Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, January 18, 2024 7:00 pm Virtual Meeting Via Teleconferencing through Zoom Committee Members: In- Absent Zoom Person Mark Shroder, Chair X Dan Behrend X Kyla Erman X Parisi Fida X Meaghan Hart X Donald Hayes X Jeff Lemieux X Josue Lemus X Sam Slowinski X Also attending: Erik Valentine, Staff Liaison; Steve Halpern, City Engineer; Jacob Hernandez, District 1 Councilmember; Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator; Brendan Wray, member of the public. 1. Call to order, Approval of Agenda, and Approval of Minutes from November 16, 2023 Meeting - The meeting was called to order without a quorum. The committee may only discuss, not vote on, agenda items. 2. Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Grant Discussion – Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator - Background: Safe Streets for All (SSFA) provides funding on a rolling basis until 2026 with an application window beginning in February 2024. SS4A has two phases. Phase #1: Planning and Demonstration. Phase #2: Implementation. There is funding for pilot programs that are aligned with a safe systems approach. It is recommended to collaborate with groups in such locations as Edmonton, Riverdale, or Hyattsville as appropriate to submit a joint application which makes the overall application more competitive. This grant is primarily focused on developing a plan to enhance safety and reduce crashes. - The Committee discussed projects: encourage more biking, water bottle fill station, - Expert Input: The recommendation is to highlight an interconnected system, not one cut off by city boundaries, i.e., connect as many Anacostia trails as you can. - Consider using the funds to develop a feasibility study on protected bike lanes on routes. Identifying the highly dangerous routes will give us an idea of the cost involved in putting a plan together. Data derived from such a study examining routes under consideration will greatly impact the application quality. This will 1  also provide concrete data for the Council to develop action items for future implementation. - Committee Discussion: A focus area to consider might be to look at ways to improve the pedestrian crossing for Baltimore Avenue, especially in connection with the Trolley Trail to Paint Branch Trail. The underpass at Lakeland Road is another possibility. Metzerott Road is a horrible place to cross. Maybe improve the light system so there is an All Ways stop to cross without cars turning into cyclists and pedestrians. Is there money for a pedestrian bridge between bike paths to avoid crossing busy intersections? - The Committee discussed methodologies for data collection. Consider applying for a data collection campaign that will inform a Vision Zero Plan. - The Vision Zero project will require more money connected to infrastructure improvements, so having the data collection component will strengthen the College Park application. 3. Introduction/Discussion with College Park Senior Advisory Committee – Mary Anne Hakes, et. al - The Senior Advisory Committee reached out to BPAC to find points of collaboration and introduced the Co-Chairs and the Chairperson of the AARP Subcommittee. The goal for the group over the next three years is to make College Park an age-friendly community through the AARP Program. Parks and Planning did a survey for the committee and developed an action plan designed to support neighbors helping neighbors through Habitat for Humanity that provides things like guardrails and ramps to facilitate neighbors aging in place. Making College Park a retirement destination for UMD alumni who want to come back to the area and settle down with less expense than DC and surrounding communities is also a goal. - The Senior Advisory Committee outlined their five domains of interest: Advocating for Lower and Middle income Housing; Encouraging Graduate Students to live with seniors in reciprocal arrangements; Sensitizing officials to the Transportation issues of seniors in terms of providing things like stoplights with audio signals for the deaf and hard of hearing or increasing the time allowed for street crossings for those with different abilities; Increasing Communication and Social Participation; and Expanding Health and Wellness by developing emergency plans with seniors in mind, providing support for caregivers, and increasing awareness of the nutritional status of grocery stores and famers’ markets. - Veo Ride/Scooters: Is there a way to balance the availability of seated scooters so that more seniors have access to try them? If seniors are interested, it is possible to contact the city to move this forward but the sit-down scooters that are more stable are available elsewhere and may be worth investigating alternatives for the city to investigate. 2 - Traffic Signals: Has BPAC looked at the timing of traffic signals? Visually impaired individuals do not have time to cross a major intersection. This may be another point of collaboration. BPAC can sponsor a request to support the work of the Senior Advisory Committee on traffic signal issues. The timing of intersections is a good data collection point to help determine what is and is not adequate for people with differing abilities. - Connections with the University of Maryland: the Senior Advisory Committee is trying to work with Terps for Bike Lanes, has contacts within the university whereby students have developed a website highlighting emergency preparedness for seniors. The point of collaboration is to combine surveys and studies as appropriate. - The Senior Advisory Committee agreed to reach out again to BPAC when they are ready to join another meeting. 