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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-01 - BPAC Minutes MEETING MINUTES DESCHUTES COUNTY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Thursday, November 1, 2018 - Noon to 1:30 pm City Council Chambers, La Pine City Hall, 16345 Sixth Street, La Pine 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: Mark Smith, Wendy Holzman, Christopher Cassard, Dave Roth, Dave Thomson, Sam Handleman, Katrina Langenderfer, Morgan Crowell, Scott Morgan. Agency/Organization: Zechariah Heck (Deschutes County – CDD), Ashley Hooper (COIC/CET), Dan Youmans (Sunriver Chamber), Karen Miller (La Pine Park and Recreation Dist.), David Amiton (ODOT), Scott Henderson (La Pine Public Works Committee), Corey Misley and Melissa Bethel (City of La Pine). Call to Order Meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m. Introductions Attendees of the meeting introduced themselves and, if applicable, identified the organization they represent. Approval of Prior Minutes The October 4, 2018, were approved unanimously with amendments. Goals and Objectives Chris updated the group on the subcommittee’s work on revising BPAC’s goals and objectives. The group aims to address the vision of the committee moving forward. One item is how BPAC receives information from the community. The focus is to reach out to groups that are not always represented, such as pedestrian groups. The second major focus area is how to disseminate information, while following the bylaws of the committee. Chris explained the balance between adequately representing the bicycle and pedestrian community while not overstepping the bounds of the committee. Sam added that every member of BPAC should feel engaged in the committee. The next meeting will be Wednesday, November 7, at the CDD office. Deschutes County Transportation Safety Action Plan Dave Thomson informed the group that Chris Doty, Road Dept. Director, has stated the TSAP Page 2 Advisory committee will begin in December and has asked for a representative from BPAC. Dave offered to represent the group, but mentioned if anybody else is interested to contact him. BPAC Updates Scenic Bikeways  Scott Morgan is engaged with this state committee and will provide BPAC an update in December. Cascade Lakes Highway Bike Master Plan  David Roth provided an overview and update on the master plan process. The highway is known to be dangerous during the summer months when travel quantity increases. Parking is a concern because there are limited areas for parking along the shoulder. A report will be completed soon and presented to the county.  Wendy added she understands one issue to be single-occupant vehicle trips. Pilot Butte Master Plan Update  Kat mentioned the master plan process is beginning at the end of the month and will be held at the BPRD office. Federal Lands Access Program David had no updates but provided an overview of the FLAP. ODOT has submitted several proposals for planning steps for access to several federal lands in the county. One project focuses on multi-use access through the Hwy 97 corridor. Chris Cassard asked about alternative corridors. David explained ODOT has looked at other corridors and refinement plans. There are three alignment corridors: full west or east side alignments, or a hybrid (east and west) to Lava Butte. Sunriver Update Mark Smith updated the group on various projects occurring in Sunriver. There are thirteen tunnels in Sunriver. The old tunnels are not considered safe and bicyclists are not allowed to ride through. Sunriver constructed one recently and received positive feedback. A new roundabout is being installed as well. Bike paths in Sunriver are considered the number one amenity in the community. The Sunriver Board is working with utility companies to coordinate funding to help on pathway crossings. Sam asked about pathway connections between cities in the area. Mark explained there is some discussion about how to make the connections, but there is not specific plans or funding secured. The Federal Lands Access Program is a known opportunity to help with connections; future connectivity plans should look to utilize. Central Oregon Trail Alliance and Sunriver Chambers are working on a mountain bike trail for connections between Bend and La Pine. Page 3 La Pine The La Pine road map was updated in 2018 with bicycle access identified on the map. A bike fix-it station was recently constructed at the La Pine Park and Rec headquarters, which was funded by the City of La Pine. Another item that Scott mentioned is a need for more “Share the Road” signs located in the areas with high vehicle traffic. Huntington Road might have the highest traffic counts. Spring River Road might be another good place for such signs. David Amiton mentioned the Share the Road signs are falling out of favor from ODOT and the federal government because it did not communicate an actionable message and it is not a regulatory sign. Alternatively, David offered that new signs could read “bikes on roadways” or “bikes may use full lane”. Wendy mentioned this topic should be a topic for TSAP to consider. Another discussion item that came up was an employee commuting service between Sunriver and La Pine. Karen, La Pine Parks and Recreation, informed the group that enrollment in the district’s activities is increasing and several properties owned by the district are being developed. The district is the only official bike friendly business in the city. The district is receiving input from citizens asking for a route to Sunriver, the Ice Caves, Finley Butte and out to Cascade Lakes Highway. Currently, there are no official bike routes to these areas. Furthermore, an after school program is run by the district and there is concern about the student’s transportation home after the program. In summary, there is a lot of demands and growth opportunities for the district. Sam suggested the district reaches out to COTA for free labor and design of trails. Melissa Bethel, La Pine Planning Director, updated the group on significant development in La Pine. The community is asking for the development to include pedestrian access. Melissa also spoke to the Safe Routes to School program that might help fund sidewalks at a local elementary school. Another hot topic for the community is the new Transit Center. There will be pedestrian amenities, a bike station, CET shelter, ODOT improvement on Fourth Street (road and sidewalk improvements), space for food-carts, restrooms. The goal is to get traffic of the highway to stop and interact with the businesses in the community. There are new pedestrian islands in the highway to slow traffic and act as pedestrian refuges. ODOT has funded a refinement plan for the City, which will address the gap between the northern portion of the city and the southern part. One consideration is a multi-use path that will connect the two parts of town. Another consideration is ped-crossings over Hwy 97. Sam suggested that cul-de-sacs not be allowed and that when developments come in they are required to provide access. Melissa mentioned that the city is going through revision of the city code, which will focus on being more urban instead of containing remnants of the county zoning ordinance. Region Updates  COIC/CET o Ashley spoke to a Community Connector project that will aim to increase ridership between communities. La Pine will be the first community for the project to focus on. Page 4 o System map for Bend is being revised to provide greater clarity for riders. o Dan Youmans asked for outreach to include Sunriver. There are lots of workers commuting to Sunriver.  Deschutes County o Zechariah shared the county will be participating in a refinement plan for Wickiup Junction where ODOT and City of La Pine have the primary roles. Included in the plan will be bike/ped elements, particularly ways to accommodate crossing Hwy 97 and non-highway routes to get from Wickiup Junction down to La Pine proper. o The ongoing Terrebonne refinement plan has a bike/ped component and the consultant is in the process of developing alternatives for a December 4 advisory committee meeting. Messaging Snow removal media release will occur during a snow event. Open Floor No items were brought forward to the open floor. Meeting Adjourned at 1:30 pm Next Meeting Thursday, December 6, 2018 12:00 to 1:30 pm ODOT, 63055 N Hwy 97, Building M, Diamond and Crater Lake Conference Rooms, Bend