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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Transportation Advisory Commission - 11/24/2008 • RE ��O Transportation Advisory Committee FEB .� 9:27:1:9 Meeting Minutes Monday, November 24, 2008Cin'SECRETAROFFICE Call Meeting to Order — Mr. Green, Chairperson called the meeting to order at 2:37 p.m. II. Approval of Minutes — Motion made by Ms. Beard, seconded by Mr. Jones to approve the minutes for October 27, 2008. Motion passed. III. Presentations and Discussions a. Monthly Traffic Fatality Report— Capt Robert McDonald reported no new fatalities for the year. b. Mr. Cardenas discussion on: ■ Update on Municipal Maintenance Agreement (MMA) — Mr. Cardenas discussed the status of the MMA. He mentioned that City staff will be meeting again with TXDot to negotiate cost, additional costs and needs from TXDot and the City and stated that he would use the term "compromising" so those new or additional duties are for example, the mowing on some of the highways. TXDot has downsized their mowing efforts and as described in the new MMA is to increase the efforts by placing additional burden on the City. Mr. Cardenas will research the additional cost for the City to do the mowing. The City doesn't have to do the mowing, but if someone does calls and complains about the mowing and TXDot has exhausted their funds, under the new MMA it would be the City's responsibility to do it. Mr. Cardenas pointed out that these are some of the issues that are being discussed. Other concerns being talked about; for example, are Farm to Market Road in the city limits or state highway, such as: Saratoga Blvd. and Staples St., where TXDot requires certain standards on signage and foundation basis. TXDot reprimands the use of the triangular slip base for small signs. The City uses pozi-lock bases to put in the signs, both are crash tested but TXDot prefers the triangular slip base. Also, the reflective sheeting is an issue on the signage. TXDot uses a certain type of reflective sheeting but it is not necessarily the same as it is required by the national MUTCD. Mr. Cardenas stated that they could substitute this as long as still is one of their minimum standards. Mr. Cardenas stated that these are some of the discussions he is working on. Mr. Cardenas mentioned that a meeting would take place sometime next week with some City Departments. Mr. Jones asked about the signing of the agreement. Mr. Cardenas commented that hopefully before the end of the year. Mr. Cardenas also brought up that the current MMA is over 25 years old and it originated in SCANNED Page 1 of 4 S -- 1983. It is kind of broad; the new one is more blunt, so to speak. It is specifically a statewide agreement. It particularly talks about snow plowing, which we get once every one hundred years here. Mr. Cardenas said that things like these are described in the new MMA and stated that it is a statewide type of agreement. In addition, Mr. Cardenas mentioned, he hopes to have this by the end of the year and that the City Manager's Office and Assistant City Manager's Office are eager to come to an agreement, for the reason that it has been passed through since Ron Massey. Mr. Jones asked if the City agrees with what TXDot is proposing and what the dollar figure is on this agreement. Mr. Cardenas answered that he believes it is somewhere close to $500,000 and it is a two-year contract. He stated that mowing contracts under maintenance contracts are for two-years and with all the other substance with the mowing, it all comes up to roughly $500,000. Mr. Green asked if the MMA petitions the TAC to review the contract before it goes to the City Manager's Office for approval. Mr. Cardenas agreed and said that the MMA is contracted through the City Manager's or Assistant City Manager's Office. Mr. Green mentioned that perhaps the City and TXDot would entertain the idea of conducting a presentation of the changes of the highlights of the agreement. Mr. Cardenas agreed with Mr. Green's comment. ■ Bicycle Sub-committee — Mr. Cardenas mentioned that he also desires for this item to take into effect before the end of the year or maybe by the end of January. He mentioned that the information the members have is from 1996. Mr. Cardenas said that there is no need to re-establish the sub-committee to Council because this committee has already been established and doesn't know how it fizzled out or how it got started. Mr. Cardenas stated that there has been an increase in bicycle use and bicycle lanes in the City. Like, Ocean Dr., Holly Rd., Saratoga Blvd. between Ayers St. and Greenwood Dr. and Greenwood Dr. He stated that there are also other streets getting bicycle lanes like Whitecap Blvd. at the Island. Mr. Cardenas said that we are trying to comply with the City's Master Transportation Plan; subsequently, it is necessary to create or re- establish its bicycle sub-committee. And it is a sub-committee to the Transportation Advisory Committee and there is a need to go over rules and