{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 1, "text": "TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MINUTES\nFebruary 23, 2005\nChair Knox White called the Transportation Commission to order at 7:35 p.m.\n1.ROLL CALL - Roll was called and the following recorded:\nMembers Present:\nJeff Knoth\nPatianne Parker\nJohn Knox White\nMichael Krueger\nEric Schatmeier (arrived at 7:50)\nStaff Present:\nBarbara Hawkins - Supervising Civil Engineer, Public Works\nBarry Bergman - Program Specialist II, Public Works\nCarol Beaver - Division Manager, Development Services\nAndrew Thomas - Supervising Planner, Planning and Building\n2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES\nCommissioner Parker moved approval of the December minutes, which was seconded by\nCommissioner Knoth. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote - 4.\n3.AGENDA CHANGES\n4.COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS\n4A.\nTMP Subcommittee Appointment: Grid System and Strategies for Implementation\nChair Knox White proposed that the existing subcommittee that developed the draft TMP\npolicies remain in place for the implementation portion of the Multimodal Circulation Plan. The\nCommissioners supported this recommendation.\n5.ORALCOMMUNICATIONS-NON-AGENDIZEDI - ITEMS\nNone.\n6.OLD BUSINESS\n1", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 2, "text": "6A. Updated TMP Schedule\nStaff Bergman presented the staff report and described staff's recommended revisions to the\npreviously approved TMP schedule. He noted that the bicycle plan update would be the first of\nthe modal plans to be undertaken, and suggested that the effort be coordinated with the Alameda\nCounty Congestion Management Agency (CMA) effort to update the countywide bicycle plan.\nHe stated that CMA staff have indicated that the City's project recommendations for the\ncountywide plan would have to be submitted by the summer, so it would not be possible to\ncomplete the City's plan update in time. Therefore, staff recommended that the bicycle plan\nupdate proceed on two tracks: 1) identify projects to be recommended for inclusion in the\ncountywide plan, and 2) undertake the complete update of the plan. This would enable the\ntimely submittal of the City's project recommendations for the countywide plan, which would\nhelp enhance Alameda's efforts to compete for grant funds.\nChair Knox White indicated that he would appoint a subcommittee of two commissioners to\noversee the development of the bicycle plan update. He also requested that staff prepare the new\nTMP schedule in a revised format, so that all tasks would be in chronological order. Staff\nBergman responded that this would be done.\nCommissioner Parker moved approval of the staff recommendation to revise the TMP\nschedule, which was seconded by Commissioner Knoth. Motion carried by a unanimous voice\nvote - 4.\n6B. Task Force Recommended Draft TMP Policies\nStaff Bergman stated that the draft Transportation Master Plan (TMP) policies had been prepared\nby the TC subcommittee - consisting of Chair Knox White, Commissioner Schatmeier, and\nCommissioner McFarland. The subcommittee received input from the TMP Task Force and City\nstaff. Staff comments were listed in the draft document, below the subcommittee's\nrecommended policies. Staff Bergman stated that the draft document is now being brought to the\nfull TC for additional input and approval of a final set of policies.\nCommissioner Schatmeier arrived.\nChair Knox White asked that the final version of the draft policies be brought back to the\nTransportation Commission after other boards and commissions have had a chance to comment,\nprior to being forwarded to the Planning Board and the City Council.\nThe Commission reviewed the policies and staff comments. Staff was directed to make the\nchanges to the draft document as recommended by the Commission.\nChair Knox White Opened Public Comment\nJon Spangler recommended a modification to Policy C-3.2. Rather than making improvements\nonly to routes identified in the bicycle plan, the City should look to promote equitable access for\nbicyclists on every street in Alameda. Mr. Spangler also recommended that the TMP process be\n2", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 3, "text": "enhanced by providing more opportunities for the public to voice its comments, rather than have\nit be an agenda item at a single Transportation Commission meeting.\nChair Knox White stated that this issue would be addressed as part of the bicycle master plan.\nPublic Comment Closed\nCommissioner Parker moved acceptance of the TMP policies as modified by the Commission.\nCommissioner Schatmeier seconded the motion. Motion carried by a unanimous voice vote -\n5.\n7.NEW BUSINESS\n7A. Alameda Point Land Use Impacts on Transportation\nStaff Thomas gave a presentation on the anticipated transportation system impacts of the\nproposed land uses at Alameda Point. He noted that the Alameda Point Advisory Committee\nwould be hosting two upcoming meetings: 1) on March 3, which would focus on land use issues,\nand 2) March 23, which would be co-hosted by the Transportation Commission and would focus\non transportation issues. Both meetings will be televised. Two additional workshops will be\nscheduled before June.\nStaff Thomas noted that if the conveyance process with Navy goes smoothly, that starting in the\nsummer of 2005, the City will enter an 18-month entitlement and environmental review process\nfor Phase lof the project.