OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Active Transportation Commission Meeting - May 16, 2019

Active Transportation Commission — Thursday, May 16, 2019
BodySacramento, California
SessionActive Transportation Commission
DateThursday, May 16, 2019
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

The speaker time limit is three minutes, and we also have cordless of microphone and assistive listening devices should anyone need one.

0:07

Thank you.

0:08

Perfect.

0:10

Okay, so the first item on the consent calendar is the approval of meeting minutes from April 18th.

0:18

Move to approve.

0:22

All in favor?

0:23

Aye.

0:24

All opposed.

0:26

Abstentions.

0:29

Alrighty.

0:31

The Active Transportation Commission log.

0:42

Okay.

0:43

So I have a question.

0:44

Yes.

0:45

Would this be where I introduce that?

0:49

Um no, at the end of the agenda.

0:51

Okay.

0:55

Any comments, ideas, and questions.

0:59

Alrighty.

1:01

Did I hear?

1:03

Alrighty.

1:04

And a second.

1:06

Perfect.

1:09

We have a question.

1:11

Okay.

1:12

And the third item is the commission staff report.

1:18

Oh, just kidding.

1:21

So on the Active Transportation Commission log.

1:24

All those in favor?

1:26

Aye.

1:27

All those opposed.

1:29

Any abstentions.

1:32

Alrighty.

1:34

So the Commission staff report.

1:35

And I understand that Jennifer is ill.

1:38

Yes.

1:39

So this is a new standing item on our agenda.

1:42

This will be an opportunity for Jennifer or I to report back to the commit to the commission on any high level topics that we can just report back at the beginning of the meeting.

1:54

The only thing right now is May is bike month, as you all are well aware, and we'll keep writing and keep encouraging.

2:02

Keep encouraging those around you to bike as well, but we don't have any items right now to report.

2:07

But this will be a standing item where we can just report to the commission on a f on a few items.

2:12

Perfect.

2:13

Thank you.

2:16

We don't need to vote on that, do we?

2:18

Okay, thank you.

2:19

Okay.

2:20

So moving into staff reports and discussions, we have the SACOG 2019 funding round.

2:29

Come on down.

2:34

Good evening, Commissioners.

2:36

My name is Cassid Mahirtle.

2:38

I am a civil engineer in our funding and project development section in our engineering services division and our public works department for the city of Sacramento.

2:46

I rehearse that by the way.

2:55

So first first off, what is SACOG and what is their role and how do they relate to the Department of Public Works?

3:01

So SACOG, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, has two very important roles.

3:05

They plan transportation projects for our region and they fund transportation projects in our region as well.

3:12

Every two or three years, SACOG goes through what we call a funding round.

3:15

And so there's several state and federal funding sources that they program for projects within the Ford County region, as they call it.

3:24

In 2018, they had a full-blown uh funding round with one exception.

3:29

It was a unique year because there were some certain state funds that were in risk for rescission.

3:34

And what SACOG did is they earmarked a certain amount of the programming target for a future funding round, just in case uh proposition six had passed.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety████████████████████████24%
Bicycle Safety███████████████15%
Procedural███████████11%
Public Works██████████10%
Public Transportation██████████10%
Environmental Health████████8%
Trail Connectivity████4%
Public Health████4%
Urban Forestry███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Active Transportation Commission Meeting

The Active Transportation Commission of Sacramento met on Thursday, May 16, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. The commission approved consent items, heard presentations on regional funding, a bike trail greening grant, proposed pedicab regulations, and a year-in-review, and postponed an equity-focused discussion to a future meeting.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the meeting minutes of April 18, 2019, by unanimous voice vote.
  • Received and filed the Active Transportation Commission Log.
  • Received and filed the Commission Staff Report. Staff noted May is Bike Month and encouraged continued promotion of biking.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Alex, a pedicab operator, expressed support for safe pedicab operation and proposed exceptions to a sidewalk ban, including one-way street travel against traffic, wide sidewalks, train track crossings, and special routes under freeways. He also expressed support for enforcement against unsafe operators.

Discussion Items

SACOG 2019 Funding Round

  • Qasid Mehirdel, Associate Civil Engineer, presented the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) funding round. SACOG plans and funds transportation projects regionally. This one-off 2019 round has $54.5 million available, plus a 10% contingency.
  • Three program categories: 2018 partially funded projects, state of good repair, and planning/project development. Scoring uses a 50-point scale based on benefits (25 points), leverage, and project readiness/deliverability.
  • The city is pursuing additional funding for two projects:
    • Del Rio Trail: requested $10.9 million, awarded $6 million, seeking remaining $4.9 million for construction.
    • I Street Bridge Replacement: requested $22.4 million, awarded $7 million, seeking another $7 million. The bridge is approximately 85% funded for the base alternative through the Highway Bridge Program.
  • Key dates: applications due June 10, 2019; SACOG board action by August 15, 2019.
  • Questions from commissioners addressed construction timing (depending on design alternatives), funding streams, and project details (the new bridge will not connect to existing I Street; the old bridge will remain).

