City of Sunnyvale
Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Draft
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
6:30 PM Online and Conference Room,
Washington Community Swim Center,
255 S. Pastoria Ave.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Thursday, March 16, 2023
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Mehlman called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Chair Leia Mehlman
Vice Chair Bryce Beagle
Commissioner Alex Bonne
Commissioner Dan Hafeman
Commissioner Timothy Oey
Present 5 -
Commissioner Arwen DavéAbsent 1 -
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 23-0030 Recommend to the City Council the Selection of a Preferred Alignment for the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project
Alternative 1: Recommend to City Council the Selection of the Eastern Alignment as the Preferred Alignment of the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project.
Angela Obeso, Principal Transportation Engineer and Dave Dickinson, WMH Engineering, gave a presentation on the status of the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project and asked BPAC to make a recommendation to City Council.
Highlighting the following:
- Project Purpose and Limits
- Existing Access - Evelyn Avenue Intersection
- Existing Access - Central Expressway Intersection
- Existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Routes
- Project Description and Partners
- Work Performed to Date -
- Sunnyvale and Mountain View agreement
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- Measure B funding
- Developed conceptual options
- Joint Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission/Committee (BPAC) Presentation
- Caltrain/Joint Powers Board approved Use Variance
- On-going agency coordination
- Alternative refinements from feedback
- Community Outreach meeting
- Mountain View Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee
- Project Alternatives - Western Alternative, Western Alternative with Intermediate Bike Ramp, Eastern Alternative, Eastern Alternative with Intermediate Bike Ramp, Undercrossing Cross-Section Options
- Design Features to Enhance User Experience - Comfort, Accessibility, Lighting, etc.
- Community Meeting Feedback, Feb. 2, 2023
- Mountain View BPAC Meeting, Feb. 22, 2023
- Objective - BPAC's alternative recommendation to City Council - Need recommendation to obtain environmental clearance - Staff Recommendation - Recommend to City Council the Selection of the Eastern Alignment as the Preferred Alignment of the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project
Vice Chair Beagle asked about the following:
- Anything physically preventing vehicles from jumping a curve and hitting the skylight?
- Would it be feasible and cheaper to get Caltrain to shift their poles before they electrify their wires?
- Will the intersection need to be completely redone for both alternatives? - If adjustments were to be made at the intersection, has staff look into making it a protected intersection?
Ms. Obeso and Mr. Dickinson addressed the questions.
Commissioner Bonne commented and asked about the following:
- Estimate for standard and worst case impact on Caltrain as you tunnel under the tracks and is it based on previous experience with tunneling under Caltrain who actively use train tracks?
- What are the underground utilities you may have to move? Would there be neighborhood interruptions?
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March 16, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Draft
- Can you abate the water that will go down the tunnel? Will the tunnel be usable? - Look at the friction of the surface when wet and at turns for safety for bicyclists and pedestrians
- What are the impacts you can have to reduce the speed of traffic on Evelyn Avenue?
Ms. Obeso and Mr. Dickinson addressed the questions.
Commissioner Hafeman commented and asked about the following:
- One reason the Eastern Alignment Alternative is preferred is because of the speed of construction and they can store construction equipment without closing lanes - Concerned with the safety of the turns for bicyclists - Can the tunnel on the inside be wider and merge it back down to 20 feet so there is more leeway?
Ms. Obeso and Mr. Dickinson addressed the questions.
Commissioner Oey asked about the following:
- Is art included as part of the project?
- Would the u-turn stay on East Evelyn Avenue?
- Will there be flat areas for ADA on the tunnel descent? Ms. Obeso and Mr. Dickinson addressed the questions.
Chair Mehlman commented and asked about the following:
- Worried about ramps becoming streams
- Why are there acute right angle turns into the undercossings? - Concerned about raised bumps being slippery. High reflective paint is slippery too - Suggested a public art space and liaising with City's Art Program Ms. Obeso addressed the question.
Vice Chair Beagle asked about the following:
- Did staff look into making the road on the east side of Evelyn Avenue more narrow and have 11 foot lanes?
