Meridian Transportation Task Force
Meeting Agenda and Packet
September 3, 2009
1. Old Business/Follow-Up
a. August Meeting Summary
b. Future Meeting Date/Times
2. New Business
a. Discuss and compose priority list for ACHD Community Program projects in Meridian
b. Finalize ACHD 2011-2015 FYWP roadway-intersection prioritization list and State STIP/TIP priorities for Council consideration
3. Future Meeting Topics
Staff proposes the following, and requests committee member input:
a. Meridian Transit Plan (Fall through Winter)
4. Next Meeting Date
The next meeting date is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 3:00pm. The group will meet at Meridian City Hall.
Meeting Summary
Meridian Transportation Task Force
August 6, 2009
3:00 PM—6:05 PM
1. Attendance & Agenda
· Members Present: Councilman David Zaremba, P&Z Commissioner Joe Marshall, Bob Bruce, Miguel Legarretta, Joe Silva, and Caleb Hood.
· Members Absent: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Councilman Keith Bird, Roger Domen, Terry Smith, David Wynkoop, Curtis Baker, Rich Allison, Scott Colaianni, and Tom Bassler.
· Others Present: Matt Schultz – Citizen/Parks Commissioner, Steven Yearsley – Citizen/Parks Commissioner, Tom LeClaire – Citizen/Parks Commissioner, LeAnn Carlsen – Joint School District #2, Sabrina Anderson – ACHD, Justin Lucas – ACHD, Ryan Cutler – ACHD, Matt Ellsworth – City of Meridian, Margaret Havey – VRT, Mark Carnopis – VRT, Toni Tisdale – COMPASS, Phil Choate – ITD
· Meeting agenda topics included: 1) Presentation on programming processes by: COMPASS Staff, TIP; ITD Staff, STIP; ACHD Staff, FYWP and Community Programs; and VRT Staff, 2) CIP Presentation and follow-up discussion on ranking ACHD Community Program projects in Meridian 3) Begin ACHD 2011-2015 FYWP roadway-intersection prioritization process 4) LMMN – Alternative Transportation Meetings for District 3C Update
2. Old Business/Follow-up
A memo was provided in the packet for the August meeting, summarizing the status of transit planning in Meridian. After the programming discussions, City and VRT Staff will further work on this topic this fall and winter.
A question was raised about the appropriateness of meeting at 3 pm on the first Thursday of the month. There was no objection to continuing this practice.
Discussion Items
a) Presentations on Programming Processes: Presentations were given by COMPASS, ACHD, ITD and VRT staff regarding the TIP, STIP and FYWP. Handouts from each agency were provided and a short Q & A session followed each presenter.
b) CIP Presentation and Discussion Regarding ACHD Community Programs: Sabrina Anderson, ACHD Planning & Programs Manager, presented on ACHD’s CIP and Community Programs. An application was given to the TTF to fill out our requests. Questions were asked about how ACHD scores and ranks potential projects. It was discussed that the TTF, Parks Commission and School District priorities would be coordinated further during the September meeting. The intent isn’t necessarily to have one list of projects that everyone agrees to, but have a coordinated and planned effort for requesting these types of pedestrian projects – supporting, and understanding the needs of the community, school district, and city.
c) ACHD 2011-2015 FYWP Prioritization: City Staff handed out several documents pertaining to the ACHD FYWP prioritization process. Maps, tables and other technical information were made available to the members for consideration as prioritization for 2009 began. It was explained that this year’s draft lists (handouts) were basically last years list with some format changes – one list is now three. Also, projects that had been completed (e.g. – Split Corridor Phase I) had been removed from being a priority. Discussion ensued about changes to the staff-drafted list. The TTF did not make many changes from last year’s priority list. However, there were some changes to the list and discussion. A summary follows:
- The TTF had some difficulty with prioritizing the top two projects. Both the Eagle, Victory to Ridenbaugh and Split Corridor Phase 2 are much needed and highly valued projects. In the end, the TTF could not justify any change to the priority of these projects from last year and recommends Eagle, Victory to Ridenbaugh continue to be the City’s highest priority project.
- Even though it is not yet constructed, the TTF recommends removing the Ten Mile, Franklin to Cherry project from the priority list (would have been the #4 roadway priority). The ACHD Commission has spent much time discussing this project and has committed to constructing the whole project, from and including the Ten Mile/Franklin intersection up to Cherry Lane in FY10. However, because the TTF recommends not including this project on the list, they do recommend calling out the project in the City’s narrative/cover letter to ACHD as a high priority project that we are banking on getting done in 2010, because the ACHD Commission studied and made a final decision earlier this year not to split this project into two phases.
