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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee - 05/08/2024 1 South Burlington Bike & Pedestrian Committee APPROVED Regular Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 8, 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, Ken Burkman, Dana Farr, Amanda Holland Committee Attendees – Remote: Mark Pasanen Committee Absent: Other Attendees: Silken Kershner (City Staff Liaison, Mike Scanlan (City Council Liaison), Briana Cronin (Hoyle Tanner) Public: Ryan Doyle, Linda Norris, Joe Cronin 1. Welcome, Emergency Exit and Virtual Meeting Instructions, Gratitude a. Havaleh being a smiley bike commuter brightens Dana’s day b. Donna noticed on Tuesday that lots of people walk to the hospital! 2. Additions, deletions, or changes to the agenda a. None 3. Comments and questions from the public not related to the agenda a. Ryan – Monday a woman spoke to city council that a student was hit in front of the middle school. In crosswalk and driver error. Drivers a lot more aggressive lately. Is there a running list of crashed with bikes and peds? b. Havaleh – Local police reports are inputted into the VTran’s Database c. Bob – Heard that it wasn’t a reported crash, the person didn’t go down. Bad intersection and people speed too much. d. Amanda – Has to be reported to Police to come up on databases e. Ryan thinks it should be tracked by us f. Havaleh – Active Transportation Plan looks at crash data g. Amanda – Could use DPW reporting tool to report and then at least it could be reviewed by DPW. h. Ryan noted that Amsterdam just reduced speeds from 50 to 30KPH. Vehicle design (quietness and hood height) is having a large impact here. Don’t have many 25mph speeds let alone 19MPH (30KPH). Hoping we can advance some stuff to city council related to speed or vehicle design. i. Doug can send some to Ryan 4. Consideration of minutes from April 10, 2024 (5:45 PM) a. 2a – clarify that Doug went to court to see what you could learn b. Motion by Bob to accept with the one edit c. Seconded by Amanda d. Vote: All in favor (Dana and Ken abstained) 5. City Updates (5:50 PM) – See agenda for City Update listing a. Bob and Amanda suggested detour signs needed at Szymanski and Farrell Parks ahead of time so you don’t come across it too late. Silken noted status and that new long-term replacement may be wider. b. Bob asked if there was somewhere that showed the full scope of the Active Transportation Plan c. Amanda noted it’s on the CCRPC web page d. Bob excited for the Red Rocks Park sidewalk planning to position it on the west side of the parked cars. Changes influenced based on Doug’s photos and other advocacy previously. e. Silken noticed it’s still in design. Moving right along. f. Doug asked about the location of the path. g. Silken detailed the different options that were assessed 2 h. Amanda asked about asset inventory. Status for the shared use path inventory or field work that needs to be done? i. Silken – Not City staff. CCRPC interns. j. Amanda – Noted recently the shape of the path on Songbird and wondered if it would be assessed. Pavement utility replacement dips, upheavals, cracking etc. Sad to see. Bob to add to maintenance workbook. k. Donna – Midland path is in good shape from the crack sealing. Should prioritize cracking in other path locations before it gets really bad. l. Nic asked if Silken could check in with Erica about Hinesburg Rd RRFB’s, crosswalk at Wright Court and asked for Prouty Parkway crosswalk sign to be moved closer to the street on the east side 6. PUBLIC MEETING: Allen Road Shared Use Path Scoping Study – Hoyle Tanner & Associates (6:00 PM) a. Briana presented slide show. b. Pipe replacement is considered to be required regardless of this multi-use path project. Detailed status of stormwater pipe. c. Bob asked about using Stormwater funding for this component and for other drainage issues along the route. d. Amanda asked where drainage goes to. Briana detailed. Amanda asked if it has a current fix plan. Briana said issue has not been flagged yet but will be. Opportunity to share funding. e. Donna asked about capacity of pipe based on upstream development. Briana noted it’s not just a stormwater issue, it could undermine the roadway. f. Doug noted its actually a stream. Silken noted it drains to the Laplatte and Shelburne Bay. g. Briana resumed presentation with Alternative 1 summary. h. Havaleh asked how we know about the archeological areas. Briana – UVM database. May need to do shovel testing i. Briana detailed though plans along the stretch of the path and the details along each section j. Amanda asked about path width. Briana – 10ft width the entire time. Greenspace is what varies. k. Briana then detailed Alternative 2. l. Covered Alternatives Matrix and costs m. Amanda – Are there