Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes, Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Himmel Park Library, 1035 N. Treat Avenue

Tucson, AZ

Submitted by

Secretary Richard E Corbett

1: Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Chair Diana Tolton at 6:05 pm

2: Introductions and Approval of Meeting Minutes

Members and guests present introduced themselves.

The minutes of the November meeting were approved as presented, on a motion by Donna Aversa, seconded by Dave Boston, and passed unanimously.

3: Law Enforcement Reports and Related Topics

Tucson Police Sgt Tim Beam stated that the bike crashes to date are about nine to ten percent above 2005, starting in March. There were no noteworthy crashes, other than one at 3^rd & Campbell. A woman cycling north in the Campbell Ave. shoulder lane made a sudden left turn from the right side of the road and was struck by a north bound car, breaking her leg.

He went on to say that the Tucson Police Department had developed their legislative ‘wish list’ for the 2007 legislative session, including expanding the offenses for 28-672 (which provides for enhanced penalties) to include “anything involving a moving motor vehicle that causes a bicyclist or pedestrian death”.

Brian Beck asked if BAC could be of help? A discussion followed with Law Enforcement sub-committee chair John Fleming saying he would put it on their agenda. Eric Post suggested using the same approach as with the motorized bikes issue – a letter of support/position from the BAC. He went on to cite the news article about the Grant Road fatality, in which Officer Dallas was quoted as saying 1) that cars must give bicyclists three feet clearance ‘if there is no bike lane’, and 2) that cyclists ‘must stay in the bike lane’. Post pointed out that both these statements were legally incorrect, and asked that this matter be put on the agenda for January.

4: Call to the Public

Citizen James Morino asked if he could make a presentation on the Green Party – he wants to be careful not to violate any laws or rules. Melissa Antol will check and see if it is okay to have such a presentation.

5: BAC Logo and Business Cards

Bill Adamson passed around a sample board showing possible BAC member business cards, with an updated logo, and stated that Pima County has volunteered to pay for printing. He moved to accept the County’s offer, Jean Gorman seconded, and the motion was passed unanimously. Adamson mentioned that sub-committee members (who are not appointed BAC members) could be included too.

7: Year End Summary (moved up by the Chair)

Executive Sub-committee: Chair Diana Tolton reported that: an organizational Retreat was held May 13^th and that the sub-committee structure was established and statements of vision and goals agreed on; the sub-committees are now functioning; BAC had a presence at the El Tour Expo, and she will be preparing an annual report.

Communications Sub-committee: Sub-committee Chair Zach McDonald reported that the BAC website was updated, and that a history of the BAC was begun.

Education Sub-committee: Sub-committee Chair Brian Beck reported that it had been decided to merge the Communications and Education Sub-committees; they have plans to do significant outreach to promote the presence and identity of the BAC, as well as interacting with local cycling organizations to promote safer cycling.

Facilities Sub-committee: Sub-committee Chair Bill Adamson said they had participated in the RTA Bike-Ped working group; helped development of the RTA priority bike projects recommendations; and developed a letter on the I-19 frontage roads.

Enforcement Sub-committee: Sub-committee Chair John Fleming reported that their main efforts had been on the motorized bikes issue, including development of a position letter for the BAC.

Other Member Comments/Reports:

Jean Gorman reported that the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists have developed a new outreach program for families and friends of cyclists who are killed or seriously injured; and Eric Post reported that there were many positive comments about the BAC at the El Tour Expo.

Staff Reports:

Melissa Antol reported that during 2006 she had:

· Participated in development and submission of the Regional Platinum application;

· Helped organize and staff both BAC Retreats (May 13, and June 24);

· Supported the consideration of the motorized bikes ordinance;

· Worked on the Tanque Verde/Kolb intersection restriping;

· Worked on the Mountain Avenue/Grant Road Blue Bike Lane;

· Coordinated 60 miles of bike lane restriping projects;

· Managed the installation of more than 100 new bike racks in downtown;

· Managed the wrong way signing and stenciling TE project;

· Donated and fitted 250 helmets for kids at brain injury institute event;

· Updated Traffic Safe Kids Publication and Published 25,000 copies through GOHS Grant. Plan to increase student reach to 7,500 kids this year;

· Organized the City’s Safe Crossings campaign as part of her GOHS Grant;

· Produced two pedestrian safety PSAs for HAWKS and School Zones;

· Participated in organization of 2006 Clean Air Fair;

· Provided Valet Bike parking at community and bike events;

· Organized and coordinated Bike to Work Day;

· Organized a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Panel Presentation for the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Annual Law Enforcement Summit;

· Helped with internal RTA bike project planning and organization

· Coordinated restriping of Broadway-Barraza Intersection and addition of blue bike lane;

· Participated in Safe Routes to School walking assessments and initial planning considerations

Matt Zoll sent a report with Roy Schoonover (excerpts here):

