HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Bicycle Advisory Board - 06/29/2015 MINUTES
KENT BICYCLE ADVISORY BOARD
PUBLIC MEETING
June 29, 2015 at 5:45 PM.
BOARD MEMBERS: CITY STAFF:
Melvin L. Roberts Mark Howlett (excused)
Dr. Sam Hartt Ken Langholz
Leona Warner
The Kent Bicycle Advisory Board held its public meeting on meeting on Monday,June 29, 2015 at
5:45 PM in the North Conference Room of the Centennial Building 400 W. Gowe St. Kent, WA. The
meeting included the following items: Results are in italics. Action items are in Red italics.
1. The meeting was called to order a 5:50 PM.
2. No items were added to the agenda.
3. Bike Lanes on James St(Mark)
Is it possible to install bike lanes on north side of James St from lst Ave (BNSF RR)to 3rd Ave?
This request was given to Mark Howlett to see if it was feasible to add 2 blocks of bike lanes on the
north side of James St as part of the sidewalk/tree removal project. We are removing the sidewalk
and trees so that the sidewalk can be replaced. It seems like it would be smart use of time, money
and ambition to add the bike lanes during this construction. It does increase the size of the current
project but it would save us from going back later and tearing up the sidewalk to add the bike lanes.
The discussion covered the value of a 4'bike Lane for these two blocks and the safety they would
provide to riders on James St. There are problems to solve: removed old curb and gutter, relocated
two drain grates and a water meter, relocate three power poles and install new curb and gutter
with Bike Lanes and replacing the sidewalk. Basic issue: are there funds available to do this now vs
later?Action:Mel Request that an estimate be made of the add-on-cost to the James Street
sidewalk/tree project and determine 1) if the funds are available and 2) if construction of Bike
Lanes could be accomplished now.
4. We need to focus on membership recruitment.
Mayor Cooke writes: If bicycle access and safety is to gain traction, we need more advocates:
commuters, re creationists, families from all neighborhoods and cultures. There should be a
delegate from each neighborhood council.
Toni Azzola wrote: she would be happy to send something out to the neighborhood councils. She
also suggested Kent Scene Newsletter, Kent's Facebook page, a news release or National Night out.
Action: Leona Warner will contact Toni and follow with efforts to recruit members through the
neighborhood councils and city media.
5. Traffic Signal Coordination for STP. Request to Tim LaPorte (e-mailed June 281h)
The Seattle to Portland bike ride is Sat, July 11, 2015. The 10,000 riders, in groups of about 500,
start from the University of Washington stadium beginning with the fast riders at 4:30 AM. Riders
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will be leaving the University start line until about 7:00 AM. The fast riders will be going thru Kent
about an hour later(5:30 AM). There will be many riders on West Valley in Kent until about 9:00
AM. This is a request to the City of Kent to synchronize the traffic lights on West Valley in
Kent for southbound bicycle traffic from REI headquarters at S. 228' St to Willis St for 15
mph from 5:30 AM until 9:00 AM on Sat Jul 11, 22015.
Sent to: Mayor Cooke, Tim LaPorte, Mark Howlett, Sam Hartt, Leona Warner, Cascade Bicycle
Club: Elizabeth Kiker, David Douglas, Ed Ewing, Tarrell Wright
Action: Item is being considered.
6. Discuss John Neller's items.
See attached Sheet Items 18-24 below—What action do we want to take on each?Action: Mel to
forward each item to the department in the city (county) responsible for its resolution.
7. Leona's Grant idea from People for Bikes?Action:Leona to follow up with Monica Whitman on
which project(s) might be submitted by the city. Mel to e-mail small project list to Ken.
8. Development Assistance Brochures
Development assistance brochures (Brennan Taylor) (e-mailed Jun 28th)
If I have the right person, I understand that you are doing updates to the Development Assistance
Brochures (DAB).
