Transportation Safety Commission

Town of Vienna 127 Center Street South Vienna, Virginia 22180 p: 703.255.6341 TTY 7111 Meeting Minutes Transportation Safety Commission Tuesday, March 30, 2021 8:00 PM Town Hall 1. Call to Order The Vienna Transportation Safety Commission (TSC) met in regular session on March 30, 2021 via Zoom. Chairman Beth Eachus opened the meeting at 8:02 pm with the following Commissioners present: Leonard Ignatowski, Loginn Kapitan, Angela Sorrell, Donna Smith, Charlie Strunk, SallyJean Penna and Joe Lowther. Commissioner Peter Hartogs was absent. Also present were Jennifer Sigler, TSC Clerk, Andrew Jinks, Department of Public Works (DPW) and Sergeant Pete Elias, Vienna Police Department (VPD). 2. Resolution Chairman Eachus read the Resolution for Continuity of Government into the record. By roll-call vote, members voted unanimously to approve the resolution, 8 – 0. A. Resolution of Continuity of Government 3. Approval of the Minutes: Commissioner Strunk made a motion to approve the January 26 and February 23, 2021 meeting minutes, with minor edits. Commissioner Lowther seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously, 8 – 0. A. Approval of the January 26, 2021 and February 23, 2021 meeting minutes 4. DPW Report Project Updates: Old Courthouse Road NE Sidewalk DPW has received the approvals from VDOT and Town Council to award a contract for construction. The contact for construction will be awarded in the next week or two. Petitions: Orchard Street NW Traffic Calming Petition - DPW studied Orchard Street NW between Malcolm Road and Nutley Street. The speed and volume data gathered along Orchard Street from Tuesday February 9th, 2021 to Tuesday February 16th, 2021 shows that the 85th percentile average speed was 34 MPH. With the 85th percentile speed exceeding the 31 MPH threshold DPW recommends vertical traffic calming mitigations. DPW proposes two speed tables be installed along Orchard Street NW between Malcolm Road and Nutley Street. One to be installed in between 540 and 548 Orchard Street NW and another installed in between 505 and 537 Orchard Street NW. DPW also recommends adding parking lane pavement markings (solid white line) along both sides of the roadway. The no parking signs along the south side of Orchard Street NW between Malcolm Rd and Nutley Street will be removed. Town of Vienna Page 1 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 Tapawingo Road SW Traffic Calming Removal Petition - DPW reviewed the speed cushion located in the 400 block of Tapawingo Road SW and found that the noise issues may be due to the location of the speed cushion, near the sag of a hill. DPW is recommending relocating the speed cushion to an alternative location along Tapawingo Road SW. DPW will coordinate with residents at potential locations for their feedback and approval. The initial location that will be review is at the water tower in between the two Fredrick Street SW intersections along Tapawingo Road. 5. Communication from Citizens and/or Commissioners NONE 6. Regular Business A. DPW Recommendations for Traffic Calming on Orchard Street NW Paulette Pearson-Washington and Robert Pearson, 503 Orchard Street NW, asked where the proposed speed bumps would be located. Mr. Jinks stated the proposed locations for the speed humps were 1. Between 540 and 548 Orchard Street and 2. Between 505 and 537 Orchard Street. He added the proposal was also for parking on both sides of the street. Ms. Pearson-Washington asked if postal delivery would be negatively affected by parking on both sides of the street. Mr. Jinks said he would follow up with the Post Office. Charles Frey, 529 Malcolm Road NW, asked for a definition of “speed table” and he has concerns about pushing traffic from Orchard Street to Malcolm Road. Mr. Jinks explained a speed table has an angle up, a table aspect, and an angle down. Vehicles can cross the speed table at the speed limit, 25MPH. Commissioner Ignatowski asked to receive copies of the speed study. He believes that just adding parking on both sides of the road may be enough of a solution without having to use speed tables. Julie Ables Chapman, 103 Harmony Drive SE, agrees with waiting to see what happens after parking is allowed on both sides of the street. Edward Scheideman, 545 Orchard Street NW, asked if Commissioner Ignatowski should recuse himself since he lives adjacent to Malcolm Road. Pauline Pearson-Washington stated Orchard Street has large lots with long driveways, so there would not be many cars parking on the street. Jacqueline Wirth, 540 Orchard Street NW, agrees with the speed tables and the parking on both sides of the street. She would like to see the proposed traffic calming measures move forward. Commissioner Ignatowski disagrees that he should recuse himself since each member of the TSC is a Town