City of Sunnyvale
Excerpt Meeting Minutes - Final
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
6:30 PM Online and Bay Conference Room, City
Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave.,
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Thursday, March 21, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Oey called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Chair Timothy Oey
Commissioner Alex Bonne
Commissioner Arwen Davé
Commissioner Dan Hafeman
Commissioner Sharlene Liu
Commissioner Leia Mehlman
Present 6 -
Vice Chair Bryce BeagleAbsent 1 -
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
2 24-0505 Discussion on Projects for Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Application
Angela Wong, Transportation Engineer, gave a presentation on the Discussion for Transportation Development Act, also known as TDA Article 3, funding for Fiscal Year 2024/2025. Highlighting the following:
- TDA funding can be used for the following:
- Design & construction of a bicycle/pedestrian capital or quick build project - Secured bicycle parking facilities in high use activity areas - Restriping Class II bicycle lanes
- City receives about $140,000/year - based on sales tax - Last year City Council made an action to file the application of the FY 2023/24 TDA Article 3 funding for the Design phase of the Installation of Sidewalk on Poplar Avenue ($160,000)
- Bank the remaining funds ($176,620) for construction
- February 6, 2024 - Council reaffirmed the action to reserve future TDA allocations
Attachment 5
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Sunnyvale
March 21, 2024Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
for construction
- Currently there is $411,038 funds left for FY 2024/25 - Staff provides evaluation of proposed projects and provides staff recommendation - BPAC Commissioners discuss proposed projects
- No motion needed at this time - BPAC to make a recommendation for a project during the May BPAC Meeting
- Project #1 - Install sidewalk on Poplar Avenue near Peterson Middle School - Project #2 - Convert part-time bike lanes on Homestead Road between Wright and New Brunswick Avenues into full-time bike lanes
- Project #3 - Convert all part-time bike lanes on Homestead Road into full-time bike lanes
- Project #4 - Reduce pork chop islands on Westbound El Camino Real at Murphy Avenue and at Frances Street
- Project #5 - Implement Class III Bicycle Route on Pastoria Avenue - Project #6 - Widen fence opening at Crawford Drive near Las Palmas Park - Project #7 - Improvements to Bike/Pedestrian Bridges and Paths at The Dalles Bridge at SR85
- Project #7 - Improvements to Bike/Pedestrian Bridges and Paths at Borregas Bridge/US101 and SR 237
- Project #7 - Improvements to Bike/Pedestrian Bridges and Paths at Cheyenne Drive between Valcartier Drive and Yukon Drive
- Project #7 - Improvements to Bike/Pedestrian Bridges and Paths at Stella Court to Las Palmas Park
- Project #7 - Improvements to Bike/Pedestrian Bridges and Paths at Fremont Avenue/Belleville Way
- Project #8 - Provide continuous bike lane going east/westbound at Fremont Avenue/Belleville Way
- Project #9 - Install Pedestrian Scramble and Bike Boxes at Kennewick Drive and Homestead Road
- Project #10 - Turn Prohibition at the City Parking Lot on Evelyn Avenue east of Francis Street
- Project #11 - Implement Red Curb pertaining to AB 413 Commissioner Mehlman asked about the following:
- What is the difference between "No Stopping" and "No Parking" in terms of signage?
- Why is "No Parking" selected in Project #2 as opposed to "No Stopping"? - Project #10 - How was it determined that an illegal left turn was not hazardous to cyclists/pedestrians?
Attachment 5
March 21, 2024Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
Ms. Tsang addressed the questions.
Commissioner Hafeman commented and asked about the following:
- Why is the BPAC Commission discussing TDA funding when City Council decided to bank the funds?
- In favor of having $30,000 to add to "No Parking Signs" - What is remaining as part-time bike lanes on Homestead Road? Ms. Tsang and Ms. Wong addressed the question.
Commissioner Liu commented and asked about the following:
- Project #10 - Illegal left turn creates a safety issue for cyclists - All of the projects that have requested bollards to be removed are safety issue for bikes. Why does staff not think they are a safety issue? Ms. Wong addressed the question.
Commissioner Davé asked about the following:
- How should a cyclist use and approach the bollards at the end of the bike exit from the Borregas overpass?
Ms. Tsang addressed the question.
