Transportation & Mobility Advisory Board TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY ADVISORY BOARD CITY OF LITTLETON AGENDA LOCATION: Zoom Webinar ID: 937 2223 7565 Dial-In for Public Comment: 1-301-715-8592 Thursday August 27, 2020 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM o Call to Order o Roll Call o Adopt July 2020 Meeting Minutes o Public Comment - 10 minutes o Overview of 5-year CIP(focus on 2020 to 2022) - 30 minutes o Review & Approve of TMB Value Statement - 30 minutes o Discuss Dates for remaining 2020 TMB Meetings - 15 minutes o Board, Staff Comments - 15 minutes o Adjourn 1 Transportation & Mobility Board (TMB) – City of Littleton Meeting Minutes - July 23, 2020 Board Member Attendees • Kent Bagley (Chair) • Dan Radulovich (Vice Chair) • Dan Flynn • Tom Grant • Kelly Honecker • Jonathan Buck • Geoffrey Selzer Not Present: • David Pulsipher • Christopher Lillie Staff Attendees Aaron Heumann, Keith Reester, Shane Roberts, Brent Thompson, Jenn Henninger Other Panelist • Jerry Valdes (Littleton Mayor) • Brian Welch (RTD) • Holly Buck (FHU, Consultant for RTD Projects) Legend • S – Staff member • B – Board member • C – City Council member • FHU – FELSBURG HOLT & ULLEVIG, a consulting firm • RTD – Regional Transportation District • Bullet - Indicates an important note or point of discussion • Bold Bullets – Indicates info related to a motion/action that was made • Highlighted Bullet - Indicates an action item for the Board or Staff Call to Order: Kent Bagley (Chair) 6:33 PM Adoption of June 23, 2020 Minutes • June 2020 Minutes were adopted unanimously by 7-0 vote Public Comments 1 Note: The below notes are reflective of the comments themselves, not the accuracy of any claims made in the public comment period. • Staff Notification: Until further notice Transportation and Mobility Advisory Board (TMB) meetings will take place virtually using Zoom. Call-in coverage will be available for each meeting. Call-in information will be provided to the public on the agenda posted to the City of Littleton’s Official Calendar. • No attendees raised their hand (by dialing *9) to make public comment. Presentation: Brian Welch (RTD) on Broadway BRT Feasibility Study • Staff to send Final BRT Feasibility Study to Board Members. • Brian Welch (RTD) gave an overview of RTD’s BRT Feasibility Study specifically as it relates to Broadway. Brian covered the process RTD undertook to select corridors that they feel are most competitive for future BRT. • Tom Grant (Board Member) asked for ballpark numbers on the cost per mile for each form of transit. • Brian Welch (RTD) will send the cost per mile information to Staff (Shane Roberts) and staff will send to Board Members. • Across the US jurisdictions are going to BRT over LRT because of the cost and constraints of LRT and other fixed guideway systems. • Shane Roberts (S) will forward Brian’s presentations to the TMB members and post as part of August 2020 meeting materials. • Kelly Honecker (B) asked about the criteria for a corridor being a candidate for federal transit funding? • Brian Welch (RTD) explained the two primary factors: 1, can the applicant demonstrate they have the financial capacity to run whatever they propose? 2, What is the cost effectiveness of the investment? Essentially comparing the number of riders to the cost of the project. Brian feels Broadway BRT would be a competitive project if it were considered for federal funding based on other national projects that have already been funded. • Keith Reester (S) asked what kind of land uses lend themselves to a successful BRT corridor? • Brian Welch (RTD) explained that a threshold of density is needed to support BRT—3 stories of residential, 3 to 4 stories of office or mixed use. In addition, destinations or nodes that attract people are needed as well. • Geoff Selzer (B) asked what can Littleton do to move forward with BRT on Broadway? 2 • Brian Welch (RTD) explained that the incorporation of the possibility of BRT into planning documents and future projects is what RTD would prefer. At the very least, not precluding BRT in a project would be key. • Geoff Selzer (B) asked about what plans Littleton already has for BRT, and what the cost to Littleton would be? • Keith Reester (S) explained that the TMP plans for BRT on Broadway and staff is accounting for possible BRT in projects on Broadway. • Brain Welch (RTD) shared that RTD would not expect a financial contribution for BRT, but would expect in-kind contributions (through permitting) and collaboration on projects while having realistic expectations. • Dan Radulovich (B) asked how many stations were planned for Littleton’s portion of Broadway? • Brian Welch (RTD) explained that, generally speaking, stations will be less than a mile apart and may even be at a ½ mile frequency. Brian also said he would follow up with information regarding potential station locations. • Dan Radulovich (B) asked how the COVID-19 Pandemic might impact transit