resident. Town of Vienna Page 2 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 Commissioner Smith is in favor of the proposal. Commissioner Lowther is also in favor of the proposal. Commissioner Strunk pointed out that Orchard Street NW is a defined bicycle route, so if the parking striping does not work out, perhaps striping a bike lane would work. Vice Chairman Sorrell is in support of the speed table proposal. Commissioner Penna explained that a speed table can be crossed at the speed limit, unlike a speed hump, so traffic should not be diverted to Malcolm Road NW due to the speed tables. Commissioner Penna made a motion to approve the DPW recommendations to install two speed tables along Orchard Street NW between Malcolm Road and Nutley Street; and to add parking lane pavement markings (solid white line) along both sides of the roadway. The no parking signs along the south side of Orchard Street NW between Malcolm Road and Nutley Street will be removed. Commissioner Strunk seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 - 1 B. DPW Recommendations for Tapawingo Road SW Traffic Calming Removal Commissioner Smith asked how the condition of the road contributes to the noise. Mr. Jinks explained it may be the angle at which the speed cushion sits and/or it may be that drivers are accelerating to get up the hill just after the speed cushion. The proposed new location is on a flat section of Tapawingo Road SW. Commissioner Lowther asked if there was a cost estimate for the relocation. Mr. Jinks said he has not created a cost estimate yet, but the original installation cost approximately $5,000.00 each. He hopes to combine the two new speed tables for Orchard Street with the relocation of the speed table on Tapawingo Road on one work order for our contractor, which may lower the cost slightly. Vice Chairman Sorrell asked if the speed indicator sign could be relocated to a better location. Mr. Jinks said he would consider facing it the opposite direction to register the speed of vehicles going down the hill. Commissioner Strunk suggested a raised crosswalk be installed instead of a speed cushion. Mr. Jinks said since Tapawingo Road SW is an emergency route, the speed cushion with the cut-outs is more appropriate. Julie Ables-Chapin, 103 Harmony Drive SE, suggested green bike markings may slow down traffic as would a speed camera that automatically issues tickets. Kevin and Yu Krisko, 403 Tapawingo Road SW, said not only is the noise the problem, but also debris coming out of the trucks going over the speed cushion at its current location. Town of Vienna Page 3 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 Vice Chairman Sorrell is in favor of relocating the speed cushion. She asked about people who swerve to align their tires with the cut-outs and whether this behavior is a ticketable offence. Sergeant Elias said technically drivers who do this are crossing the center line which is considered reckless driving, however if there is no oncoming traffic there is not much concern. Commissioner Penna asked if there had been any complaints regarding the other three speed cushions that were installed at the same time. Mr. Jinks stated he has received no complaints about the other speed cushions. Vice Chairman Sorrell made a motion to approve DPW’s recommendation to relocate the speed cushion in the 400 block of Tapawingo Road SW to a new location, the first location to be reviewed being at the water tower between the two Frederick Street intersections along Tapawingo Road SW. Commissioner Kapitan seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously, 8 – 0. 7. BAC Report BAC Vice Chairman Strunk said the decision to retain the Bicycle Friendly Community Bronze status will be made in May 2021. There will be a community bike ride called the Tour d’Hunter Mill on May 15th. The Town will be hosting a pit-stop on the Town Green with the help of the BAC. The Mayor will be starting up community bike rides on some Friday mornings. The BAC is working with DPW to post a bike route map on the Town website. 8. PAC Report PAC Chairman Sorrell said the PAC discussed the new sidewalks going in, the new ordinance that new construction homes, regardless if there is a sidewalk on either side, will be required to install new sidewalk as part of the construction process. The PAC continues to educate the public about the benefits of sidewalks through social media and participation at public meetings. The Maud Robinson sidewalk meetings with residents are over and Town Council is reviewing all the feedback from those meetings. The next round of sidewalk projects should be going before Council within the next four weeks. Considering that, the PAC would like the TSC make a motion that Town Council votes to utilize the Maud Robinson Trust to complete all sidewalk projects recommended and