City of Sunnyvale
Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Final
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
6:30 PM Online and Bay Conference Room
(Room 145), City Hall,
456 W. Olive Ave.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Thursday, May 18, 2023
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Mehlman called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Chair Leia Mehlman
Vice Chair Bryce Beagle
Commissioner Alex Bonne
Commissioner Arwen Davé
Commissioner Sharlene Liu
Commissioner Timothy Oey
Present 6 -
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 23-0428 Consider Converting All Part-Time Bike Lanes on Homestead Road Into Full-Time Bike Lanes
Recommend to City Council Alternative 1: Convert All Part-Time Bike Lanes on Homestead Road Into Permanent Full-Time Bike Lanes by Removing Parking and Preserve Some Parking Through a Road Diet Between Bernardo and Wright Avenues and Reallocate Lane Widths From Blaney Avenue to Approximately 500 Feet East of Blaney Avenue.
Angela Wong, Transportation Engineer and Shikha Jain, consultant from Hexagon gave a presentation on the Full-Time Bike Lane Study on Homestead Road and will be seeking input and a motion from the BPAC. Highlighting the following:
- Project Overview/Goal
- Project Description
- Study Goal - to evaluate the potential of converting the part-time bike lanes into full-time bike lanes
- Study Process/Timeline
- Recap of Data Collection & Analysis Findings
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- Collision Data Review (2017-2021)
- Traffic Counts - Weekdays and Weekend days
- Parking Lane Width
- Parking Data
- Parking Citation Data (2017 to 2021)
- Alternatives that were considered but eliminated:
- Extending the part-time bike lane hours
- Provide full-time bike lane and preserve parking by removing the center two-way left-turn lane
- Converting some part-time bike lanes into full-time bike lanes - Alternative 1 - Convert all part-time bike lanes into full-time bike lanes and provide parking lane (where feasible). Features include:
- Road diet between Wright and Bernardo Avenues
- Reallocate Lane Widths from Blaney Avenue to approximately 500 feet east of Blaney Avenue
- Buffered Bike Lanes
- Results:
- Continuous bicycle facility for entire corridor
- Retain parking in segments where off-street parking is highly used - Eliminate the remaining 164 on-street parking spaces
- Cost estimate: $270,000
Alternative 2: Convert all part-time bike lanes into full-time bike lanes - Analysis:
- Observed bicyclists in the bike lane when parking is allowed in the bike lane - Low on-street parking utilization
- Side streets have available on-street parking
- Online Survey Results
- Longer walk times to side streets from part-time bike lane segments Results:
- Continuous bicycle facility for entire corridor
- Eliminate parking for 200 on-street parking spaces
- Cost estimate: $142,000
Alternative 3: Maintain the part-time bike lanes the same as today: Results:
- Bicyclists would continue to share the lane with parked vehicles during parking hours
- Conflict with the City's policies of prioritizing the movement of bicycles, pedestrian, and vehicles over parking
- Staff recommendation - Alternative 1: Convert all part-time bike lanes into full-time bike lanes and provide parking lane (where feasible)
- Next Steps - BPAC make a motion and recommend an alternative to City Council Commissioner Oey asked about the following:
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- Are there other alternatives to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) other than Road Diets?
- Would the payement surfacing for the bike lanes be fixed with Alternative 1? - Funding source and timeframe
- Is it an option to do a buffered bike lane for the entire length of the corridor? Ms. Wong, Ms. Tsang and Ms. Jain addressed the questions.
Chair Mehlman called for a recess at 7:22 p.m. Chair Mehlman reconvened the meeting at 7:32 p.m.
Commissioner Oey asked about the following:
- Effort for staff to look into putting a buffered bike lane for the entire length of the corridor
Ms. Jain and Ms. Tsang addressed the question.
Vice Chair Beagle asked about the following:
- Does the data indicate that all of the 13% parking utilization can comfortably be accommodated by nearby side streets?