ridership, and if RTD had begun to forecast those impacts? • Brian Welch (RTD) explained that this is the biggest question the transit industry is trying to answer, and he would touch on RTD’s approach in his second presentation. Presentation 2: Brian Welch (RTD) on Reimagine RTD • Prior to the pandemic RTD was already planning on service cuts due to the number of operator vacancies. • By the time RTD was back to full staffing, the pandemic hit, and demand decrease significantly impacted ridership which impacted revenue. • With the decrease in revenue and ridership, RTD is proposing a new service plan to take effect in January 2021. The RTD Board will vote on the plan in October of 2020, and there will be plenty of opportunities for public input prior to the October vote. • RTD is trying to strike a balance between Social Equity, Service Quality, Geographic Coverage, and Cost Efficiency while maintaining a balanced budget. • The System Optimization Plan will consolidate lines that offer duplicative service, and instead rely on quick transfers. For example, riders going from Mineral Station to Union Station will no longer have non-stop service under this optimization plan. They will need to transfer at one of the 5 stations between Auraria and Broadway. • This change in service will also help reduce maintenance costs. • Next steps on the Reimagine RTD Process: th o RTD Board of Directors – August 25 3 th o Technical Working Group – August 26 th o Advisory Committee – August 27 o Anyone can offer input at www.rtd-denver.com/reimagine • Dan Radulovich (B) asked if RTD is considering working with taxi companies or ride share companies to supplement service? • Brian Welch (RTD) explained RTD is getting ready to conduct pilot programs with Metro Taxi and Uber to provide a mix of services. • Dan Radulovich (B) asked how will RTD be collecting feedback on reimagine RTD? • Holly Buck (FHU) explained RTD will be conducting in-person surveys, hosting a website, and conducting online surveys. Board member are encouraged to reach out to FHU or RTD with feedback, and contact info from interested groups. RTD will provide a summary of ways for people to provide input. • Kelly Honecker (B) expressed going to organizations that already have connections within the communities RTD wants to reach as a great way to garner feedback. • Jen Henninger (S) offered to connect RTD and FHU with some of the organizations working with vulnerable populations via email. • Jon Buck (B) mentioned a number of organizations for RTD and FHU to connect with regarding feedback on Reimagine, including: Love Inc., Littleton Public Schools, North Littleton Promise, and The Life Center. FHU/RTD will reach out to these organizations. • RTD’s proposed service cuts will provide about 40% of the service in place before the COVID-19 pandemic. Littleton 2020 Value Letter & 2019 Annual Report • Tabled until future meeting. Final Discussion on Elati Restriping • Kent Bagley (B) as well as other board members would like to eventually see the bike lane extended north to Shepperd Avenue. • Jon Buck (B) had concerns about the asphalt and concrete condition near the traffic circles • Jon Buck (B) recommended reflective paint, signage for when the bike lane transitions across pavement and gutter pans, and flex posts on the stretch of Elati from Euclid to Ridge. • Brent Thompson (S) explained funding for this project has not been release. Once it is the City will proceed with the project. It is tentatively scheduled for this fall. • Dan Flynn (B) explained he thinks that this project should be tabled given the budget crisis the City is in, and that it’s not appropriate to consider the extra expenditure. 4 • Kent Bagley (B) expressed he didn’t think the Board was talking about budgetary issues with the project, but rather what is appropriate to do when budget allows. • The total project cost is about $150k, the additional work (removing islands, and striping bike lanes) is about $20k - $25k. • Geoff Selzer (B) made a motion to recommend the Elati Bike Lane project (which includes the resurfacing of Elati Street and striping of bike lanes) move forward as funds are available with as many recommendations from Board Members and Staff as feasible. • Tom Grant (B) seconded the motion • The motion passes 6-1 with Dan Flynn (B) descenting o Staff to write up recommendation in a memo and send to City Council Discuss ULUC Phase II Amendments • Each Board member was asked to provide their thoughts about the ULUC Phase II Amendments. A summary of those comments are below: • Jon Buck (B): None • Dan Flynn (B): Doesn’t feel the Board has adequate time to discuss all of the proposed changes, and expressed this process seems like rubber stamp approval since it seems slated to be approved regardless of what the TMB says. o The Phase II Amendments are focused on Downtown, so changes should be limited to the 2 sections that are focused on Downtown not for general application throughout the City.