Montpelier Transportation Infrastructure Committee

Montpelier Transportation Infrastructure Committee July 11th 2017 City Council Chambers Draft Meeting Minutes Members Present: Kevin Casey (Department of Planning and Community Development), Dona Bate (City Council), Cory Line (DPW), Jenn Gordon (Chair), Dan Costin, Anthony Mennona, Heather Voisin, Mark Provost, Dan Jones, Jonathan Harries, Erin Aguyano. Attendees: Anne Watson 1. Jenn calls meeting to order 2. June meeting minutes and July meeting agenda approved - Anthony requests that agenda includes update from DPW on project status; Heather requests that DPW project status be a regular agenda item. 3. No public comment 4. Guertin Pocket Park Funding Request (Anne Watson) Background ● Submitted grants to Montpelier foundation and AARP community challenge grant. ● Yestermorrow is partnering as part of public interest design build class. ○ Erin demonstrated interest in joining part of the client group for the Yestermorrow class. Request - Looking for MTIC to contribute $8000 Questions: ● What about maintenance? ○ No painted pavement because it is the first thing to show age ○ Tom McArdle involved in the design process ● Not seasonal ● Corey- we are starting this fiscal year with $91,000 but we don’t have a line item that would cover a parklet/pocket park/enhancements to bike path. ● Will go to DRC for informal approval ● The state owns the land but the city has a lease on the land. The park can be unbolted if necessary. Motion: Erin moves to recommend that MTIC endorse Guertin Pocket Park and provide funding form the Alternative Transportation Fund up to $8,000. Dona seconds motion. All in favor.  5. Update on Vtrans Bike/Ped grant: Grant was submitted to Jon Kaplan 6. Bike Friendly Status is up for renewal (Corey) Discussion whether or not to renew. What is time required to apply? What is value in renewing? If not overly time intensive, why not apply? Designation, even bronze level connotes at least a desire to be bike-friendly. Action Step: Rebecca can send out the application to the group. Jen will assist in providing information for application. Motion: Dona makes motion to renew bike friendly application. Dan seconds. Motion passes with one abstention. 7. Corey Update on Infrastructure ● The City has right of way for the bike path ● Taylor street is on track to get row for august 1st ● There is still sidewalk work to be done ● Action Step: Corey welcomes feedback from all committee members on projects currently being constructed. Please reach out if you see any “punch list” type items that need correcting. Examples noted included transition jumps between sidewalk ramps and roadway. ● Northfield Street, switched over from water main to temporary water main ● Bailey ave/ terrace street lane to be restriped next week 8. Working Group Update Sustainable Montpelier is looking at creating a model for what downtown pedestrian facilities would look like in a car-free environment, such as pop up events with street closures, temporarily adjusting farmer’s market location with small events or performances Would MTIC support as a committee for the concept of having street closures as a demonstration of car free, net zero space? ● Proposal for a join endeavor and endorsement from MTIC, Montpelier Alive and sustainable Montpelier coalition to close down State Street on certain Saturdays. ● Dan proposes that MTIC be part of the effort to promote activity based street closures. Erin seconds motion. Motion passes. Bike Rack Request Policy ● Covers definition, design (inverted U, single or coral) and process (annually designate portion of funds for purchasing and installing bike racks)  ● Private versus public property. We would reimburse up to 50 percent of the cost of rack up to (approx.) $150. ● What is the cost? ● Should we have other options that are not U shaped? ● Public outreach should occur on an annual basis ● Purpose of policy--- how do we handle requests for bike racks coming in? ● What happens when the public abuses the policy or leaves a bike on the rack for months? ● Action Step: Corey will put line item in the budget for next year; Heather to distribute draft policy to MTIC members for review Survey Request for Proposal (Dan Costin) ● Draft RFP for survey (questionnaire) scope of work discussed ● Main function of the survey is to track how we are doing/making progress on Montpelier in Motion Plan. A secondary function can track what residents want us to do. ● We can include some open ended questions or ideas from improvement ○ Consultant can help with survey language ● Potential to coordinate with other new tracking apps? --- incentives for installation and providing data. ● This will be a questionnaire and not a pedestrian or bicyclists count. Surveyor can determine some form of methodology. ● We need funding before the RFP goes out ● Reach out to RPC or find another city’s template for RFP. Meeting adjourned at 8:10PM