Chair Oey asked about the following:
- Why does the bollard at the end of the bike exit from the Borregas overpass say "Stop"?
- Why aren't bollards put in at stop signs for cars to slow them down? - Slide 20 - Why isn't it eligible for TDA funding if two bike lanes are put in to connect?
Ms. Tsang addressed the questions.
Commissioner Liu asked about the following:
- Project #7 - The Dalles Bridge at SR85 - How was it decided that this was pedestrian use only? For Safe Routes to School purposes this should not have been made for pedestrian only.
Ms. Tsang addressed the question.
Attachment 5
March 21, 2024Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
Commissioner Hafeman commented on the following:
- Project #7 - The Dalles Bridge at SR85 has very sharp turns so need to walk your bike
Public Comment opened at 8:49 p.m.
No speakers.
Public Comment closed at 8:50 p.m.
Commissioner Mehlman commented on the following:
- Moot point to be discussing the TDA funding since City Council decided to bank the funds
- Bollards are a safety hazard to cyclists
- Signs and paint do not save lives
- Project #7 - Fremont Avenue/Belleville Way - Bollards are placed there to deter speeding because sidewalk ends and there is no place for pedestrians to go. Not sure whose speeding your trying to deter since it is on a level road. It is a hazard for cyclists
- Removing bollards makes sense
- Speed bumps are great to slow cyclists down
- Designing physical infrastructure to prevent drivers from endangering cyclists and pedestrians is the best way to about it
- Extend the bollards down Evelyn Avenue
Commissioner Liu commented on the following:
- Not in favor of banking funds because costs of implementation, especially construction is skyrocketing over the last few years
- Bank funds are worth less as time goes by
- In favor of putting the funds toward the design of the Homestead Bike Lanes - Project #5 - Recommends dropping the project because there are Class III bike boulevard bike routes on Pastoria Avenue and Pastoria Avenue vehicular car traffic is busy enough that it wouldn't help to put in sharrows - Recommends taking out the bollard at the Dalles Bridge at SR85 to prevent crashes
- Agrees with other commissioners that the bollards at Borregas Avenue over 101 overpass and 237 should be removed for safety reasons
- Project #9 - Install Pedestrian Scramble and Bike Boxes at Kennewick Drive and Homestead Road - This should be considered for TDA funding outside of doing a study issue for it
Attachment 5
March 21, 2024Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
- Project #10 - Turn Prohibition at the City Parking Lot on Evelyn Avenue east of Francis Street - This should be a separate issue from the budget proposal process and considered for TDA funding
Commissioner Davé commented on the following:
- Recommended staff to focus on getting TDA funding for the Full-time bike lanes on Homestead Road, Kennewick Drive and Homestead Road pedestrian scramble and Evelyn crossing by Caltrain Station because they are all very dangerous areas - When installing bollards give enough space before them to stop and hindered by narrow walls
Commissioner Hafeman commented on the following:
- TDA funding should not be banked
- More effort should be put into a grant proposal to fund the Poplar Avenue Sidewalk Installation near Peterson Middle School
- Would like to see the TDA funding used for the design of the Homestead Full-Time Bike Lanes
- Suggest implementing the sidewalks on Poplar Avenue near Peterson Middle School if there is enough funds
Commissioner Bonne commented on the following:
- If obstacles are used in a shared path for bikes/pedestrians then the same logic should be used for shared paths for vehicles/bikes by putting up some kind of barrier
Chair Oey commented on the following:
- TDA funds should not be used to pursue the Peterson Sidewalk Program - TDA funds should be used for smaller opportunistic projects - Bollards are well known hazards to bicyclists
- Bollards should only be used when there's car ingress possibility - Happy to see that there are other funds for curb paintings - In favor of getting the Homestead Bike Lanes done without TDA funding - Appreciates staff who is continuing to maintain some of the projects and rolling them forward
Commissioner Liu asked about the following:
- Will staff changed their recommendations after hearing the BPAC's comments? Ms. Tsang addressed the question.
Attachment 5
March 21, 2024Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission
Meeting Minutes - Final
Council member Sell asked about the following:
- Could bollards be a study issue?
- Is there a policy that states when to bank TDA funds? - What are the options for commissioners proposing a budget proposal item? Ms. Tsang and Chair Oey addressed the questions.
Attachment 5