FAIRFAX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Meeting Summary
June 16, 2014 at 7:30 PM – FCDOT, 4050 Legato Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033
TAC Members in Attendance: Chairman Jeff Parnes (Sully), Vice Chairman Jennifer Joy Madden (Hunter Mill), Secretary Roger Hoskin (Mason), Mike Champness (Dranesville), Frank Cohn (Mt. Vernon) Micah Himmel (Providence), Kevin Morse (Braddock), Alan Young (At Large), Harry Zimmerman (Lee).
TAC Members Absent: Eric Thiel (Springfield).
Others in Attendance: Calvin Lam (FCDOT), Adam Lind (FCDOT), Wade Smith (Trails & Sidewalk Committee).
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Parnes at 7:40 p.m. The minutes of the last meeting were approved unanimously and without change.
Note Taker: Frank Cohn
Main Topics Discussed
Summer Repaving Project/Bike Lanes
Adam Lind provided a briefing, with the assistance of slides, to advise the TAC of current and projected actions to improve bike lanes distributed throughout the County.
The biggest progress in managing County bike lanes was made in 2014 by the adoption of the VDOT Bike Master Plan. As the repaving of street projects progresses throughout the County, the repaving and marking of bike lanes are now fully integrated whenever in sync with the Bike Master Plan. Bike lanes require dedicated space and the type of lane will be selected by the County staff.
The FCDOT staff is involved in selecting locations where improvements and repairs of bike lanes are desired in coordination with repaving efforts. Field work involves measuring and assessing requirements for improvement, leading to design by County staff; that which is feasible and affordable receives priority. Even where bike lanes currently do not exist, a simple change in markings can provide a bike lane option. For example: If a right-of-way with an overall width of 36’ currently provides two car lanes 18’ wide each, the option exists to reduce the width of the car lanes down to 12’ each, which is still deemed adequate, and would therefore result in an availability to create two 6’ bike lanes within the existing right-of-way. A second example: If a right-of-way with an overall width of 48’ currently provides four 12’ wide car lanes, the option exists to keep only two of the 12’ car lanes, convert the third car lane to turning lanes wherever needed and the remaining space can be used to create two 6’ bike lanes. It should be noted that traffic consultants maintain that traffic flow is actually improved by the creation of turning lanes.
The currently improved traffic funding situation is responsible for the best repaving options in years. In the current year, 24 streets selected for repaving work have been associated with work on bike lanes. The ongoing coordination between FCDOT and VDOT is of paramount importance to assure progress where it is most needed. Public meetings are scheduled to reaffirm appropriate progress. Repaving projects projected towards the year 2018 involve improvements in each of the Districts within the County, with emphasis on the Mount Vernon District and the Tysons area. The object is to connect as many bike paths as possible, but to be realistic; many gaps will continue to remain.
VDOT’s proposal for Multimodal improvements to improve Route I-66 outside of the Beltway, was discussed by TAC members. VDOT has indicated that they are accepting public input until June 18, 2015. It is hoped that as future opportunities arise, TAC members, speaking as individuals, could stress the need to integrate continuous and convenient bicycle and pedestrian paths into the project. Wade Smith provided copies of a letter, dated 6/10/15, by the Trails and Sidewalks Committee to Sharon Bulova, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, urging the Board of Supervisors to incorporate parallel trails along the refurbished I-66 within the project right-of-way. When the adequacy of the existing right-of-way was questioned, it was noted that the current delineation involves only a straight line proposal; it will require detailed engineering efforts to determine if enough room is available for the placement of pedestrian and bike paths. Where constraints are insurmountable the engineering effort needs to identify parallel routes through adjacent side streets, however such diversions should be avoided if at all possible. At one location, preliminary estimates point to a requirement to displace gut 115 houses in order to bring bike lanes close to I-66; however the emphasis should be placed on the word ‘preliminary’ since follow-up engineering may well prove that such a mass displacement of houses might be avoidable.
With reference to the Tysons area, there are currently sufficient sidewalks available for pedestrians; however within the area the major problem is to enable pedestrians to cross the major streets. For bike riders, additional trails are on the drawing board, however the unsolved problems are the obstacles that preclude bikers from entering the Tysons area – the Beltway, the Toll Road and Route 7 – all present major obstacles which require engineering solutions. Towards that effort a charrette is planned on June 23-24, 2015 with public participation solicited, to solve bike and pedestrian penetrations through the Beltway and Route 123.
The TAC suggested that Bike Share should be integrated with Bike Parking Racks strategically placed at Hot Lanes Parking Lots and other connectivity areas. Bike prohibitions in the Reston Tyson area need to be eliminated, all in an effort to connect bike lanes to Metro Stations.
