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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Transportation Advisory Board 2020-2-19 A EP TOWN OF ESTES PA I Transportation Advisory Board Agenda February 19,2020 Current Members: Belle Morris(03/31/20) 12:00 PM—2:00 PM Stan Black(03/31/20) Gordon Slack(03/31/21) Room 202&203 Ron Wilcocks (03/31/21) Tom Street(03/31/22) Estes Park Town Hall Ann Finley(03/31/20) Linda Hanick(03/31/22) 170 MacGregor Ave Scott Moulton (03/31/22) Janice Crow(03/31/21) 12:00— 12:05 Public Comment 12:05— 12:10 Approval of January Meeting Minutes Chair Belle Morris 12:10— 12:40 Member Expectations Discussion Chair Belle Morris 12:40— 1:10 TAB Priority Matrix Updates Chair Belle Morris 1:10— 1:30 Project Updates Public Works Director Greg Muhonen 1:30— 1:50 Project Updates Engineering Manager David Hook 1:50—2:00 Other Business 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. Carlie Bangs, Town Board Trustee Liaison Greg Muhonen, Estes Park Public Works Staff Liaison RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, January 15, 2020 Minutes of a regular meeting of the Transportation Advisory Board of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Room 202 of Town Hall on the 15th day of January, 2020. Present: Belle Morris Gordon Slack Stan Black Tom Street Ron Wilcocks Janice Crow Linda Hanick Ann Finley Also Present: Trustee Carlie Bangs, Town Board Liaison Vanessa Solesbee, Parking & Transit Manager David Hook, Engineering Manager Greg Muhonen, Public Work Director Megan Van Hoozer, Public Works Administrative Assistant John Hannon, Rocky Mountain National Park Absent: Scott Moulton Janice Crow Chair Morris called the meeting to order at 12:01 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT: No public in attendance. Solesbee reported that the owner of solitude cabins contacted her and expressed her interest in having the Silver Route resume 2018 routes. Solesbee recommended the owner write a letter to the TAB. The 2018 Silver Route was considered low-ridership. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A motion was made and seconded (Slack/Street) to approve the December meeting minutes and all were in favor. TAB OFFICER ELECTIONS Chair Morris reminded the group that the January meeting entails TAB Officer elections. Co-Chair Street indicated he would be glad to continue as Co-Chair but isn't tied to it and offered the opportunity for nominations. Chair Morris shared the same sentiment. Member Black re-nominated Belle Morris as Chairperson and Tom Street as Co-Chair. Member Slack seconded the nomination, and all were in favor. Officer elections will occur again in January 2021. TAB MEMBER EXPECTATIONS Morris introduced the TAB Job Description (proposed), TAB By-laws and TAB Code of Conduct to the members and requested all review the documentation individually and bring feedback to the February 19, 2020 regularly scheduled TAB meeting. Member Slack requested clarification on the reference to "3-yr term" in the TAB By-laws. Slack asked that it state whether it is a single 3-year term, or multiple 3-year term allowance, requesting consistency and clarity amongst the citizen advisory boards. The ninth item in the Code of Conduct needs elaboration. Manager Solesbee will visit with Town Administrator Machalek. Transportation Advisory Board —January 20, 2020 — Page 2 Member Finley said the document needs to make it clear that each member supports team decisions. Both Co-Chair Street and Member Wilcocks stressed the importance of gaining clarity on sharing personal opinions representing self, versus time representing the TAB. Clarification needs made regarding the appropriateness of a TAB member speaking in front of the Town Board as a private citizen in disagreement with TAB decisions. Morris stated that in order to maintain citizen trust, it is inappropriate for a TAB member to create dissent for the TAB's decision, provide false information or inaccuracies. It's important to clarify that what is being expressed is opinion. RIVERWALK ACCESS TO BICYCLES Co-Chair Street spoke to his motivation to find a way to bicycle down the Riverwalk path. In the winter, he's observed the area and has measured to determine potential conflicts with pedestrians. During winter months there is minimal conflict. Street recommends two types of sharing along that area. Sharrows are symbolic and, in theory, say to motorists to "watch for bicycles" to avoid conflicts. Street stated this is still a very dangerous approach and creates a false sense of security. He finds it ironic that a 30-lb bicycle is expected to share the road with a 5,000 lb. vehicle traveling down Elkhorn Avenue. Member Street made a motion to request a trial allowance of cyclists on the Riverwalk from November 2020 through April 2021. Member Slack has visited the area and has measured. Slack stated that it is neither smooth or