BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Monday September 28th, 2015 6:30 p.m.
San Francisco City Hall
1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl San Francisco, CA 94102
Room 408

MINUTES

1. Roll Call – Determination of Quorum

1. Committee addressed informational items without quorum @ 6:56 PM per Chair
2. Quorum was achieved at 7:03 PM

Present: District 1 - Kevin Dole, District 2 - Winston Parsons, District 5 - Morgan Fitzgibbons, District 10 - Paul Wells,  District 9 - Ilyse Magy (6:46) , District 11 - Casey dos Santos Allen(7:03), District 3 - Marc Brandt (7:08)

Absent: District 4 - Ed Nicolson, District 6 - Richard May, District 7 - Bert Hill,  District 8 - Diane Serafini

2. Announcements & Acknowledgments

1. Thomas Shanahan - interning with BAC

3.  Approve Minutes  - August 24, 2015 BAC Meeting

2. Passes unanimously

4.  Public Comment (Discussion Item) 

1. Janice Li - SFBC
   1. 13th protected bike lanes: Happy hour at 6pm-8pm SOMA Street Food on Friday Oct 12th. Trying to build support for lanes on the other side of the street
   2. Masonic Avenue:
      1. 5 years since Nils Linke killed. 10 month delay on project. Word is construction starts Jan. 2016.
      2. Details TBD: Panhandle to Masonic connection unclear. Still needs to be designed
   3. Page Street.
      1. Bike/walking tours ongoing: Discussing formalizing center-running bike lane around right-turning traffic at Octavia (similar to Scott St-Fell St design)
   4. D1 Neighborhood Transportation Improvement Program
      1. Arguello improvements: Community planning process should begin soon. SFBC wants to see improvements hit the ground ASAP. Currently 1 year overdue.
   5. Internally at SFBC:
      1. New office location: 1720 Market St - no open office hour yet.
      2. Tyler Frisbee moving on from SFBC.
2. Tom Borden - representing “people who like to ride bikes on dirt”
   1. Rec & Park Natural Areas Program (NAP) not long ago put up signs in natural areas prohibiting bikes. Signs read “stay on desig. trail, no bicycles.” Can technically be cited for even walking bike into area
   2. Done by NAP - no public announcements or vetting process. Working to trying to get that reversed. No one has been cited yet. Lots of ill-will felt; people feel sheepish about riding on trails now. High school cycling teams, youth, adults affected.
   3. Kevin Dole: Agenda posted before Tom contacted Kevin - can add to agenda item next meeting.
3. Robert Peters - SF Urban Riders
   1.  Off-road cycling important to youth and those who live in cities; other cities encouraging. Off-road bicycling has been neglected in SF
       

5. Committee Member Reports (Information)

2. Chairman's Report: Goals as Chair, citation diversion update
   1. Congrats to all here at 6:30. Inaugural statement; personal goal for meeting starting on schedule to end at 8:30 pm. In the past, we have not enforced public comment in past, will do so going forward as needed
   2. Past committee work has primarily been discussion body; hoping to move committee to action-oriented body. Aiming to move towards a more active and relevant part of decision making process in SF.
   3. Beginning in October there will be a DPW rep meeting with the BAC meetings: David Froleck, D10, will be a consistent governmental report rep.
   4. Citation diversion: AB 902 has passed at state level; non-motor vehicles can have diversion program; can be a charge for these classes.
3. Committee Member Reports
   1. Winston: Still open spots for instructors at the Presidio YMCA’s YBike program. Looking for 2 staff.
      1. Paul Skilbeck
         1. Suggests speaking with Vanessa Houseweld - exec of northern calif interscholastic cycling association
   2. Casey
      1. E-mail Casey for updates about Vis Valley developments
      2. Bayshore Station development meeting October 6th re: transportation impacts.
   3. Marc: Apologizes for tardiness. Attended Interbike; lots of attention given to e-bikes. Talk around a bill allowing e-bikes into the bike lane. Feels e-bikes are an empowering technology.
   4. Ilyse: Wednesday Oct. 1st, 7pm- Meeting on SF General (2nd floor cafeteria) around changes proposed to Potrero.
   5. Ed Nicolson: Comments in absentia: Concerned about individuals riding “wrong way” in the Presidio towards Crissy Field when returning from GGBridge path.
      1. Contra-flow lane or better signage suggested helping with way-finding.
      2. This area is GGNRA territory, according to Janice Li of SFBC. Presidio Trust creating master bicycle circulation plan. Suggests following up with National Parks Conservancy
      3. Paul Wells: Suggests bike arrows directing cyclists onwards
      4. Paul Skillbeck: GGNRA doesn’t understand cyclists & doesn’t spend enough time consulting with cyclists. Instead of creating direct routes, they create meandering routes.
         1. Marc: Do you want contra-flow going down?
         2. Paul: Send people down horse-stables or towards the Warming Hut. Paul goes off-road onto trail adjacent to road in question. Contraflow would require creation of ped. space and utilizing travel lane for contraflow lane direction.
         3. Marc: Bike rental businesses show video illustrating suggested route for customers when they rent a bicycle.

