Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:00 P.M. Via Teleconferencing Through Zoom Committee Members Absent Zoom Mark Shroder, Chair X Dan Behrend X Kyla Erman X Parisi Fida X Meaghan Hart X Donald Hays X Jeff Lemieux X Elizabeth McMahon X Edward Joseph Ridge X Joseph Tannir X Member of the Public Brendan Wray X Staff Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator X Carlos Nunes, Senior Planner X I. Call to Order – Mr. Shroder called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm. II. Approval of Agenda – A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes with the amendment to postpone item VII until the requisite materials arrive in a timely manner. The motion carried 8-0-0.  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:00 P.M. Via Teleconferencing Through Zoom III. Approval of Minutes from July 18, 2024 Meeting There was no need to approve the July 18, 2024 meeting minutes because no actions were taken and no quorum was present. Mr. Ridge made the motion to approve the June 20, 2024 meeting minutes, seconded by Mr. Hays. All in favor, none opposed. The motion carried 8-0-0. IV. New Member Introductions – formal introductions needed for Committee Member and Staff Member Carlos Nunes. V. Presentation: University of Maryland Department of Transportation – Bikeways Project– Julianna, Maddy, and Valerie – Valerie Goubeau, Associate Director, UMD Department of Transportation Services and Julianna Greenberg, Grant Manager, UMD Department of Transportation Services presented the Bikeways Project. Background: The University of Maryland, the premier model on the east coast for bike-friendly programs, applied for and were awarded the Gold Bicycle Friendly University Seal (2022-2026) by the League of American Bicyclists for appropriate engineering, education, and enforcement for safe biking. The University is now pursuing new funds to shore up weak areas in engineering safe bikeways for stakeholders. Successfully reducing the speed limit to 15 mph has improved campus safety. Adjacent to the purple line will be a bike trail that will be available to riders before the Purple Line is established. It is in the engineering components that bike safety is weakest. UMD students have been outspoken about pushing for a better infrastructure. Current funding has enabled the university to gauge community needs and respond to community interests. With additional funding, the university started a feasibility study targeting segments on campus that would create a network of bike lanes on campus with trails and pathways, supported by the consultancy firm of Mead and Hunt. The goal was to reach everyone who cares about biking. Segment #1: Stadium to the Business School area Segment #2 Regents Drive area Segment #3 Chapel Fields area Segment#4: Three separate sections from segment 2 to Paint Branch Creek. .  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:00 P.M. Via Teleconferencing Through Zoom Project Timeline April 2023: Feasibility and Design Start funded through 2022 MDOT Kim Lamphier Bikeways Program April 2024: Feasibility Study Completed Summer 2024: Paint Branch Drive Cycle Track Pilot Project Implementation funded through the 2024 UMD Student Faciilities Fund December 2024: 30% Design completed Summer 2025: Final Design Completed and Construction for Segments 1A- 1C funded through the 2024 Maryland Transportation Alternatives Program Summer 2026: Construction of Segments 1D-1E with funding to be determined Summer 2027: Construction of Segments 2 and 3 December 2027: All project activities complete Total Project Costs Feasibility Study: $75,000.00 Project Cost: $2,471,695.00 Construction: $6,771,000.00 Total Cost: $9,317,695.00 (most likely higher due to inflation and the cost of administration overhead) Total Funded: $2,527,137.00 Costs Remaining: $6,905, 821.00 With BPIS funding between $100-200,000, BPAC may be in position potentially to fund a smaller portion to support the design phases of this project timeline. VI. General Updates and Announcements Autoville Walking Tour (August 25th, Sunday) – with Councilmember Hugh  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:00 P.M. Via Teleconferencing Through Zoom Wichita Avenue and Hollywood Road Updates – the sidewalk and curb work has been completed and waiting for permitting and scheduling to be done for road repavement Route 1 Bikelanes – finished striping the roadways this week VII. College Park City-University Partnership, River Walk Project – Rocky Rafi Information received too late to include in the meeting. VIII. Safety Improvement Plan/Bike Infrastructure Plan Updates and Clarifications Have ideas and plans lined up so when BPIS requests come up, BPAC will be prepared to respond effectively. Connectivity must always be included in the Annual Safety Improvement Plan: The Ikea area is completely cut off from bicycles because there is nothing that goes underneath the beltway; Crystal springs is cut off in terms of Route 193; plans for a pedestrian bridge to join Route 193 and the Metro Tunnel fell through; cannot cross the railroad south of campus drive; crossing route 1 is dangerous and would be a safety improvement to address; the plan to connect Greenbelt Station to the Metro Station in North College Park was canceled. Which of these are the highest priorities? It would be helpful to know the destinations that people want to go to strengthen the argument in support of specific connectivity points. Other points of connectivity to consider should include: 1. A map to see what exists in terms of county planning. 