straight and there are different measurements depending where you are along the walk. Due to dog-walking and leashes, children running and playing, and the tourist population it was determined appropriate to continue to have riders dismount in the Riverwalk area. Wilcocks recommended the Downtown Plan be referenced as this concern was address during its creation. Additionally, private ownership along the Riverwalk may create a situation wherein a portion of the Riverwalk may be closed due to backlash from the property owner(s). Member Street withdrew his motion. He feels there should be more bicycle accommodations in Town. TAB PRIORITY MATRIX Chair Morris discussed re-ranking the TAB Priority Matrix and add needed items to align with Public Works goals and objectives for 2020. She began by suggesting the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grants and objectives be pursued and be ranked high in the matrix. Several recommended additions were discussed including: Moraine Avenue's underpass as outlined in the Downtown Plan; a CDOT study of US 34 for pedestrian crossing east of existing crossing (Visitor Center to Stanley Village); doing more to achieve year-round shuttle service; moving the RMNP Hiker Shuttle and Town Shuttle to the Events Complex to alleviate Visitor Center parking lot congestion and traffic issues; the Comprehensive Transportation Plan; and fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. Suggested additions and individual rankings will be brought back to the regularly schedule February TAB meeting for discussion. PROJECT UPDATES (Public Works Director Greg Muhonen) Director Muhonen informed the TAB that the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grant program plans to release a call for projects sometime in February. Muhonen will collect feedback from the grantors from the last application to develop lessons learned and improve the next application made by the Town. Muhonen updated the TAB on the Downtown Estes Loop discussion held at the recent Town Board Study Session. It was communicated to the Town Board Trustees that Central Federal Lands (CFL) would be requesting funding for the gap in federal funding for the fiscal year. Lack of these funds would further delay the project, however would not stop the project. Muhonen will continue to collaborate with CFL and CDOT on updating the existing agreement for the project and on establishing a proposal for how to come up with the funding needed to proceed through the fiscal year gap. CDOT is Transportation Advisory Board —January 20, 2020 — Page 3 providing over $500K and the same is being requested of the Town. Member Finley made a motion for the TAB put together a letter of support to the Town Board encouraging the Town to provide the needed funding, emphasizing the benefits of moving forward with the project. The motion was seconded by Wilcocks and all were in favor. PROJECT UPDATES (Engineering Manager David Hook) Manager Hook was in attendance to provide high-level updates on the projects for which he oversees: - Alarado Project — Review of the development is currently under way. - Elkhorn Lodge — The development submittal has been received realigning the entrance with Filby Court and incorporating trail improvements. Review is under way. - US 36 & Community Drive Roundabout — The environmental and land use issues have been addressed and design of the project is resuming. - Wayfinding - The Town has hired a consultant to design the wayfinding signage for the parking lot changes. A proposal is in-hand for review. - Fall River Trail Extension — A Request for Proposal will go out this month for construction of a portion of the Fall River Trail. A couple of grant applications have been submitted for unfunded portions of the trail PROJECT UPDATES (Parking & Transit Manager Vanessa Solesbee) Manager Solesbee informed the TAB there would be a joint planning meeting with the Shuttle Committee. Solesbee will provide the needed information for this meeting by the end of the week. She further updated the TAB that the Title VI portion of the ADA would go before the Town Board on January 28 for approval. This is required as federal funding was received for the electric shuttle. The new electric trolley will be ready for a February delivery. Solesbee stated that the contract for the Paid Parking Consultant was approved by the Town Board. The contract includes management of the paid parking program, permit program, staffing, etc. for the initial rollout of paid parking in downtown Estes Park. OTHER BUSINESS With no other business to discuss, Chair Morris adjourned the meeting at 2:00 p.m. Recording Secretary Megan Van Hoozer, Public Works Department S cLITu J GA-BINS yet .1 1885 SKETCH BOX LANE UNIT 7 ESTES PARK, CO 80517 Phone (970) 577-7777 Toll Free (877) 704-7777 Fax (970) 577-0381 November 22, 2019 TO: Transportation Advisory Board We are writing to