The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2008-01-17 Bicycle & Pedestrian_PACKETCITY OF ASHLAND BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION Agenda Thursday, January 17", 2008 @ 5:15 P.M. Siskiyou Room @ 51 Winburn Way Community Development & Engineering Services Building CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: December 20th, 2007 PUBLIC FORUM - Business from the audience not included on the agenda. (Limited to 5 minutes per speaker and 15 minutes total.) IV. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS Subcommittee & Liaison Reports V. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION Election of Officers — Secretary Appointment of Representative — Crornan Master Plan Meetings On -Going Discussion of Commission Goals Car Free Day/Car Free Living Follow -Up Items New Business Agenda Items for Next Month V1. ADJOURNMENT Upcoming Meetings, t Next Regular Meeting - Thursday, February 21s, 2008 at 5:15 P.M. TIFJ 11wil I fluid rw� I I I 'M I I M If i Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission December 20th, 2007 Regular Minutes Roll Call: Vice Chair Julia Sommer, Tom Burnham, Steve Ryan and Mick Church Chair David Young (absent), Matthew Seiler (absent), Jim Olney (absent) Council Liaison: David Chapman Staff: Derek Severson, Associate Planner Steve McLennan, Police Officer RVTD liaisons: Steve Maluk, TDMPlanner (absent) High school liaison: Vacant SOU liaison: Vacant Call to Order Vice Chair Sommer called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. Approval of Minutes — November 15th, 2007 It was noted that the word "reigns" should be changed to "reins" in the last sentence on page 3. It was also suggested that the minutes clarify Eric Dittmer's identity in the North Main discussion on Page 3. Church/Chapman m/s to approve the October minutes as amended. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. Public Forum None. Public Hearing — Planning Action #2007-01941/Bellview School Bicycle Parking Variance Severson spoke briefly about procedural elements for dealing with land -use actions which are handled through a quasi-judicial hearing process at the Planning Commission. He explained rules regarding ex parte contact and conflict of interest and noted that Chair David Young was not in attendance because as an employee of the Ashland School District he was excluded from participating in the hearing by state and city regulations. Severson also advised Councilor Chapman that because he may have to hear this item in the future if it were to be appealed to Council, he may wish to remove himself to avoid future challenges of bias. Chapman exited the meeting. Public hearing opened at 5:23 Severson explained the request, and noted that this item was before the Commission because the application involves a request for a Variance to the required number of bicycle parking spaces and Section 2.22.040 of the Municipal Code empowers this Commission "To advise the Planning Commission in the administration of the Site Review process with respect to bicycle and pedestrian facilities and parking". David Wilkerson of Ogden Roemer Wilkerson Architects, the applicants, explained the request and noted that the reasons for the Variance request were two -fold: the population of the school includes many younger and special needs students for whom bicycling is not necessarily a viable alternative, and the geographic area served by the school includes areas so far out that they do not lend themselves to bicycling, including parts of Dead Indian Memorial Road, the Greensprings and the Colestine Valley. He suggested that these areas were too remote for school children to safely bike to school. He added that the present state of some of the streets was not the best for bicycling as well, but recognized that these facilities would be improved over time and were not a basis in the request. Juli Dichiro, Superintendent of Schools, pointed out that the district has recently retrofitted all buses with special mufflers and uses a green diesel fuel that has earned them recognition from the Department of Environmental Quality for reducing emissions. She stated that the schools strongly encourage buses over cars as the greenest vehicle option for getting to school. She reiterated Wilkerson's point about the geographic area served and noted that for some students walking is not an option either. She emphasized that the school was happy with the recent improvements of Tolman Creek Road but noted that there were at most only 5-10 bikes in the bike racks. 2007-1220 Bike & Ped minutes Page 1 of'5 Burnham questioned why the Variance was being requested, and Wilkerson responded that the parking requirement also called for all spaces to be covered. He explained that this would involve additional space and sitework requirements, and that there would be additional costs for racks and their covering if the standard number of spaces were installed. He noted that the cover required for 60 bicycle spaces would be the equivalent of a three -car garage, or roughly 20 by 60 feet and would create an attractive nuisance if only a few bikes were using the space. He stated that this structure would be cost prohibitive, and would drive reductions elsewhere in the project. He emphasized that the school could not see spending money on something that had little likelihood of being used. He suggested that fourth and fifth graders were the primary riders. Wilkerson clarified for Church that the cost of the bicycle parking installation to fully address the required 68 covered spaces was likely in the $30,000 to $50,0000 range when the location and sitework were considered in light of prevailing wage requirements. Egon Dubois, Bicycle Safety Instructor for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, questioned whether the planning began with the assumption of providing only 33 spaces or first explored the possibility of installing the required 68 spaces. He expressed concerns that bikes are required to navigate the mix of queuing parent vehicles. He stated that there is a history of discouraging bicycling at the school, and suggested that the new school should be built for the future rather than the past. He agreed that buses may be the safest and most friendly vehicle choice for students, but suggested that they are far from the healthiest for the students. He stated that it would be wise to prepare for more bicyclists, and noted that the Bicycle Transportation Alliance would be teaching bicycle safety education classes in the school in the spring. He also asked the School to consider providing some skateboard racks, which have been installed at other schools and which are made locally. Wilkerson clarified that the applicants were trying to limit the number of access points to the school, and would be splitting the entrances so there was one entry for bus riders, one for those dropped off by parents, and one for bicycles. He noted that the use of overhangs around the building had been considered as a way to provide covered parking, but indicated that most of the planned covered