Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

August 18, 2005, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

City Manager’s Conference Room

 

PAC Coalition Members present:  Danny Drungilas, Carol Bowen, Deb Baker, Jim Carpenter, Lisa Harris, Ray Hummert, Joel Porter, Patrick Slick

 

PAC Coalition Members absent:  Alan Black, Tonya Dors, Rick Gammill, Susan Henderson

 

City Staff present:  Jonathan Douglass, Lisa Patterson, Mike Wildgen, David Woosley

 

 

Needs of the PAC itself

®    Members who can attend meetings and advise the coalition

®    Members who can spend a couple of hours beyond the monthly meeting for research and contact work supporting PAC goals

®    PAC passes decisions on the TSC, then to the City Commission

®    Refine the message PAC is trying to deliver (what do pedestrians and drivers need to know?)

®    Meetings will be held every third Thursday of the month

 

Issues that the PAC could or should address:

®    Goals of the PAC: Make Lawrence more walkable; ongoing pedestrian safety campaign

®    Driver and pedestrian awareness of pedestrian laws

®    Pedestrian crossings at both intersections an mid-block, including unmarked crosswalks

®    Connectivity

®    Condition of sidewalks when a property is sold; inspection of sidewalks and mandated repairs before property changes hands

®    Design standards for construction projects, maintaining connectivity during construction

®    Installation of “Sidewalk Ends” signs to let people know they need to cross the street at the previous intersection, facilitating travel on an alternate route

®    PAC support of Santa Fe rail-trail corridor would benefit that project

®    Courteous driving behavior that goes beyond merely legal behavior

®    Educating people on the operation of different types of traffic signals

®    Combining/coordinating the efforts of all the people whose work is important to pedestrian issues (TSC, bicycling committee, Public Transit, Parks and Rec, Public Works, etc.)

 

Ideas for spending grant money PAC receives for a pedestrian safety campaign, especially if the amount is small ($1000 or less):

®    Signs such as “Yield to Pedestrians”

®    Cameras at intersections

®    “Grass-roots” publicity

®    News release announcing formation of PAC and first official actions/plans

 

Actions suggested during meeting:

®    Refine the message PAC is trying to deliver before launching pedestrian safety campaign

®    Review pedestrian section of Transportation 2025

®    Find out what has been done in the past regarding pedestrian issues in the community

®    Ask Dave Corliss if there is a home rule exception to State sidewalk laws

®    Have City staff explain process for addressing citizen complaints about sidewalks at a future PAC meeting

®    Find out if TE money can be used to fix connectivity gaps, repair sidewalks

®    Split up the following topics and have PAC members volunteer to research them before next meeting.  Also have City staff (such as Chuck Soules, Terese Gorman, Bill Ahrens) address these when they attend a PAC meeting:

o       Sidewalk condition

o       Absence of sidewalks (gaps, connectivity)

o       Dangerous intersections for pedestrians

o       Pubic education regarding pedestrian issues

o       New sidewalk design

o       Sidewalk accessibility during construction projects

 

Actions assigned during meeting:

®    Jonathan Douglass will format pedestrian accident data for PAC members, speak with Mike Wildgen concerning the appropriate person/office to try to coordinate efforts of all parties that deal with pedestrian issues, and ask Lisa Patterson about possibility of putting pedestrian concerns survey on City website

®    Lisa Harris will ask Bill Ahrens to attend a PAC meeting

®    David Woosley will ask Chuck Soules to attend a PAC meeting

®    Deb Baker will research what other cities are doing online with pedestrian safety campaigns

 

Next PAC meeting will be September 15, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

September 15, 2005, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

City Manager’s Conference Room

 

PAC Coalition Members present:  Danny Drungilas, Alan Black, Deb Baker, Rick Gammill, Lisa Harris, Patrick Slick

 

PAC Coalition Members absent:  Carol Bowen, Jim Carpenter, Tonya Dors, Susan Henderson, Raymond Hummert, Joel Porter

 

City Staff present:  Bill Ahrens, Jonathan Douglass, Lisa Patterson, David Woosley

 

Others present: Chad Simmons

 

 

Creating a Grassroots Campaign

®    Set a goal and find tools that work toward that goal

o       What is the goal or message that you need to get out?

o       What are the audiences you want to reach?

o       How do reach the specific audiences? 

®    Set a timeline

o       Intense presentation over a short time makes the most impact

§         Example: Wear a helmet campaign

o       Different audiences may have different timelines, most effective times to reach them

®    Look for crossover opportunities to promote message

o       Example:  composting promotion at the county fair

o       KU football tailgating may be an opportunity to reach college student audience

o       LMH Walkathon

 

Discussions regarding the message(s) PAC wants to promote

®    Walkability and Safety are two separate messages

®    A message seeking to inform people of the law and encourage compliance may not be effective.  People know many traffic laws perfectly (stoplights, speed limits, etc.) but still break them regularly

®    The development of a “message tree” might be helpful to link audiences, messages, and timelines

®    Many of the goals in the PAC packet are well defined, with the exception of “increasing awareness of pedestrian safety issues.”  Messages can be tailored to address these goals

®    Walkability

o       Definition in PAC packet

o       Pat Slick defines walkability as the ability for a wheelchair to travel from one place to another on sidewalks

o       Alan Black defines walkability as the ability to walk instead of drive to errands

®    School-related issues/audiences

o       Audiences: parents of school children, teenage drivers

o       Since the pay-to-ride program went into effect, many parents have expressed a desire for more sidewalks

