City County Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting – November 9, 2017

The City County Bicycle Advisory Committee (SacBAC) met on Thursday, November 9, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. in city chambers. The committee reviewed two major infrastructure projects, received a funding overview, and discussed the transition to separate city and county bicycle advisory bodies. The meeting included a consent calendar, three information items, and committee updates.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Meeting Minutes of October 19, 2017 – Approved with a minor amendment (removing the word "acting" from the Chair's description). One abstention recorded.
• Bicycle Advisory Committee Log – Received and filed without changes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the public comment period for matters not on the agenda.

Discussion Items

Franklin Boulevard Project (Item 3)

• Presenter: Megan Johnson, City Associate Civil Engineer, presented the Franklin Boulevard Complete Streets project for the northern segment (38th Avenue to Sutterville Road, 1.5 miles).
• Key data: Existing average daily traffic: 19,000 vehicles; 85th percentile speed: 47.5 mph; only one city street tree along the corridor. The project emerged from a grassroots community effort.
• Two alternatives:
  • Alternative 1 (Buffered Bike Lanes, Class II): Road diet from four lanes to two lanes with a center median, 3-foot buffer, widened sidewalks, and on-street parking with tree wells. Estimated construction cost: ~$13 million.
  • Alternative 2 (Raised Class IV Bikeway): Raised bikeway adjacent to the sidewalk, with grade separation and landscaping. Estimated construction cost: ~$17 million.
• Community outreach: Walking tours, public workshops, a pop-up demonstration, and a steering committee. The community preference is leaning toward the raised alternative.
• Concerns raised by committee members:
  • Conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists with the raised design, especially near driveways.
  • Potential hazards from uneven surfaces and street furniture.
  • Support for either option, but preference for the buffered lane from a “cyclists as traffic” perspective.
• Next steps: Preliminary engineering and environmental documentation (CEQA/NEPA) ongoing; targeting construction in 2020 pending grant funding.

Auburn Boulevard Bike & Pedestrian Improvements (Item 4)

• Presenter: Anthony Voo, County Associate Civil Engineer, presented a $1.4 million HSIP-funded project on Auburn Boulevard (0.6 miles from Annadale Lane to just west of Winding Way).
• Safety data: Between 2009–2014, 12 bicycle-related and 8 pedestrian-related crashes, including two fatalities.
• Existing conditions: Four-lane arterial with 40 mph posted speed (85th percentile 44 mph), ADT >20,000, narrow shoulders (2–3 ft eastbound, 4–7 ft westbound).
• Proposed improvements:
  • Restripe to provide a 10-foot two-way left-turn lane, 11-foot travel lanes, and 5–6 foot bike lanes.
  • Install a pedestrian-activated HAWK signal near the Powerhouse Science Center Discovery Campus.
  • Upgrade traffic signal at Norse Avenue to video detection for bicycles.
  • Improve bus stop accessibility and add infill street lighting.
• Concerns: Committee noted high-speed traffic near the I-80 interchange and expressed interest in future improvements east of Winding Way.
• Next steps: CEQA exemption and NEPA categorical exclusion received; final design and right-of-way acquisition; construction anticipated in 2019.

City Funding 101 (Item 5)

• Presenter: Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Active Transportation Program Specialist, explained how bike projects are funded.
• Key points:
  • Transportation is not funded from the general fund (except a one-time $2.25 million mid-year allocation for bikeways).
  • Sources: gas tax, Measure A (new construction), TDA, and grants. Local match is typically 11.47%.
  • The Active Transportation Program (replacing the Bikeway Program) has about $1.4 million per year for local match.
  • Over the past five years, 21% of the city’s total transportation budget was spent on biking. This percentage is higher than in comparable cities, but the overall transportation budget is smaller.
  • SB1 (new state gas tax) is expected to provide $8 million in the first year (rising to $14 million ongoing), primarily for pavement maintenance, with opportunities to add bike lanes during repaving.
• Questions: Committee discussed the 21% figure and how SB1 funds will be allocated; staff will bring a list of corridors with bike improvements to the next meeting.

Update on New City Bicycle Advisory Commission (Item 6)

• Presenter: Jennifer Donlon Wyant reported that the proposal to form a city-only Bicycle Advisory Commission will go to the Law and Legislation Committee on November 14, 2017, then to City Council in January.
• Structure: 13 members (12 council district appointees plus two at-large, with a mayoral appointee). The current joint committee will be dissolved in December 2017.
• Timeline: Recruitment and appointments likely in early 2018; first meeting anticipated in late spring.
• Committee comments: Members expressed hope for continuity and asked about authority; the commission will have no additional authority unless granted by council.

Committee Comments & Updates

• Vision Zero: Drew Hart announced that a public draft plan will be released in December 2017; public comment period will remain open.
• Special Meeting: The committee will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 1119 to review the Bike Plan Implementation Plan (Section 3).
• County Advisory Committee: Dave reported that the county will propose a separate county-only bicycle advisory committee to the Board of Supervisors on December 12, 2017, with effective date January 1, 2018. Appointments will follow a similar process. No applications are being accepted yet.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar approved with one abstention.
• No formal votes on the information items; the committee offered comments and feedback for staff to consider.
• Next regular meeting: December 14, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. in the same chambers.
• Special meeting: November 14, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. for the Bike Plan Implementation Plan.
• Staff will provide a list of SB1-related corridors with bike improvements at the next meeting, and continue outreach on the Franklin and Auburn projects.