HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPAC-2012-05-01Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council
May 1, 2012
7 of 11 voting members present
Started at 5:35pm
Dave Nutter, nutter.davekmac.com
David MCElrath, davidlmcelrathkgmail.com
Rob Morache, robmorachekgmail.com
Gail Steinhart, ag ilstkgmail.com
Steven Williams, steven.williams65kverizon.net
Jen Dotson, jdotsonncityofithaca.org
Jan Schwartzberg, jschwartzberg�,taitem.com
Daniel Keough, danielkeough kgmail.com
Trevor French, a former member of BPAC, is in attendance and is expected to re -apply
for membership.
Daniel Keough agreed to take minutes of this meeting.
We agreed that Dave Nutter will be the facilitator for this meeting and to delay the vote
on BPAC Chair person to a later time to be determined, though it may occur during the
June meeting.
We are following 2 unofficial agendas, since this is the first meeting for an extended
period of time. The unofficial agendas were drafted by Dave N and Rob , with items
added by Daniel
Jennifer requests to have work - groups to split up and decide on how we proceed on
major projects.
Rob requested to have a sub - committee to work on long -term projects, e.g. Bike
Boulevards
Discussion of how much to put on the agenda:
An email list is being passed around as the best way to communicate within the group.
All email addresses will be added to the minutes.To avoid putting a burden on Sarah, we agreed
to leave her off of the list, unless her support is specifically requested.
Daniel presented the announcements:
For the Ithaca Festival Parade, anyone on a bike is welcome to join, but no time -
slot has yet been decided for this "Critical Mass" group during the parade. There is a
request for Mayor Myrick to join in this part of the parade -- highlighting the fact that he
doesn't have a car, further increasing bicycle transportation and awareness.
Jen Dotson offered to speak to the mayor to make this request. Daniel will also make
the request of the mayor.
Ithaca Festival: Daniel has reserved a table to offer free screen - printing to anyone who
would like it during the festival, as a way to encourage the bike culture - -as a sort of
community service and public relations campaign for bicycle use in Ithaca.
With no projector available, Daniel instead recommends members and others make use
of the many bicycle and pedestrian promotion - related short videos that are available on
the streetfilms website.
The three - minute video recommended: http: / /www.streetfilms.org /making- streets - safer-
with-on- street - bike - parking/ deals with the benefits of on- street bicycle parking, which is
discussed in section 8.5.
Reports:
BPW:
The Ithaca Rd. bike lane has been approved!
This year Ithaca Rd will be repaved and repainted, extending the climbing bike lane
from E Green St, E State /MLK St, & Mitchell St 3 blocks to the six -way intersection with
Dryden Rd.
The Complete Streets law passed last year by New York State only applies to new
projects whose funding is controlled by NYSDOT. The repaving of W Green and W
Seneca Streets is considered maintenance, not new construction, and so the project is
exempted from Complete Streets, even though this would be the logical time to change
the striping.
E Green St, from TCPL eastward, will have the bike lane repainted.
Can NYSDOT repaint the climbing bike lane, since the equipment is
available for repainting Seneca & Green areas that are currently being
repaved?
Replacement traffic lights with added crosswalk lights will be put in at
five intersections (list provided by Rob):
Court and North Cayuga St
East Court and North Tioga St
East Court and North Aurora St
Martin Luther King Jr /State St and Cayuga St
East Martin Luther King Jr. St /East State St and Aurora St
Tim Logue has requested specific concerns about these new lights.
BPAC requests that, when walk signals are on, signals prohibit vehicular traffic from
driving over the crosswalk with a turn.
There was some discussion about the possibility of a green bike light /arrow, so as to
get the cyclist out of the intersection before oncoming traffic is allowed to go straight at
some intersections, such as at E. Buffalo St at N. Aurora. Fast moving traffic coming
down the hill often forces the cyclist to be in a vulnerable position, waiting to turn left
until the light is green for N. Aurora St traffic.
Planning Board: Liaison needed. Jen Dotson will follow -up.
Parks Commission: Liaison needed.
Other BPAC positions are available.
7.1 Police enforcement issues:
Daniel mentioned that while working in Collegetown, he has
noticed frequent texting /talking on cell phone while driving, and
illegal /potential dangerous parking, yet has noticed drivers pulled
over very infrequently, at least in the evening and night hours.
Another traffic enforcement issue that was mentioned by a
member is: illegal left turns of automobiles from Seneca St onto
Albany while the driver has a red light which also are often
uncontested.
Gail made a request for BPAC to form a sub - committee to
further discuss traffic enforcement.
For a sub - committee, two members is suggested to increase
efficiency /avoid scheduling conflicts.
Steve and Daniel volunteered to be on a subcommittee for police
enforcement.
Email discussion within the sub - committee group is also very
productive, and will be shared with the entire BPAC group.
