Bicycle Advisory Committee - May 18, 2015 - Minutes
BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Monday May 18, 2015
6:30 p.m.
City Hall, Room 408
Regular Meeting
MINUTES
1. Roll Call – Determination of Quorum
Present: District 3 - Marc Brandt (6:57 arrival), District 4 - Ed Nicolson (6:57 arrival), District 5 - Morgan Fitzgibbons, District 6 - Richard May, District 7 - Bert Hill (Chair), District 8 - Diane Serafini, District 9 - Ilyse Magy
Absent: District 1 - Kevin Dole, District 2 - Winston Parsons, District 11 - Casey dos Santos-Allen
The meeting was called to order at 6:40 PM.
2. Announcements & Acknowledgments
3. Approve Minutes April 27th, 2015 BAC Meeting
Brandt: ammend to state unanimous approval of Item 9 Honoring Leah Schahum
● Motion to approve subject to change: Dole
● Second: May
The minutes were approved unanimously.
4. Public Comment
Adina Levin: status of adding 4th and King to agenda?
Fitzgibbons: someone hit near 4th and King recently
will be added once SFMTA knows more
Janice Li, SF Bike Coalition:
Updates:
Wiggle Approval decision postponed, frustrating because of Hit and Run
SFBC is continuing to work with SFMTA to approve full proposal ASAP
meeting to approve improvements at Palou went well
meeting approve to improvements until Octavia
Fell and Oak have been implemented, adding some things to it
Last week was Bike to Work Day!
Bicycles were 76% of commute traffic on Market street in the morning
Huge success, thanks to BAC, volunteers, community partners
Wednesday, 5/27 is Ride of Silence, meeting at Sports Basement at 5PM
remembering Charles Vinson, bicyclist killed at 14th and Folsom
Lisa Doherty:
Following up on March request for Broadway Tunnel Improvements
Reaching out to other cyclists she meets on route
Getting a lot of support! But difficulty in getting them to follow-up
Is she wasting her time?
What should she do?
Brandt: defer to SF Bike Coaltion as advocacy organization
Janice Li: getting it on priority list is a major first step, and difficult to do
no way to win support without community support
including drivers
not a lot of riders
Hill: set new standard with Caltrans for tunnels?
Doherty: sent a letter to BAC email
Hill will follow up with Dole to find it
Brandt: facilities need update:
“someone in tunnel” doesn’t always works
sharrows may actually increase bike ridership there which is bad
adding buzz strip?
used to be one there
Hill: this project could take 6-8 years to move forward
Doherty: there is a 14 inch curb near street level next to elevated walkway, could this be expanded to make room for cyclists?
5. Committee Member Reports
Chairman's Report–GG Bridge, No Report
Other initiatives-Committee Member Reports
Nicolson: Right Hooks
New design with arrows in addition to dashed line
6. Governmental Reports
MTA Bicycle Program Report –Ben Jose
Broadway tunnel:
Appreciate interest in making it better for bikers
identified as corridor in need of improvement for cyclists
exploring options, but complex
won’t add sharrows, too dangerous
want to create something anyone could ride bike through
example, could take one car lane to turn into two-way
would need extensive community support beyond just bikers, need people on other end of tunnel including North Beach merchants
4th & King/Townsend:
Nothing scheduled for next changes
issues brought on by traffic routing for central subway construction
New initiative to target congestion in city, could affect
Hill: this should be part of funding for Central Subway!
Jose: more parking enforcement could mitigate
Levin:
if parking enforcements are possible, how to make them happen?
Where can people direct their concerns and complaints? what are the follow ups?
Hill: the property belongs to so many agencies which makes it complicated
Jose: could be part of congestion mitigation funding
Jose: work with your supervisors, BAC member, SFBC to move forward
Brandt: if taxi community is the culprit, SFMTA could impact
Jose will check into enforcement
SFMTA and SFPD
Project Status:
Fell and Oak
Euclid
Community meeting about Upper Market
sign up for email updates at sfmta.com/uppermarket
Wiggle:
why not painted green?
not enough funding
Fitzgibbons: how much did project cost as whole, how much would paint cost?
