Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation

May 2024 Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation Meeting Minutes 1) Meeting is called to order at 7:16 p.m. 2) Administration a. Roll call a. Arthur Agin (Chair) – Present (Left at 8:15PM, returned at 8:33PM) b. Stuart Whitaker (Vice Chair) – Present a. Erin Kampschroer (Member) – Absent b. Jessica Hegenbart (Member) – Present c. John Bentrup (Member) – Present d. David Beddoe (Member) – Absent e. David Snyder (City Council Liaison) – Present f. Andrea Caumont (Planning Commission Liaison) – Absent g. Jenna Brummond (Planning Liaison) – Present h. Haejin Kim (DPW Liaison) – Present i. Tara Hoff (DPW Liaison) – Present j. Kerri Oddenino (Principal Planner) – Present (Virtual) k. Public: i. Lori Dunch, Stacy Tatum, Alison York (Virtual), Donna Gorman (Virtual) b. Agenda Adopted c. Review of April Minutes a. April Minutes approved with 4-0 vote. 3) City Council Liaison Report a) Councilman Snyder gave an update on ongoing work to address the budget gap for Metro funding, and noted that NVTA is taking comments on the six-year plan. One of the controversial projects include a lane removal of a lane reserved for future transit expansion on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, and the widening of the beltway through Montgomery County. 4) DPW Update a) Haejin Kim presented an update on the W&OD Trail Crossings project. The project is in the construction phase and the plan is for the first two crosswalks to be completed in early July. The intersections with N Spring Street and N Oak Street are expected to be completed in October/November 2024. The crossing at N West Street is not included in this project. b) Haejin Kim and Tara Hoff also listed other current projects, including the new painted curb extension with flexi-posts at the intersection of E Fairfax Street and E Broad Street, which was completed by the rapid response crew. N Virginia and Great Falls, City Hall parking lot repainting, and the light solutions at E Columbia and Lawton Street. i) Chair Agin noted that CACT would like to get regular updates on quick turnaround projects like the rapid response crew projects. ii) John Bentrup commented on issues with the bus shelters not following the Bus Shelters Master Plan and trees located in the area where people exit the buses through the back doors. Tara Hoff noted the new PROWAG regulations would address ADA issues with bus stops not having space for exiting at the front and back doors. The upcoming ADA The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5297 TTY711.  Transition Plan would also have an assessment of ADA compliance issues throughout the City. 5) Public Comment a) Alison York commented on being involved in a crash with a vehicle as a pedestrian while crossing at the intersection of N Cherry and E Broad Street. Alison York advocated for a longer period of time for pedestrians to cross E Broad Street at N Cherry Street and for the light to stay red for vehicles until the pedestrian signal is also red. i) Jessica Hegenbart requested for DPW to look at the timing of the signals at the intersection and others along Broad Street. Chair Agin agreed and advocated for a road diet and more safety measures on Broad Street. ii) Haejin Kim and Tara Hoff noted receipt of concerns and can look at the sight line concerns and timing for the pedestrian crossing. Councilman Snyder also noted traffic signal timings and issues have also been a priority and discussed by City Council. 6) ACTION ITEM: Vote on Virtual Meeting Dates a) CACT approved all virtual meeting dates for July, September, and December meetings, passed 4-0. 7) NTC Monthly Update a) Staff presentation of recent progress with NTC cases. Staff will not be making any substantive design changes to the proposed bump-outs or speed humps at this time since the public engagement period has ended for the Greenway Downs Traffic Calming Project. The neighborhood vote by mail was sent out for the E Columbia Street case, and anticipating sending out the neighborhood vote for E Jefferson Street in May. Staff is reviewing traffic calming solutions for Noland Street, S West Street, and N Roosevelt Street. Staff requested traffic data for Poplar Drive Hill and Sherrow Avenue. b) Lori Dunch commented on the E Columbia Street NTC case as a working group member. The comment included frustration from the street around the process and lack of communicating proposed solutions from the working group to residents. Part of this included the change of the threshold of residents to vote to pass the proposed measures from 67% to 51% in the updated NTC Handbook in March 2023. The petition was signed in 2022 prior to the updates to the voting threshold, and the commenter stated the 67% passing threshold should have been carried over to their case. i) Chair Agin noted the vote percentage to pass changed due to a project which was unable to pass based on little response to the neighborhood vote. Staff noted the neighborhood vote must follow the updated NTC Handbook with the 51% threshold. c) A comment from Jason Green was also verbally summarized which included the request to withdraw the light traffic calming solutions at the intersection of E Columbia Street and Lawton Street due to the solutions being relatively ineffective and a lack of communication from the working group. d) Jessica Hegenbart asked if working groups are informed to communicate with affected residents. Staff described the purpose of the initial working group meeting held and the role of the working group to communicate proposed solutions with their neighbors. Staff did note to emphasize the importance of communication between the working group and property owners in future NTC cases. 8) Committee Member Roundtable a) Review of Draft 2023 CACT Annual Report to City Council i) John Bentrup brought up changes with the amount of EV chargers in the report, and Chair Agin noted changes will be made before the final version. ii) CACT voted 4-0 to approve the 2023 Annual Report given changes are made.  b) Review of Oak Street Elementary School Memo (Jessica Hegenbart) i) Jessica Hegenbart provided a draft memo to call for increased transportation safety enforcement and measures at OSES. Other CACT members suggested reaching out to the new principal, the school board, and reach out to other groups. Kerri Oddenino commented that more education and more outreach to schools would be a good idea. c) Discussion of City Council Strategic Priorities i) CACT discussed how the committee can help support main strategic areas. (1) Key Priority: Transportation (a) Strategy 1 – Encourage and support transportation alternatives (i) John Bentrup suggested highlighting bus stops that don’t meet the master plan and supporting DPW in their ADA Transition Plan. (ii) Vice Chair Whitaker suggested ongoing support for Metro funding. (b) Strategy 2 – Prioritize safety and corporate principles (i) Chair Agin suggested working with City staff and formulation of complete streets document. (c) Strategy 3 – Respond to traffic safety concerns (i) John Bentrup suggested looking into traffic data from speed/red light cameras if possible. (2) Key Priority: Economic Development (a) Strategy 2 – Create an attractive sense of place that draws people to want to speed time here (i) Chair Agin suggested promoting transportation solutions that increase time spent at local businesses. Vice Chair Whitaker discussed the possibility of businesses giving out metro fare cards, much like a parking voucher. (b) Strategy 3 – Develop a plan for Gordan Road triangle area. (i) Chair Agin suggested participating in this plan. 9) Correspondence a) Bike to Work Day is on May 17th! The City of Falls Church pit stop will be located at Little Falls Street and the W&OD. 10) CACT voted to extend the meeting at 9:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., passes 4-0. Meeting extended at 9:30 p.m until 9:45 p.m, passes 4-0. Adjourn (approx. 10:05 p.m.), passes 4-0.