- Slide 12 - Light green box is where on street parking is being removed? Or does this include portions where they already is no parking? - Slide 13 - Is it possible to have the bicycles between the curb and the parking lane instead of between the opening car doors and the moving traffic? - Final Report page 7 - Does Auto ROW Violation mean the automobile was doing the violation or the bicyclist that got hit was doing the violation? - Final Report page 8 - If the 85th percentile is over the speed limit, isn't that a sign that either the speed limit is set improperly or the road is designed improperly? - When is the calculation performed?
- Final Report page 9 - Why was the assumption made that two parking spaces were assumed per single-family home when it should be four parking spaces per home
- How are the parking violations entered?
- Final Report page 14 - Can the City predict how much the increased traffic could encourage future increase and encourage non-driving modes of transportation? - Final Report page 43 - Is the only difference between Alternative 1 and Alternative 2 soley contained between Bernardo and Wright Avenues?
- Final Report page 43 - How much would it cost to put in the Road Diet and the reallocation of the lane widths?
- Will policy change with Alternatives 1 & 2 to prevent trash being placed in the bike lane?
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- What kind of outreach will occur if Alternative 1 or 2 is chosen? - Is the City going to enforce violations in the section immediately if Alternative 1 or 2 is chosen or will there by leeway?
- Does the BPAC have to pick just one alternative or can they pick multiple alternatives to recommend to City Council?
Ms. Jain, Ms. Tsang, Ms. Wong and Mr. Ng addressed the questions.
Commissioner Hafeman asked about the following:
- Why can't the existing poles remain?
- Has negotiation occurred with the City of Cupertino for the two lanes on Blaney Avenue?
- Is there a safety issue with the lane dropping down to 10 feet wide and then back up to 11 feet?
- Why did you make this expensive exception for such a small area? Ms. Wong and Mr. Ng addressed the questions.
Commissioner Davé asked about the following:
- Will there be consideration for no parking signs on the side streets? Ms. Jain addressed the question.
Commissioner Liu asked about the following:
- How will staff handle any changes made from the BPAC's recommendation to City Council when there will be a 3 month delay before it goes to Council? Why was it delayed so many times?
- Incorrect numbering in the LUTE policies
- Slide 19 - 13% utilization is measured from the highest segment - Isn't it misleading to say there are just 2 parking spaces in the driveway when there are actually 4?
- Adding in the report to show full picture of being conservative with 2 parking spaces
- Timeframe for Alternative 1 & Alternative 2
- Will you be reclaiming parking in the western half of the segment on Bernardo Avenue?
- Clarification on slide 14 where parking is retained
- Cost breakdown for Alternative 2 to replace the sign only and not the replacement the pole and not repaint the bike lanes
Mr. Ng and Ms. Jain addressed the questions.
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
Commissioner Bonne asked about the following:
- The City's plan to accommodate population growth on Homestead Road and anticipated vehicle traffic
- What is the upper limit?
- How can the City achieve a goal of increasing the fraction of people using active transportation?
- Begin now with vehicle traffic reduction
Mr. Ng addressed the questions.
Chair Mehlman asked about the following:
- Was the decision made on the basis of the road width for parking areas that have been designated for retention in Alternative 1?
- Will there be physical parking separated from the roadway and a bike lane - Not possible to have buffered bike lanes down the entirety of the segment because of the road width
- Would it be feasible to have buffered bike lanes down the entirety of the segment if all parking along the segment were removed?
- 85% of the vehicles were over the speed limit?
- How many miles per hour that 85% were over the speed limit? Ms. Jain and Ms. Wong addressed the questions.
Public Comment opened at 8:29 p.m.