- The TTF wants ACHD to focus on completing corridors and two corridors were identified as high priorities: Ustick and Ten Mile. Because ACHD, with Ustick improvements through Boise, and ITD, with the Ten Mile Interchange, are making investments in these corridors, the TTF believes ACHD should make an effort to create full, usable transportation corridors rather than constructing piecemeal improvements that only benefit a mile or two at a time. So Ustick, from Cloverdale to Meridian Road (3 miles, east to west) have advanced to 10, 11 and 12 on the priority list and Ten Mile, from Cherry to McMillan (2 miles, north to south) have advanced to be roadway widening priority project numbers 13 and 14 on the list.
- The TTF has added five new projects, three intersections and two roadway projects, to the priority list: Chinden/Linder intersection; Ten Mile/Amity intersection; Black Cat/Franklin intersection; Fairview, Eagle to Cloverdale; and Franklin, Touchmark to Cloverdale. These projects have been added, in the order listed above, to the bottom of the priority list. Except for the Chinden/Linder intersection, which is only in the CIP, the rest of the projects are currently in ACHD’s adopted FYWP.
d) District 3C LMMN Update: Staff informed the TTF as the status of the alternative transportation plan update going on currently and inviting the members to participate.
1b. Future Meeting Date/Times
Memo
To: Transportation Task Force
From: Caleb Hood, Planning Manager
Date: August 28, 2009
Re: Future TTF Meeting Date and Times
At the August TTF meeting I asked the members in attendance if the regularly scheduled, 3 pm meeting time on the first Thursday of each month was still a good time. In an effort to get member attendance up, I would like to know if any of the TTF members have regular conflicts with the current meeting date and/or time. Please contact me if the first Thursday meeting date and/or time is not good for you. Additionally, please contact me if you are no longer available or interested in serving on the Task Force.
2a. Community Programs
Memo
To: Transportation Task Force
From: Caleb Hood, Planning Manager
Date: August 28, 2009
Re: ACHD Community Program Priorities
ACHD Community Programs (CP) are projects developed to expand and enhance a safe, efficient, and accessible pedestrian and bicycle network for residents of Ada County. Community Programs are intended to meet several objectives, including:
• To emphasize safe routes to schools
• To reach out to constituents and respond to public needs
• To promote community and neighborhood involvement and support
• To optimize the use of fiscal resources
• To progressively bring Ada County to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, improving mobility for the disabled
• To support the reduction of school safety bussing
Since school routes are the ACHD Commission’s top priority, a majority of the Community Programs funds will be allotted toward those projects. However, the ACHD Commission also wishes to continue to construct neighborhood enhancement projects, which will be evaluated and funded through an application system. The CP application offers each community an opportunity to address wanted improvements, particularly those that provide pedestrian and bicycle safety, mobility and connectivity. Priority will be based on several factors such as distance to schools, traffic volume of the street, outside funding, elimination of safety bussing, etc.
During the September meeting, the TTF will be composing the City of Meridian’s CP priority list for City Council approval. Because ACHD emphasizes projects that are on school routes, Joint School District #2 (Meridian) will also be working with us to ensure that our projects stand a good chance of being picked for construction. We will also need to coordinate with the school district on the applications as ACHD asks questions about safety bussing and being along school routes. I’m attaching three documents to this memo that will be used in drafting the City’s 2009 CP list: 1) The list generated by the TTF/City last year will be a starting point for this year’s list and is attached (list is in strikethrough and underline format, with Planning Staff comments and recommendations for 2009); 2) The school district’s 2008 request list; 3) The Parks and Recreation Commission’s pathway priorities. A fourth document, a status report from ACHD on CP projects that are in process currently, will be handed out at the meeting.
Please review the lists and come prepared to discuss prioritization on September 3rd.
