Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

May 20, 2004

Staff Reports

1.A) Draft Minutes from April 15, 2004

Attached (Attachment 1).

1.C) 2004 Calendar

Attached (Attachment 2).

2. Bicycling Street Smarts Disclaimer

Department of Public Safety staff raised concerns over their distribution of the Bicycling Streets Smarts booklet due to potential conflicts with California law. The concern relates in particular to the following statement contained in Chapter 9:

If your bicycle doesn’t trip the detector, you have to wait for a car to do it, or else you have to go through the red light. Going through the red light isn’t against the law, because the light is defective. If you ever have a crash or get a traffic ticket because a traffic light won’t turn green, it’s the fault of whoever installed the detector.

California Vehicle Code Section 21800(d)(1) states the following:

The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection which has official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall stop at the intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is safe to do so. This subparagraph shall apply to traffic control signals that become inoperative because of battery failure.

Staff consulted with the City Attorney, who felt that the statement contained in Chapter 9 is misleading. If a detector is indeed defective, the City may have not been notified yet of the malfunction. As long as the City maintains its signals to the best of its ability and has policies and procedures for tuning loops to be sensitive to bicycles, the City would not be automatically liable if a detector is not tripped.

After consulting with the City Attorney, staff recommends that the following statement be inserted into the booklet: "Not all statements are consistent with California law." Staff recommends that the BPAC approve a motion to approve the proposed statement language.

3. Mathilda Bridge Review

At the March BPAC meeting, the Committee discussed an urgency agenda item, the Mathilda Bridge Review. Staff presented two design concepts for the Mathilda Bridge project. One concept includes a two-foot median island at the north end of the bridge, and the other concept includes a four-foot median island at this end. Both concepts include a five-foot bicycle space along the bridge in both directions and an upgrade of the pedestrian walkway to ADA standards.

BPAC also requested that this item be included on an upcoming agenda in order to provide opportunity for public input. Staff recommends that the BPAC solicit public input of the Mathilda Bridge design concepts.

4. Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) Regional Fund Application

Staff has received a call-for-projects for the TFCA Regional Fund from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). These funds are available for projects that reduce air pollutant emissions. Provided in Attachment 3 is information on the Regional Fund application process, including eligible project types, evaluation criteria, and guidelines for project types.

Staff recommends submitting three applications under the "Smart Growth/Traffic Calming" project type. The selected projects are currently listed on the City of Sunnyvale Unfunded Projects Index: Radar Speed Signs for School Areas; In-Pavement Crosswalk Warning Lights; Countdown Pedestrian Signal Indication (see Attachment 4 for the Unfunded Projects Index and the Project Information Sheets for the three projects). Their listing on the Unfunded Projects Index indicates their high priority level without available funds.

The Regional Fund also applies to "Bicycle Facility Improvements" projects; however, it has been difficult in the past to meet the TFCA Funding Effectiveness criterion with bicycle lanes in Sunnyvale. Any project under this category must be included in the Santa Clara Countywide Bicycle Plan. Provided in Attachment 5 are the ranking results list in the Sunnyvale Long-Range Bicycle Capital Improvement Program Study (Bike CIP) and the project list from the Santa Clara Countywide Bicycle Plan. Also provided below is the discussion of the higher-priority projects listed in the Bike CIP that was used for BPAC’s April discussion of the Tier 2 Bicycle Project List:

• El Camino Real

• Mathilda: US 101-Maude

• Mathilda: Caribbean – US 101

• Wolfe: Old San Francisco – Maria

• Mary: Fremont – El Camino

• Evelyn: Sunnyvale – Reed

• Fair Oaks: Crossman – US 101

• Sunnyvale/Saratoga: El Camino – Mathilda

• Evelyn: Bernardo – Charles

• Evelyn: Charles – Sunnyvale

• Duane: Fair Oaks – Lawrence

• Borregas

Staff recommends that the Committee approve a motion to support staff’s recommendation to apply for funds from the TFCA Regional Fund for the following three projects: Radar Speed Signs for School Areas; In-Pavement Crosswalk Warning Lights; Countdown Pedestrian Signal Indication.

5. Discuss work scope for "Reconsideration of BPAC Functions and Responsibilities" for 2005 Study Issue submittal

At its December 2003 meeting, BPAC requested that the Committee amend its Functions and Responsibilities section of the resolution that formed the Committee. As the first step in preparing a 2005 Study Issue submittal on this issue to the City Council, BPAC will discuss the work scope. BPAC began a discussion of the work scope at its April 15, 2004 meeting, and requested that this discussion be continued at the May meeting with additional documentation and a detailed summary of the discussion from the April meeting.

Provided in Attachment 6 are the following documents: Report to Council on the Formation of Sunnyvale’s Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC); Bicycle Advisory Committee Mission Statement; Resolution Establishing a Bicycle Advisory Committee and Designating its Functions; Report to Council on the Approval of Bicycle Advisory Committee By-Laws; City of Sunnyvale Bicycle Advisory Committee By-Laws; Report to Council on a Resolution for the Bicycle Advisory Committee Designation Change; Sunnyvale Boards and Commissions Listing; Resolution Changing the Name of the Bicycle Advisory Committee to Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; Staff Notes from April 15, 2004 BPAC Discussion of Work Scope for "Reconsideration of BPAC Functions and Responsibilities" for 2005 Study Issue Submittal. Staff recommends that BPAC members review these documents and continue to identify a work scope for this study issue.

6. FY 2004/05 TDA Allocation Revision

At it’s March 18, 2004 meeting, the BPAC approved a staff recommendation to allocate FY 04/05 TDA funds for the Mary Avenue/Route 280 Overcrossing Project. Subsequent to that hearing, staff has developed an alternative funding plan for the Sunnyvale contribution to the Mary Avenue Overcrossing Project. Also, the final engineer’s estimate for the Calabazas Creek Trail was received, which indicated that additional funding is desirable for contingency purposes. Therefore, staff is returning to the BPAC with a proposed revision to the FY 04/05 Transportation Development Act funding priorities.

Staff recommends that the TDA contribution for the Mary Avenue Route 280 project be reduced to $44,305 from the originally proposed $71,855 (the entire FY 04/05 TDA allocation). Staff has requested that the Council allocate unspent Measure B funds in the amount of $66,695 to the Mary Avenue Overcrossing Project, with the balance ($44,305) of the City’s budgeted $110,000 contribution to come from TDA.

The remaining $27,550 in TDA funds after the $44,305 allocation for the Mary Avenue Overcrossing is recommended to be allocated for the Calabazas Creek contingency. This project will be bid in the next few weeks.

Staff recommends that the BPAC approve a motion recommending that the City Council allocate $44,305 in FY 04/05 TDA funds for the Mary Avenue Overcrossing Project, and $27,550 for the Calabazas Creek Trail project.

Information Only Items

1. Approved March 18, 2004 Meeting Minutes

   Attached (Attachment 7).

2. BPAC Active Items Report

   Attached (Attachment 8).

3. BPAC Email

   Attached (Attachment 9).

4. Collision Reports Involving Pedestrians

   There was one collision involving a pedestrian reported during the period between April 1 and April 30, 2004 (see Attachment 10).

5. Collision Reports Involving Bicycles

   There were no collisions involving bicycles reported during the period between April 1 and April 30, 2004.

6. Letter to Steve Hanson of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board Regarding Sunnyvale Station Bike Lockers

   Attached (Attachment 11).

7. Memo to Boards and Commissions Regarding Changes to Agenda and Minutes