Athens in Motion Commission

Athens in Motion Commission Tuesday, January 26, 2021 – 4:00-6:00 pm Online via ACC WebEx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9cUsX0EZXs&feature=youtu.be PRESENT Aaron Redman Mark Ebell Teresa Friedlander (Secretary for the day) Lauren Blais Roswell Lawrence Craig Topple James Barlament Stephen Bailey (TPW) Rani Katreeb (TPW) ABSENT Jake Maas GUESTS Carol Myers (District 8 Commissioner) 1. Call to Order a. Meeting called to order at 4:02. 2. Agenda Additions and Approval a. Agenda approved (Teresa moved; Mark seconded) with no additions. 3. Public Comment a. No public comments. 4. Approval of Minutes a. James moved to approve; Roswell seconded. Minutes approved. 5. UGA Conversations on Riverbend Road a. Roswell spoke to Jimmy Williamson, Lara Mathes, Allison McCullick, and some others, mainly to figure out who is exactly the right person to attend our meeting. They will discuss. They would like particular questions for this meeting, rather than hypotheticals. One-off questions can be directed at other UGA personnel, as needed. b. Lauren has a call with Allison prior to the next meeting. c. The goal is to get on the same page consistently.  d. Teresa: will the people at the meetings have access to what Rani and Stephen have put together, so they know what the options are. Roswell: yes, they have what I have (including designs, etc.). Lauren: Do they have access to this information because we provided it to them? Or do they already have it as part of their job? e. Mark: is there some sort of a plan in terms of what bike/ped projects UGA is envisioning in the near future? If so, could someone present it to us (e.g., Sustainability, and Office of University Architects (OUA)). Roswell: good question; will pass on. f. Carol: FYI on Riverbend: that is in Commissioner Edwards’ district, and was discussed at last week’s agenda-setting meeting. Carol also talked to Manager Williams. No one seems to be clear on what’s behind “preferred/not preferred [by UGA]” options. Edwards is putting together a Commissioner-defined option. Per Rani Lara was the one who outlined UGA’s position (not in favor of any design with heavy impact on UGA property). Rani will follow up with her. Lauren will let Allison know that the Commission would really like to talk to someone now. g. Stephen: this is a work in progress; by tomorrow we should have more info from the UGA OUA. The group that Roswell put together is the right people. 6. Bike/Pedestrian Coordinator Report (Stephen/Rani) a. Stephen can’t make an announcement yet on new Bike/Ped Coordinator. They have made an offer. b. Budget update i. We are almost out of Bicycle money (which means that we are moving forward on projects!) ii. Two funding sources: holdover funds from SPLOST 2011 and TSPLOST 2018. iii. Future projects are Cherokee MU path, Jefferson River Road (both split 50/50), Barber Street estimate is that it will take the remainder of TSPLOST 2018 bike funds. Barber and Riverbend have not been voted on yet, so this could change after next week. iv. Final 2011 money will likely pay for either Riverbend or Barber. Then we will be out of Bike money until the next TSPLOST. v. For sidewalks, there is holdover from General Capital funds, which are easier to spend on small projects; SPLOST 2011 (sidewalks and safe routes to school); TSPLOST 2018. Cherokee, Jefferson, Riverbend, Barber. We will then still have money left over for ped projects. It will be unlocked in 2023. Stephen recommends in our Work Plan thinking about the next set of ped projects. We will have enough for 2 more ped projects. vi. Carol: only one of the TSLPOST Tier 1 Bike projects is being funded (Barber St.). Stephen: trend has been for MU projects, which eat into the Bike budget. We’re going to need a much larger Bike fund in the next TSPLOST. We may also have been overly optimistic in the last TSPLOST ask. Lauren: the sidewalk budget from TSPLOST was around $11M, with around $6M for bikes. Are the bike projects as standalone projects more complicated? Stephen: Not necessarily; the ones that we picked are very complicated (North (BUILD grant we didn’t get), Milledge, Cedar Shoals (timing)). vii. Rani: Maybe when the agenda is light, we can review progress made so far. c. Rani’s presentation on next steps i. Barber St: next meeting we will talk about alternatives and cost estimates. May need to be pushed another month. Notice to proceed for construction currently April 2023 (following capital improvement process).  