CITY OF NORWALK TRAFFIC AUTHORITY JULY 18, 2016 ATTENDANCE: Mayor Harry Rilling, Chairman; Commissioner Fran Collier-Clemmons. STAFF: DPW: Bruce Chimento, Director; Traffic Engineers: Mike Yeosock, Fred Eshraghi; Police Dept: Chief Thomas Kulhawik, Deputy Chief Ashley Gonzalez, Deputy Chief Susan Zecca; CALL TO ORDER Mayor Rilling called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Public Participation: 1. Joseph Santo, 14 Eugene Drive, Norwalk spoke about the bike lanes and noted the unsafe conditions at several locations: Naramake School, Monroe Street, Belden Avenue, Norden Place and King Street. He gave examples of where the lanes are actually used as driving lanes or are right next to parked cars and represent dangerous areas where bikers can be hit, hurt or killed. He asked the Authority to reject the request from the Bike Walk Task Force to narrow travel lane and install 4 shoulder lines on Water Street and Calf Pasture Beach Road. 2. Mike Mushak, 50 Elmwood Avenue, Norwalk addressed the concerns of Mr. Santo and expressed disagreement with the comments. He outlined that the lanes have been designed based on professional studies, national/state standards and best practices across the nation. He referred to a rebuttal email to Mr. Santo s letter to the editor and read the following into the record: Water St has been identified as a bike route in the City-wide Bike Plan of 2015 and in the Norwalk Connectivity Study of 2012. Bike lanes on Water St. were identified as part of the crucial multi-modal transportation plan in the traffic studies for the HUD Washington Village renovation which will begin construction this fall. The plan includes removal of the approximately one block of existing on-street parking, and replacement with bike lanes and a transit stop. M. Mushak comments - continued It would be short-sighted and dangerous for DPW to expect bikers try to mix with speeding traffic on interstate-highway width lanes with sharrows, instead of the much safer bike lanes as best practices and our own planning studies recommend. It is an obsolete and poor decision-making process that uses accident data solely to make decisions on which roads should have bike and pedestrian safety improvements, instead Page 1
of relying on best practices and millions of $ of planning studies over decades that have identified the multi-modal transportation needs of the community and the city at large. The Bike/Walk Task Force supports a smart, responsible decision by the Traffic Authority to choose the safest design solutions available for Beach Rd. and Water St., including safe bike lanes that are always preferred over sharrows if they can fit, that follow national standards and best practices and will improve safety for all users of all ages and abilities. This includes reducing accidents and injuries in vehicles as well as among pedestrians and cyclists, by reducing overall speeds as all the research and standards support. 3. Nancy Rossett said she was as a long term recreational cycler in support of Bike lanes on Water St. She explained that white shoulder lines help both motorists and cyclists for safe sharing of the road, and the authority to support the plan to makes it safe for all users. 4. Bobby Kitt, 399 Main Ave., Norwalk said she is a former Parks & Recreation manager from Maryland and experienced in legislative efforts on bike lanes. She spoke about the high density apartment complexes coming into Norwalk and the need for bike lanes for today s millennial generation that want alternatives to cars and safe bike and pedestrian measures. 5. Judd Aley, 2 Splitrock Road, spoke in support of the striping project and suggested a test of temporary painting with a traffic monitor of reduced speed and traffic calming. He recommended a 30-90 day study that the City can learn from regarding bike lanes. 6. Jeff Kieburtz, 3 Rowayton Avenue President of the Rowayton Beach Association spoke on e-mails from residents of Juniper and Richmond Road. He noted the limited site lines and 90 degree turn on a 600 ft. road where motorists drive fast. He asked for a 15 mph sign be installed along Richmond Road. 7. Ken McCoy, Juniper Road, submitted a petition signed by residents asking for a 15 mph sign to be installed along Richmond Road. He spoke of the young children and elderly residents that are in danger of the speeding motorists in this neighborhood. Mayor Rilling asked if others wished to speak and hearing none, closed the public participation portion of the meeting at 4:18 p.m. Approval of Minutes Minutes of Special Meeting - June 28, 2016 ** MAYOR RILLING MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 28, 2016 AS SUBMITTED. Minutes of Special Meeting - June 30, 2016 ** MAYOR RILLING MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF JUNE 30, 2016 AS SUBMITTED. ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY Page 2
