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

August 16, 2011 12:00 PM

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

Roundtable Attendees Present:

Marco Alvarez, City of West Des Moines Jay Byers, Greater Des Moines Partnership Kelly Canfield, City of Clive Andrea Chase, Natural Heritage Foundation Dana Conn, Transportation Management Assoc. Heath Ellis, City of Pleasant Hill Joe Galloway, Des Moines Park Board Josh Heggen, City of Windsor Heights Jan Herke, City of Urbandale Jim Lane, City of Norwalk, Chair Loren Lown, Polk County Conservation Mindy Moore, City of Des Moines Butch Niebuhr, City of Perry John Peterson, City of Ankeny Neil Ruddy, City of Carlisle Carl Voss, Trails and Greenways Committee Vern Willey, City of Altoona

Roundtable Staff Present:

Zach Young, Associate Transportation Planner

1. Call to Order
Chair Jim Lane called the August 16, 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.

2.

Introduction
Participants introduced themselves.

3.

Approval of Agenda
Participants approved the August 16, 2011, Roundtable meeting agenda.

4.

Approval of the Roundtables June 21, 2011, Meeting Notes

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

5.

CIRTPA Trail Counter Purchase

Staff informed the Roundtable that staff sent the trail counter invoices to the CIRTPA member governments on August 15, 2011. Staff noted that all the invoices should be returned by the end of September at which time the trail counter purchase will be placed. Jan Herke asked if a checkout procedure has been established and what type of methodology would be used to analyze the data.

Staff informed the Roundtable that they are currently working on setting up a checkout procedure. Staff noted that they would also be setting up a working group to discuss a methodology for analyzing the data collected from the counters. Discussion ensued concerning how long the counters would be left in the field and how often the counters would rotate between member governments. Staff noted that the working group would address these issues.

6.

Remaining Earmark Funds

Staff updated the Roundtable on the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) recommendation to use remaining Connect Plan earmark funds to purchase twenty infrared trail counters for MPO use.

7.

National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project

Loren Lown discussed the importance of having empirical data to back up funding requests and to justify future investment in trails. Mr. Lown noted that information coming from the MPO carries more weight with local governments than when it comes from the County Conservation Boards. Mr. Lown stated that therefore it is very important the participants in the count provide the MPO with the data collected from the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation (NBPD) project. Staff asked the Roundtable which communities are planning to participate in the NBPD project. The following communities/agencies raised their hands: Ankeny, Des Moines, Pleasant Hill, Polk County Conservation, and West Des Moines. Marco Alvarez asked if it was required to conduct both the count and the survey, and if they should be completed on the same day. Mindy Moore noted that Des Moines has selected nineteen count locations. Ms. Moore noted that Des Moines is planning to conduct both the count and the survey but ultimately it will depend on the number of volunteers they are able to recruit. Discussion ensued concerning how to recruit volunteers for the project. Chair Lane asked the Roundtable if the MPO should organize one training session for all the volunteers. Mr. Alvarez noted that because everyones availability is different it would be best if participants organize their own training. Ms. Moore agreed with Mr. Alvarez noting that Des Moines is planning to train their volunteers right before the count. Discussion ensued concerning the count times.

8.

Boswell Transportation Event Chair Lane discussed the Boswell transportation event noting that the Roundtables main concern was that Transportation Enhancements remain at their current levels in the reauthorization bill. Staff encouraged the Roundtable members to attend the event and share their concerns with Congressman Boswell.

9.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Related Funding Application Deadlines

Staff informed the Roundtable of upcoming application deadlines pertaining to bicycle and pedestrian grants and funding.

10.

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

11.

Other Items of Interest to the Roundtable

Carl Voss noted that one of the main comments on Des Moines application for Bicycle Friendly City status was the city was not involved in enough programs with kids specifically the Safe Routes to School program. Staff informed the Roundtable that staff has discussed increasing the MPOs involvement in the Safe Routes to School program in future years. Mr. Alvarez noted that the West Des Moines Bicycle Advisory Commission is scheduled to approve the Uniform Bicycle Ordinance (UBO) for recommendation to their council. Vern Willy noted that UBO passed a first reading at the City of Altoonas latest council meeting. Ms. Herke noted that the UBO passed its third reading at the City of Urbandales latest council meeting. Mr. Lown noted that the Polk County Conservation Board passed a policy on Power Driven Mobility Devices on their trails. Mr. Lown noted that once the policy is published it will become law on their trails and that if you do not have a policy the Department of Justice rules apply. Andrea Chase noted that the Mid-America Trail Conference would take place the first week in October in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

12. 13.

Future Agenda Items Next Roundtable Meeting Date

The next Roundtable meeting is scheduled for September 20, 2011, at noon.

IX.

Adjournment
The August 16, 2011, Roundtable meeting adjourned at 12:53 p.m.