areas are to be dedicated to student circulation. DiChiro noted that they were trying to control the entries for security reasons, and added that the need to limit the traffic on the Siskiyou frontage to buses only was a requirement of ODOT. Tatiana Bredekin, parent of a Bellview student, noted that her child biked to school at Bellview for all six years. She noted that there are at least 20 bikes on the racks at Bellview when the weather is good, and that she has seen International Walk and Bike to School Day event draw 50 students including 30-40 on bikes in the past. She added that the type and placement of the current racks is far from encouraging. Bredekin suggested that the City and the School District are currently paying to conduct a `Be a Fit Kid" program at Bellview where a teacher must oversee students going around the track, and she recommended bicycling to school as a more practical, free approach to create lifelong healthy habits and address the childhood obesity epidemic. She stated that in her experience, younger children are more likely to ride and tend to stop as they get older. She concluded with a reminder that Ashland is a Bicycle Friendly Community and that we need to encourage bicycling, especially for children. Kat Smith, Bicycle Safety Instructor for the Rogue Valley Transportation District and Bicycle Transportation Alliance, noted that she will be teaching a two -week bicycle safety education program at Bellview in the spring. She clarified that the school had been unwilling to host these programs in the past, but that the program was being allowed now with the recent improvements on Tolman Creek Road. She stated that bicycle advocacy relies heavily on the "If you build it, they will come" approach, and suggested that this applied to the bike parking here as well. Lisa Bach, parent of Bellview and Middle School students, noted that her children have ridden to school at Bellview since the first grade and that her middle school age son is comfortable riding on Siskiyou with the recent improvements. She emphasized that first grade is not too young for children to ride bicycles to school. She suggested that there will be new developments in the area to increase the number of students for whom cycling is a viable choice, and that there will be street improvements associated with these developments to improve the cycling environment. Peter Bach, Ashland Middle School Student who attended Bellview last year, noted that he rode his bike to Bellview beginning with his first day in first grade. He added that with the recent improvements to Siskiyou Boulevard he finds it to be as safe as the bike path, and faster. He stated that from a student's perspective, the type and placement of the racks of Bellview were not encouraging for cyclists, and he noted that people also lock their bikes to the 2007-1220 Bike & Ped minutes Page 2 of 5 fences and teachers keep their bikes in the halls outside their classrooms. He suggested that the Middle School also needs additional bicycle parking. Wilkerson clarified for Commissioners that the school has approximately 300 students now, and that while enrollments are actually forecast to decline the proposed school was designed to accommodate 340 students. Severson noted that from a staff perspective, the requirement for only one bicycle parking space per five students is specifically intended to address the demographic and geographic concerns raised by the applicants. He explained that based on information provided by the applicants, of the 340 students who will be attending the school, bicycling will likely be a viable alternative for 163 (or 48 percent of the student body) while bicycle parking is required for only 20 percent of the student body, with 68 spaces. Additional bicycle parking demand from school staff is also absorbed within the "one space per five students" requirement. Overall, Staff does not believe that the application demonstrates either that there are site -specific circumstances necessitating a Variance or that providing less than the required number of spaces will be beneficial or further the intention of the Comprehensive Plan, which recognizes a lack of bicycle parking as a barrier to encouraging bicycling and which includes as a goal that the City "require secure, sheltered bicycle parking in... institutions" like schools. Dichiro clarified for Commissioners that the present bus ridership was at 65 students; she stated that she didn't have a breakdown of how many of these riders were from the outlying geographic areas. She noted that school staff consisted of 13 teachers and two specialists. Wilkerson questioned the basis of the 1 space per 5 students parking requirement, and noted that the school was providing a staff shower which was intended to encourage cycling as well as earning credits for LEED certification. Wilkerson concluded that the proposal was intended to encourage cycling by providing 33 bicycle parking spaces while responding to the realities of the population and geographic area served by Bellview School. He urged commissioners to focus on the same criteria that would be considered by the Planning Commission as they framed their recommendation. He reiterated that the unique or unusual circumstance had to do with the populations and geographic area served and the location of the school relative to higher order streets, and suggested that there would be no negative impact to neighboring properties. Public hearing closed at 6:15 p.m. Burnham noted that the Commission is charged with encouraging cycling and seeing that adequate facilities to do so are provided. He emphasized that this included providing bicycle racks and safer routes. He noted that demographics can change, and added that he was a substitute bus driver for Bellview School at one time and felt that it was inefficient to send a full sized school bus all the way up the Greensprings for a very few students residing there. He indicated that he would like more detail on the demographic distribution of students, but added that he lives relatively close to the school and often sees bicycling and skateboarding students. Church noted that the school is intended to serve the needs of the school district for at least 50-60 years, and added that while it is unknown if the school population will increase he feels it is very likely that there will be an increase in walkers and bicyclists as gas prices increase. He suggested that the design proposed is largely automobile - oriented, and noted that he has seen the impact that the automobile -focused private school on Clay Street has had on the surrounding neighborhood. He concluded that in terms of policy, he did not believe it was wise to allow a Variance that would have the possible effect of discouraging bicycling. Ryan stated that he did not believe the applicants had demonstrated a unique or unusual circumstance relating to the site, and added that if the parking standard was faulty it should be addressed legislatively separately from individual planning applications. He suggested that granting the Variance could have the effect of encouraging students not to bicycle, and he felt that downward pressure of this nature was counter to the second Variance criteria. He indicated that he was concerned with the zero sum mentality behind the cost justification for not providing the required bicycle parking, and concluded that the request did not meet the approval criteria for a Variance in his view. Sommer indicated that she felt that 33 spaces was too little bicycle parking for the school. She emphasized the need to address parents, staff and visitors in addition to students. She added that as gas prices increase, there will be an increased need for localization and this may alter the geographic trends being encountered now by the school. 