May ABAC Meeting – May 7th

[dasgeh]

Happy Bike Month!

We have a packed and exciting agenda for the BAC’s May Meeting, which is next Monday, May 7. We’ll meet from 7-9pm at 2100 Clarendon Blvd (in our regular room on the third floor). All are welcome.

In the interest of getting through everything, we’re hoping that everyone can look at and comment on the Vision Zero letter and BAC Projects Update Requests before the meeting. I’ll circulate final drafts for a vote on Monday and will bring drafts to the meeting.

Arlington County staff will lead us in a discussion of CIP planning. Note that County staff is in a particularly challenging position with this CIP round — the deal that allowed the Commonwealth to fund Metro significantly reduced state-level funding for other transportation capital projects. That deal was finalized on April 18, and the County Manager is due to release his proposed CIP approximately a month later. That is an incredible task. We’ve asked for a briefing of as much information as they can share, but we should be mindful that staff is still figuring out the implications. We will focus on prioritizing the projects that had been recommended in the last CIP (it would be very helpful if someone could do a “deep dive” into the last doc and possibly prepare an easy to examine list of bike projects).

Our last two agenda items are to develop a project prioritization framework for the bike element and to discuss how we might recommend design standards for projects (an off shoot of the joint BAC/PAC meeting). I’ve started google docs on both of those (linked above). It would be very helpful if folks can paste in recommendations, e.g. from bike plans from other jurisdictions.

So, when it gets rainy and cold again this weekend, take a few minutes to help with the BAC homework. There will be plenty of time for bike riding next week when we return to spring.

Thanks!
Gillian

Agenda:
7pm Intros and approve minutes
7:10pm Approval of Vision Zero Letter
7:15pm Approval of BAC Projects Update Requests
7:20pm CIP planning
7:50pm Project prioritization framework for the bike element
8:20pm Design Standards for projects
8:50pm New Business
9:00pm Adjourn

[dasgeh]

Bump. This is tonight!

Before the meeting, stop by the Design Workshop for Wilson Blvd between Quinn and Courthouse; 4:30pm-7pm at the Navy League Building (on Wilson Blvd, but very close to 2100 Clarendon Blvd)

[Judd]

My notes from the meeting.

BAC approved a joint letter with PAC recommending establishment of a public process to evaluate establishing a VisionZero project.

Reviewed list of projects that BAC is interested in receiving presentations from County staff.
– Some discussion of how to prioritize
– Trying to ensure early BAC involvement with projects when design plans are changeable
– Discussed trail connection from WOD to 50
– Draft list approved

Capital Improvement Plan Update
– FY proposals expected in week or two
– WMATA funding has changed how local projects are funded
– Makes up about 40% of capital funding for bike projects
– Many projects are funded by Northern Virginia Transportation Authority – jurisdictions get about 30% of the funds to use flexibly and grants for larger projects
– WMATA funding heavily reallocates NVTA funds to WMATA – Impact currently unknown.
– Unknown if Parks funding will be impacted
– Chris Slatt recommended moving to a program model for funding so that capital projects for bicycles are prioritized in the bicycle element and funding is more stable
– Allows opportunity to fund projects when time limited opportunities arise such as during private development

Bike Element Updated
– Progress is being made. Goal to wrap up by end of the year.
– A survey will be published sometime next week to gather public input for the Bicycle Element
– Discussed establishing a quantitative rubric to rank priorities for bike projects
– Reviewed Neighborhood Complete Streets rubric as a possible example
– Discussed items that may make up a rubric and how to measure things like “comfort”

Design Standards for Bike Projects
– Ongoing BAC discussion about establishing design standards for bike projects
– Lots of reasons why designs may not be good, sometimes project timelines are so long that the standards have changed by the time project is finished
– Arlington uses lots of design standards for projects (55 Arlington standards, 28 Virginia standards, 29 Federal standards, 18 NACTO guides, input from 28 neighboring jurisdictions)

W&OD Improvements
– Staff requested input on two changes in response to neighborhood complaints
– 1. Creating markings on Tuckahoe that indicate that the trail is entering the street (near the power substation)
– 2. Separating bike and ped access to the W&OD on Vanderpool (that little stub street near the place where most people access the WOD after riding through Banneker Park)

[sjclaeys]

Thanks Judd! It is good for there to be some transparency so the community knows the outcomes of ABAC meetings. There have not been any meeting notes posted since the May 2017 meeting.

[lordofthemark]

@sjclaeys 178168 wrote:

Thanks Judd! It is good for there to be some transparency so the community knows the outcomes of ABAC meetings. There have not been any meeting notes posted since the May 2017 meeting.

Evidently you guys are not as good at guilting people into taking on the role of secretary as we are ��

[chris_s]

@lordofthemark 178178 wrote:

Evidently you guys are not as good at guilting people into taking on the role of secretary as we are ��

We have approved minutes, it’s getting them on the web site we seem to have difficulty with.

[chris_s]

@lordofthemark 178178 wrote:

Evidently you guys are not as good at guilting people into taking on the role of secretary as we are ��

We have approved minutes, it’s getting them on the web site we seem to have difficulty with.

[dasgeh]

Thanks, Judd! It’s always great to have notes posted for those who can’t be there in person. I’ll follow up with our staff contact (again) about getting things on the website. You can follow up as well by writing des@arlingtonva.us

I just started a thread now on the Capital Improvement Plan, please help us gather the information we need to move forward with proposing a Bike Element Funding program in the new CIP.

[Author]

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