Athens in Motion Commission
Regular MeetingAthens-Clarke County, GA · February 28, 2023
Minutes
Athens in Motion Commission
MINUTES – FEBRUARY 28, 2023
Location: ACC Gov Planning Department, 120 W. Dougherty Street
Planning Auditorium
Attendees
In Person
AiM Commissioners
● Lauren Blais
● John Devine
● Teresa Friedlander
● Randy Halstead
● Blaine Van Note
Ex-Officio
● Scott Long, BikeAthens
ACCGov Staff
● Daniel Sizemore
Virtual
AiM Commissioners (does not count towards quorum)
● Mark Ebell
ACCGov Staff
● Shirelle Hallum
● Rani Katreeb
● Todd Miller
Absent
AiM Commissioners
● James Barlament
● Craig Topple
● Dale Van Cantfort
1
Welcome
Lauren opened the meeting at 4:07 pm
Public Comment – One comment asking to ensure that our meetings were published and available.
Agenda
Lauren opened and shared the agenda. Randy moved to accept the agenda. John seconded. The agenda was
approved unanimously.
Minutes
Lauren shared the previous meeting minutes. Teresa moved to accept the minutes. Randy seconded. The
minutes were approved unanimously.
Chair’s note (06:26)
Traffic fatalities
● Education & Communications committee work with Vision Zero coordinator and report at monthly
meetings
● Executive committee will meet monthly to discuss and put together monthly agenda
○ Lauren motions to assemble an executive committee to form monthly agenda. Teresa
seconded, motion approved.
Minutes
Major Items (12:03)
Athens in Motion Plan Update
● Update
○ Form an ad hoc committee to discuss next steps. Will delegate action items to sub-committees
■ John, Teresa, Lauren, Mark, Randy – will meet Tuesday, March 7th at 5:00 pm
○ Review public engagement before finalizing/submitting update
■ Re-opening Wikimap
■ Sharing our goals/progress (Vision Zero, Complete Streets, etc)
■ Executive summaries for various user groups
■ Prepare “vision” for high priority concepts, submit to M&C
● Timeline draft
○ Plan wraps in Summer →Presentation to Mayor & Commission in Fall
Barber Street
● Walk audits with Commissioners Culpepper, Houle, Myers, Thornton, & Wright done in February
● February vote tabled by Mayor and Commission
○ Commission requested more time to review
2
● Our role on the AiM Commission
○ An advisory commission that exists to advise and provide recommendations on bicycle and
pedestrian safety
New RAISE Grant 2023
● Project overview
○ Planning grant for Hawthorne from Alps Elementary to the loop/Oglethorpe from Prince Ave to
Mitchell Bridge Rd ($1M)
● Lauren drafted a letter of support for the RAISE grant.
● Lauren entertained a motion to approve letter. John moved, Randy seconded. Letter approved.
Staff Updates (56:55)
Parking Planning – Todd Miller, Park Planning Coordinator
● Firefly Trail Expansion – Bridge over Trail Creek under construction. Ribbon cutting ceremony on March
31st, 2023
● Greenway Trail Carr’s Creek – Construction will begin soon. There will be some truck access along
Greenway Trail
● Firefly Trail Expansion Phase III – still working on easements in Winterville segment
Transportation and Public Works – Daniel Sizemore, Bike, Pedestrian and Safety Coordinator/Shirelle Hallum,
Vision Zero Coordinator
● Local Road Safety Plan Workshop (Thursday, March 30th, 4-6pm at the ACC Library)
○ Seeking input from local stakeholders. Will compile data and create plan for new initiatives
○ Other commissioners encouraged to attend
● Road closure update, if available
○ Voyles Road – re-opening in 30 days
○ Charlie Bolton Road – received notice to proceed
○ Olympic Drive – awaiting bid award
● Trails and Crossings – discussion
○ Ownership of infrastructure ultimately lies with the city
○ AiM will work with ACCGov to establish where concerns should be routed (Leisure Services,
Traffic, etc)
○ Leading Pedestrian Interval now at Greenway crossing at Oak Street (Mama’s Boy restaurant)
(positive change made by ACCGov Traffic Engineering)
● Trail Lighting conversion – updates
○ Ad hoc group will be developed to meet and discuss
● AiM Project + updates
○ AiM-maintained spreadsheet