6. Governmental Reports

1. SFPD Report on Safety and Security Issues – Citations, Fatalities
   1. Sgt. John Bragagnolo: With traffic detail. Can be contacted at john.bragagnolo@sfgov.org
   2. Marc Brandt: Discuss Vision Zero pertaining to SFPD
      1. Sgt: SFPD understanding; focus on primary collision factors (6 or 7).
      2. Marc: Are there specific routes/geographical regions prescribed?
      3. Sgt: From Market from 3rd-8th- Vehicles prohibited because of high fatalities & injuries
   3. Morgan: Will you be here regularly?
      1. Sgt: More than likely will be regularly in attendance
      2. Morgan: Interested in collision data, Focus on 5, citation information. PSAC: DPH made presentation last month on traffic violence; looking at SF General data to fill in police report data. Preliminary findings shocking; 04.2014-03.2015 police reports indicated: 200 severe (24 hour period of admission) injuries, SF Gen data shows 515 severe injuries from traffic violence (1 every 17 hours). Is this info you’re familiar with?
      3. Sgt: No. Is surprised; SFPD is supposed to be notified of these.
      4. Morgan: Might be missed because of collisions with trains, highway information, often don’t get reported.
      5. Sgt: Police & Sheriff's depart. on site at hospital should be able to collect data. There’s a lot of data lost if that’s the  aforementioned discrepancy is the case, especially geographically
   4. Casey:
      1. Casey: How do we report people driving in bike lanes. Best way to report? 311? In D10 cars using bike lane to circumvent traffic
      2. Sgt:. 311 is a good system, but more direct via captain so he can send out motorcycle officers to the site. Recognized 8th street has similar issues in the bike lanes. Similarly with Folsom form 9th-4th. Uses 311 for signs posted, street painted. 
   5. Sgt. 2 confirmed bicycle fatalities for 2015
      1. BAC briefed already
      2. Marc: Any new developments on 14th & Folsom per Vision Zero?
         1. Sgt: Unaware of specific enforcement there. Area is Mission Station territory.
         2. Lots of areas poorly engineered
   6. Sgt: Please send questions in advance. If he is unable to speak on them, he will let us know who to speak to
2. MTA Bicycle Program Report – Louis Liss, Monthly Report, Status on Hairball Study
   1. Not present.
3. Report on PSAC Joint Initiatives – Morgan Fitzgibbons
   1. PSAC unanimously approved resolution similar to “Idaho Stop Law” on tonight’s agenda. Right now developing op-ed in support to counter nay-sayers.
      1. Kevin: Will author be PSAC?
      2. Morgan: Unsure whether PSAC can write op-ed?
      3. Kevin: Parliamentarian: Any rules against?
      4. Casey: Can comment on legislation coming forward
      5. Ilyse: Can speak as individual
      6. Paul Skillbeck: Can I comment?
         1. Kevin: Will wait till general public comment on governmental reports
4. Vision Zero Coalition Report – Open
   1. Kevin: Nobody able to attend thus far. Will talk to Thomas afterwards to see if he’s willing/able to act as rep for BAC

PUBLIC COMMENT

1. Paul Skillbeck: I thought that as spokesperson for psac on this issue (PSAC Idaho Stop resolution) you would be able to speak as rep.
   1. Morgan: Committee writing op-ed (not Morgan). Howard Strassner working on it.

