Meeting Agenda [PDF]

Meeting Agenda Planning and Transportation Committee Tuesday, March 6, 2018, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway Hammer Board Room (237)

Committee members: Pete Bowling, Ashley Carson, Jim Chapman, David Dysert (CoChair), Reza Farhoodi (Co-Chair), Alyce Flitcraft, Bob Girsberger, Sara Hoeber, John Hollister, John Kirby, Betty Lou Koffel, Bruce Levy, George McNiel, Jason Naiman, Jerry Pike, Bruce Stephenson, Glenn Traeger

Agenda

6:00 Introductions

6:05 Approval of 2/6 Minutes

6:10 Prosper Portland Budget Update

6:25 NW 14th and Savier Self-Storage

7:05 Other business

7:15 Adjourn

Next meeting is: March 20 - NW in Motion and Parking Management Manual

Recent Notices • • • •

LU 16-251880 DZM AD - Final Findings and Decision by the Design Commission to Approve Lovejoy Square (February 9) LU 17-266132 DZM MS AS - Request for Response Review for 14th and Savier SelfService Storage Facility (February 12) LU 17-266132 DZM MS AS - Notice of a Public Hearing Before Design Commission on 14th and Savier Self-Service Storage Facility (February 13) LU 17-287167 HR - Notice of Type Ix Decision to Approve Two New Projecting Blade Signs at 1336 NW Flanders (February 22)

PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Agenda – March 6, 2018

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Meeting Minutes Planning and Transportation Committee Tuesday, February 6, 2018, 6:00 PM Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway Hammer Board Room (237)

Committee members in attendance: Ashley Carson, Jim Chapman, David Dysert (CoChair), Reza Farhoodi (Co-Chair), Alyce Flitcraft, Bob Girsberger, Sara Hoeber, John Kirby, Betty Lou Koffel, Bruce Levy, George McNiel, Jason Naiman, Jerry Pike, Glenn Traeger Committee members absent: Pete Bowling, John Hollister, Bruce Levy, Bruce Stephenson Guests: Gabe Graff (PBOT), Edward Kilgarriff (Pearl Resident), Marissa Ramirez (NWNW), Allen Classen (NW Examiner), Philip Moyer (Pearl Resident), Emilie Jackson (Visitor), Bill Bagnall (PDNA Board), Kurt Sorensen (Pearl Resident), Paul Klever (Pearl Resident), Iain MacKenzie (Visitor)

6:00 Introductions 6:05 Approval of 1/16 Minutes John Kirby noted one correction to the minutes, where an extra word needed to be removed. MOTION: Betty Lou Koffel, SECONDED: Sara Hoeber, ABSTAINED: All absent members Committee voted unanimously to approve January 16 Minutes with corrections 6:10 NW 14th Ave temporary changes and repaving update •

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Gabe Graff from PBOT discussed the temporary reconfiguration of NW 14th Avenue between Flanders and Glisan. This emergency project was needed due to ongoing construction at the 1430 NW Glisan site west of 14th Avenue that had narrowed the travel lanes, and the widened sidewalk on the east side of 14th Avenue that JE Dunn was required to install after making emergency repairs on its site. This had caused the bicycle lane to disappear, creating a hazardous situation. PBOT was installing the new striping that week, where the three existing travel lanes would merge to two lanes just north of Flanders Street, allowing for the bicycle lane to shift left and continue beyond Glisan Street.

PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes – February 6, 2018

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PBOT will keep this temporary configuration for the duration of the construction period and will reassess on the need for any permanent changes to the crosssection afterwards as part of the planned repaving project. PBOT had previously proposed a permanent reconfiguration of the street between Davis and Glisan as part of the upcoming repaving project that would convert the third travel lane to a parking lane and protected bicycle lane to improve safety and reduce travel speeds in this corridor. According to Gabe, the planned repaving of 14th Avenue from Burnside to Northrup streets was still scheduled to be completed sometime in 2018, but the construction around the 14th/Glisan intersection could impact that timeline, as it may be prudent to wait until after nearby projects are completed. The repaving project will include upgrading all curb ramps to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. There were questions from the committee about the impact of the proposed merge north of Flanders Street on traffic flow, and whether a right turn only lane at Flanders was considered. PBOT staff felt that the proposed striping plan was the best solution available, although the upcoming renovation of Rogue Brewery will trigger sidewalk modifications (similar to JE Dunn) that may require PBOT to modify striping and signage in the area. While nearby residents and property owners were sent a notice about the changes, one committee member asked how PBOT would notify commuters and visitors that may not be familiar with the area. Gabe responded that advance warning signage would be posted on 14th, although committee members thought that signage on the I-405 northbound off-ramp and Everett Street approaching 14th would be a good idea. There was also general frustration about the lack of notice on temporary traffic control plans that contractors must submit to PBOT for approval at work zone sites. Several committee members expressed the desire to improve the process by including adequate community outreach of proposed traffic changes. One recent example that was mentioned was the Modera Glisan site where contractors had shut down the entire temporary north sidewalk on Glisan Street between 14th and 15th avenues. This required pedestrians to travel around the block using Hoyt Street and 15th Avenue (as the south sidewalk is already shut down as part of the 1430 NW Glisan project). One committee member described the temporary sidewalk as not being safe even when it’s open, as motorists have been observed mistakenly driving in the space, presumably thinking that it’s the on-ramp to I405. Gabe mentioned that using the PDX Reporter app or reaching out to John Wilson at [email protected] is helpful to report sidewalk access violations. 6:30 405/Couch Update •

Gabe Graff provided an update on the Downtown I-405 Pedestrian Safety and Operational Improvements Project, which was included in the 2012 Pearl District Access and Circulation Plan. This has been brought in front of the committee before, but there have been several updates since the last presentation. As before, the project would streamline traffic flow by separating the I-405 southbound off-


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ramp from 16th Avenue traffic at Couch Street. The ramp would flow directly into NW 15th Avenue as today, but 16th Avenue traffic will be forced to turn at Burnside Street. Couch Street will also be closed off between 15th and 16th avenues, while allowing pedestrian and bicycle travel. Unfortunately, the project will not add new or expanded sidewalks to the Burnside and Couch overpasses (which are under ODOT jurisdiction), as they date from the 1960s and would require expensive seismic upgrades. The project is expected to be completed in 2019. The project also includes new signals on Burnside Street with better timing coordination, crossing improvements where the NB I-405 on-ramp crosses Couch Street in the Pearl, and new ADA-compliant curb ramps where needed. There would be some changes to parking in Zone K to accommodate the changes, including a new two-way protected bikeway on NW 16th connecting across Burnside Street between Alder and Couch streets. There may also be new meter parking on the I-405 overpass. There will also be new street lighting, expansion of the curbs at the NW and SE corner of 15th/Burnside, and a wider sidewalk on the west side of 15th between Burnside and Couch. The slip ramp at the SW corner of 15th and Burnside will be closed to create a pedestrian plaza as part of new development. The committee generally felt that the new traffic configuration would be an improvement in the area. One committee member asked how the new 16th/Burnside signal would accommodate bicycle riders, and Gabe responded that signal phasing would separate cyclists from turning motorists. There were questions about using green thermoplastic markings for the bikeway (as they can be slippery in wet conditions) as well as the need for bikeway separation which can create maintenance issues, to which Gabe responded that the surface will likely be asphalt without the green treatments, and that separation is seen as necessary to allow for a two-way bike facility on a one-way street. The city has specialized sweepers to clean protected bicycle lanes. 6:50 Central City in Motion •

Gabe Graff introduced the Central City in Motion process to the committee, which will focus holistically on multimodal safety and access improvements within the Central City, and includes funding for planning, project development and construction. Gabe noted that this process will allow the city to tackle several projects at once in the hopes of creating a safe and connected network, rather than planning individual projects one at a time. The project is midway through the planning phase, and is being informed by projects and street classifications in the Portland Central City 2035 Transportation System Plan. He then showed the committee several maps, including a crash risk analysis, physical street constraints, and proposed pedestrian, bicycle, and enhanced transit improvements. When asked where the crash data comes from, Gabe replied that the city uses official crash reports collected from ODOT where the collision has resulted in death or incapacitating injury and/or at least $1500 in property damage. Examples of crash


