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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBIKE & PED MINUTES JULY_19_2012 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES JULY 19, 2012 PRESENT: Adam Bellcorelli, Steven Herman, Melanie Hunt, Brian Kienert, Michael Lizotte, and James Michelson ABSENT: Nicholas Robinson STAFF: Christopher Strong, Transportation Director Jennifer Weigand, Recording Secretary CALL TO ORDER Chairman Lizotte called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Michelson noted that he had nominated Mr. Lizotte for Chairman at last month’s meeting. Correction was noted. Mr. Herman moved to accept the corrected minutes. Mr. Kienert seconded the motion. Motion carried (4-0). NEW BUSINESS 1. RECOMMENDATION ON PERMANENT SUSPENSION OF BICYCLE REGISTRATON FEES. Officer Joseph Nichols, Oshkosh Police Department, explained the reasoning behind this recommendation. He said he could only speculate why people do not register their bikes. Reasons could include 1) laziness, 2) unaware of ordinance and 3) the cost. Melanie Hunt arrived at 4:10 p.m. He noted one OPD employee spends approximately 3 hours on one stolen bicycle. Another factor motivating this request is the storage space these bikes take up. This space could be utilized for other equipment. Brian Kienert arrived at 4:12 p.m. Officer Nichols contacted other municipalities in the state and found most cities surrounding Oshkosh do not charge a fee for registering a bicycle. He believes the overall problem is the bicycles are being stolen because they are not being locked up. He proposes giving a free bike lock when the bicycle is registered. He feels this idea would help to get people to register their bikes. The overall goal is to return a misplaced or stolen bike to its owner. Mr. Herman questioned if the number of registrations would increase if no fee were involved. He liked the idea of getting a lock when you register a bicycle. He suggested possibly waiving the registration fee for first-time bicycle buyers. He is in favor of doing some freebies but not waiving the fee completely. Mr. Herman felt the bike lock gives people an incentive to register their bikes. BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN Page 2 JULY 19, 2012 Mr. Kienert suggested waiving the fee for students and seniors. Mr. Herman said education component needs to be looked at as well. This could be done at school open houses. Also, an article in The Northwestern would help. Mr. Lizotte summarized the discussion: 1) suspend the registration fee and 2) receive a bicycle lock in exchange for registering the bike. Mr. Herman said we need to work hard with other agencies and the Oshkosh Police Department to register bicycles. Mr. Bellcorelli moved to waive the bicycle registration fee. Mr. Michelson seconded the motion. Motion lost (3-3 Herman, Hunt, Lizotte). 2. DISCUSSION OF 2013-2016 CIP PROJECTS Mr. Strong explained the tabular summary of the streets construction projects. He noted the Common Council approves the upcoming year only. The out years are for planning purposes. Mr. Michelson asked if the Committee would have an opportunity to interject their comments. Mr. Herman noted that part of planning is to put in the bicycle lane when a street is reconstructed. Mr. Kienert felt that whenever streets are redone, this committee’s input should be incorporated. Mr. Herman felt as a committee, we need to make sure it gets done in 2013. Mr. Lizotte said the plan’s recommendations for bicycle facilities are not a “one size fits all” approach. He noted there is no recommendation listed specific to pedestrians. This committee needs to look at the pedestrian side. Mr. Kienert said, in regards to pedestrians, sidewalks already exist. Mr. Strong explained how the Engineering Division’s designers take into consideration pedestrian concerns where roads are being redone, such as curb cuts at corners and bumpouts. Mr. Michelson said the timing for 2013 CIP projects is past. However, the Committee needs to look at projects for 2014 and make recommendations before it hits the budget process next year. Mr. Lizotte understands that it doesn’t go to Engineering for design until after the Common Council approves it. This would then be the time where this committee gives advice on these things. Mr. Kienert feels we are making it more complicated than it needs to be. He felt it can’t be that hard to paint some lines. He would like to start moving on these things. He questioned if anything was setup to do some projects in 2012-2013. Mr. Strong replied that money had been set aside in the Sign Division for implementing recommendations from the Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan. Mr. Lizotte said what he was hearing was where and when this committee has input in these projects. He hopes they are involved with Engineering on some of these issues. Mr. Strong said there are things the Committee can recommend. BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN Page 3 JULY 19, 2012 Mr. Herman would like to see a list of painted crosswalks. Mr. Lizotte said the plan doesn’t state where mid-block crosswalks are needed. Mr. Strong noted that these