HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 02/14/2024
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South Burlington Bike & Pedestrian Committee
APPROVED Regular Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 @ 5:30 p.m.
Room 301, City Hall AND Virtual
Committee Attendees: Havaleh Gagne (Chair), Bob Britt (Vice Chair), Nic Anderson (Clerk), Donna Leban, Doug
Goodman, Mark Pasanen
Committee Attendees – Remote: Dana Farr, Amanda Holland
Committee Absent: Ken Burkman
Other Attendees: Erica Quallen (City Staff Liaison), Tom DiPietro (DPW), Stephen Haas and Alyssa Smith (Hoyle Tanner),
Lisa Kingsbury, Claire Forbes and Lani Ravin (UVM), Jeff Hodgson and Anthony (Tony) Librot, Andrew Chalnick (City
Council), Susan Grasso (Local Motion)
Public: Ryan Doyle, Kate Bailey, Ben Majors, Francis MacDonald, Ravi Vankataram, Geoff Knisely
1. Welcome, Emergency Exit and Virtual Meeting Instructions, Gratitude – Havaleh (5:30 PM)
a. Donna thankful for amazing turnout
b. Havaleh grateful for the safety committee sub group has been working hard
2. Additions, deletions, or changes to the agenda – Havaleh (5:35 PM)
a. None
3. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda (5:40 PM)
a. None
4. Consideration of minutes from January 10, 2024 (5:45 PM)
a. Item 6i – Clarify where it talks about Queen City Park – should say regarding maintenance on bridge
b. Item N – Should bold type “the need to routinize our annual needs”. Bob noted that there are some of
these items as a tab on the maintenance spreadsheets
c. Donna moved to accept minutes with Doug’s amendments
d. Mark Seconded
e. Vote: All in favor
5. City Updates – Erica (5:50 PM)
a. Erica read through updates from packet
b. Andrew asked about connection to 189 Path through Shelburne Rd intersection to get to Burlington
c. Doug noted its out of scope but can connect with Erik Brown-Brotz
d. Andrew asked about the additional ROW parties for Dorset St. How long could it take?
e. Erica – Couldn’t give timeline. Will have three more in the next few months.
f. Bob asked if it could be worth writing an article in the Other Paper?
g. Erica continued reading through packet.
h. Bob asked about striping at Swift St and Old Cross Road
i. Nic asked if other lines were getting done too. Erica noted this list was just for those that were being
changed to 10ft lanes.
j. Bob asked about Hubbard. Andrew asked about continuation of path into South Pointe. Erica – Have
easement and can do that, just wasn’t shown on plans previously. Nic asked about gateway and
informational signs.
k. Ravi asked about plans and if comments could be made? When should comments be made. Can send
direct to Erica.
l. Nic asked about Wright Court crosswalk.
m. Erica noted others have asked. RRFBs could be done when we do the Hinesburg Road path. Nic noted
there was some new markings. Still need a crosswalk there due to users. High school kid and plenty of
people doing dog walking and waiting long times.
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n. Ryan asked Erica about turning radius on Nowland Farm Road at Hubbard. Is it within scope to fix some
of it.
6. Public Meeting: Dorset Street Phase 4 Bike/Ped Safety Improvements – Stephen Haas, Hoyle
Tanner (6:00 PM)
a. Tom DiPietro gave introduction.
b. Stephen Haas gave presentation.
c. Kate Bailey – Asked about cross hatched areas before the island. Paint or raised? Stephen noted paint so
fire trucks can get our
d. Ravi asked about a raised crosswalk. Stephen noted not recommenced due to fire trucks and arterial
route
e. Bob asked about existing traffic exiting the high school driveways
f. Donna asked about restricting exits to right turn only. Could just be a sign. Should be done now. Simple
solution to improving safety quite a bit. Signaled intersection at the Middle School. Could turn left there.
Amazed we let people turn left. Stephen noted U-turn at Middle school could increase cueing at that
intersection.
g. Donna – Could reduce use of the turning driveway too. School could solve this problem.
h. Bob noted that there are limited opportunities to turn left.
i. Doug amazed that 85th percentile is below speed limit. Based on nature of the area with all the turns.
j. Tom D – Signals that were replaced already show improvements in cueing. Smart signals. Will be
connected and improved in the next month or so. It will know where traffic is coming from and help
manage it.
k. Andrew asked if it would be crazy if we put in a real signal at the high school. Would solve a lot of
problems.
l. Erica – Hard to have that many signals within such a short area. Signals look 200ft upstream. Adding
another one could change how the queues work. Stephen detailed distances to signals. Very tight for
another signal. Could definitely have queuing issues.
m. Ben – Definitely is pickups that take place in front of high school. Loop is well used. 18 tenth graders
driving but everyone else is picked up.
n. Kate – What is average space between lights further up Dorset St. Lots in a row. Also concerned about
how we talk about school district. They are part of the city and these are not issues they have created.
o. Stephen detailed average distance for other lights.
p. Bob asked about timing
q. Tom D – Detailed logistics of why the plan to do next summer not this summer. Tradeoff between
bumpy road for another year and not digging up new paving next year. With Hoyle Tanners
recommendation would be looking at ordering School Zone signs immediately as they will take a few
months to come in.
r. Bob asked if we could then do additional locations this summer with the paving plan possibly opening up
s. Ryan – School did several years ago try to design new plans which would have improved this situation
and would make the campus more safely accessible. Asked if possible to have school zone flashing signs
to be inside the islands so that it would be more visible to the inside lanes. Stephen noted southern
island could be too narrow but northern end could be wide enough. Ryan concerned about visibility.
t. Erica – Permitted to do an oversized sign because it’s a multi lane road. So could go up a size.