DRAFT 2009
Community Programs Requests
City of Meridian
1. Linder Road near Ustick: East side of road; extend work on the intersection in connecting the School and the Park as depicted in the Pathway Master Plan. Small gap in sidewalk on west side of Linder to connect with existing pathway. Curb/gutter can wait until roadway widening. (4 projects are currently in design/construction on Linder that compose a complete (no gaps) pedestrian system from Tully Park (VRF HAWK signal), up through the Linder/Ustick intersection to the VRF HAWK signal at Linder/Stone Valley – near Sawtooth then up to McMillan with a VRF sidewalk project Linder, Sawtooth to Monument. These projects: 1) make it possible to get from Sawtooth to Tully, and 2) will be completed this fall/early winter so do not need to be in this years CP request list. Except for the Sawtooth to Monument project (early 2010 by ACHD maintenance team), these projects all show 2009 fund expenditure and will likely be done before October 1, the start of the new fiscal year.)
2. Washington, West 5th to West 1st; connect Carlton to Main: Along south side of Washington, jog south @ West 1st to tie in with new sidewalk. Continue east on north side of Carlton to Meridian. Cross Meridian to south side of Carlton and fill small gap in existing sidewalk continuing east to Main. Crosswalk (in potential median) coordinated with SCP2 project. In house design currently under way, 95% plans out for review; CN in 2013. Received request from property owner for crosswalk at Main/Washington, to make access to USPS easier from the west. Can/Should project be modified in design to accommodate crosswalk? Main is a 3-leg intersection that terminates at front of Post Office property, but Carlton goes through (4-leg) and also abuts Post Office. Meridian Elementary, Post Office, Cole Valley Christian School, and other downtown gathering and destination points are near the project.
3. Ustick (south side of roadway), from Ten Mile intersection (behind Candlelight Sub) through Malone parcel to Ustick/Linder intersection. ACHD owns ROW at intersection; 1,2800’ sidewalk addition on these two parcels would create full mile connected sidewalk. Sidewalk only; no curb, gutter, etc. requested. Priority contingent on ability to construct new sidewalk in ultimate location. If not, please drop project from top five. Project does not appear to be on SR2S or eliminate bussing. Joint School District #2 to confirm. Linder Elementary is approximately ½ mile away – through section, and no major parks or gathering places are nearby.
4. East 2 ½, Fairview to Carlton: Connect to Cole Valley School. Side of roadway TBD. Meridian Elementary (less than ½ mile), Post Office (1/8 mile), Cole Valley Christian School (abutting), and other downtown gathering and destination points are near the project. Would project eliminate safety bussing; SR2S?
5. McMillan: Need pedestrian access to/from Hunter Elementary across McMillan. Children in this area also attend Sawtooth Middle School. North side of roadway; Goddard Creek to Palatine, with new cross-walk to access school south of McMillan. Would project eliminate safety bussing; SR2S?
6. West 8th, Pine to Carlton: Southern half of segment west of roadway needs sidewalk; entire east side needs sidewalk. Route for both students at Meridian Elementary and Meridian Middle. Cherry to Camellia working on north side of sidewalk infrastructure via stimulus funds in 2010.
7. West 4th, Broadway to Maple: Both sides of street toward southern end of boundaries; changes further north. May require pedestrian (HAWK?) crossing at Pine Avenue. There already is a pole and flashing school zone light/sign at Pine/W. 2nd and striped crosswalk at Pine/W. 1st. Adjacent to Meridian Elementary, within ½ mile of Meridian Middle school. Project would create a continuous walk from Fairview to Meridian Elementary, and further south across Pine.
8. Locust Grove, south of Settlement Bridge (east side of roadway): With construction of Locust Grove/McMillan intersection, 1000’ of sidewalk connection needed (in front of 1 acre parcels that are not likely to redevelop) to connect to school and tie in to multi-mile facility. Route to Discovery Elementary, Pathways Middle School, and charter school (all within ¼ mile). Locust Grove, Paradise to Red Rock is a VRF project that is planned for construction in Sept/Oct by ACHD maintenance. Project can probably come off of list as it will be constructed this year. Will eliminate safety bussing.
9. Carlton, West 8th to West 4th pedestrian access. East-west route between Meridian Elementary and Meridian Middle schools.
10. West 1st, Idaho Pine to Broadway: West side of roadway – extension of sidewalk needed for pedestrians to connect to existing sidewalk approaching Meridian Elementary school. W. 1st at Pine is designated elementary crossing site with guards; main entrance for buses and parking lot. HAWK signal instead/here? See project #7 above. Most of sidewalk exists, but block between Idaho and Broadway missing and Broadway to Pine may be substandard. Traffic volumes are low; may not be a huge need. Would project eliminate safety bussing south of Pine?