\nStaff Thomas noted that the policies for Alameda Point were established in the mid-1990s in the\ncommunity reuse plan. The policies were incorporated into the General Plan in 2003, but in\naccordance with the housing element and concerns about transportation through the tubes, a\ngreater proportion of the project now consists of housing. The revised development concept also\nreflects the improvement in the residential housing market.\nStaff Thomas cited two major policies driving the Alameda Point project: 1) reintegrating\nAlameda Point into City; 2) the project would not rely on General Fund, so the development\nneeds to pay for itself. He noted that the costs of the development would be considerable, for\nexample, there is an estimated $300-350 million to upgrade or replace infrastructure. There will\nalso be significant environmental remediation required, due to soil and groundwater\ncontamination.\nStaff Thomas summarized the preliminary development concept. Some of the major features of\nthe project are:\n1.2 million square feet of adaptive reuse, not including civic buildings\n662,000 square feet of new non-residential development\n615 affordable housing units (out of a total of approximately 1900 total units\n159 acres of open space\nstreets would be laid out as a grid system\n3", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 4, "text": "the ultimate location of the ferry terminal has not been determined\nThe transit center would probably be at the Main Street terminal, at least in the early phases of\nthe project. In addition to the ferry, various transportation options are being considered:\nshuttle between Alameda Point and the 12th Street BART station, operating on 15-minute\nheadways during peak hours\n\"eco-pass\": a portion of homeowners fees will go toward transportation, so people will be\nable to use shuttles or other services it without paying an additional charge\nwater taxi service to Oakland\nqueue jump/HOV lanes for bridges or tubes\ntransit barge\nCommissioner Krueger asked if the shuttles would be integrated into the regional transit\nnetwork, rather than being stand-alone services.\nStaff Thomas noted that the City has begun discussions with AC Transit, BART, the City of\nOakland and the Port of Oakland to explore a range of options. Options include:\nBART extension from downtown Oakland to Jack London Square to Alameda\nLight rail across Alameda to Fruitvale BART - While alignment in Alameda is mostly\navailable, connecting to the BART station will be a significant problem. Also, this will not\nserve people traveling from Alameda Point to San Francisco.\nAerial tram to West Oakland BART - This may not work well, as BART trains to San\nFrancisco are generally filled by the time they reach West Oakland. Also, if the tram\nconnects to the BART platform, Oakland will not benefit from the project, so it may be\ndifficult getting this option approved.\nStaff Thomas stated that there are currently too many options in terms of both modes and\nalignments. The City hopes to narrow down the list of options to one or two of the best\ncandidates by June and study the feasibility of those options.\n7B. Work/Live Regulations\nCommissioner Krueger asked if any data were available regarding parking and trip generation\nfor work/live development as opposed to purely residential\nStaff Hawkins indicated that she was not aware of any such data.\nCommissioner Parker stated that the work/live regulations have been in place for several years,\nbut no such projects have actually been implemented. She indicated her support for keeping the\nregulations in place to enable the City to see the impacts of project implementation.\nChair Knox White stated that the regulations seem to support the City's transportation goals.\nChair Knox White Opened Public Comment\n4", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 5, "text": "Jon Spangler expressed his support for the work/live regulations, and urged the TC to support\nmaintaining the current policy.\nPublic Comment Closed\n7C. Cross Alameda Trail Feasibility Study\nStaff Bergman provided an overview of the Cross Alameda Trail Feasibility Study, which was\nfunded by a grant from the Association of Bay Area Governments. The Rails-to-Trails\nConservancy received separate funding for work on this project, and has been taking the lead on\nthe public outreach component. Staff Bergman noted that the Trail would consist almost entirely\nof facilities identified in the General Plan and the Bicycle Master Plan. The proposed Trail\nwould be largely located within the corridor formerly served by the Alameda Belt Line railroad,\nextending from Main Street to Tilden Way, and include the following features:\nserve a variety of users by utilizing both on-road and off-road facilities\nenhance access to key destinations, including planned development at Alameda Point,\nformer FISC (Fleet Industrial Supply Center) site, proposed development in the Northern\nWaterfront area, and the renovated Bridgeside Center\ndesign would permit the potential development of a rail corridor\nland acquired and bike lanes constructed in conjunction with extension of Clement Avenue,\nwhich the City hopes to develop as a continuous route from Tilden Way to Atlantic Avenue\nCommissioner Parker asked if the proposed routes would undermine the ultimate goal of\nshoreline route. Staff Bergman responded that the\nStaff Bergman noted that the City has applied for funding from the Metropolitan Transportation\nCommission for funding for the first phase of the Trail, from Main Street to Webster Street.\nStaff Bergman stated that Lucy Gigli of BikeAlameda had expressed concerns regarding the\nproposed striping and lane widths on Clement Avenue. He distributed the letter from Ms. Gigli\nto the Commissioners.