Jonathan Blum, member of the public, gave a presentation on Homestead Parking - A Holistic Survey: Highlighting the following:
- Parking spaces per driveway
- Surveyed on 4 evenings all single and two-family homes with eastbound Homestead addresses in areas of part-time bike lanes
- Apartments were not included due to data constraints
- Southside of Homestead Road (around Heron Avenue) was not included in the driveway analysis, since street parking utilization was zero in 10 of 10 surveys - No data were discarded
- 71 homes included
- Homes had a total of 273 off-street parking spaces, not including their garages, which were mostly 2-car
- Mean of 3.8 spaces per house (plus garages)
- Use of driveway parking
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- On average 35% of off-street spaces were occupied
- Counted the number of houses that had their driveway spaces fully occupied by cars
- On average, 67/71 homes had at least one empty space in their driveway (94%, range 90-97%). Four driveways were full. Almost all of these had parking available nearby on a side street
- Parked cars on the street in all part-time bike lanes. Average utilization was less than 4%
- Abundant in-driveway parking in all areas of part-time bike lanes - On average, 94% of driveways have at least one empty space at night - Utilization of street parking is very low
- Elimination of parking at night will have minimal impact - No rational for a road diet to preserve parking on Bernardo Avenue and Wright Avenue
Kevin Jackson, member of the public, commented on the following:
- In favor of reusing existing poles and repainting them - Alternative 1 would take longer, be more expensive and deliver a significantly more hazardous bike facility
- In order to fit the 11 spaces of street parking into the area near Blaney Avenue, the bike lane and adjacent travel lane will be reduced to bare minimum widths - Don't expect overtaking motor vehicle traffic will comply with the safe passing requirements of California vehicle code 21760
- Road Diet between Bernardo and Wright Avenues has weaving issues - Alternative 1 creates hazards during peak travel times - Recommends Alternative 2 that complies with the letter and spirit of city transportation policies
Purvi, member of the public, commented on the following:
- Removing parking on Hollenbeck, Mary and Wright Avenues - Consider Road Diet same as on Mary Avenue
- Narrow City strip area which is between the sidewalk and the streetcar area - Homestead High School parking for pickup and dropoff of the students - Park at night when having visitors
- Reconsider Alternatives so that they accommodate parking and also bike lane Gabby, member of he public, commented asked about the following:
- Will only bike on Homestead Road in Sunnyvale when absolutely necessary due to the narrow bike lanes
- Why is City staff trying to allocate road space on Ontario Drive for vehicle storage?
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- Takes 5-6 minutes to walk on the side streets, is that considered unreasonable for who have mobility issues?
- There should be priority for people that cannot reasonably walk 5-6 minutes - On street parking removal has the added benefit to the residents because their view is not blocked while trying to back out of their driveway or go into their driveway
Mohan, member of the public, commented on the following:
- Low demand for on-street parking
- Residents mindful of parking on the street to help bicyclists - Residents should be rewarded for good behavior, not penalized for it - Residents park in bike lanes when they have guests
- Side street parking may be occupied by residents on those streets and Homestead Road residents would have to drive farther on the streets - Fremont Avenue should be considered as an alternative for bicyclists on Homestead Road
- Should maintain support for both vehicles and bicyclists, not just bicyclists Ishaan, member of the public, commented on the following:
- Supports Alternative 2 which would make safer bike conditions - Full-time bike lanes are crucial for safety
- Safer bike lanes would increase the likelihood of improving the cycling community - Alternative 2 would create a better cyclist community and become a model for sustainable urban development
Jagadish, member of the public, commented on the following:
- More rental housing which means more cars need to park on the street Public Comment closed at 8:53 p.m.