®    Injuries resulting from accidents involving pedestrians

o       There is almost always an injury caused by these accidents

o       Driver inattention is a major contributor to these accidents

®    Developers could be an audience in order to get them to buy into the value of pedestrian access

 

Role of PAC as an advocate on behalf of pedestrian interests

®    In many policy discussions at public meetings, no one is present to represent the interests of pedestrians 

®    If an issue affects pedestrians (such as the Kasold reconstruction), the PAC could formulate a position, write a memo to the City Commission articulating the position, and go to meetings to make comments on the issue

 

PAC website

®    What are other cities doing?

o       Pedestrian issues usually embedded in Public Works or Tourism sections of website (touting walkability as an attraction)

®    Server space on the City website would not be a problem, but City does not have resources to provide content development and maintenance

®    It may be possible to utilize KU students to develop PAC webpages for a reasonable price, or even free (as a class project)

 

What organizations/people/departments are responsible for pedestrian issues?

®    Public Works.  Many individuals in Public Works consider pedestrian issues in different contexts.  Tammy Bennett is the City’s ADA coordinator. 

®    Planning.  Every planner looks at pedestrian regulations (such as sidewalk requirements) when reviewing plans.  Overall pedestrian issues are handled by Bill Ahrens because he is the transportation planner.  Pedestrian issues are discussed in weekly plan review meeting, and during Planning Commission meetings. 

®    Public Transit Committee.  The Public Transit Committee would like to advocate for sidewalks on every street along bus routes.

 

Actions suggested/assigned during meeting

®    PAC members should become familiar with subdivision regulations/guidelines and attend meetings regarding the proposed code.

®    Formulate a new budget for KDOT grant 

 

Next meeting is scheduled for October 20, 2005, from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

October 20, 2005, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

City Manager’s Conference Room

 

PAC Coalition Members Present: Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Alan Black

 

City Staff Present: Jonathan Douglass, Chuck Soules, David Woosley

 

Housekeeping Issues:

®    Lisa Harris has replaced Carol Bowen as co-chair of PAC

 

Public Works (PW) Report

®    PW does not create pedestrian regulations, those are development codes and planning requirements

®    Sidewalk maintenance/construction issues

o       Property owners cannot remove brick sidewalks and replace them with concrete (HRC regulation).  They must be replaced with brick.

o       PW maintains the sidewalks (ramps to street) at corners, but adjacent property owners maintain other sidewalks.

o       If sidewalks already exist but need to be rebuilt

§         Property owner is required by State law to maintain.

§         If there is a narrower sidewalk than is currently required by code, in many cases exemption is granted for a new narrow sidewalk to preserve continuity.

o       If sidewalks do not exist in a previously developed neighborhood

§         City usually does not require the construction of sidewalks (City used to utilize gap filling funds to do this)

§         It is difficult for the City to go in and construct sidewalks in an older neighborhood because new development is required to construct their own.  Fairness concerns.

o       How can PAC help with issue of repairing sidewalks

§         PW is already aware of most of the problems of gaps and condition, does not need more reports.  PW is most concerned about areas with frequent walkers.

§         Snow removal is a big issue – PW gets more complaints about this than about condition of sidewalks.  The problem is that some people cannot clear their sidewalks, and others neglect to do it.

§         Funding is a problem for sidewalk maintenance – PAC could advocate during budget process.

o       Funding for transportation projects

§         Usually State, Federal, and TE funding are not available for conventional sidewalk projects (like repair and gap filling).  This is considered a local responsibility.

§         State, Federal, and TE funds more likely available for major visibility projects like rail-trail.

o       Vegetation encroachment on sidewalks and streets

§         Complaints should go to Jim Beebe, 832-7979.  City will take care of overhanging trees on public property, or deal with property owner if it is on private property. 

®    PW has not been budgeted any money for gap filling for a couple years.

®    Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues

o       Tammy Bennett is City’s ADA coordinator, works with Independence Inc. to identify and make accessibility improvements to sidewalks where feasible and practical.

o       Making ADA improvements is really only an issue in older areas because newer developments have to comply when they are designed and built. 

®    Code requires a 10’ rec path on one side and a 6’ sidewalk on other side of arterials.  However, City Commission can exempt projects from this requirement (such as Kasold reconstruction project).  This illustrates the need for pedestrian advocates at public meetings.

 

KDOT Grant Process

®    Dennis Moore’s office has offered assistance in lobbying for more funds than KDOT has indicated they are willing to offer PAC for pedestrian safety campaign.

®    Danny Drungilas has drafted a letter to send to Moore’s office accepting help lobbying for more funds.

®    Support for sending letter expressed by Drungilas, Harris, and Black.

 

Other Issues Discussed

®    During City budget process, Alan Black would like for PAC to be able to go to the City Commission and say, “These are our top five priorities for funding pedestrian improvements.”

®    There is a need for more PAC coalition members

o       Need 8-10 people in order to work on potential projects identified by Drungilas and Harris

o       Methods for recruiting more members

§         Recontact people who used to attend PAC meetings but have dropped off

§         Try contacting neighborhood associations

§         Put out a message on community email discussion lists

 

Assignments

®    PAC should draft a statement/memo to present to the City Commission when Kasold Reconstruction comes back before them on November 8, 2005.

®    PAC requests that PW notify them when projects with pedestrian issues are being considered.

