Woonerf Street Design Standard for implementation in appropriate areas of new residential and commercial development by January 2026.
POLICY 3-3: Where possible and/or desirable, utilize alternative surfaces for pathways such as decomposed granite, crushed rock, or other natural-like materials.
POLICY 3-4: Make bicycling in Cotati intuitive through maps and wayfinding.
Action 3-4.1: Maintain and, where appropriate, add additional bike-oriented wayfinding to help cyclists navigate across Highway 101 and to nearby bike paths or other low volume bike routes.
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POLICY 3-5: Continue to work with the SCTA to develop a regional bike share/micromobility program.
POLICY 3-6: Achieve a Walk Friendly Community rating consistent with the Walk Friendly Communities program.
Policy 3-7: Achieve a Bicycle Friendly CommunitySM rating from the League of American Bicyclists.
POLICY 3-8: Encourage and incentivize more people to walk, bike, and roll through education and encouragement activities such as special events, Bike-to-Work, and social media campaigns.
POLICY 3-9: Coordinate with the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District and with the objectives in the Safe Routes to School action plans on communication, education, encouragement, and activities focused on children taking active transportation to school and for other trips.
POLICY 3-10: Coordinate with the Recreation Department to identify opportunities for increased bike and pedestrian education with a focus on youth education.
Policy 3-11: New development shall seek to increase the public benefit of Emergency Vehicle Access (EVA) routes by designing them to also serve as bike and/or pedestrian circulation features.
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6. Implementation: Local
Considerations
The following outlines a timeline and potential funding sources the City can use to make consistent, steady progress towards achieving its vision and goals for enhancing walking, biking and rolling.
Timeline
Policies and Programs
Putting into action the Active Transportation Plan policies and programs is a critical initial step in providing a foundation for buildout and utilization of the network. Many of the policies and the broader Active Transportation Program identified in this Plan are ongoing or recurring considerations and activities, that once initiated, will sustain investment in active transportation improvements as well as institutionalize designing streets for safe and comfortable walking, biking, and rolling.
Table 3 summarizes the timeline and the responsible party (or parties) or the mechanism for implementing the policy action or program.
Table 3. Implementation Timeline and Responsibility for Program & Policy Actions Program or Policy Action Timeline Responsible Party or
Mechanism for
Implementation
Active Transportation Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 2 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, City Council
Transportation Demand Management Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 3 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, City Council
Sidewalk Maintenance and Gap Closure
Monitoring Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 5 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works
Bicycle Parking Program
(Establish and Initiate Program)
0 to 1 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, Recreation Manager
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Program or Policy Action Timeline Responsible Party or
Mechanism for
Implementation
Action 1-7.1: Action City’s Design Standards,
including Woonerf Street Standard (Action 3-
2.1) (Update Standards)
0 to 2 years Director of Community
Development, Director of Public
Works, City Council
Policy 2-6: Active Transportation Signal
Improvements (e.g., improve bike detection
systems and signal timing)
0 to 3 years Director of Public Works
Planned Projects
Prioritization
Opportunities to advance specific projects towards implementation will be dependent on external factors (e.g., land use projects, successful grant applications). With this in mind, the planned projects identified in this Plan have been prioritized into three tiers:
• Tier 1 – High Priority
• Tier 2 – Medium Priority
• Tier 3 – Low Priority
The criteria used to sort the projects into each tier were:
• Safety – Extent to which the project is on a portion of the SCTA Vision Zero HIN and/or if it has been identified in the City’s Local Road Safety Plan as a priority location.
• Equity – Extent to which the project would improve active transportation access or conditions for an equity-focus population as defined at the regional, state, or federal level.
• Proximity to Existing and Future Transit – For a given project, the distance from existing or future bus stop or transit station.
• Proximity to Schools – For a given project, the distance from an existing school.
• Low-Stress Gap Closure – Scored based on whether the project would close a gap in the low-stress network, with extra points for projects on the Sonoma County Regional Routes network.
For each criterion, each project received a score based on the extent to which it fulfilled the criteria. The collective scores across the criteria were normalized into a single number or index. Tier 1, 2, and 3 were established to align with the top, middle, and bottom third of the project scores. Projects are presented by tier in Table 2.
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Once sorted into each of the three buckets, projects are not sorted within each tier to allow City staff discretion and flexibility to respond to various opportunities that arise and can facilitate implementation. Within the broader Countywide ATP, SCTA intends to establish project selection criteria for the GoSonoma funding program to be aligned with the criteria noted above.