2. East west Connectivity– connect Guilford Woods to Guilford Drive 3. University Boulevard between student apartments and Rhode Island Avenue to make riding along University Boulevard safer 4. Area where Rhode Island Avenue meets Route193 and Branchville Road by Rising Sun Motors is a makeshift path made by worn grass and is not a paved sidewalk and not a safe way to traverse that area. 5. Long term connectivity project (decade long) to extend the Trolley Trail 6. Being mindful to emphasize a tone that presents benefits to all drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, not seeming to favor one group. Engage people by listening to their concerns.  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:00 P.M. Via Teleconferencing Through Zoom 7. Evaluating Complete Streets Policy – reference Inclusive Transportation by Veronica Davis about strategies for community engagement. Sidewalks are essential for safety. Smart Growth America showed how College Park had a provision that allowed for opposition for safety measures despite larger benefit for the community. May not be a priority for the Council and therefore not an action item. The time to make the Annual Safety Plan a public document is when the document is clearer and incorporates relevant data to support proposed recommendations. The next step is to publish the Annual Safety Plan in a place where all members have input and can include committee feedback on the outline by the next meeting. Mr. Rafi will send a link and invite comment on the Safety Plan for presentation to the Council as priorities for the coming year. There is a lesson to be learned from the 52nd Avenue opposition to building a sidewalk – those who did not live there but who would use the sidewalk offered counter opposition to those who did not want the sidewalk. A community must be vocal about what they want to effect changes that maximize the benefits to all members of the community. IX. Subcommittees Check-In: BPIS Subcommittee: Joe Tannir, Elizabeth McMahon – Updated the document and put on the Share Drive so it is accessible to BPAC members. No major changes from last time. Included recommendations such as sidewalk painting, extending curb in the study area that will fall within the budget. School Safety Subcommittee: Donald Hays, Brendan Wray –Set up a tracking system in Excel and went through addresses, bus stops, API, and Google Maps that resulted in huge list categorized by council district and elementary school, north/south and east west directions, pick up and drop off times and related comments . Some addresses are outside College Park boundaries even with a College Park address. Using a bus stop tool to check manually where bus stops are according to the map of intersections. The subcommittee has made good progress but the intensive manual work is slowing the pace of completing the project. Currently working on developing  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Thursday, August 15, 2024 7:00 P.M. Via Teleconferencing Through Zoom a composite score by weighting specific factors to assess which bus stop intersections are least safe to most safe to be able to make recommendations to the Council. Council member Mackie should be told when she can see the results. Report should be done after the October BPAC meeting on safety of school bus stops. Development impact mitigation, chair Joe Tannir – disregard since it is redundant with BPIS X. Hollywood Market – August 17th Flyer distribution and Sticker Design. Flyer is publicizing the Near Miss website and sticker. The purpose of the website is to add reported near misses to the database of close calls between bicycles and cars and/or pedestrians. Sufficient data exists for accidents that happen because they are reported to the police. Ms. McMahon volunteered to hand out flyers on the 17th.. Mr. Rafi can help on the 24th. The sticker design has not yet been finalized. Moving the event to September may maximize the opportunity for making contact with the public in College Park. Increase the number of distribution location to include the College Park Farmer’s Market, Hollywood Market, and Dots. To expand the locations, Mr. Rafi will find out how to include additional sites to distribute flyers and stickers. The committee will choose a date where most committee members can commit to attend in September using the Doodle poll.. XI. October 17th agenda conflict. Resolved – the committee will meet virtually. Fully virtual -works for keeping the same day consistently Monthly Break – not a good idea to wait that long; will have business to talk about Move to the 24th – not needed XII. New Business/General Discussion/Future Agenda Topic - None XIII. Adjourn – The next meeting is September 19, 2024, Mr. Ridge made the motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Shoder adjourned the meeting at 9:00 pm. Respectfully submitted, Ms. Georgene Osborne, Contract Secretary