Jose: not paint; thermoplastic!
Fitzgibbons: why did we spend money painting it before instead of painting at the end?
Engineers investigate collision site after fatality
Serafini: how long has SFMTA done this?
Jose: since before Vision Zero
May: are these studies standardized? Are videos included when captured?
Jose: these studies are robust; videos handled by SFPD
Hill: May 30th, Review for Improvements near Teresita Blvd, will be out of town
Jose: will let Hill know who from SFMTA is there
wants to see more than just stop signs, but things like bioswales and bike lanes that slow traffic
b. BART Task Force –Dr. Shirley Johnson
No meeting this month
Working to improve ties with BART Disability Task Force
a lot in common: need larger fare gates, elevators
c. Report on PSAC Joint Initiatives – Morgan Fitzgibbons
No Report
7. Resolution in support of the TDA (Transportation Development Act) request for FY2015/16
Action: Discussion & Approval of Resolution
Sponsor: Bert Hill, Chair
Speaking: Suzanne Wang, Principal Analyst at SFMTA Finance Division, working with grant applications
SFMTA getting TDA Article 3 (for pedestrian and bike safety projects) money from Metropolitan Transportation Commission a little over $1 million, 15% increase from last year based on sales tax across state
SFMTA and DPW split money 50/50, about $500k each
DPW will be using their money to leverage Prop K money to improve ADA ramp access, increasing total project value to $2.3 million
SFMTA will be using it for Vision Zero Bike Safety Spot Improvements and Bicycle Strategy Route Upgrades
TDA funds require BAC approval
Fitzgibbons: how are locations chosen?
Vision Zero determines High Injury Network (on visionzerosf.org)
go through environmental review so can’t identify immediately
Also wayfinding projects
SFMTA will follow up with which corridors they are choosing and why
Action steps: Timothy Papandreou will present current list soon to BAC
May: why is there a surplus?
Ben says sometimes projects come in under budget
Three years to spend this money:
Suzanne: she can come back and present on how money is being spent
SFMTA will be applying for additional grants in time period; this funding will be for projects they can’t get grant money for
Fitzgibbons: it is silly to have BAC obligation to approve spending when we don’t actually see what projects the money is being used for specifically and so can’t advise, can only approve or disprove
Motion: May
Second: Fitzgibbons
8. 2015 Applications from Public Works and SFMTA
Action: Discussion & Letter of Approval for Six Grant Applications
Sponsor: Bert Hill, Chair
Speaking: Suzanne Wang, Principal Analyst at SFMTA Finance Division, working with grant applications
$180 million available statewide and $30 million for region available to be spent statewide to promote active modes of transportation
Due to Caltrans June 1st
Handout of six specific projects:
Southeast SF Multimodal Safety and Transit Reliability Upgrades,
Geneva and San Bruno Corridors
Pedestrian Wayfinding Citywide
Vision Zero SF: Safe Intersections
slow vehicle traffic
increase time for pedestrians to cross streets
including leading pedestrian intervals
Lombard Street Improvements, Between Van Ness and Richardson
John Y Chin Safe Routes to School, near 350 Broadway
Market St Signal Retiming
Hill: is Environmental Review still bonded by LOS (Level of Service)?
Ben says not sure, will follow-up
Diane: is educational programs will be included because she was hit by driver making illegal left turn?
Wang says she believes media campaign will be involved
disseminated through community groups in different languages
Jose discusses “Safer Streets SF” campaign that highlighted in billboards that most vulnerable people are getting disproportionately hit
Hill: what about adding Bicycle Symbol to lead pedestrian intervals Walk Signs to prevent right hooks?
