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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Board - Minutes - 07/17/2019TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR July 17, 2019, 6:00 p.m. Conference Room A, 281 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 1 FOR REFERENCE: Chair: Indy Hart Vice Chair: Council Liaison: Nathalie Rachline Kristin Stephens Staff Liaison: Paul Sizemore 970.224.6140 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Hart called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Indy Hart, Chair Nathalie Rachline, Vice Chair Valerie Arnold York Ellen Boeke BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Jerry Gavaldon Karl Ayers Cari Brown Eric Shenk CITY STAFF PRESENT: Nick Heimann Amanda Mansfield PUBLIC PRESENT: Nick Michell TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 2 3. AGENDA REVIEW Sizemore stated there were no changes to the published agenda. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Nick Michell, Energy Board, stated the Energy Board will be sending a resolution to Council asking them to adopt minimum standards for residential metro districts, specifically standards related to energy efficiency for buildings in residential districts. He stated he would like the Transportation Board to consider support of the resolution given transportation is a major part of the Climate Action Plan. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JUNE 2019 Rachline made a motion, seconded by York, to approve the June 2019 minutes as written. The motion was adopted unanimously. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Metro District Board Discussion – Boardmembers Chair Hart stated this item relates to what the Board would like to propose as recommendations for metro districts. He noted metro districts involve going above and beyond regular standards and stated he would like the Board to discuss ways in which it could provide recommendations. Boardmembers discussed using a reduction in vehicle miles travelled and various accessibility metrics as possible recommendations. York suggested including grade-separated crossings for human-powered transportation and having more direct human-powered routes than auto routes. Boeke suggested including transit funding for building out planned bus rapid transit lines, more lines, or more frequent lines serving a metro district. She also suggested placing grocery stores and other services within metro districts would also help with a reduction in vehicle miles travelled. Rachline suggested increasing the number of bus stops and shared mobility stations and ensuring there is room in metro districts for covered mobility hubs. Boeke questioned whether development impact fees could be used to fund transit needs. Sizemore replied the funds are typically designated for certain uses but noted metro districts have different rules. Mr. Michell stated there is a misconception about metro district taxes in that they may not necessarily be paying more, just paying differently. Chair Hart asked about roundabouts. York stated he likes them but believes the current design standards are poor. Chair Hart stated roundabouts may not be TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 3 considered enhancements, but they are worth discussing. Boardmembers discussed connections to existing trails and the low-stress network, the expansion of the low-stress network, accessibility for transit stops and trains as being related to possible inclusions in metro district regulations. Mr. Michell asked if there is any data on how much any of these suggestions, such as grade-separated crossings, may affect vehicle miles travelled. Sizemore replied those are difficult statistics to attain as the tools that are available for modeling that are not particularly accurate at small scales like individual bike network improvements. He stated mobility hub connections may be a bit easier to model. Chair Hart stated the next steps for this would include a summary of the discussion for delivery to Rachel Rogers so she could include it in the metro district recommendations document. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Open Streets and Bike to Work Day Updates – Nick Heimann Nick Heimann, FC Moves Active Modes Specialist, stated summer Bike to Work Day is the fourth Wednesday of every June and noted Colorado celebrates bike month in June rather than May due to unpredictable May weather. Heimann presented data related to the total number of visits to breakfast stations and the total estimated participation given most riders tend to visit multiple breakfast stations. He discussed the new system wherein every station is required to take a manual count of visitors rather than having each visitor sign in. He also discussed an intercept survey of riders. Chair Hart noted the survey may have provided a lower than accurate station visit count depending on the number of individuals who only visited one station and opted not to take the survey. Rachline asked if there is a goal for participation numbers and how breakfast station count data is utilized. Heimann replied there is no individual goal for participation numbers, though a 10% year-to-year increase has been an unofficial goal. Rachline stated increased participation could be utilized as an incentive for new riders. Heimann stated the main goal is for 25% new participation and this year that number was 28%. Heimann stated the breakfast station count data is utilized in a formula to generate participation numbers. Heimann discussed youth participation which has increased. Boeke stated gathering information as to whether the youth were riding with parents and at whose request could be useful. Heimann stated efforts at increasing enthusiasm among participants included TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 4 creating an overall theme, which was selected to be super heroes. Heimann discussed the work of FC Moves pivoting to aim at reaching climate action goals. He stated adding a bike-transit-walk day, shifting winter Bike to Work Day to February and adding a fall event, and other topics have been discussed. Boardmembers and Heimann discussed station hosts and location data with Heimann noting the southwest side of town is most lacking in station hosts. He stated female participation has gone over 50% for the first time with this June Bike to Work Day and stated the estimated vehicle miles travelled saved because of the event is 34,600. Heiman discussed the Bike to Work Day budget noting it costs the City about $0.45 per person. Rachline asked about shared bikes being free on Bike to Work Day to allow individuals without a bicycle to participate. Heimann replied there is an opportunity for that in the future. Chair Hart stated he would like to examine the relationship between increased participation in Bike to Work Day with increased usage of bikes throughout the year. Heimann replied that is clearly one of the goals and the hope is to have additional data around that soon. Heimann discussed the June Open Streets event stating the program is in its sixth year with a $20,000 operating budget for two annual events, which is half the original budget. He stated cost savings have included no longer working with an outside marketing company. Heimann