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2016-04-12 Mobility Committee Minutes MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MOBILITY COMMITTEE April 12, 2016 After determining that a quorum of the Mobility Committee of the Denton City Council was present, the Mobility Committee thereafter convened into an Open Meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 11:36 a.m. in the City Hall Conference Room 215 E. McKinney, Denton, Texas. Present: Council Member Dalton Gregory, Council Member Kevin Roden and Council Member Greg Johnson Also Present: John Cabrales, ACM; Mark Nelson, Director of Transportation; Julie Anderson, Bike Coordinator Pedestrian Coordinator; John Polster, ITS; and Kim Mankin, Administrative Supervisor 1. REGULAR MEETING: A. MC 16-014 Consider approval of the Mobility Committee meeting minutes of February 9, 2016. Approved as circulated B. MC16-015 Receive a status report on the implementation of the Bike Plan, and receive a report and hold a discussion regarding the 2015 Bike and Pedestrian Count Report. Julie Anderson gave the presentation for this item. The overview included a Bicycle Friendly Community Application, progress update,bike counts and the next steps. Anderson submitted a Bicycle Friendly Community Application to the League of American Bicyclist, staff will know in May the outcome of that application. Anderson showed a map of the bike infrastructure and the stages it has taken to get to where we are today. Johnson asked how to explain to citizens about the broken segments of bike lanes around the city. Anderson answered when you are in the beginning stages it takes small pieces to make up the network. As roads are repaved or repaired sometimes it is easier to add the bike accommodations at that time and it does look segmented but it is all a part of the bigger plan. The information is shared on the City of Denton's Facebook page and bike walk Denton. Budget information was presented by Anderson followed by the 2015 Bike and Pedestrian Count. Volunteers work with the City of Denton for the counts. Denton's current bike and pedestrian trends are going down, but staff is hoping to reverse that trend. Roden asked what Denton's percentage goals for walking and biking are. Nelson answered staff is working on the baseline information and see where the percentages have been, where we are now and then goals will be set. Johnson asked when will those recommended goals be set. Anderson answered there has been discussions on including it in the next strategic plan which is updated every fiscal year. Cabrales added that staff is working with the Parks Department to add connectivity in the green space trail connections in the updated Bike Plan as well. Gregory talked about focusing attention on bike lanes not just sharrows or projects that are easier. Adding bike lanes make people feel safer which would help getting more people riding. Anderson agreed that the easier projects have been completed and the more difficult expensive projects will have to start that include removing parking and road diets. Next steps include goals to increase Denton bicycle mode share, and to earn the Bicycle Friendly Community designation. Staff outlined current commuter mode share for active transportation in Denton, .9 percent for bicycling and 3.8 percent for walking. This was contrasted with other communities in Texas and select communities throughout the nation known for active transportation. Staff suggested that an increase to 6 or 7 percent for combined mode share is a reasonable goal given recent infrastructure enhancements and continued support for active transportation initiatives. How to get there includes better data, better infrastructure and the 5E's (engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation). Roden stated that there has been talk at this Committee level before regarding Oak Street and Hickory Street bike lane infrastructure. At one point, UNT was on board with removing the parking, but nothing has been accomplished. Is there an update for those roads? Anderson answered Oak Street is in the Water/Wastewater rehab and has been put on hold. Oak and Hickory will be in separate phases so other work can be accomplished. Cabrales added that UNT has expressed concern about removing on street parking. They are asking the City to revisit that plan. They have also expressed concerns about the road diet on Eagle Drive. UNT also talked about their desire to close off Ave C. Engineering will be notified regarding the desire for an update of the Oak/Hickory street areas. There was discussion regarding the street parking and it being City parking, not UNT. Gregory asked how many parking spots are impacted in this area. Anderson is unsure the exact amount but Noreen Housewright, Senior Engineer has that information. There was a consensus that it is about 20 spots. Johnson added he understands UNT's concern but believes the City needs to implement a plan and it would be a great area to have good Bike Lanes. Nelson will bring back an updated item with a recommendation from this committee and then facilitate through an Informal Staff Report. Roden urged staff to be honest about what is needed to move this forward. This Council Committee would like to make sure there is engineering staff present at these meetings for questions. C. MC16-017 Receive a report and hold a discussion regarding Texas Department of Transportation On-System projects in the Denton area to include the 35 Express Project. Nelson talked about the NT Bridge demolition that is scheduled for the April 30 weekend. John Polster gave the on system project status report. - I-35 E Update - FM2181 E/W construction completed at the end of April 2016 - FM2181 N/S Let date is Aug 2017, this is a 24 month project - FM2499 Section 5, March 2017 completion date - US 377/Ft. Worth Dr. Let date of Feb. 2017 it is a 20 month project - US 380 Urban— 85% complete. September completion date. Contaminated soil mitigation area close to I-35 intersection. - US 380 in town—Jan 2017 completion date Roden asked what was the original completion date compared to what it is currently. Polster will get that information. Roden then talked about a citizen post that talked about not seeing many workers and not at early or late hours. At one time City Council approved working in the evening why does it seem like not much work is happening. Polster answered they have 274 working days to complete the project, there will be penalties accessed if they don't complete. Polster will find out the reason there are no workers. - Sidewalk US 380 Hinkle to Carroll north side, there was a significant amount of analysis done on why the sidewalks will not fit. The State determined it is not feasible in that corridor. Staff is looking at the next best steps -parking spots removed and other options. Polster will acquire analysis and see what it will take to add those sidewalks. - FM 426—McKinney Street—There is money that has to be reported also working to take this street off system will be summer before survey is compete. - I35W frontage road—spur removed by letter from property owner and permit - Loop 288 W-will be added to the on-system report The FM426 money issue was discussed. D. MC 16-016 Staff Reports: 1. TTAT Conference Briefing 2. New Business Matrix There was discussion regarding the DCTA bus system on FM426 for students. 2. CONCLUDING ITEMS A. Under Section 551.042 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, respond to inquiries from the Committee on the Environment or the public with specific factual information or recitation of policy, or accept a proposal to place the matter on the agenda for an upcoming meeting AND Under Section 551.0415 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, provide reports about items of community interest regarding which no action will be taken, to include: expressions of thanks, congratulations, or condolence; information regarding holiday schedules; an honorary or salutary recognition of a public official,public employee, or other citizen; a reminder about an upcoming event organized or sponsored by the governing body; information regarding a social, ceremonial, or community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the governing body that was attended or is scheduled to be attended by a member of the governing body or an official or employee of the municipality; or an announcement involving an imminent threat to the public health and safety of people in the municipality that has arisen after the posting of the agenda. Roden—talked about TWU Master Plan and how to get bikes to the train station The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 1:13 p.m.