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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Citizens Bicycle Advisory Committee - Meeting Date: 1/2/2006 CITY OF GLENDALE CITIZEN BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CBAC) Monday, January 2, 2006 MUNICIPAL COMPLEX 5850 West Glendale Avenue 6:30 PM, Room B-3 MINUTES L CALL TO ORDER Michael Wood called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. Also in attendance: Bill Wilkinson, Ed Cure, Charles Grosscup, Morris Russell, Mariano Vargas, Brian Kanitsch, Betsy Turner and City staff—Steve Hancock Members absent: Keith Cyrnek and Jeff Reid. Guests: Roger Miles and Greg Davies II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Ed Cure noted that the minutes, in regard to a statement he made, read "underpasses"when it should have been the word"overpasses." The minutes of the December 5, 2005 meeting were approved with Ed Cure's correction. 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 There were no reports. Bill Wilkinson said he would report on CTOC activities when the GO program budget requests were approved. Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes January 2,2005 —Paget- VII. NORTHERN PARKWAY UPDATE Roger Miles of URS Corporation asked if this was the first time that the CBAC had heard about Northern Parkway. Ed Cure said that Dave Hedlund of URS had briefed the Committee on the Parkway at an earlier meeting. Roger displayed a map of the planned Parkway noting that most of the grade-separated crossings of major arterial streets were overpasses except for 103' Ave. that would be an underpass. He said all of the arterial street crossings were designed to move the traffic at full capacity. Roger pointed out that the Parkway was no longer just a Glendale project. He said that Peoria, Surprise and Maricopa County were now partners in the project with the County taking the lead. Roger said that the project had two distinct roadway types;on the west end, from the Agua Fria River to Sarival Ave., it would be a controlled access facility and on the east end,from the Agua Fria River to Grand Ave., it will be more"urban" in design. He said the east end would have a raised median and would be posted at 45 MPH. Roger pointed out that the eastern leg would also have direct access from adjacent properties to the Parkway although they would be limited to right-in/right-out movements. Brian Kanitsch asked Roger if bicycles would be allowed on the Parkway. Roger said they would but that the overpasses at arterial streets would have no bikeable shoulder, as did the midway segments between major streets. Morris Russell said that Bill Lazenby, at the December meeting, made it clear that the Parkway was not designed for bicycles. Bill Wilkinson said that he was at the initial discussions on Northern Parkway and that there was no discussion on making the parkway accessible to bikes. Roger noted that Glendale had a policy of having no bike lanes on arterial streets like Northern Parkway. Brian asked how long the Parkway would be. Roger said 13 miles. He also said that an interim segment would be built first with only two lanes each way on the east end of the project. He said the Maricopa Association of Governments(MAG)2025 Transportation Plan indicated construction would start in the year 2025. Betsy Turner said the Parkway would be at capacity when it's completed. She also said she had no problem with the Parkway as designed because it was needed to move the maximum amount of motorized traffic. Mariano Vargas said that maybe Glendale Ave. could carry east/west bike traffic but noted that there are disconnects. Ed Cure said that the lack of bike lanes on Glendale Ave. at the Arena and Stadium will never be fixed and the alternate route to Maryland to cross the Loop 101 and then up the planned New River trail was not a viable choice for most east/west bicyclists on Glendale Ave. Ed also said that perhaps cantilever bikeways on the Northern Parkway overpasses would be feasible, like the ones that will be added to the New River Bridge on Glendale Ave. He further said that they should just call the Parkway a freeway and prohibit bikes; that way no cyclists would be endangered. Ed then asked if any right-of-way had been earmarked for families and parks along Northern Parkway alignment. Roger said not to his knowledge but they were acquiring more land on the east end for a drainage channel. Morris Russell said that the CBAC obviously was not a very influential committee. Betsy Turner said that you couldn't stop growth,citing the Sun Valley Parkway increased use by cars and trucks making it no longer a place for organized bike rides. Brian Kanitsch asked if there couldn't be a bike path somewhere north or south of the Parkway. Roger responded that on the west end there would be no pathways, not even sidewalks along the Parkway alignment. VIII. UPDATE ON GO PROGRAM BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PROJECTS Steve Hancock introduced Greg Davies from the Glendale Transportation Department's Planning Division. Greg said that the Glendale Onboard (GO)program was the result of a 2001 initiative for a half-cent sales tax to support transportation improvements in Glendale. Within the program there are 10 bicycle/pedestrian projects that were approved by the voters. He pointed out the 10 projects on a map of the City. Bill Wilkinson noted that the Glendale Ave. bridge over New River was to be widened for bikes by adding cantilevers. Greg listed the bike ramps on Skunk Creek at 63'd Ave.,the widening of Cholla St. for bike lanes, the bike/ped bridge on 71st Ave. Wash, the pathway next to 67th Ave.between Isabell to Pinnacle Peak, and the 79th Ave. and Missouri bridge c:\documents and settings\blimbach\desktop\minutes\2006\0106m.doe 04/29/11 Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee Minutes January 2,2005 —Page 3- over the Grand Canal as five projects that have already been completed. He listed the Glendale Ave. bridge widening (in final design), Loop 101 bridge at 63rd Ave. (in final design), 63rd Ave. bike route improvements (in final design), Grand Canal pathway(in preliminary engineering), and New River Path (in preliminary engineering) as projects yet to be constructed. Greg also said that two new projects had been added to the original 10 bike/ped projects. They are a multi-use path underpass on Skunk Creek at Union Hills Dr. and a multi-use path connecting the underpass on Skunk Creek to the sidewalk on the south side of Bell Rd. Greg then showed a table of the Capitol Layout Plan for bicycle and pedestrian projects that identified programmed funding by current and future fiscal years. Morris Russell asked if any of the funding could be eliminated or redirected due to new developments. Greg answered that it could happen but w2as very unlikely due to the projects being identified in various Transportation and Citywide plans. Betsy Turner said that "they"planned to get the bike and ped projects done as soon as possible so they would have a long-term exposure to those who may want to redirect funding. Steve Hancock asked Greg what the status of the Spot Improvement project for bicycle projects was. Greg said that URS Corporation should have a report soon and they had done about 85% of the studies. Morris asked if the half-cent sales tax money was in a separate, safe fund. Greg said that the GO funds are set apart from all other City money. IX. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Ed Cure suggested that that Jamsheed Mehta, the new Transportation Department Director for the City of Glendale, address the committee on his thoughts about bicycling in Glendale. Steve Hancock said that the Glendale Family Bike Ride would be an agenda item in February, March and April. X. OTHER BUSINESS The Committee discussed having future meetings in the Transportation Conference Room in the future. All members were agreeable to doing so. XI. NEXT MEETING Michael Wood said the next regular meeting of the Glendale Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee would be held on Monday, February 6, 2006, 6:30 p.m., Transportation Planning Conference Room, Bank of America Building, 5800 W. Glenn Dr., Suite 315. XII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, a motion to adjourn was made, seconded and unanimously approved. Michael Wood adjourned the meeting at 8:11 p.m. c:\documents and settings\blimbach\desktop\minutes\2006\0106m.doc 04/29/11