CITY OF ALBANY TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMISSION

Transcription

1 CITY OF ALBANY TRAFFIC AND SAFETY COMMISSION City Hall - Council Chambers 1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, CA Thursday, November 2, 2017, 7:00 PM 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chair Reeves. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Staff Present: Chomsky, del Rosario, McCroskey, Reeves Javandel Aleida Andrino-Chavez, Transportation Planner Jeff Bond, Community Development Director Mark Hurley, Public Works Director 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes for the October 26, 2017 meeting and for this meeting will be submitted at the November 29, 2017 rescheduled meeting. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT 5. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 5.1. San Pablo Avenue and Buchanan Street Pedestrian Improvements Project The Commission will receive 35% level plans for the San Pablo and Buchanan Street Pedestrian Improvements Project. On San Pablo Avenue, the project entails medians; bulb-outs; high-visibility crosswalks; and installation of audible pedestrian signals. On Buchanan Street, the project entails realignment of the Buchanan/Marin merge; creation of a pocket park at Buchanan and Madison; the installation of a pedestrian hybrid signal at Buchanan and Taylor; and intersection improvements at the Buchanan-Pierce intersection. Chavez provided background and reported that staff presented the plans to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and received their comments. In the next few weeks, staff will present the plans to the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Economic Development Commission, and the Arts Commission for review and comment. Hopefully, Caltrans will peer review the plans in December. Staff plans to return to the Commission in January or February 2018 with 65% plans and in March or April 2018 with 95% plans. In May or June 2018, the City Council will discuss construction plans and a staff recommendation. Funding for construction of the project totals approximately $400,000. Staff will seek active transportation grants in late winter or early spring 2018 when 65-95% plans are available. Joe Young, BKF Engineers, presented plans for pedestrian improvements along San Pablo Avenue. At the city limits, plans call for a gateway to the City with a median, sign, bulb-outs, and landscaping. At the intersection with Brighton, signal timing changes and a lead pedestrian phase are planned. At the intersection with Clay Street, bulbouts, a pedestrian refuge, and a high visibility crosswalk with tactile guide strip are proposed. At the intersection of Garfield and San Pablo, bulb-outs, a pedestrian refuge, and advanced yield lines are planned. At the intersection with Castro Street, bulb-outs are not proposed because of storm drain issues, but curb ramps and high visibility crosswalks with tactile guide strip are proposed. An existing driveway prevents locating the crosswalk north of Castro. The Ford dealership utilizes the center of the street for unloading trucks; therefore, a median is not planned south of the intersection. At the intersection with Portland Avenue, plans call for a rapid flashing beacon on either side of the street, advanced yield strips, a pedestrian refuge, and a rolled curb along the median for emergency services access.

2 Andrew Lee, Parisi Consulting, presented three options for the intersections of Washington and San Pablo. The first two options are creative efforts. With respect to the third option, TAC offered feedback on components they want included in the plans. Option 1 offers directional buffered bike lanes in the southbound direction. Traveling east on Washington, a bicyclist would turn right onto southbound San Pablo and move to a buffered bicycle facility, travel to the second leg of Washington, and turn left to cross San Pablo. Option 1 would remove all parking on the west side of San Pablo where a mini mart and auto shop are located. A bicyclist would travel west on Washington, turn right onto northbound San Pablo and move into a buffered bicycle facility with a ramp onto the 13-foot-wide sidewalk. The bicyclist would travel along the sidewalk to the second leg of Washington, which has signal to cross San Pablo. This option retains three parking spaces in front of high-traffic businesses but creates potential conflicts between bicycles and pedestrians. Option 2 has a bicycle facility in the center left-turn lane/median. This proposal does not impact parking, allows cyclists to cross San Pablo in two distinct movements that are relatively short, and minimizes parking loss. However, bikes have little separation from traffic. For Option 3, TAC suggested a two-way bicycle facility, possibly raised, on one side of the street. This concept has an 8-foot-wide cycle track raised 3 inches above the existing roadway along the west side of San Pablo with a painted buffer or shoulder. The sidewalk would be raised 3 inches above the height of the cycle track. For driveways, a mountable curb would be 3 inches high by 1 foot wide. Mr. Young continued with Buchanan Street improvements. At the intersection with Taylor, bulb-outs, high visibility crosswalks, a pedestrian refuge, and a HAWK signal are planned. At the intersection with Pierce Street, plans call for landscaped areas and increasing the size of the curb ramp. At the intersection with Madison, the parklet would have a number of paths for access, a rain garden, and a gutter for drainage. Chavez clarified that the parklet is a concept. The Parks and Recreation Commission will provide input into the parklet's design. In Option 3, a pedestrian hybrid beacon could be installed at Washington. The material of the tactile guide strip in crosswalks. The guide strip is made of concrete. Location of activation buttons for rapid flashing beacons. Buttons will be placed close to the curb ramps and at the pedestrian refuge. Types of signal control in Option 3. A signal control is currently located at west Washington, and a hybrid beacon is proposed at east Washington. Location of HAWK signal poles at Taylor. Those have not been determined in these plans. The following PUBLIC COMMENTS were offered by Valerie Risk and Bryan Marten. Support for the proposed project and the Strollers and Rollers' suggestion for more bulb-outs; Portland needs more attention because it is heavily used. A suggestion to implement the leading pedestrian phase now if possible; bulb-outs are critical at Portland and Castro; support for a pedestrian refuge at Castro and bulb-outs at Portland; a suggestion to move the crossing at Portland from the south side to the north side; a suggestion to delay bulb-outs and a refuge at Clay in favor of bulb-outs and a median for Castro and Portland if funds run short. San Pablo and Brighton Possibility of relocating the crosswalk to the north leg. Drainage is the main reason the crosswalk cannot be located on the north leg. In addition, the traffic signal would have to be relocated and the driveway reconfigured. Storm drain improvements alone would cost millions of dollars. There is insufficient space to install a trench drain. Importance of a leading pedestrian interval at a T-intersection. A leading pedestrian phase would mitigate some aggressive driving behavior. The phase can be lengthened to ensure a pedestrian moves safely across the street. Caltrans determines the length of signal phases once construction is complete. Plans for lighting. The same type of lighting as that installed at Pierce Street by the condominiums could be installed at pedestrian crossings. San Pablo and Garfield Plans for bulb-outs at this location. Some storm drain improvements are included in the plans; therefore, bulb-outs can be installed. San Pablo and Clay

