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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 11/08/2023 AGENDA South Burlington Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee City Hall 3rd Floor, Room 301 at 180 Market Street South Burlington, VT 05403 Participation Options: In Person: Room 301 – 180 Market St Assistive Listening Service Devices Available upon request Electronically: https://meet.goto.com/SBCity/bike_ped_committee_11-08-2023 Join By Phone: +1 (571) 317-3122 Access Code: 631-874-973 5:30 PM Wednesday November 8, 2023 1. Welcome, Emergency Exit and Virtual Meeting Instructions, Gratitude – Havaleh (5:30 PM) 2. Changes or additions to the agenda – Havaleh (5:35 PM) 3. Comments from the public not related to the agenda – Havaleh (5:40 PM) 4. Consideration of minutes from October 11, 2023 – Havaleh (5:45 PM) 5. ***City Updates – Erica (5:50 PM) 6. Spear Street Shared Use Path Public Meeting (WARNED for 6:00 PM) 7. Select liaisons to Active Transportation Plan Advisory Group (7:15 PM) 8. ***Review Status of Policy and Safety Recommendations – Bob (7:30 PM) 9. Hinesburg Road Speed Limit Review Request – Bob (7:45 PM) 10. Confirm December 13, 2023 Meeting (7:55PM) 11. Adjourn (by 8:00 PM) *** Attachments Included 1 To: South Burlington Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee From: Erica Quallen, Deputy Director of Capital Projects and Staff Liaison Date: November 8, 2023 Re: DPW Updates to Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Since our committee meeting on October 11, 2023, I have the following updates to report on behalf of Public Works and City staff: • The crosswalk at Jaycee Park is complete and has been opened. • We have moved into ROW negotiations for the Dorset Street path. • The Williston Road Streetscape project is in the ROW phase and appraisals have recently been completed. Construction is planned for FY25 and FY26. • The City Center Park path and boardwalk project is in final design and is planned for construction in 2024 – early 2025. • The Active Transportation Plan was kicked off on November 3rd. The Committee will appoint their liaison(s) to the project’s Advisory Group tonight. • The Climate Action Implementation Plan for Transportation is being finalized and projects have been added to the FY25 CIP as part of a Climate Action section which is new to FY25. • DPW has contracted with the Dorset Street Paving consultant (Hoyle Tanner) to add an assessment of crosswalk, lighting, and school zone safety as part of the Phase 4 paving project happening in FY25 (Aspen Drive to Kennedy Drive). • FY25 UPWP applications will be opening soon, and we are in the process of deciding which projects to select for application. Suggestions from the Committee are welcome. Updates in Red based on 10-18-23 Meeting with Erica Quallen Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee’s Prioritized List of Policy and Safety Recommendations to the City Council and City Staff A) The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee recommends that the City Council adopt the following Policy statements in support of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users of the City’s roads: 1. All pedestrian crosswalks and road double yellow lines and bike lanes/fog (white) lines should be painted at least once per year, preferably in the spring, unless the markings from the prior painting are still clearly visible to oncoming vehicles. Some crosswalks located on roads with heavy vehicle traffic may need to be painted in the spring and fall for year-round safety. The cost was estimated by the former DPW Director at approximately $60-80K per year versus the present budget of $40K starting in FY2023. The City’s budget should increase by $10K per year starting in FY2025 until it reaches an adequate level to achieve this policy goal as determined by the Director of Public Works. The City is working to coordinate with other towns to group the bidding for striping services to obtain better pricing and timing of striping. The draft DPW budget for striping is expected to remain flat in the draft FY 25 budget at $40K. Action: The Committee should request the Council to increase this budget line item to $50K. 2. The City Council recognizes the need to maintain the City’s bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and the importance of incrementally increasing the City’s annual budget for such infrastructure maintenance at a sufficient level to maintain the integrity of this precious resource. There is an ongoing need for the general fund to support the cost for the DPW to trim branches and brush from shared-use paths, sidewalks and traffic signals including Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs). Also, due to the age of many sections of the shared-use path network, it is recognized that many areas have become unsafe and need repaving and/or crack filling due to tree root damage, snowplow weight damage, and normal wear and tear. Erica was unsure at the time but thought the draft FY25 Bike/Ped maintenance budget would include only the $40K that was in the FY24 budget (that was the same as the FY23 budget). She was also unsure whether the sidewalk maintenance budget would increase beyond the $2K in the FY24 budget. Action: The Committee should request the Council to increase the Bike/Ped budget