Merced Civic Center
678 W. 18th Street
Merced, CA 95340
CITY OF MERCED
Minutes
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
4:00 PMTuesday, March 1, 2022
A. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson KAYSER-GRANT called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Ex-Officio Member ABONG led the Pledge of Allegiance.
C. ROLL CALL
CLERK'S NOTE: Ex-Officio Member ABONG was present. Ex-Officio Member CHAVEZ arrived at 4:02 PM.
Chairperson Lisa Kayser-Grant, Member Dwight Ewing, Member Michael Meloy, Vice Chair Jagdishkumar Modi, and Member Adam Klier
Present: 5 -
Absent: 0
D. PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no public comments.
E. CONSENT CALENDAR
A motion was made by Commissioner KLIER, seconded by Commissioner EWING that the consent calendar be approved. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Chairperson Kayser-Grant, Member Ewing, Member Meloy, Vice Chair Modi, and Member Klier
5 -
No: 0
Absent: 0
E.1 SUBJECT: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission Minutes of December 14, 2021
ACTION
Approving and filing the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission Minutes of December 14, 2021
This Consent Item was approved.
March 1, 2022Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Minutes
F. REPORTS
F.1 SUBJECT: Engineering Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
Staff will provide informational items to the Commission regarding Engineering, current projects, or other items not requiring action by the Commission at this meeting.
Principal Planner HREN read a report provided by the City Engineer. The B Street construction is underway, and the water main is scheduled to start being installed this week. The G Street construction has not yet started, but should begin within approximately a month. Avoiding conflict with the Merced County Fair is a key consideration for this project. The Motel Drive multi-use path, John Muir sidewalks, and the North transit hub are designed and awaiting final approval to go out to bid. City Standards are in process and should be provided to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commissioners via email within the next few weeks for comment at the next meeting.
Mr. HREN also stated that the Clean California grant program announced the Merced Gateway and Mural project for approximately $1 million to create murals, gateway monuments, and wayfinding signage with a regionally significant theme along highways 99, 150, and 59. Caltrans will be provided with a list of on-call local artists to assist with the mural portion of the project. Mr. HREN thanked the Commission for its assistance in considering project locations.
The Commission asked for a more detailed report on the downtown Pilot Project, including traffic analysis. Mr. HREN indicated that he would inform Mr. BELTRAN of this request for the next meeting.
F.2 SUBJECT: Information Items
REPORT IN BRIEF
Staff will provide informational items to the Commission regarding future meetings or other items not requiring action by the Commission at this meeting.
Mr. HREN noted that Ex-Officio member BUCHMANN-GARCIA has resigned as a member of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission. Mr. HREN thanked Ms. BUCHMANN-GARCIA for her participation on the Commission.
March 1, 2022Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Minutes
F.3 SUBJECT: Commissioner Comments
REPORT IN BRIEF
Provides Commissioners an opportunity to make a brief announcement on any activities they have attended on behalf of the City and/or on future community events/activities that relate to active transportation. The Brown Act does not allow discussion or action by the legislative body under this section.
Member KLIER noted that a Caltrans resurfacing project along Highway 145 in Madera is proposing a Road Diet that would reduce the surface to a single lane in each direction with pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure alongside it.
Member MELOY stated that the Director of Caltrans was appointed as the Secretary of Transportation, and that he would provide Mr. HREN with a memorandum from the Director to disseminate to the rest of the Commission.
Member CHAVEZ announced that seven new diesel buses had been purchased, and that buses were now being fitted with bike racks capable of allowing fat tire bicycles.
Member EWING noted that the Merced Bicycle Coalition would be holding Bike-to-Work day on Friday, May 20, 2022. He also said that the Ride with the Mayor would be taking place in late May 2022, but the details were still being worked out.
G. BUSINESS
G.1 SUBJECT: Bike Month Proclamation and Discussion
REPORT IN BRIEF
The Commission will be presented a draft of the proposed proclamation for Bike Month and given the opportunity to discuss possible activities.
RECOMMENDATION
The Commission should make a recommendation to the City Council regarding the proclamation for Bike Month
Mr. HREN introduced the item. The Commission discussed the contents of the Proclamation. The Commission provided recommended additions and modifications to the Proclamation to be returned to the Commission at its April meeting.
March 1, 2022Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Minutes
The Commission discussed ideas for future Bike Month events. A suggestion was made to add an item to the meeting after Bike Month for review of the event and goals for the next year. The Commission indicated that additional volunteers for the Ride with the Mayor event would be helpful in a non-riding capacity to remain at the starting location and operate the main table. The Commission discussed other potential improvements, including independent vendors for food and beverage at the start and midway locations, signage along the route, closing of the downtown streets to motorized vehicles on Bike Day, updates to or creation of informational brochures and pamphlets about Bike Month and Bike Day events, and a booth for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission to interact with the public. Mr. HREN noted that such a booth could require that the event become a noticed meeting or require that less than a quorum of the Commissioners be in attendance, and that prior to such an idea moving forward, guidance from the City Attorney's office would be necessary.
A motion was made by member KLIER, seconded by member MELOY, to continue the recommendation of the bike month proclamation to the April 26, 2022, meeting of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Chairperson Kayser-Grant, Member Ewing, Member Meloy, Vice Chair Modi, and Member Klier
5 -
No: 0
Absent: 0
G.2 SUBJECT: Request to Add Item to Future Agenda
REPORT IN BRIEF
Provides Commissioners an opportunity to request that an item be placed on a future Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission agenda for initial consideration.
Member MODI asked about a future item to add additional bicycle signage in green around the City. Mr. HREN suggested that it be incorporated as a part of a future Engineering Report or as part of the City Standards discussion.
Member MELOY suggested that motorized scooters be a topic of future discussion. Mr. HREN informed the Commission that there are recommendations in the Active Transportation and Safe Routes to School Plan, and that additional action on the City's part would likely require direction from the City Council. Member MELOY indicated that he had no specific item to request at this time.
March 1, 2022Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Minutes
The Commission discussed existing requests for items on future agendas.
H. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 5:04 PM.
A motion was made by Commissioner KLIER, seconded by Commissioner EWING, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Chairperson Kayser-Grant, Member Ewing, Member Meloy, Vice Chair Modi, and Member Klier
5 -
No: 0
Absent: 0