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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Board - Minutes - 09/21/2022 TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR September 21, 2022, 6:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting Via Zoom 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 1 FOR REFERENCE: Chair: Indy Hart Vice Chair: Council Liaison: Cari Brown Emily Francis Staff Liaison: Aaron Iverson 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Brown called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Indy Hart, Chair (arrived late) Cari Brown, Vice Chair York (departed early) Jerry Gavaldon Rob Owens Jess Dyrdahl Nathalie Rachline (departed early) Stephanie Blochowiak BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Ed Peyronnin CITY STAFF PRESENT: Cortney Geary PUBLIC PRESENT: Kim (last name not provided) 3. AGENDA REVIEW Iverson stated the item under unfinished business was added for the Board’s consideration . 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION None. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – AUGUST 2022 TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 2 Gavaldon made a motion, seconded by York, to approve the minutes of the August 2022 meeting as written. The motion was adopted unanimously with Dyrdahl and Rachline abstaining. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Active Modes Plan – Cortney Geary Cortney Geary, FC Moves Active Modes Manager, stated the Bicycle Advisory Committee had a special meeting on September 15th which gave it the opportunity to provide some additional feedback and present a motion on the Active Modes Plan . She stated the Committee made a motion to recommend to the Transportation Board to recommend to Council to adopt the Plan with a significant recommendation for the Plan to have a goal of 50% active mode share of all trips with funding in the implementation plan to support that. Geary stated staff believes that goal is achievable and adjustments can be made to the implementation plan to recommend the funding and program of projects that could help achieve the goal. Dyrdahl asked about the correlation of the Active Modes Plan with the budget outcome areas. Geary replied the Active Modes program has a budget offer for ongoing funding for its work with active modes planning, micro-mobility work, and various events. She discussed other budget offers related to active modes and implementation options. Gavaldon asked how many changes have been made to the Plan regarding the mode share goal. Geary replied the former mode share goal was 20%, which was based on commute trips that are currently at 10%. She noted the BAC wanted the goal to reflect all types of trips, not just commute trips, and the travel diary study showed a current active modes share of about 22%; therefore, the new goal of 50% will slightly more than double the goal for all types of trips. She stated the commute mode share goal may not be the best metric, particularly given Covid-era changes in commuting, and measuring all types of trips will be a better metric in terms of implementing the recommendations. Gavaldon asked if the vehicle miles traveled metric accounts for all trips. Geary replied in the affirmative and stated calculations show there could be a 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled if a 50% active modes share for all trips could be achieved. She stated reaching the goal will require aggressive implementation of the infrastructure improvements and some challenging policy; however, she does not believe it is unattainable. Gavaldon expressed concern the goals are too lofty to be attainable. York expressed support for changing the goal to be for overall trips and expressed support for the 50% goal. Blochowiak concurred. Owens asked if a low-stress pedestrian crossing map was considered. Geary replied she just discussed that with Toole Design, the consulting firm, and it seems to be TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 3 something they will be able to address. York made a motion, seconded by Owens, to accept the Bicycle Advisory Committee’s recommendation to approve the Plan and to recommend its adoption by Council. Gavaldon stated he would not support the motion as he would like to see more achievable goals as part of the Plan. Dyrdahl stated it would be helpful to include implementation phases by year in the Plan in order to help with loftier goals being more precise. She stated she would support the motion. The vote on the motion was as follows: Yeas: Brown, Dyrdahl, York, Owens, and Blochowiak. Nays: Gavaldon. Abstain: Rachline. THE MOTION CARRIED. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Introduction of New Transportation Board Members Iverson stated there are two new Board members, Ed Peyronnin and Jess Dyrdahl. Dyrdahl introduced herself and discussed her experience in running for City Council and desire to continually improve upon Fort Collins through work on Boards and Commissions. Other Board members introduced themselves to Dyrdahl and described their interest in transportation issues. b. Review of City Manager’s Proposed City Budget – Aaron Iverson Dyrdahl requested a brief explanation of how the Transportation Board interacts with the budget process. Vice Chair Brown outlined the budgeting for outcomes process and the ways the Board provides input. Iverson provided the letter from the BAC around its budget recommendations. He noted it highlighted four currently unfunded offers the BAC would like to see considered for funding: 27.14, an enhancement offer for school transportation safety assessments and strategic infrastructure for youth, 27.15, a FTE to run the Shift Your Ride travel options program, 36.9, neighborhood traffic mitigation program expansion, and 54.7, asset management for parks, hard-surface trails, and infrastructure replacement. Iverson noted the Shift Your Ride travel options program itself has been recomm ended for funding. (**Secretary’s Note: Chair Hart arrived at this point in the meeting.) Chair Hart and Dyrdahl introduced themselves to one another. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 4 Members discussed the BAC budget recommendations and Chair Hart noted the neighborhood traffic mitigation offer that was unfunded last year is also unfunded this year. Chair Hart reminded members items that are not funded will not likely be considered for funding for two more years. Iverson noted there could be grant funding opportunities for certain projects. York asked if local match funds would be required for grant funding for the North College bus rapid transit expansion. Iverson replied that conversation has occurred within the budget team and the guidance is that specific offers are not typically included solely for matching funds; however, matching funds have generally always been accessible for grants that may need them. Owens stated the Capital Project Manager spoke at the last BAC meeting and he brought forth information regarding Federal Railroad Administration grants that have a 20/80 split for local and federal funds to assist with dangerous railroad crossings and provide two grade-separated crossings. He commented on the budget offers supported by the BAC, including several lower-dollar items that could be implemented, and offer 27.16 related to American Rescue Plan Act funding for bicycle infrastructure. Owens also expressed support for offer 36.12 for ATMS equipment management and 25.25 