Active Transportation Commission Meeting - January 17, 2019
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Active Transportation Commission Meeting - January 17, 2019
The Active Transportation Commission met on Thursday, January 17, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss a letter to the City Council on the C3 project, receive updates on the Two Rivers Trail and the SacRT Forward draft network, and hear public comments on active transportation issues.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2018: Passed with one abstention (Commissioner was not present at the previous meeting).
- Active Transportation Commission Log: Received and filed.
- Commission Rules and Procedures: Adopted as presented.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dan Allison: Encouraged the commission to create a yearly work plan, focus on policy over projects, communicate directly with the City Council, and update the pedestrian master plan.
- Naila Pope Harden (Morrison Creek River Revitalization Project): Requested the commission help move the Morrison Creek bike/pedestrian path from midterm to a higher priority, citing strong community engagement, 1400 students potentially served, and funding already secured for design. Invited commissioners for a site visit.
- Anmelhoff (late public comment): Asked about the availability of RT bus passes for CalFresh recipients and whether reducing routes from 41 to 26 would cause job losses at RT. Staff responded that the project is revenue neutral with no layoffs, and that they would look into the pass question.
Discussion Items
Item 4: Letter to City Council on C3 Project
- Staff presented a draft letter capturing commission comments from the December meeting regarding impacts of the convention center complex project on active transportation.
- Commissioners discussed adding language to request an ongoing policy for stakeholder outreach on all construction projects to minimize impacts to pedestrians, bicyclists, and scooter users.
- Motion: To have staff revise the letter to include a request for an ongoing policy for all construction projects. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Item 5: Two Rivers Trail Project Update
- Project Manager Adam Randolph presented the status of filling two gaps in the trail: from Sutter’s Landing Park to the H Street Bridge (funded for construction) and from Sutter’s Landing to the Sac Northern Trail (environmental work). The trail will be built on a mid-slope levee alignment, with a narrower paved width to discourage speeding, and includes a covered structure under the Union Pacific Railroad bridge.
- Commissioners raised concerns about flooding potential, speed limit enforcement (city currently lacks a 15 mph ordinance), trail width for passing, and neighborhood opposition. They also noted the project’s benefits for regional connectivity. Staff noted that the trail can be widened in the future if needed.
Item 6: SacRT Forward Draft Network
- James Boyle, Planning Director at SacRT, presented the bus redesign proposal that reduces fixed routes from 41 to 26, provides seven-day-a-week service, eliminates hourly headways, and introduces microtransit (Smart Ride) zones to cover areas losing fixed routes. The network is designed to be revenue-neutral and aims to increase frequency and simplicity.
- Commissioners expressed strong support, noting the potential for improved bike-to-transit connections. Questions were raised about special event service, bike capacity on buses and light rail, walk/bike access to transit hubs, and use of microtransit data for future route planning. Staff committed to working with the city on capital improvements for bus stop accessibility.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved.
- C3 Project Letter: Motion passed to send a revised letter to the City Council requesting an ongoing policy for stakeholder outreach on construction projects affecting active transportation.
- Morrison Creek Project: Commissioners directed staff to agendize a presentation on the project for the February 21, 2019 meeting, and to explore a special meeting site visit.
- Statewide Grant Results: Staff reported that three active transportation grant applications scored 88 but were not funded (cutoff 90); projects will be forwarded to SACOG for local funding consideration.
- Shared Rideables Ordinance: Update provided: will go to the Law and Legislation Committee on February 5, 2019, with full council consideration in March or April.
- Commission Work Plan: Staff will research options for establishing a commission work plan or priorities and report back at a future meeting.
- Pedestrian Crossing Guidelines: Staff noted that pedestrian crossing guidelines will be brought before the commission in the coming months, which may address signage near daycare facilities.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening everyone. Let's call the meeting to order. And uh can you call roll, please? Yes, vice chair Ward Waller. Ummissioner Jesse. Present. Commissioner Garrow. Present. Commissioner Pollins. Commissioner Coffer. Commissioner Cole. Commissioner Ward Waller. Present. Commissioner Berdugo. Present. Commissioner Haupt. Here. Commissioner Carpenter. Commissioner Brazzle. Here. Commissioner Smith. We have a quorum. This meeting is broadcast live on the city website and will be also archived on the city website. If you have a cell phone, please silence it. Speaker slips are located in the back. Please fill one out if you'd like to speak on an item on the agenda and give it to Drew Hart sitting here up front. Your speaker limit is three minutes. We also have a cordless microphone and assistive listening devices. Should you need that? Vice Chair Ward Waller. Thank you. All right. First is approval of the minutes. Oh thank you. And the log and the commission rules and procedures. Do I have a motion? I move we accept the consent calendar. Right. Thank you, Commissioner. Second. All right. Um let's take a vote. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed abstentions. Right. Consent calendar passes. Oh, I abstained just because I wasn't here last meeting.
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