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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-07-16 TPC Minutes1 MINUTES OF CITY OF EDINA, MINNESOTA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION COUNCIL CHAMBERS July 16, 2015, 2015 6:00 P.M. ROLL CALL Answering roll call were members Bass, Boettge, Campbell, Iyer, Janovy, LaForce, Loeffelholz, Nelson, Olson, and Spanhake. ABSENT Rummel APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Motion was made by member Nelson and seconded by member Olson to approve the meeting agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 21, 2015 Motion was made by member Nelson and seconded by member Olson to approve the amended minutes of May 21, 2015. All voted aye. Motion carried. COMMUNITY COMMENT – None. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS Hennepin County 2040 Bicycle Transportation Plan Presentation Mr. Bob Byers and Ms. Kelly Yemen from Hennepin County Public Works presented their 2040 Bicycle Transportation Plan. Mr. Byers said the plan was first done in 1995 and this is their first update. As part of their public engagement process, Mr. Byers said they went out and met with people instead of the people coming to them. They presented their vision, goals and implementation. Mr. Byers said they work with each City to identify opportunities to build out the network; for example, they worked with Edina to add bike lanes on Vernon Avenue. Additionally, they pay close attention to redevelopments and use these as opportunities to get easements for bike lanes. They also created a gap map that identifies areas where there are gaps in the network. In addition to working with local cities, they partner with Three Rivers Park District to achieve completion of the network. Discussion Member LaForce said he was happy to see the north/south connection along the train tracks and asked what the plan was since the railroad isn’t interested. Ms. Yemen said this is a Three Rivers planning area and they do not have the details worked out. Member Iyer asked what interaction they’ve had with Edina staff and Mr. Byers said quite a bit. Member Iyer said Edina has a Bike Plan and an Active Routes to School Plan that involves multiple people and asked if their ideas are reflected on Hennepin’s map. Member Janovy said approximately one year ago, Mr. Byers did a workshop for Bike Edina, plus other meetings for the public that she and others attended so she believe Edina was well represented. Planner Nolan added that he served on their advisory group and that Hennepin County used facilities from Edina’s Bike Plan that are considered regional. Mr. Byers said their map may not show everything but they are flexible and is able to make changes. Member Iyer asked what the process was for making changes and Ms. Yemen said to work through planner Nolan to understand if there is a reason that a particular area was not added. Chair Bass said she liked the clarity of the plan and definition of roles. She asked how much of this was pre-existing and Ms. Yemen said it was probably soft knowledge before and now it is clearly defined. 2 2016 Tracy Avenue Reconstruction Update Mr. Andy Plowman with WSB and Associates presented the update. Mr. Plowman said the project area is from TH-62 to Benton Avenue which is phase two to complete all of Tracy Avenue from Vernon Avenue to TH-62. He said there are two curves along the roadway with posted speed limit of 30 mph where accidents have occurred, especially in the winter, and staff will be requesting a variance from MNDOT to reduce the design speed to 25 mph. The rest of the project will include replacing the asphalt, add on-street bike lane, parking in some areas, and keeping the sidewalk on the east side and do spot repairs. Mr. Plowman said the bike lane will not cross the bridge over TH-62 so they are evaluating widening the sidewalk over the bridge. Additionally, Mr. Plowman said the roundabout to the south at Valley Lane and Tracy Avenue will be constructed at the same time so they will work together to minimize impacts for users of the roadway. Discussion Member Nelson said the real issue in this phase of construction is at the bridge and asked if a traffic signal was discussed. Mr. Plowman said the bridge is MNDOT’s jurisdiction and the area is not on their schedule for improvements. He said staff applied for funding for a roundabout in the past but was not successful. Member Janovy asked about current on-street parking and how this would change. Mr. Plowman said some areas aren’t wide enough to add parking or because of other conflicts and also, residents at the informational meeting did not see a need for it, except closer to the park. She asked about speed and volume and Mr. Plowman said speed is over the posted limit. She asked if there was room for a 6-ft bike lane and Mr. Plowman said yes, because parking isn’t along the entire corridor. Member Olson asked if the speed limit would be handled similarly to W. 70th where it was reduced to 25 mph because the bike lanes were added. Planner Nolan said residents were surveyed about the 25 mph speed limit north of Benton Avenue and what to do to the south and from eight respondents, six liked 25 mph and two liked 30 mph. He said staff is still evaluating what the speed limit will be. Member Loffelholz said crossing the bridge is unsafe and Mr. Plowman said this is why they are having discussions with MNDOT about improving the sidewalk. Planner Nolan added that they are planning to extend the sidewalk on the east side from the bridge to the new roundabout at Valley Lane. Member LaForce said he was not aware that the roundabout at Valley Lane and Tracy Avenue was a done deal and planner Nolan it isn’t until Council approves it; he said staff is moving forward with design plans. Member Iyer noted that the bike lane stops at the bridge and Mr. Plowman said they anticipate adding a ‘share the road’ sign for the bridge and this decision will be made during the design process. Member Spanhake said the sidewalk over the bridge is pretty high and looks dangerous when you’re on a bike. Mr. Plowman said they could talk with MNDOT about striping a 4-ft shoulder over the bridge. She recommended that they keep the speed limit