City of Mountain View
Minutes - Final
Council Transportation Committee
6:30 PM Plaza Conference Room and Video Conference,
500 Castro St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING
This meeting was conducted with a virtual component. All members of the Committee and all speakers participated in person unless otherwise noted.
CALL TO ORDER1.
At 6:31 p.m., Chair Kamei called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL2.
Chair Ellen Kamei, Member Alison Hicks, and Member Lisa MatichakPresent 3 - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC - None3.
CONSENT4.
Public Works Director Cameron proposed a revision to item 4.2, the 2024 Council Transportation Committee Meeting Schedule. She proposed changing the February 6, 2024 meeting date to January 30, 2024.
There were no public speakers in-person or virtually.
MOTION – M/S – Matichak/Hicks – To approve the Consent calendar.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes: Chair Kamei, Member Hicks, and Member Matichak3 -
4.1 Approve Meeting Minutes
Approve the Council Transportation Committee meeting minutes of October 2, 2023.
4.2 2024 Council Transportation Committee Meeting Schedule Approve the 2024 Council Transportation Committee meeting schedule as amended.
NEW BUSINESS5.
5.1 Transit Center (Castro Street) Grade Separation and Access Project, Project 21-35 - Project Scope and Funding Options
Public Works Director Cameron provided an introduction to the Transit Center (Castro Street) Grade Separation and Access Project, Project 21-35 – Project Scope and Funding Options presentation. She introduced parties who have been heavily involved in the Grade Separation Project and were available to answer questions in-person or virtually.
November 28, 2023Council Transportation Committee Minutes - Final Senior Civil Engineer Houghton provided the project presentation.
Public Works Director Cameron, Caltrain Director of Capital Program Delivery Robbins, Senior Civil Engineer Houghton, Assistant Public Works Director Arango, and Caltrain Manager of Government & Community Affairs Low responded to Committee questions about what other local cities have experienced with grade separation projects in their jurisdictions, whether interest rates would affect the Transit Center (Castro Street) Grade Separation and Access Project, how Caltrain signal preemption currently affects bicyclists and pedestrians, redesign and cost implications of deferring the Central Expressway undercrossing, funding and grants, and tunnel widths.
The following members of the public spoke:
(Virtual) Bruce England
(Virtual) Daniel Hulse
(Virtual) Emil Abraham
(Virtual) Mary Dateo
The Committee expressed general support for the Construction Methods and Sequence cost reduction options, did not support the design modification options, and did support the project phasing proposal. The Committee did not support deferring both tunnel legs under Central Expressway but was open to further consider deferring the Adobe tunnel. They requested a comparison of the Castro Street Grade Separation project and the Rengstorff Grade Separation project to be presented to the City Council.
5.2 Transit Center (Castro Street) Grade Separation and Access Project, Project 21-35 - Public Art
Senior Civil Engineer Houghton provided a presentation on the Transit Center (Castro Street) Grade Separation and Access Project, Project 21-35 – Public Art. Economic Vitality Manager Lang provided a presentation of the artwork submissions which had passed the second round of judging.
Senior Civil Engineer Houghton, Economic Vitality Manager Lang, Assistant Public Works Director Arango, and Public Works Director Cameron responded to Committee questions about how artwork was submitted in response to the call for artists, how artwork submissions were scored, and whether Grade Separation public artwork includes green space.
The following members of the public spoke:
Jesse Cupp
(Virtual) Bruce England
(Virtual) Valerie Fenwick
(Virtual) April Webster
No formal motion was required. Committee members encouraged City staff to further engage with the artist Martha Sakellariou as the Castro Street Grade Separation public artwork project proceeds and provided the following comments: support for increasing funding for this project’s artwork; review the concern over the artwork proposed for the stairs and its potential safety risks; and consider making the artwork lighter, brighter, and less structured. The Committee reiterated community members’ appreciation that Mountain View’s history is represented in the proposed artwork. The artwork should reflect that the Transit Center is a gateway to Mountain View and should be cohesive with other artwork in the City.
5.3 Speed Limit Legislation Overview and Implementation Strategy Senior Traffic Engineer Ochoa provided a presentation on Speed Limit Legislation (Assembly Bill 43, Assembly Bill 1938) and the Implementation Strategy.
November 28, 2023Council Transportation Committee Minutes - Final Senior Traffic Engineer Ochoa, Public Works Director Cameron, and City Traffic Engineer Lopez responded to Committee questions about which safety corridors and/or business activity district streets have been pre-identified for implementation, which corridors are considered the highest priority, and the default speed limit if traffic studies have not been performed.
The following members of the public spoke:
(Virtual) Bruce England
No formal motion was required. Committee members expressed appreciation and support for City staff members’ efforts to improve the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. They were generally supportive of lowering speed limits where possible and questioned the possibility of installing automatic speed cameras, depending on the results of the pilot program authorized by Assembly Bill 645.
COMMITTEE/STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS, UPDATES, REQUESTS, AND COMMITTEE REPORTS6.
6.1 Staff Comments
Public Works Director Cameron provided an update on the interim Castro Street Pedestrian Mall. The Visual Arts Committee will meet in January 2024 to consider decorative design treatments for the central walkway.
6.2 Committee Comments
There were no Committee comments.
There were no public speakers in-person or virtually.
ADJOURNMENT7.
At 9:34 p.m., Chair Kamei adjourned the meeting.
These Minutes were hereby submitted for approval by Laura Lo, Executive Assistant.
Approved on January 30, 2024.