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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES Transportation Advisory Committee 2014-03-19 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, March 19th, 2014 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Town Hall Room 202 in said Town of Estes Park on the 19th day of March, 2014. Present: Kimberly Campbell Gregg Rounds Stan Black Belle Morris Ann Finley Bryon Holmes Also Present: John Ericson, Town Board Liaison Scott Zurn, Director of Public Works Kevin Ash, Public Works Civil Engineer Jen Imber, Public Works Secretary Sandy Osterman, Shuttle Committee Representative Janice Crow, General Manager of Rocky Mountain Transit Mgmt Marcia Groome, Fun Tyme Trolley Tours Wayne & Sharon Groome, Fun Tyme Trolley Tours Absent: Thom Widawski Cory LaBianca Kimberly Campbell called the meeting to order at 12:0 6 p.m. GENERAL DISCUSSION More time was needed to review minutes from the February 19, 2014, TAC meeting, so a vote was postponed until the April meeting. An update was given on the process of appointing committee members to fill the four vacancies. Seven applications were received in response to the posting that closed March 17th. The applications were forwarded to Mayor Pinkham, who will appoint trustees, and potentially one TAC member, to hold interviews. The Town Board will make recommendations following the interviews. FUN TYME TROLLEY TOURS UPDATE Marcia Groome, along with Wayne and Sharon Groome, attended the March meeting to provide an update on Fun Tyme Trolley Tours. Marcia gave a brief presentation which included proposed tours, ticket prices, schedules, logistics and charters. Tours will begin and end at the Estes Park Visitor Center and will not make stops besides at the Stanley Hotel and Elkhorn Lodge. Proposed tour routes will include Fish Creek Road, Marys Lake Road, Moraine Avenue, Elkhorn Avenue, Fall River Road, Highway 36, Wonderview Avenue, St. Vrain Avenue, Big Thompson Avenue, Mall Road, Dry Gulch Road, County Road 63, County Road 43, Devils Gulch Road and MacGregor Avenue. BIKE-FRIENDLY OPPORTUNITES Belle Morris presented a number of options for TAC involvement in bike-friendly initiatives for the community. Sub-committees could be formed to tackle the work. Among the potential projects is the continuation of the Fall River Trail. Director Zurn gave a brief update on the grant awarded for this project and explained that now is an ideal time for public input on the project. The FLAP project also provides ample opportunity to integrate bike lanes with the traffic plans. TAC members’ participation could influence the outcome of the project, especially through public outreach for ideas. Public meetings or a citizen’s survey on the topic could provide useful information. Transportation Advisory Committee – March 19th, 2014 – Page 2 Other ideas for bike-friendly initiatives included a “bikeway” through the Estes Valley, bike racks throughout Town and a bike share program, with potential funding from the private sector. Chair Campbell asked for volunteers to form a subcommittee , with Ann Finley and Belle Morris volunteering and Bryon Holmes offering to assist when needed. It was moved and seconded (Morris/Holmes) to create a subcommittee, consisting of Belle Morris and Ann Finley, to work on bike-related topics, with the motion passing unanimously. The subcommittee will attend Estes Cycling Coalition meetings. TAC will also hold a public meeting in April to gather ideas from the community to take forward. SHUTTLE COMMITTEE UPDATE Liaison Sandy Osterman reported on TAC questions she took forward to the Shuttle Committee. In response to concerns about shuttle routes starting too late and ending too early to service downtown employees, the Silver Route will offer additional hours this summer, starting at 8:45 am and running until 9:44 pm. The Shuttle Committee has found that every business has different schedules, which makes it impossible to meet everyone’s needs and cost prohibitive. Janice Crow, general manager of Rocky Mountain Transit Management, was also in attendance and addressed concerns over environmental issues with diesel fuel. Ms. Crow reported that two new diesel/electric hybrids have been added to their fleet. She assured the committee the company is using the best optimized fleet for this environment and available fuel options. DOWNTOWN EMPLOYEE PARKING PROJECT The committee continued to explore downtown employee parking issues, discussing alternate methodologies such as parking meters. Many feel that downtown employees and business owners will continue to congest parking in the downtown district unless the free parking options are eliminated. Restrictions could incentivize employees to utilize free parking elsewhere. Options for incentives/disincentives will be discussed at the next meeting. FLAP PROJECT UPDATE Director Zurn reported that the MOA with Central Federal Lands has been signed and is in place. Devolution to assume control of West Elkhorn Avenue has begun and the Town will receive $4.3 million in exchange for taking ownership of this section of highway. Those funds will be used as matching funds for the FLAP grant. Kimberly Campbell adjourned the meeting at 1:48 p.m.