line item to $50K and the sidewalk maintenance line item to $20K. Updates in Red based on 10-18-23 Meeting with Erica Quallen 3. To help reduce vehicle speeding and to allow more room for vulnerable road users, the City will formally institute its already unwritten policy to restripe all vehicle lanes to a standard of 10 feet in width over a period of five years apart from roads that experience high truck volume where 11-foot lanes are allowable. Erica stated that the DPW has adopted this policy. She reported that the City tried this summer to get Hinesburg Road vehicle lanes decreased to 10’ to help reduce vehicle speeds prior to VTrans’ painting with no success. The request will be made by the City again when VTrans repaves Hinesburg Road in 2025. B) The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee recommends that the City Council direct the City Manager to complete the following project that was brought to the City Council in 2019 and supported: 1. Install solid barriers of some type (guard rail, fencing, etc.) to prevent northbound vehicles on Dorset Street from using the recreation path between a point just south of Songbird Road (across from Faith United) and 1 Kennedy Drive. Vehicles are using the recreation path as an additional travel lane to get around cars stopped to make a left turn onto Songbird Road or to make right turns onto Grandview and Kennedy Drives. (Note – the Committee has continually observed vehicle tracks on this section of the recreation path during snow events. For example, on 12/8/21, 3 sets of vehicle tire tracks were visible on the rec path during that day’s snowfall). This project was first included in the FY19 CIP to be constructed in FY21 using Penny for Paths funding and still needs to be constructed. Erica proposed that instead of a fence or guardrail that the City install curbing in this area since there is already enclosed storm drains there and new underground pipes would not need to be installed making it a less costly option. Action: Erica is going to propose this to Stormwater. It needs to be decided if it should be listed on the CIP even though a $20K Dorset Street Barrier project was previously listed on the FY21 CIP. C) The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee recommends that the City Council direct the City Manager to review and analyze the following additional safety recommendations and report back to the Council within a 6-month timeframe whether the City Staff concurs with implementation of some or all these recommendations. For those recommendations that Staff concurs with, please provide the Council with the estimated cost to implement, funding sources and expected timing of implementation: Updates in Red based on 10-18-23 Meeting with Erica Quallen 1. Perform a Speed Limit review of South Burlington streets to aid in the safety of both vehicle drivers and vulnerable road users (i.e., pedestrians and bicyclists). Initial focus should be on roads with speed limits of 35-mph and higher. Arterial roads including Spear Street, Dorset Street, Hinesburg Road, Patchen Road and Airport Parkway require immediate attention as these were once rural roads allowing outlying towns to primarily pass-through to South Burlington’s core and Burlington. Today, due to the City’s housing expansion and regional trends, these roads are now “neighborhood roads” and require lower speeds and traffic calming enhancements to protect all users of these roads. In fact, in the January 2023 draft CCRPC crosswalk scoping report, a crosswalk across Hinesburg Road from the sidewalks at the ends of Dubois and Butler Drives was found to not meet warrants due to the 45-mph speed limit. That speed limit is imposed on the residents of South Burlington who live in the nearby neighborhoods by the State of Vermont. The City asked VTrans to review that speed limit in 2021 and VTrans did not agree to reduce it; a Catch-22 when the City wants to construct a crosswalk at this location. Please note that a cyclist was struck and killed near this location in October 2022. Action: The Committee needs to request that the Council vote on a motion to submit a request to VTrans to re-evaluate the lowering of the speed limits to 35mph on Route 116, Hinesburg Road, from Nadeaucrest Drive (entrance of the new Edgewood Estates development) north to just before the I-89 overpass near Tilley Drive where it already is posted at 35mph. 2. Seek approval from VTrans to install Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the 3 new Hinesburg Road crosswalks at Ruth Street, Prouty Parkway and the Awasiwi Trail as the current crosswalk design is dangerous for bicyclists, pedestrians, and school and GMT bus riders. The RRFBs were included in the FY22 CIP project description and would be funded 100% using Penny for Path funding. Please note that the Prouty Parkway crosswalk is a crucial link in the Committee’s Safe Routes to School route. Action: Erica is going to re-file a section 1111 permit form with VTrans to allow for the City to install the RRFBs in the State’s ROW and determine available P4P funding. 