Lacey Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Meeting Summary Notes Citizen s Advisory Committee Meeting #1 September 27, 2017, 6:00 8:00 pm Attachments: Meeting Agenda Introductory Presentation Staff and Consultants present: Ryan Andrews, City of Lacey Planning Manager Martin Hoppe, Lacey City Traffic Engineer Scott Egger, Lacey Public Works Director Michael Hintze, Toole Design Group, Consultant Team Project Manager Julia Walton, 3 Square Blocks, Consultant Team Public Outreach Lead 1. Introductions Meeting attendees introduced themselves, mentioned a place where they enjoyed walking or biking and why. They also identified a key outcome that they would like to see from this plan. Jessica Gould, Walk N Roll Program, Intercity Transit. A bicycle commuter who likes walking and is interested in Safe Routes to Schools. Bill Spaulding, Capitol Volkssport Club. Avid walker and bicyclist. Would like to see improved standards for bike lanes, more connections across I5, better markings and expanded bike corridors. Brandon Stephens, Abbey Realty. He lives in an urban campus and would like to help facilitate bike commuter infrastructure. Chris Hawkins, Thurston County Public Health & Social Services, leader of the Thurston Thrives program; works to facilitate active living. Enjoys the Chehalis Western Trail. Austin, Texas is a good model with the connected trails along the river. Casey Wilson, Teacher, Nisqually Middle School, worked with Nisqually Walks. Highway 1 in Santa Cruz and McLean, NJ are example places. Goal is to improve school sidewalks strategy. Melissa Anderson, stay at home mom, interior design background includes healthy living. Would like to see Lacey improve bike and ped facilities enhanced not as an afterthought. The Spokane Trail is an example. Chuck Kennedy, Olympic Crest Coffee Roasters. Interested in business perspective along the Woodland Trail. 1
Cleo Pineda, St. Martin s University. Interested in the process of developing the plan and taking part in that process. Jeff Glass, Western Trail Association, substitute member for Jack Horton. Facilities Director at Providence SW Hospital. His mantra is healthy communities. Personal story is cycling in Europe with its commitment to mobility. Chazz Pope, Owner, Baby Boomer Bicycles. Works at JBLM and has a strong interest in bicycling. Paul Enns, Lacey Planning Commission member, Panorama City resident. Walks dogs and enjoys the Chehalis Western Trail. Not present: Berl Colley, Duncan Green. 2. Project Introduction Michael Hintze presented an overview of the Lacey Pedestrian & Bicycle Plan and asked the group to consider what would be their measures of success. This will be for the CAC to decide. There will be a Bike/Walk Audit conducted on Saturday, October 14, 2017. Ryan will send an invitation to the CAC members. All are encouraged to attend. Michael reviewed the project web page, interactive map and survey with the CAC; these are now live; CAC members are encouraged to access the web site and spread the word. Citizen Committee request: Can the City please identify existing planned City ped/bike improvements and whether there are any planned County ped/bike improvements in the UGA? 3. Group Existing Conditions Exercise Two groups were formed for an existing conditions exercise. The charge was to review and discuss the Existing Conditions Map and report on key discussion points and any other key points that the CAC would like for the project team to consider. Group 1 Report Out The area of Lacey that is south of Lacey Boulevard, north of the South Sound Center and east of the Chehalis Western Trail and west of the Lakes lacks bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Ideas for making connections to the Chehalis Western Trail include: piece together routes to the trail with signs and striping on low volume streets and mark/identify both as walking routes The group identified a new trail on the City perimeter using Britton Parkway and Willamette. Carpenter Road is one way to connect east/west to the Chehalis Western Trail. Steilacoom Road serves Nisqually Middle School/crosses the rail line near the Amtrak Station. Make better connections to the neighborhood where the Chehalis Western Trail ends. Look for places where short segment connections might be done with minor improvements. Learn from Olympia regarding Bicycle Streets There are opportunities to do an off road BMX Park in a detention area in Hawk s Prairie. A lot of kids and mountain bikes use that area now. 2
