HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Citizens Bicycle Advisory Committee - Meeting Date: 3/5/2007 CITY OF GLENDALE
CITIZEN BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CBAC)
Monday, March 5, 2007
Transportation Planning Conference Room
Bank of America Building, Suite 315
5800 West Glenn Drive, Glendale,Arizona
6:30 PM
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Brian Kanitsch called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
Also in attendance: Betsy Turner, Gail Hildebrant, Brad Meek, Rich Qualls,Jim Walker,Bill Wilkinson,
Jeff Reid and City staff—Steve Hancock
Members absent: Brad Meek, Saif Al-Alawi
Guests: Kevin Wallin, Sharon Wavering, Jeff Englemann, and Andy Freitas.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the January 8, 2007 meeting were approved. Gail Hildebrant asked that the minutes of the
February 5,2007 meeting be amended to delete the sentence"Saif Al-Alawi said that he and Gail
Hildebrant had worked together on the Complete the Streets House Bill." She asked that the words"Saif
Al-Alawi reviewed the Complete the Streets bill. Gail also asked that the name"Eric Post"be inserted
where the minutes read"She said that someone would be doing a session on Arizona bicycle laws." The
minutes were approved after the suggested changes were made.
III. CALL TO THE PUBLIC
No guests addressed the Committee.
IV. INTRODUCTIONS
Members introduced themselves.
V. CONTINUANCE OR WITHDRAWAL OF AGENDA ITEMS
No agenda items required continuance or withdrawal
VI. REPORTS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND ORGANIZATIONS
Gail Hildebrant said that representatives from the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists(CAzB)will be meeting
with State House members Andy Biggs, Robert Meza and Steve Farley to discuss changes in current laws
for stiffer penalties for motorists who strike and injure or kill bicyclists. She said that Representative Biggs
would consider legislation changing the laws but wants to make sure the changes in the laws would be
"defensible." Gail said that the CAzB met with the Arizona Mountain Bike Association to create a stronger
alliance. She said that 800 signatures were obtained in support of the Complete the Streets legislation.
Gail said the on March 17t there would be an event at the Pecos Road Park and Ride to unveil City of
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Phoenix Share the Road signs. Gail also said that the first Arizona bicycle conference would be held on
March 30, 2007 in conjunction with the El Tour de Phoenix Bike Expo at the Mesa Convention Center,
Cholla Room, 201 N. Center St,Mesa,AZ. She said the CAzB would be accepting nominations for awards
in the categories of street bicycling,mountain bicycling and bicycle advocacy. Betsy Turner reported that
the Citizen Transportation Oversight Commission met on March 1St. She said the biggest item on the
agenda was approving the GO funding for the coming year. She said that three bike projects would be
pushed out to later years due to less revenue than planned due to bonding reductions. Betsy said that she,
and Bill Wilkinson, knew that bike and ped projects had been frontloaded when the original GO program
had been initiated. She also stressed that the Loop 101 bike/ped bridge project was not one of the affected
projects—it would proceed as planned. Bill Wilkinson asked Betsy about the Northern Parkway project.
Betsy said that the new goal is to start at the west end instead of the east end as originally planned. Betsy
also said that the Transportation Department would be seeking some Maricopa Association of Government
(MAG)carry-over funds from unused federal funding sources. These could be applied to some bike
projects.
VII. NEW RIVER/GRAND CANAL TRAIL PROJECTS
Andy Freitas of CH2M Hill consultants said he was presenting information on the design of the Grand
Canal Pathway and New River Pathway being designed by his firm. He introduced Sharon Wavering,
Kevin Wallin and Jeff Engelmann who were also working on the design of the pathways. Andy pointed out
that they had done a presentation the previous week to the Citizens Transportation Oversight Committee
(CTOC). He said that CTOC had concerns were:
• The use of new technologies for security measures
• Using desert landscaping to make the paths more attractive
• Park Rangers patrolling the paths
• A suggestion to use interpretive signing for desert plants
• The need for wooden(i.e.,cool)benches and cold water
Andy asked if the CBAC had any similar concerns. Bill Wilkinson asked what the City of Peoria was
doing along the new River corridor within their city limits. Andy said that they already had a path on the
west side of the river channel that ended at Northern Ave. Andy went on to talk about the goals and
objectives of the project,ADOT's role since federal money was involved,public involvement, and
construction costs. He expected 30% design on New River to be completed by the end of March, 2007 and
a design concept report completed for the Grand Canal by March 9, 2007. Andy said that construction
level design so the projects could be bid for construction would be completed by March, 2008 and that the
pathways would be constructed and ready for use by March, 2010. Sharon Wavering presented information
on the pathway concepts noting that the Grand Canal path would connect to an existing path near the
University of Phoenix Stadium and go west to a future junction with the New River path along the Bethany
Home Rd. alignment. She pointed out that there would be a trailhead parking lot at the junction of the two
paths with shade ramadas and drinking fountains. Jeff Engelmann went over the alignment of the new
River path on the east bank of New River noting that the path would ramp down beneath Glendale Ave.
and then ramp up again to the east bank. He also said that the path would ramp below Northern Ave.
before ramping up to the east bank north of Northern and then connecting to an existing sidewalk on the
north side of Northern Ave. This would allow path users to come up to grade at Northern,cross over the
bridge to the west bank of new River and get on the City of Peoria pathway going north. Betsy Turner said
that she did not think bicyclists would use the up ramp, always preferring the path of least resistance that
would be to cross the river bottom to the west side path in Peoria. Jeff Engelmann said that the steep,
concrete lined slopes on the New River channel would too difficult to ascend so the ramp would be the path
of least resistance. Gail Hildebrant asked about the type of water fountains to be installed along the paths,
saying that foot pedals would be good so people would not burn their hands turning on the water. Jeff
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Engelmann said that was good idea and that they were also thinking of watering devices for dogs. Betsy
Turner asked if there could be public restrooms anywhere. Jeff Engelmann said that the only place with
sewer and water hookups would be at the trail head where the two paths meet. Jeff Reid asked what the
concerns about path user security were. Bill Wilkinson said it was probably about muggings. Kevin
Wallin completed the presentation talking about desert landscape plantings, lighting, and the aesthetics of
pathway features blending with natural surroundings.
VIII. GLENDALE FAMILY BIKE RIDE
Steve Hancock updated the Committee on the Glendale Family Bike Ride. He handed out copies of the
registration form saying that copies would be mailed to 267 households that registered last year. He also
said that 12,000 registration forms would be distributed to elementary age school kids in the Glendale,
Peoria, and Deer Valley school districts. He said if any Committee members would like to take forms to
places near their homes to let him know how many copies were needed. Steve displayed the t-shirt design
for the ride saying they would be printed in the next few weeks. Steve asked that Committee members to
volunteer for ride jobs like registering riders, helmet sales,t-shirt distribution, rest areas, etc. He said that
volunteers would need to be at Sahuaro Ranch Park at 5:30 a.m. Bill Wilkinson said he would purchase
the coffee and donuts for the volunteers but said he would have to find another source since Krispy Kreme
was no longer in business.
IX. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Steve Hancock said the Glendale family Bike Ride would be the only agenda item at the April 2nd meeting.
X. OTHER BUSINESS
There was no other business.
XI. NEXT MEETING
Brian Kanitsch said the next regular meeting of the Glendale Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee would
be held on Monday, April 2, 2007, 6:30 p.m., Transportation Planning Conference Room, Bank of
America Building, 5800 W. Glenn Dr., Suite 315.
XII. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business before the Committee,a motion to adjourn was made, seconded and unanimously
approved. Brian Kanitsch adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.
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