HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 10/12/20221
South Burlington Bike & Pedestrian Committee
FINAL Regular Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 @ 5:30 p.m.
Room 301, City Hall AND Virtual
Committee Attendees: Havaleh Gagne (Chair), Donna Leban, Dana Farr, Doug Goodman, Joel Klug, Ann
Ellen Mason
Committee Attendees - Remote: Nic Anderson (Clerk), Amanda Holland, Committee Absent: Bob Britt,
Other Attendees: Andrew Bolduc (Deputy City Manager), Erica Quallen (City Staff Liaison), Matt Cota
(City Council Liaison)
Public: Susan Grasso (Local Motion), Cierra Ford (VHB), Bart Touber, Rick Plenge (VHB)
1. Welcome, Virtual Meeting Instructions, Gratitude –Havaleh (6:15 PM)
2. Changes or additions to the agenda – Havaleh (6:20 PM)
a. None
3. Comments from the public not related to the agenda – Havaleh (6:25 PM)
a. None
4. Consideration of minutes from September 14, 2022 – Havaleh (6:30 PM)
a. Doug Motion
b. Ann seconded
c. Five approved. Nic and Donna abstained. Minutes passed.
5. Presentation from VHB on I-89 Bike/Ped Bridge Concept – Aaron Guyette (6:35 PM)
a. Aaron from VHB in person and Sierra Ford remote.
b. Havaleh interjected about Local Motion committee member meetup on Nov 14th at
6pm. Susan Grasso gave details. Nic mentioned that if there are more than 5 members
we should just warn it. Doug thinks we should just warn it. Donna this is something we
have been wanting for a while.
c. Rick Plenge also.
d. Aaron gave slideshow presentation
e. Donna asked if lighting was anticipated to be in the railing?
f. Aaron confirmed yet, and that it was still conceptual. Two options for individual or
continuous. Lots of lighting discussion. Options for changeable or adjustable lighting.
g. Discussion on color of bridge. Idea was for the red to pop against the green. Brief was
that the bridge would be a piece of art itself. People will come to see the bridge.
h. It was asked how long each ramp is.
i. One end to the other is ½ mile. About 1000ft per ramp.
j. Joel asked if access from the south was planned.
k. Aaron confirmed yes.
l. Doug asked why there wasn’t an eastern ramp. Makes more sense than leading to
loading docks and the back of the mall.
m. Aaron - Have been coordinating with UMall. Plans for redevelopment so could be
different in the future.
n. Committee members loved the concept of the bronze birds. Being done by Tyler who
did the Gooses on Market St.
o. Ann asked about safety. Would cameras be installed.
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p. Aaron - Had discussions about call boxes, cameras with police. Call boxes not
needed/recommended. City doesn’t have policy for cameras in public places.
q. Donna – There is no cameras in other locations
r. Ann – There are cameras at UMall and UVM so why not in between. Would also help
with vandalism etc.
s. Doug asked about railing heights with regard to throwing things off the bridge onto
highway
t. Aaron – Railings are 48 to deal with bicyclists center of gravity. Get the sense railings are
a safe height. Trepidation to propose unless there is a formal policy. u. Erica – Designed for access by emergency vehicles.
v. Amanda – Public art committee commented on the need to separate uses. Could be
official signage or playful painting on surfaces. Could set tone for it being a shared space
and defines what goes on the trail.
w. Nic – Could we have a permanently installed totem counter. Will counter complaints of
wasting money and help to show how popular the bridge is.
x. Erica – Yes, data collection is a requirement
y. Nic – Would like to see a visual data display to the users, not just back end data.
z. Rick – Will incorporate appropriate wayfinding, use signs, mixing zones (such as UMall
ramp) which will be evaluated going forward in design.
aa. Dana – Bridge is beautiful and is elegant. Will pop based on design, not just color.
6. Updates from the City – Erica (7:05 PM)
a. Read through updates from packet.
7. CCRPC Active Transportation Plan Pedestrian Recommendations – Erica (7:20 PM)
a. Detailed recommendations
b. Nic – Missing sections of sidewalk that need done, such as on Williston Road at Ace
Hardware or Earls. Key sections that really impact safety.
c. Amanda – Would like to know methodology. Need to understand how this ties into local
level recommendations. Need to understand trip potential analysis and level of stress.
d. Erica – CCRPC maintains regional model and adding more and more multi-modal data.
