Stakehlder Wrking Grup (SWG) Meeting #2 Summary Date: Thursday, September 22, 2016 Time: 5:30-7:30 PM Lcatin: Fur Mile Histric Park Overview The G Speer Leetsdale Mbility Study is explring ptential imprvement ptins fr multimdal travel alng the Speer Leetsdale Crridr, running apprximately frm Bradway and Speer sutheast t Mississippi Avenue and Leetsdale (als SH 83). The secnd f three SWG meetings was held at Fur Mile Histric Park t prvide a study update and gather feedback n ptential imprvement ptins fr the crridr. A small grup break-ut sessin was cnducted t discuss each travel mde fllwed by a large grup discussin n key takeaways. Study Update Fllwing the first SWG and public meeting, the study team has been wrking t develp ptential imprvement ptins and screen thse ptins fr bth feasibility and their ptential impact n travel thrughut the crridr. Sme ptins passed the initial screening while thers were flagged as nt viable. The prject team als shared the finalized Purpse & Need and Visin Statement fr the crridr, nting hw input frm the Technical Wrking Grup, the SWG and the brader cmmunity is reflected in the dcuments. Visin: Speer Leetsdale Crridr is a place where: Transprtatin systems and facilities cntribute t cmplete cmmunities. There is a viable chice t leave autmbiles at hme. Technlgy advances ut f the lab and nt the street. Reginal and lcal agencies, businesses and stakehlders partner t implement the visin. Purpse: Accmmdate the crridr s current and grwing persn-trip demand. Enhance existing transprtatin ptins. Prvide additinal mbility and access ptins. Imprve quality f life. Enhance ecnmic develpment pprtunities. Bicycle Mbility Needs: Need: Address inadequate and discnnected bicycle facilities. Need: Imprve ease f use fr bicycle facilities. Need: Address lcatins with demnstrated bicycle safety cncerns. Pedestrian Mbility Needs: Need: Address inadequate and discnnected pedestrian facilities. Need: Imprve ease f use fr pedestrian facilities.
Need: Address lcatins with demnstrated pedestrian safety cncerns. Transit Mbility Needs: Need: Accmmdate increasing persn-trip demand resulting frm ppulatin and emplyment grwth in the crridr. Need: Address unreliable transit travel times and delay that result frm vehicular cngestin. Need: Accmmdate increasing trips within the crridr while still prviding imprved crridrlng cmmutes. Need: Address inadequate accessibility and rider cmfrt at transit stps and statins. Vehicular Mbility Needs: Need: Reduce cngestin resulting frm increasing persn-trip demand related t ppulatin and emplyment grwth in the crridr. Need: Imprve peratins at intersectins and crridr lcatins with higher than expected crash frequency and severity. Livability Needs: Need: Prvide transprtatin slutins that supprt livability cncepts fr everyday life thrugh a range f transprtatin mdes. Transprtatin Access and Equity Needs: Need: Identify cnvenient and cst-effective mbility ptins fr all users f the crridr. Evaluatin Prcess The study team prvided an update n the evaluatin prcess f ptential imprvements and the prgress that has been made since the last SWG meeting. Optins were develped by mde (e.g., transit, vehicular, bike and pedestrian) and assessed fr their feasibility and ptential impact (psitive and negative) n travel thrughut the crridr. During this initial screening, infeasible ptins were identified and remved frm cnsideratin while ptentially viable ptins were advanced fr further analysis by mde as primary and cmplementary slutins. Small Grup Breakuts SWG members cunted ff int small breakut grups t rtate amng three statins representing the fur travel mdes examined in the study: transit, bike/pedestrian and vehicular. Prject team members were lcated at each statin t talk thrugh bards utlining the ptential imprvement ptins. Key feedback themes frm wrking grup members at each statin are utlined belw: Transit Statin Bttleneck traffic takes place thrughut the crridr and needs t be mitigated. Wrkgrup members nted that the prcess t-date has cnsidered technical feasibility, nt the cst fr specific imprvements, which may influence imprvement preferences.
