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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBicycle Advisory Committee - Minutes - 10/25/2021 BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING –REGULAR October 25, 2021, 6:00 p.m. Remote Meeting via Zoom 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 1 FOR REFERENCE: Chair: Jordan Williams Vice-Chair: Jerry Gavaldon Staff Liaison: Cortney Geary 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Williams called the meeting to order at 6:03 PM. 2. ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: CITY STAFF PRESENT: Jordan Williams, Chair, At Large Member Jerry Gavaldon, Vice Chair, Transportation Board Mike Weber, Land Conservation and Stewardship Board Tim Anderson, Fort Collins Bike Co-op Kevin Krause, Natural Resources Advisory Board Whitney Allison, At Large Member Todd Dangerfield, Downtown Development Authority Mike Tupa, Parks and Recreation Board Dave Dixon, Bike Fort Collins Rob Owens, Transportation Board Stephen Beckley, Fort Collins Cycling Club Ed Peyronnin, Colorado State University Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee ABSENT: Rick Arneson, Bike Fort Collins Ben Mayer, Poudre School District Greg Wells, Senior Advisory Board Katherine Chu, At Large Member Jason Miller, Air Quality Advisory Board Amanda Mansfield PUBLIC PRESENT: Mark Houdeshelt BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 2 3. AGENDA REVIEW Chair Williams reviewed the agenda. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Mark Houdeshelt stated he was previously on this Committee as the representative from the Air Quality Advisory Board and an issue discussed at that time that has recently come up again is the safety stop law. He noted the Committee previously voted to not recommend adoption of that law to Council. He noted there is currently an item at the state level that would make safety stop legal throughout the state. He suggested the Committee may want to provide input to Council. Chair Williams noted a representative from Bicycle Colorado spoke to the Committee regarding the topic when it was proposed during the last legislative session. Additionally, a representative from the City of Boulder also spoke to the Committee regarding the topic. Chair Williams noted Beckley commented he is glad to see Bicycle Colorado supporting the statewide bill and he has yet to see evidence of a safety risk based on the adoption of the law by other cities. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 2021 Chair Williams noted Mike Weber’s name was misspelled. Gavaldon made a motion to approve the minutes of the September 2021 meeting as amended. Dangerfield requested a change be made to indicate the Transportation Board had yet to receive a presentation on the Pitkin Street item. Gavaldon accepted the change as friendly. Krause seconded the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Spin Update – Amanda Mansfield, FC Moves Amanda Mansfield, FC Moves Transportation Planner, discussed the history of the E-scooter share program and associated regulations. She clarified E-bikes are allowed on paved trails; however, E-scooters are not. She discussed the current dockless program which includes both E-bikes and E-scooters through Spin. She outlined key focus areas relating to the program, including the adaptive program, BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 3 improving rider compliance with riding and parking rules, the completion of a Spin- funded intersection treatment on which the Committee will be providing future input, increasing low-income ridership, encouraging longer trips to assist with mode shift, ensuring app integration, and encouraging program use by tourists and through employers. Gavaldon asked if there is map of the disbursement locations, specifically related to the Tres Colonias area. Mansfield replied she would research that and address any lacking locations with Spin. Gavaldon expressed concern the bikes are not located in lower income areas. Mansfield agreed that is a concern and stated she would provide additional information. Mansfield outlined the ridership trend numbers for the Spin program and provided details on the rented adaptive bikes. Regarding the Spin Access program for lower income individuals, she stated there is a goal to place bikes and scooters in historically underserved areas. She stated the Spin Access program reduces the ride start const from $1 to $0.50 and the cost per minute from $0.30 to $0.10. Gavaldon asked where the adaptive bikes are located. Mansfield replied the bikes that are part of the Spin adaptive program are delivered to peoples’ houses. Mansfield stated Spin is partnering with the Murphy Center and Homeward Alliance to offer discounted rates for Murphy Center guests. Tupa asked how older adults are made aware of the adaptive program and specialty bikes. Mansfield replied Spin does consistent outreach to entities that serve these populations, such as the Senior Center. Tupa suggested advertising in senior housing communities. Peyronnin suggested advertising in senior magazines. Mansfield replied she would discuss those suggestions with Spin. Gavaldon made suggestions on where bikes could be placed in Tres Colonias. He commended the responsiveness of Spin. Chair Williams discussed the current bike locations in the area of Tres Colonias. Mansfield discussed the community events that have occurred thus far that have included the Spin program, many of which have been CSU focused. She stated she has not received any recent reports related to safety incidents with Spin vehicles. Regarding future initiatives, Mansfield stated Spin is looking to do a corporate pass program, group rides, and increased advertising presence. A Committee member asked about the top speed for the devices. Mansfield replied the top speed for both the bikes and scooters is 15 miles per hour; however, there has been a suggestion for increasing that to 20 miles per hour only on streets. she BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 4 stated she would be happy to pass on any input regarding that suggestion. Krause expressed support for that change, at least for bikes, and