respectfully request that the Shuttle Pickup Stop at Solitude Cabins be reinstated for the upcoming year. We understand that it was discontinued for the summer of 2019 due to the extensive construction occurring on Brodie Avenue; which is now completed. This past season we did receive a number of comments from guests expressing disappointment and frustration with the lack of Shuttle Service. This not only has a negative impact on the Town services, but on Solitude Cabins' guest services as well. Additionally, it is our opinion that the so-called "tracking" of ridership did not accurately reflect the ridership that actually occurred from Solitude Cabins. Our business resides within the taxing district of the Town of Estes Park; and we feel we should be able to offer our guest the same services our tax dollars pay for as any of our local competitors. Thank you in advance for your careful and fair consideration. Respectfully submitted SOLITUDE MANAGEMENT CO. INC Katherine M. Kochevar Vice-President fpTRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD JOB DESCRIPTION GENERAL: The Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) consists of nine volunteer members who serve staggered three-year terms. All members are appointed by the Town of Estes Park Board of Trustees. AUTHORITY: The Transportation Advisory Board was established by the Board of Trustees in 2013 and will serve in an advisory capacity to the Town Board, making recommendations on transportation issues and concerns, but without authority to make final decisions. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The board members shall perform the duties, responsibilities and obligations set forth in the TAB Bylaws. The essential functions of the Transportation Advisory Board are: 1 . Support comprehensive transportation planning that enhances the quality of life for the citizens, businesses and visitors to the Town of Estes Park. 2. Support the continued safety and maintenance of the Town of Estes Park Transportation System and to review and recommend transportation related capital projects to implement the Board of Trustees' transportation goals. 3. Act as a sounding board to the Board of Trustees and the Town department of Public Works on transportation planning, construction and maintenance issues including: roads, transit, trails, pedestrian access, parking and air quality. 4. Support the Town Board and staff in local and regional transportation planning and promote cooperative efforts to resolve transportation issues in the Estes Valley. DUTIES: 1 . Be prepared for, attend, and participate in Transportation Advisory Board meetings, including work sessions. 2. Conduct site visits to view transportation issues, concerns and projects. 3. Have an awareness of, and willingness to understand, community values, the role of local government, and the social and economic characteristics of the Estes Valley. 4. Provide open public processes that respect due process for all stakeholders. 5. Represent and serve the Town of Estes Park Board of Trustees, Public Works Department staff, residents, and visitors in a collaborative and unifying manner. 6. Honor the established Transportation Advisory Board Meeting Code of Conduct. Revised: December 23, 2019 ADDITIONAL DUTIES: 1 . May serve as chair or vice-chair and fulfill roles described in the Transportation Advisory Board bylaws. 2. May serve on sub-board for Transportation Advisory Board assignments. 3. May attend other public meetings as deemed necessary. SKILLS AND ABILITIES: There are no minimum skills and abilities that an applicant must have to be appointed as a Transportation Advisory Board member; however, the following list has been identified as those skills and abilities that make a quality Advisory Board member. 1 . Open mindedness, respect, and patience. 2. Willingness to listen and learn. 3. Ability to think in abstract terms. 4. Willingness to contribute, e.g., to speak accurately and constructively regarding TAB topics in a public forum. 5. Ability to compromise and work within a team framework. 6. Ability to balance private benefit with public good. 7. Ability to consider and articulate facts related to a specific transportation issue and the effect on the surrounding area and community as a whole. 