Cost Estimates
This section presents the costs estimates for implementing the 2024 Active Transportation Plan. Project cost estimations were developed to provide a general idea of the anticipated cost for each proposed project type. These estimates are based on an engineering review of unit costs and quantities for the project types shown. They are based solely on construction costs and do not include other soft costs that may be associated with projects (e.g., design, environmental, permitting, construction management).
Table 4 summarizes project costs by project type and prioritization tier for the 2024 Active Transportation Network.
Table 4. 2024 Active Transportation Network - Cost Estimates Summary Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Tier 1 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path (Class I)1 $1,023,500/mile 2.7 miles $2,763,450 Bike Lane (Class II)2 $176,000/mile 0.7 miles $123,200
Buffered Bike Lane (Class
IIB)3
$574,000/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Route (Class III)4 $12,500/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Boulevard (Class IIIB)5 $87,500/mile 1.3 miles $113,750 Separated Bike Lanes
(Class IV)6
$1,655,000/mile 1.9 miles $3,144,500
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7
$8,000 to $60,000 2 locations $16,000 to
$120,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8
$8,000 to $120,000 1 location $8,000 to $120,000
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 8,468 linear feet $4,064,640 Corridor Study $300,000/mile 2.7 miles $810,000
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0.4 miles $30,000
Total Tier 1 Priority Projects11 $11M to $11.3M
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Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Tier 2 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path (Class I)1 $1,023,500/mile 2.8 miles $2,865,800 Bike Lane (Class II)2 $176,000/mile 0 miles $0
Buffered Bike Lane (Class
IIB)3
$574,000/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Route (Class III)4 $12,500/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Boulevard (Class IIIB)5 $87,500/mile 0.5 miles $43,750 Separated Bike Lanes
(Class IV)6
$1,655,000/mile 0 miles $0
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7
$8,000 to $60,000 2 locations $16,000 to
$120,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8
$8,000 to $120,000 0 locations $0
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 6,613 linear feet $3,174,240 Corridor Study $300,000/mile 0.3 miles $90,000
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0 miles $0
Total Tier 2 Projects11 $6.2M to $6.3M
Tier 3 Priority Projects
Multi-Use Path (Class I)1 $1,023,500/mile 0.3 miles $307,050 Bike Lane (Class II)2 $176,000/mile 0.5 miles $88,000
Buffered Bike Lane (Class
IIB)3
$574,000/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Route (Class III)4 $12,500/mile 0 miles $0
Bike Boulevard (Class IIIB)5 $87,500/mile 0.7 miles $61,250 Separated Bike Lanes
(Class IV)6
$1,655,000/mile 0 miles $0
Crossing Improvement
(Unsignalized)7
$8,000 to $60,000 1 location $8,000 to $60,000
Crossing Improvement
(Signalized)8
$8,000 to $120,000 0 locations $0
Sidewalk Installation9 $480/linear feet 5,360 linear feet $2,572,800 Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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Project Type Unit Cost Quantity Cost Estimate
Corridor Study $300,000/mile 0 miles $0
Traffic Calming10 $75,000/mile 0 miles $0
Total Tier 3 Projects11 $3M
2024 Active Transportation Network
Total All Projects11 $20.3M to $20.7M
Notes:
(1) 12’ wide AC path, 2’ gravel shoulders, striping and 4 signs per mile. (2) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. Striping, green thermoplastic for conflict markings at intersections and driveways (assumed to occur every 100feet and are 5’ wide x 20’ long), and 4 signs per mile. (3) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. Pavement marking in 3’ wide AC buffer lane along entire length, green thermoplastic for conflict markings at intersections and driveways (assumed to occur every 100feet and are 3’ wide x 20’ long), and 4 signs per mile. (4) “Sharrow” or similar type of pavement marking at 250-foot intervals and 8 signs per mile. (5) “Sharrow” or similar type of pavement marking at 250-foot intervals, 8 signs per mile, and a combination of traffic calming treatments which could include, but are not limited to, neighborhood traffic circles, raised crosswalks, high visibility crosswalk markings, speed humps, chicanes, and curb extensions. (6) Unidirectional bike lanes on each side of a two-way street. 7’ wide AC Bikeway, concrete edge treatment/median in buffer, bikeway stripe, pavement marking, 4 signs per mile and three signalized intersection improvements per mile.
