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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Citizens Bicycle Advisory Committee - Meeting Date: 8/6/2007 CITY OF GLENDALE CITIZEN BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CBAC) Monday, August 6, 2007 Transportation Planning Conference Room Bank of America Building, Suite 315 5800 West Glenn Drive, Glendale, Arizona 6:30 PM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Bill Wilkinson called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. Also in attendance: Betsy Turner,Jeff Reid, Gail Hildebrant, Brad Meek, Jim Walker, Brian Kanitsch,Rick Qualls, Saif Al-Alawi, Fred Coury,Norm Crowell and City staff—Jamsheed Mehta, Bob Darr,Allan Grover Members absent: None. Guests: Bill Lazenby,Jay Ewing, Dan Hartig(PB) and Jennifer Love(PB) II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the June 4,2007 meeting were approved. III. CALL TO THE PUBLIC There were no comments from the floor. 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 Betsy Turner said that the Citizen Transportation Oversight Commission (CTOC)met in a workshop on July 14, 2007 to discuss their roles,responsibilities and future direction for the Commission. She also informed the committee that CTOC had appointed a Commissioner to serve as the CTOC liaison on the Transportation Plan Review Team. Bill Lazenby stated that the Coalition of Bicyclists is continuing to follow the legal process regarding the death of Bob Wamsley. VII. BICYCLING AND PEDESTRIAN ELEMENTS OF THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN Dan Hartig, Project Manager with the consultant firm of Parsons-Brinckerhoff(PB), introduced himself to the committee and provided an overview of the Transportation Plan process. Dan explained that the new Transportation Plan will address all modes of travel including a bicycle and pedestrian element as part of a Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes August 6,2007 —Page 2— two-year effort to update the Glendale Transportation Plan. Dan also distributed a schedule for the Plan update that includes at least two more meetings with the Citizens Bicycle Advisory Committee(CBAC), however, PB is flexible regarding the need for additional meetings or schedule changes. Mr. Hartig anticipates the completion of the initial draft Plan for all modes of travel by the end of this year. Jennifer Love of PB is the lead staff for the alternative modes element in the Plan and she presented a display board of Bicycle Treatments for discussion which included: • Separate bike and bus Ianes • Raised bike lanes • Left-side or double bikelanes on one-way streets • Colored bikelanes • Bicycle signage • Bicycle-sensitive detection and counters • Inter-neighborhood connections for pedestrian and bicycles only that allows protected access between residential developments Committee members commented that raised bikelanes can result in some bicyclists slipping off the edge of the raised surface and possibly falling into vehicle travel lanes. Some members expressed support for the advantage of colored bikelanes which can reinforce the visual separation of bikelanes by motorists. At this point in the meeting, PB requested comments from CBAC regarding needed bicycle facility improvements within Glendale and Jennifer Love displayed street maps of the city for recording suggested improvements. The majority of recommended improvements focused on the east half of the city with an emphasis on gaps in the existing bike system and continuity with existing bicycle facilities in Peoria and Phoenix. Examples cited by committee members included: • Union Hills Drive west of 59th Avenue to the Peoria boundary • Greenway Road from 51St Avenue to the Peoria boundary • 59th Avenue(entire length) • Gaps in bike system north and south of Thunderbird Road between 59th and 67th Avenues • Connect Thunderbird-Paseo bikepath in Glendale with New River bicycle facilities in Peoria The consultant asked CBAC for additional input regarding bike improvements, bike policies and any other bicycle-related issues. The following list of comments was received from the committee: • Collector streets do not always take you where you want to go and only arterials provide access to commercial and employment destinations. • Commuter bicyclists need to use arterials. • Bicycle options which include arterial bikelanes should be made available. • Stripe all arterials. • The primary bike route system should be on collectors, however, bike routes on arterials are a necessity. • Bikelanes on arterials(for commuter and recreational use)will attract high end development. • There should be bicycle routes on the one-mile streets. • North-south bike routes are lacking in Glendale. c:\documents and settings\blimbach\desktop\minutes\2007\0807m.doc 04/29/11 Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes August 6,2007 —Page 3— • To address safety concerns, a bikelane tends to slow down traffic and thus improves safety conditions for both bicyclists and pedestrians. • Education and training are important for bicyclists using arterials, especially for children. (The Coalition for Bicyclists has a training program in place) • A designated bikelane makes a difference for safety and motorist perception. • The"Complete Street"concept for roadway construction provides for all transportation modes including bikes. • Glendale needs to keep pace with adjacent cities to create consistency—refer to bike plans in Peoria and Phoenix. • Ideas to address bicycle issues are available from the MAG Bike Advisory Group. • Awards for bicycle friendly cities have been received by East Valley cities(Phoenix,Tempe, Chandler)but no cities in the West Valley. • Businesses/restaurants located near bikepaths need signage posted along routes for bicyclist information. • Bikelanes are not kept clean via vehicle usage, so city needs to sweep bikelanes more often. Good/Bad comments: • Connection needed between Thunderbird-Paseo bikepath and City of Peoria bike facilities. • Paseo and Grand Canal bikepaths are good east-west routes with access through Phoenix to Tempe. The PB staff requested they receive additional comments within the next month from CBAC and they will return to this committee in November. VIII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Return working maps marked up for recommended improvements to CBAC for further discussion at the next meeting. IX. OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. X. NEXT MEETING Bill Wilkinson said the next regular meeting of the Glendale Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee would be held on Monday, September 3, 2007, 6:30 p.m., Transportation Planning Conference Room, Bank of America Building, 5800 W. Glenn Dr., Suite 315. XI. ADJOURNMENT Bill Wilkinson adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m. c:\documents and settings\blimbach\desktop\minutes\2007\0807m.doc 04/29/11