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The Regular Meeting of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) was called to order at 6:04 p.m. by Chairperson Simons in Room B-104, VTA, 3331 North First Street, San Jose, California.

Members Present
Eric Anderson
Bob Eltgroth
Marc Jensen Mahmoud Kamangar
David Kobayashi
Curt Riffle
Jim Stallman
David Simons, Chairperson
John Sullivan, Vice Chairperson
Bart Thielges
Joe Walton

Members Absent
Steven Aufdermauer
Cedric de La Beaujardiere
William F. (Bill) Manry
Rob Means
Al Slechta

There was no report from the Chairperson.

Kevin Jackson, Sunnyvale BPAC, distributed handouts regarding shared use lane pavement markings known as sharrows. Mr. Jackson advised the Committee that Sunnyvale´s current Bicycle Plan recommends placing bike lanes on Wolfe Road between El Camino and Old San Francisco Road. The City of Sunnyvale has received grant money for this bicycle lane project. Mr. Jackson explained that this section of Wolfe Road currently accommodates vehicle parking and that the Sunnyvale BPAC is requesting a daytime bicycle lane that would require vehicle-parking restrictions during daylight hours. To avoid removing daytime street parking Sunnyvale staff recommended the use of experimental sharrows. He stated that the Sunnyvale BPAC believes the experimental use of sharrows at this location would be dangerous and expressed concern regarding lane width and safety issues. Mr. Jackson reported that a Bicycle Opportunity Study Survey showed that vehicle parking along this stretch of road was largely unused. He reported that Sunnyvale´s BPAC has urged the City of Sunnyvale to adhere to their original plan to provide daytime bike lanes.

Dieckmann Cogill, City of Sunnyvale Transportation Planner, reported that parking demand was researched and residents concern over losing daytime parking in the area was noted. She reported that removal or restriction of daytime parking to accommodate daytime bike lanes would raise more issues than originally anticipated. Concerned with the possibility of losing the project grant money Sunnyvale staff decided to compromise by making it a shared road using sharrows. She noted that the use of sharrows is experimental.

Discussion ensued regarding project scope, grant language, time frame for testing the experimental sharrows, options including alternate routes for a bike lane and if the project grant money was restricted to Wolfe Road.

M/S/C (Stallman/Jensen) on a vote of 10 ayes to 0 nays to 1 abstention to have the VTA BPAC Chairperson send correspondence to the City of Sunnyvale to:1) not use the experimental shared lane pavement markings (sharrows), 2) seek out applicable and appropriate solutions to provide safe bicycle alternatives and utilize the grant money if possible, and 3) keep the VTA BPAC updated on progress in completing this project. (Member Anderson abstained.)

Mike Aro, Operations Deputy Director, reported that on June 5, 2003, VTA Board of Directors approved a two-year budget for FY 2004-2005. The Board also directed staff to explore the feasibility of the limited, temporary use of future 2000 Measure A revenues. The extent of the reductions is dependent on whether VTA is able to secure revenue through a bonding package against future 2000 Measure A funds. If successful, VTA could be able to modify the current proposed 21 percent service reduction plan to a 3 percent reduction plan. If VTA is not permitted to utilize future 2000 Measure A revenues to fund existing operations, a 21 percent service reduction will be implemented in January 2004. If VTA is permitted to utilize future 2000 Measure A revenues to fund existing operations, a 3 percent service reduction will be implemented in January 2004. Mr. Aro provided an overview of both the 21 percent and 3 percent service reduction scenarios.

On order of Chairperson Simons, there being no objection, the January 2004 Transit Service Reduction Plan was received and filed.

Member Walton reported for the Nominating Committee (Members Anderson, Eltgroth and Walton) and recommended John Sullivan for the position of Chairperson and Marc Jensen for the position of Vice Chairperson for FY 2003-2004.

On order of Chairperson Simons, there being no objection, the Nominating Committee Report was received.  

Chester Fung, Transportation Planner, reported that the need for Pedestrian Technical Guidelines became evident when the Community Design Manual of Best Practices for Integrating Transportation and Land Use was being developed. The Best Practices Manual was a good overview of how to integrate transportation and land use but did not provide specific guidelines regarding pedestrians. The purpose of the Pedestrian Technical Guidelines is to provide a resource for pedestrian planning and will be used to base funding guidance for the pedestrian program. Mr. Fung reported the Draft Pedestrian Technical Guidelines received extensive review and input by the public. A working group made up of members of the committee, staff from Member Agencies and the communities met once a month for approximately six months. As a result of the meetings, an administrative draft was developed and circulated widely to the public, VTA advisory and sub committees, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC) Regional Pedestrian Committee.

