Everett Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

TAC MINUTES October 17, 2019 In attendance: Members Staff Guests Renee Quistorf Scott Bader, City Council Bob Creamer Jennifer Tanner Michael Schmieder, Transit Michael Ugrin Tyler Rourke Tom Hingson, Transit Jonathan Hopkins, Lime Richard Smith Tim Miller, Public Works Brett Barrett Tim Morgan, Police Al Furiak Corey Hert, Public Works Kelsey Svaren, Public Works Katie Rathbun, Legal Nick Harper, Administration Meeting called to order at 8:05 a.m. Chaired by Tyler Rourke  M/S/P for September 2019 Minutes. Announcements & Requests to Add Agenda Items  Al Furiak asked if there was a way to help with traffic congestion caused by the Rucker Renewal project in the downtown corridor. He also enquired when the project will be finished. o Tim Miller responded that he would address those questions in the Engineering Report.  Tyler followed up on the conversation regarding illegally modified diesel engines from the July 2019 meeting. A brief discussion followed regarding federal EPA rules, restrictions of local law enforcement implementing federal regulations, and opportunities to establish similar laws at the state or local level.  Tyler was contacted by Smart Growth America asking the City to consider applying to Washington Complete Streets Leadership Academy. A brief discussion ensued regarding qualifications for the program and whether the City of Everett is an appropriate candidate.  M/S/P for the committee to recommend the City to apply for the Washington Complete Streets Leadership Academy. Public Comments  None. Engineering Report  Tim updated the committee on the Rucker Renewal project, noting that concrete pouring is complete north of Hewitt Ave with crews shifting to the south side of Hewitt. He added that sidewalk work is also in progress and recommended that everyone subscribe to the project’s newsflash to receive weekly updates. The City will also continue to support businesses affected by the street closures and ensure pedestrian access.   Tim also gave an update on the Grand Avenue Park Bridge. It was placed in September and will be completed over the next several months. The City expects it to be finished and ready for foot traffic in Spring 2020. Police Report  Tyler asked about updates on the pedestrian emphasis patrol.  Tim Morgan stated that 20 drivers have been cited so far. He added that the two new motorcycle units will be very helpful once they are trained and on the road. Transit Report  Michael Schmieder stated September marked the first month in which all seven electric busses were on the road at the same time. They have logged a combined total of 1265 hours of service and averaged 200 miles per charge during the summer months. Transit plans to monitor them to see how the cold weather may impact battery capacity. Michael expressed interest in presenting a comparison analysis of operating costs per mile between the old and new busses at a future meeting.  Everett Transit is obtaining 18 new Paratransit vehicles that will go into production at the factory in November. When put into operation these should assist in decreasing vehicle maintenance costs.  Michael stated that Transit related collisions (mirror strikes) on the Broadway corridor have decreased by more than 68% between April and September 2018 compared to the same timeframe in 2019.  He also noted that ridership is currently trending down the same amount as the National average, but the City has seen a dramatic increase in rider utilization of the low-cost fare option that was implemented in July.  A brief discussion followed regarding the decrease in ridership, with Tom noting that recent service changes and construction on Rucker Ave are possible contributing factors. Agenda Items: Item 1: – SR 526 Improvements Informational Briefing; Corey Hert, Public Works  Corey Hert gave a brief history and overview of the project, which would see improvements on the portion of SR 526 between Seaway Blvd and I-5. The project originally stems from the 2009 Everett Freight Access & Mobility Study, while the 2015 Connecting Washington Legislation and 2017 Supplemental Transportation Budget allowed the City to dramatically expand the scope of improvements.  The design of the project is heavily influenced by identified baseline (compulsory) and contextual (preferred) needs:  o Baseline Needs:  Greater mobility for freight, vehicles, and transit  Economic vitality, improve access for SEIA  Improved safety for all modes of transportation o Contextual Needs:  Improved biking and walking experience  Reduce cut through traffic and improve capacity  Minimize sensitive area impact and improve aquatic habitats  Minimize impacts to developed or developable spaces  These needs were determined by interviews with local stakeholders conducted by the Project Advisory Group, which makes recommendations to determine the final preferred alternative. The concepts are evaluated through a multi-level screening process with the final decision expected in late 2019 or early 2020. This is a State funded project, with an anticipated construction timeline between 2021 and 2023.  Corey touched on a few of the highest scoring alternatives which includes improvements on the ramp at Seaway Blvd, incorporating a peak use lane, intersection modifications, and an I-5 NB priority bypass. The goal for this project is to ease congestion, support safety, and add wholesale improvements that align with the City’s Long Range Plan.  The committee briefly discussed the project with Corey, asking about inclusivity of alternate modes of transportation, the project’s predicted impact on rates of cut through traffic in the City, and Everett’s projected growth over the next 20 years. Corey noted that many factors were taken into consideration while identifying alternatives, but the project is primarily driven by the baseline and contextual needs as identified. Item 2: 2020 Overlay Project & Bikes Information Briefing; Corey Hert, Public Works  Corey noted that the 2020 Overlay will be advertised for bid in January and will include bike routes identified in the Bicycle Master Plan.  He also explained the methodology of establishing bike lanes, which is often done during the day and can affect traffic. The City always consults the Bicycle Master Plan when considering road overlays and construction. Sometimes the established width of a road causes issues with implementing bike lanes and requires reconstruction.  Corey addressed a few of the more challenging locations the City is looking to include bicycle routes and alternative ways to accommodate those changes and improve safety. These locations include: o Broadway from 52nd to Madison o 116th St SE from 19th Ave SE to City Limits o Federal Ave from 40th St to Charles Ave   There was a brief discussion where committee members offered suggestions for improvements along these challenging routes, including the addition of sharrows, adding a dedicated bike lane to one side only, and removing center lanes on narrow streets. Item 3: Motorized Foot Scooter Ordinance Revision Requested Action: Recommend Approval to City Council; Nick Harper, Administration  Nick spoke briefly about the scooter pilot program, in which the City gathered data and feedback for several months starting in May 2019. After the data was evaluated to be generally positive, City Council directed the City to make proposed changes to the ordinance to make the scooter program a more sustainable option long term.  Nick presented revisions to the ordinance, asking TAC to consider recommending the amendments to City Council for acceptance.  Members of the committee asked a few clarifying questions regarding City liability and proposed modifications of the ordinance. The committee specifically discussed section 4, regarding hours of operation between sunset and sunrise. Committee members noted that daylight hours vary greatly during the year, dramatically narrowing the hours of allowable scooter usage in the winter months.  M/S/P recommending City Council adopt the revised motorized foot scooter ordinance with a recommended amendment to Section 4, permissible hours of operation, to allow privately owned scooters to be operated during hours of darkness. Item 4: Grant Application Update Informational Briefing; Richard Tarry, Public Works  Richard Tarry briefly discussed the Smart Growth America grant, stating that the City is not eligible based upon the criteria in the application. He agreed to take another look based upon Tyler’s communication with Smart Growth America.  Richard briefly updated the committee on transportation related grants, which included funding received for electric buses, Ebey Island bicycle improvements, enhancements to the Fleming Street corridor, and improvements between Everett Station and the Angel of the Winds Arena. The committee briefly discussed the impact this last project may have on the future Light Rail station and its location.  Richard also noted that the City will look at applying for Federal grants for the 2023 and 2024 funding cycles starting next year. Item 5: Red-Light and School Speed Zone Cameras Informational Briefing; Tim Miller, Public Works  This agenda item was postponed and will be presented at the November meeting.  Adjourned at 9:59 am Next Scheduled Meeting: January 16, 2020