BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Monday June 22, 2015
6:30 p.m. City Hall, Room 408

 Regular Meeting
MINUTES

1.     Roll Call – Determination of Quorum

Present: District 1 - Kevin Dole, District 3 - Marc Brandt (7 PM arrival), District 4 - Ed Nicolson, District 7 - Bert Hill (Chair),  District 8 - Diane Serafini, District 9 - Ilyse Magy

Absent: District 2 - Winston Parsons, District 5 - Morgan Fitzgibbons, District 6 - Richard May, District 11 - Casey dos Santos-Allen

Unseated: District 10

The meeting was called to order at 6:38 PM.

2.     Announcements & Acknowledgments

None.



3.     Approve Minutes  - May 18, 2015 BAC Meeting

• Motion: Dole, pending reorganization of agenda items.
• Second: Hill

The minutes and reorganization were approved unanimously.

4.     Public Comment: (Discussion Item)

Janice Li, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition:

• Great Bike to Work Day -76 % of Market St traffic was bicycles.
• New projects at SFBC:

○      SF Park Redesign of “figure 8” atop Twin Peaks: http://www.sfbike.org/event/twin-peaks-open-house/

○      Doyle Drive redesign in Presidio: http://newpresidioparklands.org/events/new-presidio-parklands-project-public-design-workshop-schematic-review/

○      Treasure Island/Yerba Buena Island: With completion of Bay Bridge bike path expected in next 2.5 years, SFBC is regularly meeting with TI developers.The approved streets master plan is very bike friendly.

○      http://sftreasureisland.org/streetscape

■     Chair: Does the master plan include bike bridge access?

■     Li recommended SFMTA or Treasure Island Island Development Authority present to Committee. Bridge jurisdiction involves multiple agencies and is very complicated.
 

5.     Committee Member Reports (Information)

Chairman's Report – GG Bridge, Other initiatives
No report. Bridge meetings not until later this week.

Committee Member Reports

• Nicolson: Buses at  Northpoint & Taylor are using the bike lane as an unloading zone, creating a “pinch point” for cyclists.
• Magy:  At 14th St & Church the eastbound signal timing appears to have changed disrupting the "green wave" along this route. Also, the signal at South Van Ness lacks a countdown timer so many cyclists are running the intersection as the signal turns red.
• Brandt: A traffic signal will be installed at Columbus & Francisco, the site of many traffic accidents and
• Dole: The new SFPD captain at Park Station has announced that bicycle enforcement in the Wiggle will be top priority due to neighborhood complaints. 

○      Li: SFBC has yet to meet with new captain. SFBC will be attending community meetings and conducting other outreach. SFBC also requesting a thorough investigation into SFPD involved death of a cyclist at Crocker Amazon.
 

6.     Governmental Reports

a.     MTA Bicycle Program Report

Ben Jose, SFMTA Livable Streets:

• Polk St: A southbound bike lane has been installed, along with green mixing zones at several intersections and designated right turn pockets for vehicles that allow cyclists to pass on the with left.
• Re: a Committee inquiry last month, SFMTA will rely on pairing existing technologies and paired with right turn pockets as opposed to designing new dedicated bike signals.
• Northbound San Jose Pilot Project. A road diet installed for phase one has been not resulted in reduced automobile speeds. Results have not been release for phase 2.

○      Magy asked about extending the San Jose Ave to connect Bernal Heights to Glen Park.

■     Jose: No plans at SFMTA or DPW at this time. Advocacy from community needed along with funding.

• Re: last month’s query about what projects will receive TDA founding: TDA funding is a “flexible” source used to fill in funding gaps for projects e.g., bike safety education outreach, light up the night, bike share pilot, etc.

b.     BART Bicycle Advisory Task Force

Dr. Shirley Johnson:

• BBATF held a joint meeting with the BART Disability Task Force 7/23 to explore common ground. They agree on the issue of vertical access, level boarding and to use the term “people with bikes” and not bicyclists. Recommends level boarding access a la BART on Caltrain, also  bikes on every car instead of dedicated cars to reduce dwell time.

c.     Report on PSAC Joint Initiatives – Morgan Fitzgibbons

Absent. No report.

d.     SFPD Report on Safety and Security Issues – Sgt. Eric Mahoney

Absent. No report.

e.     Vision Zero Coalition Report – Winston Parsons

Absent. No report.
 

