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Home My WebLink About2013-12-19 MinutesMINUTES OF CITY OF EDINA, MINNESOTA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION COMMUNITY ROOM DECEMBER 19, 2013 6:00 P.M. ROLL CALL Answering roll call was member Bass, Boettge, lyer, Janovy, LaForce, Nelson, Spanhake, and Whited. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Whited to approve the meeting agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 21, 2013— Approved as corrected. Motion was made by member LaForce and seconded by member Spanhake to approve the amended minutes of November 21, 2013. All voted aye. Motion carried. COMMUNITY COMMENT — None. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS Southwest LRT Freight Rail Re-Route: The "Southern Arm" Chair Nelson explained that in October, two people from Safety in the Park presented information on the LRT project that is going through St. Louis Park and the potential for a Southern Arm that would allow longer trains to travel through St. Louis Park and Edina. He asked if the ETC would like to lend their support to Safety in the Park by making a recommendation to the City Council to not support the Southern Arm. Discussion included getting more information from other sources and a focus on the City becoming involved in areas where it can, for example creating a 'no whistle zone' and commenting when public funds are being spent. Adding rail crossing improvements to the CIP was suggested so they can focus on improving one to two at a time. Chair Nelson said the trains are longer and loud at nights; transportation planner Nolan added that a rail staff informed him that more trains are currently leaving at nights. The consensus was to have someone attend a future meeting to give an update on LRT and current activities of commercial trains. Human Services Grant/Transportation Options Member Whited explained that the Transportation Options Working Group was established to look at transportation options for seniors in Edina and they reviewed several options and recommended PRISM which led to a grant application to Human Services. She said PRISM has since closed and the application has been withdrawn. She asked how the commission would like to proceed. During discussion member Whited noted that options like B-Line and ITN are viable options but they are expensive. She said several adjacent cities are getting bids for this type of service but they too are expensive. Suggestions included joining the efforts of adjacent cities to solve the problem or work singularly in our community; create an engagement process to get support; surveying residents to determine demand; SHIP has funding source to address seniors needs; complete a needs assessment and make recommendation to fill the need; hiring a consultant; and ask the Mayor to share concerns with mayoral group to get support from other communities. 1 The consensus was to continue the discussion in a series of workshops. Traffic Safety Committee Report of December 4, 2013 Section B-5 will be pulled from the report to verify approval of crosswalks in 2008. Motion was made by member lyer and seconded by member Bass to forward the December 4 Traffic Safety Report to City Council without Section B-5. All voted aye. Motion carried. Meeting Schedule for 2014 Motion was made by member lyer and seconded by member Whited to approve the 2014 Meeting Schedule. All voted aye. Motion carried. Updates Student Members - None Bike Edina Task Force Member Janovy handed out a draft document that clarified the relationship between the BETF and the City and asked for feedback. She said the relationship would be similar to that of a soccer association. After discussion, suggestion was to delete "City Council will continue to appoint a member of BETF to the Edina Transportation Commission" because this is in the ETC's ordinance, and to consider being an association rather than a task force. Living Streets Working Group Transportation planner Nolan said Feed the Dog is finalizing two branding/logo options for presentation to a focus group for feedback. At their last meeting, they discussed design guidelines including street types, typical section, bike facility, etc. Communications Committee - None CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS - None CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS Member Boettge asked if there was a map online that shows upcoming street reconstruction schedule and transportation planner Nolan said yes and that he would email her the link. Member Janovy noted that the City Council approved the 54th Street project on a particular design of the streets but did not ordered the project on the basis of the feasibility study, just in case this needs to be clarified. Additionally, she suggested that the ETC discuss what will happen with the advisory lanes after the experimental process is over because the Federal Highways is no longer accepting new experiments for treatment that is on Valley View Rd (green lanes) and wondered if they would be required to remove them. She said the City Council should be advised on this. Discussion ensued about the need to improve the communication process at all levels because even though there was an engagement process specifically for W. 54th Street it resulted in less satisfaction and trust in the process than hoped for. Member LaForce said the City will not be able to build a transportation network if objectors are successful in stopping a sidewalk in front of their house. A suggestion was to understand peoples' primary questions and concerns about infrastructure projects like sidewalks and create a FAQ with responses that could be posted on the City's website. Chair Nelson said he's noticed that MnDOT added the auxiliary lane on the west side of 1-494 but not on the east 2 side. Transportation planner Nolan will check and report back. STAFF COMMENTS Updates from transportation planner Nolan: • France Ave intersections improvement will go to City Council on Jan. 7 for approval. There will be an update on the Urban Design feature at the next meeting. • The Vernon Ave bike lane striping was pushed back to next spring. • Xerxes Ave striping and temporary bump-outs were completed and the County is monitoring traffic (before and after counts are similar). • Formal notice was received from Hennepin County Board for the sidewalks funding approval; they are York Ave from 66th to the transit station, $28,000; and Vernon Ave from Doncaster to Ayshire, $50,000. • The Transportation Alternative Program Solicitation for bikes and pedestrians is out and applications are due Jan. 31. Project minimum requirement is $100,000 with 20% local match if approved. Three Rivers is accepting proposals for connecting trails/sidewalks to the Nine Mile Creek Trail and if approved the City would only pay the 20% match. Proposals are due by Jan. 3. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned. ATTENDANCE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE - 2013 NAME TERM J F M A M JJ A S 0 N D Work Session # of mtgs Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Bass, Katherine 2/1/2014 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7/16 1 11 85% Boettge, Emily 2/1/2014 1 1 1 1 1 5 100% Braden, Ann* 2/1/2014 1 1 1 1 1 5 38% Franzen, Nathan 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 69% lyer, Surya 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 77% Janovy, Jennifer 2/1/2014 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 92% LaForce, Tom 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 100% Nelson, Paul 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 100% Schweiger, Steven student 1 1 1 3 23% Sierks, Caroline student 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 69% Spanhake, Dawn 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 73% Van Dyke, Jackson student 1 1 1 3 75% Whited, Courtney 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 85% Res!ec,",y bmitted, Allison, Secretary 3