HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPAC-2012-12-04CITY OF ITHACA
BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday December4, 2012 — 5:30 p.m.
In attendance:
Voting Members:
Dave Nutter, BPAC chair - person
Daniel Keough, BPAC secretary
Garin Danner
Rob Morache, BPW Liaison
<member attendance times entered for voting purposes>
Public attendance:
Jeanne Leccese
Andy Goodell
1. Introductions
n/a
2. Agenda modifications
n/a
3. Public comment - 5 minutes
n/a
4. Approval of minutes: August, September, October (with Dave N's adiustment as
requested via email), and November meeting minutes were passed unanimously, with
four members aresent. thouah not a auorum
5. Announcements - 5 minutes
Jeanne Leccese announced previously announced that "Streets Alive" will occur twice per year.
The next event will be May 5 project will be
6. Reports
A. Board of Public Works -
We looked at the INHS proposed development on Spencer Rd. Daniel's concern that despite
INHS' own data showing that 55% of the rental units will have a car owner, they are building 35
spaces. In lieu of parking spaces, INHS could apply for a variance and use the funds for more
support of public transit, and help to keep the development costs to a minimum so rental prices
are as low as possible.
Rob spoke of 400 block of Spencer and 800 block of Meadow St sidewalks are needed.
Request the study include the 300 and 400 block of Spencer and the 800 block of Meadow St.
Bike lanes may be included on Spencer Rd. Andy mentioned a concern that the lanes actually
restrict the cyclist and according to NYS law, when a bike lane is present, the cyclists must stay
in the lane, which may not be the safest place considering motor vehicles moving in and out of
driveways, etc.
The placement of the crosswalk on Ithaca Plaza over Elmira Rd.
Rob spoke of having a rhythm of tree planting, instead of clumping them together which would
have the positive effect of calming motor - vehicle traffic.
December 5, 2012 — BPAC Meeting Minutes
Page 2
The bike lane where it ends, heading North on Elmira Rd will need some consideration with the
lane being dashed prior to it ending before the traffic circle with the addition of some sharrows to
signify for the cyclists and drivers to know they will be sharing the road.
Common Council - liaison not present and is not planning on attending BPAC meetings unless
there is something specific to discuss where her presence is requested.
Planning Board - BPAC has no Planning Board liaison
Transportation Engineer - not present
Contract awarded for Mitchell @ E MLK /E State St intersection. Discussion of how to manage a
bicycle lane.
Brief discussion about Neighborhood Pride and retiring that section of Lake Avenue. There will
likely be a new asphalt path, vs concrete, and with the road being decommissioned, the
sidewalk could be retired allowing the owners to pay for the bike /ped 8' wide pathway. Daniel
voiced a concern that there may be some curves that are too sharp for people to maintain travel
on the pathway while riding a reasonable speed.
Daniel spoke of attendance at the MAP -21 in Rochester:
Focusing on developing a few solid projects that have been planned out well is a huge way in
getting them done, since on occasion, funding becomes available unexpectedly. We should
develop a priority list and have a few project of different levels of funding available.
e.g. the Sharrows on Cayuga St or the re- painting of the bike lane on (parts of) E State /E MLK
St has been discussed previously and could make it on the list of low- budget projects.
Andy G spoke of a lane width potential resolution for BPAC included here:
Whereas cyclists and motorists have the same rights to use all public highways excepting
limited access highways, and
Whereas Ithaca promotes using all modes of transportation, reducing carbon emissions,
improving air quality, and relieving traffic congestion, and
Whereas cyclists and motorists traveling uphill are often at a high speed differential, and
Whereas slow moving vehicles travel on the right hand side of the highway, and
Whereas installing the double yellow center lines on a highway to provide a wider uphill lane
can promote safe and legal passing of slow moving vehicles, and
Whereas appropriating bike lanes where at least five feet of additional roadway space is
available can reduce traffic congestion, and
Whereas a narrower downhill lane with "Bikes May Use Full Lane" signage installed provides
the safest way for cyclists and motorists to share a downhill lane on a highway,
Whereas highways are re -paved occasionally and lane markings are re- painted annually,
December 5, 2012 — BPAC Meeting Minutes
Page 3
Be it Resolved that all future lane marking installations on slopes over 3% grade will [be
minimized as close to 1 1f as possible,] and an uphill lane as wide as possible, including a bike
lane when the overall lane width is greater than 16 feet.
as an edit to the text: "downhill lane of at least 11 feet" to say instead a downhill of... close to 11'
>>' maximize the width of the uphill lane, minimize the width of the downhill lane, even if there is
extra space for the downhill, paint the shoulder.
and the "on slopes over 3% grade will have a downhill lane" will be adjusted to, perhaps over
5% for x distance. Prior to BPAC voting on this resolution, there will be more discussion on this.
Daniel announced there has been some progress in installation of bicycle racks around the city.
Daniel had requested several bicycle racks in high bicycle use locations.
Within the past month, Bicycle racks were installed at:
203 N. Aurora (Collegetown Bagels),
402 W. State /W MLK (Fine Line Bistro /Plain St),
418 Eddy (Upper Eddy St by the stores /restaurants),
304 E. State /MLK (Around the corner from Viva Taqueria),
101 N. Cayuga( @W MILK ST /The Commons), and
114 N. Cayuga. (Bandwagon Brew Pub)
Bicycle Friendly Community application needs review and re- submission.
The City has no "Bicycle Coordinator" in any paid capacity or otherwise with any official duties
or obligations.
Dave obtained "incident reports" from the bicycle crashes on Giles and Stone Quarry Rd.
Discussion over how to get these reports of bicycle crashes to become accidents.
Adjournment at: 7:40pm