ADOPTED – TPAC minutes from June 27, 2018 –

 

Present: Susan Lindsay, Susan Pearce, Kate Merrill, John Tydlaska, Ryan Guy Hashagen, Julie Bennett, Michelle Sprague, Chris Armes, Scott Cohen, PBOT, Dan Yates, Ken Wilson, Brandon Wentworth, Summer Triato and Rina Jimmerson

 

Absent: Michael Bolliger, Michael Zocoych, Juliana Lukasik, Nathan Clark

 

Minutes from May 23^rd meeting  – motion to approved by Dan Yates and seconded by Julie Bennett, adopted unanimously with one change from Ryan Hashagen

 

No public comment

 

Scott Cohen presents cross sections of City Center in Motion proposals

 

Mentions that Rina sent out the cross sections beforehand…this is the same presentation he did for HAND that was open to all Central Eastside but it was mostly HAND and Rina and Todd Deneffe

 

Scott skips over a lot of the presentation because HAND meeting was 3 hours long – starts with the last slide so we understand what is coming for the next steps of the project.  We just had an online open house and we received 3500 comments and we are analyzing that feedback. Hopefully, TPAC, made comments.

 

We will start doing traffic modeling but it is very intensive financially and manpower wise but we are getting there….we will look at cross sections today but remember it is just a snapshot of an intersection, streets change as you move through intersections…lanes drop, near signals turn lanes are added….

 

We will be reviewing these designs with our sounding board at a meeting that is tomorrow afternoon – Julie and Ken are part of the sounding board.

 

We have our freight and impact analysis still to do but will be done reminder that it is very much on our radar but we have our proposed projects and afterwards we will make sure all our projects are compatible with freight movement in the district

 

Dan asks if is it based on the 2035 freight or today’s freight?

 

Scott says do we have 2035 truck modeling ?

 

Dan says yes, the 2035 plan has estimated the number of jobs in the district so I would think there is a relation between jobs and trucks also if the population is rising those people are eating and buying stuff so the design would include truck throughput increase as well instead of taking today’s throughput.

Scott – we will look at truck access, turning lanes we will look at all throughput….freight will not be separate

 

Scott – we have more outreach activities coming in August and look at project prioritization…we can’t do everything

 

July 26th at St Philippe Neri for the Central Eastside and planning another open house in the summer and will be going to council late September.

 

We are doing this because we cannot expand the street network despite growing population…we need to move more people and now we need to figure out which projects to do now and how best to do them.

 

Our budget is 9M dedicated and an estimated other 20 M $ in transportation charges for a 30 M $ total.

 

Michelle Sprague –  Gideon Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge shows on the CCIM Map but it is being funded separately.  It is slated to be completed in 2019.

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Mentions that Rina testified at council in favor of freight being able to use transit lanes and we are trying to figure out how to we make that work…what are the parameters.

 

Many cross sections don’t show a specific pedestrian improvement but they will…we just haven’t gotten down to that level of detail yet.

 

There are 40 pedestrian improvements scheduled in the Central Eastside alone.

 

Dan – how many stoplights are you adding ?   because that affects throughput.

 

Scott – no signals are proposed as of yet, we are trying to avoid them

 

Cross sections

 

Kate – it says preferred alignment along 6^th Avenue

 

Dan – preferred by whom?

 

Scott – that came out of our last workshop in March at OMSI, the general feeling between 6 and 7 and the last meeting 6^th was preferred over 7^th.  This project is not building the Green Loop….it may just set the stage

 

 

 

 

 

These are the cross sections that were discussed  (in summary)

 

-MLK I-84 to Hawthorne looking south

BUS, car and streetcar lane only

 

Ryan – agrees

Ken concerned about Clay

Dan – can freight use this ?