Interest in high capacity/enhanced transit with specific suggestins fr a street car, bus rapid transit r shuttle ptins. Fr high capacity transit t be successful, it must feel safe, cmfrtable and clean. While Wrkgrup members determined that dedicated transit (exclusive) lanes have ptential, there was cncern related t increased traffic cngestin and the ability fr safety t be upheld. Mbility hubs are cnsidered key t cnnecting transit and bike/pedestrian accesses. The cmplexity f the crridr creates the need fr specific slutins at traffic htspts, such as 1 st and University Blvd. Cnsider hw paid parking at Cherry Creek Shpping Center will impact travel patterns. Bike/Pedestrian Statin Strng supprt fr imprved bike/ped facilities t address safety/cmfrt cncerns alng East 1 st Avenue in frnt f the Denver Cuntry Club with interest in reevaluating the alternative t widen the Trail n 1 st Avenue between University and Dwning. Strng supprt fr imprved bicycle cnnectivity, safety, and cmfrt alng Leetsdale, while requesting clarificatin fr hw a tw-way prtected bike lane wuld impact vehicular traffic. Other specific areas fr imprved bike/ped facilities emphasized by discussin grups include: Separated bicycle and pedestrian crridrs fr travel alng the Cherry Creek Trail between Bradway and Dwning Street. Alternatively, widening the Cherry Creek Trail west f Dwning Street t add capacity. Alng 1 st Avenue and Steele Street between University Avenue and Bayaud Street. Cherry Creek Nrth and the mall were nted as barriers t bike and pedestrian cnnectivity. There is a need fr enhanced cnnectins thrugh the Cherry Creek Shpping Center area (private prperty). Cnsider imprved wayfinding, distance, and destinatin-based signs t identify nearest exits alng the Trail (e.g. 2 miles t next exit). Multiple small grups asked fr a sidewalk inventry t be cmpleted. There was interest in adding a new alternative t the screening prcess t cmplete the sidewalk netwrk alng Speer Bulevard, particularly n the nrth side f eastbund Speer Bulevard in the western prtin f the crridr. Vehicular Statin Desire fr lwer and cnsistent speed limits thrughut the crridr and ther traffic calming strategies.
Cnsider likely future trends, such as the expansin f car sharing, Uber/Lyft ride sharing, and self-driving vehicles, in the sustainability f imprvements. Highlight the impact f human behavir, such as mbile phne usage/distracted driving, in accidents and cngestin. Small grups identified areas and intersectins t especially target fr imprvements: Alameda and 1 st Ave. Leetsdale and Cherry Leetsdale and Dahlia Leetsdale and Mnac Ellswrth and Steele (cncerns f impacts related t the rll-ut f paid parking at the Cherry Creek Shpping Center) Signal ptimizatin was cnfirmed as an element that will be integrated int the imprvement ptins. Full Grup Discussin The breakut grups recnvened fr a full grup discussin n key takeaways. There was general cnsensus that the ptins prpsed fr eliminatin shuld remain ff the table while ptins recmmended fr advancement shuld be further evaluated. Overarching themes emerging frm the SWG discussin included: Overall, the study shuld emphasize increased cnsistency fr all travel mdes thrughut the crridr (i.e. radway/lane/sidewalk character and widths, speed limits, peratins, pedestrian envirnment, bus stps) Ensure that bike and pedestrian travel are being cnsidered as separate, but intercnnected, travel mdes. Cnsider whether vehicular fcus is a need in the study, particularly in the terminlgy surrunding needs (i.e., integratin f multimdal travel and future travel trends int a crridr designed fr vehicles). Ptential crridr imprvements shuld be cnsidered in cnjunctin with ther citywide plans currently underway. What s Next The next G Speer Leetsdale SWG meeting will be held in early 2017 t review and gather feedback n packages f multimdal slutins and t discuss the prcesses fr implementatin and funding.
Attendees Prject Team Rachel Ackermann (FHU) Tim Baldwin (RMW Planning) Jane Band (CCD) Hlly Buck (FHU) Sctt Burtn (CCD) Rachele DiFebb (GBSM) Miles Graham (GBSM) Geneva Hten (Tle Design Grup) Jessica Myklebust (FHU) Stakehlder Wrking Grup Hussen Abdulahi (African Cmmunity Center) Sctt Brch (Glendale City Cuncil) Christine Des Enfants (Cherry Creek Chamber) Lralyn Fabian (Transprtatin Slutins) Duglas Hsiad (Cuntry Club Histric Neighbrhd) Laura Hiniker (Fur Mile Histric Park) Ellen Ittelsn (Cherry Creek Area Business Alliance) Ted Kennedy (Cherry Creek Steering Cmmittee) Sam Lauer (BikeDenver) Anne Lindsey (Glden Triangle Neighbrhd Assciatin) Matt Russell (Suth Hilltp Neighbrhd Assciatin) Susan Sweeney (Cranmer Hilltp Civic Assciatin) Susan Smernff (Cherry Creek East Assciatin) Rbert Vgel (Cherry Creek Nrth Neighbrhd Assciatin) WalkDenver (Jill Lcantre) Media David Sachs (Streetsblg Denver)