requests are considered by the Traffic Review Advisory Board, including a proposed mid-block location on North Westhaven Drive between the Aurora Medical Center and medical offices on the east side of the street. The board recommended against the crosswalk, since vehicular traffic volumes this year are unusually high due to construction detours. Mr. Lizotte thinks it is logical to put a crosswalk on Westhaven Drive by Aurora Health Care, even though the Traffic Review Advisory Board was opposed to it. Mr. Herman suggested to Mr. Kienert that he make a list of projects he wants to go forward this year and submit it to Mr. Strong. Mr. Herman said there may be a need to hold a joint workshop with both committees on some issues. Mr. Herman was excused at 5:02 p.m. Mr. Strong said some additional crosswalks could be painted this year. Mr. Lizotte thinks the Committee should be concerned about putting a bicycle lane on Irving Avenue, which is in the process of being redone. Mr. Strong noted there is parking allowed along that street, and possibly sharrows could be painted. However, he noted that much of the street does not have a centerline, and so it might not be necessary to even paint sharrows. Mr. Kienert said that the consensus among many cyclists is that sharrows are better than painted bike lanes. Mr. Bellcorelli pointed out the lack of understanding of motorists in Oshkosh as to how to share the road with cyclists. We are still in the stage of educating motorists. Mr. Kienert would like to see sharrows painted on 9th Avenue from Knapp Street through the Westhaven area. Currently, bicyclists are using the inside lane as a sharrow. Mr. Bellcorelli felt as a committee, we should start with main focal points (i.e.; High Avenue, 20th Avenue). Melanie Hunt was excused at 5:15 p.m. Mr. Michelson noted Witzel Avenue is designed for a bike lane. He questioned if we could paint a bicycle lane. Mr. Lizotte said it made sense that the network is laid out for streets in good condition. If we have the opportunity to go for grants, he suggested the Public Works Department give us a list of streets in good condition for the Committee to look at. Presently, we are going off of individual experiences. In reference to Appendix F in the Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan, Mr. Strong said he could analyze each of these streets and make recommendations to the Committee. Mr. Lizotte asked if Mr. Strong could look at the 2012 projects and make recommendations to the Committee. 3. DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS. BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN Page 4 JULY 19, 2012 Mr. Michelson explained the list of sidewalk improvements that he had presented to Mr. Strong and the Committee members. He feels that in the past, when township properties are mixed in with city properties, the Public Works Department does not want to put in sidewalks. He believes the city properties along this areas should have sidewalks put in. Mr. Bellcorelli agreed with having sidewalks all the way out to the city limits. He agreed with the four areas listed under the highest priority section. Mr. Kienert noted 9th Avenue, west of Oakwood Road, is a main thoroughfare for bike groups that leave the city. Mr. Strong said he would talk the Public Works Department and the Streets Division about the list of projects. Mr. Michelson moved to refer the high priority items listed to the Board of Public Works for consideration in the CIP Program. Mr. Bellcorelli seconded the motion. Motion carried (4-0). 4. DISCUSSION OF METHODS OF REWARDING BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS. It was the general consensus of the Committee to table this item to a later date. OLD BUSINESS 5. DISCUSSION OF PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS. It was the general consensus of the Committee to table this item to a later date. STAFF STATEMENTS 6. FUNDING TIMETABLES 7. RECENT ACTIVITIES IN BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY 8. FOX CITIES/OSHKOSH URBANIZED AREA BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLAN. Mr. Strong summarized the information provided to the Board members on the above three items. Mr. Kienert said it is so crucial to make Oshkosh a bicycling destination. He believes the regional committee will help integrate us into the cycling world. Mr. Lizotte said he had heard a lot of compliments about our plan. Mr. Michelson feels we need to bump up the next year’s budget amount to help accomplish some of the goals. Mr. Kienert felt that once you have a plan, it is easier to get DOT money. Mr. Michelson pointed out that sometimes the money requires local matching funds. Mr. Bellcorelli said the university has free online bicycle registration. He would like to see something like this mirrored in the city. BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN Page 5 JULY 19, 2012 AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING • Online bicycle registration ADJOURNMENT There being no other business to come before the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, and upon being duly moved and seconded (Kienert, Bellcorelli), the meeting adjourned at 6:04 p.m.