®    David Woosley and Jonathan Douglass will explore options for getting regular updates of pedestrian accident data to PAC.

®    Danny Drungilas will solicit new members of PAC through a community email list.

 

Next Meeting: November 17, 4:00-6:00 p.m., City Manager’s Conference Room

 

 

 

 

Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting

November 17, 2005, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Legal Services Conference Room

 

PAC Coalition Members Present: Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Alan Black, Gwen Klingenberg, Patrick Slick

 

City Staff Present: Jonathan Douglass

 

Areas of Focus and Projects for PAC

 

Safety (reducing the risk of bodily harm)

  • Identify unsafe school zones and recommend solutions: Work with schools to send surveys home with kids regarding their pedestrian experience.  Survey would need to allow kids/parents to identify their route to school, possibly by tracing it on a map.  Danny Drungilas will chair this project. 
  • Identify unsafe sidewalks: Project commencement deferred until more information can be obtained from Public Works, including details on sidewalk survey and map of sidewalks in City. 
  • Top ten most dangerous intersections for pedestrians: Discussion deferred until more information can be obtained from Public Works.  Alan Black will chair this project.
  • Increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues: PAC needs Lisa Patterson to explain procedures for having a website hosted by the City.  Pat Slick suggested that the PAC advocate for more inclusion of pedestrian rights in State of Kansas driver education and driver testing.

 

Walkability (connectivity of pedestrian facilities)

  • Identify areas where connectivity can be improved and forward recommendations (with estimated costs) to the City: Start by identifying presence/absence of sidewalks, non-connecting streets, etc.  Gwen Klingenberg will chair this project. 
  • Examine City policies regarding well-connected and passable sidewalks, and make recommendations to appropriate officials: Lisa Harris will chair this project.
  • Identify sidewalks that are constrained by vegetation: Danny Drungilas will speak with Jim Beebe concerning City policies regarding vegetation.  Forestry contact information could be included on PAC website.  Danny Drungilas will chair this project.

 

Chairs for these projects will report at next meeting what they are planning for their projects. 

 

Other Issues

 

The Traffic Safety Commission would like PAC to serve as a “first responder” when a citizen brings a pedestrian safety issue to the attention of the City.  PAC should add as a standing agenda item the discussion of issues that should be brought to the attention of the TSC. 

 

It was suggested that PAC should develop an annual report.  This could be something like a two page document reporting on the state of pedestrian safety and connectivity in Lawrence, and on the activities of PAC.  The report could also compare Lawrence to other communities.  It would be desirable to wait another year before releasing the first annual report, since PAC was started so recently. 

 

The formation of a watchdog committee (to watch the City Commission and Planning Commission agendas for pedestrian related items) was discussed.  Such a committee could help identify opportunities for PAC to advocate on behalf of pedestrians at public meetings.  Gwen Klingenberg volunteered to watch the meeting agendas for relevant items.   

 

Assignments made during meeting

 

Danny Drungilas will…

  • Send 10/20/05 PAC minutes to members of PAC
  • Bring school zone survey to January PAC meeting
  • Invite Lisa Patterson to attend January PAC meeting and explain website procedures
  • Add Lisa Patterson to email list for agendas, etc. 
  • Research how vegetation issues/complaints are handled by the City

Lisa Harris will…

  • Contact David Burress
  • Prepare statements for the media on pedestrian issues, including the need for more PAC members

Gwen Klingenberg will…

  • Solicit information from LAN members regarding pedestrian issues
  • Watch City and Planning Commission meeting agendas for pedestrian issues

Patrick Slick will…

  • Find PTO contacts to send letters soliciting new PAC members

Jonathan Douglass will…

  • Get a log of sidewalk complaints from Public Works
  • Get monthly pedestrian accident data from David Woosley
  • Find out if Public Works has a map of all the sidewalks in the City
  • Find out when the sidewalk survey is scheduled to be conducted

All project chairs will…

  • Report at the January PAC meeting what they are planning for their projects

 

 

 

Next meeting: January 19, 2006 (no meeting in December)

 

 

 

 

 

Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting

January 19, 2006, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

City Manager’s Conference Room

 

PAC Coalition Members Present: Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Alan Black, Dietrich Earnhart, Gwen Klingenberg, Patrick Slick, Jodi Wente

 

City Staff Present: Jonathan Douglass, Lisa Patterson

 

Assignments made during meeting

Danny Drungilas will:

  • Talk to Rick Gammill about:
    • Making a plan for distribution of walkability surveys to children and their parents
    • Pedestrian related complaints the school district has received from parents
    • Recruiting PAC members from the Parent Teacher Organizations
  • Make a plan for departmental staff meetings on driver/pedestrian safety

Jonathan Douglass will:

  • Make needed changes to last meeting’s minutes
  • Check with Chuck Soules regarding a broken sidewalk surrounding a manhole cover on Harvard between Colonial and Congressional; sidewalk is probably on City right of way rather than private property
  • Invite Chuck Soules to next meeting to give input as PAC discusses possible gap filling projects

All members of PAC will:

  • Brainstorm ideas for KDOT grant budget and PAC website content
  • Bring ideas for a possible gap filling project to next meeting; if PAC can recommend one project that costs $10,000-$25,000 Chuck Soules will include it Public Works’ 2007 CIP budget request

 

Report on assigned tasks from last meeting

Identify specific school zones that are unsafe and recommend solutions, with costs, to Public Works and the City Commission:  Danny Drungilas wants to work with Rick Gammill of USD 497 to get the walkability checklist into parents’ hands.  Patrick Slick has a list of contacts for the PTOs that could also be helpful for this project.  The following school zone problems have already been identified: the Prairie Park Neighborhood Association says that their school zone ends right in front of the school, there is a lack of sidewalks near 18th and Kentucky.  There are a lot of other poorly laid out school zones and sidewalks.  The plan is to identify these kinds of problems and make recommendations to the Traffic Safety Commission, then to the City Commission.