8. The ability to sustain harmonious working relationships with other Transportation Advisory Board members, the Town Board, residents, and the public. RESIDENCY: All appointees of the TAB shall be residents of the Estes Valley Planning District at the time of application and during their entire term. RESTRICTIONS: No member of the Town Board of Trustees may also serve as a member of the Transportation Advisory Board. The Town Board may appoint a Trustee to serve as a non-voting liaison between the Town Board and the TAB. TERM: With the exception of the initial term, each member shall serve a three-year term. MINIMUM TIME REQUIREMENTS: Regular attendance by the members of the Board is expected. Revised: December 23, 2019 WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT: This position primarily conducts business indoors (95%) completing tasks such as reading and reviewing information and participating in public meetings. This position requires a lengthy attention span and involves sitting (95%), walking and standing (5%). Site visits can involve inclement weather conditions. I understand the description of this position, including the essential functions. Signature: Printed Name: Date: Revised: December 23, 2019 Town of Estes Park Transportation Advisory Board BY-LAWS I. ROLE The mission of the Town of Estes Park Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) is to advise the Town Board of Trustees and the Public Works staff on: A. Local and Regional Comprehensive Transportation Planning Policies that protect air quality, diminish congestion, and enhance the safety and quality of life for the citizens, businesses, and visitors to the Estes Valley, including but not limited to pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, and transit modes. B. Maintenance, Operation, and Expansion Programs for all modes of the Town's transportation system. C. Transportation Capital Projects to insure the Town's transportation goals and policies for roads, trails, parking, signage, and transit are implemented. In addition to these bylaws, the Transportation Advisory Board operates under the terms of the Town of Estes Park operating policy 102 — Town Committees, the TAB Job Description, and the TAB Meeting Code of Conduct. A copy of these procedure, along with these bylaws, shall be provided to each member at the time of their appointment. II. MEETINGS A. Regular Meetings shall be held at least one time per month, with additional meetings scheduled as needed. Any item on the agenda which cannot be heard and considered by the conclusion of the meeting may be continued until and heard at the next regularly scheduled meeting or a specially scheduled meeting and shall have priority over any other matters to be heard and considered. B. Special Meetings may be held at any time upon call by the Chairperson. The Chairperson shall call a special meeting upon request by the Town Board, Town Administrator, or Director of Public Works, or upon request by three of the members of the Board. C. Cancellation of Meetings Regularly scheduled meetings of the Transportation Advisory Board may be canceled or rescheduled upon approval by two-thirds of the members of the Board. D. Meeting Procedures for matters requiring action by the Committee, parliamentary procedure shall be followed in moving, discussion, and acting on such matters. E. Open Meetings All meetings and action of the Committee shall be in full compliance with State Statutes governing open meetings, as amended and incorporated herein by reference. It is the responsibility of the Staff Liaison to be familiar with these statutes and regulations. F. Attendance by Non-members Meetings may be attended by persons who are not members of the Transportation Advisory Board. At the discretion of the Chairperson, nonmembers may be Revised January 2020 allowed to speak at meetings. However, in no event shall nonmembers be allowed to vote on matters for which a vote is required. III. MEMBERS AND QUORUM A. Membership. The Board shall consist of nine (9) members. Members must be residents of the Estes Valley Planning District and meet the requirements of the TAB Job Description. B. Terms. Members shall be appointed to a 3 year term. The terms of the members shall be staggered so that the terms of an equal number of the members expire each year on March 31 st C. Vacancies. Vacant positions shall be filled by appointment by the Town Board for the unexpired portion of the term of the position to be filled. D. Recommendations for Appointment. Upon request by the Town Board, the Transportation Advisory Board shall make recommendations to the Town Board for Transportation Advisory Board appointments. E. Quorum. A quorum of the Board shall consist of 2/3 of the members of the Board being present at the meeting. F. Action. Action by the Board shall be by majority vote of the members attending any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present, unless otherwise provided in these by- laws. IV. OFFICERS A. Officers. The Board officers shall include a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson as selected by the Board. B. Elections. Officers shall be elected by the members annually at the first regularly scheduled meeting of each year. Officers shall be members of the Board. Notification of who is elected Chair will be sent to the Town Clerk. C. Chairperson Responsibilities: 1. Preside at all meetings 2. Insure that all meetings are conducted with decorum and efficiency 3. Call special meetings in accordance with the By-laws 4. Sign any documents prepared by the Transportation Advisory Board for submission to the Town Board or Town Departments 5. See that decisions of the Board are implemented 6. Represent the Board in dealings with the Town Board or other organizations. 