Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Board - Minutes - 05/16/2007MEETING MINUTES of the TRANSPORTATION BOARD May 16, 2007 5:45 p.m. City of Fort Collins Municipal Building 215 N. Mason Street — Community Room Chair: Vice Chair: Staff Liaison: Administrative Support: BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Don Edmondson Sara Frazier Neil Grigg Bill Jenkins Ed Robert Garry Steen Gary Thomas FOR REFERENCE: Gary Thomas Jeannette Hallock-Solomon Mark Jackson Polly Bennett 482-7125 416-1239 416-2029 224-6058 ABSENT: James Clausen Jeanette Hallock-Solomon Kevin Westhuis CITY STAFF: OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: Kathleen Bracke Carol Parr, CDOT Mark Jackson Dave Wolfoll, Carter/Burgess Polly Bennett 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Thomas at 6:00 p.m. 2. INTRODUCTION Thomas introduced Polly Bennett, who replaces Cynthia Langren as Executive Administrative Assistant for Transportation Administration, and Staff Support member of the Transportation Board. Polly began working for the City of Fort Collins as Administrative Secretary II in the Streets & Traffic Departments in 2000. She transferred to Engineering as Administrative Support Supervisor in 2002, and was hired by Mark Jackson as Executive Administrative Assistant for Transportation Administration this month. A native of Fort Collins, her Great -Grandfather was founding father, Abner Loomis, and her father, Tom Bennett, served as Councilman and Mayor in the mid- 1960s. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Page 2 Transportation Board May 16, 2007 3. AGENDA REVIEW The agenda was accepted unanimously. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT None. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (March 2007) Robert moved to approve the March 2007 Transportation Board meeting minutes as presented (note: there was no meeting in April 2007). There was a second by Steen. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 6. COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT Wade Troxell is the new Council Liaison. He was unable to attend tonight's meeting. ACTION ITEMS a. US287 Environmental Overview Study Kathleen Bracke, Interim Transportation Planning & Policy Director Carol Parr, CDOT Project Manager Dave Wolfoll, Carter/Burgess Bracke: CDOT Project, City participated as part of the technical advisory committee. The project runs from Harmony Road south to Carpenter Road. From a staff perspective, we believe the results coming from the Project Team are consistent with the adopted Master Street Plan and the adopted City and CDOT Access Control Plan for the area from Harmony Road south the Carpenter Road. Past that, 287 becomes Latimer County and Loveland's area. Wolfoll: Purpose: Review changes and other findings since last year; review overview of Memorandum of Understanding. Requesting Board approval of the Environmental Overview Study (EOS). The EOS is a planning study done in the context of an EA or EIS, taking the same steps, but not with that level of scrutiny. We did consider potential environmental impacts along the corridor and took public input on the alternates being considered through public meetings. Major elements: A six -lane, multi -modal alternative allowing bus/rapid transit to be included through corridor to 29 s Street in Loveland is being recommended. An Access Control Plan for the Fort Collins portion was completed and defines where access occurs along the highway. This study defines the width of the corridor. The result is not a construction project by CDOT, but a guidance document for upcoming developments in the corridor, both in Fort Collins and Loveland. Cross section is the same as appears in the Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS) other than a wider median which allows a 55 mph speed limit through most of the corridor. Memorandum of understanding: The agencies that participated in this project (Cities, County, and CDOT) agree to consider and use this document to implement any improvements along 287 as shown in the EOS and consider the EOS before any approvals, and that future ordinances and documents support what was done in the EOS including addressing congestion, incorporate modal alternatives, address safety issues; other parts maintain consistency with the MPO RTP No financial obligations are part of approving this EOS. It does not commit to a construction project, but commits to reviewing proposed development in context with this EOS, which supersedes any DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 Page 3 documents other than the Access Control Plan. Parties can terminate within 90 days with written notice subject to Colorado law. Council will approve the City Manager's signature on the Memorandum of Understanding with CDOT and the EOS. This typically appears on the Consent Agenda. Grigg: Once the council authorizes the City Manager to sign the agreement, it locks us in to using it as a guiding plan. Is there anything that could go wrong? Is this pretty much what we need? Bracke: I can't see anything being recommended here that would raise any red flags or concerns. The public, in extensive public review meetings, expressed that they don't want the Access Control Plan changed, which was comforting. Robert: Did the City Council get a Study Session Review of this proposal? Do new Council members need to be updated? Bracke: They did. It could possibly be a discussion item at a regular Council meeting, but it is nearly impossible to get it on a work session agenda because of the ongoing Budgeting for Outcomes process. Jackson: The project is so clean and non -controversial that there should be no problem with it as a Consent Agenda item. Robert: Does this include street lighting? Bracke: Yes, per the street standards for the area. Grigg moved that the board recommend approval of the EOS subject to review by legal and send it to Council for approval. Second by Jenkins. Passed unanimously. 