noted having the ability for more efficiency will increase car-replacement trips. Gavaldon stated the speed limit on campus is 8 miles per hour and he expressed concern about raising the limit to 20 miles per hour, particularly given the placement of manholes on streets. Tupa also expressed concern with raising the limits to 20 miles per hour. A Committee member agreed with Krause that increasing speeds to 20 miles per hour would increase efficiency for car replacement trips. Peyronnin agreed. Allison commented it does not seem to make sense that a vehicle could go 25 miles per hour and a bike could not on the same stretch of roadway. b. East Pitkin Street Advisory Bike Lane Project Overview – Cortney Geary, FC Moves Geary stated the East Pitkin Street Advisory Bike Lane Project is a collaboration between Utilities, Streets, FC Moves, and Traffic Operations which will include replacing stormwater infrastructure, repaving, and striping of both traditional bike lanes and advisory bike lanes in separate places, to be complete in June of 2022. She noted the Pitkin Bikeway is part of the City’s low-stress network. She discussed existing conditions which include substandard bike lanes, and noted the corridor is quite popular for cyclists, particularly because it accesses the CSU campus. Geary outlined the proposed advisory striping which would retain the 8-foot parking lane on the north side of the street, add a 2-foot buffer between the parking and advisory bike lane, and add a 6.5-foot advisory bike lane on the north side of the street and a 7-foot advisory bike lane on the south side, as well as a 16-foot two- way motor vehicle lane in the center. Additionally, the speed limit would be retained at 25 miles per hour. Geary stated streets with advisory bike lanes have single center lanes for two-way motor vehicle traffic and dashed striped bicycle lanes. She explained motorists travel in the center lane until they need to pass an approaching vehicle, at which point they yield to any bicyclists, merge into the bike lane to complete the passing movement, then return to the center lane. She noted this is a new treatment for Fort Collins; however, she stated it functions similarly to a narrow residential road. Geary outlined the public outreach process announcing this project and stated work is being done to create a video with FCTV. She also discussed the planned observations and surveys that will occur following the installation of the advisory bike lane. She showed a video explaining how advisory bike lanes function. Chair Williams commended the plan for the project noting Pitkin needs an improved bike facility. BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 5 Krause stated he is excited for the project and encouraged future projects that prioritize bike safety. He asked what the bar will be to utilize the project in other areas. Geary replied approval from the Federal Highway Administration was required to experiment with advisory bike lanes and that would be required for any other area as well. She stated the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices does not include advisory bike lanes which is why the request for experiment is required. She noted the Manual is currently under review for changes that will hopefully make it easier for communities to experiment. Dangerfield asked about a photo showing an example of an advisory bike lane. He stated the concept does not feel comfortable to him as a cyclist and expressed concern motorists are already impatient with cyclists. He asked if there has been any consideration given to widening the center motor vehicle lane and eliminating the door opening buffer which was not installed in the photo example. He stated drivers typically want to remain within lines, whether dashed or not, and expressed concern the striping may cause confusion. He suggested providing project information prior to the beginning of the project. Geary confirmed information will be placed on sandwich board prior to the beginning of construction. She discussed other examples of advisory bike lane cross sections and stated she would discuss the possible removal of the door opening buffer lanes with Traffic Operations. Alison suggested wider lanes may be more dangerous as cars may not wait to pass cyclists. Weber commended the collaborative work with the other City departments on construction. Krause suggested a door opening buffer could be helpful. Dixon stated Bike Fort Collins is in favor of this type of more progressive bike infrastructure. He noted education and marketing will be critical. He concurred with Alison that making the vehicle travel lanes too wide may encourage cars to attempt to ‘thread the needle.’ Tupa asked if one-way car lanes were considered. Geary replied several designs were considered and she would follow up on whether that was one of them. Chair Williams asked if the current 25 mile per hour speed limit will be maintained. Geary replied in the affirmative. Geary noted Gavaldon asked, during the Transportation Board meeting, about Police Services’ participation. Geary replied she recently informed Police Services about the project and provided this presentation to them. She stated she offered to do training or site visits for Police Services if that would be helpful. Gavaldon commented on the importance of involving Police Services and stated he requested more frequent updates for both the Transportation Board and this BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 6 Committee. He stated he is more comfortable with this than he was previously; however, he would not support expanding the idea to other areas until its success is proven. He commended the presentation. Owens shared a link with advisory bike lane safety information. c. Bike Fort Collins Presentation – Dave Dixon, Bike Fort Collins Dave Dixon, Bike Fort Collins, noted the intent of these presentations is to maintain a fluid list of intersections and road facilities that represent opportunities for improving the bicycling experience for everyone in Fort Collins. He stated this presentation will focus on the Spring Creek Trail and Mason Trail intersection, the Jackson Avenue crossing