■ Policy & Projects committee will work with TPW
● Bike Friendly Community Application – SUBMITTED
3
Additional Items (1:33:00)
Grant Support
Lauren Blais, Chair
● AARP Grant for bench on Timothy Road
○ Assigned to Grants and Data committee
● Support for neighborhoods and communities in Athens submitting grants
AiM Reportbacks
Teresa Friedlander, Vice Chair/ Lauren Blais, Chair
● REI Tabling event with BikeAthens
○ Good interaction and feedback, collected contact info for notifications
○ Thank you, BikeAthens for sharing your space
● Budget Presentation to M&C Thursday, February 23 (Lauren and Teresa)
● Speak to ACCGov Public Information Officer about social media coordinator
● New logo – hi-res version coming
Committee Reportback (1:40:00)
Corridor Committees
● Atlanta Highway – Teresa Friedlander
○ No updates
● Lexington Road – Randy Halstead
○ No updates
● Prince Avenue – Mark Ebell
○ No updates
AiMC Committees
● Grants and Data – Chair: Mark Ebell
○ No meeting this month
● Policy and Projects – Chair: Randy Halstead
○ Will meet on Wednesday, March 15th at 5:00 pm
● Education and Communications – Chair: Teresa Friedlander
○ Will meet Tuesday, March 14th at 3:00 pm
Other Committees/Commissions
● UGA – SPIN bikeshare program launched
● Greenway – no updates
● TSPLOST 2018 – no updates
● TSPLOST 2022 – no updates
4
AiM Commissioner Round
John Devine – began discussions with GDOT on Prince Avenue expansion
Adjourn
Adjourn: 6:06 pm
Next meeting date: Tuesday, March 28th, 4:00 pm
5
Agenda
Athens in Motion Commission
AGENDA
FEBRUARY 28, 2023
Location: ACCGov Planning Department, 120 W. Dougherty Street
Planning Auditorium (upstairs)
Recorded Meetings Posted on YouTube here
4pm-6pm
Welcome
4:05 pm, 10 minutes
● Welcome!
● Public Comment
○ Recorded meeting access - AiMC Playlist can be found here
● Agenda - additions/approval
● January 24 minutes - additions/approval
Major Items
4:15 pm, 60 minutes
Athens in Motion Plan Update
25 minutes
Lauren Blais, Chair | Teresa Friedlander, Vice Chair | Daniel Sizemore, Bike, Pedestrian and Safety
Coordinator
See Daniel’s original notes, attached
● Scope of plan update, role of committees… ad hoc committee:
○ Text/semantics
○ Data
○ Public input
● Plan Comments can be made here (you will need to be logged in)
○ Deadline for initial comments: extended to February 28 (tonight)
● Timeline draft
Barber Street
10 minutes
Lauren Blais, Chair | Teresa Friedlander, Vice Chair | Daniel Sizemore, Bike, Pedestrian and Safety
Coordinator
● Vote tabled by Mayor and Commission
● Our role on the AiM Commission
Athens in Motion Commission - Monthly Meeting Agenda - 1
● Current efforts:
○ Reaching out to current Commissioners to serve as a resource
● Next steps
New RAISE Grant 2023
10 minutes
Daniel Sizemore, Bike, Pedestrian and Safety Coordinator | Shirelle Hallum, Vision Zero Coordinator | Lauren
Blais, Chair
● Project overview
● Approve letter
Staff Updates
5pm, 30 minutes
Park Planning
Todd Miller, Park Planning Coordinator
Transportation and Public Works
Daniel Sizemore, Bike, Pedestrian and Safety Coordinator | Shirelle Hallum, Vision Zero Coordinator
● Local Road Safety Plan Workshop
○ Thursday, March 30th, 4-6pm
○ Lauren to facilitate?
○ Other commissioners asked to attend?
● Road Closure update if available
● Trails and Crossings - discussion
○ Ownership of infrastructure
○ Pedestrian Lead Interval now at Greenway Oak Street crossing
■ Thank you ACCGov Traffic Engineering
● Trail Lighting conversation - updates?
● AiM Project + updates
○ Is this AiM-maintained spreadsheet accurate
○ Projects
■ Barber Street Bike/Ped (AiM)
● Vote tabled, see above item
■ Cherokee Road MUP (AiM)
■ Riverbend Road MUP(AiM)
■ Jefferson River Road (AIM)
■ North Avenue Project (AiM)
■ Prince Avenue Project (TSPLOST 2018 Prince Avenue User Group)
● Passed on December, working with GDOT
■ Lexington Sidewalks (TSPLOST 2018 Lexington User Group)
■ Atlanta Highway (TSPLOST 2018 Atlanta Highway User Group)
■ Oglethorpe/Hancock Intersection improvements (AiM + TPW + Mayor and
Commission?)