1. Discussion of Chair’s (Mark’s) Positions for Committee to Consider endorsing: BPAC has reviewed the Bike Boulevard plan prepared by consultants to the City in 2017, and we do not favor its principal recommendations. Bike Boulevards are essentially messaging to cars and bikes to share the road, and we think they don't do much to enhance safety. A. The committee would not agree with making a blanket statement against bike boulevards, but more discussion is needed because it is a nuanced issue. Table it for now so as not to overgeneralize. 2. BPAC endorses the bike lane and bus stop improvements on Rhode Island. We think they will improve safety for bike and bus riders. A. Include speed limit reductions with language referencing the October 2022 studies that support the 25-mph change. With general agreement on this now, we can vote later. 3. BPAC would like to see additional tubular markers to protect the bike lanes at Rhode Island and Greenbelt and Rhode Island and University intersections from intrusion by right-turning automobiles and buses. A. In favor but make sure emergency vehicles would be accounted for. 4. BPAC believes that the City should indicate by paint on the street that cyclists should consider continuing their journey by using the sidewalk in front of Attick Towers where the present bike lane on the southbound side of Rhode Island ends. A. Hard to tell what the traffic directions are for cyclists so there should be clearer markings. State law requires cyclists to use bike lanes if they are present. Make them visible and allow time for people to adjust to them. 5. BPAC endorses the City's plan for a protected bike lane on Edgewood between Rhode Island and Route One and suggests that the Mayor and Council take steps to better publicize it beforehand. A. Involve Steve Halpern to get an estimated time on potential changes. 3 6. BPAC endorses raised crosswalks on the commercial sections of Guilford and Knox Roads west of Route One, to address the high level of pedestrian accidents there. A. General agreement. There was a crash cluster here even with crosswalks and signs so what more can be done other than speed tables to reduce accidents? We have to structurally change the road, not rely on students to take the crosswalk. 7. Intersection of Baltimore Ave and Berwyn House Road. Recommend 4 way stop. Committee Discussion: It is dangerous to cross Berwyn House Road near CVS and pedestrians and cyclists wait a long time for the light to turn green. We still have cars turning into individuals when people have the right of way. We should consider a four-way stop similar to the one at College Drive. Draft a recommendation and involve the State. 8. Long-term goal: apply for MNCPPC to expand our trolley trail, similar to Hyattsville (8 years). Bring Trolley Trail into North CP, in time for new FBI. A. Apply now for PG Parks and Recreation to expand the Trolley Trail as in Hyattsville, which was an eight year process for them to complete. If we can get the ball rolling now that would be transformational vis-a-vis the FBI headquarters coming to the area. This change may serve as an alternative means of transportation and ease the anticipated increases in traffic congestion. We should also recommend bringing more art to the Trolley Trail. That would be a great goal to have. 9. New Business/General Discussion/Future Agenda Topics a. Bike Maryland Event - Register early b. PALS’ UMD partnership for action – connects University professors with different community agencies and stakeholders. One of the initiatives is recommending Fifteen Minute Cities for College Park. Professor Brie Park would like to have her class meet with the BPAC in February or March. Her class meets on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. and they are interested in bike and pedestrian activities and becoming more involved in the community. We can invite them to join our meeting. Fifteen Minute Cities refer to cities that allow access to retail, recreation, medical professionals, and anything you need where you can walk to get there within fifteen minutes. Professor Park’s class is interested in learning about the bike perspective. Brendan Wray is interested in educating people on these issues. c. On Tuesday, the City Council appoints two new members to the BPAC. d. All members received the Calendar Invite. 4  e. Presentation/Update: Meaghan Hart will give an update on the incident reporting data collection system in terms of how it works and ways to develop one for College Park at the next meeting. This report will be based on meeting with the two individuals who created the incident reporting and data collection system for the University of Maryland. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m. The next meeting is February 15, 2024 Respectfully submitted, Georgene Osborne, Contract Secretary Janeen Miller, City Clerk 5