u. Ryan asked about Middle School light and if the crosswalks could have a few extra feet of median on the
inside of the crosswalks too to reduce 64ft crossing to be buffered from turning traffic. Bus stop on west
side sits below grade of sidewalk and fills with water. Not sure its in scope but would like the stop pad
raised so that it is at sidewalk grade. Erica – Could talk with GMT especially if we have additional time.
v. Andrew asked about signal – because traffic is slower it would be useful to do some real engineering
then to explore. Susan noted we do have precedent at Market and Blue mall where its 275ft. Andrew –
Would do a lot to
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w. Nic asked - Does the times allow for both schools? Don’t they have different open and close times? Also
has concern about folks not being able to slow down enough before HS south lot when approaching
from south. Need more advance warning or sign far south as possible. Would like to see signs for peds
to “Wait until cars have stopped before crossing”.
x. Ryan asked about jersey barriers or something else to neck down traffic approaching from south of
Kennedy. Could also have additional median extras at Kennedy too. Doug noted that the pedestrian
signal is now a full phase so less potential for conflicts. Nic asked if crossing diagonally is permitted now?
7. UVM Catamount Woods DRB Application Review – Lani Ravin, UVM (7:10 PM)
a. New housing behind Doubletree on Williston Road. Lani. Tony Libro – Doubletree. Lisa Kingsbury. Jeff
Hodgson
b. Lani detailed proposed housing – 184 units for upper class students. 545 beds roughly. Jeff presented
plans. Tony detailed the larger master plan details and the hotel changes with new addition at front and
parking garage. Jeff continued detailing plans. Drive to become official street. New 10ft rec path on west
side. 182 indoor bike parking spaces inside garage. Lani noted other transportation components and
how connected it is. Tony noted removal of porte-cohere at rear conference center.
c. Nic asked about gateway at Williston Road. Jeff detailed new sidewalk to hotel from bus stop/sidewalk
and plaza to the west of the new road. Tony noted garage grades
d. Ryan asked about moving bus stop to east of intersection and have a bump in. Will allow for buses to be
off road and not block sidewalk. Also asked about sign location and retaining trees and distance of path
from roadway. Trees within a tight greenbelt. Jeff – Could look into some update such as structural soil.
e. Havaleh asked about students might cross to the other side of Williston Road. Doesn’t seem to line up
well for all those folks wanting to go to new bridge.
f. Erica noted where new bridge ramp would meet Williston Road. Lisa asked about additional details of
bridge. Erica should get info back from consultant soon.
g. Donna asked about bike storage. Tony detailed parking for hotel and staff. Also detailed hotel bike
parking policy.
h. Nic asked about residential bike parking. Lani noted that all is in garage, not building due to e-bikes.
Tony have not committed to e-bike policy yet. Lots of conversations with Fire Marshall. They have asked
for bikes to be on roof of garage but owner does not want people using elevator or biking up ramps.
i. Erica asked about cargo bike storage.
j. Havaleh asked about separate bike storage exit.
k. Ryan asked about height of residence hall. Tony noted 5 stories based on zoning
l. Doug asked if they would go higher if they could.
m. Jeff and Tony detailed. Lisa would not want to go through zoning amendment timeline. July 2026
planned opening.
n. Ryan asked about building floors and height.
o. Nic suggested that a fourth crosswalk should be explored on the east end of the Williston Road
intersection. Will be a desire line and will get people across to Maplefields and possibly more direct to
get to new bridge. Doug asked about East Ave intersection. Nic noted intersection had double and triple
crossings.
8. Safety Sub-Group Updates on Street Sign Recommendations – Bob (7:35 PM)
a. Bob introduced draft prepared by sub-group
b. Erica noted that the Dorset and Swift can handle a Right on Red as a post mounted sign only. Bob noted
signal has a lot of issues. And that signal is in CIP for replacement.
c. Amanda noted #3 vertical signs are not permitted to be on the sides of the road. #4 would lead to more
signs. These are already rules in the MUTCD but difficult to have enough stuff out there to help remind
people but not have too many
d. Doug asked about Market St school zone signs.
9. Active Transportation Plan Document Review – Bob (7:55 PM)
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a. Bob noted infrastructure not in current CIP from document. Bob asked what should be taken to the sub
group with regard to path signs and all other info. Erica – Project team appreciated all the documents.
b. Havaleh more stuff will come from public sources too
c. Doug asked if we have publicized the survey on Front Porch Forum
d. Erica noted all locations that we have posted. 45 comments last Thursday. Working with Andy to create
postcards and yard signs with QR codes. Will run for most of project.
e. Doug noted in Queen City Park study the lawn signs there was almost no way that you can gather URL
because it wasn’t intuitive
f. Erica detailed the survey link and QR code.
g. Bob – Could get Local Motion to help
h. Ryan suggested bus stops such as Dorset St
i. Doug noted SBATP.com is available to make it more intuitive.
j. Nic asked for inclusion of Birch-Obrien path to be paved as part of #3 and asked Erica about Elsom
Parkway.
k. Ryan agreed with comments on center of road RRFB’s
l. Havaleh noted that since last meeting, regarding standards, due to legal implications did not feel we
could discuss and apologized. Havaleh’s decision and do very much want to discuss at Active
Transportation Plan so that we can do it officially and more purposefully.
m. Erica – Trying to release the DPW standards before the march meeting.
n. Nic asked if all previous information has been shared with ATP consultants
o. Doug noted that the comments from Queen City Park Road were good and should be shared
p. Nic noted Safe Routes to School Task Force topic he has brought up is the Neighborhood to Schools
Greenway. Discussed Dorset St there too.
q. Various discussion about school board and schools’ involvement in this planning.
10. Confirm March Meeting – Going to be a small number of members – 5 so will be just a quorum. 4 people not
available.
11. Adjourned 8:10PM