ii. Cherokee Rd: notice to proceed will be right after M&C identify funding strategy to fulfill commission-defined option. Notice to proceed September 2022. iii. Jefferson River Rd: Task for the engineer is at the Mayor’s office; hoping to get notice to proceed by the end of January. iv. Riverbend Rd: construction may start as early as January 2023. v. Big Picture Projects: 1. Tallassee Road bridge over CSX is in final design (sidewalk and MU path). Includes a sidewalk and an MU path. 2. Mitchell Bridge/Tallassee/Loop 10 ramp: we will be involved in the concept approval 3. West Broad Roundabout: in concept and working with GDOT. Has a lot of ped connectivity 4. Hawthorne/Oglethorpe: preliminary design phase. 5. Chase St.: TAP-funded project. Plan was approved in 2018. In master contract phase; then surveying and early design phase. Will begin as early as February. 6. Carriage Lane/Barnett Shoals: near completion. 1st complete street in Athens! 7. Holman/Magnolia: under construction. Complete in 3-4 months. vi. We will be talking about repavement list to look for bike improvement options. None on the tentative list qualify for bike enhancement. 7. Atlanta Highway Story Map (Stephen) a. [Stephen walked us through the draft story map.] b. We’d like to have a story map like this for every project. c. Takes people through what projects could be possible within corridor; users can select and zoom in to comment. All the project data sheets can be PDF’ed and printed if desired. d. Multiple ways to start surveys – both specific projects and overall programs. e. Lauren: can you get an email with your comments? Stephen will ask. f. Teresa just joined this usergroup. Impressive how much they have accomplished in a short time. 8. Bike Athens Letter of Support for GOHS Grant (Mark) a. Letter was a rush, so it was from Mark as a member of AiMC but not from AiMC. But we will consider a letter of support from AiMC to be added potentially as a supplement. b. Motion for Mark to submit AiMC letter to Bike Athens. Teresa motioned; James seconded; motion passed. 9. AiMC Commission Update -- Chair’s Report a. Lauren needs to follow up with Blaine on Budget request. b. M&C is in receipt of our Firefly Alternates letter; they will discuss on 2/9. c. There will be time reserved for Corridor Committee updates on future agendas. Teresa is on Atlanta; Mark will join Prince. GDOT has a strong presence on Prince Committee. d. There’s also the Lexington Road one. Carol suggested Jake. Carol will figure out when it has been scheduled (has been Thursday at 10) 10. Work Plan a. Intersection recommendations b. Implement process for revisions/additions. i. Teresa put in a plug for the Pedestrian Loop. It is included in the Atlanta Highway Corridor survey. Would involve reprioritization.  ii. Sycamore Drive – Lauren read letter from Sycamore Drive resident Erica into the record. No sidewalk, narrow shoulders, adults and children must walk in street in several places. A lot of pedestrian traffic. Sycamore Drive used to be part of Epps Bridge Road. Hillary put together a safety audit in 2019. iii. Stephen: consider building a pot of money that is specific for local small sidewalk construction. There’s no dedicated money for this. This would be a budget proposal or funding request for small local sidewalk connections. iv. There is a program called the Voluntary Sidewalk program – can set up a special tax allocation in their district. c. Complete Streets – policy would need to be put forth to the M&C. 11. Grants and Data Committee Update a. We’ve exhausted list of possible funding opps. Let us know if you find anything. 12. Policy Committee Update a. Picking up Complete Streets policy in next meeting. 13. Education and Communications Committee Update a. Melanie McElroy has scheduled next Open Streets meeting for February 3rd. There will be community representation. 14. Announcements a. Lauren plugged Firefly Trail races. b. We will line up folks to speak at M&C meeting re: Firefly alternates. c. Barber street Work Session is 3/9. d. Carol: Public input will be reinstalled for next M&C meeting. e. Lauren: who is interested in doing a bike ride that is a facilities tour in the next month or so? (No need for agenda or chaperone.) Greenway, Firefly, sidewalks, roads. 15. Meeting Adjourned at a. Next meeting will be on 2/23.