7. The Chairperson has the same right as any other member of the Board to vote on matters before the Board and to speak for or against proposals, provided, however, that if the Chairperson desires to speak for or against a proposal which has been formally moved and seconded at a public meeting, the Chairperson shall relinquish the chair to the Vice- Chairperson while he or she is speaking. Revised January 2020 D. Vice-Chairperson Responsibilities: 1. Assist the Chairperson as requested, 2. Accept and undertake duties delegated by the Chairperson, 3. Preside over meetings or perform other duties of the Chairperson in the event the Chairperson is absent or unable to act. E. Other Position Responsibilities: None. F. Removal from Office. Any officer may be removed from office by a majority vote of the members of the Transportation Advisory Board in attendance at a meeting provided that at least thirty days notice has been given to all members that removal of the officer will be considered at such meeting. G. Officer Vacancies. If any office is vacant, the members of the Transportation Advisory Board shall elect a member to fill the office for the remainder of the year. V. ATTENDANCE Regular attendance by the members of the Board is expected. In the event any member misses three (3) consecutive regular meetings or a total of four (4) regular meetings in a calendar year, the Town Board may remove its appointed member for neglect of duty and designate a new member to fill the vacancy. VI. GENERAL PROVISIONS These by-laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Transportation Advisory Board by a majority of the membership of the Board provided that notice of such possible amendments is given to all members at least 20 days prior to the meeting at which action is to be taken. Any amendments shall be subject to review and approval by the Town Board. VII. COMPLIANCE WITH TOWN POLICIES A. The Board shall operate in compliance with the adopted Town Board policy on Town Boards, Policy 102 as amended. The terms of this policy are incorporated in these Bylaws by this reference and are attached herewith. B. Volunteer members of the TAB will act in accordance with the adopted TAB Job Description and the TAB Meeting Code of Conduct. C. Failure to comply with the TAB job description or other applicable Town policies may be grounds for an official reprimand by the TAB and/or a recommendation to the Town Board for removal from the TAB. VIII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: A. A conflict of interest occurs when a person's private, personal relationships or interests diverge so that an independent observer may reasonably question whether the person's actions or decisions are determined by personal benefit, gain, or advantage. B. Members of Boards shall not use their membership for private gain, and shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual. Revised January 2020 C. A member of any Board who has a personal or private financial interest in a matter proposed or pending shall disclose such interest to the Board; shall not vote on the item; and shall not attempt to influence the decisions of other members voting on the matter. Adopted this day of ESTES PARK BOARD OF TRUSTEES By: Mayor Revised January 2020 A [P TOWN OF ESTES PARK Transportation Advisory Board Meeting Code of Conduct 1 . Start and end the meeting on time. 2. Silence all cell phones and disregard phone interruptions. 3. Each person should participate with constructive input to help the Public Works staff craft a balanced product with the goal of understanding all perspectives and experiences. 4. Do not interrupt while others are speaking. Respectfully listen to the perspectives of others with the intent of understanding instead of listening only to formulate a counterpoint. 5. Keep the tone safe, neutral, and respectful at all times. 6. Be respectful of time constraints and other's rights to share. Consider a time limit on comments if needed to achieve a balanced conversation. 7. No side conversations. 8. Stay on track and avoid repeating points that have already been made. 9. Confirm clear group consensus. Vote when necessary. Respectful dissent is valued. Support of the legitimacy of the majority decision is expected. 