Vice Chair Beagle commented on the following:
- Supports staff recommendation to create full-time bike lanes on the entire segment
- Happy to see staff is recommendation of a Road Diet between Bernardo and Wright Avenues
- Conservative minimum of 2 parking spots for private residence and side street is more than enough
- Preference is to remove all the parking and do the Road Diet - Supports Alternative 1 and 2 equally
- Alternative 2 is cheaper and faster and completely removes parking - Likes the Road Diet of Alternative 1
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
Commissioner Oey commented on the following:
- Agrees with Vice Chair Beagle's comments
- Residents have been parking in the part-time bike lanes for a long time - Safety for active transportation is extremely important - Homestead Road needs to be much safer for bicycles at all times - Bicycling needs to increase to reduce climate change, reduce traffic deaths, injuries and increase health
- Bike lane improvements should increase bicycling
- Improving the bike lanes will attract more bicyclists to this corridor - Ok with both Alternatives but leaning towards Alternative 1 - Prefers Alternative 1 for the buffered bike lanes and the Road Diet which makes the road narrower which slows down traffic
Chair Mehlman commented on the following:
- Leaning towards Alternative 2 because of the cost
- Homestead Road is a major transportation route for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians
- Primary focus of the street is transportation not car storage - Would like to have full-time bike lanes on the street using the cheapest and quickest option
Commissioner Liu commented on the following:
- Supports Alternative 2
- Consider bike safety before considering parking according to the LUTE policy - Reclaiming parking means taking away the possibility of putting buffered bike lanes which is against LUTE policy
- Consider putting in buffered bike lanes and protected bike lanes when possible before putting in parking
- Safe transportation over parking
- Alternative 2 will take a lot less time
- Change signage at low cost then look into making the pole position better - Not in favor of Alternative 1 due to the cost and the swerving of bike lanes in order to accommodate the parking
Commissioner Hafeman commented on the following:
- In favor of Alternative 2
- Most homeowners will not be impacted
- Need a simpler system where there is not any road weaving - Add to Alternative 2 that the bike lanes should be implemented as soon as possible
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- Change the signs as soon as possible
- When street is re-striped, add buffering and bring signage up to date - Alternative 1 involves City of Cupertino which could delay the project Commissioner Bonne commented on the following:
- Bicycle safety and convenience of parking on the streets - 2 main factors for bicyclists are speed of cars and a feeling of safety - Need to make Homestead Road safer to bike on for those who are more timid and less experienced
- Public streets are not designated as vehicle storage areas - In favor of Alternative 2 for its simplicity
Vice Chair Beagle asked and commented on the following:
- Is there some form of heuristic that decides whether or not that some other alternative is presented in the list of things that staff would like the BPAC to choose from?
- Would like to have an Alternative to be a blend of Alternatives - Would like the City to do the Road Diet and don't add the parking back Chair Mehlman, Mr. Ng and Ms. Tsang addressed the question.
Commissioner Davé commented on the following:
- Would like the City to consider something like what we use for buses to pull over in a known area that weaves through the bike lane
- Have a drop-off area near residences that comes in one known location that bikes can anticipate and go around as they would a bus pulling over - In support of the safer alternative as it protects the more vulnerable bicyclist rather than the person being dropped off from a car
Commissioner Oey asked and commented about the following:
- Is there a significant time differential between Alternative 1 and 2 as far as the speed of their implementation?
- In favor of compromise solutions hence likes Alternative 1 Chair Mehlman asked about the following:
- How much would it cost to change the existing signage to no parking along the route?
- If approved by City Council and we got the funding could the work be done as soon as possible?
Mr. Ng addressed the questions.
Attachment 4
May 18, 2023Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
Commissioner Liu commented on the following:
- Likes the quick build idea to quickly change the signage and then consider further safety for the bike lanes
- Quick build would get done faster if that Alternative is picked MOTION: Vice Chair Beagle moved and Commissioner Hafeman seconded to recommend to City Council Alternative 2 with the two modifications. First, prioritize getting the full-time bike lanes rolled out as soon as possible. Second, do the Road Diet from Wright Avenue to Bernardo Avenue but not restoring the parking as part of the Road Diet.
Vice Chair Beagle commented on the following:
- Preference to remove all the parking because that aligns with the City's priorities - Do the Road Diet because it aligns with the City safety priorities and will give more space for the bike lanes
Commissioner Hafeman commented on the following:
- Removing the signage is simple
- Will be able to have full-time bike lanes very quickly - Signs may be more readable by moving individual poles - Buffered bike lanes can be put in when re-striping is done - Adding a Road Diet will make a reduction on the Sunnyvale Avenue side FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Commissioner Liu would like to adopt Alternative 2 with modifications, simply change the signage as soon as possible to no parking at anytime then at a later time change the pole positions and re-stripe and increase bike safety by installing buffered bike lanes, protected bike lanes and Road Diet where possible. Vice Chair Beagle rejects the friendly amendment.
The motion carried by the following vote:
Yes Chair Mehlman
Vice Chair Beagle
Commissioner Bonne
Commissioner Davé
Hafeman
Commissioner Liu
Commissioner Oey
7 -
No 0
Attachment 4