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factors include double turn lanes and where streetcar/light rail tracks interact with bike routes. The committee asked PBOT to also consider streets such as 12th Avenue where old railroad tracks are poking underneath the pavement and creating safety hazards. Among other items in the Pearl District, there are plans to consider safer crossings along the North Park Blocks (at Glisan, Everett, and Burnside streets), 14th Avenue, and Burnside Street; protected bike lanes on 16th Avenue, 14th Avenue and Broadway; improvements to neighborhood greenways on Johnson and Marshall streets; and potential improvements to speed up bus service for Line 77 on Everett Street. The maps also identified the lack of sidewalks and safe crossings on Naito Parkway. Gabe said that updated maps would be available by the end of February. Reza Farhoodi informed the committee that the planned bicycle facility on Broadway is the Pearl District project within CCIM most likely to advance to the implementation phase, and it will be important for the neighborhood to track its progress. While CCIM doesn’t propose specific bicycle improvements on Park Avenue, the neighborhood remains committed to improvements on the North Park Blocks that will fulfill the vision of the Green Loop as a lower-stress transportation facility suitable for families, and the proposed crossing improvements are a worthy start. Reza also noted that the low-stress bikeway map was missing Overton Street, which is a popular bicycle corridor and where the neighborhood has consistently called for traffic calming to improve pedestrian safety. One committee member also brought up the Centennial Mills bike/ped bridge as worthy of inclusion, although it would require a level of investment beyond the scope of CCIM. On the transit side, Reza asked PBOT for reconsideration of the westbound Line 77 for speed/reliability improvements, as the bus routinely experiences congestion in the evenings on Glisan Street approaching the I-405 interchange. In addition, there are ongoing ADA access issues at several Line 77 stops where the bus cannot access the curb due to on-street parking. When asked why Portland Streetcar isn’t being considered for enhanced transit, Gabe responded that there was an opportunity to partner with TriMet as part of the ongoing Enhanced Transit Concepts planning work and streetcar was outside of the project scope. 7:10 Other business • Reza Farhoodi provided an update on HB 2017 funding for Portland Streetcar, as a bill is currently working its way through the State Legislature to amend last year’s transportation bill to allow for revenues to be spent on light rail (which includes streetcar), except on capital expenses. Once that bill passes, it will be an appropriate time to begin lobbying TriMet for funding to improve streetcar operations. The committee approved writing this letter at the January 16 meeting. • Reza Farhoodi previewed the next meeting on February 20, where the committee will discuss the city’s draft Performance-Based Parking PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes – February 6, 2018

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Management Manual. This document will establish a formal process for neighborhoods and commercial corridors to form parking districts, as well as set the methodology to adjust the price of on-street spaces based on prevailing utilization levels, known as performance parking. There was also encouraging news from the Stakeholder Advisory Committee about the potential for a meter revenue sharing agreement with PBOT to help fund local priorities. David Dysert reported from the Centennial Mills Selection Advisory Committee, which met at the end of January to make a recommendation to the Prosper Portland board on the developer submittals. The board will make a final decision on whether to accept the SAC’s recommendation in the near future. The bids are still confidential, but may be revealed before the next P&T committee meeting. Sara Hoeber attended the January Broadway Corridor Steering Committee meeting in David’s absence, and reported that a public forum is scheduled on March 21 at 5:30pm in Left Bank Annex to hear from potential development partners and provide feedback on their alignment with the project vision, guiding principles, and project goals. She also provided a roadmap of future steering committee meetings, which will include discussions on multimodal transportation in April, public engagement strategy in May, and then the kick-off for the development planning phase in June. The process will include development, refinement and evaluation of 3-5 master plan concept alternatives in fall 2018. David Dysert updated the committee on the Fremont Apartments appeal. Jeffrey Kleinman, the attorney representing PDNA, would attend the February board meeting, with the City Council hearing scheduled on February 21 at 1:30pm. In addition, opponents of the project had organized a town hall at The Armory that was scheduled for February 12.

7:25 Adjourn Next Committee Meeting is: February 20, 2018


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