2007-1220 Bike & Ped minutes Page 3 of 5 Church suggested that the Commission focus on the Variance being requested rather than attempting to determine some middle ground number of appropriate bicycle parking spaces. Ryan/Church m/s to recommend that the Planning Commission deny the requested Variance to the required number of bicycle parking spaces. Discussion: Sommer emphasized that the Planning Commission should be aware that required bicycle parking is intended to serve not only the students, but also teachers, teaching assistants, library staff, parents and other visitors. Church noted that the overall site planning for this project is very automobile -oriented, and expressed concern that bicycling and walking to school can be discouraged if these uses are marginalized through the site design. He expressed particular concern that students arriving by bicycle would have to navigate through what the applicants themselves indicated would be a significant amount of queuing parent traffic in the north parking lot in order to reach the proposed bicycle parking location, and suggested that better site planning was necessary to provide safe access to the required bicycle parking for students arriving by bicycle. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. Chapman returned. Subcommittee & Liaison Reports Severson noted that there was an upcoming League of American Bicyclists training coming in February to Eugene. He also noted that there was an upcoming transportation conference in Corvallis, and stated that he had received a membership application and complementary newsletter from the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals that the Commission could consider funding with Commission funds. Chapman noted that there is also a fall conference put on by the Alliance for Community Traffic Safety that could be considered, and Dubois indicated that he would e-mail information on a Car Free Cities conference in Portland. Severson stated that he would include this information in next month's packet for Commissioner review. Chapman pointed out bicycling - related classes being offered through the Parks Department. Severson noted that there would be a public workshop dealing with the Croman Mill site master planning process on Wednesday, January 29th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Bellview Grange. Church and Burnham indicated they might attend, and Sommer suggested that a formal representative be designated at the next meeting. Central Ashland Bikepath Speed Limits Burnham/Ryan m/s to recommend that there be a posted speed limit of 12 miles per hour on the Central Ashland Bikepath (CAB). Discussion: MacLennan noted that typical radar can only detect speeds in the 15- 17 m.p.h. range, but he added that a laser can read speeds as low as 4 m.p.h. Burnham explained that he feels the path is often crowded and people have a tendency to ride too fast. MacLennan noted that traffic enforcement resources are limited, and he did not believe there would be staffing available for enforcement. Members questioned whether volunteer patrols would be helpful, but it was noted that they were unable to issue citations. Sommer pointed out that enforcement would be difficult, that bicycles typically don't have speedometers, and that there would be a cost for installing signage. She suggested directing energies elsewhere. MacLennan stated that he would prefer regulations to address reckless behavior by those on the CAB. Ryan concurred, and Dubois suggested that while regulating speeds was a good idea requiring courtesy might be more effective. He also asked that bike path stop signs be replaced with full sized signs. . Voice vote: Burnham YES; Sommer, Church and Ryan, NO. Motion failed 3-1. Church questioned the possibility of installing stop signs for the cars at all CAB crossings. MacLennan indicated that this would be difficult due to visibility concerns in some areas and might lead to accidents. He emphasized that even if this were required, it would not relieve the bicyclists from their legally required due regard for safety prior to entering an intersection. Election of Officers - Secretary Members present asked that this item be tabled until next month, and asked that Severson verify when elections were last held to see if positions other than secretary be considered for election. Follow -Up Items from Last Month Severson noted that he believed Public Works staff was in on -going discussions with ODOT regarding the North Main Street fog -line request, and stated that he would follow-up and report back next month. 2007-1220 Bike & Ped minutes Page 4 of S Severson noted that he had discussed the Oak Street bike lane request with Jim Olson, and had been told that even with the 40 foot curb to curb pavement width there was not room to accommodate more than a 3-foot bike lane. He further explained that the Ashland standard called for a 6-foot bike lane and that the state requirements were that it be no less than 4-feet, and this width was likely to increase rather than decrease. After discussion, members suggested that the remaining alternative for Oak Street seemed to be the removal of on -street parking on one side to accommodate bike lanes, and Sommer suggested that members walk and bike this section of Oak over the next month and come to next month's meeting ready to discuss this possibility. Severson noted that he and Olson and Paula Brown would be working to develop recommendations for the creation of the Transportation Commission during the first quarter of 2008, and he would report back as these recommendations developed. Severson noted that he had spoken to Colin Swales about the Glenview Street shared facility request, and that Colin's intent was to keep this possibility on the radar screen and to begin consider signage, improvements and standards that would make such a facility functional. New Business Sommer noted that she would like to suggest that the ODOT grant discussed in the packet be used to fund extension of the CAB from the Railroad Park to Oak Street or on to the Dog Park. Members also mentioned extension of the CAB from Laurel Street out to Jackson Road, the bicycle training program, a bicycle connection to the Oak Knoll area, and extension of the CAB from Tolman to Crowson Road. Severson suggested that he would pass these along to Jim Olson and report back