proposed by DPW, creating a network of interconnected walkways. A memo with this recommendation would be forwarded to Town Council as part of this motion. TSC Vice Chairman Sorrell made a motion to approve the PAC’s recommendation that Council vote to utilize the Maud Robinson Trust to complete all sidewalk projects proposed by DPW thus creating a network of interconnected streets and expand Vienna’s pedestrian network. A copy of the memo to Council from the PAC and TSC follows. Commissioner Strunk seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously 7 - 0 Town of Vienna Page 4 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 TO: Town Council FROM: Beth Eachus, TSC Chair Angela Sorrell, TSC Vice Chair, PAC Chair SUBJECT: PAC Recommendation to TSC for Maud Robinson Trust Sidewalk Projects DATE: 3/30/21 Summary The Transportation Safety Commission, at the recommendation of the Pedestrian Advisory Committee, recommends the Town Council vote to utilize the Maud Robinson Trust to complete all sidewalk projects proposed by the Department of Public Works, thus creating a network of interconnected streets. Expanding Vienna’s pedestrian network will advance the goals already established in Town policies and master planning for the future of Vienna. Your action to move forward with all proposed sidewalk projects as a pedestrian network will: • Establish a more walkable and bikeable Vienna • Increase pedestrian safety for all residents, today and in the future • Facilitate the construction of ADA compliant ramps, improved intersection crosswalks, curb reconstruction, and driveway apron improvements • Advance the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan by expanding the sidewalk network, which will benefit all Vienna citizens The PAC’s Role in Town Pedestrian Policy and Planning The Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) serves as an advisory body that provides citizen input and coordination in planning pedestrian infrastructure improvements and in promoting pedestrian initiatives in accordance with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan. The PAC reports to the Transportation Safety Commission (TSC) who then reviews any recommendations and reports to the Mayor and Town Council. Basis for PAC’s Recommendation The PAC’s recommendation to approve all proposed sidewalk projects is made in accordance with the PAC Organizational Guidelines objective to “propose and participate in ways in which the Town of Vienna may increase its pedestrian network including connecting and expanding the existing sidewalk networks”. The PAC’s recommendation is consistent with and supports several of the Town’s goals including: • Comprehensive Plan Land Use Goal to “create a more walkable and bikeable Vienna” • Comprehensive Plan Transportation Goal to “maximize safety and dependability” • Comprehensive Plan Transportation Goal to “encourage people to walk and bicycle” • Comprehensive Plan Economic Development Goal to "create an attractive, walkable community" • Pedestrian Master Plan Goal to “complete walkway network with sidewalks on both sides of all streets in Vienna” • Pedestrian Master Plan Goal to “provide high-quality, safe, and convenient pedestrian access and facilities” • Pedestrian Master Plan Goal to partner with Safe Routes to School and “encourage school children to walk and bike to school as a way to promote healthy living, as well as decrease traffic and pollution” Town of Vienna Page 5 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 As stated in the Comprehensive Plan, the Town should continue policies that advance the construction of facilities, such as sidewalks, to help fill in gaps in the pedestrian network. Maud Robinson Trust In 2019, the Town of Vienna received $8+ million from Maud Robinson (referred to as Maud Robinson Trust), a long time Vienna resident, for new sidewalks to be spent within five years. The funding is to only be used on streets with existing curb & gutter, no sidewalk on either side, and not listed in the CIP for future funding. The Town Council asked the Department of Public Works (DPW) to identify and propose candidate streets that met these criteria. DPW utilized the Town’s sidewalk rating system found in the Pedestrian Master Plan, which takes into account eight elements to determine prioritized streets: Safety • Sidewalk classification • Feasibility • Suitability analysis (i.e., proximity to Town infrastructure and commerce) • Road category • Vehicle volume • Proximity to metro stations • Proximity to transit stops After DPW determined initial streets for consideration, Town Council asked DPW to engage with and obtain feedback from residents who live on those streets. DPW held information sessions with those residents to determine their position on whether they would like a sidewalk on their street. Letters