● Bike Friendly Community Application – SUBMITTED
● Additional Staff updates as time allows
Athens in Motion Commission - Monthly Meeting Agenda - 2
Additional Items
5:30pm, 15 minutes
AiM Reportbacks
Teresa Friedlander, Vice Chair | Lauren Blais, Chair
● REI Tabling event with BikeAthens
● Budget Presentation to M&C Thursday, February 23
● Proposed Expenditures status
○ Notes from last month: 12k for items:
■ $3.5K to re-open WikiMap (from Toole 2018 for new AiM) - Passed
■ $3.5K public engagement & outreach as part of AiM revision - Tabled
■ $2K reflective vests w/ new logo and any other safety tools for giveaways - Passed
■ Proposed Social campaign
● $3K for a social media intern - Passed
● New Logo (approved last month)
○ Do we have high-res png and other renditions available?
Committee Reportback
5:45pm, <10 minutes
Corridor Committees
● Atlanta Highway - Teresa Friedlander
● Lexington Road - Randy Halstead
● Prince Avenue - Mark Ebell
AiMC Committees
● Grants and Data - Chair: Mark Ebell
● Education and Communication - Chair: Teresa Friedlander
● Policy and Projects - Chair: Randy Halstead
○ See major item update
Other Committees/Commissions
● UGA - Blaine Van Note
● Greenway - Dale Van Cantfort
● TSPLOST 2018 - Lauren Blais - final meeting held in January
○ See monthly update and project descriptions here
● TSPLOST 2022 - Lauren Blais - Oversight group forming?
○ See project descriptions here
AiM Commissioner Round
5:55pm
AiM Commissioners briefly share other business or a parting thought.
Adjourn
6pm
Next meeting: March 28, 2023
Athens in Motion Commission - Monthly Meeting Agenda - 3
AiMC Meeting Attachments
Plan Revisions Context
Hey all!
I wanted to provide some extra context to my last email. We are coming up on the 5 year revision of the
Athens in Motion Plan. That means that we need to revisit the document and make changes as needed. I had a
few ideas about the process that I outlined at the last meeting in November, but I wanted to refresh
everyone’s memories and get it down in writing. Essentially, we have four major sections of the document that
I want to dive into.
1. Athens in Motion Plan Goals
a. The Athens in Motion Commission (AiMC) will meet to discuss the overall goals (Table 1-1)
of the plan to ensure that the reflect the goals of the commission as a whole.
b. The short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals (Pages 73-76) will be evaluated to
determine which goals have been achieved, which ones should be prioritized moving forward,
and which ones might need to be moved out to a later date.
i. We will also do this for the success measures section (Pages 77-80).
2. Public Engagement
a. The Education and Communications Committee (ECC) will be getting started on the public
input portion of the plan.
b. This will entail reopening the wikimap tool that was used in 2017 so that people can
comment on their favorite routes to ride, barriers to riding, favorite places to walk, barriers to
walking, etc.
c. ECC will start hosting public input tabling events in the spring to get the word out and we
will be discussing some ideas for this in our upcoming meeting during the ECC update.
3. Project Network Development
a. The Projects and Policy Committee (PPC) will be examining the current project network
that was proposed in 2017.
b. They will designate:
i. existing projects that were completed
ii. existing projects that could be expanded
iii. existing projects to remove
iv. new projects to add.
c. This process will result in a new project network map that will show the future vision of
Athens broken down by facility type:
i. Separated facilities (multiuse path, separated cycle track, etc.)
ii. Protected facilities (protected lanes on prince or Handcock for
instance)
iii. Delineated bikes facilities (painted bike lanes, advisory lanes, etc.)
iv. Shared facilities (bike boulevards, yield roads, sharrows, etc.)
4. Project Prioritization Criteria
a. The Grants and Data Committee (GDC) will dig into the existing criteria, new potential
criteria, data sources, and subsequent analyses that will need to be done to run all of the
Project Network through our prioritization criteria.
b. They will focus on the details of the new criteria, ensuring that they match up with our
goals.
Athens in Motion Commission - Monthly Meeting Agenda - 4
I hope that clears up the intent of what we are hoping to get started on. I plan on using comments from all of
you (uploaded into this document) so that I can ensure our meetings and conversations are focused around
our needs and priorities. Obviously, the update of the Athens in Motion Plan is going to be a very involved
process, but I am hoping to streamline as much of this as possible.
Don’t worry about being too detailed or too vague in your comments. I view the comments in this document
as a starting point for a line of dialogue with the various Committees and for the Commission as a whole.
Athens in Motion Commission - Monthly Meeting Agenda - 5
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