month; he clarified that the Public Works Department was still hopeful that this grant might enable installation of sidewalks on Laurel Street to Helman School, but that they were looking for some alternatives in the event that complications with the Railroad right-of-way made the Laurel Street sidewalks impractical. Agenda Items for Next Month Designation of Attendee for Croman Workshop; Election of Officers, Oak Street; Grant Opportunities; Car Free Day/Car Free Living; Transportation System Plan Draft Project List; Wheeldon Memorial Update; North Main Fog - Line Update; Transportation Commission?. Adiournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. Upcoming Meetings: Regular Meeting — January 17 , 2007 at 5:15 p.m. 2007-1220 Bike & Ped minutes Page 5 of'5 BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION FY 2007-2008 BUDGET UPDATE January 2008 PROGRAM FUNDS 3 300.00 COMMISSION FUND: $750.00 $750 in Commission Funds available in addition to the $3,300 in Program Funds. These are set aside for subscriptions, conference attendance, etc. CAROLE WHEELDON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND: $2,100 BIKE SWAP FUNDS $8,201.92 (as of 11/05/07) Funds generated from the Bike Swap are under the control and management of the Ashland Parks Foundation, a private non-profit affiliated with the Parks Department. The Foundation has indicated a willingness to allow the Commission to make recommendations for the expenditure of these funds. Staff would strongly recommend that any motions for the use of these funds be framed as recommendations to the Ashland Parks Foundation in order to avoid any confusion about the status of these funds or the Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission's role in mana_gin_a them under Oregon state budget law. REMINDER: The Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission does not have the budgetary authority to appropriate funds, and cannot enter into contracts for services. Requests to fund outside organizations should be directed to make application for funding to the City Council through the annual budget process. Derek SeverSOn .._ r- .. _.. �.m� _ mm....._. _ ......._. p p g p kshop..w...._ Page 1 Croman Mill Site Redevelo ment master Ian m ubhc wor From: Amy Anderson To: Brandon Goldman; Dawn Lamb; Derek Severson Date: 12/19/07 4:28:13 PM Subject: Croman Mill Site Redevelopment master planning public workshop On January 29th 2008, the City of Ashland, with the assistance of the city and regional planning firm Crandall Arambula, will be hosting a public workshop. The City recently received a grant from Oregon Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program to begin the redevelopment planning for the Croman Mill site. The public workshops will engage the property owners, nearby residents, government and other interested parties to identify a vision for the area. The public workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, January 29th, 2008 from 7:00-9:00 PM at the Bellview Grange located at 1050 Tolman Creek Road. If you could please extend this invitation to the Commission you staff and see if a Commissioner would represent the group at the workshop and report back to the Commission. Attached is an informational blurb for your reference. Let me know if you have any questions. Amy D. Anderson, Assistant Planner City of Ashland Department of Community Development 51 Winburn Way 20 East Main St. (mailing only) Ashland, OR 97520 (541)552-2044 (541)552-2050 fax Croman Master Plan The City of Ashland recently received an Oregon Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Quick Response Grant to be used for redevelopment master planning of the Croman Mill site and surrounding properties. Crandall Arambula, a city and regional planning firm, will work with the City on the project. The TGM Program is a joint effort of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). The City, with the assistance of Crandall Arambula, will engage the property owners, nearby residents, state government and other interested parties to identify and develop a vision for the area. The master plan will be formulated based on the vision. The final step will be the adoption of a Redevelopment Master Plan and implementation of code amendments to achieve the identified project goals. The Croman Mill site located on Mistletoe Road, is bounded by the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad, Siskiyou Boulevard, Mistletoe Road, and Interstate I-5. This approximately 65-acre site is currently zoned industrial and intended to provide employment opportunities. The site was previously used as a lumber mill that ceased operations in the late 1990's. Since the closure of the mill, the site has largely been unused. The site is the largest, unused site in Ashland that is identified to provide employment opportunities for the next 20 years. The City determined that a comprehensive, area -wide planning effort would be beneficial to clearly outline what the community is looking for on the Croman Mill site. Issues that will be examined during the process include maximizing opportunities for business development and employment growth, analyzing potential transportation connections from within the area to the city wide transportation system, determining appropriate land uses for the area, identifying development scenarios to address potential on -site clean up, developing an efficient parking plan and incorporating sustainable and energy efficient development practices. To begin the process of developing a master plan for the site, city staff and the consultants will conduct Public Workshops in late January and again in early spring. The dates, times and the locations of the workshops will be announced at a later date and will be available on the City of Ashland website www.ashland.or.us. For more information about the Croman Mill Redevelopment Plan contact Maria Harris, Planning Manager at 541.552.2045. CITY OF Memo ASHLAND Date: November 28, 2007 From: James H. Olson To: Traffic Safety Commission Re: TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN (TSP) UPDATE The City has contracted with HDR Engineering, Inc. of Portland to provide an updated TSP. The City's current TSP was developed in 1998 by W&H Pacific Engineering and being 10 years old is now in need of updating. The existing TSP is presented in 12 chapters and it is expected that the new document will be similar in content and format. The chapters include: 1. Introduction 2. TSP — Technical Review/ Public Involvement Process 3. Background Policies and Transportation Planning Rule Requirements 4. Existing Conditions and Constraints 5. Recommended Design Standards 6. Identification of System Problems 7. Pedestrian and Bicycle Amenities 8. Recommended Access Management 9. Needed Transportation Improvements 10. Financial Plan 11. Alternatives Evaluation and Project Prioritization 12. Financially Constrained Plan As work on the TSP progresses, HDR will submit the draft chapters to the City for review and comments. Chapter 4, Existing Conditions and Constraints and Appendix B would be of particular interest to the commission. If you would like to review theses pages (or the entire TSP) you can review it at our office at 51 Winburn Way, access it on the City's website under "Quick Links" / "Document Center" at http://www.ashland.or.us/Files/Transportation%20System%20Plan%201998.pdf or request a copy by calling Nancy Slocum at 552-2420. If you have any comments regarding the current submittals, please share them at the December 61h meeting. If you have questions regarding the TSP update and process, please contact Karl Johnson at 552-2415. ENGINEERING DIVISION Tel: 541/488-5347 20 E. Main Street Fax: 541/488-6006 Ashland OR 97520 TTY: 800/735-2900 www.ashland.or.us, :Ii:, C:\D000ME-1\seversod\LOCALS-1\Temp\TSP Update Memo 11 07.doc A w VA The University of Portland L Traffic Law Enforcement Program Department of Civil Engineering 5000 North Willamette Blvd. Portland, OR 97203-5798 W atoLV [ O G C p 0 a M r7 °� • C � `� � c ° o0 C W p E— a > ,>', a� o LI noa t a� O o aoi a a rA IV o° ° aJ p O .. C E p G. Cn W ai .