pages: CityCouncil/2022-04-19.pdf, 11
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CityCouncil | 2022-04-19 | 11 | Councilmember Knox White moved approval of accepting both reports. Councilmember Knox White stated that he would like to see the City advance the groundwater work faster than simply including the work in a plan; groundwater is a big issue that the City does not know how to address; the work should be moved forward as money is spent on areas to protect the Island; ensuring money is being spent in the correct places will rely on what has been learned through climate work; extra money for climate issues can be held to Council priorities and policy of ensuring that funds are only used for adaptation and resiliency; he supports using the General Fund to go after transportation needs; expressed support for the two plans being linked, and for the plan coming forward being the most bold; stated the City needs to figure out how to provide protected, safe and family-friendly infrastructure; he wants to see the City continue to go with Council policy; expressed support for building bike signals along the Cross Alameda Trail; stated Council needs to start having a discussion with the community about the concept of induced demand; discussed emission increases through project intersections; stated the City has already done over half of the Transportation Safety Plan (TSP) projects; Council can look at the impacts of projects before moving forward; the CARP is big on congestion pricing, which has been a missed discussion opportunity; questioned the role of the technology in tackling congestion; stated congestion will not likely disappear if another Tube is constructed; discussed an article related to induced demand; stated the City needs to be looking at pricing and other opportunities to address congestion and put funds into providing better options and cheaper access; the City cannot keep doing what has been done for the past 50 years. Vice Mayor Vella seconded the motion. Under discussion, Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated staff highlighted things known to be true, which is being in the midst of climate change and global warming; fire season is now year-round and does not appear to be abating anytime soon; elected officials have an obligation to meet needs, look reality in the eye and not delay; the bike and pedestrian bridge is part of a transformative time for infrastructure; the City needs to step up and apply for funding; discussed the bipartisan infrastructure bill which is providing more money than ever; stated huge sums of money are coming from the federal government; the current situation is hopeful; City staff have held productive calls with the Department of Transportation (DOT); she will be calling on the DOT for transformative projects; the bridge is well timed due to a prioritization of complete streets and Vision Zero; it costs money to build a bridge and costs nothing to cross the bridge; complete streets are needed for all users; Council is leveling the playing field, which has been auto- centric; she is working on a meeting with CalTrans; the project's future is hopeful; discussed a Public Utilities Board planning workshop and subsidizing solar for people with lower incomes; expressed support for future plans promoting electrification; stated that she would like staff to perform root-cause analysis for vehicle deaths in the City, as well as bridge details. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director stated staff is reviewing five proposals to start work on the next phase of feasibility study for the bicycle pedestrian bridge; staff will return to Council in June with the selected firm; staff is making the selection in partnership with regional partners; the effort will take one year and the public will be involved; staff will develop feasibility studies while also working with the Alameda community. The Transportation Planner stated every time there is a fatal crash, City staff gathers at the site to review what happened; staff thinks about improvements; staff is working on a best practices scan of a rapid response program after severe injury and fatal crashes; staff has performed an Regular Meeting Alameda City Council April 19, 2022 9 | CityCouncil/2022-04-19.pdf |