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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Transportation Advisory Committee - 09/24/2012Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, September 24, 2012 Call Meeting to Order - Mr. Curtis A. Rock, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 2:32 p.m. Approval of Minutes - Minutes of August 27, 2012 were approved. Presentations and Discussions - a. Monthly Traffic Fatality Report: Item tabled for next month. b. Monthly bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee Report: Ms. Arnold reported the Bicycle 6t Pedestrian Subcommittee met last week and they discussed several items. She stated the subcommittee expressed an interest to bring up some of those items to the TAC. Ms. Arnold mentioned the items are listed on the agenda and will be discussed later. c. Police Department Traffic Enforcement Complaints: Item tabled for next month. d. Top 20 Traffic Accident Locations for the Month: Item tabled for next month. e. Urban Transportation Plan Amendments: None f. Unified Development Code (UDC): None g. Presentation of City of Corpus Christi Process and Status of the Mobility CC Project: Mr. Dimas said the Sustainability Plan is broken up into three points: the Summary Document, the Mobility Concepts and the Master Implementation Matrix. The Summary Document is the giant explanation, everything and anything and sustainability and how it applies in Corpus Christi. The Mobility Concepts cover the Hike ft Bike Master Plan and it covers other concepts like corridor improvements. He said the Sustainability Plan has given them an option to organize them. The Hike ft Bike Plan will cover everything off road, the trails and the paths. Complete Streets will cover everything on road that is where your physical bicycle lanes on the street would be housed. He said the MPO is working on their Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and there is a great opportunity for the City and the MPO to work together to have one plan, rather than two independent ones. Mr. Dimas said they will be emailing this presentation and are requesting input from this committee and as they collect the information, they can start forming an opinion. Next, Mr. Dimas explained a map of the Sustainability Plan that maps out the destination notes. He said that in January they would conduct their formal public outreach to different boards for the full presentation in dealing with a finalized draft. After that, it goes to the public hearings, TAC, Planning Commission and the City Council in March. Mr. Dimas said they would be emailing the maps to the committee for their review. He said the Sustainability Plan is already on their website at cctexas.com /sustainability /. h. Discussion with Possible Action Taken on Project to Re- surface Spur 3 from TAMUCC to SPID, Scheduled for Spring 2013: Ms. Arnold reported Attachment "D" is a copy of a memo she sent out after the Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee meeting last week and requested to be placed on this agenda. She Page 1 of 4 said no formal action was taken on any of these items. It was an expressed wish of several of the subcommittee members these items be presented to the TAC. Ms. Arnold stated they have a representative from TAMUCC in the subcommittee and it was this member's suggestion to look to the support of this committee to encourage TxDOT to postpone this project if possible until June. She mentioned that Spur 3 gets an enormous amount of bicycle and vehicular traffic while school is in session. She reported a TxDOT representative in the subcommittee suggested as well that the TAC expresses their support and recommendation that this project be evaluated to take place in June instead of March for safety reasons. In addition, Ms. Arnold said another item the members would like the TAC to support and recommend is narrowing the travel lanes from 12 feet to 11 feet, which will increase the width of the bicycle lane from three feet to five feet. Mr. Rock asked if the subcommittee had requested five feet bicycle lanes. Ms. Arnold responded that it was strongly supported by the subcommittee members. Mr. Price asked if it is being requested the road lanes be cut from 12 feet to 11 feet. Mr. Cardenas said yes. Mr. Price asked about the length time of the project. Mr. Cardenas responded the project would take about three months. He said this project is set to let in January 2013; therefore, the timeframe for construction is March 2013. L Discussion with Possible Action Taken on Saratoga Blvd. Chip Seal Project from Rodd Field Rd. to SPID: Ms. Arnold stated that NovaChip is a resurfacing product that is not just smoother, in terms of service conditions, but it does not have the loose flying rocks all over the place that you see in other areas. She said Saratoga Blvd. is a very heavily traveled road that is already experiencing a lot of mixed use. The subcommittee did not feel as though chip sealing was the most appropriate and safe use for this resurfacing project. Mr. Cardenas said NovaChip is a different type of hot mix or asphalt. He said the latest NovaChip was done on SPID from Flour Bluff Dr. to Airline Rd. It is more expensive than sealcoat but it is less expensive than an overlay or hot mix. Mr. Cardenas reported TxDOT is planning to do NovaChip on all the frontage roads. He said NovaChip is a very thin layer and smooth surface. Mr. Cardenas stated TxDOT had mentioned they are not going to install bike lanes on Saratoga Blvd.; it is not feasible to widen Saratoga Blvd. to get the proper amount of four to five feet of bike lane. This is where the discussion was brought up that NovaChip would benefit the bicycling and mix use community on Saratoga Blvd. Mr. Cardenas stated on all these three recommendations TxDOT felt if it came from the TAC; it has influence as far as the considerations. Mr. Jacobi asked a question about the limits of this project. Mr. Cardenas said it is on Rodd Field Rd. from Saratoga Blvd. to SPID because it is 1.7 miles. Mr. Jacobi asked about the life cycle cost comparison between NovaChip and chip seal and the number of bicyclists so we can see the cost difference per bicyclist. Mr. Cardenas said he would like to see the life cycle cost comparison of the hot mix, NovaChip and seal coat /chip seal. He mentioned the committee member from TxDOT felt that a letter or something coming from the TAC would have an influence on their considerations on these changes. Mr. Jacobi suggested the TAC make a request to TxDOT