[ O O M .0 0 A 3 0 to �79b E--� U CJ ON CA tj y ti E i? c co cn CI O O cis �o C 6+ > yyy L �- v• �' � ice, � .� v � O UO y c �` 3 C _ o a, y v s a 3 -L -- 13 v n�� E3ce 0 Cr F. C 0. n X y Z�� y Ln U C .L C O � U 0 ti C 'J .y > U C � n r C :Ili n o 3 O 'C7 tJ C •y A i O �G ^ c� r ?3 o Cyy �• E17� o H Q Q Q Gi0 CCG M u M I JJ ) L~ iU. L� f— O a� b0 Gr 3•. y p� rr C CL C 0 G c7 v O cd o�—c' t' 'rA U c•C- v, � �-'� _ v O �� L G >, uLr Nei. � Q �� K '•' C� � � � L 4.. U cti ,,,� C L C c _ G cC R• U bl) cY C Gj V f1 cd .� �G C u ti +� °' a •••• � �, ,.� cc a� O m a �, ...a a� m m a m m c. F-- Q 77 77 `v,• U v ate+ ' j c.. y p.O v O C C bOA L ro U° cCa a a) a.+ v ° y C 0m R v' � � C O co ` O bt) O 4, O v 4V., y G U J U C v -O ' v v v R to 3°' c E c ce o '° o F, . au M o >• v (U c o. ° v ?? � �° c) v ° W � � `F�i '3 C •� O (A Q � � C � O •� v taiU r3 r c°i a] ..0 � � 'cv� '°" ?� y ro cvv w v v v y C x u �f c0 is � w eO �... 4. v U .>.' 3 bl) y C � v � 7 � ° =° C • .s co �., O y v y cu 3 o c v 0 w. w R c Q w ,D C .Q v. M 'b O cy .O U ,�, api �.+ a�i v v avi ' Q' `�' H C b P +� c" ?r o 3 y m �' '„ _ > •� G a y p v -� ro Q cwd = i �_ y v y cE r v y v O 4 � N v v V 'D C U C fl> 0. L S . e ro >, 'ro v y o c v ro 3 O c C p c�a i� c `-M. > vv m ^ o o r R o > 3 bu rC �Z o v a� 0 c, v 3° v c v U v a c.. o> ° ° 9 v 3° V� , v ° o U A o° '� °= bb"n °° 3 a 3 o O o c o v �«. v O 3 v o v a °° c,. o v �+ t 3-oow�w��o�Ev �oosovo°� O L m a0 v. 3 UbU�3 E w= �1 cd 'G y M N D a d°' o Oo,° v ro U G b 0 0 .x r cn co) U C z C v1 U 4i El y U C O O C CJ 3> C J O O ►t+ w �U)cna[— z= e rt41 a C O � C G � ti a w Q _o N cu U � '� C O O CAA W 'sue cc v ai C [ e �� op C E N Op o N c ^ G � 4 y O v O v LV a) .r U r >, x ca u �� CZUa..W. DECEMBER 2007 e„ I N%W000f M�i FOR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE Walk+Bike to School Day is a Soggy Success Alice is Coming! n October 3rd, 2007, over fourmil- 112001 �� ' �his year's Alice Awards and Auction lion people in 42 different coun- „U„r;, Twill take place March 22, 2008, at tries around the world participated in r"��f%;, the Oregon Convention Center in: International Walk+Bike to School s Portland. Break out your berets, Day. In Oregon, nearly'90 schools took because this year's theme is Alice in part across the state. In Portland's par- Paris! We were inspired by the French ticipating 30 schools, a heavy morning , +' !' '' i ' ! P capital because of their movement rainfall didn't stop many students and toward Sunday Parkways and for their parents from enjoying their walk or successful bike rental program, Velib. bike ride to school! Ooh la la! Atkinson and Capitol Hill schools Do, you know a bike champion who both saw over 200 children mostly deserves an Alice Award? Bike activists walking and bicycling to school': of all types have been nominated in c Atkinson students were welcomed by a the past. If you know someone who student group of drummers and an I deserves recognition for all the great excited, though soggy, crowd. Capitol ` �� work they've done for the bicycling_ Hill students, who walked several community, don't keep it a secret! blocks to school from Market of " Nominate them online at www.aliee Student groups walked from Market of Choice on SW Choice, were joined by Portland City` Terw lligerto Capital Hill Elementary. awards.org. Better hurry, though the Commissioner Sam Adams, intern- deadline for nominations is January tionally-ranked racing cyclist Erik more like they had been swimming."'' 1st 2008.' ' Tonkin. State Representative Greg Another great way to get involved One school had to string up clothes - an, Portland Public Schools is by donating to the auction. In the fipast we've to dry all the wet jackets, but even tuber Ruth Adkins and the had a huge variety of dona- the soaked students were enthusiastic cutive Director Scott the from custom-built bikes, to pro - Bricker. At one participating school, a about Walk+Bike to School Day! This year also marked the first time fessional organizing sessions. We'd father/daughter team on a unicycle a college campus participated. Oregon love to hear what you'd like to contrib- and stilts put anew meaning to "walk ' State University in Corvallis had so ute. Contact Heather Andrews at and bike" day. much fun with the event they actually heather@bta4bikes`.org to donate. BTA board member Hugh Bynum extended it for two additionaldays. ' We'd also love to have your help , was enjoying the dry weather until just Ann C. Asbellan organizer for the planning and executing the event. If before the end, when a deluge began, , event with OSU s College of Health you'd like to be a part of the action as a soaking walkers who then "looked and Human Science, said that though volunteer, contact Tricia Satterlee at they organized the event on short tricia@bta4bikes.org. In addition to ' notice, "it was worth our effort." She being fed, your volunteers receive the said they did a great job raising aware- undying admiration of the BTA staff. a ness of the event which also happened (Finally, we need sponsors for the I at eight local elementary schools in the event. If your company is interested Corvallis area. in exposing your name to a large audi- Walk+Bike to School day happens ence of bike advocates and supporters, every year. Next year on October 8th, contact Kristie Perry at kristier gearup and join your local school on a bta4bikes.org. 1 walk or ride! Questions? Email us at alice@ t bta4bikes.org. e�o✓i��o�a�ii�i�ie�ii�/�i�/rrlrrrmmm�roo�l+M��i�riacleniiiiiaiiiiiiiioi000a Safe Routes to School Director Angela Koch and Unitus The Alice Awards and Auction representative Tracy Streehel assisted events at 1�1 N Buckman Elementary. Will be March 22, 2008! YESI want to support R $35 Individual IN $250'+' Business' Sponsor .1 the Bicycle t111l 95n Family/Hnncehnld 0 2:5�n -'Rnd Clark Snciety JAN 1 DEADLINE for Alice Awards Nominations BAN 3o BICYCLE LEGAL CLINIC. PNCA Commons,1241 NW Johnson, JAN t NEW YEAR'S DAY RIDE. Make a resolution to join us on a ride to 12:31PM Portland. RSVP to info@hta4hikes.org, NOON 'celebrate 2008! Ride starts at the Battleship Oregon memorial in FEB 2 VOLUNTEER SATURDAY,; Don't have time during the week to Waterfront Park, Portland, at noon. 9: 30AM _ volunteer? Pitch in and help the BTA send out important mailings. JAN 5 VOLUNTEER SATURDAY. Don't have time during the week to Snacks and good conversation assured. 