Minutes for Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee of Urban Transportation Commission Thu., April 17, 2003, at 6:30 p.m. One Texas Center, 505 Barton Springs Rd. 8th Floor Conference Room UTC members present: Tommy Eden, chair Mike Dahmus Others present: Mike Librik 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:35 p.m. 2. FOLLOWUP REVIEW CITY OF AUSTIN PROPOSALS FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL Nobody was present at the meeting to discuss this issue. 3. PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CITY CODE WITH REGARD TO PEDESTRIAN RIGHT OF WAY AND SIDEWALK EASEMENTS Mike Librik presented a proposal for clearly defining a pedestrian facility in places where no sidewalk exists. Currently, property owners are required to keepn the pedestrian right of way clear of obstructions. Depending upon the type of obstruction, enforcement of the requirements may be the responsibility of different departments: Solid Waste Services, Park and Recreation, or Neighborhood Planning and Zoning, for example. Several possibilities were discussed for further action. Austin Energy could distribute information with electric bills, letting property owners know that it is their responsibility to keep the pedestrian way clear. Mike Librik plans to build a web page explaining the responsibility of property owners. Other actions on this issue: (1) Mike Librik agreed to send his proposal to Linda DuPriest for staff review. (2) A future agenda item of the UTC would be announced at the April 21 meeting. (3) Mike Librik's proposal would be attached to these minutes, in order to make it available for review by the public and by UTC members. (4) This issue will be considered in subcommittee again in May. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY OF AUSTIN PROPOSALS FOR CONGESTION MITIGATION AND AIR QUALITY (CMAQ) Anderson Mill pathway to connect cul-de-sacs: Mike Dahmus had sent a request to Linda DuPriest about this idea, but had not received a response as of the subcommittee meeting date. Because of the short time frame (May 16 deadline at CAMPO), this proposal would probably not be ready in time for this round of CMAQ funding. S. Mopac trail: Tommy Eden reported that Celia Kemp was preparing a proposal for a trail adjacent to S. Mopac (Loop 1) between Barton Skyway and Loop 360. The Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee agreed to endorse a proposal for this trail. The application will become active only if the City of Austin submits it to CAMPO for funding. N. Mopac bikeway proposal: Mike Dahmus pointed out that the City of Austin had previously looked at various ways of building a bikeway across US 183 at or near Mopac (Loop 1). The biggest obstacle in every case was the need to get approval from the Union Pacific Railroad for right of way. 5. PROPOSAL FOR BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS ON SOUTH LAMAR BOULEVARD The neighborhoods had expressed support for the proposal as written, and the Zilker Neighborhood Association had added some specific recommendations. The proposal was on the agenda for the April 21 UTC meeting. 6. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY Nobody was present to discuss this issue. NOTE: After the meeting was over, Eric Anderson showed up with a draft proposal, which he discussed with Tommy Eden. The proposal has been placed on the agenda for the UTC meeting in May without action from the Bicycle-Pedestrian Subcommittee. 7. STATUS REPORT ON PROPOSAL FOR BICYCLE LANES ON GUADALUPE AND LAVACA STREETS DOWNTOWN Tommy Eden announced that this issue had been scheduled for City Council consideration on May 22. Mike Dahmus stated that he did not want the City of Austin to invest limited resources for more bicycle lanes in the downtown area, where he believes the streets are already safe for bicyclists. He would rather see our energy focused on projects which serve the outlying areas, which, in his opinion, have a greater need for bicycle facilities. 8. STATUS REPORT ON BICYCLE LANES FOR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD Tommy Eden reported that he had met with Lorraine Atherton to look at the engineering drawings for the section of Barton Springs Road which is currently under construction, in order to make sure that bicycle lanes are still in the design. They had also gone out with Bobby Rigney and measured the street from curb to curb. The street measured exactly 25 feet from curb to curb, which was the design shown in the engineering drawings. The lanes had been designed to be unusually narrow with the intention of reducing the speed of the traffic. Tommy Eden stated that he felt assured that the bicycle lanes would be painted when the construction work is completed.