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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRTBC MINUTES October 2018MINUTES APPROVED MPO REGIONAL TRAILS AND BICYCLING COMMITTEE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9th, 2018 CITY HALL, UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS MEMBERS PRESENT: Louise From (University Heights), Becky Soglin (Johnson County), Shelly Simpson (North Liberty), Bob Oppliger (Bicyclists of Iowa City), Jay Geisen (University of Iowa), Sherri Proud (Coralville), Doug Boldt (Tiffin) OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Freidhof (Johnson County) STAFF PRESENT: Sarah Walz, Emily Bothell, Frank Waisath 1. CALL TO ORDER; RECOGNIZE ALTERNATES; CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES Walz called the meeting to order at 1:00 P.M. There was one alternate; Jay Geisen served as an alternate for Michelle Ribble (University of Iowa). Motion to approve meeting minutes was made by Simpson; From seconded. The motion carried unanimously. 2. Public Discussion Oppliger stated that he was nominated to the Board of Directors for the League of American Bicyclists. 3. Discuss Update to the 2009 Metro Bicycle Plan Walz informed the group that staff is mo ving forward with the Metro Bicycle Master Plan. The previous plan was adopted in 2009, and a number of the major goals included in the previous plan have been implemented since its adoption: a system of wayfinding signage has been installed, and most of the off -street trails identified have been built or extended. Additionally, the MPOJC, Iowa City, and Coralville have all adopted complete streets policies. Scoring criteria for MPO road funding has also been changed to favor road projects that include bike and pedestrian infrastructure, including sidepaths (wide sidewalks). A number of MPO communities and the County have received Bike Friendly designations from the League of American Bicyclists. Iowa City adopted its own bicycle master plan in 2017 and the University of Iowa is currently working on a bikeway plan. University Heights included bicycle facilities in their community visioning process, which will bring facilities to Melrose Avenue. The Metro Bicycle Plan will focus mainly on North Liberty and Coralville and the connectivity between the new metro bicycle plan and existing bicycle master plans. Walz also stressed the opportunity to look for policies and programs that match up or are complementary to each other so that there is consistency across jurisdictional boundaries. Staff will meet with member entities to discuss individual needs. Freidhof questioned the linkages between metro and county trails. He stated that Johnson County is on track to have bike lanes on the Herbert Hoover Highway bridge and questioned how that trail may be connected to existing trails. Soglin asked whether having public input meetings in January and February and would provide opportunity for adequate feedback given that the weather would be a factor for bicyclists. She suggested providing copies of drafts and other information on line so that people have easy access to the various stages of the plan. Proud indicated that Coralville wanted to move forward with the plan on an aggressive timeline to adopt by summer. Oppliger suggested methods to reach low-income and non-English speaking groups. A few suggestions were made for wording changes on the survey. 4. Review Annual Trail Counts Walz informed the group that trail counts are beginning to show trends as there are 10 years of data for some locations. Ridership on most trails, especially regional trails, are growing over time. Bothell added that member entities should contact staff with requests for 2019 counts. Johnson County and Coralville have also purchased trail counters and plan to start counting trails in addition to the MPO counts. 5. Updates on local trail/bike/pedestrian projects and activities from MPO entities Simpson informed the group that trail construction along Highway 965 is ongoing. Trails within Penn Meadows park are being paved. Trail connectivity and wide sidewalk projects are occurring throughout North Liberty. Soglin informed the group that through the wellness program, the board of supervisors will be informed about a potential application for Bike Friendly Community status. Oppliger informed the group that he has been working on encouraging businesses to apply for Bike Friendly Business status. Applications are accepted three times per year. Freidhof noted that the county is constructing around $5 million worth of hard surface trails. The trail along Herbert Hoover Highway from 7 Sisters Road to Ely Road is paved. This was phase two of the project. Phase one exiting Solon is underway. Concrete work for Herbert Hoover Highway should be done this year and phase three will go out for bidding in January. Phase three goes from Polk Avenue to Ely Road. Construction of the Mehaffey Bridge Road trail is moving slowly due to poor soil quality. Previous plans included a retaining wall along the road that is now cost prohibitive due to poor soil quality. The new plan includes paving the trail within 5-feet of the road for 300-400 feet. Land acquisition for the Clear Creek Trail from Tiffin to Kent Park is complete and engineering will begin soon. Geisen informed the group that the University of Iowa is currently working on their bicycle master plan. The plan is being created internally and will include an emphasis on identifying major routes, bicycle parking locations, and reduced pedestrian and cyclist conflict. Oppliger asked about the status of the bike share program in Iowa City. Geisen and Walz responded that several vendors have presented products but a decision has not been made. The system will likely be dockless. Proud informed the group that the Clear Creek Trail is awaiting paving. Due to the $50 million advancement grant, paving under the I-80/I-380 interchange may not occur until after project completion. The trail along the west side of Highway 965 from Oakdale Boulevard to Forevergreen Road is nearing completion. From informed the group that the Swisher Tract in University Heights has been purchased by the city. The tract is about 11.5 acres and potential for a trail has been discussed. Walz notified the group that paving on Dodge Street and Governor Street is underway and both will include on-street bike lanes. At the intersection of Governor Street and Brown Street, there will be a bike boulevard that connects to North Dodge Street. Intersection improvements at Myrtle Avenue and Riverside Drive will include a pedestrian refuge island for people crossing Riverside Drive. Four to three lane conversions on Mormon Trek Boulevard and Clinton Street are underway. Brad Friedhof asked about the tunnel under the Iowa Interstate Railroad on Riverside. Walz noted that progress had been delayed by a lawsuit but that construction was planned for 2019. 6. Other Business None. 7. Adjournment Meeting Adjourned 2:00 PM. Motion to adjourn was made by Proud. The motion carried unanimously.