9:30AM volunteer? Pitch in and help the BTA send out important mailings. MAR 22 ALICE AWARDS AND AUCTION, Oregon Convention Center, Snacks and good conversation assured. Portland. Save the date, and join us! Brett Jarolimek Fund OF THE BTA n October 22, 2007,Brett Jarolimek ° cycling safety, visibility, and awareness G was killed in a collision with a truck in the Portland area will oversee the while riding his bike in Portland. Brett fund. Individuals and organizations j ! was a. Portlandresident, an employee will be ini ited to submit proposals and and team member of Bike Gallery, and grant requests for the fulfillment of an acti} e member of the cycling and specific projects that are consistent art, communities. The news of his with the mission of thefund. The r uy death came as "a terrible blow. : committee/board will meet at regular Bike Gallery, with the support of intervals to revle\J' applications, dis- Brett's family and friends, has estab- tribute funds and work on develop- lished a memorial fund in honor of ment and fundraising projects. The Brett's life. The Brett Jarolimek'Mem- committee/board will also consider orial Fund will be hosted by the BTA, ' opportunities for strategic alliances > which will administer the collection with City and State agencies and other and distribution of donations. nonprofit organizations. Donations made to the fund will be Make a donation to the Brett used to support the cause of bicycle, Jarolimek Memorial Fund by writing a safety through strategic partnerships check to the BTA (in the notes field, and direct support of projects` intend- write `Brett Jarolimek Memorial ed to enhance motorist awareness and Fund"), and mailing; it to: ' education; enhance the awareness, visi ` Bicycle Transportation Alliance bilitti and education of bicyclists; and c/o Brett Jarolimek enable bicycle :safet - infrastructure � ' llemor�ial Fund projects on a selected basis, including PO Box 9072 1 funding grassroots projects initiated Portland, OR 97207-9072i by individuals. Bike Gallery has pledged to match A committee or board of individu first -year ear contributions towards the als who will represent the concerns of fund, up to a total of $10,000 Tim O'Donnell Memorial Fund Update 1\4emorial Fund merits goal in family, andf achiei=ing $$10,000 in support from HoJJTeNTer businesses and individuals that see the not `yet done need to make roads safer for bicyclists a series of ct in \Vashington'County.; rounds throe The fund' directly'' benefited the Count`, and \Vashington Count} Bicycle Safety ness eNents 1 Campaign of the AVashCo BTC, which' Donate t, corn. ENTer NT dollar received will make huge difference in what the campaigi is able to accomplish. �L Aggressive Drivers • They are high -risk drivers, more likely to drink and drive, speed, or drive unbelted. • Their vehicle provides anonymity, allowing them to take out their frustrations on other drivers. • Their frustration levels are high, concern for other motorists, low. • They consider vehicles as objects and fail to consider the human element involved; therefore, they seldom consider the consequences of their actions. • They run stop signs, disobey red lights, speed, tailgate, weave in and out of traffic, pass on the right, make unsafe lane changes, flash their lights, blow their horns, or make hand and facial gestures. http.//www. nhtsa. dotgov/ people/injury/aggressive/ Symposium/introduction. htm l r� w itFGON Connecting Oregon's Community Traffic Safety Advocates Volume 6, Number 2 Becoming a Courteous Driver or at Least Trying By Kate Murphy When one becomes involved in traffic safety it is sometimes hard to not impress their passion for the subject onto others. I have found this to be true in my life. When my mother calls to tell me she has just been struck by another vehicle she frantically exclaims, "I've been in a crash; I've been in a crash!" She has been trained well to eliminate the word accident from her vocabulary when vehicles are involved. My sister, as she learns to drive, has discovered a whole new world called bike lanes. My friends excitedly like to point out that they are wearing their seat belts when we are traveling together. Unfortunately, there is always that one person who seems to enjoy the threshold of the dark side. It's not that they don't wear their seatbelt; they just wait until they pull out See rea0 of the driveway or get on the "main" road to put it on. The majority of the time they travel along in a civilized manner, except when a little congestion DON'T RUN It is thrown into the mix. They instantly become anxious, rapidly change lanes, tail gate, and somehow find small gaps of space to speed. The situation can become even more intense when you don't quite know where you're going and in the midst of all your aggressive driving behaviors you try to decipher a map. The offender is known as Brian. He has participated in these behaviors a time or two. Fortunately in the world of traffic safety we don't give up on anyone. I recently sat down with Brian to interview him about his aggressive driving and how he has worked to change his habits. Would you consider yourself an aggressive driver? Why or why not? "I don't think that I am aggressive driver. 1 feel like I drive defensively." Do you ever worry about injuring yourself or others? "No not really. I guess when you tell me to drive better I at least think about my driving." What measures have you taken to become a more courteous driver? Have these measures changed your attitude towards driving at all? "I try to stay out of traffic. I get really aggravated about how badly people drive. Even if I go a longer way it is worth it to not have to sit in bumper to bumper traffic. I will always hate traffic and I will probably never change the way I drive in it. All I can do is try to avoid it." Although Brian does not consider himself an aggressive driver he does realize that it is better for him to travel in lower volumes of traffic. Finding alternate routes is one way to combat aggressive driving behavior. Other ways to ensure that you are driving safely in traffic is to keep a four second distance between you and other vehicles. Also make sure that you have lights on not only at night but during inclement weather. Lastly don't drive drowsy. Find a safe place to pull over and take a nap if need be. aqi Get noticed. TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON. For more information on courteous driving visit, http.//www. Oregon.gov/ODOT/TS/SafeandCourteous Driving.shtml. ace out KEEPmixnmi nnnnnn mnninu mnnnni mn�ppww IIIIIIIIIA SAFE INSTANCE. Traffic Safety Connection • December ........................... ...