 

Identify the top ten most dangerous street intersections for pedestrians in Lawrence, and recommend solutions, with costs, to Public Works and the City Commission:  Alan Black obtained data on pedestrian accidents from 2002-2005 from David Woosley.  After plotting the accidents on a map, it was shown that by far the most accidents happen downtown, with the intersection of 9th and Massachusetts being the worst.  Patrick Slick is concerned that accident data does not identify some of the most dangerous intersections, because pedestrians simply avoid those intersections because they are so bad.  He suggests surveying people to try to identify these intersections. 

 

Increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues among pedestrians, drivers, City staff and public officials through a website and other information sharing avenues:  Danny Drungilas informed the PAC that the City had committed $500 to help the PAC develop a website.  The site will be hosted on a City server, and Lisa Patterson has provided webpage templates to Kathy Drungilas.  PAC’s webpage could serve as an information source, with links to articles, laws, or the interactive program Drungilas obtained from FHWA.  Drungilas would like other PAC members to email him their ideas about what else might be put on the website, which can address both walkability and safety issues. 

            Drungilas suggested creating a “good role model” program, whereby the City Commission passes an ordinance requiring City vehicles to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.  Bumper stickers reading “We yield to pedestrians” could be placed on all City vehicles.  Lisa Patterson suggested that a City policy would probably be more appropriate for implementing this program than an ordinance or resolution.  She suggested taking a request for a policy to the Traffic Safety Commission, who can pass it on to the City Commission.  The City Commission can then direct City staff to draft a policy if appropriate.  Another way to accomplish the goal of delivering a message to City employees is to create a presentation and then approach each City department about giving the presentation during staff meetings.   

            Lisa Patterson also suggested trying to specifically target the audiences the PAC is trying to reach – for example, college age males.  PAC may be able to get more “bang for the buck” by tailoring messages and delivery instruments to the specific group rather than just choosing City employees because they are a big captive audience.   

 

Identify areas where connectivity can be improved and forward recommendations for improvements, with costs, to Public Works and City Commission:  Bryce Hirschman (Information Systems) and Micah Seybold (Public Works) are working on a GIS map of all sidewalks in the City.  Gwen Klingenberg has obtained an early version of the map, which also includes features/infrastructure such as drainage easements, parks, etc.  The final version of the map should be available this summer.  Alan Black suggested that “T” routes be included on the map so intermodality can be assessed.  The map will be useful for identifying gaps in sidewalk connectivity when completed.  Steve Lashley (Assistant City Engineer) will be completing the sidewalk survey in conjunction with the streets survey in the coming years.  Lashley plans to survey the condition of 25% of the street/sidewalk network each year.        

 

Examine City policies for creating, maintaining and enforcing well connected and passable sidewalks and make recommendations, as necessary, to appropriate City officials:  Lisa Harris checked the policies of various other cities and found that some manage sidewalks the way we do (the sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owners, per State law), while other cities pay for all sidewalk maintenance, some split the costs with property owners, and some split the cost with property owners who meet income eligibility requirements.  Other cities target certain areas each year for enforcement, and tell the property owners to fix the sidewalks or the City will come in and do it and then bill the property owner.  All of these options will require hard choices from the City Commission – namely increase taxes or increase enforcement.  Drungilas expressed support for property owners continuing to be responsible for sidewalk condition on their property.  Increasing enforcement seems more feasible because there are so many hundreds of miles of sidewalks that City maintenance would be difficult.  Gwen Klingenberg favored Sheboygan’s approach of targeting certain areas for enforcement.  Alan Black suggested that creation of benefit districts might be an option, but Dietrich Earnhart said that the City has already told him that there is no precedence for creating a benefit district for sidewalk maintenance. 

            Patrick Slick expressed a desire to have a City Commission study session on the topic of sidewalks so that the PAC can find out what level of support the Commission has for these issues.  Slick requested that this be discussed at the next PAC meeting. 

 

Identify existing sidewalks that are constrained by vegetation or other barriers and recommend solutions:  Danny Drungilas reported that he met with Jim Beebe.  The City’s Forestry Division will take care of any City sidewalks that are impeded by vegetation.  There is also a standard for sightlines at intersections (90 foot triangles at each corner) where there should be no vegetation impediments.  All responses are complaint driven; Forestry personnel do not drive around looking for problems.  After a complaint is received, the property owner is given notice if it is the owner’s responsibility; otherwise Forestry takes care of the problem.  Most issues are resolved within a few days.  The City will cut vegetation and possibly bill the property owner if the owner does not take care of the problem.   

            Public education regarding vegetation and sidewalks is mostly web based and is handled by Lisa Patterson and Roger Steinbrock.

            Patrick Slick raised the concern of whether these complaints are anonymous or not, and if that affects the reporting of problems. 