• Working on Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety and Education campaign with the Safety and Education advisory team;
• Hired a new full-time safety educator (Ignacio Rivera de Rosales, who is also working with the Safe Routes program and providing LAB bike safety classes;
• Working with City on proposed bicycle driver diversion class;
• Proceeding with Safe Routes to Schools Program with safety workshops held at the seven pilot schools;
• Working on Fruchtendler Elementary School walking paths and bikeways design and Kolb Road bike lane restriping project. Both projects have been funded with RTA funds;
• Assisted Green Valley bicycle and pedestrian committee with Camino del Sol restriping project to include bike/multiuse lanes;
• Working on Abrego repaving and bike lane project in Green Valley. Provided support for Green Valley traffic safety fair in early February;
• Completed 6 issues of the Walkin’ & Rollin’ Newsletter throughout the year;
• Continuing distribution of pedestrian and bicycle safety - bike map, share the road guide, newsletter, County bike/ped program brochure, Brad P. Gorman Fund share the streets bumper sticker, and new bike safety bilingual bookmarks;
• PCDOT Bike/Ped Program Staff presented bicycle and pedestrian safety information to over 400 Pima County employees in continuing drivers education program. Also presented to over 100 Santa Rita H.S. students at drivers ed class;
• Hosted a pedestrian and bicycle safety workshop January 12 and 13, presented by Federal Highways Administration;
• Continuing design of the Dodge Boulevard bike lanes, sidewalks, and landscape project, Ft. Lowell to River Road. Also working on design of Craycroft Road, Sunrise to River Road, South 12^th Avenue Revitalization Project and Valencia Road (Mark Road to Camino de la Tierra);
• Assisting with Oracle TE project to provide bike lanes, sidewalk and landscaping from Roger Road to River Road.

· Working on design of four Transportation Enhancement projects, including: 1) Homer Davis Elementary School Pedestrian Enhancement; 2) Continental School Safe Routes to School Project; Hohokam Middle School Bicycle Lanes and Pathway Enhancement; and 4) Laguna Elementary School Pedestrian Enhancement; and

· Beginning design on Picture Rocks and Desert Winds Safe Routes to School Projects.

Richard Corbett reported that during 2006 he had:

• Completed and submitted the Tucson Region Platinum Challenge Bicycle Friendly Communities application, both electronically and in hard copy, including various letters for others (transmittal, endorsements, etc), which earned the region a gold level award;
• Participated in the ceremonial signing event where Mayor Walkup, as PAG Regional Council Chair, signed the application transmittal.
• Completed cooperative development of RTA Bike Projects priorities, from the special BAC Retreat held Sat June 24^th;
• Completed BAC Bylaws conversion to Word doc from a pdf version; created and published periodic BAC member list updates; prepared monthly BAC meeting minutes;
• Posted the latest Bike Maps on the PAG website (twice during the year);
• Completed participation on panel for G.O.H.S. annual safety conference, on bicycle commuting safety issues;
• Completed assistance to TDOT; 1) Motorized bikes issue, and 2) bicycle speed estimates; plus multiple occasion assistance to City Attorney's Office regarding expert issues; including an expert report in support of City of Tucson contract defense attorney Scott Rash, with a highly probable reconstructionist scenario for the crash that is being litigated;
• Served on the TE Bike/Ped Safety & Education Program advisory committee;
• Developed the evaluation and planning portion of the Tucson Platinum Panel presentation at the National Bike Summit in Washington DC;
• Completed and submitted reports to both the Tucson City Clerk and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors on 2005 Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee member attendance;
• Worked with PAG GIS staff to develop an updated GIS Regional Bike Map for the PAG regional data center website;
• Helped distribute the updated (2^nd Edition) of the Share the Road guide for cyclists and motorists;
• Assisted Tucson DOT bicycle & pedestrian coordinator, including initial research and development of a recommendation for the City's experimental use of sharrows;
• Participated in monthly (sometimes twice a month) planning meetings for the 2006 and 2007 Clean Air Fairs;
• Worked with the Melissa Antol to plan and organize for the Clean Air Fair's Bike to Work Day, including sponsorship contacts and follow-up, event day planning, set up, & conduct, publicity and promotion, and other similar tasks.
• Completed a current estimate of beneficial bicycle economic impact, and provided to Alta Planning principal Mia Birk, and at his request, to Dave Barber of Inside Tucson Business;
• Completed a RTP Bike Projects listing, comparable to the listing previously prepared for the RTA;
• Assistance to both PCDOT and TDOT with cyclist educational programs they carried out; and
• Data support for the Perimeter Bicycling Route Committee;

6. Agenda 2007

Many Sub-committees and members covered their plans for 2007 at the end of their 2006 report. These have been placed here, for logic of grouping and organization.

Sub-Committees

Executive Sub-committee – perform greater outreach and coordination; prepare an annual report.

Education/Communications Sub-committee - promote the presence and identity of the BAC, and interact with local cycling organizations to promote safer cycling.

Facilities Sub-committee – Interact with the PAG Regional Bike Plan; work with local government maintenance units to coordinate bike improvements; and monitoring of the RTA bike projects implementation.

Enforcement Sub-committee – monitor and interact with police liaisons to BAC; work with enforcement issues as they arise.