Sacramento Northern Bike Trail and Urban Greening Grant

  • Jeff Nitka, Associate Landscape Architect, presented the $1.8 million Urban Greening Grant from the California Natural Resources Agency. The state goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.
  • Project activities along the Sacramento Northern Bike Trail include converting turf to drought-tolerant plantings, planting at least 600 native oaks, constructing bioswales/rain gardens, improving ADA accessibility, adding educational and demonstration gardens, a nine-hole disc golf course, drinking water fountains, irrigation improvements, and interpretive and wayfinding signs.
  • Partnerships include the Sacramento Tree Foundation, Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps, neighborhood associations, and schools.
  • Schedule: construction from October 2019 to May 2020, plant establishment May–August 2020, and project closeout September–November 2020.
  • Commissioners asked about ongoing maintenance (handled by Parks Operations and community partners) and community outreach (neighborhood associations and schools). Commissioner Wardwaller commended the project as a model for what the state grant looks for.

Regulating Pedicabs

  • Drew Hart, Program Analyst, presented a proposed city code amendment to prohibit pedicab operation (riding and parking) on sidewalks citywide. Pedicabs are currently classified as bicycles under state and city law, which allows sidewalk riding. The proposal follows reported conflicts between pedicabs and pedestrians, especially downtown.
  • The item is scheduled for the Law and Legislation Committee on June 4, 2019.
  • Commissioners expressed divided views:
    • Commissioner Haupt and Commissioner Carpenter supported the prohibition, citing safety and separation of modes.
    • Commissioner Wardwaller and Commissioner Jezzy expressed concerns about a blanket ban, suggesting exceptions for low-traffic sidewalks, time-of-day restrictions, and a distinction between traditional pedicabs and brew bikes (which are also classified as pedicabs).
    • The pedicab operator Alex proposed specific exceptions and noted that most operators prefer riding in the street.
  • Staff confirmed no formal action was needed, but comments would be included in the staff report to the Law and Legislation Committee. Several commissioners requested seeing draft ordinance language in the future before it moves forward.

Project Selection Criteria, Prioritization, and Equity

  • This item was postponed to a future meeting because Jennifer Donlon Wyant was absent. Staff will continue the discussion later and recirculate the earlier feedback request.

Year in Review

  • Staff presented an annual review of active transportation accomplishments.
  • Background: Sacramento earned Silver status as a Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists in 2016, and has a Walk Score of 47 out of 100, ranking 23rd among large U.S. cities.
  • Accomplishments since May 2018 include adoption of the Bicycle Master Plan Implementation Plan and Vision Zero Action Plan, and the shared rideables ordinance and fee structure.
  • Engineering improvements include buffered/protected bikeways on multiple streets (e.g., C Street, 9th/10th, P/Q/J, 24th, 2nd Avenue, 49th/50th, Folsom/Ramona, Mac Road), trail crossings, and sidewalk gap closures.
  • Programs: 182 new bike parking spaces installed; Jump launched 500 bikes and scooters with over 900 parking spaces; over 83 students taught in bike/scooter education classes, including a partnership with AARP.
  • Commissioners expressed gratitude and noted the need for increased bike program staff (currently approximately one staff member per 327,956 residents); staff noted ongoing hiring.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar approved unanimously.
  • Comments and concerns regarding pedicab regulation will be forwarded to the Law and Legislation Committee.
  • The Project Selection Criteria/Equity item was continued to a future meeting.
  • A request from Glenda Marsh of SAC Moves to discuss a Sacramento Transportation Authority ballot measure was added to the next meeting agenda (June 20, 2019).
  • Commissioner Wardwaller reported on convention center detour planning and a river district vision effort.
  • New commissioner Tamiko Haime was welcomed; she was absent due to her daughter's college graduation.
  • No public comments were made on matters not on the agenda.

Meeting Transcript

The speaker time limit is three minutes, and we also have cordless of microphone and assistive listening devices should anyone need one. Thank you. Perfect. Okay, so the first item on the consent calendar is the approval of meeting minutes from April 18th. Move to approve. All in favor? Aye. All opposed. Abstentions. Alrighty. The Active Transportation Commission log. Okay. So I have a question. Yes. Would this be where I introduce that? Um no, at the end of the agenda. Okay. Any comments, ideas, and questions. Alrighty. Did I hear? Alrighty. And a second. Perfect. We have a question. Okay. And the third item is the commission staff report. Oh, just kidding. So on the Active Transportation Commission log. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed. Any abstentions. Alrighty. So the Commission staff report. And I understand that Jennifer is ill. Yes. So this is a new standing item on our agenda. This will be an opportunity for Jennifer or I to report back to the commit to the commission on any high level topics that we can just report back at the beginning of the meeting. The only thing right now is May is bike month, as you all are well aware, and we'll keep writing and keep encouraging. Keep encouraging those around you to bike as well, but we don't have any items right now to report. But this will be a standing item where we can just report to the commission on a f on a few items. Perfect. Thank you. We don't need to vote on that, do we? Okay, thank you. Okay. So moving into staff reports and discussions, we have the SACOG 2019 funding round. Come on down. Good evening, Commissioners. My name is Cassid Mahirtle.

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