accessibility differences between the two? n. Briana – No, both are about the same, at existing grade. May not meet ADA on the steeper slope but cant change that. Trying to stay off utilities as much as possible. Wouldn’t want to adjust grades due to rock etc. o. Amanda asked about Alternative 1 – What was analysis was done for removing turning lane in case someone has outcry? p. Briana – VTrans has traffic counts because its at a Shelburne Rd light. Analyzed. Numbers are very small. Would do traffic analysis to back that up. Would not be that difficult. Would want to look at peak times. Lots of slope issues near to Shelburne Rd. if we don’t use the roadway. Still would have wide shoulder after done. q. Havaleh asked about snow removal. r. Ken asked if this could be an edge lane road? s. Donna noted that a lot of people come down and turn left anyway t. Bob recognized that coming out of Mobil is sometimes challenging to head north on Shelburne Rd from Allen. Maybe needs to be right turn only so drivers use Shelburne Rd. exit to continue north on Shelburne Rd. u. Doug asked about going over to Harborview instead at last public meeting. Issue was getting from senior community to church. Was my question out of hand to move over to Harborview. v. Briana – Wanted to look at options for Allen Road. No build could include putting into neighborhood. w. Silken noted folks wanting to walk up (west) Allen Road getting off bus on Shelburne Rd. 3 x. Doug thinks that folks going to Pepsi and Church could be accommodated and would recommend putting effort into Harborview y. Amanda asked about current facilities in Harborview. z. Doug detailed. Concerned about getting the most use out of our funds and doesn’t see people will use it. aa. Briana noted that path simply dead ends. People use Harborview because it’s the only option. bb. Doug – Baycrest has good bike lanes. Think they should go through there. cc. Donna – Kind of confusing to go through the neighborhood. dd. Briana noted town boundary is close and this completes a network of paths that is more in line with commuting. ee. Donna – Businesses on Allen Road need access to bus stop. ff. Amanda – Do have list of things we need to build, so makes sense to study now but can decide later. gg. Linda Norris – Right hand turn lane on Spear St going down Allen. Hoping we re-place that lane back in and reinstate right on red. Echo going down Baycrest to save money. Should try to use existing pavement we have. Bikes through every other day. Phasing it in and waiting for development may be good. Putting in a simple crosswalk. Wait and see until there is need. Doesn’t know how long we would wait to see the volume. hh. Donna – Doesn’t need to be 10ft shared use path. Could be sidewalk. Peds have no options but bikers currently do. Not having ped access is something we need to do something about. ii. Amanda – There has been prior discussions about road width. Not friendly for biking. jj. Donna – Bikes can go anywhere but peds need something. kk. Havaleh – Noted Shelburne Bike Ped committee discussions about density there and that if there was a connection they would like to connect. Feel like there is demand. ll. Silken noted that the Spear St intersection is outside of the scope of this study. Should submit a traffic support request to have it ranked. mm. Linda – Asked if she should be submitting that. As it currently built it has a lot of other issues. nn. Nic supports the path and thinks that we need to have a consistent type so that there is consistent expectations. Need to fully connect network for the future of South Burlington. Mentioned taking a 100-year perspective as we owe it to future generations. He noted the danger of a bicyclist hitting a sidewalk on a downhill from a 10-foot path and what would happen to a pedestrian coming from the other direction. The path must be safe for residents from 8 to 80 years of age. Also, would like to see Option 1 have 1A to have greenbelt between curb and path at Shelburne Rd. Less curb and better for snow storage etc. oo. Amanda commented on the width of the commercial driveway. Should look at making it narrower. pp. Briana – Could look at what other options are available there. Just wide now, so may have do discuss with them a narrower option or realigning their parking differently to allow turn arounds. Could come up with options during design. qq. Ken asked if there could be an option 3 for sidewalk rr. Briana – Could still be just as difficult because of stormwater, utilities etc. ss. Nic noted that a sidewalk may costs more than a path anyway. tt. Amanda asked if the existing conditions could reference the existing paths nearby. uu. Briana would put that in the no-build. That option does not meet the purpose and need right now. vv. Linda asked what the next step is. Could it be a hybrid option. ww. Silken – Looks like it could be a hybrid option at this point. 