Minutes of May 2, 2013 San Mateo County Committee meeting

Meeting was held at Tarboosh in Redwood City

Chairperson: Andrew Boone
Participants: Mike Harding, Steve Schmidt, Bob Page, Bob Cronin, John Langbein, Chuck Sholtz
Staff: absent
Secretary: Mike Harding

Meeting began at 6:50 PM

1) Introductions were made.
2) There were no additions to the agenda.
3) Minutes of the April meeting were approved.
4) Staff Report; John Langbein reported on the Policy Committee meeting: Colin Heyne said that large projects, like the Redwood City wetlands development, would be approached cautiously by SVBC to avoid political entanglement. SVBC will take on specific bike-related aspects of projects. Colin will research the policies of other advocacy groups in the area.

SVBC has a volunteer named Kirkpatrick wanting to advocate for numbered bike routes in Santa Clara Co., a la Marin County. This is difficult, due to numerous cities.

5) City reports:
Redwood City is repaving numerous streets; are bike lanes and sharrows included? Yes, as planned, but not on Woodside Rd (Caltrans jurisdiction). Farm Hill Rd lane diet is not dead, but back for study. Andrew Boone: a dedicated local advocate is needed to move ahead.

Menlo Park, Steve Schmidt: The Stanford El Camino Real project is subject to City Council action at an upcoming meeting. The traffic study has been done, to be announced. A new concept was floated to switch lanes AM/PM to provice three lanes in rush-hour directions only. However, the removal of median trees would kill it. A Stanford presentation offered increased residences and decreased office space, plus accommodation for a bike/ped undercrossing access, but no funding. The Specific Plan trumps Stanford plans, but no City plan exists. Andrew Boone: There is a possibility of a ballot initiative from the “Save Menlo” group.

Atherton: Andrew Boone: A Bike/Ped Plan is being created with Alta Planning. Andrew and Adina Levin will join a committee to steer. Middlefield improvement is one task. There is joint Menlo Park/Atherton OBAG funding for bike lane improvments, but details are lacking.

San Carlos: An upcoming Council meeting will study (again) the alternative Holly/101 interchange bike access. A consultant will analyze the options. The favored integrated bike path/tunnel will see Caltrans resistance, as they will favor a separate bike bridge, which might never happen. A meeting on strategy with Public Works Director Jay Walter is needed.

Bay Trail gap closure: There is $410K from Stanford for design and EIR, but East PA wants to change the alignment to include abandoned rail ROW. This would require new design work by parties unknown. A meeting with the EPA City Mgr is needed.

6) Goals for 2013;

County Bike Co-ordinator: First, how to fund the position, beyond the fraction of the cost from C/CAG. Supervisor Horsley wants to start with a temporary source, as opposed to some permanent source favored by Supervisors Pine and Slocum. Steve Schmidt will talk to Horsely and other Supervisors. We should push for the County to administer the position, rather than C/CAG, possible departments being Public Works, Health, and Planning. Planning appears to be the best choice. First step is to adapt the Santa Clara Co. position description.

The County adopts the Comprehensive Bike Plan. Again, lobbying the Supervisors is a first step.

North Fair Oaks sharrows on Middlefield. Lane diet and bike lanes like Redwood City is the end goal, but sharrows are a more realistic near-term project.

Menlo Park/County sharrows on Santa Cruz. Again, sharrows are more realistic than removing a lane to allow bike lanes. Some parking will have to be removed anyway. Council Member Kirsten Keith is the one to involve.

Research how to allocate TA bike-ped funds (Measure A) other than staff decision as was done on the last round.

7) Advocacy
Alpine/I-280 lane restriping: The project is going out for bids.

Skyline coarse chip-seal problem. A special meeting with SVBC staff and Caltrans Maintenance staff included a field trip to look at the poor paving that made cycling unpleasant or hazardous. Coarse aggregate, loose aggregate, unpaved shoulders and cracks were pointed out. One cause was the assumption that cyclists did not use Skyline. It is uncertain what fixes are planned. John Langbein will ask Corinne Winter for follow-up.

North Fair Oaks sharrows: Supervisor Slocum and NFO Council presentation require a follow-up.

Willow Rd/101 interchange design choice. The Modified 1B alternative with dual bike lanes on a 162ft-wide bridge is the most realistic version. This should be recommended at the May 7th Menlo Park Council meeting.