Scott – yes freight can use this but we need to come up with how to identify/define freight

 

NE Couch 12^th – Grand

Peak hours 6-9

Kate -can you flag this to Gabe that this one is very difficult as we have already spoken to him

 

E Burnside MLK to 12^th

Creating a bus and turn only lane (on the right)

Susan Pearce – we saw this at HAND and one question was whether patient transfer vehicles could use the bus and turn lane

Kate – maybe on bus and turn lanes could be just for peak hour

Scott – this project is proposed for all hours

Summer – so many people turning left here because of pedestrians….almost always blocked by people turning left and increased ped traffic…crosswalk signals could maybe be installed also look at peak hours as an option

Dan – could we do curb extension ?

Scott – asks Chris if it is possible to change – will check with PBOT

Susan Lindsay – we are removing travel lane for cars and putting bus and turn only 24/7…why?

Scott – to speed buses through because the delays ripple out city wide

Susan Lindsay – inquires about the westside

Scott – doesn’t have the plans

Susan Pearce – about the curb cuts…neighborhoods like Kearns fought long and hard for the extensions for pedestrian safety after some fatalities

Scott- we are not proposing excluding extensions

Ryan – do you have any metrics

Scott – we have the data but not in a legible format yet

Ryan – we would need to see that to better explain why this configuration is more efficient, encourages to get that information

 

Morrison 12^th to the Bridge

Three travel lanes now….this suggests parking is permanent, bus lane permanent and bike lane permanent

Kate – how to make it easier for pedestrians there

Scott – all the cross sections are aimed at improving pedestrian situation through improvements but our cross sections don’t have all of them

 

SE Belmont – Morrison

No comment

 

Hawthorne – SE Grand to 12^th

Bike lane moves to curb, parking and bus platforms move to other side of the bike lane and two travel lanes and parking except in peak so we can move more cars off the Hawthorne bridge

Dan – almost maintain capacity

Scott – 2 lanes all of the time and 3 lanes at peak

Dan – when bus stops – it will block the lane….how many parking spaces are being eliminated??  This is an important number to the Central Eastside because you have a war against parking

Susan Pearce – once it gets to 12^th it is forced to turn left…so people who want to go through or who are not in the know they are going to cut in at the last minute

Scott – there will be some learning curves

Susan Lindsay – MLK and Hawthorne is the County Building has time stay parking ….also the parking lot is filled with employees …believes it is a hardship on the public to lose that parking and points out that disabled parking would also be removed …it very busy area

 

SE Clay from Water to 6^th

The protected bike lane moves to Clay and this cross section will connect to 6^th or 7^th

Because you can’t drop a bike lane at Grand

Dan – what do you mean by protected bike lanes

Scott – protected by bike posts

Dan – but what about freight that is being moved

 

Clay looking West from Ladd’s to 6^th or 7^th

Clay would be one way for bikes and cars but keep all the parking

These is an odd feat that we are attempting for Clay

Michelle – one issue is there is no street width, you are just showing drawings

Scott – we pull the wands back from driveways, Clay is wide enough for freight

Michelle – there is no other street that go all the way to Water until you get to Division (or Clay) which is a long way away

Scott – you can use Clay to get to Grand, you can’t go straight through

Susan – you would have to weave through the neighborhood

Dan – they would have to use 8^th….a horrible intersection that everyone tries to avoid

Michelle – I am assuming that you are trying to get to the residential areas not MLK or Grand

Summer – could you swap and do one way on Mill or the next street over in the other direction?  One way westbound on Mill

Scott – we will look at it ….we have got a lot of feedback about Clay and I have a feeling that it is going to change so let’s not spend too much time on that

Susan Pearce – I want to go back to what Michelle was saying and we are overlooking a whole lot of traffic Mills and Eastbound on Clay street won’t work because it doesn’t go through.  If you are forced to turn on MLK you will find yourself in Selwood.

Scott – there are issues that need to be worked out with this cross section

Susan Pearce – What does Clay look like now >

Scott – two travel lanes and two parking lanes – no bike lanes

 

SE 11^th and 12^th

Adding a buffer bike lane with parking on either side with a signal

Dan – how can you increase throughput if you are adding a bike lane and a signal ?

