Agendas and Minutes

Transportation Advisory Committee (View All)

Transportation Commission

Agenda
Thursday, April 24, 2014

ASHLAND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

MINUTES

APRIL 24, 2014
 
 
CALL TO ORDER:  Chair David Young called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street.
 
Commissioners Present:Joe Graf, Craig Anderson, Corinne Viéville, Alan Bender, and David Young
Commissioners Absent: Shawn Kampmann, and David Chapman
Staff Present:  Scott Fleury, Mike Faught and Tami De Mille-Campos
Council Liaison Present:Carol Voisin
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
CONSENT AGENDA
Approval of Minutes – February
 
Page 5 correction: “Chairperson Young stated formal communication from members to other people and/or organizations and any other form of communication, should clearly state when they are expressing opinions from themselves. He was asked by Staff whether he thought the City Recorder and City Attorney should refresh the Commission with the rules and regulations.”
 
Approved as corrected.
 
PUBLIC FORUM
Honore Depew, 63 California Street
On behalf of Ashland Parks and Recreation he updated the Commission on the Annual Bike Swap happening on April 26, 2014. He also asked for volunteers, as they are always needed. He offered to set up a table for any of the Commissioners that might want to be present at the event. Commissioner Young agreed to have a table with some Transportation System Plan maps, in place of volunteering at the event.
 
Colin Swales, 95 Coolidge
Now that he is living close to the road diet area he wanted to provide some input on it. He feels it is working well. He pointed out that there aren’t many breaks in the traffic now which has been brought up since the beginning of the Road Diet. He also stated he used to be able to make a left turn onto Nursery Street heading north out of town rather than Coolidge Street like he used to. He pointed out the turn markings on the street are past Nursery, almost encouraging left turns onto Coolidge which isn’t allowed. The main thing that hasn’t been implemented yet is more pedestrian crosswalks/medians along North Main. He expressed interest in seeing the City further explore the idea (Dan Burden’s) of roundabouts at Wimer/Hersey and Maple. If the road diet does become permanent, he would like to see changes made such as street tree plantings, permanent turn lanes etc.
 
NEW BUSINESS
Transportation System Capital Improvement Prioritization
Fleury stated this would be the first look at prioritizing the roadway network/studies capital improvement projects that came out of the Transportation System Plan (TSP). Once the commission completes the prioritization of the road networks they will move on to the bicycle and pedestrian networks in preparation for looking at the revenue/funding sources by the end of the calendar year for the next budget cycle.
 
The Committee looked at the studies first, the Siskiyou Boulevard pedestrian crossing evaluation and feasibility study. Staff is interested in applying for a Transportation Growth Management (TGM) grant to complete the study, which would fund the study in full. This study is ranked as the only high priority in the TSP. Faught pointed out the study is timely as SOU looks at additional growth. Chairperson Young is the only remaining Commissioner that worked on the TSP. He stated during the TSP process he pushed pretty hard to consider the feasibility of a viaduct at that intersection (Hwy 66/Siskiyou). He is very impressed with how well the diagonal crosswalk redesign is doing but he thinks it is important to study the whole corridor. He mentioned he thinks it would be a good idea to maybe invite someone from SOU to the discussion, given the enrollment numbers. Graf feels it is a good idea to have this study done now rather than waiting. Staff pointed out if the Commission doesn’t feel it is a good time to pursue this grant we can hold off on applying. For more information on this study see attached table 10-2.
 
Out of respect for the TSP process the Commission decided to go through the high priority projects (those that aren’t already in motion) and prioritized them. The high priority projects that are not already in motion are: Lithia Way (OR99 NB)/E Main Street Intersection Improvements (R05), Siskiyou Boulevard (OR99)/Tolman Creek Road Intersection Improvements (R06), Ashland Street (OR 66)/Oak Knoll Drive-E Main Street Intersection Improvements (R08), Walker Avenue Festival Street (Siskiyou Boulevard to Ashland Street) (R40). For more information on each project see attached table 10-3. Fleury/Officer MacLennan pointed out that the City receives a lot of complaints regarding this area on a weekly basis.
 
Viéville/Bender m/s to approve the prioritization as follows (excludes R17 & R25 which are already in motion):
1 - Siskiyou Boulevard (OR99)/Tolman Creek Road Intersection Improvements (R06)
2 - Lithia Way (OR99 NB)/E Main Street Intersection Improvements (R05)
3 - Ashland Street (OR 66)/Oak Knoll Drive-E Main Street Intersection Improvements (R08)
4 - Walker Avenue Festival Street (Siskiyou Boulevard to Ashland Street) (R40)
 
All in favor. Motion passes.
 