Assign level of traffic stress. Only for existing network. Gap analysis is important in City’s
strategic plan. Definitely budgeted projects are included. Took GPS data from Strava,
overlaid on traffic stress network.
e. Nic thinks that the gaps map needs to be overlaid.
f. Susan noted there is an equity overlay too.
g. Havaleh – Does this mean these would get done?
h. Erica – Helps with grant funding requests. Wanted to just get on radar.
8. CIP – Review and approve revised document – Havaleh (7:40 PM)
a. Erica – Detailed CIP. Added Swift St extension
b. Doug thinks Queen City path should not be 5 years out. Should be sooner. Low budget
improvement needed on one part that could be done sooner.
c. Havaleh – Asked about funding sources. Erica detailed first page
d. Nic – Concerned about people exiting spear meadows and going straight across road
instead of using path. Should look at a barrier or something to reduce potential and
make safer. Also noted that there is a scoping study already for Hinesburg Rd from 2017
or 2018.
e. Ann asked about Kimball Ave path
f. Amanda – Could fit Queen City Parkway timing with Burlington timing. If it could be
brought up to coincide with Burlington planning.
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g. Doug noted all kinds of issues and crashes at bridge. Will be more traffic once parkway is
done.
h. Donna – Thinks Allen Road shared use path should be sooner on schedule. Detailed all
conditions on why its needed.
i. Erica – Posted job position for Project person at DPW under Erica which might help with
capacity issues.
j. Havaleh – Will leave for now. Propose to accept CIP as is.
k. Joel asked if plans to install additional crosswalk signals at Trader Joes and Hannaford.
l. Erica – Will be upgrading those as part of Dorset Street signal upgrades next summer. $2.8M job.
m. Dana – Asked about no-right-on-red coming out of Garden Street.
n. Erica – Having those conversations. Not sure they are currently on the plans. Not
happening now. Don’t have a cut and dry policy on those. Not at every signaled
crosswalk, only the busy ones.
o. Motion by Donna to pass CIP as discussed at meeting (added Swift Street path)
p. Dana is seconding
q. Vote -All in favor. Doug abstained.
9. ARPA funds recommendations – Havaleh (8:00 PM)
a. In November we need to present ideas to City Council. Ideas in June were
i. Bike Ped Master Plan
ii. Hinesburg Rd Updates
iii. Airport Parkway and Spear Street widening
b. Donna – Covid highlighted people didn’t have places they could go without a car. Need
to know where the people in need are. Equity is a big concern
c. Erica - Comprehensive Plan being done at the moment that could increase
transportation section or decrease and do bike ped master plan.
d. Donna – Need to speed things up
e. Nic – Reason Hinesburg Road rose to top due to access to services and as well as
disabled accessibility
f. Susan – Noted that equity included assessment of demographics of the city.
g. Amanda - If we were to submit it should be infrastructure project. Both Hinesburg Rd
and Airport Parkway provide access to essential services.
h. Erica asked about price based on CIP. Both seem comparable.
i. Joel – Hinesburg Rd close to downtown, bus route, access to Library and City Hall. A lot
more high-density housing being built and people will want to walk on Hinesburg Rd.
j. Ann - And close to schools such as elementary, middle and high school.
k. Havaleh will make it easier to go shopping too.
l. Erica – Looking at allocating $3M of remaining funds.
m. Nic – Doesn’t have to go for all funds, could just be partial. Or do part of the 1.2M
project.
n. Lots of free ranging discussion
o. Erica can work with Havaleh to work out the specific ask and specific cost request. Can
polish and bring back to the committee next month.
10. Updates Ongoing Committee/Liaison Work: (8:20 PM)
a. Chair updates/comments – Havaleh
i. Had request from MJ Reale from Energy Committee to collaborate on news
articles. Will email it out. Reply back if interested.
b. Climate Action – Donna
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i. Plan is divided to sections. Look at transportation. Plan has % reductions
proposed to meet Paris Accord and States plan. Identifies high level categories.
No detail on how to accomplish. Talked about them. Goals report, not an
implementation report. Specifics in appendices.
ii. Erica - Will spend 10 months on Implementation Plan
iii. Donna – Detailed e-bike use. Achieved at least 5% reduction in vehicle trips
thanks to biking.
11. Confirmation: Next meeting Wednesday November 9, 2022 @ 5:30pm
12. Adjourned at 8:41 PM