regulations of the design factors of public awareness. Mr. Cardenas acknowledged that he would like to invite the TAC to review the organization's duties as listed on pages 46, 47 and 48 of Attachment B and have a committee appointed by January 1st. Mr. Cardenas ensued with his discussion and said that it states in Attachment B that the TAC is authorized to make the appointments directly and the Traffic Engineer can help with presenting the names of individuals to TAC. Mr. Cardenas affirmed that the Bicycle Sub-Committee should be comprised of the following committee members, person, or types of persons: Page 2 of 4 One (1) member of the Transportation Advisory Committee One (1) member of the Park & Recreation Advisory Committee One (1) member of the Primary, Secondary or Senior School Education System One (1) member of the College/University Education System Two (2) members of the Bicycling Community One (1) member of the Medical Community One (1) member of the Law Enforcement Community One (1) member of the Council of Neighborhoods (or equivalent) Mr. Cardenas noted that the RTA needs to be added as part of the nine members and believes that it is important for the RTA to be involved in this committee due to the increase of bicycle use. He continued to discuss that more buses are adding bicycle racks and stated that there shouldn't be any design faults within a bicycle lane in a bus path or by a bus stop. Mr. Cardenas said that it should be wise to have a discussion with RTA for future planning. Ms. Beard inquired about the regulation of the members, as far as appointments and number of members. Mr. Cardenas replied that the City Council regulates the number of members of the sub- committee, which is nine and the TAC regulates who is appointed to the committee. Red Light Running Cameras Locations — Capt. Robert MacDonald, Police Project Manager Photo Enforcement, stated that the current Red Light Photo Enforcement Program is ten (10) approaches and nine (9) intersections. The inception for the program was in April 24, 2007 and the complete installation of the ten systems was in August 2007.. The dual review of each violation is done by Redflex and the final review and acceptance or rejection is done by the Police Review Officer. The processing, mailing, billing and collections are also done by Redflex. Capt. MacDonald explained that from April 2007 to October 2008, 22794 notices were mailed and through November 10, 2008, 23,224 notices were mailed. Out of these notices, only 14,090 have been paid, 155 have been dismissed, 8,979 are unpaid, and 4,790 are in default and 39% unpaid with 21% in default. Capt. MacDonald said that violators assessed a $75.00 fee per notice: The cost for the system is $4,750 per month per camera or $570,000 annually. Costs are deducted from the revenue, net revenues after all expenses are 50/50 split with City and Texas Trauma Fund and approximately $130,000 after expenses net to City. Capt. MacDonald mentioned that TXDot will not allow the City to install the red light cameras on their right-of-way until the City adopts a new Municipal Agreement with TXDot. Capt. MacDonald said that negotiations are on going and an agreement is pending analysis of the costs to the City for additional mowing, signal maintenance, striping, maintaining drains, signage, etc. Capt. MacDonald stated that the FY08/09 budget for the Red Light Photo Enforcement Program includes: Page 3 of 4 > 6 New Approaches > 1 Police Review Officer > 1 Senior Administrative Assistant > Office Space and Furniture Capt. MacDonald announced the new proposed locations for the Red Light Photo Enforcement Program are: > Ocean Dr. NB at Airline Rd. > Staples St. NB at Kostoryz > Leopard EB at Starlite > Waldron Rd. NB at Compton > Baldwin SB at Greenwood > #6 Pending Research ■ Parking on Bicycle Lanes on Ocean Drive — Mr. Cardenas mentioned that the way the bicycle lane is design for a share lane for the sections that meet the width. In some parts of Ocean Dr. the bicycle lane or parking lane goes 10' and other places it goes down to 2'. And the ordinance reflects those areas of no parking lanes that are too narrow for parking, Roberts 100' from an intersection, south of Ennis Joslin by the university. So, this is open for discussion for the sub-committee to take a look and see what direction to go. Mr. Cardenas said, do we look at it and maybe do an ordinance for no parking at all on Ocean Dr. The AASHTO guide for the development of bicycle facilities recommends widths of over 10' to 12' if share parking and bicycle lane. IV. Issues for next scheduled Transportation Advisory Meeting — Traffic Study on Yorktown between Everhart and Weber, Montana Mike's Driveway and investigate terms for council members. Mr. Green said that the termination of terms for the TAC members should be on the next agenda under staff recommendations requiring committee review/recommendation. V. Public Comment— None VI. Adjournment— Meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m. Page 4 of 4