Everett Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

CITY OF EVERETT Transportation Advisory Committee TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, August 15th, 2024 8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Microsoft Teams Virtual Meeting In attendance: Members Staff Guests Stephen Fickenscher Corey Hert, Public Works Christina Strand Tom Hood, Public Works Danielle Wilkins Michael Brick, Public Works Jenny Liu, Public Works Daniel Evans Kathleen Baxter, Public Works Thomas McCleave Karissa Miller, Public Works Hal Gausman Michael Schmieder, Transit Sonja Bodge Melinda Adams, Transit Vinh Ngo Craig Davis, Police Liz Vogeli, City Council Meeting called to order at 8:05 a.m. by Stephen Fickenscher. ➢ M/S/P: July minutes with amendments: Microtransit/Downtown Shuttle, Landscaping on E. Marine View Drive, Prop 1 discussion ANNOUNCEMENTS & REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ➢ Inquiry about flood management with heavy rainfall; Surface Water Comprehensive Plan uses modeling, observation, and Traffic Engineer installs signs in flood-prone areas. ➢ Appreciation for KEXP public transportation-themed music. ➢ Request to discuss funding needs post-Proposition 1 results. ➢ Inquiry about light rail extending to Arlington; light rail will terminate in Everett with no current plans for further expansion north. ➢ Inquiry about purpose of traffic mitigation fees charged to developers; fees offset costs of added trips to the city’s transportation infrastructure. ➢ Inquiry about 41st traffic camera status; not operational yet, launch date available soon. ➢ Inquiry about speeding initiatives on main thoroughfares; city is adding signage and cameras. Detailed solutions to come in Vision Zero Everett with speed limit policy. ➢ Inquiry about Everett's authority to remove vehicles from bad actors; typically, legal action is required. Current automated systems for loud exhausts are not reliable enough pinpointing vehicles and lack integration with department of licensing information to issue warnings. Police is current addressing loud exhausts with targeted enforcement. ➢ Inquiry about R99 diesel's long-term reliability; as a drop-in replacement for conventional diesel, it improves engine cleanliness and reduces emissions to nearly zero in diesel-electric buses without major infrastructure changes. ➢ Inquiry about September Everett Transit changes; adjustments improve efficiency in response to Everett congestion without adding services, particularly on Route 29. The Everett Mall redevelopment provides an opportunity to navigate less deeply into the mall. ➢ Appreciation for emergency management initiatives in Transit Development Plan and clarification requested regarding new risk management supervisor role; this is a safety position appointed to oversee federal compliance with transit safety plan. 1 |Page  CITY OF EVERETT Transportation Advisory Committee ➢ Request for consistent fare review across regional transit agencies; inconsistent fares are confusing for passengers. ➢ Concern about lack of fare enforcement on the light rail; Sound Transit policy is to issue citations after three violations. ➢ Inquiry about transit funding; Everett Transit is funded through 0.6% of sales tax revenue, not property tax. It will not be impacted by Proposition 1 failure. ➢ Inquiry about SEPA permit process; prepared by a consultant and reviewed by the city, it is a required part of the Comprehensive Plan. ➢ Concern about public access to consultant findings regarding transportation modeling; it can be complex to convey findings to the public, so modeling summaries will be shared. ENGINEERING REPORT ➢ Flood Reduction Project: Council to review funding for areas with frequent flooding, addressing pipe capacity issues and runoff. ➢ Merrill & Ring Creek Bridge: Federal funding received; delays due to right-of-way and property relocation issues. ➢ EPIC Bridge: July public meeting had 29 attendees. Type, size, and location study complete. The city has applied for design funding through HSIP. ➢ Applications submitted to Transportation Improvement Board for RRFB funding on Everett Ave and City of Lake Stevens' 20th St SE widening. Projects will be selected in November. ➢ Initial 10% design under review for Everett light rail stations and alignment. Comments will shape the 2026 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Public engagement starts mid- 2025. ➢ Everett Community College campus planning meeting on August 19th. Pedestrian bridge has $12M of $16M in state funding; design starts early next year. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING REPORT ➢ Grant applications for RRFBs at 10th/E Marine View Dr, Summit/E Marine View Dr, and Phil Johnson Ball Fields for improved pedestrian crossings. Project selection confirmed in spring with the legislative action. ➢ Complete Streets: Virginia St and Fulton Ave RRFBs submitted as separate projects for better competitiveness under the TIB program. ➢ The Downtown Everett Association has various bike rack styles in stock. ADA passage requirements must be checked prior to installation but not time consuming. ➢ Top Golf plans to build a driving range in the mall's northeast corner. No major road improvements are expected; traffic mitigation fees may be offset by plans to reducing the size of Everett Mall and expected trips. ➢ SS4A: Plan renamed to "Vision Zero Everett." A communications plan is being developed with discovery meetings for city staff and consultants. The Safety Launch Workshop on September 10th will include community participants to support the vision of zero fatalities and serious injuries, focusing on safety approaches and community input. POLICE REPORT ➢ A recent fatality is the third pedestrian death on railroad tracks since June. Additional safety measures being explored, though this isn’t historically a widespread issue. ➢ A fatality occurred last week at 4700 Colby, near the YMCA. The incident is under investigation and did not involve high speed. 2 |Page  CITY OF EVERETT Transportation Advisory Committee ➢ North Broadway is severely congested due to construction on SR 529, which has reduced capacity and rerouted traffic. Despite efforts by police, traffic engineers, and the Department of Transportation, significant delays persist. TRANSIT REPORT ➢ Received two of five reconditioned buses, with the remaining three arriving next week. These buses will use R99 diesel, reducing tailpipe emissions by up to 75%, supporting our emissions transportation goals. ➢ In September, service adjustments will take place based on a thorough transit system analysis. Changes to Route 29 will improve coverage and reliability amid increased congestion and ridership. AGENDA ITEMS ➢ Transit Development Plan 2024 – 2029 and 2023 Annual Report: o Amendments have been included. Recommend Council hold a public hearing. M/S/P. ➢ Comprehensive Plan Update: The transportation element is reviewed every 10 years. The city is refining the existing conditions memo and draft plan. o Land Use: Two-thirds of Everett’s residential area is single-family residences; new zoning will change this. o Demographics: Analyzing factors like age and income, which affect transportation use, with school-age users and seniors more likely to use alternative transportation. o Outreach: Developing strategies for non-English speakers. o Income: Considering how income disparities impact transportation. o Employment: Supporting office/retail growth downtown and industrial jobs in southwest Everett. o Coordination: Aligning with local and regional plans. o Infrastructure: ▪ 79% of trips are by private vehicles, 4% transit, 4% walking and <1% biking ▪ Priority to balance road classification for freight vehicles o Safety: Integrating "Vision Zero Everett" goals; focus on pedestrian safety. o Next Steps: Finalize goals, complete traffic modeling, address project delays. Completion expected in 6-9 months. ➢ SR 529 and I-5 Projects: o Lane reductions have caused severe congestion, tripling travel times. Vehicles are ignoring closures and making illegal U-turns, with navigation apps directing traffic through closed roads. o The HOV lane, opened on August 14, has improved conditions. o Both projects will open lanes north in October, with Marysville roundabout capacity improvements expected to open next year. Adjournment: 9:53 a.m. Next Scheduled Meeting: September 19, 2024 3 |Page