7.     Bicyclist Capacity on Electrified Caltrain System

Casey Fromson, Caltrain Modernization Program:

• Caltrain on track for 2020 electrification
• Electrification will extend from 4th & king to San Jose only. San Jose to Gilroy route not owned by Caltrain.
• Contract for electrification out expected to be decided this year
• Caltrain staff requests that Caltrain board release a RFP for new cars contractor at July meeting. Once contract awarded later this year, public outreach and car design will begin.
• New blended track system will need to be compatible with at 2 - 3 stations by 2029 according to current projections

Sebastian Petty, Caltrain presented the following:

• http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/__Agendas+and+Minutes/JPB/Board+of+Directors/Presentations/2015/2015-06-04+JPB+BOD+EMU+BBSS.pdf
• Caltrain has seen 143% ridership increase since 2004. Recent increases 10 - 11% a year. Severe crowding with rush hour regularly over 100% seat capacity
• Ridership is unevenly distributed between express and local train during peak hours, but both still high
• Estimated 11% of Caltrain ridership take bike to station with estimated 1% parking at the station
• Unlike BART, Caltrain is regulated by the Federal Rail Administration, fixed capacity regs by Feds leads to bike bumping

○      Serafini: what is the criteria for a conductor to bump cyclists?

○      Petty: if all bike racks full, conductor not supposed to allow on more on

• Approximately 2000 bike parking spaces (racks & lockers) over 32 stations, lots of variation in amenities from simple racks to valet. Caltrain recognizes need to modernize.
• Rider survey with 4000 online responses, not statistically representative. Key recommendations: grow seat and bike capacity, invest in bike parking at stations, better standing accommodation and no bathrooms

DISCUSSION:

• Brandt attended June meeting and recalled strong advocacy to retain bathrooms.

○      Fromson: new staff recommendations to board are based on feedback like at this meeting

• Brandt: new BART cars expand standing space at expense of seats to increase capacity, has Caltrain looked into standing accommodation?

○      Petty: FRA regs have different compliance standards for aisle clearance than BART

• Nicolson: Will trains have same car configuration or possible variation? Different train lengths?

○      Petty: possible different configuration but all trains same length.

• Chair: Urban transit systems need modularity. Will new cars have seats for disabled?

○      Design still pending but it will be ADA compliant.

• Shirley Johnson: head Bikes on Board project at SFBC. Caltrain carries lots of bikes because of poor transit connections at last mile. Bike bumps are unacceptable because paying customers are left on the platform. Increase in walk on boarding shows people are willing to stand. Bike cars fill well before non-bike cars which stay empty. Advocated modular train lengths to be adjusted during peak usage. New electric trains are modular.
   
• Chair: does Caltrain have the capacity to change train length in staging area?

○      Petty: Caltrain designed for rapid coupling decoupling. Likely to be running same length of train all day

• Serafini: Minimal bike capacity increase doesn’t meet future needs

○      Petty: Caltrain hopes to supplement with enhanced bike facilities at the platform.

• Brandt: Caltrain never bump passengers with luggage. BART allows cyclists to stand if racks filled.

○      Petty: regulations require designated space for bike. Will take to staff to see if  interpretation of regulations allows wiggle room.

PUBLIC COMMENT

• Sylvia advocated level boarding and fold up bikes on Caltrain
• Shirley Johnson: Thanked Brandt for attending meeting. BART removed seats on new cars to better accommodate luggage, etc.  Not popular but forward thinking. Shuttles and parking lots are heavily subsidized, bikes are more cost effective for last mile, second only to walking.
   

8.     Teresita Blvd Review

The Chair presented a resolution on adding sharrows on the downhill side of Teresita and a bike lane on the uphill side. Teresita is in a unique area lacking dedicated bike routes or pedestrian infrastructure despite nearby parks and schools. At the 5/31 SFMTA hearing Gabriel Ho discussed pedestrian improvement but not bicycles.

DISCUSSION:

• Chair will modify resolution to include 15 mph speed limit near Miraloma Elementary
• Nicolson corrected the spelling of his name in the resolution draft.
   
• Motion: Nicolson
• Second: Marc

The resolution was unanimously approved with corrections.
 

9.     Nominations for Committee Officers for 2015/2016 

• The Chair would like to need nominate Dole to replace him. Dole cannot serve as Secretary and Chair simultaneously.
• Dole advocated Secretary position as a good way to learn about the function of the Committee
• The Committee will revisit nominations at the July 2015 meeting when more mebers are present.
   

10.  Adjournment

• Motion: Nicolson
• Second: Serafini

The meeting adjourned at 8:38 PM.