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BPC 11-17-04 I CUPEIQ1NO MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN COMMISSION November 17, 2004 The meeting was called to order by Chair Greenstein at 7:03 p.m. ROLLCALL Present: Absent: Staff: Greenstein, Koski, Paulsen, Walton (arrived 7:12 p.m.) Fu Glenn Goepfert, Assistant Director of Public Works ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Jim Wyant, a resident of Cupertino, stated that he was interested in applying for one of the Commission positions and attended the meeting to see how the Commission works. Anne Ng attended a neighborhood meeting on November 15 regarding Sharrows, a program being tested in San Francisco and other cities, which allows bicycles in the same lane with cars. Chevrons with bike symbols are placed in the lanes of traffic to inform drivers that bicyclists may be riding in these lanes. The City of Sunnyvale has placed some of these markings on Wolfe Road, north ofEl Camino Real. OLD BUSINESS 1. Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge and Mary Avenue Gateway Updates Mary Avenue Bicvcle Footbridge Assistant Director Goepfert stated that the bridge is still scheduled for completion by the end of 2006, but a few new issues have surfaced. Design may be moved back by a few months because there is a lot to look at, and the City is looking for an independent confirmation of the estimate due to increases in the costs of steel and concrete. The formal report to City Council is scheduled for January; City staff would appreciate the Commissioners' attendance at that meeting. Comm. Walton stated that the community on either side of the bridge needs to be reacquainted with the look of the bridge and what is going to happen once it is completed. The concerns of the community need to be addressed, and a web page or link on the City's website was suggested as one way of providing information. -1- In response to a question regarding what the Commission needs to do, Asst. Director Goepfert said that the Commission should be available at the City Council meeting for advocacy of the bridge project and plan a neighborhood meeting to give a timeline or establish a link with the community. Mary Avenue Gatewav Asst. Director Goepfert informed the Commission that the City has been awarded the TFCA grant to supplement the project. This will allow the City to install the vertical element. This project is scheduled for the next construction season. The project consists of a crosswalk ITom the Oaks to the east side of Mary Avenue; it is drawing its use ITom De Anza College, high- density housing, and the shopping center. It is an important safety feature in a high volume traffic area and will give a gateway element. A conceptual drawing will be available early next year. Asst. Director Goepfert will bring old drawings to the next meeting so that Commissioners can get a feel of how the gateway is envisioned prior to seeing the new drawings. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS MTC has issued an announcement that federal funds are available for regional bicycle pedestrian projects. Although none of the City's current projects are eligible, the Asst. Director wanted the Commissioners to be aware of the funding should a new project emerge. It was suggested that a potential project could be the installation of a crosswalk across De Anza Boulevard at BJ's between Mariani Avenue and Hwy. 280. The Asst. Director stated that it would be better to put an attractive crosswalk at Mariani Avenue to encourage pedestrians to cross at the intersection. Also, signal timing may assist in keeping people ITom crossing mid- block. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - The August 18 and October 20 meeting minutes were approved as submitted. OLD BUSINESS 2. Street Smarts Status Comm. Koski distributed a copy of an article she wrote for the Cupertino Scene regarding Street Smarts. This article is being published to generate interest in the community regarding safety Issues. Asst. Director Goepfert stated that David Greenstein and Nolan Chen, Chair of the Public Safety Commission, have signed off the new letter to the Monta Vista schools, asking them to contact the Chairs of the commissions regarding an agenda and informing them that the two commissions could play an important educational role. The Asst. Director also contacted Linda Crabill ITom Street Smarts to enlist her assistance in getting the City logo onto the videotape and making the initial presentations at the schools. Discussion followed regarding how to market the Street Smarts program. There are limitations to what is allowed. For example, although the City has the right to use images ITom the program, -2- broadcasting the video presentation is not allowed. What is actually needed is a self-sustaining plan and ideas on how to get the word out. Some suggestions were to market the program according to the seasons, setting up yard signs that would rotate throughout neighborhoods, and putting information on the website. Another idea was to put a little blurb in the Scene each month next to the Street Smarts logo. By consensus, the Commission agreed to: a) submit Comm. Koski's article to the Scene; b) wait for a response ftom the schools and inform them of the Street Smarts program; c) schedule a presentation of the program at Stevens Creek Elementary; d) put information on the website regarding Street Smarts; e) attempt to publish monthly or quarterly articles about Street Smarts; and f) publish seasonal information about the program. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Traffic Calming Inftastructure Comm. Paulsen reviewed information he gathered regarding a circular ring constructed ftom recycled tire rubber. He suggested that a tree or shrub planted inside the ring and placed near a cutout or curb would slow vehicles making right turns. In regard to drainage, he stated that if a bore ftom a gutter into the root ball with a French drain and small grate were created, the first oily runoff would be captured into the soil. By using bio-remediation, this runoff would reduce nonpoint source pollution. Proposing this as an environmental solution to the tire disposal problem and traffic calming may result in a source for grant funds. 2. Cupertino Pedestrian and Bicycle Plans - Priorities At the last meeting, Commissioners were asked to come up with priority projects. Chair Greenstein expressed a feeling that overall goals should be a priority and there was general agreement. His top priority was the Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge; next was Safe Routes to Schools (Collins and Portal), major street crossings, and Safe Routes to Schools (tri school area). Then he selected implementations listed in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Plans guidelines. Discussion followed regarding other interests, such as the Bollinger Road bridge widening, various trails, refteshing pavement markings, congestion on Stevens Creek Boulevard near Whole Foods, Stelling at Alves, De Anza College traffic, and Valko development. It was suggested that these items be agendized over the next year and that public meetings be held to receive input ftom residents. Bicycle promotion activities were discussed as a way of creating interest and desire for alternative forms of transportation within the community. 3. General Plan Approval Asst. Director Goepfert reviewed the schedule of General Plan public hearings and informed commissioners that they are invited to the February 22, 2005, Planning Commission meeting. By consensus, it was agreed that the Commission would like to select another date, possibly March 8, if the Public Safety Commission agrees to hold their meeting with the Planning Commission on February 22. Asst. Director will coordinate the dates. -3- FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Items to be included on the next agenda include: Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge, priority list of the Cupertino Pedestrian and Bicycle Plans, a process for holding public meetings for priority issues, and General Plan items. The meeting was adjourned at 10:12 p.m. {l u-é /~ Carol Shepherd Administrative Assistant -4-