Susan Pearce – HAND has toyed with putting bike lanes on 11^th and 12^th and the stop light on Harrison was to break up the speedway between Division and Hawthorne and we don’t want to lose that light….but we at HAND have to continue our conversation.

Dan – we are putting the green loop on 6^th, bike lanes on 7^th and you want to take away two more travel lanes in what is supposed to be a freight zone

Susan Lindsay – removing a lane on 11^th and 12^th has taken place elsewhere in Williams and Vancouver and those streets are chocked up.  If you do this on 11^th and 12^th ….you will have a problem moving cars and freight.  Lots of Uber already and trucks as well as the masterplan at Washington high school has an entrance and exit on 11^th and 12^th….don’t remove a travel lane from 11 th and 12^th because this is a unique area and the impact on the businesses

 

Kate – we have 5 minutes left, so if we have any other comments on the slides….we can send your comments on to Scott by e-mail.  Also, what was the time on the workshop on July 26 from 2:30 -5pm

We are asking for the numbers of parking spots that will be removed and we will wait for the freight studies

 

If we don’t get this information, we will say to council that we cannot support the project.

 

Dan – there is no chance for any feedback nor modifications on the plan before council, the questions we are asking for is pretty basic information….I have said this to many people.

 

12^th two ways North of Burnside

Susan Lindsay – reduction of travel lane on 11^th and 12^th why since no buses – like on MLK and Grand?

Scott – No, this is different, this is to reduce speed and introduce a bike lane.  It helps make pedestrian crossing easier.

Susan Lindsay – different south of Hawthorne and North of Hawthorne, I haven’t noticed a speeding issue….so this is for adding a bike lane

 

7^th Ave connecting to SE Sandy when it turns off and starts going diagonal

Keeps the existing configuration and removes parking on one side and adds a bike lane.

Shared use on 7^th

 

Slides continue quickly…

 

Dan reiterates that PBOT/ CCIM is touching 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 11^th and 12^th in a freight zone…it doesn’t make any sense

Scott – We are still refining, there will be time for modifications….but we are trying to get to bundle the projects and which ones we are going to put forward.

 

Kate – reiterates to send your individual comments to Scott and to attend on the CCIM workshop on the 26^th at St. Philippe Neri

 

Kate – We called everyone ahead of time to see if there were any questions on the MOU.  We answered the ones that we got, not many had any questions.  Is everybody ok or can we move to approve ?

 

Ken – I have one question, there no balance sheet here so I was not able to match up the net with what happens to the net

 

Kate – the net is 195 000 $ from this year with the carryover from last year as well so there will be 195 000 $ left.

 

John- I don’t think that is the case because the 700 opt outs to get the wallet, the money doesn’t go away…so you have to take projections and back up

 

Kate/Chris – the surcharge increased this year and more are sold in G

 

John – where is the impact of the 700 opt outs …what happens?

 

Dan/ Chris / Kate – it is just non-revenue, so not included in your revenue

 

Kate – we will have leftover

 

Dan – it is budgeted and forecasted

 

Ken – so what happens to the 195 000 $

 

Chris – every year we decide to carry it forward

 

Summer – this meeting does not decide what is to happen to the 195 000 $…it is just to carry it forward.  We can decide at another time in the year.

 

Kate – last year we had a 700 000 $ carry over

 

Ken – if I looked at a 5-year budget would the budget be increasing by the number carried over or is it better to spend the money in that year

 

Dan – Theoretically we are going to not sell permits ….every time they take away parking, they take away parking revenue.  So, the number I keep asking for is important for calculations going forward

 

Kate – We have asked about projections before but because it is so difficult to predict revenue from permit parking…we can’t get specific projections

 

Chris – as permits decrease, meters increase

 

Ken – it seems like this budget is 600 000 $ more than anticipated, how do we backfill the money

 

Kate – for some of these programs…we are counting on passing the ESD.  You will see 345 000 $ is just for graffiti and cleaning up which would eventually be  taken over by the ESD.