consistent along the corridor and planner Nolan concurred but said staff wanted to get residents’ feedback on 25 mph vs 30 mph. Student member Campbell said as part of the cross-country team, they stayed away from Tracy Avenue towards the Crosstown because they had to cross over to the other side at the bridge. He said this this is also a pedestrian issue, not just biking. Member Iyer said there always seems to be an after-thought to some projects. He said they knew this project was coming and they also knew the Crosstown was an issue and asked why there wasn’t a plan for it. Chair Bass said similar to Hennepin County’s Bike Plan where they identified gaps in their plan, it might be a useful exercise for the ETC to identify their top 25 gaps. Planner Nolan added that staff does talk with MNDOT but staff only has so much influence. He said a gap study over the next couple years was a good idea. 3 Member Nelson said he liked the design – straightening out the curves, parking by the school and park, and sidewalk alongside the park. He reiterated the issues at the Crosstown bridge and said this was discussed at least a couple years prior and a traffic signal was suggested as a possible solution. He said staff should continue to work with MNDOT to move this forward. Member Janovy concurred. She recommended a 6-ft bike lane instead of 5-ft because of speed, proximity to schools, the Nine Mile Trail, etc. She said even though the survey response does not support streetlights, she believed it should be reviewed because pedestrians are usually walking in the dark. She said she shared the concern about the gap from Valley Lane to the fire station and hoped that during this process it can be figured out to help people’s comfort. Chair Bass asked if they planned to add a sidewalk south of the bridge in the area where a natural trail has been created by pedestrians and Mr. Plowman said yes, if MNDOT agrees with their plan to make improvements on the bridge that would connect to the sidewalk. Member LaForce said he understood MNDOT’s responsibility under the Crosstown bridge but the bridge itself is a continuation of a City street and this is how residents see it. He said he is not convinced that staff has done all they can. Mr. Plowman said city engineer Millner has had conversations and continues to talk with MNDOT about the bridge but it is about funding. Member Nelson said it is a sightline issue because of the railings and if MNDOT doesn’t have the money maybe the City does to make these improvements. In conclusion, chair Bass said she is sure that staff has spoken to MNDOT repeatedly and suggested the ETC consider how they might exert some influence. She said it would be nice to at least have an anticipated improvement date. Grandview Transportation Study Preliminary Scope of Work Planner Nolan explained that the scope of work is for the entire Grandview area, not just for the old public works site. He said staff is looking for feedback. Member Janovy noted a date error on the final page, in step 6. She said the scope promises a lot. She asked why the “lid” was included when it is only a concept and not in any approved plans. Planner Nolan said it was included as a ‘what if’ – what would its impact be on increased density or how it would change the functionality of the roadways. Member Janovy said the lid forces alteration of the highway ramps and pushing the study area out further east. She encouraged going all the way to France Avenue. Planner Nolan said going to France Avenue would increase the scope and costs tremendously (current boundary is 50th & Eden). Chair Bass asked if they would do request for proposals and planner Nolan said yes and they are opening it up to national firms. Traffic Safety Reports of June 3 and July 1, 2015 June 3 Report B.1. Member Janovy asked if the City has a policy on painting no parking on curbs and planner Nolan said they do not have a policy and it is not something they normally do. She said one of the reasons for the denial doesn’t seem relevant while the burden is placed on the residents who are not violating the law. She suggested enforcement or a non-commercial parking sign. B.3. Member Nelson said it seems like there should be a marked path to the park and requested that this be reviewed again. Member Loffelholz said speed and volume should be considered coming down the hill on W. 66th Street. Member Boettge said there was a lot of conversation on Next Door about this street. She said even though warrants are not met they need to be flexible. Member Janovy concurred and said she does not believe the denial is consistent with the Living Streets and Crosswalk policies. Member Iyer asked about the cost but planner Nolan did not know the cost because it depends on the type of application. He also asked how many parks have crosswalks and planner Nolan did not know this either; however, 4 planner Nolan said he has been in conversation with Park and Recreation director Kattreh about this and councilmember Brindle has also expressed interest. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member LaForce to move Item B.3. to Section C and forward the June 3 and July 1, 2015, TSC report to the City Council. All voted aye. Motion carried. July 1 Report B.6. Member Janovy said the conclusion was to recommend no action and she is not sure that the reason given is relevant because there is a zoning code that requires no parking area, no stacking area being located in an alley. She said she doesn’t see why the general public should be inconvenienced because a business doesn’t have adequate parking or stacking area. She said she did not know the solution but did not agree with the rationale for denying it. Planner Nolan said based on analysis of engineering studies it is such a small amount of vehicles that are impacted that they decided it did not require action; also, the area is being reviewed for redevelopment. Member Janovy thinks the redevelopment could make it worse. D.3. Chair Bass asked if the resident was advised he/she could complete a petition and planner Nolan said he did not know but would check on this. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Nelson to forward the July 1, 2015, TSC report to the City Council. All voted aye. Motion carried. Updates Student Members Member Campbell announced that this was his last meeting as he heads off to college. He thanked the ETC. He said he lives near W. 66th Street and it is good to see the police monitoring the speeding issue. Bike Edina Working Group Member Janovy said BETF is on a break. Living Streets Working Group Member Nelson said this group is no longer meeting and should be removed from the agenda. Communications Committee Member LaForce said an article that member Janovy wrote for the Advisor on bikes and pedestrians was published last week. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS – None. CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS Member Janovy said Speak Up! Edina is currently seeking feedback on three transportation options questions and she said it would have been nice if they more closely reflected the neighborhood reconstruction survey so they can begin developing feedback around these specific ideas. She said last month’s topic was communications and one question asked about Edina To Go and what could be added to it – she said this would be a good topic for the ETC to address to see how the application could be used for Traffic Safety related issues. She suggested having a future discussion about improving their advisory function to the City Council because they have great discussions that the City Council doesn’t benefit from and there are things that go to City Council that the ETC doesn’t get to give input on. Chair Bass reported overgrown vegetation on the north side of W. 70th Street between Antrim and Cahill infringing on the sidewalk. She said in May, she visited City of Richfield’s Transportation Commission and shared with them the ETC’s work 5 plan and they would like to be involved in the Greater Southdale Area Transportation Study. She said also that they are interested in renaming Edina Industrial Boulevard and planner Nolan said they have already reached out to staff. She said they shared with her their plans for W. 66th Street and an interesting approach was that the transportation commission hosted the open houses for residents; they are adding a new single lane roundabout at Lyndale and Nicollet, and they’re thinking about restriping the roundabout at Portland because it is challenging to navigate. She asked if a tree could be planted in the roundabout at Valley View Road to replace the one that had to be removed. She asked if last month they had decided on next steps for the capstone project that was presented and planner Nolan said no. Chair Bass suggested it as a future agenda item to consider hosting an open house for the neighborhood and presenting the study. Chair Bass asked if commissioners had any reaction or feedback to the recent council work session. She said they seem to have an interest in the Circulator system and she learned things that she hadn’t previously heard about. Member Nelson said it was evident from the discussion that there’s a lot going forward that the ETC hasn’t been informed about. Chair Bass suggested modifying the first question on Speak Up! Edina and adding a few prompts to learn more about how residents of all ages get around other than by cars. Member Nelson said it looks like member LaForce’s letter in the Sun Current worked because he’s noticed that drivers seem to be stopping behind the crosswalk. He said the device that triggers the light to change is no longer underground; it is aboveground so pulling ahead into the crosswalk is not beneficial. Member Olson encouraged everyone to look at driverless cars because they could have profound impacts on seniors, emergency vehicles, insurance, etc. Member Boettge complimented City staff driving public works vehicles because she said it feels like they are the least likely to run over pedestrians. She said they always stop for her and asked if this was learned behavior through training. She said if it is learned behavior it should be duplicated for the public. She said similar to gaps in bike lanes, there are also gaps for pedestrians or crosswalks that seem inviting to use but is difficult because there are so many conflicts that she finds it easier to cross mid-block, i.e. the intersection at W. 70th/Normandale Road and TH-100. STAFF COMMENTS • Planner Nolan gave an update on the 2015 reconstruction projects. • For the 2016 projects, the ETC will receive the multi-modal survey tabulation next month; an open house is scheduled for Jul. 27 for two projects and Jul. 29 for the other. • An open house was held on Jun. 25 for the Interlachen Boulevard Sidewalk and staff received strong support; there are many impacts along the project area so it may be constructed over two years. • Edina Industrial Boulevard at Metro Boulevard was restriped to make it clear that it is a two-lane roadway and staff is getting positive feedback. • The missing gap of sidewalk on Xerxes Avenue (W. 56th to W. 60th) received approximately 25% funding from Hennepin County for construction in 2016 (this is the only gap between Southdale and Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis). • Open Streets is scheduled for Sept. 27, between Browndale Avenue in Edina and Beard Avenue in Minneapolis; volunteers are needed. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned. 6 ATTENDANCE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE J F M A M J* J A S O N D SM SM WS # of Mtgs Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 NAME TERM (Enter Date) (Enter Date) 6/17 Bass, Katherine 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Boettge, Emily 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Iyer, Surya 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 75% LaForce, Tom 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Loeffelholz, Ralf 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 5 83% Janovy, Jennifer 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Nelson, Paul 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Olson, Larry 3/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Whited, Courtney 2/1/2015 1 1 100% Spanhake, Dawn 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Rummel, Anna 9/1/2015 1 1 1 3 38% Campbell, Jack 9/1/2015 1 1 1 1 4 50% *cancelled