Agendas and Minutes

Transportation Advisory Committee (View All)

Transportation Commission

Agenda
Thursday, September 25, 2014

 
ASHLAND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
September 25, 2014
Minutes
 
Commissioners Present: David Young, Craig Anderson, Joseph Graf, Shawn Kampmann, Corinne Vieville
Commissioners Absent: David Chapman, Alan Bender
Staff Present: Fleury Fleury, and Mary McClary
Council Liaison Present: Carol Voisin
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Young called the meeting to order at 6:00pm in the Civic Center Council Chambers, located at 1175 E Main Street.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None stated.
 
CONSENT AGENDA
Approval of Minutes 08/28/14 as presented.
 
PUBLIC FORUM
Gary Shaff, 516 Herbert St. asked the Commission to write to the Oregon Department of Transportation on behalf of a growing population of citizens who ride their bikes to work for pleasure.  He would like the Commission to support bike lanes to be continuous on Hwy 99, as the State is currently developing a plan for this Highway between Medford and South Valley View.  He explained there are bike lanes within the city of Talent and Phoenix, but there were not bike lanes designated in the current draft plan, between Phoenix and Talent, nor Talent to Ashland.  He asked the Commission email the state, or email as individuals.  IanK.Horlacher@ODOT.STATE.OR.US.
 
Commissioner Anderson wondered if the current draft plan did not address bike lanes with the idea of a “Road Diet” in Talent and between Talent and Ashland.  Mr. Shaft explained the area in question was between Talent and Valley View.
Mary McClary would send out the State email address to the Commissioners.
 
Chair Young duly noted there was agreement for him to put together a letter(s) for them to review at the next meeting, with a recommendation to the City Council and to the Public Works Department in support of the continuous bike lanes on Hwy 99.
 
Nancy Burton, 920 A/B Street, burtonnancy.lac@gmail.com representing and some neighbors and herself, spoke to the Commission about motorist driving on B Street that has been unsafe and dangerous.   She stated 3 of 5 accidents have resulted in vehicles landing in her front yard.  She stated there are no stop signs between 8th and Mountain and she believed motorists were driving too fast on the street, and not always stopping at the stop signs that were posted.  She gave examples to the Commission of times when vehicles did not stop at the signs, or drove to fast which created dangerous situations.
 
Chair Young explained there had been a number of things done to address this area and the Commission discussed this issue at the past June meeting.  Fleury explained the city had done a speed and volume study in 2014 and the numbers were actually down from 2012.  They also looked a lot of other specific areas. The TSP plan showed in the future, a Bike Blvd which would meet the criteria to lower the speed limit.  Speed limits were mandated by the State.  This area would continue to be reviewed and studied.
 
NEW BUSINESS
Transportation System Plan SDC List Discussion
SDC Final List discussion
 
Fleury explained this item was tabled last month and brought back to go over the list to see if there were projects that could be eliminated for consideration to the SDC committee, based on an inability to complete the project within a 20 year time frame.  Chair Young explained the intent was to approve crossing out the projects that would not be presented to the SDC committee for recommendation.
 
Commissioner Graf explained all of these projects were in the Transportation System Plan (TSP) and the costs associated were in the TSP.  The challenge would be to try and determine which projects would likely be completed in 20 years, and which projects would not.
 
Chair Young pointed out in the minutes this item was tabled until Faught would be present, and unfortunately he was not able to attend tonight’s meeting.
 
Commissioner Anderson asked Commissioner Graf if the SDC committee had considered transportation and he explained Faught asked them to wait until the list of projects had been reviewed by staff and a recommendation was made by the Transportation Commission.
 
Commissioner Anderson felt there were a lot of issues they needed to discuss before they could make a recommendation to the SDC committee who would be considering formulas and methodology in their own analysis. Chair Young explained all the items would remain in the TSP, and the Commission was only acting in a consultant capacity for recommending which projects the commission felt would not be completed within the next 20 years.  He believed it was not their charge to engage in what the mechanisms were or determine funding for the TSP or the validity of the estimates for each projects.  The agenda item was only to determine which projects would be set aside.
 
Commissioner Anderson disagreed, he felt the Commission’s role was to advise the City Council in funding and review the projects in the TSP.  He believed the way the projects were calculated and the methodology used was part of that role the Commission needed to review.
 
The Commission members discussed the methodology used by the SDC committee for development. They discussed the possibility of inviting members of the SDC committee to discuss the methodology. In addition, they discussed the charge of the Commission was to make recommendations to the Council about projects to be done, but not where the projects received their funding sources and whether or not that process was fair or unfair.
 
Commissioner Vieville made a motion that they accept Faught’s suggestions and move it forward to the SDC committee.  Commissioner Graf seconded the motion.
 
Chair Young explained the motion was to approve the list of projects that were recommended for exclusion at this time, to the SDC committee from the TSP plan.  Commissioner Vieville asked the Commission if everyone agreed with the projects recommended.  They discussed a few of the projects slighted for exclusion and the low, medium and high priority projects.
 
Commissioner Anderson left at 6:47 pm.
Chair Young called for a vote on the motion as stated by a raise of their hands.
 