Group 1 General Comments from the Mapping Exercise: How can we increase connectivity across I-5? The only place I feel comfortable riding bikes with baby trailer or young riders is in residential or on trail but NOT on bike lanes. Sidewalks work with separation between road and sidewalk How do we know what is already being considered in other projects/committees? Could we get a definition of quiet street? Olympia has nice bike corridors that provide alternate routes. Those are attractive. How can those be added or considered? Older parts of Lacey what s the access like? 1950s era: no sidewalk standards, limited access Areas without sidewalks also often lack streetlights, especially in unincorporated areas How will City of Lacey coordinate with City of Olympia to increase connectivity? Fast growth in the Hawks Prairie area great incorporation of bike lanes Sidewalks to school 1-mile radius Group 1 Recommended Map Additions Add school names BMX Mt Bike Park Group 1 Location-Specific Comments (See map on the following page. Letters below are keyed to map locations): A. Plan trail into new land acquisition (Pleasant Glade Neighborhood Park) B. Need pedestrian cut through to commercial by Salish Middle C. Need sidewalk access for kids near Pleasant Glade School D. Bike lanes on college, If no bike lanes on college give extra feet to sidewalks since they are so narrow E. Better connection from I-5 bike path directly to SPSCC main campus F. Better signage helping people find trail or other facilities for walking or bicycling along the Chehalis Western and Woodland Trails G. Back entrance to school is blocked (MVES) H. Lack of on-street facilities though the core area of Lacey I. Need a connecting route from the Chambers Lake Nature Area/Stormwater facility to connect down to 37th and thereby create a loop (and better access) with the Chehalis Western Trail. J. Carpenter Road needs improving with wider shoulders and amenities K. Union Mills Rd sidewalk or bike lane 3
L. Steilacoom Road has very high speeds, no bike lane/sidewalks, please get county project done! It s stuck in environmental review! M. County project to improve shoulders, add sidewalk? (along Mullen Rd) N. Wider shoulder/bike lane needed to connect to Amtrak Station O. Need a better crossing of Rainier Rd. for residents of Horizon Pointe to get to the southbound Chehalis Western. 4
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Group 2 Report Out Sidewalks are identified on the map in residential areas where they don t exist, i.e. Hawk s Prairie and Target Center. There are no sidewalks on Steilacoom Road between Pacific and Regional Athletic Center School/RAC recreation complex make connections Exit 111 overpass will become a Divergent Diamond Interchange (DDI). It s a choke point for walking and biking. Good recreational opportunity to extend the Lacey Woodland Trail-railroad no longer servicing the Old Box Plant. Connect Greg Cuoio Park to the Chehalis Western Trail and Sleater Kinney Road. Locate a rest stop in the school or parking lot at the south end of the Chehalis Western Trail. Put a trail overlook on 14 th Street where the trail goes over the road. Identify types of businesses for bike access such as grocery stores like the Safeway in the finger of Olympia, Safeway on Carpenter Road. Add Chehalis Western Trail access points in or through Panorama community, though there would be parking issues if people came in from the outside. Group 2 General Comments from the Mapping Exercise: Thurston Thrives has done inventory of trail access points (Chris Hawkins to share) Improve accessibility to Woodland Trail form businesses Group 2 Recommended Map Additions: Add bike lane between the north side of meridian park neighborhood and the sound Should map grocery store connections Trail connection and additional bike lanes through Pleasant Glade Neighborhood Park Extend Woodland Trail to McAllister Springs Existing access between neighborhood north of Chambers Lake and Westlake Dr. NE What is marked as a bus stop along Yelm Way is actually an Amtrak Station Restroom near the corner of Rainer Rd and 67 th Ave SE Group 2 Location-Specific Comments (See map on the following page. Letters below are keyed to map locations): A. Marvin Rd next to Target Warehouse need sidewalk on both sides of street B. Soon to be DD interchange, find WSDOT plans (Spruce and I-5) C. Footpath existing connecting 20 th Ave NE to trail on the western edge of the city 6
D. Note at the intersection of 7th Ave NE and 7 Sleater Kinney Rd: KM?
E. Narrow bridge, undercrossing (Westlake Dr SE and 14th Ave) F. No safe bike or pedestrian on gulf club south of Pacific to 26th G. No sidewalk along Steilacoom Rd between Spruce and School St H. BNSF no longer servicing railroad tracks along Union Mills Rd I. No man s land need plan for better infrastructure J. Mullen Rd near Marvin Rd intersection very challenging for bikes K. Bridge along Yelm Hwy is an issue in a long-terms plans to replace 4. Summary and Next Steps City of Lacey to email the postcard out to CAC members. Is there a connection to be made between bike activity and economic development? Have we thought of: a Tour de Lacey, Brewery or Distillery District in Hawk s Prairie? The Health Department has access to trails system data and maps and will send that to Ryan. Expand map boundaries to east and west to show connectivity beyond City boundaries. 8