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:  Craig Anderson, Pam Hammond, Shawn Kampmann and David Young
Absent Members:  Tom Burnham and Corinne Viéville
Ex Officio Present:  Steve MacLennan
Staff Present:  Mike Faught, Scott Fleury and Jodi Vizzini
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
No announcements were presented.
 
CONSENT AGENDA
A.  Approval of Minutes
     1.  March 21, 2013
 
The minutes of March 21, 2013 were approved as presented.
 
PUBLIC FORUM
Egon Dubois/381 W. Nevada/Thanked the Transportation Commission for their generous support of the bicycle safety education program.  He reported that parents and teachers of schools that are not yet benefiting from the program have expressed interest. He added students have reported they enjoy the program and parents feel it is of value.  He brought attention to the Ashland Community Bike Swap scheduled for Saturday April 27, 2013. 
 
Sharon Thormahlen/ 96 Fork St./Expressed her concern with pedestrians, bumpouts, narrow driving lanes and the recently installed bike rack on S. Pioneer adding to the already dicey roadway. She explained how bikes parked in the rack sometimes extend into the road, forcing vehicles to the center causing a potential traffic hazard. She suggested the bike rack be moved farther up the hill where the road is wider.
 
Commissioners acknowledged her complaint and recommended staff bring this subject for review at a future meeting.
 
ACTION ITEMS
This agenda item took place following the Traffic Crash Summary discussion.
A.  Hargadine-Pioneer-Fork Intersection Analysis-con’t
Staff Report
Scott Fleury reviewed the report produced by Kim Parducci, Southern Oregon Transportation Engineering, LLC which included her recommendation for bulb-outs to increase pedestrian safety at the Hargadine-Pioneer-Fork intersection.
 
Commissions Questions/Comments

• Commissioners and staff discussed the need to channel vehicles to the stop bar locations while keeping them on the right side of the road. A recommendation to add centerline striping was suggested to guide vehicles. A lengthy discussion took place on the need for crosswalks in this area. A request was made for the traffic engineer to revisit the location of the proposed stop bars indicated on the handout.
• Commissioners discussed on the need for a marked crosswalk at the intersection. A request was made for staff to ask Ms. Parducci if there was one favorable location at this intersection for a crosswalk.

 
Commissioners Kampmann/Hammond m/s to approve the traffic engineer’s recommendation with the exception of the bulb-outs and add centerline striping on S. Pioneer.  DISCUSSION:  Commissioner Anderson stated that Ms. Parducci’s memo points out several benefits of the bulb-outs with no perceived drawbacks, so he was not in support of the motion. Commissioner Young agreed the memo came with a package and the sight distance benefits gained are contingent with the bulb-outs so he was not in support of the motion.  Voice vote:  Commissioner Kampmann, YES.  Commissioners Anderson, Hammond and Young, NO.  Motion failed 1 – 3.
 
Commissioners Anderson/Hammond m/s to approve the recommendation as presented in the memo from Southern Oregon Transportation Engineering, LLC.  By show of hands in favor of the motion Commissioners Anderson, Hammond, Young, YES.  Commissioner Kampmann, NO.  Motion passed 3 – 1.
 
B.  Walker and Iowa Intersection Analysis
This item was reviewed prior to agenda Item A.
Staff Report
Mike Faught briefly discussed the letter submitted by Ashland Municipal Court Judge, Pamela Turner, requesting the Commission review the intersection at Walker Ave. and Iowa St. following a request by citizen Bruce Taylor, cyclist, who was cited for riding his bike through a stop sign.  Mr. Faught felt the solution to the request was education, not an engineering redesign.  He asked Bill Heimann to present bicycle safety information.
 
Bill Heimann/647 Siskiyou Blvd./Stated he is a certified cycling instructor, coach and teaches the court diversion program for cyclists cited for moving violations. He gave an overview of a handout illustrating vehicle sight triangles at a typical intersection.  He emphasized the danger of allowing cyclists to travel through intersections without stopping.  He recommended situational awareness education instead of built facilities.  
 
Commissioners Questions/Comments

• A comment was made to include a future agenda item to discuss remarking intersections with dashed bike lanes.
• A question was asked if intersections are warranted prior to installing stop signs.  Answer:  Yes; this intersection exceeds MUTCD and the City’s warrants.
• Commissioners and staff discussed cyclists and situations which warrant tickets.

Commissioners Anderson/Kampmann m/s to follow staff’s recommendation to not take any action on the request to allow cyclists to travel through the Walker Ave./Iowa St. intersection without stopping.  Discussion:  Commissioner Kampmann stressed the need to be consistent throughout city. Voice vote:  all AYES.  Motion passed.
 
Commissioner Young departed from the agenda to welcome Councilor Voisin as the newly appointed Council liaison to the Transportation Commission.
 
NON ACTION ITEMS
A.  Audible Pedestrian Signals Update
Staff Report
Mr. Fleury provided an update on the status of the audible pedestrian signals.  He stated an order has been placed and amended following a walk-through with an Oregon Department of Transportation representative and Commissioner Viéville who helped identify critical intersections.  He outlined the status of the diagonal crosswalk at Indiana/Wightman which will be completed summer/ 2013. Staff reported the majority of signals are solar powered excluding a few reliant on power due to shaded areas.
 
B.  Road Diet Post Construction Analysis
Staff Report
Mr. Faught briefly outlined Ms. Parducci’s N. Main St. evaluation report on average corridor travel time, stopped time, gaps and pedestrian and bicycle volumes.  He added staff will post the updated data to the City’s website to keep those interested in the statistics informed. 
 
 Commissioners Questions/Comments

• Commissioners shared both positive and negative personal experiences of post road diet travel.
• Staff encouraged Commissioners to send any comments they hear from citizens to the Public Works office.

COMMISSION OPEN DISCUSSION
Topics of discussion included:  various approaches to educating the public on pedestrian/bicycle safety; the recently adopted Transportation System Plan high priority projects; incorporating the projects into the Capital Improvement Plan project list; funding prioritized projects; future RVTD route and actions needed to make that happen; and Commission vacancies.
 
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
A.  Traffic Safety Connection April Newsletter
Did not review. Informational item only.
 
B.  Action Summary
Did not review.  Informational item only.
 
C.  Traffic Crash Summary
This item was discussed prior to agenda Item A; following agenda Item B.
Staff Report
Officer Steve MacLennan detailed two serious accidents involving pedestrians as indicated on the March Motor Vehicle Crash Summary.  He clarified that neither accidents resulted in a fatality. Commissioners asked questions about the crosswalks on Ashland St.  Officer MacLennan detailed an accident involving four cars at Lithia Way and Pioneer St. with minor injuries caused by an intoxicated driver who was cited.
 
Officer MacLennan discussed the parking problem near the Grower’s Market involving cars parked in the bike lane and on the railroad tracks.  He added that he left a message for the market coordinator to discuss where to place flaggers on the road directing customers to the parking available at ScienceWorks and/or California St.  Commissioners and staff discussed ways to educate and enforce the parking conditions placed on the conditional use permit issued for the market. 
 
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.