„,_„...... For information call 503-643-5620 or 1-800-772-1315.........,...........,.......,.................. ......, —1 ACTS Oregon STAFF Ruth Harshfield Executive Director ruthh@actsoregon.org Gayle Watts Child Passenger Safety Program Coordinator gayiew@actsoregon.org Sandy Holt Child Passenger Safety Technician Coordinator sandyh@actsoregon.org Kate Murphy Community Traffic Safety Coordinator katem@actsoregon.org Tory Brixey Administrative Assistant safety@actsoregon.org BOARD MEMBERS Tony Tirico, President Bend ttirico@ci. bend. or. us Tammy Franks, Vice President Hillsboro TFranks@LHS.ORG Lucie Drum, Secretary Portland lucie-drum@amr-ems.com Daniel Marcisz, Treasurer Medford MarcisDE@jacksoncounty.org Larry Christianson McMinnville dejaceo@msn.com Stephen J. Manning Keizer stephen687@earthlink.net John Naccarato Oregon City johnnac@co.clackamas.or.us Rob Nou Burns robt.nou@centurytel.net Ed Simon Newport simonsez@actionnet. net Mike Stupfel Salem Michael.Stupfel@state. or. us Beth Wemple Portland BWEMPLE@kittelson.com Graphic Design by Melissa Gannon A Year in Child Passenger Safety Many successes within the world of child passenger safety (cps) have been accomplished this year. There were eight National CPS Technician Training courses held; which resulted in seventy two newly certified cps technicians. The courses took place in communities throughout the state which included: Albany, Beaverton, The Dalles, Lincoln City, Medford, Ontario, and Redmond. In addition to the technician classes the Child Safety Seat Resource Center (CSSRC) provided update classes to support the recertification process. The update classes allowed technicians to attend an eight hour training in order to complete all required Continuing Education Units (CEU). These trainings were held in Albany, Astoria, Baker City, Bandon, Beaverton, Bend, Coos Bay, Hood River, Pendleton, Roseburg, and Salem. The CSSRC also made an effort to reach out to organizations and individuals interested in taking introductory courses in cps. The courses were offered in Beaverton, Corvallis, Newport, Roseburg, Seaside, The Dalles, and Tillamook. All of these courses and trainings led to some outstanding statics representing the needs that were met in various communities. A total of 48 safety seat check up clinics and 228 fitting station events were listed on the ACTS Oregon website. Reports were received from 48 clinics and 93 fitting stations. A total of 2,631 seats were checked and 2,312 of them were in need of correction. This resulted in a misuse rate of 88%. A total of 364 boosters were also checked; 196 of them needed correction. The resulting misuse rate for booster seats was 53%. In addition CPS technicians conducted 1,836 new seat demonstrations. The total number of children benefiting from seat checks was 4,831. In addition to all the clinics and fitting stations the CSSRC worked to meet the needs of low income families without proper restraints for their children. A total of 1,392 seats were purchased-58 infant, 772 convertible, 204 combination and 358 boosters. Organizations participating in their distribution include: ACTS Oregon, Corvallis Fire, Coos County Health, Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Columbia Gorge SAFE KIDS, Gold Beach Police Department., Bend Fire, Redmond Fire, Grants Pass Fire, Klamath County Fire, Lincoln County Health, Albany Fire, Douglas County Health, Grant County Health, Lake County Health, Malheur County Safe Kids, Network for Mentoring, Morrow County Health, Polk County Fire, Tillamook County Health, La Grande Fire, Jefferson County Health, Multnomah County Health, Umatilla & Morrow SAFE KIDS, Crook County Fire, American Medical Response, Love, Inc., Trauma Nurses Talk Tough, and Tuality Health Education. The technician classes, check up events, and seat distributions help secure the safety of Oregon's children on the road ways, however, they also create more courteous drivers in the process. When an individual participates in the certification process, they not only learn how to install a carseat; they learn how their behaviors as a driver affect their safety and the safety of others on the road. The same influence occurs when a family attends a check up event. Technicians are responsible for educating families on how to properly protect their children in a crash. When the families are exposed to the dynamics of what occurs during a crash, they become aware of their driving behaviors as well. Merely opening the door to becoming aware is a step in the effort to make Oregon roads safer. Building Safer Communities Mini -Grants 07-08 This year ACTS Oregon received many applications for the mini -grants. A total of twelve projects were funded. The grantees and their projects include: Boring Fire Department —Driving Course at Damascus Days in the Park, City of Ashland Public Works Department —DUI Safe Driving Campaign, City of Grants Pass Department of Public Safety —Grants Pass Speed Check, City of Keizer—Helmet and Road Riding Education and Training, Grant County Safe Communities Coalition —Traffic Safety Working in the Community, Harriet Tubman Leadership Academy for Young Women —Safe Routes to School Education and Mentorship, Hubbard Police Department —Traffic Safety Education, Independence Police Department —Independence Traffic Safety Personnel and Equipment, Jefferson Rural Fire Protection District —Emergency Services Expo, Malheur County Fair Board —Kids Fair 2008, Molalla Police Department —Safe, Smart and Slowed Down on Molalla's Streets, and Polk County Fire District —Rural Communities Bike Safety. ACTS Oregon looks forward to working with all of the grantees. We received many innovative applications. Thank you to all who applied. f Traffic Safety Connection *December ..................................Click on wwwactsoregon.org for Traffic Safety Information in Oregon...............................,...,.,..,,2 What Parents Are Doing Recently the website Safety Feature. org surveyed things that parents are doing to keep their children safe. The site looked at things like holding a child's hand in the parking lot, not leaving children in the car, and keeping children buckled up. The survey results showed that many parents are doing a great job at protecting their children. This can be a refreshing thing to hear in a world of mis-use rates and crash statistics. The results revealed that parents normally hold a child's hand in a parking lot until the child is, on average, at least 7 1/2 years old. Nine out of ten parents agree that children need more supervision than they're getting to prevent injuries in and around cars. This is a valuable statistic because holding a child's hand near a street or driveway, in a parking lot or anywhere, offers them another pair of eyes to watch for danger. There's no national best practice that states at what age it is OK to leave a child unattended in a vehicle. There are state laws and city ordinances that address this issue in varying degrees. However nine out of ten parents say they have never left a child under 5 alone in a car. Three out of 5 parents say the same about any child age five to twelve. St. Helens Technician Class The