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Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission
July 19th, 2007 Regular Minutes
Young called the meeting to order at 5:20 p.m.
It was noted that the first sentence under Public Forum needed to end with “is worn and needs repair.” Severson noted that he would make this change, and added that he had followed up with Jim Olson in Engineering, who indicated that this was scheduled for repair in the near future.
Church/Aitken m/s to accept the minutes of the June 2007 meeting as amended. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed.
Egon Dubois, bicycle safety instructor with the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, suggested there was a need to provide a map identifying public restroom facilities in town and to provide at least one bicycle rack at all such facilities.
Seiler discussed the task list of items to be done for Car Free Day, and asked that members review the list and email him the items for which they were willing to volunteer. It was noted that RVTD was going to be tabling at the event and could provide a public address system. There was discussion of the fact that the event falls on a Saturday this year, and as such bus service will not be available. Members discussed their availability to table for the event, and Severson and Chapman tentatively indicated their willingness to help with tabling.
Severson gave a brief update on the status of the Wheeldon memorial discussions, and noted that the Public Arts Commission had planned a public art installation in this location. He stated that he would follow up, in hopes of resolving the matter as soon as possible and getting a memorial in place.
Severson noted that the lights, pedometers and helmets had been received.
Young noted that the IAMP group met yesterday, and that the public session had been postponed, with a tentative reschedule date of August 16 in Pioneer Hall (concurrently with the next Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission meeting.) Young outlined some of the issues of discussion including the population projections which form the basis for some of the planning, bridge construction, vehicle miles traveled reductions, and the information center being discussed.
Angela Koch, Safe Routes to School Director, and Scott Bricker, Executive Director, from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in
Bricker, who serves as the BTA lobbyist in Salem, gave a legislative update including a detailed discussion of SB 108, the “three-foot rule” which relates to bicycle-related ordinance discussions later on the agenda, and also discussed BTA’s Campaign for Bicycle Boulevards (low traffic streets planned to better accommodate cyclists) and the Blueprint for Better Biking, a BTA report detailing 40 projects to most improve bicycling in the Porltand Metro area.
After general discussion, it was suggested that this would be a long-term item, and that a subcommittee form to look at the ordinances and what might be needed to update them. Issues such as cyclists taking the lane were discussed, as was the
Car Free “First Friday”
Sommer discussed her idea to add a car free element to First Fridays, noting that she felt there was a need to take being car free beyond an annual event. She suggested that she would like to see encouragement for people to be car free in the First Friday publicity, and that she would eventually like to incorporate street closures as well. She asked if there was any interest from others on the Commission in pursuing this.
Young expressed concern with the idea of street closures, and it was noted that downtown street closures could require ODOT approval. Seiler suggested that this might best be accomplished incrementally, by starting small. Sommer stated that a car free element could initially be worked into publicity materials and the idea of street closures held for now. Dubois pointed out that the First Fridays could become more of a street fair. Aitken noted that there needed to be some sensitivity for those who don’t walk, and Church noted that there needed to be viable alternatives in place and available. Sommer suggested that shuttle service could be developed. There was not a general consensus of members present to move this item ahead, but Sommer was encouraged to pursue it individually.
Aitken noted that she would be out of the country and unable to attend the August meeting.
Burnham noted that there was a need for blackberry removal along the Central Ashland Bikepath, and also reiterated his desire for a traffic infractions summary to be reviewed by the Commission monthly.
Agenda Items for Next Month
Young stated that he would like to have an agenda item to begin development of a work plan based on the discussion during last month’s goal setting discussion.
Members discussed the IAMP meeting occurring concurrently with next month’s meeting, which would be occurring in the nearby Pioneer Hall, and suggested that they would like to meet at the regular time, deal with pressing business, and then adjourn to allow members to attend the public sessions dealing with the IAMP.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
Upcoming Meetings:
Regular Meeting – August 16th, 2007 at 5:15 p.m.