To set up a meeting with a police representative in June
theTraffic enforcement sub - committee will meet prior to the June
5 BPAC meeting.
BPAC agreed to request a contact person at IPD, have crash
reports involving pedestrians or bicycle users forwarded to
BPAC, and meet with IPD contact to discuss enforcement
issues. Dave Nutter will follow up.
7.2 Extending bike lanes
BPAC unanimously approved urging the City to schedule the
timely implementation of a list (below) of relatively easy bike
lanes to install, and extended the request on Elmira Road to all of it
within the City, which would extend the excellent paved shoulders on NYS
13 -34 -96 which are south of the City. Dave Nutter noted that the
Bicycle Plan proposes how to re-
stripe with bike lanes on the 5 -lane portion. Jennifer Dotson
suggests, and BPAC agrees, this should be done by the City
before trading control of the NYS 13 -34 -96 portion of Elmira Rd to
NYSDOT.
Bike lane extension list is not prioritized. Created by Dave Nutter:
EXTENDING BIKE LANES:
Lengthening a bike facility can vastly increase its usefulness by
bringing it within reach of more destinations or by overcoming
obstacles to bicycling. Below is a list from the Ithaca Bicycle Plan
of extensions which would be very useful to riders, and
which would be easy and inexpensive to implement because the
street width already exists with minimal conflicts. BPAC urges the
City to schedule their timely implementation.
* Hector Street: The excellent paved shoulders on Mecklenburg
Rd (NYS -79 west) can be extended into the City as bike lanes as
far as Fall View Terrace by simply adding a stripe to each of the
existing very wide lanes. Below that point there is still room for a
climbing bike lane all the way from the bottom of the hill, except
for a stretch of about 120' which should have "sharrows ". The
climbing bike lane will also benefit pedestrians, who lack any
sidewalk above #601, just below Vinegar Hill, and it will help slow
motor traffic by narrowing their travel space.
* Lake Street and upper University Avenue: The paved shoulders
on East Shore Drive (NYS -34) past the Cayuga Waterfront Trail
and Boynton Middle School can be extended as bike lanes on
Lake Street past Ithaca High School and Ithaca Falls and as a
climbing bike lane on Lake Street south of Lincoln Street, then
continuing up University Avenue to West Avenue at Cornell A
climbing bike lane also exists farther up University Avenue.
* Hudson Street: The climbing bike lane on Hudson Street from
Hillview Place to Hudson Place can be extended one block up on
Hudson Street to the intersection of Coddington Road by the City
line to connect with a new paved path onto the Ithaca College
campus.
* Ithaca Road: The climbing bike lane from East Green Street,
East State /MLK Street, and Mitchell Street can be extended to
the top of the hill on the way to Cornell at the 6 -way intersection
with Dryden Road, Maple Avenue, Oak Avenue, and Cornell
Street.
* Taughannock Boulevard: The excellent paved shoulders on
NYS -89 outside the City, which the City recently extended as bike
lanes past Treman Marine Park, the Hangar Theatre, and Cass
Park, can be extended across the bridge over the Flood Control
Channel. Currently many riders illegally ride on the sidewalks of
this bridge, conflicting with pedestrians where there is no room to
move aside. Indeed the southbound pavement markings
misleadingly imply that riders should use the sidewalk. Striping
the pavement on the bridge with the same dimensions as outside
the City, where there are 10' travel lanes and 4' paved shoulders,
would demonstrate to drivers and riders that there is enough
room to share and show where each should travel.
* East Seneca: The bike lane on Seneca Way at the base of East
State /MLK Street can be extended on East Seneca Street past
the Commons to North Cayuga St, because East Seneca Street
is as wide as East Green Street where there is also a bike lane.
* Elmira Road: Although NYS- 13/34/96 south of the City of Ithaca
has a high volume of motor traffic, it also has excellent wide
paved shoulders for use by bicycle riders. This bike facility should
be extended into the City in the form of bike lanes, and the Ithaca
Bicycle Plan suggests how to stripe the 5 -lane portion between
the City line and Meadow Street. This re- striping should be done
by the City of Ithaca on this City -owned section road before
trading control of it to NYSDOT. Between Meadow Street and
Plain Street Elmira Road has a wide unmarked expanse of
pavement in need of better definition to keep motor vehicle users
from wandering into the paths of bicycle riders and pedestrians
who must use the edges, so this block is also generally available
for easy bike lane striping. The block of Elmira Road between
Plain Street and the traffic circle lacks curbs and needs a simple
paving of the shoulders. Elmira Road connects many commercial
and employment destinations to residential areas.
* **
The physical striping of bike lanes should be a separate
conversation from whether the city is willing to do this important service.
7.3 Discussion of city zoning of minimum parking requirements:
There has been, over the past many years in Ithaca, a historical closing of
local groceries, likely due to Southwest development of Tops and
Wegmans.