were distributed to the same neighbors to gain a more accurate count of those for or against sidewalks on their street. Initial reactions made clear that many neighbors were not aware the proposed sidewalks would be placed on Town-owned property (not private property). The overall responses have been mixed. Considering Feedback from All Town Residents on Sidewalks At this stage, the Town Council has not instructed DPW to obtain feedback from the remaining 16,000+ Town residents who would benefit from the proposed sidewalks. Many users of these public sidewalks are not the residents of these streets - they are parents walking their kids to school, families walking to local businesses, residents walking their dogs, runners, kids biking to their friends’ houses across town, elderly with walkers, etc. Please note, the 2016 Town of Vienna survey results, which showed 87% of Vienna resident respondents thought adding sidewalks and trails to better connect the community were an important initiative to take over the next five years. In countless conversations with residents about the proposed sidewalk projects, the PAC has overwhelmingly heard that residents support and want sidewalks in town to connect our pedestrian network. While there is a small minority that do not support a sidewalk directly in front of their home, it would be a mistake to ignore the thousands of other residents who support a connected sidewalk network and will use these sidewalks to run, bike, stroll, walk, ride and build community. Approve Sidewalks and Create a More Walkable Vienna Town Council’s approved Comprehensive Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan explicitly state they will implement efforts to achieve Town goals of creating a more walkable Vienna and expanding the sidewalk network. It will be the legacy of this Council to achieve these goals with the generous Maud Robinson Trust. This is an opportunity for Town Council to vote in support of its policies that serve all Vienna residents. Supporting these sidewalk Town of Vienna Page 6 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 projects reaffirms Vienna’s commitment to creating a pedestrian friendly community that prioritizes safety and access for all of our residents - and not just those who live on the proposed streets. It is important to continue to solicit feedback about any remaining concerns, as there are many ways DPW can work with residents to address issues, such as the desire to retain healthy large growth trees during sidewalk development. As the deadline for spending this generous gift approaches, it is time for Town Council to vote on the identified streets as a collective effort to expand the sidewalk network. Let us move forward with these public sidewalks on Town-owned property for the good of the community. Respectfully, Town of Vienna Transportation Safety Commission Town of Vienna Pedestrian Advisory Committee 9. Reports of Commissioners Commissioner Ignatowski requested the traffic study data to be included with DPW’s recommendations for traffic calming, like they used to be. Commissioner Smith asked about “leading pedestrian interval signals,” which allow pedestrians to cross the street before vehicles are given a green light. Chairman Eachus said the Maple Avenue/Nutley Street intersection is set up that way, but she is not sure if there are any others in Town. Commissioner Smith also asked if the blinking “curve ahead” sign on Old Court House Road NE would be replaced as part of the construction project there. Mr. Jinks will check the plans and will let Commissioner Smith know what he finds. Commissioner Strunk said the pedestrian crossing signal on Follin Lane SE at the Navy Federal Credit Union also has a leading pedestrian interval signal. Regarding bump-outs to shorten the distance for pedestrians crossing a road, he would like DPW to consider cyclists as well when designing the bump-outs. Cyclists get pushed into the driving lane by the bump-outs, which is dangerous. Mr. Jinks will keep this in mind when reviewing plans for bump-outs. Chairman Eachus observed bump-outs with cut-outs for cyclists on a recent trip and feels they are effective. 10. Report of the Chairman None 11. Meeting Adjournment Adjourn – 9:35 pm THE TOWN OF VIENNA IS COMMITTED TO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STANDARDS. TRANSLATION SERVICES, ASSISTANCE OR ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS FROM PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE TO BE REQUESTED NOT LESS THAN 3 WORKING DAYS BEFORE THE DAY OF THE EVENT. PLEASE CALL (703) 255-6304, OR 711 VIRGINIA RELAY SERVICE FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED. Town of Vienna Page 7 Printed on 6/11/2021 Transportation Safety Commission Meeting Minutes March 30, 2021 Town of Vienna Page 8 Printed on 6/11/2021