March 26, 2018 Transportation COMMITTEE Report
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL WALK AUDIT
Held on March 14 at 7:30 a.m. Attendees: Safe Routes to school staff, Clackamas County Transportation staff, 4 River Grove Elementary School parents, and Rivergrove City Councilor and Transportation Committee Chair Carolyn Bahrman.
Attendees divided into small groups walking the perimeter of the school identifying safety issues, traffic flow, and general hazards. The groups met back in the River Grove Elementary School library to discuss what they saw. They also marked up a vicinity map of concerns.
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL COUNTY MEETING
Held on March 20 at 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Clackamas County Facility in Oregon City. Attendees: Representatives from ODOT, Metro, Clackamas County, Safe Routes to School staff, and City staff. Rivergrove Councilor and Transportation Committee Chair Carolyn Bahrman attended.
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program Funding Resources: ODOT, Metor HB 2017, Oregon SRTS Network and national partnership. Perimeter to receive funding is 1 mile around elementary and 1.5 miles around middle schools. It is a three-year program, presently in its second year. Four schools are evaluated each year.
SRTS Funding in Oregon:
- 2008-2012: $2.4 million per year.
- 2013-2017: none
- 2018-2022: $10 million per year
- 2023-2027: $15 million per year
Examples of infrastructure improvements designed to improve the health and well-being for the safety of people walking, bicycling, skating, rolling, and driving along school routes. On statistic cited: in 1969, 48% of children walked and biked to school; in 2009, only 13% walked and biked to school.
Signage, marked crosswalks, sidewalks and curb ramps, speed limits, traffic calming devices, signals, active warning (or Rapid Flashing) beacons (ex., Bixel Way), stripe lane markings.
Very competitive with 40% cash-match required with reductions based on Title I status and small city rank. Competition Opens: August 2018 and closes in October 2019.
FUTURE FINANCIAL DECISIONS
Radar Signs on Childs Road: Clackamas County has approved and started information gathering for the Engineering and Utility coordination needs for two Radar Feed-back Signs. They have agreed to pay these costs. The signs can be in place by the end of 2018.
Cost to Rivergrove: $50,000.
The County is ready to sign an IGA to continue work and arrange contractual obligations for the work to be completed. It will not be done by the county employees but sub-contracted out. We have $70,000. They are waiting for our go-ahead. Councilor Bahrman is not sure how long the engineering and utility coordination financial help will be available.
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant: Rivergrove will not know how much funding they will be willing to offer. The grant request period is open in August 2018. Councilor Bahrman is trying to encourage the installation of LED Active Warning Beacons at Megly and Benfield. We won't know what funds will be awarded, if any, until at least October 2018. The money will not be disbursed until 2019. There will be anywhere from 20%-40% matching money needed to get awarded funds. Title I schools have an advantage and less percentage requirement. Small cities may also get a reduction in matching percentage required. However, we cannot estimate what that amount will be until all the grant award paperwork is complete.
Councilor Bahrman has been in contact with Scott from the County SRTS administration in regards to Rivergrove survey results and citizen concerns. The City does not have any decision-making powers or influence on how the grant application will be proposed or what is recommended/requested.
The Transportation Committee will make recommendations to City Council on what action should be taken.
September 2017 Transportation Report
PUBLIC SURVEY SOON AND CITIZENS’ MEETING OCTOBER 9 AT 6PM
April: County states: No Thermoplastic on pavement. It is too expensive to install andmaintain. This is in regards to Sycamore safety.
June: County okays proceeding with traffic calming, but only with the support of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. TVF&R does not support raised crosswalks or bumps. But most other options are Okay.
August: Clackamas County and TVF&R have agreed in principle to allow Rivergrove to install speed cushions on Childs Road. Must have another citizens’ input meeting.
September: County proposes installation of radar speed feedback signs instead of speed cushions. Next year would be feasible. Offer of temporary Radar Speed Feedback Signs week of Sept. 18. Rivergrove Okayed for temporary sign on Childs but requested raw info generated by the signs. Sign is 5 feet wide. Will be placed east of Megley Ct. facing west-bound traffic.
Clackamas County: Drawbacks to speed cushions are: reduce emergency response times (not according to TVF&R), generate noise, wear and tear on vehicles, and are unsightly. Require costly thermoplastic pavement markings and signing, infer with snowplow and street maintenance, require ongoing maintenance. Easy for drivers to defeat.
It is felt by all Transportation Committee members that Clackamas County is putting their street maintenance budget over safety and option of changing Childs into a 4 lane street someday.
The Committee is frustrated with the County. Get green light to a plan then given reason it is not acceptable. We have permission in writing to do whatever the TVF&R okays, and we feel we should work toward that goal. Don’t think the radar signs alone really advance the safety goals of the City. If the speed cushions work as opposed to the radar signs, then extra street maintenance and car wear and tear is a small price to pay compared to someone being hit.
We are planning another (electronic and paper) survey soon. On October 9 at 6pm a citizens’ meeting will be held to talk about those results.
In August the ODOT Gas Tax received was $2,414.43, the income net for August was $1,573.05. As of the end of August, the Transportation Account has $68,358.33.
For the first time in several years, the state is making Grant Money available under the Safe Routes to Schools Program. The Grant applications will be available in mid-2018. It is a lottery-type method. Rivergrove is eligible in conjunction with the County. We feel we are in a good position to be prepared for this process. There will be a 20% portion necessary to be covered by Rivergrove.
july 2017 Transportation report
Councilor’s Bahrman and Mayor Kibbey met with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue to discuss the transportation plan. The City cannot have a raised crosswalk on Childs Road because it is a main emergency thoroughfare. The City is exploring other options to slow traffic. The Transportation Committee will meet this month to discuss next steps.
June 2017 Transportation Report
Councilor Bahrman recounted a recent communication with Clackamas County where it was communicated that the City could proceed with design of the proposed traffic calming on Childs Road if Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue supports the plan. Currently, TVFD does not support raised crosswalks on roads designated as Primary Response routes. The County suggested the following alternatives:
1) Permanent radar speed feedback signs on Childs, facing both ways. These have been shown to be effective in reducing overall vehicle speeds.
2) Speed cushions, which may be approved for Secondary Response Routes.
The costs for either alternatives are not likely to exceed that for raised crosswalks. Councilor Bahrman has been attempting to reach TVFR to discuss the County’s options.