to ask for two bids when they let the project, one for NovaChip and the other one for chip seal. Mr. Rock asked if this project is being done internally. Mr. Cardenas said all these projects are in house. j. Discussion with Possible Action Taken on Staples Project - Adding Additional Lanes and Wide Shoulders on Staples St. from Crosstown to Oso Creek: Ms. Arnold reported this project is being widen and the additional width being Page 2 of 4 provided does create a wide outside shoulder. The project is not calling to stripe or have any indicator line on the wide outside shoulder but to treat it as your typical bail out in an emergency. This area does experience much bicycle activity and again it is the wish of the subcommittee for safety reasons to stripe a communication line where the wide outside shoulder starts. There was no talk in terms of striping it like a bicycle route or lane. Ms. Arnold stated this is not their intended desire but just placing a stripe there to communicate to motorists and mix users this is where the travel lane stops and the wide outside shoulder starts. k. Discussion on Speed Limit Change on McArdle Rd. from Everhart Rd. to Staples St.: Mr. Cardenas presented a map of the speed limits on McArdle Rd. and said a speed study was conducted. He said the posted speed from east of Everhart Rd. to Weber Rd. is 35 mph and from Staples St. to east of Everhart Rd. is 30 mph. Mr. Price said that is not correct because between Weber Rd. and Everhart Rd. is 30 mph. Mr. Price stated he is questioning between Everhart Rd. and Staples St. Mr. Cardenas stated the study shows the 85 percentile speeds in the 40's and it is consistent throughout the whole corridor. He said the speeds are high on this corridor and if there are any adjustments or consistencies to be made by the TAC; Traffic Engineering supports any of these changes. Mr. Price said the only speed change he was looking for is between Everhart Rd. and the park. He said between Everhart Rd. and Weber Rd. the posted speed is 30 mph and does not know if this needs to be changed. Mr. Price stated he is more concerned between Everhart Rd. and the park, which is 30 mph and would like to recommend going to 35 mph. Mr. Cardenas said he would have an exhibit ready in another month. Mr. Rock asked the possibility of changing the speed limit to 35 mph all the way to Ayers St. Mr. Cardenas said he would make it consistent to 35 mph but the only concern he has is why is set to 30 mph. Mr. Price mentioned it was a two -lane road with ditches on both sides. Mr. Cardenas stated where there are sections of two -lanes it should remain 30 mph. He suggested tabling this item and making a motion next month so he could come up with a proposal with the exhibits that need to go to City Council. The committee recommended tabling this item until the next meeting. I. Discussion on No Cell Phone Use While Driving: Mr. Jacobi reported the Governor's Highway Safety Association has climbed off the fence on the issue of hand held cell phone use while driving. The group is composed of top highway safety officers from each state. They previously had supported text - messaging bans for all drivers but it stopped short of endorsing bans on hand held cell phone use by drivers. Almost all safety groups and transportation agencies have long been on the record against the use of hand held cell phone by drivers. Mr. Jacobi went over their new policies. The GHSA supports State Legislation that would ban hand held cell phone use and text messaging for all drivers, electronic devices used for entertainment purposes with video screens that are within view of the driver and school bus drivers from text messaging or using electronic devices except in an emergency. He stated the safety officers are recommending a ban on texting as well as hand held cell phone use; they are not against hands free. Mr. Jacobi said as of September 19, Amarillo, has banned texting and hand held cell phone use by all drivers in the city limits. Their law is schedule to go in effect on October 2012. He said Ohio has a new texting and driving ban that is now in effect. They have two levels of enforcement. It is only a secondary offense for adult drivers who text message but for anyone under the age of 18 texting or the use of cell phones and other portable electronic devices is a primary offense. Page 3 of 4 m. Discussion on Turning Lanes at Chaparral St. / Water St. @ IH37: Mr. Cardenas mentioned that this item has to do with the alignment of the roadway as far as the right lane is concerned. He said Chaparral St. is a one -way; there are no right turn lanes on this street. Mr. Cardenas said Water St. has a dedicated right turn lane but if you go straight on the right lane, you will hit the curb across the street from you. Therefore, this has to do with a roadway alignment issue. Mr. Cardenas mentioned that next month he would bring some exhibits or some pictures. He will also be talking about the future of Chaparral St. but he would only be talking about traffic pattern changes because Chaparral St. is going to turn into a two -way street. IV. Staff Recommendations requiring Committee Review for Recommendations / Actions a. Appointments to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Sub - committee - None b. Request to Recommend New Striping Plan on Project to Re- surface Spur 3 from TAMUCC to SPID, Scheduled for Spring 2013 with Possible Action Taken: Mr. Weckenmann motioned to recommend rescheduling the Spur 3 Project to June 2013 and narrow the travel lanes from 12 feet to 11 feet to provide a wider bicycle lane. Mr. Villarreal seconded. Motion passed. c. Request to Use NovaChip on Saratoga Blvd. Chip Seal Project from Rodd Field Rd. to SPID with Possible Action Taken: Mr. Price motioned to Recommend to Use NovaChip on SH357 from Rodd Field Rd. to SPID. Ms. Cudd seconded. Motion passed. d. Request to Add Additional Lanes and Wide Shoulders on Staples St. Project from Crosstown to Oso Creek with Possible Action Taken: Mr. Jacobi motioned to recommend adding striping for wide shoulders on Staples St. Project from Crosstown to Oso Creek. Ms. Cudd seconded. Motion passed. V. Identify items to be placed on a future agenda • Bond 2012 Projects • Update of TxDOT Street Project List • Update on US -181 Harbor Bridge Project • Update on Temporary Traffic Signal on Staples St. C Moore Plaza • Update on Possible Installation of Delineators on Everhart Rd. C Whataburger Way VI. Public Comment - None VII. Adjournment - Meeting adjourned at 4:07 p.m. Page 4 of 4