3. Flashing “School Zone” signs should be installed on Dorset Street and Kennedy Road near the High and Middle Schools and near each of the elementary schools. Erica said that a school zone near the High and Middle Schools will be evaluated next year in conjunction with the final phase of the paving of Dorset Street between Aspen Drive and Kennedy. The signs for Market Street and Central School are arriving in early November and will be installed. The CCRPC assessed the area near Orchard School and determined a school zone wasn’t needed but recommended other improvements. Updates in Red based on 10-18-23 Meeting with Erica Quallen 4. Install RRFBs at Market Street crosswalks, 4-way stop signs on Market Street at the entrance to City Hall and the Marcotte Central School, flashing “School Zone” sign near the Market Street intersection with Marcotte Central School and temporary or permanent traffic calming measures such as bump-outs and speed bumps/tables to help slow traffic on Market Street. The 4-way stop signs on Market Street at the entrance to City Hall and the Marcotte Central School were installed. Not sure how much the Committee’s presentation last December played in that achievement as the School District pushed hard for this to happen. No progress yet on the other parts of this recommendation although the DPW may deploy the flashing speed limit signs on Market Street now that they have received new batteries. 5. Install additional flashing radar speed-reading signs to remind vehicle drivers of the speed limit. Consideration of placement of these signs should include Williston Road, Hinesburg Road, Dorset Street, Market Street and Spear Street. Although there is a required capital investment, it pales in comparison to the cost required for police traffic enforcement. No progress on getting additional signs, but the DPW has new batteries for the ones the City has and will be deploying them. 6. A lighted “No Right on Red” sign [See Figure 4] needs to be installed southbound on Dorset Street at the intersection of Swift Street that illuminates when northbound vehicles have the green arrow to take a left turn on Swift Street and when the pedestrian controlled, pedestrian crossing light is activated in “white” to indicate to pedestrians that it is safe to cross. Vehicles are too often in a hurry or do not even fully stop to take a right turn on red and do not realize the green arrow or walk light is activated. Not done yet. Action: Erica to follow-up with Jake to see what can be done and if the wires are strong enough for such a sign. She will report back. 7. Improve shared-use path and sidewalk lighting throughout City including on Dorset Street and Kennedy Drive. The Committee has noted that vehicle lanes appear illuminated but the shared-use paths along Dorset and Kennedy are dark. The City should evaluate the existing system in terms of documenting whether fixtures illuminate the bike and pedestrian infrastructure (angle of illumination) at the same time minimizing light pollution as much as possible. [As an update, a CCRPC scoping study is currently underway to evaluate adding shared-use path lighting to Kennedy Drive as a prototype for future lighting additions.] New Dorset Street lighting is included in the final paving phase of the Dorset Street paving project and will use Highway CIP. The Updates in Red based on 10-18-23 Meeting with Erica Quallen Kennedy Road lighting will require Highway and P4P CIP funding, but will be listed as a Highway project in future CIPs. 8. The next time the Kimball Avenue fog lines are painted, the vehicle lanes should be reduced to 11’ from 12’ so that the bike lanes can be widened from 4’ to 5’. The speed limit should also be reduced to 35-mph. This was implemented by the DPW in 2023. 9. A raised crosswalk should be installed at the Nowland Farm Road entrance to Hubbard Park and speed bumps be added upon approach from east and west before reaching the crosswalk. Additional traffic calming enhancements should be added along the full length of Nowland Farm Road. Final traffic calming and safety improvements will be considered in the Park’s final design. 10. The City deploy each year a minimum of 8 vertical, in-road "It’s the law, Yield to Pedestrian" signs except in the winter at some of the City's most dangerous crosswalks and at the first crosswalks that non-residents encounter as they enter the City. This should include the crosswalks at the northernmost Spear Street crossing at the western end of the new UVM sidewalk, Spear Street at Nowland Farm Rd/Deerfield Rd, Dorset Street at Midland Avenue, Patchen Road at Richard Terrace, and Airport Parkway at the Northern Meridian Retirement Home. Due to the difficulty and cost of maintaining these signs, this recommendation will be removed. Action: Work with Erica to come up with other signage measures like Reflective Post Strips and flags on crosswalk signs and additional “It’s the Law, Vehicles Must Stop of Pedestrian” signs to get drivers attention. 11. The City should also deploy “Bikes May Use Full Lane” signs [See Figure 6] upon entering the City on the City’s arterial roads including Williston Road, Shelburne Road, Spear Street, Dorset Street, Hinesburg Road, Patchen Road and Airport Parkway. Erica stated that such signs would be okay on a road like Williston Road, but not on a road like Spear Street since the latter has a bike lane. She suggested adding Share the Road signs with the bicycle symbol on them. Action: Provide the DPW with the type of signs the Committee would like to have installed and the locations for final review.