- How is it expected to operate with Evelyn Avenue Trail? Chair Mehlman asked about the following:
- When the slip right turn lane is eliminated, is Mountain View planning on
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March 16, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Draft
redesigning that section of the bike lane?
Ms. Obeso and Mr. Dickinson addressed the question.
Public comment opened at 7:38 p.m.
Jim van Pernis, member of the public, commented on the following:
- Sent Commissioner Oey an image of a bike tunnel from the Netherlands that goes under train tracks as an example
- In favor of the Eastern Alignment Alternative
- Concerned with the openings of the tunnel and if bikes, other devices, cargo bikes and extra large bikes would be able to maneuver around
Jonathan Blum, member of Bike Sunnyvale, commented on the following:
- Thanked staff for their diligence and clarity of their presentation, particularly appreciated the proposed changes at the North Bernardo intersection to make it safer for pedestrians
- Bike Sunnyvale prefers the Eastern Alignment Alternative because it would be aesthetically nicer due to the tunnel design, the 189 Bernardo building on the northeast corner plans to provide some amenities, including seating, water and restrooms and this alignment is intrinsically less likely to have an accidental car intrusion because of the way the ramps line up against the direction of the nearest traffic, it may cost less and finally there is potential to make the ramps less steep - Main concerns are safe crossing for cyclists wishing to connect between eastbound Central Expressway and Bernardo Avenue and how to minimize the risk of collisions at those 90 degree turns
Mark, member of the public, commented on the following:
- Likes the changes made since last time
- If using Eastern Alignment Alternative then Evelyn Avenue on the west side of the intersection is not affected so the u-turn would work
- The u-turn will be essential for traffic coming out of the new housing on that street if they want to go to downtown Mountain View
Public Comment closed at 7:47 p.m.
Commissioner Oey commented on the following:
- In support of the Eastern Alignment Alternative especially interested in avoiding bollards
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Meeting Minutes - Draft
- Happy that the tunnel is wide and high
- Does not like the Homer Avenue Undercrossing which creates an extra obstacle - In favor of art being added to avoid graffiti and makes it more entertaining to go through a tunnel
- Flat spots will help reduce speed for bicycles going down and will help wheelchair users and other disabled people
- Yellow bumps are a useful signal to cars, but a hazard for wheeled modes, slippery when wet
Chair Mehlman commented on the following:
- Suggest having a visual or psychological queue to separate pedestrian traffic from cycling traffic
- Likes that there is a lot of light and space
- In favor of the Eastern Alignment Alternative
- Would like to have access for Central Expressway
Vice Chair Beagle commented on the following:
- Likes the Homer Avenue Undercrossing because of the visuals that show what is a bike lane and is not a bike lane
- Really likes the art at the California Avenue Undercrossing because it is fun and novel and on the walls and ceiling
- Glad to see that the pork chop slip lanes are going away - You should not have to stop at the stoplight when traveling on the westbound bike lane on Evelyn Avenue
Commissioner Bonne commented on the following:
- Suggest looking at what highways and aircraft runways have done with grooved concrete. Good for getting water away from the tire and shoe surfaces so that hydroplaning is less of a possibility
- Adding aesthetically appealing art
- The ceiling is a great place for texture and lights of a non repeating pattern Commissioner Hafeman commented on the following:
- This will be primarily a commute route so needs to be as efficient as possible to get through the process with no more delays
- You can still get to Central Expressway in both directions on and off this trail - Need wayfinding signs
Commissioner Beagle commented on the following:
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- Is there any investigations into reopening or extending the undercrossing nearby, Whisman?
Commissioner Oey commented on the following:
- Would like to have a crossing light set up to get across Central Expressway - Surface treatment instead of curbs could state where to walk and where to bike - Likes having the gentle ramp down and turn and then come back up instead of switchbacks
MOTION: Commissioner Hafeman moved and Commissioner Oey seconded to Recommend to City Council the Selection of the Eastern Alignment as the Preferred Alignment of the Bernardo Avenue Undercrossing Project.
The motion carried with the following vote:
Yes Chair Mehlman
Vice Chair Beagle
Commissioner Bonne
Commissioner Hafeman
Commissioner Oey
5 -
No 0
Absent Commissioner Davé1 -
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