Kent's Bicycle Advisory Board(KBAB) is interested in the updates that could effect the people who ride
bicycles. Potential DAB subjects include bike lanes, curb cutouts, driveways, sidewalks, street furniture,
guard rails,paint or plastic on pavement, etc.
Is it possible to get draft copies in electronic format of the changes, this would enable us to review them,
and advise you of any items we were concerned about. One item of concern is the omission of bike lanes
near schools in favor of wide sidewalks (discussion item?)Action:Mel-Coordinate with Brennan for
KBAB review of changes to DAB.
9. Ask riders to emphasis riding/commuting in completing the Kent Parks Survey at
mykentparks.com.Action:Mel—e-mail riders the request. Ask them to request a city bicycling
map. Leona commented that the people at the library would like to have a Kent city map available—
they used to have them to give to patrons.
10. Seattle to Portland Ride (e-mailed to City Council, and some city employees)
You are invited to be a spectator to the largest sporting event in Kent - The Seattle to Portland
Bicycle ride will have 10,000 riders in Kent. Great viewing of the riders will be on Sat July 1 Ith
along West Valley Hwy from any on the business parking lots between James and Willis Streets
from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Cheering for the riders is allowed. Take your camera and noise makers.
Drive carefully.Action: Done
11. Kent Valley Loop Trails
Any news?—Loop markers are being deployed. Via e-mail Hope reported that Valley Loop Trail
markers were being deployed. Mel discussed the engineering documents that recommend that the
cuts for bikes and peds in refuge islands be sloped to point the user toward the traffic.
Action: Mel to follow up with Mark Madfai on plans (that are about to be bid-on).
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12. Ongoing Bicycle Improvements line in the draft 6 yr TIP.
The city put back the Ongoing Bicycle Improvements line (unfunded).
Review items that could be built using the Ongoing Bicycle Funds. (Mel+group)
Action: None
13. Sign donation.
Mel's action item.Action at meeting none.
14. Outreach activities
Bicycle Sundays Action-discussion and action postponed.
15. Face Book Page
Create one?Contents?Purpose?Audience? (Status from Leona)Action:Leona: Create Facebook
page.
16. Update on Cross Town Bike Route(s) estimates. Mark Action: Postponed—Mark not available.
17. Comments sent to Mel Roberts from John Neller—Boeing Employee's Bicycle club—On Kent
bicycle facilities. Jun 15, 2015 Mel, here are my written comments on the list of small bicycle
projects. Mel's File: Bicycling_KBAB/Agenda-Minutes/2015/KBAB_AGENDA_06_29_2015-
NellerComments
18. 1. Trail Signs - in addition to the fact that the new signs are non-standard, they are currently used
almost exclusively to indicate features on the trails. But trail users are also interested in features
located off the trails, on city streets. This is especially true of commuters, whose destinations are
almost never located on the trails. Most of the road crossings on the Interurban Trail have no signs
whatever. Every road crossing should name the road crossed, as well as nearby points of interest.
For example, the crossings at James St and Meeker St should have signs pointing to the Kent
Transit Station. The crossing at James St should also point to the Regional Justice Center and the
shopping center at the Kent Transit Station. The crossing at Meeker St should indicate the direction
of City Hall. The signs at the crossing of 180th St should include one pointing to the Tukwila
Transit Station. This is not an exhaustive list.Action
19. 2. Mow the Green River Trail south of Hawley - the section of the Green River Trail south of the
end of Hawley Rd,just north and west of the underpass at SR 167, needs to be mowed. Most other
parts of the trail have been mowed, but this short stretch has places where at least one third of the
trail is blocked by vegetation encroaching from the sides. Action
20. 3. Power Line Trail under water- at times,parts of the Powerline Trail running east-west between
Russell Road and West Valley Highway are under water.Action
21. 4. East Spur of Green River Trail -there are two short stretches of the east spur of the Green River
Trail (that part east of the Interurban Trail)that unfinished. One is under the BNSF tracks (about
twenty yards in length) and the other is located to the west and north, and is about two tenths of a
mile. Also, at the far eastern end of this trail spur, where the trail returns to 94th Place S (which
connects to Green River Road), the rocks should be replaced with bollards. The rocks are so close
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together that it is impossible for some bicycle pulling trailers with children to pass between them.