 

Summer – have we run a projection of five years ?

 

Chris – we changed the rules on permit issuance yearly…

 

Ken- that is bad budgeting

 

Summer – over time we will only have meter revenue and only 10 parking spaces left…

 

Dan – could we stay on track and go forward on accepting the budget and MOU for now ?

 

Summer – I put forth to accept this budget with the request to have projections as soon as possible

 

Dan -feels it is an acceptable motion but projections are difficult so we will come up with some options.

 

Summer – suggests 5 different budgets for 5 years each broken down

 

Julie – we haven’t had a discussion because we don’t have our numbers on usage which is critical … and that is coming in…

 

Chris – you should be getting them in the next week or so….we are behind in the data collection because the CEIC had not voted the MOU…and decided not to take data until later

 

Sue Pearce – how can you expect us to approve a budget and then you tell us we won’t get necessary reports until next week

 

Chris / Dan – no, that is not what we are saying…we design our work for next year based on the reports that we will receive next week.

 

Kate – we will also add on an ESD presentation to the projections to better explain

 

Dan – anyone want to add anything ?

 

Motion to accept by Susan Pearce and seconded by Summer Triato

 

Kate – district shuttle update

 

Doug – I would like to apologize for the delays, candidly we were missing a permit that we didn’t know about until after signing the contract.  According to PBOT our goal is to launch on the 5^th of July.  As a token of our appreciation….we will operate for one week at no expense to the CEIC ….shows pictures of the shuttle.  They are ADA compliant, we are ready to go, certificates of insurance…but again, no good reason for not having started sooner, I am very sorry.

 

Kate – there are 6 stops on the route: Dairy Building, Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation, OMSI, ODOT Blocks, Eastside Exchange building and the Oregon Convention Center.  Unfortunately, there is a gap between ODOT and Eastside exchange ….we are still looking for a possibility.  It is hard because we cannot use the right of way.

There is an app, there is a space for this on the web page, a press event, a map…

 

Summer – between ODOT and Eastside Exchange is a big gap, have we looked at a map of the highest permit holders by address?  I am thinking of Multnomah County

 

Kate – Olympic Mills is suffering because their parking has been taken out,

 

Summer – what kind of a commitment are you looking for from the lot

 

Kate – we want to make sure we have only 15-20 mins of lag time between the buses….be reassured, we have looked at 3 possibilities but none have worked out

 

Rina – a lot of space needs to be available as the bus needs to get in and out

 

Summer – will we be charging for this ?  going back to the budget idea…eventually if we are not able to fund this….could this potentially convert to a paid program

 

Kate – we will be collecting a lot of data, we are hoping that TriMet could pursue it

 

Michelle – how do you know who is using it

 

Kate – Doug…aren’t we using survey monkey for survey?

 

Doug – yes, we will be handing out a card/business card that would allow them to answer the survey questions

 

 

Clean and Safe

 

Kate – 100 more garbage bags than normal…one ton the first time and 700 000 pounds the second time…obviously a much-needed service

 

Pilot Security Project

 

Rina –  we received 5 proposals, a selection committee shortlisted two companies that we are negotiating with right now.

 

Kate – we are setting up a committee similar to CPAC

 

Portland Streetcar

 

Kate – they are proposing to extend the line to Montgomery Park on Wilson street, because of the LID project it will take some time and there may be zoning changes around that

 

Dan – About CCIM, I have been pushing to understand why they are on an accelerated path but I cannot get an answer.  We need the modeling…they will only run the freight analysis only once or twice…and then right to council. We need to protect this district.  September 30^th does not correspond to any funding deadlines.

 

Pia – there are no widths on these cross sections…it has to be 12 feet minimum, studies that I have seen say that freight is doubling and all I see is space for freight getting smaller and smaller

 

Dan – they are not looking at freight doubling….I don’t know how we are going to get around

 

-ADJOURN-