7. Bike Rodeo and SB Bikes Out Updates (7:10 PM) a. Bob – Bike Rodeo coming up on May 18th (Saturday) 1-3. Three volunteers right now. Doug, Dana and Amanda added their names to Donna, Havaleh, and Bob. Detailed what the role would be for the volunteers. b. Havaleh – Adam Matth is organizing that. Promoting Active Transportation Plan at the same time with someone tabling. 4 c. Mark out of town. d. Bob will email Adam about additional volunteers. e. Discussion about making sure didn’t need to be notified as a meeting for open meeting law. Doesn’t think we need to as long as we don’t talk shop. f. Bob – For SB Bikes Out - Right now Looking at July 11th with July 18th as a rain date. Bob not available. Can plan. Ken, Havaleh, Mark, Donna and maybe Dana and Doug for 11th. Havaleh, Amanda, Mark available for the 18th and maybe Doug and Dana. g. Havaleh – Adam has reached out to Energy Committee. Climate Action committee not in use any more. Would still be planning bike trains h. Bob – Local Motion not available for valet bike parking. Rec Department has their own racks now so will do bike parking themselves. LM will be there with a table but just can’t do valet parking, e-bike demo and bike light giveaway. Lots of fun stuff. i. Donna noted that there was a demand for cheap helmets but it may be better to do with the Safe Routes to Schools groups to serve more need. j. Discussion of bike repair folks that could be invited. Bob wants to keep it SB for now. Earls, EMS and maybe Mark Quinlan (Bopawheelie, LLC). k. Havaleh – What about other events like commuter workshops etc. l. Donna thinks that we should do more people storytelling events, not technical expertise style. Should think about other folks that could do them. m. Havaleh hopes to chat with people on the bus and hand out Active Transportation Plan. Would be happy to have Havaleh do some fun thing. n. Donna is going to try to write a fun story and bring in some other voices such as a student at SBHS. 8. Sub-Group Updates (7:25 p.m.) a. Chair – Havaleh b. DRB – Mark i. Mega meeting. Farrell and Doubletree UVM Housing. Nice to hear that our comments have been heard. They have factored it into their planning. Now will be part of the weeds of the process now. Project will be back at DRB many more times. c. DPW/Safety – Bob, Dana, Amanda, Doug i. Bob – Group submitted crosswalk painting priority. 10 pages of crosswalks. All rated. Erica looking at prioritizing based on distance to schools etc. This list was more about if you can see the crosswalk or not. Still surveying the maintenance needs. Please keep sending thoughts to Bob. Need to revisit maintenance priorities from last fall and meet with them. Farrell path bridge replacement could now take a big chunk of the 60K. Haven’t gotten feedback on signs that were recommended. New sign (or at least first time seeing it) on path off Deerfield. d. Active Transportation Plan – Havaleh, Ken i. CCRPC presented new overlay on level of traffic stress. 1-4 rating. Now on an overlay. We were asked if we would like to validate their work. Will send it out. ii. Amanda asked for the definitions of the categories so that it’s not subjective. iii. Havaleh – For now it sounds like they want the subjective analysis. Doesn’t need to be quantitative iv. Doug noted Local Motion did a good webinar recently about level of stress. v. Amanda – VTrans have Level of Comfort in their statewide plan. vi. Ken – Essentially would like to have committee members review before next meeting. vii. Nic suggested that we could simply commit to reviewing the map and coming with comments, instead of picking an area and committing to anything. viii. Havaleh detailed the survey response numbers and the details of what people are concerned about. Detailed what was on the agenda for tomorrow. ix. Bob asked if they would suggest improvement locations and projects 5 x. Havaleh – Yes. Can send out the details to people. e. Communications/Outreach – Donna i. See details above. f. Safe Routes to School – Nic, Amanda, Ken i. Amanda – Didn’t participate in last meeting. Helping do a walk audit at Orchard School with Bryan Davis and Susan Grasso. Would like to hear input from others in that part of town. ii. Ryan – Attended last meeting. Designated school zone maps. They covered the Chamberlin area for that meeting. Detailed Neighborhood Greenway project. Concern about access over private property. iii. Nic noted the RMCS Safe Streets Pledge program happening there. iv. Silken – Has bus ridership data. Amanda noted the after-school programming etc. Heat map will be made for kids who commonly ride the bus. Will be neighborhood level and be another data point at least. 9. Confirm June 12, 2024 Meeting 10. Adjourn by 8:00 p.m.