Upon query by Member Eltgroth, Mr. Fung responded that the three members representing VTA's BPAC at the working group meetings were Members Simons, Jensen, and Sullivan and that San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto were also represented.

Upon query by Member Eltgroth regarding comfort vs. safety, Mr. Fung responded that safety is a dubious role; it is arguable whether certain things are safer than certain other things, hence the word comfort was used in the Guidelines rather than the word safety.

Committee discussion ensued relative to pedestrian safety.

Member Stallman noted several modifications and additions to the Pedestrian Technical Guidelines among these were the issue of signal activation and integration of segue´s into the Guidelines. He suggested the document be organized into a checklist using numbered guidelines to encourage the active use of the document.

Carolyn Gonot, CMP Deputy Director, stated that there is still time to provide input to the Pedestrian Technical Guidelines over the next month. The final document will go before the VTA Board of Directors in October 2004.

M/S/C (Eltgroth/Walton) to recommend the Board of Directors adopt the VTA Pedestrian Technical Guidelines.

Ms. Gonot referred to the memorandum provided in the agenda packet outlining the update of the Countywide Plan and MTC´s Regional Transportation Plan. She reported that the Countywide Plan will be updated and adopted in April/May of 2004. Both Plans are being updated simultaneously and adoption of the Regional Plan is expected in January 2005. Much of the Countywide Plan will feed into the Regional Transportation Plan. Ms. Gonot noted that of the ten program areas, the bicycle program is most complete because it has completed the ten-year project list. Approximately seven of the ten program areas will be developing project lists that will be reviewed by the VTA Board of Directors and the public through a series of public meetings. She stated that all information will be brought back to the Committee for review and input prior to adoption.

On order of Chairperson Simons, there being no objection, the Valley Transportation Plan 2030 and MTC Transportation 2030 Update was received and filed.

Erin Chao, Transportation Planner, reported that all the project sponsors have already funded their obligation requests to Caltrans before July 1, 2003. Of those projects with federal or state funds expiring this year, most have already received allocations or advanced construction funding. The San Tomas Aquino and Calabazas Creek Trail Projects are still waiting for clearance from Caltrans hopefully they will get approval before the funding expiration deadline.

Upon query by Member Stallman regarding where the miscellaneous $20 million in funding comes from for the North Bus Yard Reconstruction Ms. Gonot answered that she believes it is VTA's operating local funds. Member Stallman expressed concern over VTA spending money on bus yard reconstruction rather than using the money to save bus service.

On order of Chairperson Simons, there being no objection, the Programmed Projects Quarterly Monitoring Report for April-June 203 was received and filed.

Samantha Swan, Transportation Planner II, provided an overview of the Proactive Congestion Management Program (CMP) Reviewed and Approved Projects Monthly Status Report contained in the agenda packet.

Committee discussion ensued regarding several of the projects contained in the report.

On order of Chairperson Simons, there being no objection, the Proactive Congestion Management Program (CMP) Reviewed and Approved Projects Monthly Status Report was received and filed.

Member Sullivan announced that the Santa Clara BAC will meet two weeks from tonight and that they are recruiting new members.

Member Anderson announced that the Mountain View Council Transportation Committee will review the Mountain View Bicycle Plan next week and that the next regular Mountain View BPAC meeting will be held outside.

Member Jensen announced the City of Los Gatos has installed several new bicycle racks and proposes to install new bicycle lanes in the future.

Member Kobayashi announced that Central Expressway has recently been resurfaced and that the area had to be retreated to smooth out the roughness.

Member Walton announced a ribbon cutting for the Stevens Canyon Road Widening. The City of Cupertino hosted a segue demonstration. The City of Cupertino is working on the ten-year general plan that will focus on the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists.

Member Thielges announced that bike lanes will be installed on San Fernando Street in the near future.

Member Stallman announced that City of Saratoga looked into decreasing the speed limit on Saratoga Avenue the outcome was that the speed limit will remain the same.

Ms. Gonot distributed the completed Community Design and Transportation Manual.

On order of Chairperson Simons, there being no objection, the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara R. Cappa, Board Assistant
VTA Board of Directors