3 San Pablo and Castro Possibility of relocating the crosswalk to the east side of the intersection. The crosswalk would land on an existing driveway if it were moved. A "Z" crossing or a diagonal crossing may be possible, but each have disadvantages. Possibility of relocating the bus stop to the far side. The driveway is not level for the wheelchair ramp on the bus. The closest flat location is south of the existing tree. Possibility of some type of soft bulb-out. A soft treatment would not be effective in this location. Possibility of shortening the length of the driveway at Galvin and installing the crosswalk on the east side. That's possible. San Pablo and Portland Possibility of installing bulb-outs. The lack of drainage prohibits installation of bulb-outs. Caltrans' responsibility for drainage. The City is placing the obstruction; therefore, the City has to alleviate the problem. Possibility of locating the crosswalk on the north side of the intersection. The median with refuge on the south side is safer for pedestrians. Use of the curb cut as a driveway. This appears to be an enforcement issue. A raised curb or planter can be installed to prevent access. Type of signal planned. A rectangular rapid-flashing beacon is included in the plans. San Pablo and Buchanan Possibility of installing a southbound cycle lane on San Pablo between Buchanan and Marin similar to the one proposed in the San Pablo Complete Streets plan. That area is not part of this project. Buchanan and Pierce Buchanan and Taylor Concerns about the north side bulb-out gutter pan extending into the westbound cycling lane. That has been taken care of. The HAWK signal on the south side is located in the bike lane. That will be worked out. Pocket park Rationale for extending the median. It prevents a vehicle at the stop sign from cutting across the street. Number of parking spaces eliminated. No exact count, probably five or six stalls. San Pablo and Washington Plans to paint the sidewalk to delineate bike travel. There will be a lot of striping to indicate a special zone, especially if parking remains. Disadvantages of Option 3. The cost and driveway crossings are the main disadvantages. Advisability of traffic on Washington moving onto San Pablo when the HAWK signal halts traffic on San Pablo. Caltrans is studying the issue. Impact on traffic calming on Albany Hill. Options 1 and 3 don't affect automobile flow. Option 2 is a complete change. The compatibility of these options with Bus Rapid Transit. The Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) is just beginning a study for Bus Rapid Transit. These plans have been submitted to ACTC. Possibility of relocating the crosswalk north of the western leg of Washington. Cars turning left from Washington onto San Pablo would conflict. Possibility of installing a median south of the eastern leg of Washington. That is not part of the scope of this project, and the median area is used for deliveries and emergency vehicle cross over. General Funds available for construction and total cost. Approximately $400,000 is available for construction. The total cost is estimated at $3.5 million. The cost of the cycle track is estimated at $800,000. Plans to phase the project. The project can be phased by San Pablo first and Buchanan later or by intersection. The Commission can prioritize implementation when 65% plans are available. Possibility of implementing the leading pedestrian phase at Brighton now. A leading phase can be added to the signal. Staff will explore that during peer review. The Commission made the following comments: Locate bus stops with pedestrian safety and visibility in mind and extend pedestrian bulbs into bus bulbs. A suggestion to include bus stops in drawings.