10. Respect and defer to the role of the elected Chair to guide the meeting and oversee the input collection process. December 23,2019 Bicycling Down Riverwalk Isn't it ironic that we expect 30 pound bicycles to share the road with 5000 pound vehicles but these same bicycles can't share a path with pedestrians? We are perfectly fine with taking the risk of bicycles sharing the road with giant vehicles but we won't accept the minimal risk of bicycles sharing a walking path. One goal of the Town of Estes Park and the TAB is to provide full multi modal connectivity throughout the Estes Valley. A key part of this connectivity is a safe way for bicycles to be able to go through downtown to connect with Moraine Avenue and beyond. Part of the build grant, which has been denied, would have provided a path from the Parking Structure to Moraine Avenue. There is no current projection as to when this path or alternative paths will be provided and if and when we would get sufficient funding. Paid parking has been approved. One of its objectives is to encourage people to get out of their cars at the periphery, including the visitor's center and the parking structure. While people can take their bikes from that area and other areas to reach the Eastern end of town, one has to get off one's bike to proceed or go down Elkhorn. Although Elkhorn currently has sharrows, it is likely that most users would find that approach too dangerous. Others simply ignore or are unaware of the no biking sign on the Riverwalk and use it to get to Moraine and beyond. Biking on The Riverwalk is currently prohibited as it is considered incompatible with pedestrian usage. It is an appropriate candidate to introduce bicycle usage because it is usually less congested than portions of the bike trail around Lake Estes including the area extending from the bridge over the Big T to the visitor's center. The path from the VC to the dismount area before Kind Coffee is also often very congested. Providing connectivity from the dismount area through Moraine and to the West end of town would increase bicycle usage and go a long way to making Estes Park a true multi use community. Estes Park does not allow riding a bike on a sidewalk. However, the Riverwalk is not a sidewalk. (i) Sidewalk means the public pedestrian walkway commonly less than 8' wide, generally parallel to and situated within the adjacent public street right of way, and maintained by the adjacent private property owners. However, paragraph 9.18.060 of the code specifically prohibits bicycles on the Riverwalk from the east portion of the pedestrian tunnel to the West boundary of tregent park. One of the reasons that bikes are often prohibited from riding on sidewalks is because of exposure to cars entering or exiting curb cuts and cross streets. This reason does not apply to the Riverwalk because the only point of conflict during the length of the Riverwalk is at Moraine. The primary concern relevant to biking on the Riverwalk is the possible conflict between bike riders and walkers. While there is always a possibility of a conflict whenever two modes are sharing the same space, the chances of a conflict during the winter season is minimal. In addition, even in high season, there is a minimal chance of a conflict before most shops open which is 10:00 am. I think it would be feasible to permit bike usage during the entire year but it might make sense to start a pilot program from November through April to get people used to using this area. The more it is used, the better the behavior would be with respect to possible conflicts between bike riders and pedestrians. In an email exchange with the Director of the Estes Valley recreation district, he told me there has only been one serious incident since he joined the district in 2015. This involved a person with mental and physical disabilities riding an adaptive bicycle who hit a pedestrian. In his view, the number of pedestrians having negative experiences is minimal and they have received a lot of positive feedback with respect to bicycle etiquette and courtesy. Bicycles slow down when necessary in order to avoid a problem. Given the high volume of pedestrians and bicycle users around the lake, the safety record seems impressive. While it is true that a buffered bike lane down Elkhorn or a path apart from Elkhorn would be preferable, do we really want to wait for that to get bike connectivity through downtown? While any time one combines two or more modes in the same path, there is always a risk, I think the risk is less than if one were to choose down Elkhorn despite the sharrows. Further, most potential bike users will never go down Elkhorn given the level of auto and truck traffic. If this pilot program is successful, we should extend it to at least part of the high season in order to observe serious conflicts, if any. The advantage of this program is that it may provide another mode for people who have chosen to park at the visitor's center, parking structure, or even the events center. This would also provide a way for employees to ride to and from their jobs downtown. Some will say we should oppose any approach that poses a risk. But that was not a concern when we put sharrows on Elkhorn. We tolerate much greater risks everyday just getting into our automobiles.