This last site may actually be outside of the city limits of Kent. Action
22. 5. Hand signals (push buttons) on trails -the hand signals located at the intersections of trails with
roads (e.g.212th, 228th, James, Smith, Meeker, and Willis) should be so located as to face the trail,
not the road. They should be located on the right-hand side of the trail as one approaches the
crossroad. They should be placed so that it is not necessary to dismount from a bicycle in order to
use the signal.Action
23. 6. Map -the proposed city map should be usable as a bicycle map, not simply a trails map. Cyclists
and pedestrians are not exclusively users of trails. There are a number of excellent maps for the
region, including those published by Thurston County and Portland, Oregon. They indicate not
only trails but also show the characteristics of roads, such as the presence of bicycle lanes and
shoulders, and the level of motor vehicle traffic present.Action Mel—to send Ken a copy of the
map revisions to make a Kent City Map with, streets, city facilities, and bicycling facilities on roads
and trails.
24. 7. Lights at Willis and Fourth-the locations of detectors at this intersection are not visible to
cyclists. Furthermore, when attempting to proceed north on Fourth Ave, when I tried to use the
hand signal, I found to my amazement that it would not turn the light green. Instead, it turned the
pedestrian light on and also activated a green light for eastbound traffic on Willis St to execute a
left turn! I was intending to proceed north on Fourth Ave on the road, not on the sidewalk.Action
25. Added items for this meeting:
A.
B.
26. Agenda items for the next meeting:
A.
B.
27. Adjourn
Watch List:
1. Install lime-green reflective signs on the streets that cross the Interurban Trail.
2. Need more members.
3. Interurban to Green River Regional Trails Connector(Power line trail extension).
4. Two way multi-use trail (or Bike Lane) along S 228th St. (Runs west from Interurban)
5. Build UPRR underpass on S259th St in South Kent for bike riding.
6. Work on supporting a Complete Streets ordinance for Kent. (where, when, how, who?)
7. Cross Town route(s) for people who ride or walk.
8. Hold a Green River Trail re-opening.
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9. Create a"bike/pedestrian"2015 plan.
10. League of American Cyclists Assessment for bicycle friendly city Who, What, When, Where, How?
11. Bike route near Link Light Rail (Seatac to Federal Way).
12. Coordinating a request for permanent counters (for riders and walkers on the trails)
13. Create a Kent City Street and Bicycling Map.
We would like to see plans for these items created: (Mel)
1. Identify and paint the thru bike lanes where they are missing on the left sides of right turn pockets,
2. Identify road segments for installing Sharrows.
3. Identify road segments to be re-configured using"Road Diet"techniques.
4. Identify road segments for installing "Green Bike" lanes, where cars cross Bike Lanes
5. Consider doing a bicycle video.
Kent Bicycle Advisory Board (KBAB) meeting dates in 2015 are:
Jan 26, Feb 23, Mar 30, Apr 27, May 26-Tues (Rm 303), Jun 29
Jul 27, Aug 31, Sep 28, Oct 26,Nov 30, Dec 28. The Last Monday except May.
For information,please contact
Mel Roberts at 425-417-8931 or Mel@cyclekent.com.
Howlett, Mark" MHowlett@kentwa.gov
Contact Phone numbers:
Public Works Operations 253-856-5600 for potholes, hazards, maintenance issues.
Public Works Construction Mgmt 253-856-5500 for detour problems.
Kent Transportation Planning Documents and maps are on the web at:
http://www.kentwa.gov/transportation/
Dated Jun 30, 2015 -MLR
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