(7) Improvements at unsignalized intersections include, but are not limited to, pedestrian refuge islands, high visibility crosswalks, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, raised crosswalks, and curb extensions. (8) Improvements at signalized intersections include, but are not limited to, two-stage bike turn boxes, bike signals, high visibility crosswalks, cross-bike or bike conflict markings, pedestrian count down signals, and implementing directional curb ramps.
(9) Both sides of street. 7’ wide concrete sidewalk and underlying compacted base material, including curb and gutter.
(10) Traffic calming includes one, or a combination of improvements, including but not limited to treatments such as neighborhood traffic circles, raised crosswalks, added crosswalk markings, speed humps and curb extensions. (11) Price per mile assumes “blank slate” and includes new pavement improvements only. (i.e., no demo, drainage, etc.). Mobilization, traffic control, etc., are excluded.
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Funding
This section describes the funding sources available to fund the projects and programs identified in this plan. In addition to local funding sources such as the Capital Improvements Program and developer fees, Table 5 presents a list of competitive grants and formula-based funding programs have been reviewed for potential consideration to address financial needs of the projects identified in the plan. Further discussion of regional and federal funding options are included in the 2025 Countywide ATP.
Table 5. Potential Funding Sources, Competitive Grants, and Formula-Based Fundings
Regional Funding Sources
GoSonoma https://scta.ca.gov/measure-m/gosonoma/
Transportation Development Act, Article 3 (TDA3) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tda3 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) https://scta.ca.gov/projects/funding/#tfca State of California Funding Sources
AHSC – Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities
https://sgc.ca.gov/programs/ahsc/
ATP – Active Transportation Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/active-transportationprogram CleanCA – Clean California https://cleancalifornia.dot.ca.gov/ HSIP – Local Highway Safety Improvement
Program
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fedand-state-programs/highway-safety-improvementprogram LPP – Local Partnership Program https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/local-partnershipprogram PROTECT – Promoting Resilient Operations for
Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving
Transportation
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fedand-stateprograms/protect REAP – Regional Early Action Planning https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-andfunding/programs-active/regional-early-actionplanning-grants-of-2021 RC:H2B – Reconnecting Communities: Highways
to Boulevards
https://dot.ca.gov/programs/local-assistance/fedand-state-programs/rc-h2b Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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RMRA & HUTA – Road Maintenance and
Rehabilitation Account & Highway Users Tax
Account
https://www.sco.ca.gov/aud_road_maintenance_sb1
.html
SCCP – Solutions for Congested Corridors
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/sb1/solutions-forcongested-corridors-program Federal Funding Sources
ATIIP - Active Transportation Infrastructure
Investment Program
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_ped
estrian/atiip/
CMAQ – Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
Improvement Program
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/documents/cong
estionmitigation-and-air-quality-improvement-cmaqprogram RAISE – Rebuilding American Infrastructure with
Sustainability and Equity
https://www.transportation.gov/RAISEgrants
RSTG – Rural Surface Transportation Grant
Program
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rural-surfacetransportation-grant SMART – Strengthening Mobility and
Revolutionizing Transportation
https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SMART
SS4A – Safe Streets and Roads for All https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A STIP – State Transportation Improvement
Program
https://catc.ca.gov/programs/state-transportationimprovement-program STP – Surface Transportation Block Grant https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/ Cotati Active Transportation Plan
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Monitoring
Staff will track progress towards implementing this Plan’s content as well as achieving this Plan’s goals using the measures shown in Table 6. On an annual basis, as part of Staff’s update on the General Plan progress, they will report to the Planning Commission and City Council the most recent status for each measure below.
Table 6. Monitoring Progress
Measures Baseline Data
Source
Frequency
Goal: Connected & Reliable
Miles of bikeway facilities (total) 9.55 miles City data Annual Linear feet of sidewalk gaps (total) 56,347 feet City data Annual Goal: Safe & Well-Maintained
KSI pedestrian and bike involved collisions with
goal those are zero
2015-2019
Ped: 0/Bike: 0
SWITRS, TIMS Annual
Number of crossing improvements installed n/a City data Annual Community Oriented & Place Based
Number of active transportation improvements
within a 1/4 mile of transit/bus stop
n/a City data Annual
Number of new or upgraded bike parking facilities n/a City data Annual Notes:
“n/a” Indicates a baseline number for the measure is not applicable.