 

Other business

Report/discuss pedestrian related issues from commission agendas:  Gwen Klingenberg reported the following:

  • Klingenberg is in contact with the Planning Department regarding Fairfield Farms, because they only want to put sidewalks on one side of the street.
  • There are a few items coming to the Planning Commission with commercial developments that have walkability problems. 
  • Klingenberg is working with the Planning Department to get staff reports on a regular basis.
  • The Planning Department has been very responsive and helpful.  The Planning Department is in a position to provide information, while the Planning Commission is in a position to act on the PAC’s concerns. 

 

Update on KDOT grant process:

KDOT is willing to provide about $2500 for a driver and pedestrian safety awareness campaign.  The PAC needs to come up with a budget to submit with the grant application.  Some of the things we might consider include bumper stickers and pedometers with messages or logos on them.  We also need a plan for distributing these items. 

            PAC members can email their ideas for using the KDOT funds to Danny Drungilas, or bring them to the next meeting.

 

Gap filling CIP budget request

If the PAC can recommend one sidewalk gap filling project that would cost $10,000-$25,000, Chuck Soules will include it in the Public Works 2007 Capital Improvement Plan budget request.  The City Commission chooses from among all the requests which ones to include in the approved budget.  For cost estimating purposes, five foot wide sidewalks cost about $25 per linear foot, or it would cost about $10,000 for one block (400ft) of sidewalk. 

            PAC members should come to the next members prepared to make and discuss recommendations for a project.  Jonathan Douglass will invite Chuck Soules to attend the meeting to help assess the feasibility of the recommended projects. 

 

Next Meeting: February 23, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Lawrence Pedestrian Advisory Committee

February 23, 2006 meeting minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Jodi Wente, Alan Black, Gwen Klingenberg, Patrick Slick, Rick Gammill

STAFF PRESENT:

Jonathan Douglass

 


 

 

Committee housekeeping

Approved minutes of the January 19, 2005 PAC meeting.  Approved agenda.

 

Report on assigned tasks of the PAC

 

Assigned tasks:

 

--Identify specific school zones in Lawrence that are unsafe and recommend solutions (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission—Danny Drungilas. Discuss Walk Your Child to School Day.

 

Drungilas met with Rick Gammill, and reported that Gammill agreed to take responsibility for getting pedestrian survey to as many parents as possible, including placement on USD website, and for gathering it in October in conjunction with Walk Your Child to School Day.  It was suggested that PAC should bring this back up in June to discuss how to publicize it, including City Commission proclamation. 

 

--Identify unsafe sidewalks (through a sidewalk survey) and recommend how to get them repaired—Gwen Klingenberg.

 

Gwen Klingenberg has done more research on what other cities have done, will email information to group.  Some cities have a matching grant program for maintenance, others have partial reimbursement program.  Some cities have a sitting committee for sidewalk issues. 

 

Discussed whether PAC wants to ask the City to have a policy on sidewalks and have a committee that sits and talks about sidewalks and makes recommendations (rather than simply the complaint driven process).

 

Drungilas committed to contacting the Mayor about getting a representative from PAC on sidewalk study session agenda.  City Commission study session on sidewalk policies: March 9, 9:00a.m. in the City Commission room.

 

Possible items to bring up at study session:

  • Another mechanism for identifying sidewalk maintenance problems other than “rat on your neighbor” complaint driven process.  Some other enforcement mechanism. 
  • Should PAC volunteer to be the committee to write a policy?
  • Ask for text of any policies, etc. that govern sidewalk maintenance or design prior to 3/9 study session.  Douglass will go back through old minutes, find out where the policies are, get actual text of policies by March 7.   

 

Discussed Olsen accident, sidewalk situation in the area, and vegetation impediments. 

 

--Identify the top (ten?) most dangerous street intersections for pedestrians in Lawrence, and recommend solutions (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission—Alan Black. Alan provided a map of these sites; do we want to expand the way we define “dangerous” to increase road geometry?

 

Discuss of pedestrian counts as a way to identify dangerous intersections.  Suggested that pedestrian counts are pretty labor intensive, and there is probably no such data available for Lawrence. 

 

Klingenberg stated that most PAC members also belong to other organizations and could ask other members of the organizations if there are intersections they feel are dangerous.

 

Drungilas stated that this committee was started with the idea of using data to identify dangerous intersections.  If we move beyond data, are there objective standards we can use to identify “unwalkable” areas?  Drungilas said that PAC should address safety ahead of walkability.  There are two issues, safety and walkability.  Safety is primary, and walkability is less urgent, though still important. 

 

Consensus reached that PAC should focus on intersections where there have been accidents.

 

Slick asked if the City is totally opposed to 4 way stoplights (all red) downtown.  Prohibiting right turn on red?

 

--Increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues among pedestrians, drivers, city staff and public officials through a Web site and other information-sharing avenues—Lisa Patterson/Danny Drungilas. What is status of PAC Web site?

 

Drungilas reported that the person who was going to do website has accepted position in Overland Park and cannot do PAC website.  We need to find someone else.  City has templates that would make it very easy. 

 

Klingenberg asked if we should put email addresses of someone from PAC on the site.

 

Drungilas stated that he would prefer a ci.lawrence.ks.us email that would go to Jonathan Douglass or Lisa Patterson or somebody else who could then disseminate information to PAC members. 

 

It was suggested that website include something telling people where to direct complaints.

         

--Identify areas where connectivity can be improved and forward recommendations for improved connectivity (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission—Gwen Klingenberg.