Jose will check
This is one of the few $ sources that will pay for infrastructure as well as outreach
Suzanne would like a resolution of support or support letter
Hill can write a support letter
Motion to approve Hill writing a letter: Brandt
Second: Fitzgibbons
9. Bicyclist Capacity on Electrified Caltrain System
Action: Discussion & Approval of Resolution
Sponsor: Marc Brandt, District 3
Presentation: Dr. Shirley Johnson, leads Bikes on Board project sponsored by SF Bike Coalition
Also in attendance Janice Li, community organizer with SF Bike
Bikes on Board program with Caltrain
Massive improvement from 1992
Now 48-80 capacity for each train
Still, not consistent so people often get bumped
Now with third car added to bombardier trains, capacity will be 72-80
Won’t push for increase until electrification and new design!
Data shows bumps decrease with added capacity and increase when service inconsistent
How many people will board with bicycles in 2021 with electrification?
bike boardings increasing even faster than walk on boarding since 2008
Walk ons: 5.5%
Bikes: 17.1%
this data is limited by capacity and bike bumps
data was taken in February which is low ridership month
proved by data taken both in Feb and Oct one year
Projection shows more than 20% of people will bring bikes on board in 2021
Was concerned 20% bike capacity would be enough, but survey shows that could be safe number since added bike parking options could affect numbers
what they don’t want is people seeing they can’t bring their bike on board and then choosing to drive
bike parking better financial option than shuttles etc.
Large increase in bike bumps in 2015 (over 3X)
forces cyclists back into cars
bike boardings decreased from linear growth pattern in conjunction with bike bumps, walk-ons did not drop
people are willing to stand on train, but not willing to be left behind on platform
expect latent demand for bikes on board
Parking lots are full at Caltrain and this could also drive away ridership
promotes mode shift from driving to biking
biking costs less than other station access modes so makes sense to promote
Questions:
Hill: do folding-bikes count as bicycles in passenger counts?
Johnson: unclear
Hill: electrified bicycles becoming more popular but are quite heavy. Can these go on trains or have to be left at station
Johnson: level boarding will make this easier
Nicolson: possible to consider reservation system for bikes on board?
Johnson: not sure, considered charging $ for bikes but illegal as long as they are admitting luggage for free
Fitzgibbons: do we want to invest more in bike capacity or storage on either end?
Johnson: both, prioritize bikes on board but want to honor that people state they are willing to explore other options on survey
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Adina Levin, Friends of Caltrain:
full disclosure, arrived to meeting with bike on Caltrain :-)
not comfortable with 20% bike on board capacity, too high
people are willing to stand on Caltrain, but at 150% capacity, need to have more seats
more people are willing to use off train facility and bike share
Friends of Caltrain does not feel comfortable insisting on maximum capacity for bikes if this means far more people have to stand
trips are too long
there are other options
increase offboard options!
Hill: with electrified cars will trips be shorter?
Caltrain electric will be able to accelerate quicker between stations so may be able to stop more frequently, especially as currently smaller stations increase ridership with TOD (transit-oriented development)
May: after a long day’s work, standing for long spans is even harder
Levin: level boarding is ultimate goal, won’t be implemented immediately
Janice Li, organizer at SF Bike Coalition
Right now Caltrain is still in early stages of design
SFBC feels 20% is important to start with:
can’t set goals without actual numbers (not just percentage)
Once there are numbers, they can work with Caltrain to see how to physically deal with these
Resolution:
Levin: recommends removing clause that says “bike lockers are underutilized” is because currently bike lockers are lock and key, meaning only one person can use each locker forever
Could switch to electronic system like BikeLink in East Bay able to be used by multiple people
qualify that by saying “current technology”
San Francisco has space for ~100 parked bikes, will be increasing to 235
with 1435 bike boardings at SF, this is only 10% of riders
Brandt: bike parking takes significant footprint at station, could get separated from bike if you board at different station that you got on at
Motion to approve: Brandt
Second: Fitzgibbons
Due July 3rd to Shirley
10. Adjournment
Motion: Brandt
Second: Fitzgibbons