Agenda Layout
As per the discussion at the March Transportation Commission meeting the layout of the agenda has been changed. Staff also researched advertisement and public notice options with respect to the TC meeting agenda and critical discussion items. The Commission requested that staff publish a summarized agenda (2x5 display ad) at a cost of approximately $45.50 in the Ashland Daily Tidings the Monday before each months meeting.
 
Transportation and Growth Management Grant
Staff has submitted a letter of intent (LOI) to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for a Transportation Growth and Management grant (TGM) for the Siskiyou Blvd. pedestrian crossing evaluation. TGM Grants help local communities plan for streets and land use in a way that leads to more livable, economically vital, and sustainable communities and that increases opportunities for transit, walking and bicycling.
 
Anderson/Viéville m/s to support staff drafting a letter of support on behalf of the Transportation Commission (Chair person Young will sign) and request that Council drafts a letter of support as well.
 
All in favor. Motion passes.
 
OLD BUSINESS
Lithia Way and 3rd St.
Fleury spoke to Mike Birch from ODOT again and he is not going to submit to the state because the existing speed zone warrant is within a couple hundred feet of where we want to put the 20mph signs so we do not need permission. He has already spoken to the Streets department and they have already chosen the spot & are going to install the 20mph signs.
 
Orange Ave Bicycle Boulevard
The Street department is almost done with sign and striping installation. They are looking to put up four more 20mph signs in between Willow and Drager directionally on both sides and in between Drager and Laurel.  The sharrows have been installed. The feedback from the residents (Ellen Faulkner) has been positive so far. Fleury stated he had informed resident Ellen Faulkner, once the signs have been put up staff will ask the Police department to do some occasional patrolling of the area.
 
N. Main Restriping
Fleury stated they are still trying to finalize the project so the striping can be refreshed. Kim Parducci (Southern Oregon Transportation Engineering) is going to talk to ODOT (awaiting approval) about the changes so that the restriping can be finalized.
 
*Changing the merge location heading northbound just past Oak Street
*Realignment of the Maple Street driveway (Stone Medical) - staff is waiting to hear back from Asante
*Glenn St - moving the dedicated left hand turn onto Glenn & making that the safety lane
*Bush Street left hand turn lane
 
Chair person Young brought up the concern regarding the need for further pedestrian crossings along North Main. Staff is having Kim explore that issue.
 
Faught pointed out that they are looking to put down some more permanent striping rather than just paint. ODOT is recommending the City use thermoplastic because it wears a lot better. Fleury said he is trying to have ODOT bid the project out for us because they have contractors who specifically do this kind of work.
 
Nevada St. Bridge/Chip Seal Applications
Faught stated that the Chip seal was turned down. They thought it was a great idea but it was up against a few large projects (Table Rock, Foothills). He thinks it will have a good shot at funding next time.
 
The East Nevada Street project was funded, at 1.5 million. Staff is requesting the infrastructure bank finance the difference at 1.8% interest. So far they are saying it is eligible and to check with ODOT. ODOT is also saying they are in support of the project because it is a viable project so staff will finish the application for the low interest funding. 
 
Downtown Parking Study
Young stated the May meeting was cancelled in order to allow for more time for the University of Oregon to work on getting the second citizen survey out. The survey was “advertised” in the May City Source to help get the word out. Young mentioned that at the last meeting the downtown committee reviewed maps of some possible lane configurations. Faught pointed out he thinks it is important to provide the Transportation Commission with those same maps to get an idea of what those possible lane configurations look like. Staff will provide the maps to the Commission at the May meeting.
 
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
Action Summary
Oregon Impact April Newsletter
Traffic Crash Summary
 
COMMISSION OPEN DISCUSSION
*Anderson mentioned he would still like the Legal department to provide clarification on the Transportation Commissions’ powers (recommendations made to Council vs. to the Public Works Director)
*Anderson reminded staff that the TC would like to be represented on System Development Committee which would require a change to the ordinance. Faught said he hasn’t had a chance to talk to the Mayor about it but he will. He did point out in the meantime Graff can still attend the meetings even if he isn’t appointed.
*Chair Young recommended staff request Egon to report to the Commission regarding bicycle safety since we will likely be applying for that grant again soon.
*Anderson expressed some concern regarding the chip sealing and he pointed out he would like to see the TC be a part of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ)/Surface Transportation Program (STP) grant applications before they are submitted.   
 
FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
Transportation Safety Public Outreach 
SOU Multi-Modal Future
Siskiyou Blvd. Signal Timing
 
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:07 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Tami De Mille-Campos, Administrative Assistant 
 
 
 

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