Pedestrian Safety Board

March Meeting Minutes Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board Public Safety Building – Training Room 1 Monday, March 7, 4:35 – 5:35 PM The Morgantown Pedestrian Safety Board’s mission is to promote a walkable environment throughout the City by developing safe, attractive, and accessible walkways that connect neighborhoods and destinations. 4:35 pm Call meeting to order I. Introductions: a. Members: Stan Cohen, Matt Cross, Bill Reger-Nash, Christiaan Albidso, Jimmy Simmons, Gypsy Denzine, Jan Derry, Lt McCabe, Dwight Harshbarger. 9 of 15 members indicating Quorum was present. b. Guests: William Blosser, Maria Smith, Bill Austin, Maria Smith, Bill Kawecki, Jessica Bladow, Jay Redmond, Ella Belling, II. Approval of February 2016 Minutes. Motion by Jimmie Simmons, second by Stan Cohen, Passed by unanimous voice vote. Items III and IV were not addressed at the meeting because of the extensive discussion of the Standard. III. New Business: Approval of South Middle School Walkway IV. Reports -Mountain Line Maria Smith -WVU Kim Hartsell -Rail Trail Ella Belling -Greenspace Rick Landenberger -City Council Jay Redmond -MPO Bill Austin -City Engineer Damien Davis -Police Lt. Matt McCabe -Traffic Commission Matt Cross V. Old Business – Education campaign Not discussed The Standard- Landmark proposed for Walnut South Univ Ave. Planning Commission and the Ped Safety Board previously expressed concern that peds need to be accounted for. Their traffic study suggested that there will only be 634 ped trips/day, Margaret is concerned about the auto entrance is Univ Ave. Matt Cross suggested that there is a possible connection with rail trail/Ped Crossing/PRT station at Stansbury Hall (up Water and Fayette) Faoud indicated to Matt Cross that there is intent to upgrade sidewalks and intersections f or peds and people with disabilities. WV DOH said they will retime cross walks in the primary intersections, although DOH did not address Walnut /Univ, Fayette/Univ crosswalks. Matt Cross indicated that Morgantown oft address issues reactively. He believes that this complex will highlight ped issues. 1  Christiaan suggests the more mixed use, the safer ped travel will be. Bill Austin says comprehensive plan recommends higher density development in the downtown. This dev is a complex process. No one single solution. Development in downtown will promote safety, decrease traffic congestion and air pollution, Matt Cross suggests we focus on Ped Issues only. Matt Cross met Faoud, city planner and Mr. Bill Austin. Option 1 of HRG study gives Margaret suggested that there needs to be two auto entrances into the bldg. Trans Associates recommended that no ped bridge is necessary as this time. MOTION by Margaret Stout: Ped Safety Board supports the Standard development in principle but further suggests entrances off Fayette and Walnut be included, which allow safer ingress and egress to minimize ped /vehicular conflict mid-block and also eliminate vehicular mid-block entrance/exit. Second by Stan Cohen. Motion fails: 3 in favor, 4 opposed, I abstain. MOTION by Jimmie Simmons: Ped Safety Board supports the proposal for the Standard. Second by Dwight Harshbarget. Motion passed: 5 in favor, 3 opposed, 1 abstain. Reminder: o Sidewalks in need of repair: Go to http://com3.govtsystems.com/MorgantownWV/Request/. These issues are addressed and the person expressing their concern receives a response. o Sidewalk obstructions, such as vehicles illegally parked on the sidewalk. Call Police Chief Ed Preston’s office at (304)284-7496. Action Items: Next meeting: April 4, 2016, Training Room 1, Public Safety Building, 4:30 – 5:30 pm Minutes submitted by Bill Reger-Nash on March 7, 2016 2