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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-11-01 - BPAC Minutes Meeting Minutes DESCHUTES COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, November 1, 2012 - Noon to 1:30pm Bend City Hall Audio recording of this meeting is archived for review and/or transcription. The purpose of this document is to outline topics of discussion and actions by the Committee. Members Present: Mary Barron, Cheryl Howard, Pam Hardy, Phyllis Lewis, Jim Stone, Matt Martin Agency: Chris Carney, Rick Root, Robin Lewis – City of Bend; Jovi Anderson – Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization; Mike Caccavano, Perry Brooks – City of Redmond; Peter Russell – Deschutes County; Dan Serpico, Bill Hilton - ODOT Call to Order Meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m. Introductions Approval of Prior Minutes The minutes of October 4, 2012 were approved Robin Lewis, City of Bend Arterial Safety Program City of Bend reviewed several years of crash data for location and time and cause to determine trends and potential countermeasures. City has a disproportionate number of fatal crashes for its size with seven fatal crashes involving either bicyclist or pedestrians. A third of the City’s fatal crashes involved either a bicyclist or a pedestrian. For crosswalks fatalities (either right- or left-turning driver collided with pedestrian) the countermeasure could be a pedestrian-only crossing phase of the traffic signal in advance of vehicles getting the green. For right hook crashes with bicyclists (under green a vehicle turning right collides with bicyclist who is continuing straight). City is looking at Dutch-style intersection treatments. In the Dutch configuration, the cyclist’s travel path is diverted slightly to the right, passing behind a small raised median, which the right-turning vehicle must go past to then begin its turn. The advantage is the driver and cyclist are then almost perpendicular to each other, increasing mutual visibility, rather than being nearly parallel as happens now.. Group discussion focused on who legally would have the right of way, meaning would the turning car yield to the going straight bicycle or vice versa. Robin mentioned it’s easier to build this Dutch- style layout at new intersection, retrofitting an intersection could prove challenging. Finally, preliminary results from Portland indicate the bike boxes were not effective at reducing right hook crashes, especially at traffic signals as the base of downhills. Dan Serpico, green paint on bike lane on Third Street ODOT has painted portions of the bike lane green on southbound Third Street at Mount Washington to alert drivers. The bike lane here goes between the outside lane and the right turn lane. The green segments are spaced to the skip lines. ODOT plans to paint the bike lanes a solid green on Greenwood/8th Street next. Group discussed a press release saying the purpose of the painted bike lanes would be helpful. Dan said ODOT planned to do one, but would also like BPACers to look at the green bike lanes and provide feedback. BPAC Business Matt Martin, Walkable Community application for Bend The goal is win the platinum designation. Matt will use any thing that transfers from the City’s similar bicycling application as the application is nearly 70 pages. Tyler and Jovi from the BMPO are offering help and the application is due Dec. 15. Upcoming road projects Agencies provided a general roundtable of upcoming projects. City of Bend: Riverside- Franklin bike corridor upgrade for 2012-13 with an expected completion in Oct. ’13. City of Redmond is 1) reconstructing Sixth from the north Y to Deschutes; 2) designing South Canal from Obsidian to Odem Medo; and 3) modernizing Yew Ave. between the west side ramps of the US 97 interchange and the Yew/South Canal intersection. Deschutes Co.; Grant application to add shoulders to Tweed Road to US 20 is still in the mix and the Tumalo Trail has been approved for funding as County and State are working out a few minor details to avoid some cultural resources at the south end of the trail.. ODOT: Century Drive is almost finished as is the bike path in Sisters out to the shopping center. Cheryl Howard, BPAC Meetings and Messages Calendar for 2013 Group agreed on proposed calendar with one modification, which was to add a public outreach in September on how to navigate a roundabout. This would be tied into registration at Central Oregon Community College (COCC). Group agreed next Tri-County Summit should be held in Prineville. Cheryl requested and Peter agreed to send press release on shoveling snow from sidewalks to Anna Johnson for media distribution. Updates City of Bend: None City of Redmond: None City of Sisters: Environmental document for proposed trail should be completed in December, then there’s a 30-day appeal period. Also discussed the Santiam Trail and based out maps. Deschutes County: Peter and Tim Berg from GIS are working on symbology for County bike guide, concentration on showing traffic volumes and shoulder width. Group suggested avoiding red/black combo due to people with red/green color blindness would have troubles with map. ODOT: None South County: Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) made a visit to area and were well- received. South County may form a group modeled after the Sisters Trail Alliance. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.