The Holts Summit Planning and Zoning Commission on Thursday started the discussion of enacting a “multi-modal” policy, which could eventually establish pedestrian and bicycle access standards the city would follow when adding new roads or renovating old ones.
Holts Summit is not required to adopt a multi-modal policy, but City Administrator Matt Harline said it would help improve the community. Examples of multi-mobile policies are the Complete Streets policy adopted by Eldon last year or the Living Streets policy used by Jefferson City.
The commission only discussed creating a policy, deciding to conduct more research on what would be best for Holts Summit before making any recommendations to the Board of Aldermen.
“We’re going to have (Abby St. George with the PedNet Coalition in Columbia) come in and do training with us and teach us about it,” Harline said. “And, I’m going to continue to search and give (the commission) more information of other approaches to multi-modal transportation that will work in Holts Summit.”
The commission asked Harline to investigate if a policy would mean higher costs for contractors and if a survey could be used to judge what residents want.
A policy would also give Holts Summit a better chance to receive grants for street projects, Harline said, such as the Transportation Alternatives Program grant the city plans to apply for by November to extend the South Summit Drive sidewalk toward Center Street.
Holts Summit adopted a Bike, Pedestrian, and Transit Plan in 2014, which included goals to create a bridge crosswalk across U.S. 54 and a bike trail to connect Greenway Park with the Katy Trail. However, Harline said the plan established no standards for creating pedestrian or bicycle access on city roads.
On Thursday, the commission also approved the sketch and final plats for two new subdivisions, named Webster Subdivision and Schlueter Subdivision, under the condition a few changes be made.