City of Lawrence

Lawrence Bicycle Advisory Committee

October 17th, 2006 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Rich Barr,

Matt Dunbar

Trent McKinley

Becky McClure

Mark Desetti. 

Thomas Waechter

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Erick Strockhoff

STAFF PRESENT:

Kelsey Marr

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

Rick Marquez, Downtown Lawrence Inc.

 

 

October 17th, 2006 at 5:15 PM

Fire Station Number 5

1911 Stewart Ave., Lawrence, KS

 

1.      The meeting was called to order at 5:25 pm and chaired by vice chair Tom Waechter

 

2.      Assurance of quorum and introductions: Attendance at the meeting included committee members Rich Barr, Matt Dunbar, Trent McKinley, Becky McClure and Mark Desetti.  Rick Marquez from Downtown Lawrence Inc. also attended.

 

3.      Meeting minutes from July 18th, 2006 were approved as submitted.

 

4.    Discussion item:   Bicycle route re-designation from Vermont to Massachusetts Street.

 

Recent correspondence from Bill Ahrens and Terese Gorman indicates they are aware of BAC’s past discussions.  The relocation of the route from Vermont to Massachusetts Street will require a formal action to redesignate the route and a change in policy as Massachusetts is an arterial.  In past BAC discussions the advantages of using Mass St., -- low speed limit, good visibility and two lanes each direction – seem to be an advantage when compared to sections of the Vermont Street route. Bill and Terese are looking for a formal recommendation to be forwarded to the City Commission identifying the BAC recommendation.

 

The action to be taken on behalf of BAC is to draft a letter to be sent to the City Commission following a review with city staff requesting the change in designation.  A review of a draft should be an item for the next BAC meeting, letter to be drafted by the chair and vice-chair and shared with Bill Ahrens and Kelsy Marr.

 

5.  Discussion Item:   Bike route sign inventory

 

An on-going task for BAC is to identify missing signs, gaps in signage, clarity of directions and alternative pavement markings.  Waechter offered that on the KU campus nearly all the bike route designation signs have been lost as various projects have removed but not replaced signs.  Waechter also mentioned that this is a good time for further discussions with KU as University and City initiatives to look at coordination of transit systems will continue to bring attention to multi-modal access to campus.  Finding a group on-campus to represent bicyclists and their needs has been something that’s been needed, and it’s a good time to ask KU administration if they could identify and appoint such a group.

 

The action to be taken regarding campus routes is to have Tom Waechter discuss the topic with members of KU’s  Provost’s office and determine if there’s a group who could represent bicycling interests on-campus and larger student interests regarding bike facilities in the community.

 

  1. Discussion Item:        Bicycle riding on downtown sidewalk

Rick Marquez from Downtown Lawrence Inc.  spoke regarding increased problems with  people riding bikes on the downtown sidewalks, specifically along Massachusetts Street, which is against current city ordinance.  Mr. Marquez’s personal experience is that this has been an on-going problem that has been increasing over the course of the summer and early fall and there is the potential for serious injury..  Trent McKinley identified that  enforcement of the current ordinance is dependent on having officers on the bike patrol unit which is staffed dependent on overall city needs.  McKinley also identified that the signage indicating that bike riding on the sidewalks is prohibited on downtown sidewalks is provided mid-block and is mounted high on the pole along with signs identifying other restricted activities. 

 

In the course of the discussion, several ideas were offered including the following; requesting more attention to enforcement; placement of signs at crosswalks at the end of the block where riders typically access sidewalks; sign an area ½ block one on each side of Massachusetts Street indicating that “riding on sidewalks is prohibited”; evaluating whether locations for bikes to be secured should be placed at the ends of blocks; pavement markings on the sidewalks indicating that riding bikes is prohibited. 

 

To make the public more aware of the current ordinance,  better communication through City Hall regarding the ordinance, e-mail newsletters sent to bike club members, and/or a press release should also be developed and distributed.

 

The action required by BAC is to identify a list of proposed solutions and forward these to City staff for their review early in the new year.  Mr. Marquez would like to be able to identify and share a strategy with the members of Business Inc., and implement this prior to the return of warm weather.

 

7.      Discussion Item:        Bicycle Friendly Community Award at Bronze level. Improvements for next application to be a Silver Award recipient.

 

Waechter provided an overview that committee chair Struckoff had outlined via e-mail as items to be identified for the League of American Bicyclists including the following: bike facilities currently in development for the NW section of the city; Burroughs Creek rail/trails project; extension of the Capital to University Trails from Berryton to Clinton Dam (Nov.1 meeting). In addition, the idea of a KU-City Bicycle Advisory group is one that would help convey a more comprehensive vision for bike use in the community.

 

Mark Desetti commented that designations for communities at the silver and gold levels are challenging and limited.  Discussion followed regarding how BAC could help coordinate an agenda with the goal to move from the bronze to the silver level within the next application period by focusing the application information on intra-city initiatives to help bolster the position Lawrence currently enjoys.

 

  1. Other Business:   Status report on bike facilities on Kasold and I-70 bridge

Waechter provided the report that correspondence from Terese Gorman indicates that the bridge has a 6 foot sidewalk on each side of the bridge and that the new Kasold from Peterson to the bridge will have a 10 foot rec path on the west side and 6 foot sidewalk on the east side.  The sidewalks from the bridge north tie into the roadway shoulders about 250 feet from the bridge.  Correspondence from Eric indicate that Douglas County Public Works is still planning on adding shoulders to the Farmers Turnpike in two sections which will tie into the Kasold project.

 

The action to be taken is to have city staff collect a copy of the proposed site plan for this improvement for review at the next BAC meeting.

 

  1. Other Business:  Report on 15th Street and George Williams Way

 

Rich Barr provided an overview of the bicycle accommodations that have been discussed in the course of development of site plans for Corpus Christi Church and the proposed realignment of 15th street traffic lanes west of Foxfire to George Williams Way (GWW).  The City is interested in requesting additional turn lanes on 15th Street as a requirement for approval of the site development for the church expansion on the southeast corner of 15th and GWW. The additional width of 15th Street will require rebuilding the intersection and placing bike accommodations on 8 foot wide rec paths.  The additional concern is that 15th Street is designated an arterial and under current ordinance bike lanes would be prohibited.  In addition GWW will provide north-south connection including those required for Langston Hughes Elementary School just north and west of the 15th Street intersection.  In addition, connections to the South Lawrence bypass and bike paths will occur west of this intersection. 

 

The action to be taken is to review plans for the proposed improvement and the project status at the next BAC meeting.

 

      Meeting adjourned at 6:25 pm.

 

Next meeting: November 21st, 2006 at 5:15 PM, Fire Station #5