Approve No Parking - Commerce Street at Metro-North Railroad crossing Mr. Yeosock referred to the supporting email document and explained: DPW is instructing the railroad to adjust the length of the gate arm DPW requests making current one-hr parking area across from the gate a no parking zone. DPW requests the City to determine, based on its data and if necessary a traffic study, whether the signal at the noted intersection should be preempted with the railroad signals. This would be in order to clear vehicles out of crossing area before the train signals activate when a train is approaching. ** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE DPW REQUEST FOR A NO PARKING SIGN AND TRAFFIC STUDY OF THE RAILROAD SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF COMMERCE STREET AT METRO-NORTH RAILROAD CROSSING. Pavement Markings - Calf Pasture Beach Road/Water Street Mr. Chimento reviewed the recommendation submitted and highlighted points as follows: Both Water Street and Calf Pasture Beach Road have posted speed limits of 25 MPH. Water Street is of a very commercial nature, having boat yards, restaurants and offices. The street has numerous driveways and has a traffic volume in excess of 15,800 per day. In addition, the street is used by many commercial vehicles and buses daily. Calf Pasture Beach Road has two lanes north and south bound and has relatively little volume other than during summer weekends and special events. Both Calf Pasture Beach Road and Water Street have excellent sight lines and have little change in elevation allowing bikers to achieve a good traveling speed. A review of STRAVA data for Calf Pasture Beach Road and Water Street find bicycle speeds at or even above the posted speed limits. There are both existing and planned biking options in the north-south direction of Water Street. South Main Street is currently signed as a leg of the East Coast Greenway, a north south bicycle running from Florida to Maine. In addition, various bicycle studies have looked at installing a bikeway along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Day Street also provides an alternate for several blocks. There was discussion and review of traffic accident data from 2009-2014 as submitted. Mr. Chimento stated that he agrees with Mr. Aley s suggestion to have a Test and Learn with temporary paint marking of the bike lanes as follows: Four foot curb line bike lane with two ten foot travel lanes in each direction. Page 3
Use of water-based paint striping Speed delineations signs for over speed limit. 90 day period with studies of traffic calming measures. ** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE DPW RECOMMENDATION FOR TEST AND LEARN TEMPORARY BIKE LANE PAVEMENT MARKINGS ON CALF PASTURE BEACH ROAD AS OUTLINED ABOVE. Mr. Chimento reviewed the conditions for Water Street and recommended to have a similar Test and Learn with temporary paint marking of the bike lanes as follows: Four foot curb line bike lane with two ten foot travel lanes, one in each direction. Use of water-based paint striping Speed delineations signs for over speed limit. 90 day period with studies of traffic calming measures. ** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE DPW RECOMMENDATION FOR TEST AND LEARN TEMPORARY BIKE LANE PAVEMENT MARKINGS ON WATER STREET AS OUTLINED ABOVE. Mr. Chimento noted that Norwalk Transit Authority is against these recommendations, and he will make the communication documents available to the Commissioners. Fire Stations- Keep Clear markings. Mr. Chimento referred to an email from Fire Chief Reilly to have boxes painted on the street at the entrance ramps to the five fire stations. He referred to the maps provided and noted that they are state issues involving Rte. 1, Rte. 136 and Rte. 123. There was discussion on whether an ordinance was needed and Mr. Yeosock noted that no ordinance is needed for fire station traffic enforcement signage. ** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE THE KEEP CLEAR PAVEMENT MARKINGS ON THE STREETS OF THE ENTRANCE RAMPS TO THE FIVE FIRE STATIONS. ** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD THE FOLLOWING ITEM: REQUEST FROM BIKE TASK FORCE FOR BIKE SHARROWS FROM THE WESTPORT TOWN LINE TO DARIEN TOWN LINE. Page 4
Request from Bike Task Force for Bike Sharrows from the Westport to Darien town lines. Mr. Chimento reviewed the supporting document and noted that DPW was in agreement with recommendation as part of the approved Bike/Walk Master Plan for connected routes. ** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FROM THE BIKE TASK FORCE FOR BIKE SHARROWS FROM THE WESTPORT TOWN LINE TO DARIEN TOWN LINE. Information/Discussion 1. Arnold Lane Additional No Parking signs. Mr. Eshraghi reported requests from residents on Arnold to extend the no parking signs further down the entire street. There was discussion and agreement to notify the residents and report results and feedback at the next meeting. 2. Richmond Road Speed Limit Reduction. Mr. Chimento reviewed the supporting letter from the President of Rowayton Beach Association requesting a speed reduction to15 mph. He noted that DPW had determined that this is private road and is only used by the City to access snow plowing of the adjacent public roads. There was discussion on AASHTO requirements and the limitations of enforcement along this small section of the road. It was agreed to have a traffic counter and study report back to the Authority at the next meeting It was noted that the next meeting agenda will also include an update on analysis of traffic studies on the Bike/Walk temporary markings. NEXT MEETING Monday, August 22, 2016 (as scheduled in conjunction with Police Commissioner s Meeting.) Page 5 Adjournment
** COMMISSIONER COLLIER-CLEMMONS MOVED TO ADJOURN. The meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted; Marilyn Knox, Telesco Secretarial Services Attachment: Richmond Road Petition Page 6