Bike Committee August Minutes

[Maitland Bottoms]

Alexandria Bicycle Study Committee
minutes for 15 August 2001 Meeting

Attendees:
 Ruth Reeder
 Elaine Gort
 Chan Mohney
 Ellen Goodwin
 Persis Sosiak - AHD
 Suzanne Salva
 Kirk Kincannon
 Bruce Dwyer
 Maitland Bottoms

TEA21 Eisenhower:
 Kirk brought us up to date...

 Grant was submitted in January
 goal is to avoid at-grade crossing of Eisenhower Ave by trail near
 the pool, and improve trail standards

 A letter was passed around giving $372,000 - for a total of $400,000
 for the 1st half of project descibed in grant proposal.

 T&ES + Parks&Rec meet soon to plan timeline.

 In Jan 2002 - need to apply for TEA21 for 2nd half of project.
 multi-year follow-ups can be based on bike plan.

 Need to tie in projectsw regionally for a statewide network.
 Eisenhower valley needs to connect to Wilson Bridge at the East,
 and to Fairfax County at the West.

 Plan to visit site soon. FY starts in October.

Northern VA bike paths
 Suzanne told us about...

 email from VDOT about it to be reposted to BSC list.
 there will be workgroup sessions, then another public hearing
 3-4 weeks after Sept 10.
 You can email input: look for more info at
       http://www.fhiplan.com/novabike/

 items to consider submitting for this:
 - East end of WOD: better connections, signage, info
 - Slaters Lane, also better GW parkway and river access for
   new Potomac Yards communities.
 - Holmes Run 395 underpass: maintenance, redo trail
 - no more at grade crossing of Holmes Run trail and Beauregard St.
 - Van Dorn St., Newton Asphalt and connections east to Cameron Station
   and Eisenhower valley
 - Huntington area of Fairfax county will want access to Eisenhower
   valley. Suspend bike/ped bridge under Metrorail track bridges?
 - Braddock Rd between Mt Vernon Ave and West St:
   - lanes don't line up eastbound under RR tracks
   (area is under city study)
   - curb cut to new trail is difficult to access
   - BSC input needs to get to city engineers
 - Arlington connection from Crystal Dr to Potomac Yards
   - Pave rail bed? (private property)
   ... PY buildout currently estimated to take 10 years
 - Issues on Rt 1 near new condos, lane ends near Reed

 Post any additional ideas to BSC list - hopefully before working
 group meeting on September 10!

Bike plan projects:
 Bruce describes the plans...

 There is about $80,000 available for projects now.
 ... lack of support from Tarleton
 ... lack of support for Holmes Run
 ... Support from Scott Littlefield for Chambliss Bridge
 which was originally a high priority project, if one of the
 more expensive. We'll commence work on Chambliss.

 Other news: wide curb lanes are planned for Mill Rd.

Potomac Heritage Trail
 Chan reported:

 site location signs to be installed
 spiral bound book to be published next spring
 104 historic sites described (70 are in Old Town)
 sign installation will begin with everything
 west of West St. (i.e., not the Old Town locations)

 Note: Maps are popular, time to edit and reprint maps.

Maintenance items:
 - Cypress tress at Abingdon
 - trail repaving N. Bashford (do this before detour around
   power plant happens)
 - Holmes Run 395 underpass maintenance

 Send maintenance problem reports to BSC email list.

 - big yellow posts near Old Town Health Club are in the way
 - RR tracks @ Slaters Lane (Dave Levy can provide details)
 - bicycle symbols on Commonwealth Ave need to be elongated
   to be comprehended by motorists
 - Eisenhower Lake Cook pedestrian croossing needs repainting.
 - Bike signage around Martha Custis Dr (near overpass)
   - report of bicyclists tending to use sidewalks
     - [On Street] tags under Bike Route signs
     - Share the Road signs
 - Online GIS map (.pdf file) has no road names

(skip item B, talk about Wilson Bridge interchanges)

Note: Police cars will continue to use Holmes Run Trail
 - need to slow speeds (maybe "share the trail" signs?)

Mid-Atlantic Governors' Conference on Greenways, Bikeways...
 See http://www.dcr.state.va.us/prr/2001conf.htm

Also see http://www.vabike.org/
 - report and cues for May's proclaimation ride online
 - other statewide routes and cues available

On 6 October 2001 Chan will lead a (~15 mile) ride
 covering Alexandria history.

Volunteer opportunities are abundant:
 - Education
 - Rodeos
 - leading bike rides
   (Once there was an idea for a monthly ride from St. Elmo's
    cafe on Mt Vernon Ave...)

Next Meeting:
 Wednesday, 19 September 2001, 7pm, Lee Center