 

Discussed recommendations for most urgent sidewalk construction projects.  Consensus reached that the following should be recommended to the City:

 

South side of 6th Street, from Rockledge to Schwarz: This area has been the site of six pedestrian-vehicle accidents in the last four years.  Additionally, there is a Greyhound station, and stops for both KU on Wheels and the “T” here, which all generate substantial pedestrian traffic. 

 

Maine, from 4th Street to 6th Street: The numerous gaps on the west side of this street, and the lack of sidewalks on the east side, leave no safe pedestrian route along Maine from Lawrence Memorial Hospital to the 6th Street.  Filling these gaps would do a great service to patients and visitors who need to walk to and from the hospital and adjacent facilities.

 

East side of Kentucky, from 19th Street to 21st Street: There are no sidewalks on either side of Kentucky from 19th to 21st.  The school district has been particularly concerned about this area for some time, as this stretch of Kentucky leads directly to Cordley Elementary.

 

Klingenberg committed to ask Micah Seybold (Public Works) to add traffic volumes and schools to the sidewalk map.

 

--Examine city policies for creating, maintaining and enforcing well connected and passable sidewalks and make recommendations, as necessary, to appropriate city officials—Lisa Harris.

 

Harris plans to attend City Commission’s March 9 study session on this topic.

 

--Identify existing sidewalks that are constrained by vegetation or other barriers and recommend solutions—Danny Drungilas

 

Committee discussed handling of vegetation in the area of the Olsen accident.  Drungilas stated that people have been saying that they have been complaining for years about this issue, but he has been in that neighborhood association, and on the TSC, and none of those complaints ever came to him.  People may just complain amongst themselves without taking complaint to proper authorities.

 

Discuss pedestrian safety issues from the Traffic Safety Commission, if any this month—Danny Drungilas

 

None.

 

Report/discuss pedestrian related issues from commission agendas—Gwen Klingenberg. Also report status of subdivision regulations.

 

None.

 

$2500 grant from KDOT—Danny Drungilas. How do we spend it?

 

Ideas suggested:

  • Bumper stickers (Drungilas has a quote for $0.60 each); implore City to place on vehicles “We yield to pedestrians in crosswalks”.
  • Signs downtown “Yield to pedestrians: State Law”
  • Booth or table where PAC give out literature at different events such as summer concerts.  FHWA brochures, Walkability Survey, etc.
  • Literature for County offices such as vehicle registration to hand out with their stuff.
  • Little cardboard stands to hold flyers at County offices

 

Pedestrian Crashes for 2006 and YTD

 

Douglass attached copies of latest data to the agenda.

 

Set the next PAC meeting date.

 

March 16, 2006

 

Action Items for next meeting:

Drungilas:

  • Draft request to Boog asking members of PAC can be involved in the study session, be allowed to speak and be involved in discussions.
  • Check if receipt of PAC meeting minutes is recorded in TSC minutes
  • Find FHWA publications that we might want to print for KDOT campaign
  • Put together a draft budget for grant application

Douglass:

  • Ask for text of any policies, etc. that govern sidewalk maintenance or design prior to 3/9 study session.  Jonathan will go back through old minutes, find out where the policies are, get actual text of policies by March 7.   
  • Draft memo from PAC to DVS and Chuck re: gap filling recommendations

Klingenberg:

  • Ask Micah Seybold to add traffic volumes and schools to the sidewalk map

Everyone:

  • Think of next steps for unsafe intersections item

 

 

 

 

 

Lawrence Pedestrian Advisory Committee

March 16, 2006 meeting minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Alan Black, Dietrich Earnhart, Gwen Klingenberg, Marilyn Roy

STAFF PRESENT:

Jonathan Douglass, David Woosley

 


 

 

Committee housekeeping

 

Amended February 23, 2006 meeting minutes with correct spelling of “Klingenberg.”

 

Approved agenda for March 16, 2006 meeting.

 

New business

 

Suggested questions for T2030 online forum. The T2030 Lawrence/Douglas County long-range transportation planning committee has asked the PAC to review some draft questions it intends to post on an online forum. A few are pedestrian related.  Changes to questions were suggested by PAC to Lisa Harris. 

 

Report on current PAC projects:

 

Safety related

 

--Identify specific school zones in Lawrence that are unsafe and recommend solutions (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission.

 

Drungilas sent to Rick Gammill and Lisa Harris suggested texts for principals to send to PTOs regarding Walk Your Child to School Day and Pedestrian Safety Survey.  Asked for PAC to review and send him comments. 

 

Lisa Harris met with David Woosley regarding sidewalks, crosswalks, and school zone around Prairie Park School.  City policy is to reduce speed limit where children actually have to cross the street.  Speed limits are not reduced in other areas because no children should be crossing there.  The reason school zones are not longer is that compliance is less when the zone is larger.  There have been no requests for pedestrian counts where the sidewalk comes from new cul-de-sac.  It would be difficult to put a crosswalk there because that would mean 3 crossings and adult crossing guards for one school, plus kids would still have to cross driveway in front of the school.  The whole area could be a reduced speed zone, but compliance would not be good. 

 

--Identify unsafe sidewalks (through a sidewalk survey) and recommend how to get them repaired

 

Klingenberg gave report on sidewalk study session.  At this point the City Commission still thinks maintenance should be the responsibility of the property owner.  Concerns over City taking on responsibility, especially when there are steps, retaining walls, etc. in right of way.  City Commission has concerns over property owners’ ability to pay.  Public Works is putting together a report on options for the City helping owners to pay. 

