February 23 Meeting Minutes

TRANSPORTATION ACTION TEAM MEETING MINUTES

Meeting Date: February 23, 2012
7:00pm
Keller House

Chair: Bruce Lyon
WELCOME: Jeff Rogers PE, City of Concord Community Economic Development Dept, David Pitman, Edi Birsan, Harold Blair, Kathy Renfrow, Luz Sierra, Joyce Davidson Seitz, Economic Development Specialist, City of Concord Grant writer, Wes Laubscher, Mary Lou Laubscher, Michael Van Hofwegen, director of the Michael Chavez Center.

COMMUNITY REPORTS:

Shared Use Trail:
Jeff Reported about the progress of the Shared Use Trail, 1.6 mile trail. The City has been working on obtaining State Environmental Approval and an E76 form or “Construction Authorization ” from CalTrans. The process requires the City to enter into a Right-of-Way (ROW) agreement with the portion of the proposed trail that is owned by the county. The Initial Site Assessment discovered high concentrations of Arsenic in the soil centered on the old rail road right of way. The proposed mitigation is to Ca- in-Place the hazardous materials. With $666,000 of funding at stake, under the pressure of looming deadlines, the project was broke into two segments, the City's ROW segment, and the County's ROW segment. By doing so, the City anticipates the states approval for the City's segment soon, and thus will have secured funding for the City's segment. Approval for the County's segment should follow a few months later,(pending execution of the ROW Agreement, and the City of Concord's City Council and the County's Board of Supervisors approval of the agreement.) Mary Lou suggested trees along the trail Jeff responded that there will be Oak trees along the trail. Trees will help provide better air quality and shade. The Map of the City that Jeff shared shows, Bike Trails and the Shared Use Trail.

Mary Lou suggested trees along the trail Jeff responded that there will be Oak trees along the trail. Trees will help provide better air quality and shade. The Map of the City that Jeff shared shows, Bike Trails and the Shared Use Trail.

Cambridge:
Several schools throughout the community including Cambridge Elementary School suffer from poor access and traffic problems when students are dropped off. More people choose to ride a car to school. Work is needed on trails that lead to school and to provide pedestrian access from side streets to schools. Many of these necessary trail improvements are under construction. On San Miguel from Cowell to Tioga paving project is going to include Bicycle Lanes. Recently a site walk occurred at Cambridge Park to assess the need for ADA accessible decomposed granite trails, a wider loop for various uses, and improved access through the park for parents and students on their way through the park to school.

MTC GRANT FOR A COMMUNITY SHUTTLE

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has set aside $5.5 million dollars for Contra Costa County transportation projects and the Monument Community is eligible for a 3 year, $500,000 grant for transportation projects included in the Monument Corridor Community Based Transportation Plan (MCCBTP) (2006) Nelson Nygaard for the City of Concord. There is strong community based support for a Shuttle project.

The proposed community shuttle would be a 10 passenger, ADA accessible, have a bilingual host. The Shuttle would serve those who don’t own cars, disabled persons, seniors, and provide curb to curb service. The Shuttle would deliver passengers to the senior center, social service agencies, transit, BART, employment centers, Michael Chavez Center, La Clinica and other Community clinics and Hospitals.

The best part of the proposed Community Shuttle is that it will be free, at least until the program matures to the point where it can be a sustainable business. The Community Shuttle project is a micro enterprise which will provide training and employment opportunities and grow to be a permanent service for our community.

Joyce Davidson Seitz of the City of Concord is writing the Grant by the March 2nd dead line proposal to the CCTA. It may take up to 6 month process to finalize eth business plan for the micro enterprise.

Edi Birsan has a brilliant solution to provide the matching funds required to obtain the Grant. The Mt Diablo Health Care District, granted $12,000 to the Senior Club for the Senior Club’s Taxi/ van program and collaboration with the Senior Club would qualify to comply with the matching fund requirement. Virginia Brunk is already developed a successful senior taxi van project for the Senior Community and Edi Birsan and Mary Lou Laubscher are on the Contra Costa Community Mobility Committee indicating strong support for the shuttle from the senior community.

With lessons learned from the Route 8 Bus and a step by step plan to build a shuttle service a sustainable business will evolve to serve the Monument Community.

The MTC grant is necessary for the Monument Corridor, based on our needs assessment (MCCBTP), and based on needs of the population to be served in this tough economy. Seniors living in the Monument Corridor have difficulty paying $8 for transportation to obtain a free or low cost senior meal and many more residents who don’t own a car need a shuttle to travel to La Clinia, afterschool programs, and the store.

A strong connection to the monument community is important and the transportation action team support the idea of community based people on the advisory board for the Shuttle Program.

Mary Lou said that it will work great if seniors can have door to door service and others could use curb to curb service. Wes, commented that we make the service efficient by servicing groups of people and combine destinations.

HEAL

Healthy Eating Active Living:
Is almost ready to announce a project for the monument community to assess water fountains throughout the Monument, training begins March 14th at 6:00pm to 9:00pm hoping ot train 15 to 20 youth and young adults.

TRANSIT TO TRAILS

Dave Pitman commented on much progress on the Transit to Trails Project.

Arterial tech transfer HCM 2010 MUTCD 2012. Multi mode pedestrian bike bus. Levels of service event on Web March 21, 2012

Wes reminded the Transportation action team how we looked at all forms of mobility: bicycle, pedestrian, transit. We learned the meaning of the word Sharrows, striping lanes for bicycles, and how we are more aware of transit projects in other communities.

NEXT MEETING: Monday March 12 at 6;00pm a Joint NAT and TAT meeting with BART representatives.

POSITIVES: Good meeting because much information was shared about the Shared Use trail and the MCT Grant. It was Great to have Edi Birsan, Joyce Davidson Seitz, and Jeff Rogers from the City to inform us about Transportation happenings and great to see progress on connecting all of the modes of mobility. It was great that Jeff and the City was successful in the grant process.

THINGS TO CHANGE: encourage more concerned residents to attend the meeting.

MEETING ADJOURNED 8:45pm

Bruce Lyon
Chair Transportation Action Team
blyon@pacbell.net