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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBicycle Advisory Committee - Minutes - 09/15/2022 BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – SPECIAL September 15, 2022, 6:00 p.m. Virtual Meeting – Zoom 9/15/2022 – MINUTES Page 1 FOR REFERENCE: Chair: Jordan Williams Vice-Chair: Dave Dixon Staff Liaison: Cortney Geary 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Dixon called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 2. ROLL CALL (INTRODUCTIONS) BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: CITY STAFF PRESENT: Dana Hornkohl Tim Sellers Anna Kelso Jordan Williams, Chair, At Large Member Dave Dixon, Vice Chair, Bike Fort Collins Kevin Krause, Natural Resources Advisory Board Rob Owens, Transportation Board Marcia Richards, Parks and Recreation Board Ed Peyronnin, Colorado State University Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee David Kovach, Senior Advisory Board Whitney Allison, At Large Member ABSENT: Mike Weber, Land Conservation and Stewardship Board Katherine Chu, At Large Member Jonathan Crozier, Poudre School District David Hansen, Colorado State University Todd Dangerfield, Downtown Development Authority Tim Anderson, Fort Collins Bike Co-op PUBLIC PRESENT: Stephen Beckley BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9/15/2022 – MINUTES Page 2 3. AGENDA REVIEW Vice Chair Dixon stated there were no changes to the published agenda. 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Stephen Beckley introduced himself and briefly discussed his interest in bicycling. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Active Modes Plan Update – Cortney Geary Cortney Geary, Active Modes Manager, outlined some changes to the Active Modes Plan that are in progress based on feedback received from the Committee at the last meeting, primarily that the 20% active modes share goal for commute trips was not high enough and that the goal should reflect all trip purposes. She outlined data received from the travel diary surveys and noted currently, 22% of all trips are taken by active modes. She discussed the new goal of 50% of all trips being taken by active modes and outlined the main themes of the public outreach, including additional infrastructure recommendations, the need for ADA improvements, additional separated and protected bike lanes, some debate in terms of which users can be where, the desire to reduce speed limits, emphasis on tying the work to climate action, and questions regarding benefit to cost ratios. Dixon requested clarification regarding the percentages and conversion numbers. Geary replied if half of the three-mile or less trips that are being taken by car could be converted to active modes, then 40% of all trips, regardless of distance or trip purpose, would be taken by active modes. Dixon asked if the preliminary results of the travel diary surveys include a geographical dispersion of where the three-mile trips are being taken. Geary replied she does not have that at this point; however, it could likely be determined. Krause commended the work on the changes and supported the link to the greater climate goals. (**Secretary’s Note: Whitney Allison arrived at this point in the meeting.) Owens commended the changes to the Active Modes Plan and commented on the recommendations related to Land Use Code changes, one being to remove minimum parking and implement maximum parking limits. He asked if that type of recommendation should be included with the current Land Use Code changes. Geary replied the hope is that any land use recommendations will be able to be incorporated with the Land Use Code updates. BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9/15/2022 – MINUTES Page 3 Owens asked about the pedestrian low-distance crossing network map and stated it may be valuable to include information on where low-stress network crossings exist. Geary replied that would be good information to include. Owens commented on some segment areas that are missing on the map. Geary replied she would check on those areas. Kelso stated the main goal should be looking at the most strategic ways to reduce vehicle miles traveled. Chair Williams commented on the budget aspect of the Plan and asked if the investment in active modes through this Plan is where it should be. Geary noted one of the policy recommendations in the Plan is to evaluate how the percentage of investment in active modes projects is aligning with the goals related to climate, mode shift, and equity; therefore, doing that type of analysis will be important. Krause stated he would like the BAC to recommend a 50% active modes ride share for all types of rides, including a budget that includes recommendations in that direction in order to achieve both that goal and contribute to the broader climate goal. Dixon clarified the language that the budget prioritization should be consistent with helping to support the 50% goal. Krause made a motion, seconded by Kovach, that the BAC recommend approval of the Active Modes Plan in conjunction with support for a 50% active modes share achievable across for all types of trips, including a budget prioritization consistent with helping support that goal. Yeas: Richards, Peyronnin, Dixon, Kovach, Krause, Owens, Allison, and Williams. