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Home My WebLink AboutMN-BPAC-2012-11-13Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council Meeting Minutes November 13, 2012 > Minutes< Start time: 5:40pm In attendance: Voting members: Dave Nutter Daniel Keough Garin Danner Jan Schwartzberg Rob Morache <left at 7:30pm > Members: � Kent Johnson <left at 7:30pm> <member attendance times entered for voting purposes> Public attendance: Charlotte Roberts and Karla Lopez - both Ithaca College students working towards better pedestrian mobility on 96B. Olivia Boyle - an Ithaca College student interested in city planning Mary Zebell, Garden Design & Site Planning for Neighborhood Pride grocery store Andy Goodell, former BPAC chairperson 1. Introductions 2. Additions or Deletions to the Agenda 3. Public comment Charlotte who is here to announce the efforts of her and others in allowing better, safer travel for pedestrians and people on bicycles Rt 96B between downtown and Ithaca College. The owners of property within the city can be mandated to build sidewalks, but the town cannot do this since the road is owned by NYSDOT. Charlotte points out that the road is marked with a "Shared Road" sign letting all know the road is also for use by cyclists and pedestrians. November 13, 2012 Rob suggested a "road diet" for 96B, which is the narrowing of a road and encourages drivers to travel at a slower speed. It was pointed out that the downhill /Northbound side has two lanes, one of which abruptly ends. The right lane on the downhill seems to serve little purpose but to allow dangerous driving of people passing on the right those drivers who are slowing down as they are entering the city's 30mph zone. Though a NYS maintained road, the Town of Ithaca may be able to mandate property owners to build the sidewalk. We likely don't need to convince the state it is a good idea, just to find funding for the project and increase the priority level. Rob seemed willing to bring back to BPW the topic of building the City's sidewalks on S Aurora near the City lane, which they left out of their discussion last time this topic was discussed at a BPAC meeting. To get approval for this BPAC could make a recommendation to BPW. A really expensive option would be to put in the sidewalk after grading and banking the East side, such as by South Hill Elementary - -the alternate is to utilize a road diet and change the striping, removing the second downhill travel lane. Kent suggests a ten -year strategy for this plan, which may seem like a long time, but a plan that eventually works is much better than one year at a time. One immediate strategy to gather additional data, is to report the incidences of motorist speeding up /down 96B to the Sheriff and New York State Police could be contacted, noting the times where the most drivers seem to be speeding and requesting better enforcement. Dave N. suggested taking the issue to ITCTC public comment Nov 20 or Dec 18, get NYSDOT to walk this path, avoid asking residents to give up lawns and pay for the expensive re- grading, but ask for immediate, (Spring 2013) if temporary conversion of the second northbound lane into a well- marked shoulder off - limits to motor vehicles, the state should fund it, and it is cheap. Rob & Garin mentioned a new BPW report about options to fund sidewalks. Sue Ritter, Planning Director for the Town of Ithaca should be contacted. 4. Announcements November 13, 2012 5. Presentation: Northside grocery proposal for Lake Ave north of Hancock St: Mary Zebell, with Garden Design & Site Planning, gave us a layout of the proposed pedestrian & bicycle pathway along the proposed decommissioned Lake Ave from Adams to Hancock St, along the North -East side of the soon -to -open Neighborhood Pride grocery store. Willow Ave on the other side of the creek, has been approved as part of the Bicycle Boulevard plan, though no specific plans have been decided for Willow Ave. A concern brought up is at the Hancock St end, when people on bicycles or pedestrians are exiting this area with hidden sight lines of automobile traffic heading SE down Hancock. Some members voice support of the project, emphasizing benefits from further expanding Conley Park or setting up a better run -off system for the building. Dave N. had other concerns: Would the change to Lake Ave cost the City? Would the store maintain the path? Yes. Neighborhood Pride would accept responsibility for plowing and otherwise maintaining this path. Could the path be made from existing pavement? Yes, as much as possible, at least the base layer. The City needs to address same conflict for Bike Boulevard on Willow St as Mary mentioned on Lake of fast motor vehicle traffic on Hancock versus slow bikes crossing high crown of Hancock alongside high- crested bridge and with sight -lines obscured by bridge railing. There was support to also decommission Adams Street into park -like use between Alice Miller Way and Cascadilla Creek. Also support for re- opened store there generally. BPAC gives the support for this project and for the neighborhood store opening as well, but informally, since we do not have a quorum tonight. Some members voice support of the project, emphasizing benefits from further expanding Conley Park or setting up a better run -off system for the building. BPAC gives the support for this project, but informally, since we do not have a quorum tonight. 41 November 13, 2012 6. Reports • Board of Public Works ADA parking space approved on Dryden Rd. Ithaca Rd: instead of going to the board with the hardship case, the City has made it easier and allowed residents of Ithaca Rd to get a residential parking permit. • Planning Board - BPAC currently has no Planning Board Liaison Collegetown Crossing update: • Parks Commission - BPAC currently has no Park Commission Liaison • Transportation Engineer • Common Council - liaison not present. 7. Approval of Minutes: August, September, and October minutes could not be approved due to lack of a quorum. 8. Voting Items n/a 9. Discussion items Crash reports from IPD to Tim or Kent regarding Giles & Stone Quarry The accident on Stone Quarry Rd was partly due to the protruding railway tracks. These tracks may be eventually removed with rails -to- trails projects. Pothole repair request were submitted and the areas of both Giles and Stone Quarry have been repaired. Warning signs could be beneficial in encouraging cyclists to be more aware of the dangerous of riding down this street, especially SLOW or something painted on the street itself. Andy mentioned that BPAC could get on the IPD list of press releases, such as for these two recent bicycle crashes as Andy receives them through CarShare. Both crash sites pothole areas are likely to recur because of wear from motor vehicles, so we should encourage reporting new potholes these places and elsewhere. Kent still is not able to search generally for bike crashes or ped crashes but must have crash info first. Il November 13, 2012 Pedestrian priority at crosswalks - BPAC ex -chair Andy Goodell Andy reported what has been a concern of other members for a while: traffic lights that turn green for wheeled traffic to turn at the same time as pedestrians are also signaled that it is okay to walk. Bike Friendly Communities - BPAC ex -chair Andy Goodell Did not cover Bike Boulevard route marking proposal with PAC for BPW - Though it was at 7:30, the BPAC report to BPW regarding the Bike Blvd messaging, we all received a copy of the notes Dave N put a great deal of work into. Comments to Dave to get this draft copy to the BPW set to be submitted to them. Adjournment at: shortly after 7:30pm '61