just north of Mulberry, and Elizabeth Street between Lemay Avenue and Stover. Regarding the Spring Creek Trail and Mason Trail intersection, Dixon noted the tunnel on the Spring Creek Trail T-bones blindly right into the Mason Trail. He suggested improving the view plane for westbound travelers so users exiting the tunnel will have a better opportunity to see Mason Trail traffic. He showed a video of the area and suggested the possibility of shifting the bike trail to allow for a longer tunnel exit to westbound Spring Creek Trail users. Chair Williams concurred the intersection is dangerous and could use improvement. Peyronnin also agreed and commented on possible improvements that could be made depending on land ownership. Dixon stated he was unsure of land ownership issues; however, he suggested a realignment could be part of any future redevelopment. Gavaldon suggested the land may be jointly owned by CSU and the USDA. Alison suggested the Mason Trail could be a through-fare with a stop at the tunnel. Krause agreed and suggested some flashing lights could be helpful. Geary stated she would talk to Parks about some of those suggested short-term solutions and to Parks Planning about a possible future realignment. Dixon discussed the Jackson Avenue crossing and stated visibility is poor for cyclists when the diagonal parking spaces are full. He showed a video of the area and suggested the placement of a marked diagonal crossing across Jackson to provide a better route for cyclists and to be more informative for vehicular traffic. Owens commented on his experience cycling in the area. Geary stated the Active Modes Plan Implementation Project Management Team will be meeting tomorrow and will do a site visit at the intersection of City Park and Mulberry, at which time they could also visit this crossing and discuss Dixon’s suggestion. She also noted City Park and Mulberry are slated for resurfacing next year; therefore, this could be a good opportunity to address improvements in the BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 7 area. Regarding Elizabeth Street between Lemay and Stover, Dixon noted there is no dedicated bicycle infrastructure despite having an access path midway along the stretch to get to Laurel Elementary School. He showed a video of the area and noted the speed bumps do not seem to have much impact on slowing vehicular traffic. He suggested this stretch of Elizabeth could potentially be a good candidate for an advisory bike lane given the space constraints. He also suggested increasing the size of the speed bumps in the interim. Peyronnin and other members concurred there are safety issues in the area and the sidewalks are very narrow, particularly given the proximity to Laurel Elementary and the 30 mile per hour speed limit. Gavaldon asked if the speed limit could be reconsidered by Traffic Operations. Geary replied she would discuss it with staff. He also suggested the Stuart and Lemay intersection may need to be examined given the increasing number of cyclists in the area. Dixon replied he would add that intersection to the list. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Tupa reported on the Sugar Beet Park sculpture unveiling, the possible formation of a 12-court pickleball complex for which funding is being sought, the possible formation of a mountain bike park for which a location and funding are being sought, the new neighborhood park that is part of the Trailhead neighborhood, the forthcoming completion of the Poudre Trail under I-25, and the connection of the Mail Creek Trail to the Power Trail. Anderson reported the Bike Co-op is quite busy. Dixon reported on the completion of the first of three asphalt art installations on Romero Street by Romero Park. He stated the next two will be in the Hickory Village neighborhood and in the Putnam neighborhood. Weber reported on the recent Land Conservation and Stewardship Board meeting during which the participation of special interest groups, specifically the Overland Mountain Bike Club, with the Board was discussed. Krause reported the Natural Resources Advisory Board discussed 2021 Building Code updates and the Board advocated for ensuring EV readiness stays coupled with those updates. He stated the Board will also be sending a reiteration of support for the Shift Your Travel Options budget item. Peyronnin reported the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee recently discussed the Active Modes Plan and the Spin program, similarly to this Committee, and commended the work in unison. BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/2 5 /2021 – MINUTES Page 8 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. Transportation Board Report – Welcome to new Transportation Board Liaison Gavaldon introduced Rob Owens, the new liaison from the Transportation Board and stated York will be the back up for that position. Gavaldon reported on the recent Transportation Board meeting during which a discussion was had with Caryn Champine, the Planning, Development and Transportation Director. He suggested the Committee may want her to attend a meeting as well. He stated the Board also received an Active Modes update, the presentation on the Pitkin advisory bike lane, and the update on the Spin program. Gavaldon reported on riding his bicycle to CSU’s football games and discussed difficulties with the Stuart and Lemay intersection. He also expressed concern about issues for pedestrians and cyclists at Stuart and College due to vehicle stacking on College. Owens introduced himself, discussed his career, and stated he has been on the Transportation Board for about eight months. b. Staff Liaison Report Geary reported she and the consultant for the Active Modes Plan will be coming before the Committee, and members will receive a link to a mapping platform to identify areas where improvements are needed prior to that meeting. She outlined the budget hearing dates before Council and discussed the Shift Your Ride budget offer. c. Future Agenda Items Chair Williams noted a Vice Chair will need to be selected given Gavaldon will be leaving the Committee. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM by unanimous consent.