8. DISCUSSION/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS a. Downtown River District — Kathleen Bracke Bracke: We are making progress on the project. Joint effort between the City of Fort Collins and Downtown Development Authority (DDA). Project costs are being borne by the DDA; City is contributing staff time and limited resources. Matt Robinault of the DDA is the Co -Project Manager. John Sayer, with HDR Engineering is lead for the consultant team. Pete Graham, Region 4 CDOT is also on the design team. Looking at transportation and utility improvements in the district, and how we address existing deficiencies in the area as well as for infill and redevelopment. A big part of the work is working with area property and business owners to be sure they are comfortable with our recommendations. We intend to wrap up concept design work on each street by the end of the summer. Scheduled for June 12 Council Work Session, then back to T-Board with action item requesting approval to take the AIS to Council in August. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 Page 4 Bracke presented final alternatives for each street. The area from Jefferson to the river, between College and Lincoln is defined as the Downtown River District. Improvements include streetscape improvements (lighting, benches, etc.), lighting improvements, underground utility improvements. Also considering how people are moved from downtown to the River District efficiently. The UniverCity group is involved in the transit/mobility piece. Willow Street will include a linear water feature which, in a modem way, is reminiscent of the historic mill race that used to run along Willow Street that powered the mill where Ranch Way Feeds is located today. There is a small roundabout proposed for the intersection of Linden and Willow. Looking north on Linden, there is nothing to draw people to cross Jefferson and move north, which this roundabout achieves. A curbless, brick plaza is proposed for Pine Street. Cars will still be allowed, although it will be more pedestrian friendly. Linden north of Jefferson is proposed to continue as designed, with wide sidewalks and the same type of streetscape as between Walnut and Jefferson. The design team recommends that Lincoln remain a 2-lane street which allows preservation of the existing 2-lane bridge, with detached sidewalks. It is recommended that Jefferson (SH 14) be reduced to two travel lanes with a center turn lane, to enhance on -street parking and make a more attractive pedestrian environment. The existing signalized intersection and Jefferson and Linden shall remain, with enhanced pedestrian crosswalks. A roundabout is also proposed for the intersection of Jefferson/Riverside and Mountain/Lincoln to handle the high volume of left turns from Riverside onto Mountain Avenue into the downtown area. One of the most positive things that happened during the public presentations, is that both the DDA and Downtown Business Association (DBA) like the concept. It creates a much -needed gateway to the downtown area. Robert: What happens when a train blocks the railroad track at this intersection? Sayer: We looked at the cueing analysis and the current thinking is to gate just the east leg of the roundabout with advance electronic signing warning of the blockage. Most of the time the sign would be off, and would activate if the roundabout is blocked by a train. Bracke: The advantage to a roundabout is that traffic can enter the intersection and continue and choose a different route. The same traffic rules apply ... you don't stop in the middle of an intersection. Jackson: Cars would stack up in the right lane and the internal route would remain open. Sayer: Jefferson widens to two travel lanes before the roundabout, so traffic can stack up in the right lane. Bracke: A roundabout gives people a way out instead of being stuck by the train. Bracke: From a transit standpoint, we recommend a circulator shuttle around the area, making it convenient to park in the parking structures and get to their destinations. Bracke presented preliminary cost estimates, implementation strategies. Applied for 2 grants to jumpstart the improvements: partial enhancement funding for Linden Street from the MPO and CDOT. A portion may begin within the next two years; CMAQ funding was received today for Jefferson Street and Roundabout. The team is taking feedback on priority of project segments. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 Page 5 Grigg: It is a really exciting project. Is there a map showing natural areas by the river? Bracke: UniverCity is working on a map that shows connectivity to the river area. Jenkins: Any idea how much funding would come from each source? The DDA gathers in roughly $6-million each year. Bracke: Haven't defined it because it is so open-ended. It depends on funding cycles and types of funding. b. RTA Project List Update — Gary Thomas/Mark Jackson Thomas: I resigned from the RTA Steering Committee on Monday. Steering Committee was working on a plan for Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Berthoud, Evans, Johnstown, Milliken, Windsor, basically the footprint of the MPO. It looked like we had reached a point where everyone was equally uncomfortable. Greeley felt that not enough of their needs were being met. We went from 25% to transit to 5% for transit overnight. I lost interest in a hurry. Partnership meeting on 5/30/07 to meet with City/County managers from all entities, plus one elected representative, and one senior staff member to start negotiation process aiming for a November