Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation

Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation October 14th, 2015- 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm Meeting Minutes Attendance CACT Members City Staff Member Present 1. Stephanie Rogers Paul Baldino (Chair) Yes 2. Jeff Sikes Hal Morgan (Vice-Chair) Yes Bill Ackerman Yes Andrea Caumont Yes Doug Devereaux YES Addison Heard Yes Steve Knight Yes Liaisons Liaison Present Karen Oliver Yes (City Council) Russ Wodiska No (Planning Commission) Ian Reusch No (Youth Representative) Agenda 1. Public Comment 2. Minutes Approval- Action to approve minutes of September 2015 meeting 3. Action Item: Mason Row-submittal 6-review and comment 4. Action Item: New NTC Project Selection 5. CACT 2015 Priorities a. Play Streets-Action item b. Pace Car Program-Information 6. Action Item: CACT Annual Report for 2015 7. Correspondence and Comments to Council a. Memo to Mayor Tarter on Walk Friendly Community Designation b. Memo to staff liaisons requesting work session on a Play Streets program  1. Public Comment: There were five residents who wanted to comment on the Mason Row project. Their comments were heard after the applicant’s presentation and are reflected in item number 3 of the minutes. 2. Minutes Approval for the September 9th CACT Meeting: The minutes for the September 9thh CACT meeting were approved by a vote of (7-0) with minor changes. 3. Action Item: Mason Row –Submittal 6: Peter Batten of Spectrum Development made a presentation on the latest version (Submittal 6 dated July 24, 2015) of the Mason Row project, with a focus on the transportation elements of the project. These included showing what is being proposed at key intersections adjacent to the project. New traffic signals will be constructed on West Street at Park Avenue and on W. Broad Street about 450 feet to the east of the West Street intersection at the eastern-most entry to the site. The intersection of West and Park Avenue will be realigned to narrow the Park Avenue entry. The W&OD trail will be realigned where it crosses West Street and moved closer to the intersection to take advantage of new traffic signal. New crosswalks will be provided at the new signals and a new section of sidewalk will be constructed on the north side of West Street between the trail crossing and Grove Avenue. The applicant also showed a traffic analysis indicating existing and future levels of service (LOS) at key intersections. Based upon their analysis, with the proposed roadway and signal improvements, there will be acceptable levels of service at intersections adjacent to the project. The applicant presented information on the proposed on-site parking for the project as well as pedestrian improvements that would be constructed with the project. He also demonstrated how traffic and pedestrians would circulate on the site. The applicant provided a chart indicating the TDM measures the developer has committed to provide to encourage less dependency on motor vehicles. Some members of the CACT were concerned about the streetscape design and how much clear unobstructed sidewalk width would be available. The CACT felt that at least 10 feet of clear walkway space should be provided. A number of residents commented to the CACT on the project. Two residents from Grove Avenue commented that the project was too large and tall and would exacerbate already unsafe travel conditions along Grove Avenue. They stated that Grove Avenue is already used as a cut through street and should not be used as a hotel shuttle route to WFC Metro. The president of the Steeples  HOA commented that more traffic on West Street could block their only access and asked that something be done to prevent this. Another resident commented that the developer’s contribution to the Bikeshare Program was too small. CACT members were polled to find out what their concerns were with the project. Andrea and Bill volunteered to draft a letter to Council with the CACT’s comments and recommendations on the transportation aspects of the Mason Row project . 4. Action Item: New Neighborhood Traffic Calming (NTC) Project selection: Jeff Sikes reported that with the completion in late October of the Parker-Kent project, staff would be available to begin work on a new NTC project. He presented information on three NTC cases which had gone through the ranking and prioritization process. The streets were N. Maple Avenue from Great Falls Street to Columbia Street, Little Falls Street from Great Falls Street to Columbia Street and N. Cherry Street from Columbia Street to E. Broad Street. Data were provided for each street. All three of the streets ranked in the medium category for Daily Risk of Severe Pedestrian Injury with Little Falls Street and Cherry Avenue having the same score, and Maple Ave. having a slightly lower score. Staff had recommended that Little Falls Street be selected because of a high traffic volume, proximity to high pedestrian volume generators (City Hall and the W&OD trail) and deficient design standards. However, the CACT recommend and voted (7-0) to select Maple Avenue as the next project street. The reasons included that Maple Avenue had the highest speeds, higher volume, highest percentage of injury, adjacent to a school and the density of the population in the neighborhood. Staff Note: During the Public Comment Period at the September Meeting of the NTC, a resident of N. Maple Avenue addressed the CACT to ask why it was taking so long for his street to be selected for traffic calming. He also indicated that he was unaware of possible solutions provided by the Department of Public Works traffic control program. In response to the issue raised by the speaker, staff (DPW and DDS) agreed to prepare an internal memo to assure traffic calming requestors are informed of the traffic control options administered by the Department of Public Works in addition to the traffic calming options possible under the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. 5. CACT 2015 Priorities: a. Play Streets- Andrea reported that she would be attending the November 4th meeting of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board and the November 16th meeting of the Planning Commission to discuss a Play Streets program.  b. Neighborhood Pace Car Program: Jeff had nothing new to report on the Pace Car Program but will have information at the November meeting. 6. Action Item: CACT Annual Report for 2015: Paul Baldino agreed to write the CACT annual report to Council for 2015. Included in the report will be CACT accomplishments in 2015 a set of priorities for 2016. 7. Correspondence and Comments to Council: Copies of the following memos were included in the materials package: a. Memo to Mayor Tarter on Walk Friendly Community Designation b. Memo to staff liaisons requesting work session on a Play Streets Program