HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-12-11 Bicycle & Pedestrian_MIN
Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission
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December 11, 2008 Regular Minutes
Roll Call: Chair David Young, Vice Chair Julia Sommer, Secretary Jim Olney,
Steve Ryan, and Tom Burnham.
Council Liaison: Kate Jackson
Staff: Steve McLennan, Police Officer (absent)
Derek Severson, Associate Planner
Rachel Teige, Parks Dept. Recreation Superintendent
RVTD liaisons: Nathan Broom, RVTD TDM Planner
SOU liaison: Eve Woods (absent)
High school liaison: Vacant
Call to Order
Chair Young called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m.
Presentation of Awards
On behalf of the Mayor, Severson presented certificates of appreciation to the Commissioners for
their dedicated service.
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Approval of Minutes – October 16, 2008
Ryan noted that the Commute Challenge actually resulted in a reduction in 3,754 vehicle miles
traveled in Ashland, not the 700 listed in the minutes and asked that the minutes be amended to
reflect the correct figure.
The minutes were approved by unanimous consent as amended.
Public Forum
Michelle Carrillo, an arts and education major from S.O.U., discussed her art bike proposal
which would create a loaner bike program at the Middle School, allowing students to
individually decorate bikes they could borrow for the year. Members gave her some background
on the Community Bike Program and noted that the excess bikes from the Bike Swap might
provide a source for bikes. Members suggested that she might contact Egon Dubois of the
B.T.A. who might have some bikes available. It was noted that there have historically been
difficulties with loaner bike programs, and members suggested that she might want to look at an
ownership program where the bikes could be provided to keep and the students would decorate
them as part of developing a sense of ownership.
Kat Smith of the Rogue Valley Transportation District discussed an environmental task force
that is forming to work on environmental modifications at Walker School in cooperation with
Safe Kids International. She explained that there was a $10,000 grant to fund these efforts and
asked for a letter of support from the Commission and that commissioners consider joining the
task force. She added that the likely commitment was approximately one hour per month.
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Olney/Young m/s to draft a letter of support from the Commission for the Safe Kids
International Environmental Task Force at Walker School. Discussion: Young indicated
that he would draft a letter of support and email to Severson to be placed on letterhead.
Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Huelz Gutcheon noted the coloring contest to win a bike that was currently underway, and
discussed the need for a “creatively paranoid” mindset on the part of cyclists as a means to insure
their safety. He also suggested a law that cyclists be allowed to ride no closer than four feet from
a parked car.
Informational Items – Subcommittee & Liaison Reports
Nathan Broom of RVTD discussed their monthly stat’s, noting that anecdotally they were not
seeing a reduction in ridership despite the decrease in gas prices. He emphasized that they have
experienced a 16.2 percent increase in ridership for the year-to-date system wide. He noted that
he would be looking at three-bike racks for the buses in the spring, and also at the ability to count
cyclists, including those turned away for lack of rack space.
Broom added that a $30,000 ODOT grant had been re-conditioned to start a car share program in
Ashland. He explained that a new Prius had been leased and that additional vehicles could
become available in the spring. He invited members to an initial meeting to discuss the program.
Burnham noted that Jackson County will be re-doing their bicycle map and are in the process of
preparing their maps through the County’s GIS department. He explained that the maps would
be edited to add new details, and that they would be working with the City’s GIS department.
Burnham added that the County would provide the bulk of the funding for this effort, and that
some funding issues would depend on whether the maps were to be for sale or to be given away.
He noted that the City of Eugene’s map had served as a model, and added that he and Jenna
Stanke from Jackson County were meeting with Bob Korfhage, the Mail Tribune’s “Along for
the Ride” columnist, to discuss his collection of recommended cycling and hiking routes.
Jackson emphasized the need to ensure that Stanke was looking at both the City GIS data and the
County’s MPO data. Broom emphasized the need to provide enough detail for point-by-point
navigation. Burnham noted that the maps may be modified to include restroom locations or even
bike shops.
Ryan noted that he had not attended the last Traffic Safety Commission meeting, and discussed
the Ad Hoc Siskiyou Boulevard Safety Committee’s meetings. There was a discussion of the
proposed changes to be made at the Garfield intersection, and members discussed the need to
address issues of controlled access at the Stephenson Union, taking into account the University’s
circulation needs, the grade constraints and the presence of established trees. It was noted that
the existing globes of the pedestrian lights seem to detract from the beacons at the Bridge Street
intersection.
Discussion of Transportation Commission & Bike Swap Funds
Severson briefly explained that there was an open recruitment for members of the new
Transportation Commission. He noted that the application period closed on Friday, December
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19 and that the Mayor had indicated he was hoping for someone with a land use background
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among the applicants. Severson added that the Public Works Director was hopeful that one of
the first projects the new Commission would take on would be the updating of the Transportation
System plan, which would provide an opportunity to identify new bicycle and pedestrian
connectivity routes.
Rachel Teige, Recreation Superintendent with the Ashland Parks & Recreation Department,
discussed the issues with the Bike Swap funds. She noted that in an audit some time ago
concerns were raised with keeping the Bike Swap funds separate through the Parks Foundation.
As a result, these funds had now been places in the Parks Departments budget.
Members asked that Severson draft a letter of explanation to the Transportation Commission,
City Administrator, Parks Director, Public Works Director and Planning Director in support of
continuing to use the Bike Swap funds for the same uses and types of uses, specifically to
support the Bike Swap and bicycle safety education in general, and the Bicycle Transportation
Alliance (BTA) program in Ashland schools in particular.
Oak Street Fog Lines
After discussion of the history of this item and the potential complications of a fog line including
the presence of the bump-out’s at the speed humps and the seeming placement of bicyclists in the
door zone of parked cars, members recommended that Oak Street be designated and signed as a
shared-use facility including the use of “sharrow” pavement markings.
Burnham/Ryan m/s that in lieu of fog lines, that the Engineering Division explore the
possibility of implementing a shared use facility designation and implementing a “sharrow”
pilot project given the importance of Oak Street as a cycling route between the Greenway
and the Central Ashland Bikepath. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Interchange 14 Bridge Design Review Committee (Beginning January 2009)
Severson explained that this was committee that would review the designs for aesthetics and
presented an opportunity to try to make the design unique to Ashland. He suggested that Young
might be the best candidate given his previous experience on the IAMP committees, and noted
that the Public Arts and Tree Commissions would also have representatives on this committee.
Young indicated that he was willing to serve on this committee.
Planning Action Update
Severson provided a brief update on two planning projects with potential bicycle and pedestrian
impacts, as requested by Steve Ryan.
Severson explained that the Coming Attractions Theaters project had been approved by the
Planning Commission, and added that the approval had included a requirement that the
applicants provide for a future connectivity route for bicycle and pedestrian access through or
adjacent to the property. He clarified that this requirement would only come into play if
easements were obtained for a pedestrian crossing of the railroad tracks.
Severson noted that the purchase of the 380 Clay Street property, formerly known as
Willowbrook, was moving ahead through partnership between the City and the Jackson County
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Housing Authority. He noted that development of the property, as a modification of the
Willowbrook approval, was at the pre-application stage and would present some opportunities
for bicycle and pedestrian connectivity. He also added that as part of moving ahead with the
proposal, the Council had indicated that they wanted to see an east-west road connection
between Clay Street and Tolman Creek Road.
New Business
None.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
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