The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About050213 OF PORT TOE � ys ti City of Port TownsendwA Meeting Minutes Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Board Thursday, May 2, 2013, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm City Hall, Conference Rm 41 L Meeting called to order at 4:30 pm by board chair, Scott Walker Members in attendance: Lys Burden, Sally Chapin, Tim Eaton, Pat Teal, Jolly Wahlstrom, and Dick Williams. Staff present: Tyler Johnson Visitors: Brenda McMillan, Martha Brevnig, Bly & Hazel Windstorm, Kees Kloff 11 Approval of Agenda —Agenda approved as amended by voice vote III. Approval of Minutes —Minutes of the April meeting were approved by voice vote. IV. Business Public Comment: taken early from visitors who did not wish to wait through the entire meeting. Comments were received from Bly, Martha and Hazel Windstorm, as Bly and Martha(with Hazel on back of a tandem) routinely receive hostile reactions from aggressive drivers while bicycling, especially on Hastings Avenue. Drivers appear to think they are still in the country and do not welcome slower speeds. Drivers do not slow down approaching bicycle riders, and they pass, even if they cannot see over the hill. This visit is not their first time reporting problems on Hastings. Bike lanes are the best solution, but the City does not have funding at present. Bly asked for temporary shoulder improvements that could accommodate bicycles, runners and horses climbing the Hastings hill(near the City limit) and for posting a"Share the Road" sign to indicate bicycle riders, pedestrians and horses have equal access to this public right-of-way. Bly mentioned that going down hill was actually worse, as drivers speed to pass the slower moving traffic. 1. Public Works Staff items: a. Spruce Street r/w Acquisition—not much to report, as this project is under John Watt's perview, and he has been on vacation. b. Trail Project - Thomas/35th- Tyler reported that gravel had been delivered to the trailhead at theN side of 351h Street Park. The trail project is slated for this Saturday, May 41h, 9am to Noon. Promotions have been sent to the trail volunteer list, posted on FB and sent to newspapers, KPTZ, electronic announcement lists and calendars. Dick Williams has posted signs along the trail announcing the trail work party. c. Hastings Hill climb —Tyler indicated that the City has "Share the Road" signs in stock and could place a couple along Hastings near the hills. d. Spruce crossing of F brick— Tyler noted that the City would be mowing r/w and would appreciate calls about overgrown sections. The board still needs to finish the list of trails that need signage for City work crew placement. (Reminder: Owen has a bunch of signs in his garage.) 2. Grant Street School SRTS Discussion/Plan—the report is still in process. 3. Grant Street Trail Work—Rick Sepler would like our volunteer assistance with an emergency trail through school property. Jolly is to contact Principal Mary Sepler to work out the details. 4. Bike to School Day—Lys reminded everyone that May 8th is national Bike to School Day. No bike train plans are in place this year, as these activities must be organized by parents and neighbors for the elementary school students and by students at the middle and high schools. 5. Map Project: Wayfinding funds/Realtors funding—Scott is negotiating for funds from the realtors association, as Michelle Sandoval has pledged. We still do not have a response from the City about placement of supporting business logos on the maps. Lys volunteered to try to presell maps to help with costs. Sally volunteered to put together a list of B&B's to contact. Lys passed around a preliminary draft of the map that has been designed by David McCulloch. The map has east and west halves with overlap down the San Juan valley. If we are to hi-lite routes, suggestions are needed, and we need to better define target audience (residents or tourists or both). We need to note on the maps that sidewalks may not have curb cuts. 6. DT Bike Racks —no actions taken since last month 7. Trail Highlight Article—The first draft trail highlight article, "Blue Heron to the Bluff'was submitted by Brenda McMillan. Sally will edit and submit to the newspapers. 8. NMTAB Website—no action yet, tabled. 9. Parking on San Juan—this topic was briefly reviewed with Tyler before he left. 10. QWC Trail Repairs/Signage—work still needed, to be completed when the trail surface is drier. 11. Member Term Expiration—Terms of Lys, Pat and Pete expired on May 1, Lys and Pat have received their renewal applications. Pete has decided to step down. 12. Kees/Chauncey: "Step On It" Campaign—Kees announced that the Recyclery will host a birthday party at the Cotton Building on May 9th, 6-9pm. with guest speakers from the Bicycle Alliance of Washington and project announcement of the "Step On It" campaign. This project encourages more people to use bicycles and walk for transportation, especially students going to school. The Recyclery has received a $22K grant from Jefferson County to work with Chimacum Schools on a bike education program. Funds are being sought to renew the bike-ed program at PT schools. The project has received strong community support, but they are still looking for sponsor partners. Everyone is encouraged to attend the party. To date the project has conducted parent surveys at Grant Street, Blue Heron and Chimacum Schools (grades 3-8) and determined that students currently use the following transportation modes: 3% bike, 11% walk, 45% by car, 40%by school bus, 14% other. They also gathered data on barriers to student walking and biking to school. It was noted that The Broken Spoke Bike Shop as assisting with a program of discounts awarded for rider miles logged. 13. Lynn/Richardson Property—Scott, Dick and Owen recently walked through the property on a potential trail corridor close to the bluff along the Shasta ravine. Scott noted that this trail would be more difficult to develop and that the landowner was not anxious to see anything happen. He proposed that use of the existing trail continue. It was so moved, seconded and passed unanimously. 14. Chestnut: P to Q—This pedestrian corridor between the Fort Worden and Downtown has a missing link that the City created when r/w ownership passed to adjacent landowners. They are now willing to negotiate with the City to re-establish the public right of way for a trail. It was noted that this trail is quite steep. Scott encouraged all board members to walk the corridor in the near future. 15. Trail Projects —Future trail projects were discussed (early in the meeting, while Tyler was still present). Jolly's recommended list for the next few projects: 1. Grant Street School perimeter, McClellan, Discovery to 14th and 16th, McClellan to Hancock(for July) 2. Sherman, Hastings to 29th 3. 39th and Willamette between 39th & Bell (for September) V. General Discussion - Everyone was encouraged to participate in the upcoming trail work party. - Pat encouraged everyone to attend the openhouse for the hospital plans coming up on May 15th VI. Next Meeting: 4:30 pm, June 6, 2013. VII. Agency Invitee and Agency Invitation VIII. Adjourned at 5:55 pm IX. Work Plan X. Long Term, Continuing Issues: 1. Securing r/w purchase for Chestnut St. Trail easement 2. Designating and marking an official Portage Trail 3. Hwy 20 underpass and appropriately marking bicycle passage through the Upper Sims Way roundabouts. XI. Action Steps Needed a. Send electronic draft Grant Street School Walking Audit Report document to board members and the school district b. City to install"Share the Road" sign along Hastings at appropriate places c. Sally to edit trail highlights article and submit to papers d. Lys to send draft NMTAB web page content to board members and staff e. Continue to check with John Watts about the Cedar to Center missing link f. Jolly to contact Mary Sepler for detailed planning of the emergency trail and perimeter trails g. Tyler to contact adjacent landowners for Grant Street School perimeter trails h. Draft list of trails that need signs i. Continue work with David McCulloch on map design refinements j. Sally to draft a marketing list for maps k. Recruit new board members 1. Check status of placing bollards along San Juan where parking on r/w blocks the trail m. Board members attendance at The Recyclery function on May 9"'and hospital planning workshop on May 15 n. Board members to check out Chestnut St. Trail between P and Q o. Draft letter to WashDOT still needs to be written about inappropriate roundabout signage for bicycling