for Laporte Avenue corridor improvements. Vice Chair Brown commented on offer 51.27, which is currently unfunded. She stated the offer is $3.5 million; therefore, it may only be reasonable to request partial funding for the offer to purchase easements to allow for some bus stops to be upgraded to ADA standards. She noted the City made a commitment to invest more than $100,000 per year into bus stop upgrades and it has not happed the past few years. Gavaldon commented on the City budget shortfall and on the need to make difficult compromises. He stated he would support some type of funding for bus stop upgrades. Chair Hart commented on the message he sees in the budget by questioning why things like signs, pavement markings, and traffic signals have been made a higher priority than ADA accessible bus stops and multi-modal infrastructure. He stated if Council wants to promote a budget that is showing non-multi-modal, car centric priorities, that would be a shift in stated goals and priorities. Dyrdahl asked if the Board could make recommendations for decreasing funding for items that are currently slated for funding. Vice Chair Brown stated she has generally tried to steer away from that tactic. Dyrdahl stated the City focus on equity would seem to lead to the need to fund ADA accessible bus stops. She also suggested a focus on budget items that will aid in the climate emergency. Rachline stated the budget shows nothing related to the declared climate emergency TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 5 and she would not vote to support anything until the City and Council demonstrate that actions and priorities are taken to reduce vehicle miles traveled significantly. Vice Chair Brown stated a potential theme of the Board’s comments could related to prioritizing funding offers that support multi-modal transportation. Owens disagreed there is nothing in the budget related to the climate emergency and noted the Shift Your Ride program and travel demand management funding is important to try to change commuter habits. He agreed with the BAC recommendation to fund the FTE to run the Shift Your Ride program. He also commented on the need for pavement markings and traffic signal maintenance. Chair Hart concurred the systems that are in place need to be maintained. Vice Chair Brown recommended sending a letter to Council under the theme of multi- modal transportation and in adherence with the declared climate emergency explicitly calling out the items recommended by the BAC as well as funding for offer 51.27 at $250,000 given the 2015 commitment. Chair Hart asked if the recommendations being made truly cover the breadth of the citizens to which the Board gives a voice. Iverson stated York advocated for 51.10, the West Elizabeth enhanced corridor design. Vice Chair Brown reminded members they can speak to Council as private citizens during the budget hearings. She expressed concern about including too many items in the letter. Chair Hart supported pointing out that the transportation budget choices need to align with the declared climate emergency. Members discussed the formatting of the letter to Council. Chair Hart questioned whether the North College bus rapid transit expansion is being brought up enough during the budget process that a statement from the Board would allude to those statements that Council has already heard. Gavaldon commented on the North College Urban Renewal Area and stated it may be warranted for the Board to still mention the corridor. Gavaldon and Blochowiak expressed surprise the East Elizabeth corridor was not recommended for funding. Iverson replied staff is confident that project can move forward with federal funding. Members further discussed the formatting of the letter. Vice Chair Brown made a motion, seconded by Blochowiak, to empower Iverson and Chair Hart to move forward with completing the letter as outlined. Chair Hart asked members to state whether their priorities are included and to vote on TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 6 the motion. Vice Chair Brown, Gavaldon, Blochowiak, Rachline, and Dyrdahl stated their priorities were included. Owens stated he would have liked to include offers 25.25 and 36.12. Members discussed whether to include those offers in the letter and ultimately opted not to include them. The vote on the motion was as follows: Yeas: Brown, Gavaldon, Owens, Blochowiak, Rachline, Dyrdahl, and Hart. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Vice Chair Brown reported on her son enjoying the City’s new electric bus. Rachline commented on bicycle lanes needing to be cleaned and on traffic issues at Raising Cane’s. Chair Hart provided York’s report on the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (NFRMPO) public comment period beginning related to the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. York also noted there is a new greenhouse gas reporting metric for the MPO and CDOT for transportation. Additionally, he commented on work vehicle cones being in the bike lane and noted the last bike/pedestrian counts of the year are forthcoming and volunteers are being sought. He also noted a new backup liaison for the BAC and Planning and Zoning Commission will be needed when his term is over in December. Blochowiak commented on the increasing traffic with CSU students being back in town. Gavaldon reported on the recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting during which Land Use Code changes related to decreased parking requirements for affordable housing complexes were discussed. Additionally, the Commission had a discussion about Spin bikes being left in inappropriate places and concern about the lack of response by Spin. Gavaldon also reported on a City water truck blocking the Power Trail with no signage or detour. Chair Hart reported on gravel being in the bike lane on Timberline just south of Harmony for the past several weeks. He also commented on debris being in bike lanes in other areas. (**Secretary’s Note: Rachline departed the meeting at this point.) Chair Hart commented on the recent City event at the Gardens on Spring Creek. Dyrdahl thanked the Board members for welcoming her. She noted she serves on the Parking and Transportation Board at CSU and commented on intersection safety improvements made between the library and student center on campus. She commented on increasing technology and information to help the community become more multi-modal. Chair Hart stated concerns about Transfort have been ongoing and the system seems to be in somewhat of a downward spiral. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9 /21/202 2 – MINUTES Page 7 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. Bicycle Advisory Committee Report Owens requested Iverson share some bridge information discussed by the BAC with the Board. He commented on the recent Transfort service cuts and suggested the Board may want to receive a report on the efforts being made to attract drivers. Gavaldon commented on a recent Coloradoan article on Transfort usage. b. City Council 6-Month Calendar Review Iverson stated Council will be discussing the budget in upcoming work sessions and meetings. Other upcoming work session and meeting topics include Our Climate Future, the 15-minute city study, and Active Modes Plan adoption. c. Staff Liaison Report Iverson stated the current plan is to meet at Traffic Operations next month. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. by unanimous consent.