BPAC will take look at how city zoning affects access to health food:
BPAC members gave unanimous support for the following note:
Planning for less motor traffic
To Mayor Myrick, Common Council members, Board of
Zoning Appeals and the Planning and Development
Board: The Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council voted
unanimously to ask for your support of projects which
place people's daily needs, such as grocery stores, to
be developed or otherwise opened, within walking
distance of residents, such as on the Northside and in
Collegetown. Your efforts and support in allowing
residents to enjoy the financial benefit of not having a
car by not forcing them to pay for car parking they do
not use, is welcomed and highly encouraged.
7.4 Mayor, BPW: Green /Seneca bike lanes
BPAC requests that DPW Supt. Bill Gray ask NYSDOT to put in
bicycle facilities as recommended in the Ithaca Bicycle Plan on
Green and Seneca Streets as they are repaved, a wide right lane,
sharrows, or better: a bike lane. The best time to paint the lanes is in
conjunction with paving. Rob will take the message to Bill Gray.
8.1: Seneca /Green St bulb -outs at intersections of Corn and Plain Streets
Bulb outs can create problems for those on bicycle, especially if
there are bike lanes added to Green & Seneca.
BPAC recommends there be a reduction by three feet in the size
of the bulb -outs on the right side of the streets.
There was discussion about recommending changing the bulb -
out to a pedestrian island, allowing a strip for cyclists to ride
through, though concerns of cost quickly ended the
conversation, especially considering that the budget for the
project is already set.
Rob's idea is to eliminate the Right side bulb out and instead add
an additional intersection, same amount of bulb outs, just in
different intersections on Green & Seneca.
The right side bulb -out is a permanent obstacle for a cyclist, and
it may prevent a bike lane being added in the future when Ithaca
has authority over of these streets.
BPAC is in support of the project as being pedestrian friendly.
8.4 Ghost Bike:
There is a need to get someone to adopt the bike to 'maintain' it,
which may mean taking off the stuffed animals that are likely
deteriorated and possibly painting it yearly. Reflective paint may be
utilized to emphasize the bike at night to drivers. Care shall be taken
to avoid spraying the sidewalk and the sign post.
A plaque with 'maintained by BPAC' or similar could be attached
Getting the key to assist with painting or cutting off & re- locking
up the bike is not needed, if painted carefully.
Daniel moved that BPAC adopts the Ghost Bike and takes
responsibility for maintaining it.
City of Ithaca Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council Resolution:
Recommendation that the Ghost Bike on the corner of
Washington and West Court Streets not be disturbed
Whereas, the Ghost Bike at Washington and West Court Streets
marks where a bicycle rider, while legally stopped at the stop
sign, was crushed to death by an out -of- control delivery van
because of the inattentiveness of one or more motor vehicle
drivers, and
Whereas, the Ghost Bike is on the street corner pavement, like
the newspaper vending machines on the corner of Washington
and West Buffalo Streets, not inside Washington Park, and
Whereas, the Ghost Bike is inconspicuous from within
Washington Park, but is visible from the approaches to the
intersection where the fatal crash took place, and
Whereas, the Ghost Bike does not block the way of any road or
walkway, and does not disrupt any park activities, and
Whereas, the plastic flowers and painted bicycle have not
deteriorated, and are evidently respected as they have not been
vandalized like many bikes locked at bike racks for a far shorter
period, and
Whereas, the Ghost Bike is supported by many people in the
neighborhood, according to emails on the subject solicited by the
Washington Park Neighborhood Association and presented by
City staff to the Parks Commission, and
Whereas, the Ghost Bike serves as a traffic calming device,
reminding travelers to be careful in this quiet residential
neighborhood near Route 13; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council
recommends that the Board of Public Works not authorize
removal of the Ghost Bike at the corner of Washington and West
Court Streets, and
Be it further Resolved, that the BPAC commits to maintaining this
Ghost Bike.
This resolution passed unanimously.
8.5 Cascadilla & Cayuga intersection
Rob suggested, and BPAC endorsed, a 4 -way Stop at
Cascadilla & Cayuga Streets due to lack of visibility for east -bound
drivers on Cascadilla St looking north. The left turn off of
Cascadilla Street is especially problematic because the bridge railing
blocks the long- distance view needed for moving vehicles, so
drivers wait in the crosswalk.
Daniel mentioned that his friend was the Gimme! customer who
was struck by the driver and may be willing to speak in favor of
BPAC- recommended changes at this intersection.
One on- street barrier idea is to have on- street bicycle parking on
Cayuga St. There is currently no automobile parking allowed, so
the city would not be losing parking meter revenue. A somewhat
protected bike parking area can be helpful for pedestrians and
for people having better access to park their bicycle.
> Dave mentioned that having a bike parking area in
the street may prevent taxi pick -ups and a potential
problem of the bike racks being permanent obstacles
to bike travel on the right side, even when there are no
cars parked around it.
During the June meeting we will discuss /vote for official chair - person.
Handouts:
Rob: Virtual Curb Bump -outs, possible on- street bike parking, 4-
way stop at Cayuga & Cascadilla
» » » »> Adjourned at 7:45pm « « « ««