Individual Members

Hank Rowe – Have a legislative report at every meeting during the legislative session;

Brian Beck – Recap all action items at the end of every meeting;

Wayne Cullop – Reminder for carry forward agenda items;

Bill Adamson – Both minutes and agendas quicker (i.e., one to two weeks);

Diana Tolton – Improved agenda process;

Donna Aversa – Develop one-page form to submit agenda items on (to include actual wording, proposed action, etc.);

Bill Adamson – Everyone should be a safety advocate, all of the time;

Diana Tolton – Rotate meeting locations? Much discussion ensued, with these points being made:

§ Don’t lose this location (Himmel Library); several said how important a consistent meeting location is, as it was hard to get established here.

§ Perhaps a different location once a quarter?

§ A real purpose needs to exist to meet somewhere else (i.e., business focused on that area). If there is a local issue and the public is invited, it would create better understanding.

§ Perhaps base rotation location on locales that have bike plans or maps (Oro Valley, Sahuarita, and Green Valley (Pima County).

§ If we do rotate meetings, then the BAC member from the locale where the meeting will be held should take a lead role.

§ We need to get Indian nations involved.

§ We only have to hold 10 meetings a year – that gives us two to hold elsewhere.

Roy Schoonover – BAC Facilities Sub-committee will get Pima County maintenance reports to allow better coordination.

Diana Tolton – How about using kids to help design our displays/booths so that we can draw kids to these displays/booths.

Donna Aversa – Challenges all to take Road I – it is a pre-requisite for the Instructor course.

Melissa Antol - Development of bicycle and Pedestrian Safety PSAs; Coordination with engineering on design of RTA Bike Restriping; Downtown Bike circulation Task Force Planning; Installation of wrong way signs and bike legends; and Design and implementation of El Paso and Southwestern Greenway project

Richard Corbett – Train most BAC members to be LAB certified instructors; and support 2007 Clean Air Fair, especially Bike to Work Day.

8. BAC Sub-committee Reports/Updates

Facilities

Facilities

Sub-committee Chair Bill Adamson handed out a proposed revision to the main policy statement in the PAG Regional Plan for Bicycling, and offered a motion to have the full BAC approve it. Brian Beck, Chair of the PAG Regional Plan for Bicycling Advisory Task Force, quickly explained the process the Plan is going through, which includes plans to bring the Plan to the BAC in April for preliminary review, then back in May for ‘final’ review and then recommendation to the PAG Transportation Planning Committee. Given this information, the motion was allowed to die for lack of a second. 

Adamson then handed out two proposed BAC restriping lists. Melissa Antol noted that most of the projects on the two lists are City of Tucson streets.  She requested that the BAC hold off on taking any action on the list until she has had time to review it with Traffic Engineering and discuss it in detail with the facilities subcommittee.  Antol said she would set up a meeting with engineering after the first of the year.

Downtown Bicycle Circulation Task Force

David Bachman-Williams (chair) stated that the first meeting of the Task Force took place yesterday (Dec 12) and that good progress was made on a plan of action. The Task Force will meet approximately every two weeks.

Melissa Antol said she would send a summary of the meeting out, to both the Task Force Members, and the whole BAC.

The question arose as to whether the motion establishing the Task Force provided for recommendations to come back to the BAC. It was the clear remembrance of both the motion maker and the second that this was intended. BAC Secretary Corbett will make the revision to the November minutes to reflect this.

Downtown Links

David Bachman-Williams explained that there are several key points in the Downtown Links plan for the Aviation extension. These include 7^th Ave. & 7^th St., 6^th St. & 9^th Ave., the shared-use path continuity, and the shared-use path connection to the El Paso & Southwestern Railway shared-use path.

He mentioned two alternate treatments to help prevent cyclists falling on the trolley/streetcar tracks. One is a “thin rail”; the other is an elastomer flange way filler. He then expressed concern over the City’s plan to put the modern streetcar tracks on Granada Ave., the location for the El Tour de Tucson start/finish line.

Melissa Antol asks that anyone who has an interest in the alternate trolley/streetcar track bicycle friendly treatments to contact her for more info.

9. BAC Member/staff reports and announcements

All these were covered under previous agenda items.

10: Potential Items for Future Agendas

The meeting time being up, members were encouraged to suggest agenda items to the Chair by E-mail.

11: Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:18 pm

~~~ ATTENDANCE ~~~

Members

Bill Adamson, Pima County

Donna Aversa, Oro Valley

David Bachman-Williams, Pima County

Brian Beck, City Ward 2

Dave Boston, Ward 6

Wayne Cullop, City Ward 4 (Vice-Chair)

John Fleming, City Ward 3

Charles Franz, U of A

Jean Gorman, City Mayor’s Office

Merritt Howard, Sahuarita

Martha Lemen, Pima County

Zach McDonald, City Ward 5

Eric Post, Pima County

Diana Tolton, Pima County (Chair)

Staff

Melissa Antol, TDOT

Richard Corbett, PAG (Secretary)

Sgt Tim Beam, Tucson Police

Members of the Public

Norm Land, citizen

James Morino, citizen

Jeffery Ryals, DMAFB

Roy Schoonover, citizen

Hank Rowe, Pima County

John Thaxton, DMAFB