MEETING NOTES DES MOINES AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION (MPO) CENTRAL IOWA BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ROUNDTABLE (ROUNDTABLE)

June 21, 2011 12:00 PM

City of Des Moines, St. Etienne Room Des Moines, Iowa

Roundtable Attendees Present:

Marco Alvarez, City of West Des Moines Andrea Chase, Natural Heritage Foundation Dana Conn, Transportation Management Assoc. Travis Evans, City of Ankeny Jan Herke, City of Urbandale Scott Hock, City of Urbandale Jim Lane, City of Norwalk, Chair Mindy Moore, City of Des Moines Ruth Randleman, City of Carlisle/MAC Todd Redenius, City of Ankeny Stefanie Toftey, DART Carl Voss, Trails and Greenways Committee Ron Ward, City of Johnston

Roundtable Staff Present:

Zach Young, Associate Transportation Planner Luke Parris, Associate Transportation Planner

I. Call to Order
Chair Jim Lane called the June 21, 2011, Roundtable meeting to order at 12:00 p.m., at the St. Etienne Room, Armory Building, 602 Robert D. Ray Drive, Des Moines, IA.

II.

Introduction
Participants introduced themselves.

III.

Approval of Agenda
Participants approved the June 21, 2011, Roundtable meeting agenda.

IV.

Approval of the Roundtables May 17, 2011, Meeting Notes

Participants approved the Roundtables April 19, 2011, meeting notes.

V. (A.)

Trail Counter Purchase

Staff updated the Roundtable on the Central Iowa Regional Transportation Planning Alliances (CIRTPA) interests in using excess planning funds to purchase trail counters. Staff noted that CIRTPAs main concern was whether data collected would be useful for member governments and agencies. The CIRTPA members

were also concerned about the need for cooperation between CIRTPA and the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Chair Jim Lane noted that governments and agencies in central Iowa need to establish baseline numbers for trail use. Chair Lane stated that having baseline data is crucial to successfully move forward with trail development in central Iowa. Todd Redenius commented that having data provided by the trail counters would be extremely useful. Mr. Redenius noted that data would be especially useful to promote trail projects, justify the allocation of Capital Improvement Project funds, helping to determine economic impact, grant writing, and moving forward with trail network expansion. Mr. Redenius also noted that trail counts are being taken on the High Trestle Trail (HTT) as part of a project conducted by an Iowa State University student. Discussion ensued concerning trail counting on HTT and getting baseline data for central Iowa. Mindy Moore noted that Des Moines has also been using trail counters without much success. Ms. Moore noted that this is due to the counters being hard to operate, complex software, vandalism, and maintenance issues. However, Ms. Moore noted that Des Moines is interested in the data that counter could provide. Carl Voss informed the group about the national trail count date in September. Mr. Voss encourage the Roundtable to consider getting volunteers to participate in the count day. Mr. Voss suggested that this type of manual counting could be done while staff is working on a trail counter purchase agreement. Discussion returned to the topic of trail counters including ownership issues, what trail would be counted, and whether counters would be available for use in the Metropolitan Planning Area. Andrea Chase noted that not every trail had to be counted each year and that a rotation could be set up to count the trails. Staff noted that it is possible an agreement could be made between CIRTPA and the MPO so that counters could be used on the system as a whole and not just within CIRTPAs planning boundary. Mr. Redenius made a motion to recommend that CIRTPA go forward with the purchase of trail counters. Ms. Chase seconded the motion. Roundtable members voted on the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

V. (B.)

Bicycle Tourism Update

Andrea Chase provided a brief update concerning bicycle tourism in central Iowa. Ms. Chase noted that the Trails Marketing Group has purchased several website domains to promote Iowa as the trails capital of the world. The website provide a clearinghouse for trail activities in central Iowa. Discussion ensued concerning the layout of the website and its intended purpose.

Chair Lane noted that these website will provide a link all trail activities in central Iowa, bring visitors into the region, and hopefully provide some payback in sales tax dollars for the money invested in trails.

V. (C.)

Smart Code Update

Staff discussed smart codes in relation to the Central Iowa Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan (Connect). Staff requested that the Roundtable members report to the group if they had discussed smart codes with their planning departments. Chair Lane noted that Norwalk is not currently considering smart codes. Todd Redenius reported that he had spoken with Ankenys director of planning/building and that he thought smart codes were great in theory. He encouraged staff to get the MPO Transportation Technical Committee involved in the process. He also suggested selecting a pilot project to demonstrate smart codes in practice. Ruth Randleman noted that smart codes would tie in well with the Regional Plan for Sustainable development as well as Capital Crossroads and the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authoritys DART Forward 2035 plan. Ms. Randleman noted that Roundtable should keep informed about these plans to ensure that these types of elements are being included.

V. (D.)

Second Annual Iowa Trails Summit Update

Andrea Chase provided a brief overview update on the 2011 Iowa Trials Summit. Ms. Chase noted that is was a great networking opportunity for recreational trail professionals. Ms. Chase commented that is was exciting to see all the government agencies together to discuss trails.

V. (E.)

Bicycle Facilities Gap Study

Staff reviewed the bicycle facilities map with Roundtable members.

VI. (A.)

Bike-and-Ride Counts
Roundtable participants reviewed the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) and CyRide bike-and-ride counts for May 2011.

VII.

Other Items of Interest to the Roundtable

VIII.

Next MPO Roundtable Meeting Date

The next Roundtable meeting is scheduled for July 19, 2011, at noon.

IX.

Adjournment
The June 21, 2011, Roundtable meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.