ballot issue. Revenue sources: Sales tax, use tax, motor vehicle registration fee, lodging tax. Expense areas: Capital projects/maintenance; transit; share back (you can give back some of the money collected to the jurisdiction from where it came). Greeley wanted 50% share back. If this was the full size deal, there is a potential for $250-$300 million for capital projects over 10 years. Jackson: Weighing in from Fort Collins' perspective, we are rolling with the changes going on. A week ago, the package showed 50% regional roadway capacity projects, 25% share back, 25% regional transit. Last week it changed to 50% regional roadway and 50% share back. Fort Collins could decide how to distribute the 50% share back and make it work (pragmatically speaking). RTA Steering Committee is tentatively scheduled to bring their preferred package to Council on June 5ffi at a work session following the regular Council meeting, at Council's request. City Transportation Services provided a list of proposed Priority Regional Road projects including widening Harmony Road from US287 to I-25 to a six -lane configuration; Widening US287/North College Avenue from Vine Drive to SH-1 (North College Corridor including a parallel collector level road corridor); I-25/SH392 (Windsor) Interchange Improvements; 1-25/Prospect Road Interchange Improvements; Prospect Road Corridor Improvements from 1-25 to the Poudre River; Timberline Corridor Road Improvements; I-25/SH14 (Mulberry) Interchange Improvements; Mulberry/SH14 Corridor Road Improvements. All are regionally -significant corridors. We also included one Priority Local (share back) Road Project; Realignment of Vine Drive, US287 to Timberline Road. Prioritized Regional Transit Projects: Mason Corridor Bus Rapid Transit; Extension of Transfort's FoxTrot route from Fort Collins to Longmont to provide for a connection to the Regional Transportation District 9. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 Page 6 Grigg: We used to have a list of all of the capital improvement projects (In 2004 dollars, the entire CIP list totaled $1.1 billion through 2025)... it would be good to see a new list. Jackson: We are looking at an update to the Master Street Plan in the 2008/2009 budget cycle, if we submit a successful budget offer. Roberts: A couple of these projects are on State roads such as Mulberry. How does that affect state funding? Thomas/Jackson: The committee said they will fix them, but not add capacity on I-25, and will require a local match on interchange work. The funding stream for CDOT is dismal. Roberts: CIP list - if we have an RTA excluding Weld County, what will that do to our financial outlook to support the rest of the CIP list? Will this kill the need to go back to the public for more? Would you go back for a citizen initiative to fund more streets? Jackson: That is the purpose of the local share -back... community decides how it is used. Strategically it would be difficult to go back for more. The City wouldn't go for a citizen initiative... could be a citizen -driven initiative. Thomas: 1% is huge and would eliminate the possibility of future funding through taxes. Jenkins: Where does maintenance fit in? Thomas: That keeps going back and forth. A week ago it was funded through the share - back portion. C. UniverCity Update — Sara Frazier Two more large meetings finalize the first phase: one tomorrow, and a final one on May 31, 2007. The task force groups are Arts & Culture, CSU Joint Facilities and Programs, Economic Development, Mixed Use Development, River Protection Development and Enhancement, Student Affordable Housing, Sustainable Energy Technology, and Transit & Mobility. General reports will be given at tomorrow's meeting. The Arts & Culture task force wants to integrate the historic trolley into the overall transportation plan and to create a culture like a rubber wheeled trolley. The Transit group (Bruce Hendee, Chair) talks about the Mason Corridor, the Downtown Transit Route to the University Center for the Arts, the Downtown Bike Plan (including the bike lending library), the Downtown Alleyways, the River District project, RamTown, Connectivity Plan, and Legacy Parkway. It has been an exciting process. Groups have been meeting since October. Almost every group discusses transportation and what is needed for connectivity. Thomas: Main drive is to connect CSU with the downtown area. The Mason Corridor project fits that goal beautifully with bicycle paths, circulators, and signage. Legacy Parkway concept includes signage interpreting the area (what happened here, why does it look like it does), in addition to directional information. Robert: Should be a "T" at University Boulevard with a streetcar running west at least to Moby. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 Page 7 Jackson: CSU is actively looking at an internal shuttle that would do that for students, game nights, special events. Robert: Velodrome idea "Life Long Learning Center." Jackson: Fort Collins is unique in bringing people together to brainstorm these ideas Frazier: This process is the first step. Next step is how to make it happen financially d. Budgeting for Outcomes — Transportation Result Map — Mark Jackson Jackson presented the final Request for Result and Result Map released by the Budgeting for Outcomes Transportation Result Team. (Mark is sitting on the Transportation Results Team this year, in addition to coordinating all of the Transportation Departments in submitting their offers.) Not much has changed since the last cycle, making the Team's initial work relatively easy. The overall mission of this result is to improve the safety and ease of traveling to and throughout the City. The Team developed indicators to gauge how well offers achieve the desired outcome, including: 