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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-02-24 Transportation Minutes City of Tukwila Transportation Committee TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE - Meeting Minutes February 24, 2014 5:15 p.m. Foster Conference Room PRESENT Councilmembers: Allan Ekberg, Chair; Dennis Robertson, Kate Kruller Staff: David Cline, Bob Giberson, Robin Tischmak, Gail Labanara, Pat Brodin, Moira Bradshaw, Laurel Humphrey CALL TO ORDER: Committee Chair Ekberg called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. I. PRESENTATIONS No presentations. II. BUSINESS AGENDA A. Residential Street Rating Program As follow up to a request made at the February 10 Committee meeting, staff presented a historical overview of the information used to prioritize residential street improvements in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). In the early 1990s, engineering staff developed a system used to rate and prioritize all unimproved residential streets in the City, which informed the list of projects to be funded annually in the CIP under Residential Streets. The rating system was based off of criteria including pedestrian and vehicle volumes, speeds, accident history, pavement widths, proximity to schools/parks, resident feedback, and more. This prioritization system was tabled when regular annual funding for residential street improvements came to an end, so much of the data has not been updated since completed projects have not been removed from the prioritization list. Other programs and policies may include elements of prioritization (such as sidewalks in the Walk & Roll Plan) but there is nothing currently in existence that is as comprehensive as this rating plan used to be. Committee members and staff discussed the value of this tool but acknowledged the vast amount of staff time it would require to recreate it with updated data. Committee Chair Ekberg inquired about existing tools or software programs that may exist to help cities with street ratings, asking that staff research the possibility and report back to the Committee. Councilmember Robertson noted that there are broader policy questions that must be addressed, such as electrical undergrounding, stormwater management, and sidewalks. Further, Councilmembers and staff discussed the need to better integrate policy decisions that may exist separately, as with the Comprehensive, Walk & Roll and PROS Plans, and use all of these plans cohesively to inform prioritization through the CIP and Budget adoption processes. DISCUSSION ONLY. III. SOUTH COUNTY AREA TRANSPORTATION BOARD (SCATBD) Meeting Bob Giberson described highlights from the January 21 and February 18 meetings, including the status of the King County Transportation Benefit District, the Rainier Avenue Project, and the 2014 regional project selection process. Transportation Committee Minutes February 24, 2014 Page 2 IV. MISCELLANEOUS Councilmember Robertson mentioned the Finance and Safety work plan item involving commercial vechicles in residential streets, both on private property and the public right of way. He asked if there was logical tie-in with the recent Transportation Committee discussion on parking in residential areas as it relates to mass transit users. There was agreement to keep the topics separate, since Public Works is not involved with parking matters until they are codified. Committee Chair Ekberg requested that the progress on the Cascade and Thorndyke Safe Routes to School Projects be promoted via local media channels since not all residents may be aware of them. Chair Ekberg mentioned the use of a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) as a revenue source for residential street improvements. Staff noted that TBD review is on the Finance and Safety work plan, and State government is currently working to resolve the issues involving simultaneous city and county TBDs. On that note, it was confirmed today that the King County TBD is moving ahead to the April 22 ballot. Staff mentioned that in preparation for the RapidRide F Line along Southcenter Boulevard, King stth County is adding several safety improvements to the street between 61 and 65 Avenue South, including new sidewalk, covered bus shelters, and rapid flashing light at the City Hall crosswalk. Meeting adjourned at 6:24 p.m. Next meeting: Monday, March 10, 2014 Committee Chair Approval Minutes by LH, Reviewed by GL.