Discussion ensued about the integration of Segways, mopeds, and electric bikes. No conflict is envisioned between Segways and bikes. Other types of bikes require consideration depending on their respective speeds; clearly, motorized or electric bikes with license plates are vehicles that belong in the car lanes.
Mr. Lind was thanked for his presentation.
TAC Achievement Award Committee
The committee has received three nominations for consideration and the voting format has been adopted, however, votes have not yet been tabulated. It was noted that awards will not be presented until later in the year and the Committee’s selection can be discussed in the July meeting. The option to delegate the final decision to the committee received an objection and the July presentation to the TAC was affirmed.
Planned Agenda Items
The planned agenda item for the July meeting, an update on the implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems Technology on Fairfax Connector Busses, by Dwayne Pelfrey, was confirmed. Mr. Pelfrey will be requested to bring such a bus to the next meeting, if possible, to provide TAC members the opportunity to inspect this installation, in the adjacent parking lot.
The timing of future presentations remains flexible. It was noted that the currently scheduled briefings for September and October have traffic correlations; therefore the presentations of the Huntington Area Transportation Study and the Richmond Highway Alternatives Analysis Next Steps can be merged in one meeting, making space for an early consideration of Route 7 improvements. The Chairman will provide dates for all presentations not currently aligned with a specified presentation date.
It was observed that the future schedule appears to provide updates of prior presentations and that the engagement of the TAC in these issues appears to be reactive. It was further suggested that the TAC ought to consider being more proactive. Past proactive actions by the TAC were mentioned to bring relatively new members up to date. It was noted that TAC action on behalf of Accessible Bus Stops needs an update at a future meeting. To insure future proactive considerations by the TAC, the chairman appointed Mike Champness and Micah Himmel as Co-Chairs of a Proactive Planning Committee. TAC members were urged to provide ideas for follow-up to the committee.
Other Business:
The Secretary was requested to bring the roster of Note Takers up to date.
TAC members were urged to be careful when involved with personal testimony to the Board of Supervisors; TAC members must stress that they are testifying as individuals with their personal opinions and that their TAC membership should not infer that their respective testimony is on behalf of the TAC.
Public meetings similar to the I-66 meetings outside of the Beltway will soon be scheduled for I-66 improvements inside the Beltway. TAC members are urged to consider attending these meetings. An informational meeting is already scheduled for June 17 to bring this project forward.
Comment and Feedback on Previous Meeting’s Presentations: N/A
Planned Agenda for Next Meeting
- July 21, 2015: Update on Implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Technology on Fairfax Connector Buses – Dwayne Pelfrey (FCDOT)
Topics for Future Meetings:
- August 18, 2015: Herndon Metrorail Station Access Management Study – Kris Morley-Nikfar (FCDOT)
- September 15 and October 20, 2015: Sequence to be determined for the following briefings: (1) Route #7 Core Widening – Tad Borkowski (FCDOT); (2) Huntington Area Transportation Study and Richmond Highway Alternatives Analysis Next Steps – Tom Burke (FCDOT)
- November 17, 2015: Countywide Transit Network Study – Tom Burke (FCDOT)
- December 15, 2015: I-495 and I-95 Express Lanes Performance/Progress
- January 19, 2016: Proposal for Zoning Ordinance Changes Related to Parking in Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Areas around Metrorail Station – Dan Rathbone (FCDOT)
- February 16, 2016: TBD
- TBD: Update on Accessible Bus Stops
- TBD: Comprehensive Plan and Transportation staff and Planning Commission discussions with TAC on what their vision is for future development and any changes in planning and zoning guidelines that may be needed to account for future work environment given the pace and impacts of technology advances (including guest speaker to explain impact of self-driving/smart cars, buses and trucks on traffic, roadways and intersections). Joint meeting date with the Planning Commission’s Transportation Committee will be determined.
- TBD: Comprehensive Plan and Transportation staff and Planning Commission discussions with TAC on how planning for areas currently planned for future rail stations reflects the designation of the areas as future rail stations
- TBD: CTB Determination of Corridor of Statewide Importance through Loudoun/Prince William Counties
Annoucement: n/a
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned as 9:45 p.m.
Upcoming Events:
July 14, 2015 10:00 am Board Transportation Committee Meeting
October 13, 2015 1:00 pm Board Transportation Committee Meeting
December 1, 2015 10:00 am Board Transportation Committee Meeting
Upcoming Meetings:
July 7, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
July 21, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)
August 4, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
August 18, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)
September 1, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
September 15, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)
October 6, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
October 20, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)
November 3, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
November 17, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)
December 1, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
December 15, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)
January 5, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Work Session (FCDOT)
January 19, 2015 7:30 pm TAC Regular Meeting (FCDOT)