1) Citizen satisfaction; 2) Increase/decrease in travel time or delay; 3) Transit ridership; 4) Roadway system maintenance; 5) Average pavement condition on Fort Collins Roads; 6) Outside funding sources. Thomas: Within each sub -area (priorities) did you get any information that changed your thinking on that? Jackson: Not really. Confusion about increased awareness category; people wanted bikeways and peds on the same line as transit, under modal; primary rhetoric was in maintenance, get caught up on capital projects, etc. That was on everyone's plate. Robert: Where is the community outreach? Is there outreach to the community in a community survey? Jackson: I don't disagree, although there is not a lot of room for more surveys. Jenkins: Is the map for a year? Two years? Jackson: Overall strategic map ... both long- and short-term. Thomas: The funding allocation process was invisible. Someone decided how much money to allocate to each Team. Jackson: there will be a lot of discussion about allocations and funding. Transportation is not out of the woods financially. 8. REPORTS a. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Griggs: Change in Parking Management at CSU. They just announced what amounts to tripling parking fees to faculty, staff, and students. It will represent a change in how we look at transportation on campus. Frazier: I would like to invite DK to attend next month's meeting and discuss bike week. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 Page 8 Robert: Lemay/Mulberry Right Turn lane was prioritized back because of other priorities. Don't move it more than a few more months or we will lose CMAQ funding. Pavement Management Program — certain streets are doomed to fail so they choose not to do the Pavement Management Program, and they are scheduled to be rebuilt instead. Suggests putting a sign up so the public knows that this section of street is scheduled for reconstruction. Some of them they are letting fail. Staff is up to their ears, but is doing one heck of a job. It's amazing. Steen: Climate Task Force. Interested in looking at ways to cut emissions — priority areas/ways to do that? Grigg: Asked his students to identify these: Global climate change and consumption of petroleum resources are the two things his students think are of primary importance. We should have our own climate change report giving citizens some metrics to compare. Push sustainability. Thomas: UniverCity was looking for downtown to become carbon -neutral. Grigg: Show two visions of the City: one as -is showing carbon emissions; one bike/ped showing lower carbon emissions. Frazier: Another thing I heard was so easy to implement was to fasten your seatbelt before turning on your car. Thomas: Transit -wise, I argue for electric vehicles to get off the grid. Robert: UPS is redesigning their delivery schedules to eliminate left turns, which saves on carbon emissions. We can learn something from this for traffic plans. Frazier: Turn your car off when you wait for a train. Thomas: Dial -A -Ride Recertification Process: People who are turned down have the right to appeal. Appeals committee had first day of appeals. b. STAFF REPORTS Jackson: DAR: Rhetoric and emotionally -laden misinformation out there about policy change. 95% of processed applications have been afforded some point of DAR access. A few people have a lower degree of access, which is difficult for them. It is a very difficult time for Marlys and her staff. New bus routes: All three new bus routes are up and running smoothly, Harmony especially. Harmony/Shields Intersection: Recommendation will come soon. Harmon/Ziegler Improvements: Moving quite smoothly, but will cause difficulties this summer with lane closures, directional closures. Train blockages: More and more issues with train blockages and Mulberry & Lemay and Mulberry & Riverside. The Great Western Rep quit. Mike Herzig is working with the new person to get this resolved. Train reps are coming to next month's meeting. Reorganization of TSA: Outcome is pleasing. Maintaining our strong current working relationships under a new Transportation Operations Director/Manager who will report to a new Planning Development Transportation Director. Transfort will not be part of the new Transportation Group. They will have direct access to the new PDT Director. This has been a difficult process to go through. DRAFT Regular Meeting Minutes Transportation Board May 16, 2007 9. OTHER BUSINESS None. Page 9 City Engineer: Didn't hire any of the interviewed candidates. They were good people, but not what we need. We are going back out for candidates in June. Need someone with a strong engineering background; need a very strong leader, as the position is primarily administrative. GOOD NEWS ITEMS: Spring Bike Fair: On the grassy area at the Downtown Transit Center. Over 500 people attended! Hugely successful. Loveland Reporter Herald reported it well. DK is amazing. CMAO Grants: Fort Collins staff (Traffic, Engineering, TransFort, Transportation Planning) pulled down $6.5 million in awards! Of 16 projects awarded, DK's grants were the number 1 and number 15 projects. Every grant submitted by City staff received some degree of funding. Now you know why I was so excited about the Result Team's Indicator about bringing in outside funds. Frazier: I think the Board should officially congratulate and thank the Transportation Department for all they accomplished! Next Agenda: • Great Western Railroad Project Reports — Thomas & guests • TSA Reorganization Organization Chart - Jackson • DK — Bike program update • Update on pavement management, pavement conditions, potholes, etc.? — Schneider/Richter 10. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Polly Ber, ett Executive Administrative Assistant W-9m, 1