7.     Resolution on Endorsement for Passage of the ‘Idaho Stop Law’

Action: Discussion & Approval of Resolution

Sponsor: Morgan Fitzgibbons, District 5

1. Morgan: Quick recap of language on Resolution
   1. 3 more co-sponsors added that need to be added to resolution
   2. Morgan reads key sections of resolution
      1. Update PSAC to BAC
      2. Further resolved: typo on “blocking a crosswalk”
   3. PSAC felt it important to include 6 ft of space around peds & 8pm speed when following ordinance. Explicitly included items not included area:
   4. Included education point, per comments out of last BAC committee comments
   5. Morgan: Suggests changing “6 ft” to “8ft” for ease of education
   6. Ilyse: Any discussion on passing in front vs. behind pedestrian? Why not 10ft?
      1. Morgan: Decided not to touch it, may include in ed campaign that it feels less threatening to peds to pass behind them rather than in front.
   7. Paul: How long does it take to someone to walk across a street?
      1. Likes idea of passing behind rather than in front of peds.
      2. Mayor Lee threatening veto: Restructure disconnect between BOS & Mayor Lee. Can we reconstruct what we’re saying to illustrate improvements to public safety?
      3. Kevin: Will address in cover letter to the mayor
   8. Marc: Danger in person turning around if you’re passing behind them
   9. Ilyse: “further resolved”. Splitting hairs, but can we put emphasis back on “bicyclists” in “highest priority on bicyclists”
   10. Kevin: suggestion: “No de-prioritization”
   11. Morgan: Amend to “the enforcement of the following traffic violation by bicyclists shall receive not receive a reduction in prioritization. “
   12. Kevin: Strong support of enforcement language
   13. Paul: Can we have footnote in resolution to cite statistic in “15% decrease” in 4th “whereas?”
   14. Marc: 3rd resolved: “Where feasible?” Should that stay there?
       1. Morgan: From legislation; think the purpose is to clarify having road users yield to MUNI more frequently, but when appropriate.

PUBLIC COMMENT

1. Janice Li: SFBC: Echo’s Kevin’s sentiment that we don’t want people on bikes being jerks. See this as helping to clarify the law and behavior that should be on the street. This resolution responds to
2. Paul Skillbeck: Didn’t realize Mayor Lee threatened Veto; disappointing. Suggests how removed he is to understanding road safety in regards to bicyclists.  It would help people driving be less angry with bicyclists riding through stop signs by clarifying that it’s the “de facto” behavior. Suggests BAC advice to mayor.
3. Robert Peters, SFUR: “Yielding” part is worrisome (1st “Resolved,” #4); if ped. hit by MUNI are they at fault for not “yielding?”

3. Paul: Move to adopt with modifications
4. Morgan: Reviews previously mentioned changes
5. Kevin: 2nd

The resolution passed unanimously with modifications.

8.  Resolution in Support of AB 40 Banning Pedestrian and Bicycle Tolls on the Golden Gate                  Bridge

Action: Discussion & Approval of Resolution

Sponsor: Kevin Dole, District 1

1. Kevin: On Governor’s desk now: quick support important. Reads Bill for committee & public.
2. Kevin:
   1. Consistency in language issues: authority vs directors
   2. Hoping to send out tomorrow to Annie Chow in Phil Ting’s office
3. Casey: Motion to pass
4. Ilyse : 2nd

The resolution unanimously was approved with revisions.

9.    Adjournment:

The meeting adjourned at 8:16 pm