 

Discussed process of condemnation of sidewalks.

 

Douglass will invite Tammy Bennett to give her presentation from the sidewalk study session to the PAC at next meeting. 

 

--Identify the top 10 most dangerous street intersections for pedestrians in Lawrence, and recommend solutions (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission

 

Dangerous intersections are clustered on Massachusetts Street downtown, especially at 9th and Mass.  PAC needs to decide what to do now that we know where the dangerous intersections are. 

 

Options discussed:

§         All way reds at downtown lights. 

§         Lights at midblock pedestrian crossings (Problems: cost to rebuild for ADA access tremendous, most people would not even walk 5 feet to push the button anyway).

§         Midblock speed humps at crosswalks, like between parking garage and Arts Center (problems: very expensive, especially to deal with related stormwater issues)

§         Closing downtown to vehicular traffic, pedestrian only. 

 

 

--Increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues among pedestrians, drivers, city staff and public officials through a Web site and other information-sharing avenues

 

PAC still needs to find someone to design and maintain a webpage.  Discussed options, including:

§         Posting a job bulletin at KU.

§         PAC members should ask around for someone to do this.

§         Someone could send an email to the computer science department at KU.  

 

 

Connectivity related

         

--Identify areas where connectivity can be improved and forward recommendations for improved connectivity (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission.

 

City Commission seems to support ideas of connectivity.  Will discuss PAC’s recommendations on capital improvement plan during budget deliberations. 

 

Woosley pointed out that without public support, Commission probably will let it drop. 

 

--Examine city policies for creating, maintaining and enforcing well connected and passable sidewalks and make recommendations, as necessary, to appropriate city officials

 

Item was discussed in conjunction with unsafe sidewalks item earlier in meeting.

 

--Identify existing sidewalks that are constrained by vegetation or other barriers and recommend solutions

 

Policy seems to work pretty well, PAC does not have any recommendations for changes. 

 

 

Other business

 

Discuss pedestrian safety issues from the Traffic Safety Commission, if any this month

 

Request for crosswalk at intersection of West Hills Terrace and West Campus Rd will be on April TSC meeting.

 

Drungilas reported that simply marking a crosswalk on the street does not make the intersection safer because it gives a false sense of safety to pedestrian without really changing the behavior of the driver.

 

Discussion of whether it makes sense to put in a speed cushion.  Woosley said intersection probably would not qualify by city policy. 

 

Black suggested a traffic signal activated by pedestrians.

 

Consensus of PAC is not to recommend a crosswalk at this location.

 

 

Report/discuss pedestrian related issues from city/planning commission agendas

 

Planners are encouraging developers to put more connectivity, even within commercial developments.  Klingenberg reports that member of Planning Dept are doing an awesome job of working with developers to ensure connectivity. 

 

 

$2500 grant from KDOT

 

Ideas for grant budget:

  • Use for website
  • Materials for training sessions to City employees

 

Drungilas will work up a draft budget for PAC review.

 

 

FHWA’s pedestrian guidebook

 

Drungilas distributed this to help PAC understand some best practices that other cities have already done. 

 

Harris suggested that each PAC member skim it for ideas that we might want to take on ourselves.  Ideas can be put into park bench section of each meeting agenda.

 

 

Discuss any “park bench” topics

 

Current “park bench” topics:

PAC annual report—to be discussed again at July PAC meeting.

 

 

Assignments made during meeting

 

Douglass

  • Invite Tammy Bennett to give PPT presentation from study session during next PAC meeting.  Arrange for computer and projector.  Send accident data with all of the accident analysis to PAC again.
  • Email budget calendar to PAC so they can advocate during budget deliberations.
  • Send pedestrian accident data to PAC members.
  • Create a packet of paper materials (agendas, minutes, emails, etc.) for Marilyn Roy 838-3057.
  • Print FHWA guidebook for Dietrich Earnhart and Marilyn Roy.

Woosley:

  • Examine accident reports at highest accident rate intersections to see what actually caused the accidents, and what could be done at top three accident sites.

Drungilas:

  • Will work up a draft budget for KDOT grant.

 

 

 

Next PAC Meeting:

Thursday, April 20, 2006

City Manager’s Conference Room, 4th Floor of City Hall

 

 

 

 

 

Lawrence Pedestrian Advisory Committee

April 20, 2006 meeting minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Alan Black, Jodi Wente, Gwen Klingenberg, Marilyn Roy, Pat Slick, Rick Gammill

STAFF PRESENT:

Tammy Bennett, David Woosley, Jonathan Douglass

 


 

Committee housekeeping:

  • Approved minutes of the March 16, 2006 PAC meeting
  • Approved agenda

 

Received a presentation from Tammy Bennett regarding City sidewalk policies and situations

 

Reviewed Gwen’s analysis of the FHWA Pedestrian Safety Action Plan

  • Things we ought to be doing that we are not doing:
    • Form a pedestrian group that provides a yearly analysis directly to the City Commission (PAC’s annual report could accomplish this)
    • What could our annual report say?

