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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Transportation Advisory Board 2018-1-17 A EP TOWN OF ESTES PARK Transportation Advisory Board Agenda January 17,2018 Current Members: Belle Morris(03/31/20) 12:00 PM—2:00 PM Stan Black(03/31/20) Gordon Slack(03/31/18) Room 202&203 Kimberly Campbell(03/31/18) Tom Street(03/31/19) Estes Park Town Hall Ann Finley(03/31/20) Ken Zornes(03/31/19) 170 MacGregor Ave Amy Hamrick(03/31/19) Claudine Perrault(3/31/18) Public Comment Approval of December Meeting Minutes Chair, Kimberly Campbell Shuttle Updates Sandy Osterman Project Updates Director, Greg Muhonen Officer Elections Chair, Kimberly Campbell Downtown Parking Management Plan Update Chair, Kimberly Campbell Director, Greg Muhonen Other Business Chair, Kimberly Campbell Adjourn The mission of the Town of Estes Park Transportation Advisory Board is to advise the Board of Trustees and the Public Works staff on Local and Regional Comprehensive Transportation Planning Policies; Maintenance, Operation and Expansion Programs; and Transportation Capital Projects. Bob Holcomb, Town Board Trustee Liaison Greg Muhonen, Estes Park Public Works Staff Liaison RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, December 20, 2017 Minutes of a regular meeting of the Transportation Advisory Board of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Room 203 of Town Hall on the 20th day of December, 2017. Present: Kimberly Campbell Gordon Slack Ann Finley Belle Morris Stan Black Also Present: Bob Holcomb, Town Board Liaison Greg Muhonen, Public Works Director David Hook, Engineering Manager Megan Van Hoozer, Public Works Administrative Assistant Lochen Wood, RMNP Absent: Claudine Perrault Tom Street Chair Campbell called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. For the record, the Town of Estes Park thanks the dedicated volunteers of the Transportation Advisory Board for all the hard work throughout 2017. PUBLIC COMMENT: A motion was made and seconded (Slack/Finley) to approve the November minutes with minor edits and all were in favor. SHUTTLE UPDATE No Shuttle Committee representation was in attendance. PROJECT UPDATES, David Hook, Public Works Engineering Manager US36 / Community Drive Turn Lane: Manager Hook informed the group that this project will proceed under his direction beginning after the first of the new year. No updates were provided at this time however Hook stated that construction is planned to begin in spring 2018. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Transportation Advisory Board — December 20, 2017 — Page 2 Fall River Trail: Grant applications to both Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) have been submitted and any needed follow-up information has been provided. On January 11, 2018 there will be a presentation for grantors. Manager Hook feels confident a positive outcome will occur. Public Works continues to look into other grant opportunities for recreational activities including fishing to be incorporated along the new trail. Rocky Mountain National Park representative Lochen Wood to provide contact information to Manager Hook for future grant support letters. Digital Message Signs: Manager Hook will begin work on getting the installation of the digital message signs moving along with a goal to have all signs erected by summer 2018. Brodie Avenue Improvements: This is the primary 2018 Street Improvement Project (STIP). A design consultant has been selected and a contract secured with Drexel BarrelI for this project. The design process has started and will continue for the next several months. Public Works anticipates soliciting bids for construction in April, 2018. Prior to that two public meetings will take place when the design is 30% complete and again at 90% completion. MacGregor Avenue Improvements: Punchlist items will continue to take place this week and will be finalized next week. Completion of MacGregor Avenue Improvements will close out 2017 STIP projects. CDOT has identified a project for the MacGregor/Wonderview (Hwy34) intersection. The project will be to design and construct intersection improvements including a potential roundabout installation. The project may take place in 2019, but the summer visitor season may require the project be pushed to 2020. Public Works Director Greg Munonen and Manager Hook will serve as the Town liaisons to the selected CDOT contractor. Chair Campbell asked about the potential for an underpass to be constructed under Wonderview (Hwy34) along MacGregor to allow safer crossing. Manager Hook will communicate this as a suggestion. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Transportation Advisory Board — December 20, 2017 — Page 3 Moraine Avenue Improvements: Construction continues and the Town of Estes Park Utilities Department has completed a large portion of their planned work. Shoring is currently taking place at the four corners utilizing soil nails. It is critical to secure these corners due to their close proximity to businesses. All shoring to be complete this week. Once complete, the larger demolition and excavation can proceed. Town utility work south of the Moraine Bridge is complete for this phase of work and is now open to 2-way traffic (change made today). Public Works has invited comments from the TAB once new detour is used. The construction contract reflects completion date of May 17, 2018. Public outreach regarding full closure of Elkhorn/Moraine intersection in April 2018 will begin taking place. From Riverside Drive to the water wheel at the west end of downtown, vehicle traffic will be prohibited for approximately 2 weeks. The details on the detour will be released very soon. Member Morris shared complaints expressed on Facebook stating some businesses feel no one knows their business is open due to lack of signage. The project team is now sending letters out to businesses as part of the one-on-one outreach. A public open house is scheduled in February, 2018. Chair Campbell suggested for future projects it would be best to send the letters to the affected businesses prior to public outreach efforts. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK UPDATE: Lochen Wood shared that she is continuing the work previously conducted by Erika Cole. At that time, Cole's team worked on short-term activities to help with transportation issues within RMNP. Wood stated it is now time to focus on more in-depth, long-term solutions which is the role for which she was hired. Not all transportation issues can be solved, but the key initiative is a day use visitor access strategy. Wood has been tasked with creating an adaptable strategy to improve access issues, improve staff safety, and to help the overall visitor experience. Wood has been going through a comprehensive review process to identify critical needs. Short-term solutions will continue to be utilized throughout 2018. Wood also informed the group that Larry Gamble would be retiring from his position at Rocky Mountain National Park at the end of the month. A card would be circulated for member signatures and notes of appreciation for all the support provided the TAB RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Transportation Advisory Board — December 20, 2017 — Page 4 initiatives over the years. Once complete the card would be provided to Wood for delivery to Gamble. OTHER BUSINESS Chair Campbell reminded the TAB that Chair / Co-Chair elections take place in January and she will not be continuing as TAB Chairperson so she asked that members be thinking about that. The Downtown Parking Management Plan (DPMP) Steering Committee is taking a new approach. At the first January Town Board Study Session, Kimley-Horn will be presenting the draft plan with Chair Campbell and Director Muhonen speaking. • The first step is for the TAB support letter to be provided to the trustees by TAB representative Campbell prior to the first January Study Session • The second step is to gain Town Board approval of the plan at the January 23rd Town Board meeting. This date may need pushed back if concerns arise. • The third step is to create and present a new letter of recommendation/support. The TAB discussed the letter drafted by Chair Campbell per input communicated by the members in the November meeting. Member Slack expressed concern that the letter is communicating a different plan than what was proposed to the public. Chair Campbell wants all concerns/ideas/philosophies shared in the letter of support to be properly presented in the study session to allow flexibility in the plan. Slack also expressed that the technology desires need pushed in the letter of support although it's all been defined within the draft plan. Chair Campbell suggested waiting until a Parking Manager has been hired before communicating all preferences but does feel it is critical that the letter focus on the multi-modal aspect of the plan. Director Muhonen concurred that the specific needs can be communicated at a later time. Muhonen further stated that the overall goal at this time is to gain Town Board approval to move forward with the plan document. Moving forward will allow proper allocation of funds in the future and will allow usage of the parking structure savings to implement phase one in 2018. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Transportation Advisory Board — December 20, 2017 — Page 5 As the discussion continued, Member Morris stated it is important to incorporate all the historical studies into the letter and Campbell agreed. Member Finley wants the group to focus on the fact that the key is the TAB wants this plan to succeed as parking management is critically needed in Estes Park. Member Black expressed disappointment that there's no employee protections to paid parking as originally stated. Campbell stated the strategy it is only to modify driver behavior. Employees can park off-site and not have to pay. Muhonen reminded the TAB to revisit pages 63-68 of the plan where shuttle expansion options help address employee needs. Member Hamrick expressed that due to all member concerns being communicated in the letter, the TAB may be putting up its own road block to getting the plan approved to move forward. Hamrick asked if an option would be to revamp elements of the plan at a later date. Director Muhonen agreed reminding that this plan is not intended to be a regulatory document but a guiding document. As with other guiding documents many items will require change over time. Town Board Liaison Holcomb suggested that the letter be kept simple and supportive while acknowledging appreciation to the Town Board Trustees for their review of the plan. It is important to set aside funding in each budget year to support realization of the plan. Chair Campbell requested a vote to draft a new, more focused letter, emailing the letter to the TAB and getting an email vote for approval. All were in favor. With no other business to discuss, Chair Campbell adjourned the meeting at 1:48 p.m.