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Letters of Support for Two Grade-Separated Railroad Crossing Planning Grant Applications Dana Hornkohl, Capital Projects Manager, stated, if the grant applications are successful, supplemental budget appropriations would be sought from Council for the 20/80 cost share split associated with the grants. He noted the two crossings are indicated on the Master Street Plan and the two locations were chosen as they are best suited for the criteria included in the grant application. Tim Sellers stated these two projects include active modes and provide a great opportunity for the City to leverage local dollars to improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation network. BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9/15/2022 – MINUTES Page 4 Chair Williams asked if other locations were considered. Sellers replied a few other locations were considered, including at Harmony and Union Pacific, which is right next to the Power Trail; however, there is not as much train traffic on Union Pacific lines as on BNSF lines. He discussed the two project locations that aligned the best with the grant opportunity: Drake and BNSF just west of College, and Timberline and BNSF at Vine Drive. Dixon commented on the need for grade-separated crossings at intersections all along the Mason Trail. Hornkohl replied a planning grant is being considered for next year for looking at the entire BNSF corridor. Hornkohl noted these grants are planning grants that would get the design to roughly a 30% level for both projects. He requested the Committee write a letter of support for making the crossings safer for all modes of travel. Peyronnin made a motion, seconded by Owens, to write a letter of support for making the crossings safer for all modes of travel by applying for the federal planning grants. The motion was adopted unanimously. b. City Manager’s Recommended Budget Chair Williams noted Geary provided the Committee with a list of unfunded offers and the goal of this discussion is to provide suggestions related to which of those offers may deserve consideration for funding to be sent to the Transportation Board and ultimately Council. Members discussed the unfunded offers and use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Chair Williams questioned why the Laporte Corridor project was left unfunded. Dana Hornkohl, Capital Projects Manager, replied he did not receive much feedback on why the project was not funded; however, there is a strategy to seek funding from an upcoming tap grant from CDOT. He also stated there should be opportunities through other grants to secure funding for capital projects. Geary noted the recommended budget includes funding for the Shift Your Ride program but not for a FTE to run the program. She stated it is likely other programs would need to be cut if that becomes the priority and the FTE is not funded. She also called attention to some unfunded smaller dollar projects including the school transportation safety assessments and strategic infrastructure for youth and the neighborhood traffic mitigation program expansion. Richards asked about offer 54.7 related to bike trail infrastructure replacement. Geary replied it would be run out of the Parks Department and would help work toward better asset management of the paved trails. BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 9/15/2022 – MINUTES Page 5 Dixon stated he believes that offer should be one to support. Richards concurred and stated it should at least be recommended for partial funding. Hornkohl stated offers typically indicate whether they can be scalable. Geary stated that offer indicates it is scalable to any available amount. Chair Williams discussed the Committee’s budget recommendation format from last year. He expressed support for funding of the school transportation safety assessments and strategic infrastructure for youth item, the Parks hard surface trails improvement item, and for using ARPA funding for infrastructure in northeast Fort Collins. Peyronnin also expressed support for funding the Power Trail at Harmony project. Chair Williams replied there may be some infrastructure dollars that could be sought in another grant cycle for that project. Dixon asked if it makes sense for that budget offer to be modified to at least request matching funds. Hornkohl replied Council has typically been very supportive of providing supplemental appropriations for matching funds if the grant applicants cannot be mapped out during the BFO process. Chair Williams noted Krause highlighted the neighborhood traffic mitigation program expansion and the Shift Your Ride FTE offers. Owens concurred with supporting funding for the neighborhood traffic mitigation program expansion noting it was also not funded in last year’s budget cycle. Chair Williams summarized the desire to focus on supporting funding for offers 27.14, school transportation safety, 54.7, Parks trail surfacing with scalability, 36.9, neighborhood traffic mitigation, and 27.15, the Shift Your Ride FTE. Geary asked if the Committee would also like to support funding for offer 27.16. Chair Williams stated he would like to limit the list to four items. Dixon made a motion, seconded by Richards, to move forward with a recommendation from the Committee that funding be provided for offers 27.14, 27.15, 36.9, and 54.7, perhaps with a scaled amount. The motion was adopted unanimously. 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:10 PM by unanimous consent.