§         State of pedestrian issues in the City

§         Discuss at next meeting

    • Focusing the work of the PAC on education (since PW and others are already working on plans/policies, etc. and we don’t need to duplicate their efforts)
    • PAC could take on more of a lobbying role

 

Report on ongoing PAC projects

§         Increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues among pedestrians, drivers, city staff and public officials through a Web site and other information-sharing avenues

o        City will provide a Web site and add material to it. We need to provide the material to the city.

o        Need to develop a list of things that should go on there before next meeting

o        Ask Lisa Patterson to get a page up right away and start putting things up

o        Members of group and contacts (get permission from each before posting)

§         How to handle? Who answers?

§         Douglass talk to Patterson about creating some sort of info@ci.lawrence.ks.us contact to put on website

o        Douglass talk to Patterson about getting stuff on City access channel

    • Other Ideas:
      • Sidewalk map
      • Agendas
      • Minutes
      • Brochures from FHWA (Drungilas will locate)
      • Frequently asked questions
      • Links to other relevant City websites (such as Forestry, etc.)

 

Assignments

Jonathan Douglass will:

§         Find out when Marilyn Roy wants to receive packet each month

§         Talk to Lisa Patterson about setting up basic website and email address, and getting stuff on City access channel

 

 

Next PAC Meeting:

Thursday, May 18, 2006

City Hall 4th Floor Conference Room

 

 

 

 

 

Lawrence Pedestrian Advisory Committee

May 18, 2006 meeting minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Danny Drungilas, Lisa Harris, Alan Black, Jodi Wente, Marilyn Roy

STAFF PRESENT:

Lisa Patterson, David Woosley, Jonathan Douglass

 


 

Committee housekeeping

Approved minutes of the April 20, 2006 PAC meeting.

 

Project: Increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues among pedestrians, drivers, city staff and public officials through a Web site, public access TV, and other information-sharing avenues

§         Drungilas obtained and passed out a number of pedestrian safety brochures from FHWA.  Target audience of most of the brochures seems to be public officials rather than general public.  Drungilas did not find many pedestrian safety education materials aimed at drivers.  

§         Drungilas would like to find a way to make brochures available at police department, City Hall, and other public places.

§         Patterson gave a briefing on the City’s Share the Road campaign, which does have a component aimed at educating drivers.  There are t-shirts, some radio and print advertising, and Channel 25 spots utilized in the campaign.  Campaign funded by a KDOT grant that was intended for bicycle safety issues.   

§         Patterson suggested using an already existing campaign (such as Share the Road) as a vehicle for carrying pedestrian safety issues.

§         Douglass presented a draft of content for the PAC website.  Committee discussed more ideas for page.  Douglass will implement changes and work on getting a page posted on the City website. 

§         Committee discussed the possibility of using KDOT grant money to register a domain name and develop a more sophisticated website.  Patterson suggested using an “entertaining” website to target our young audience (college age drivers and pedestrians).  Could use something like a flashdrive, water bottles, candies, etc. with PAC’s name and web address on it.  Flashdrive could have a cool video or something on it, which could possibly be developed by film students for minimal costs.  Important to decide who the audience is, and how to target the message to them.

§         Divided Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) among committee members

o        Woosley will draft an answer to the following:

§         By law, when do drivers need to yield to pedestrians?

o        Drungilas will draft answers to the following:

§         What are some safety tips for pedestrians?

§         What is Walk Your Child to School Day?

§         Does the City have any policies about dog-walking?

§         Where are walking trails in the City?

o        Harris will draft answers to the following:

§         Is jaywalking illegal in Lawrence?

§         What is the City of Lawrence doing about missing stretches of sidewalk around town?

o        Douglass will draft answers to the following:

§         Who do I contact if I would like a dangerous pedestrian situation addressed?

§         If I need to replace my sidewalk, what is the procedure?

§         If I have a brick sidewalk in front of my house, can I replace it with concrete?

o        Wente will draft answers to the following:

§         Who is responsible for maintaining sidewalks in good condition in Lawrence?

§         Who can I call if a sidewalk is unsafe?

§         Who can I call is someone’s bushes, trees, or landscaping block the sidewalk?

§         What is the City’s policy about snow and ice removal on sidewalks?

o        Roy will draft an answer to the following:

§         Does Lawrence have a “Volkswalk” group?

§         For Channel 25, PAC would need to submit text, graphics, and a general layout idea to Lisa Patterson.

§         Who are our audiences and messages?

o        Drivers

§         Young drivers

§         Other drivers

§         Message to both groups: Know the law and be courteous

o        Pedestrians

§         Working adults

§         Homeless

§         Children

§         Parents of small children

§         Elderly

§         Bus users

§         Downtown shoppers

§         University students

§         Message for all: Be safe and know the law

·         Look both ways

·         Where to cross

·         The sidewalk is your environment, know that the street is cars’ environment

·         Be aware of others and what they need and expect

o        Bicyclists

§         Harris will talk to BAC’s staff liaison about what message we should communicate to bicyclists

 

 

Project: Identify the top 10 most dangerous street intersections for pedestrians in Lawrence, and recommend solutions (with costs) to Public Works and the City Commission

§         Massachusetts, 23rd, Iowa, 6th, and 9th streets have the most accidents.  Intersection of Mass and 9th has the greatest number of pedestrian accidents; next most dangerous intersections (by number of accidents) only have a few each. 

 

Other business:

§         Agenda item on June 6 City Commission meeting will be public comment on the 2007 Budget.  This will be an opportunity to support sidewalk construction program improvement in Public Works budget.  Douglass will send out the agenda to the PAC as soon as it is available.

 

Next PAC Meeting:

Thursday, June 15, 2006

City Hall 4th Floor Conference Room