\nMr. Spangler noted that there is an additional former railroad right-of-way east of Constitution\nWay that connects to the former FISC site, which could potentially connect to the Cross Alameda\nTrail.\nChair Knox White suggested that the Commissioners e-mail comments to staff prior to the April\nmeeting, and the comments would be brought to the Commission at that time for approval.\n7D. West Alameda Neighborhood Improvement Plan\nCarol Beaver of the City's Development Services Department introduced the West Alameda\nNeighborhood Development Plan, which addresses the area bounded by Appezzato Memorial\nParkway, Main Street, Pacific/Marshall/Lincoln, and Webster Street. She noted that in February\n2004, the City began discussions with neighborhood stakeholders regarding the types of\nimprovements they would like to see. The resulting concept plan addresses safety\n5", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 6, "text": "result, numerous recommendations of the Plan focused on establishing pedestrian connections\nthrough the school property and the adjoining park. The completion of these improvements\nwould require coordination and the potential exchange of property between the City and the\nschool district. Other improvements recommended for the area near Chipman Middle School\ninclude the realignment of the Pacific/Marshall intersection, and the re-design of the school's\ndrop-off area and parking lot.\nMr. Smiley noted that the feasibility of implementing a raised crosswalk across Pacific Avenue in\nfront of Chipman Middle School would depend on the traffic volumes utilizing this corridor to\naccess the planned development Alameda Point.\nCommissioner Knoth noted that for pedestrians there are important connections between this\nneighborhood and the proposed school in Bayport and to Encinal High School. He asked about\nthe possibility of an elevated pedestrian crossing over Appezzato Memorial Parkway. Staff\nHawkins responded that people tend not to use such facilities if they create a less direct route for\ncrossing the street.\nMr. Smiley noted that the Plan called for enhanced pedestrian and bicycle circulation along the\nnorthern boundary of the neighborhood (south side of Appezzato Memorial Parkway) through\nthe establishment of a linear park. The City's Long-Range Transit Plan also identifies this route\nas a potential transit corridor.\nChair Knox White noted that the illustrations in the Plan include marked crosswalks at several\nlocations where crossings are currently prohibited. He recommended that the City attempt to\nmake intersections as pedestrian-friendly as possible and look for opportunities to permit legal\ncrossings. Commissioner Krueger agreed, and recommended installation of new crosswalks\nwhere possible.\n6", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 7, "text": "Chair Knox White Opened Public Comment\nJon Spangler stated that staff had insisted that two travel lanes would be required in each\ndirection along Pacific Avenue/Marshall Way/Lincoln Avenue. Therefore, by adding a median,\nthe existing wide curb lane would be eliminated, making this route more difficult for bicyclists to\nuse. He noted that an earlier version of the proposed design called for three lanes - one through\nlane in each direction with a shared turn lane in the center - and bike lanes.\nPublic Comment Closed\nChair Knox White and Commissioner Knoth both indicated that they supported Mr. Spangler's\nrecommendation of one travel lane in each direction on Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific.\nCommissioner Parker said that the configuration recommended by staff, with four through lanes,\nis required to accommodate the anticipated traffic demand associated with the development at\nAlameda Point.\nChair Knox White suggested that the three-lane configuration with striped bike lanes be\nimplemented until the actual traffic demand warranted the additional travel lanes. Commissioner\nKrueger agreed, and stated that long-term needs should not limit near-term improvements. Staff\nHawkins stated that Public Works had determined that two travel lanes would be required in each\ndirection to accommodate the future traffic at Alameda Point, but that staff did not specifically\npreclude the installation of bike lanes.\nCommissioner Parker asked if the developer of the Harbor Island Apartments could be required\nto relocate the sidewalk so that it would no longer be behind the parking area.\nStaff Hawkins responded that the carports will be removed as part of the renovations. She noted\nthat since the existing buildings are only being modified, the City cannot compel the developer to\nmake such changes. She also noted that Poggi Street is privately owned, but there is a public\neasement for the sidewalks.\nCommissioner Krueger noted that the bus routes depicted in the Plan need to be updated. Mr.\nSmiley agreed that any recent changes needed to be incorporated into the Plan, and stated that\ntransit improvements may also have to be modified if the locations of the major transit stops\nhave changed.\nCommissioner Parker moved to continue the meeting. The motion was seconded\nby\nCommissioner Schatmeier. Motion carried by a unanimous voice vote - 5.\n8.STAFF COMMUNICATIONS\nMarch 23 Joint Meeting with APAC: Estuary Crossing Workshop, 6:30 Start Time\n9.ADJOURNMENT\n7", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}
{"body": "TransportationCommission", "date": "2005-02-23", "page": 8, "text": "The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 AM.\nG:\\pubworks\\LT\\TRANSPORTATIONICOMMITTEES\\TC\\2005\\0305\\022305minutesfinal.do\n8", "path": "TransportationCommission/2005-02-23.pdf"}