All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
North Main Crosswalk Discussion
Chair Young welcomed Kim Parducci, Southern Oregon Transportation Engineering.  She met with ODOT in the field and gave an update to the Commission concerning crosswalk locations along N. Main Street.  The two preferred locations were Van Ness and Nursery with a possibility at Wimer/Hersey.  She explained ODOT preferred the Van Ness location with a pedestrian island. The Commission looked at a design and she explained how it would be marked. 
 
Kim presented the different options to consider with each location and how ODOT viewed each situation.  She believed the Commission could propose Van Ness at a minimum.  The Commission discussed in detail the best locations to recommend.
 
The Commission talked about safety, demand for the cross walks, safety islands, flow of traffic, balance between vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles, testing with one crossing, and flashers.
 
Commissioner Vieville made a motion that the Commission recommend two crossings one North Main and Van Ness and North Main and Nursery with one having flashers wherever most appropriate.
Commissioner Graf seconded the motion.
 
Parducci explained the crossing at North Main and Nursery would not necessarily need a pedestrian island, if it had flashers and becomes more flexible.    The commissioners talked about walking the proposed area and looking at a hard design before moving it forward to the City Council.
 
Commissioner Kampmann talked about starting with one crossing, to see how it goes and if it was successful adding another crossing in the future.  Also he felt there wasn’t a big demand on North Main and they should keep the Nursery option open, but start with Van Ness.  His reasons were:
  1. Can put on southern side and people coming out of Van Ness are not holding up traffic, or putting people at risk when automobiles might not be looking.
  2. Visibility
  3. Literally ½ way between the two signal locations, Laurel and Maple
  4. Likes the idea of an island for more safety and visibility
  5. Not disrupting traffic patterns
Vote: The motion passed with a majority vote. 
All in favor: Commissioner Vieville, Commissioner Graf, and Commissioner Young
Opposed: Commissioner Kampmann
 
 
 
 
November and December TC Meeting Dates
Chair recommended the Commission meet the 3rd Thursday, on November 20 and the 3rd Thursday, December 18. To maintain a quorum, the Commission member’s need to communicate effectively if plans change.  All members agreed.
Chair Young asked to move to Traffic Crash Summary under Informational Items.
Officer Steve MacLennan answered questions the members had about the Crash Summary, different violations committed, and the actions taken or not taken. The discussion turned to the downtown corridor and sidewalks being used as a gathering place.
OLD BUSINESS
None Stated.
 
FOLLOW UP ITEMS
Downtown Parking Study
Chair Young reported the Committee was beginning to deal with the right of way, and considering bike lanes along the corridors downtown.  The Committee approved an expanded and specific timed parking for 2 and 4 hours, not metered, to also include a permit system.   Everything was still at the conceptual stage.  He explained about the survey and monitoring that was performed to establish current parking patterns.   The next meeting would be held October 1, 3:30 at Pioneer Hall.
 
Report from Councilor Voisin
The Council received & approved recommendation for projects from the Downtown Beautification Committee.
She reported three of the projects might be of interest to the members, and they could review them as citizens and report to the Council.
  1. Pioneer and Lithiaretaining wall – Height/fire hydrant
  2. Winburn by Gateway Real Estate
  3. Fences around Pioneer---visibility
 
Siskiyou Blvd 20 mph sign
Fleury explained the city had run out of 20mph signs, and it would be finished soon.
 
Faith Ave. Sharrows
Last October we talked about a share the road sign along Faith, Main and Orange.  Orange was only completed,
the rest would be completed soon.  Chair Young remembered there was a recommendation to lower the speed limit on Ashland Street to 30mph until the overpass, and ODOT still has to complete that study.  Fleury will follow up.
 
Audible Pedestrian Signals
Fleury ordered just over $5,000 more of buttons for Siskiyou and Walker, and Lithia and Main, and Pioneer and Lithia.  He thanked Commissioner Vieville for her extra work in studying this area.  They are also suggesting to ODOT some more Countdown Pedestrian to be installed.
 
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
Action Summary
Chair asked for any question or comments on the Action Summary.  There were no comments.
 
Traffic Crash Summary
Reviewed.
 
Commissioner Kampmann would like to have safety education for the pedestrians and public as a future agenda topic.  There are a lot of unsafe practices he had noticed that need to be corrected or educated.
Commissioner Graf wondered if B Street could be made a bicycle blvd without eliminating parking.  Fleury mentioned the design process would help to address that possibility. They talked about the lack of garages on that street making a concern for the handicap.
 
Commissioner Vieville asked about the open ditches along Siskiyou and Harmony, and about the cars parked across the sidewalk on Siskiyou and Clay.  Fleury would check with Officer MacLennan next month. Fleury explained the open ditches were not piped yet, and were utilized as standard road side ditch.
 
 
Oregon Impact September Newsletter
None stated.
COMMISSION OPEN DISCUSSION
None stated.
 
FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
Bicycle Network Prioritization
SOU Multi-Modal Future
Stop Sign at Sherman/Iowa
Traffic Crash Summary PD letter
Sign Education (Regulatory/Informational)
 
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:20pm and the next meeting would be October 23rd.
 
 
 

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