4 A suggestion for lighting at crossings wherever possible. A suggestion for wayfinding signage for bicyclists and pedestrians. A suggestion to locate HAWK signal poles downstream of what?. At Buchanan and Pierce, the landing appears too narrow for the volume of users. Rather than landscaping, install vertical mosaics, textured concrete, a gateway element, or a shade structure. At Buchanan and Pierce, a straight path would be better than a curved path to the curb ramp At Buchanan and Taylor, the southeastern curb ramp should be sized to the full width of the bike path. At the pocket park, a suggestion to move the speed indicator sign from the center median to the north side of the street. The pocket park would be a good location to place signs for service organizations. Support for the pocket park and its design. Option 3 for Washington has the same design as the facility located in front of Sprouts. The design is familiar, yet more complex because of the driveways. Option 2 for Washington would not allow vehicles to turn across the center bike lane. Option 2 for Washington is not feasible. Consensus to support Option 3 with Option 1 as an alternate plan. A suggestion to locate the walk signal and the traffic signal on the same mast arm at the northeast corner of Solano and San Pablo. A request for staff to note the suggestions for areas outside the scope of this project. This project should be eligible for Safe Routes to School and Safe Routes to Transit grants. 6. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COMMUNICATION 6.1. Traffic and Safety Commission member representation on the Interview Panel for the Consultant Selection for the Solano Avenue Complete Streets Plan. Chavez reported a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued the prior week, and responses are due December 1. Interviews will likely occur during the second week of December. She requested a Commissioner participate on the interview panel to select a consultant. Commissioner del Rosario volunteered. Motion Chomsky/Reeves: Nominated Commissioner del Rosario to represent the Traffic and Safety Commission on the Interview Panel. Ayes: Noes: Abstain: Absent: Chomsky, McCroskey, del Rosario, Reeves Javandel 6.2. Update on the Gilman/I-80 Interchange Project Commissioner McCroskey reported regarding interactions between the Albany Strollers and Rollers and the I- 80/Gilman project team. The initial proposal was to have all bicycles who wanted to be off the roadway travel down Gilman, get on a cycle track at some point, cross over Gilman, and then cross the frontage road and over the freeway. The Albany Strollers and Rollers' goal was a more accessible option. The Albany Active Transportation Plan (ATP) states a desire for a crossing of the freeway at the Codornices Creek corridor. The Albany Strollers and Rollers suggested a northern crossing that connects to the Codornices Creek area. One possible compromise is a northern U that would touch down at the sports fields without a further crossing of the frontage road or Gilman. This route has a greater travel distance, but hopefully fewer road crossings will encourage cyclists to use this route to cross over the freeway. Connection to the Codornices Creek corridor. There is the potential for a future connection to the Codornices Creek corridor. Location of the western touchdown in relation to Gilman Street. The western touch down would be north of Gilman.

5 Caltrans' involvement in the project. Caltrans is overseeing the project because it is related to a freeway. Bond advised that staff attended a series of meetings with ACTC. ACTC staff will attend the December 4 City Council meeting to present information. Possibly some discussion of this project will occur at the December 7 ACTC meeting. The pedestrian overcrossing could be a separate project from surface improvements at Gilman because of funding constraints. Commissioner McCroskey noted the long-term intention is to move Gilman to an underpass under the railroad tracks. That underpass will be difficult to make attractive for bikes and pedestrians Update on Bay Conservation and Development Commission approval of the East Bay Regional Park District Bay Trail/Beach Project. Bond reported that the East Bay Regional Park District has approved a project to close the gap between Gilman and north of Buchanan for the Bay Trail. The project includes the trail, a parking lot, new restrooms, some areas for water sports setup, ecological restoration of the beach areas, and creation of dunes. Construction will likely begin in Status of the purchase of property for the parking lot. The Park District has begun an eminent domain action and can take possession of the property before the value of the property is determined. Chair Reeves indicated future agenda items are operational street impacts of the Albany Unified School District San Gabriel campus project, the sidewalk repair program, Buchanan Park and Ride design progression, and the pavement program. Commissioners requested suggestions for areas outside the Pedestrian Improvement Projects return as an agenda item, be considered as grant opportunities occur, or be added to the Commission's work plan. Bond expressed concern about taking on another major planning effort in Suggested improvements can be captured in a review of the ATP in ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M. The Commission agenda is available for public inspection at the Albany Community Center/Library, Senior Center and City Hall. The agenda, when available, can be found on our web page at Agenda related writings or documents provided to a majority of the Traffic & Safety Commission regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection in the Community Development Department. Please note that if you provide your name and address when speaking before the Commission/Committee/Board it will become part of the official public record, which will be posted on the Internet. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and State Law, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Administration Office Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting (28 CFR ADA Title II). Upon request, we will provide written agenda materials in appropriate alternate formats, of disability related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in public meetings. Please deliver a written request, including your name, mailing address, phone number and brief description of the requested materials and preferred alternative format or auxiliary aid or service at least two (2) days before the meeting. Request should be sent to: City Clerk, 1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, CA