St. Helens certification course was in high demand. The class was full with twenty students. In fact one of those attending was our own Gayle Watts. Since Gayle became certified in 1999 many aspects of cps have changed. For Gayle auditing a tech class was a great way for her to continue to provide the most current information available, to all the families she assists. Having so many individuals participating in the certification process is incredibly valuable, especially as families hit the road with their little ones for the holidays. The St. Helen's class certainly made an impact on the number of technicians now available to assist their communities. The class took place November 13-15, with a check up event at Columbia River Fire and Rescue in St. Helens on November 16th. This class was incredibly successful with all students passing. The newly certified technicians NW Transportation Conference Making the Most of What We Have Innovations for the 21st Century February 5, 6, 7, 2008 Oregon State University. The theme is designed to address innovations that help maintain and improve transportation 1111211 Parents also say that buckling WHAT ARE PAWS DOING? children up in the car is a necessity, however they find it can become a challenge to keep this behavior a7i' consistent practice. When children are forty pounds and less, they are in a harness system. With this type of restraint it can sometimes be easier for parents to ensure that their child is buckled in. Once that child has exceeded forty pounds or the upper weight limit of their seat they are ready for a booster. From this point on children are utilizing the seatbelt system in the vehicle as their restraint. Often these children have a greater range of mobility and increased capability to secure themselves in a vehicle. This leaves more opportunity for a child to not buckle up or unbuckle themselves during the duration of a trip. SAFE KIDS Worldwide, NHTSA, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have teamed up to create, Five Ways to Get Your Older Child Buckled Up In a Back Seat. 1) Give Them Something To Do. A back seat can be a great place for playing electronic games or reading books. 2) Let Them Own the Space.Tweens are eager to claim their own space. Let them set up places to keep things in a back seat so that's the first place they want to go. 3) Buckle Up.Tweens do what you do. If you buckle up, they are much more likely to do the same. 4) Tell Them "It's the Law." Seat belts are mandatory by law. Let tweens know belt use isn't an option; it's the law. 5) Let Them Pick the Radio Stations. Eight to 12-year-olds are eager to make their own choices, and picking a radio station is often high on their list. Make it a rule: If your child sits buckled in back, he or she can pick the radio stations. For the complete article and survey visit, www.safety feature.org. t7D include: Angela Orth—Child Adolescent Clinic, Jonathan Smith --Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Gregory Russo —Department of Human Services, Brian Dobbs—DHS Child Welfare Services, Paula Knapp —East County Fire and Rescue, Doug Ledbetter, Margaret Mazzotta, Nate Pieske, and Barry Rager—Eugene Police Department, Jamie Allred and Rick Lecker—Longview School District #122, Scott Douglas—Molaila Police Department, Sherlynn Carpenter — Oregon Child Development Coalition, Amber Williams —Parents Place, Mandy King —Pediatric Clinic, Pamela Ross —St. Vincent's Hospital, Gerald Bartolomucci, Michael Davis, and Michelle McMahan — Tigard Police Department. Congratulations to all the students. The class would not have been able to be so successful without assistance from the instructor team which included: Sandy Holt —ACTS Oregon, Jeff Oliver —Lake Oswego Police Department, Tammy Franks —Legacy Health System and Doris Girt — Vancouver Police Department. Thank you for all your time and dedication. system service levels in an era of constrained funding and limited resources. In line with that theme, there will be sessions on transportation growth management, getting more capacity out of existing infrastructure, smart infrastructure investments, as well as long life and recycled materials. For registration information visit, http.//kiewit oregonstate. edu/nwtc/index. html. Traffic Safety Connection • December ..................................Click on www.childsafetyseat.org for clinics scheduled in Oregon ......................... ,.............. ...... 3 Check Up Clinics and Fitting Stations Please check www.childsafetyseat.org under Child Passenger Safety/Calendar for current list, specific dates, locations and times. Date City 12/13/2007 Beaverton 12/13/2007 La Grande 12/15/2007 Salem 12/15/2007 Beaverton 12/15/2007 Portland 12/15/2007 Albany 12/19/2007 12/19/2007 12/20/2007 12/20/2007 02/27/2007 O1/12/2008 O1/03/2008 O1/03/2008 Corvallis McMinnville La Grande Bend La Grande McMinnville La Grande Redmond Location Kuni Cadillac Fire Department Salem Hospital Parking area of Com. Bldg. Police Department Fire Department Fire Department Station #12 Fire Department Fire Department Fire Department Fire Department Fire Department Fire Department Fire Department Fire Department Free Traffic Safety Workshops Address Time 3725 SW Cedar Hills Boulevard 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. 1806 Cove Avenue —Call for appt. 541-963-3123 365 Winter Street SE 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. 4755 SW Griffith Drive 8:45 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. 2915 SE 13th Place & Powell 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. 120 34th Street SE 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. 400 NW Harrison Street 8:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. 175 E 1st Street 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. 1806 Cove Avenue —Call for appt. 541-963-3123 1212 SW Simpson Avenue 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. 1806 Cove Avenue —Call for appt. 541-963-3123 175 E 1st Street 12:00 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. 1806 Cove Avenue —Call for appt. 541-963-3123 341 Dogwood Avenue 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Improving Safety Features of Highways, Local Roads and Streets • December 17th • Klamath Falls Highway Local Road and Street Safety for Non -Engineers • December 18th • Bend To enroll visit, https.//orgs.up.edu/highwaysafety/. Taught by: Mojie Takallou, Ph.D, P.E.,Department of Civil Engineering U of P Happy Holidays!!!!! Free Seminars The Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) at Portland State University offers weekly transportation seminars on Fridays at noon each term. The seminar is broadcast live on the web, and is open to the public. Viewers may submit questions by email before or during the seminar. More than 130 seminars are archived in streaming video on the CTS website. http.//www.cts. pdx. edu/seminars. htm. Traffic Safety Connection a December ..................................Click on www.childsafetyseat.org for clinics scheduled in Oregon.............................................4