discussed the marketing of the events to be uniquely Fort Collins and inducing of a long-term behavior change. Regarding the Father's Day date this year, Heimann stated it was a strain on vendors and volunteers despite being appealing to visitors. He stated the event will likely move back to an early June date in the future. Heimann stated the estimated participation in the June event was 6,300, or 3.5-4% of the city's population, which was likely affected by rain. He stated the next event will be September 29th on Seneca Street from West Horsetooth to West Harmony noting the route includes a park and is near a Housing Catalyst project. York asked if the City's film crew did any filming of either of the events. Heimann replied in the negative but noted there was a short film produced last June. He stated it costs close to $1,000 to produce a 30-second clip with a professional videographer. b. E-Scooter Update – Amanda Mansfield Amanda Mansfield, Transportation Planning, stated the City now has a solid, comprehensive suite of strategies that will allow it to successfully regulate the E- scooter share program it will be hosting. Those regulations include where the TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 5 scooters can operate and park and where they must be dismounted, and will require the operator to acquire an encroachment permit prior to operations beginning. Mansfield discussed the request for proposal and stated staff will be working on the scope of work for the contract and implementation work plan beginning later this month. She stated an applicant has been selected but the official award of contract should occur around mid-August with a late August start of the year-long pilot program. Mansfield noted safety is the top priority of the City and she detailed the Code updates adopted by Council including parking regulations and requirements for their enforcement. Rachline asked if helmets are required. Mansfield replied helmets are not required by Fort Collins or the program, but they will be strongly recommended. Additionally, the scooters have front, rear, and side lights, and a rough dusk to dawn curfew will be in place and enforced by the scooter app. Rachline asked about the age requirement for use. Mansfield replied the minimum age requirement will be 18 and only one scooter can be rented per membership to attempt to avoid parents renting for children. Arnold asked who issues tickets for violations. Mansfield replied that would be Police Services will issue ridership tickets. Rachline asked about the education component of the request for proposal. Mansfield replied the operator must have a comprehensive educational plan with a detailed timeline including hosting workshops and participating in events. Mansfield detailed the proposed Code update related to required dismounting in crosswalks and in dismount zones. She also discussed House Bill 191221 which gives local jurisdictions more flexibility in regulating how E-scooters operate. She noted the scooters will not be allowed on natural area or park trails during the pilot program. York asked if the regulations apply to just the rented scooters or to all scooters. Mansfield replied they apply to all scooters. Mansfield detailed the public and company outreach efforts and stated key focus areas of the pilot projects are parking and operations rules compliance, community engagement, equity, rebalancing and maintenance, enhancement of transit, a long- term business plan, sustainability and zero carbon impact, and gathering data related to demand. Rachline asked if there is a movement to eliminate scooters or better regulate them in other communities. Mansfield replied there are pushes to better regulate them in other cities and the key in Fort Collins' case is early preparation. TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 6 Rachline asked about liability in the case of injuries. Mansfield replied the City has no liability and the liability relationship is decided between the company and its member, but would likely fall on the member. York asked what metrics will be used to determine whether the program will continue past the year-long pilot program. Mansfield replied it will be determined by how well the program aligns with priority areas including sufficiently orderly operation and parking and others. She stated measurable metrics related to behavior will need to be developed. Arnold asked if accidents and tickets are required to be reported. Mansfield replied in the affirmative and stated an app will be available for community members to report negative rider behavior. York asked how the scooters are recharged. Mansfield replied they are picked up to be recharged. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Chair Hart reported on a visit to Long Beach, California where he observed a successful implementation of their E-scooter program, including designated parking areas. He also stated Long Beach has one transit route that is completely free. Chair Hart stated he composed a letter to the Council liaison, Kristin Stephens, per the Board's previous discussion and he welcomed Sizemore to share that letter with other Boardmembers. Rachline discussed a crosswalk installation at Loomis and Laporte stating it is quite complicated and suggested it may need to be reconsidered. She stated new trail signage related to speed limits is ambiguous in that it is unclear if it applies just to E-bikes or to everyone and stated it should apply to all riders. Rachline stated she would like Drew Brooks to return to have an open conversation on Transfort. York reported on the recent Planning and Zoning Board worksession during which an upcoming transportation study of the Harmony Corridor gateway area was discussed. He noted the recent electric bill had an announcement about electric vehicles, bicycles, and scooters. He reported on a recent visit to New York City noting there were few E-scooter users. He also reported on a Coloradoan article about the County's transportation tax. 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. Bicycle Advisory Committee Report Sizemore read an email from Ayers regarding the BAC. He stated the Committee demoed E-bikes at Lee Martinez Park and took a bike tour of upcoming bicycle and TRANSPORTATION BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 7/17/2019 – MINUTES Page 7 pedestrian projects at its last meeting. b. City Council 6-Month Calendar Review Sizemore stated the County is coming before Council on July 23rd regarding its tax proposal. He summarized some of the key components of the proposal related to transit. Sizemore stated the July 23rd workession will also include the Climate Action Plan update kick-off, the September 24th worksession will include a topic about planning in general, specifically in northeast Fort Collins, the October 15th hearing will include the Montava PUD, and the October 22nd workession will include a topic around mobility and transit. c. Staff Liaison Report Sizemore stated staff has begun work on two of the most near-term action items, updating the Master Street Plan and updating the multi-modal level of service, from the Transportation Master Plan. He discussed the meeting topics for August. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m. by unanimous consent.