Thread by @mmwpro63

I'm listening in to the Palm Bike Path meeting right now. A few residents are in favor of it, a few are against, citing concerns about traffic overflow onto Van Ness Blvd, other streets.

Join the meeting: zoom.us/j/97375242264

Tony Molina from the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee is discussing the benefits of putting a class IV protected Bikeway on Palm between Dakota and Shaw.

@kieltls is speaking now about biking. He and his wife would be more comfortable biking with the class IV bike lanes, hopes to get a whole network together.

Lighting isn't great through the county segment, the white flexible barriers would make cyclists more visible at night.

Tony Pings is speaking now, a member of Fig Garden Home Owners Assoc. Caltrans did a study previously about the corridor but did not support road dieting the corridor.
A serious problem is at Palm and Ashlan intersection with no proper sidewalks.

Steve White (Fresno County): Grant has been awarded for the Ashlan and Palm intersection upgrades. Will be a phased signal to allow for safer pedestrian crossing. Could be a year out still, don't quote me on this.

Supervisor Steve Brandau: We will get those studies Tony Pings asked for. The city jumped on the grant opportunity, unfortunately, we aren't part of the grant, but only because the city was working up against the wire.

Tony Molina has considered me to not be a bike person.

Steve Brandau: I don't like to give up a car lane, but connectivity to the San Joaquin River is a big deal. I would like to introduce John Shelton from the San Joaquin River Conservancy.

(Apparently John Shelton had to leave)

Next is George Snyder (lives on Palm just north of Ashlan): Since we are only trying to determine the class of the bike lane, I concerned that we will have a class II before switching to a class IV. I'm concerned about emergency vehicles getting through.

Scott Mozier (Fresno Public Works): Currently there are stripped bike lanes all the way north of Shaw. Palm could accommodate a class IV bikeway in the Palm Bluffs area. 🙂

Next up, Thomas Klein lives in Tower, rides up Palm up to Spano. (audio quality is echoing).

@Esmeralda_Soria we will come back to Thomas later.

David Bar: Lives one block from the Palm/ Ashlan intersection. Has there been a traffic study done? In the evenings there...

...are 20 cars backed up.

Scott Mozier: We have done peak hour traffic counts at major intersections in the city. It got modeled with software called synchro and road dieting works well, however, this was in the city, not the county island. I would defer to my county...

...counterpart, Steve White.

Steve White: We haven't been able to do a traffic study yet, but when we do, we will get that information delivered. We've been busy dealing with the Creek Fire.

@Esmeralda_Soria: Back to Thomas Klein. I use Van Ness Blvd instead of Palm to ride...

...north. I would like to have people walking on Van Ness Blvd and people bike on Palm. I'm curious about whether anyone has seen any studies about whether more people use protected bike lanes than regular bike lanes.

Scott Mozier: I'll defer to Jill Gormley.

Jill Gormley: When we did our study for the Active Transportation Plan, paths with protection provide a higher comfort level for families. Riders were split into different categories based on comfort level.

Brian: Former city of Fresno resident, prefers class IV bike lanes over class II. As someone who uses class IV all the time, they are something the city of Fresno should use a lot more.

Clare Statham: Lives on Dakota which had a road diet. Wonders if there have been post-diet traffic studies about long-term impacts. Traffic was backed up on Dakota for a while before people began to use Shields instead. Believes there is no comparison between Class IV/II.

Neighborhoods with Class IV are transformed when they are put in.

John Shelton(San Joaquin River Conservancy): Recently we approved an extension of the Eaton Trail into the West Area North of Palm, this project has come at the right time to connect this trail to Palm. ...

Connie Young (Citizens Climate Lobby): From what I've heard about the studies, class IV is the way to go. I have a few questions about the diet.

Scott Mozier: The city portion would have a center turn lane. The county portion will be up to the county.

I don't want to speak for Steve on this, but it may be class II, with a class IV, parking may need to be moved outwards, protecting the bike lane.

Steve Brandau: I just wanted to jump in and answer some questions that came up in the chat and from speakers. I value all of the feedback received here tonight, but I want to hear most from the residents who I represent in the county island.

The class will be determined by public works and some areas of Palm may be too narrow for a class IV.

The other comment I'll make about Class IV is that we won't be ruining the project by just having class II.

We don't want to be a pain in the butt about class IV, but we are worried about the width and putting too much of a crunch on the street. I would defer to Steve White if I messed that analysis up. Anyway, back to Esmeralda.

@Esmeralda_Soria : The future may allow us to do...

...more elsewhere. I know Scott said it may be possible to do Class IV in the bluffs area. Did John want to make another comment?

John White: I bike some, but I drive too. I would be frustrated if I was driving every day and if I got stuck at Gettysburg.

It's the opinion of the county that removing a bike lane might potentially increase congestion. I would like to look at studies to see if we can make this work with the space allowed in the county area.

At the very least I think we could agree there is space for the bike lane.

@Esmeralda_Soria : Thanks everyone who commented in the chat. Do we need to read those out loud?

Steve Brandau: I've been answering as many as I could.

@Esmeralda_Soria: I know the city has had experience in dieting a road similar to Palm recently.

Scott Mozier: My county counterparts are doing Sierra from Palm to Maroa. Barstow, Gettsyburg would be good examples.

Scott Mozier: I am aware of a Trail called the Harrison trail that goes almost all the way to the river. I've heard questions about where that path could go. I've heard questions about doing something at the end of Van Ness. On Palm, the closest we can get to a trail is...

...class IV.

@Esmeralda_Soria : Another question from Mike from Fig Garden: Would the road diet be part of Palm north of Shaw?

Scott: North of Shaw the city will be looking into taking a foot of out traffic lanes and putting a buffer for class IV. We want to pilot it on....

... Palm and bring it to other bike lanes in the city.

@Esmeralda_Soria : Aren't Narrower car lanes more effective at traffic calming? Could help with safety around Powers Ginsburg Elementary?

Steve White: From my work in Clovis...

...they work if the drivers want them to be successful. There was a diet that happened on Peach ave that took years for drivers to adjust to.

Steven Bradley(BPAC): I'm a member of BPAC from District 6, I ride Palm and would like to see a class II to balance car/bike safety...

...this project connects to other trails as well.

Steve Brandau: Reiterates that class II is one of the options considered. We've agreed that it would connect downtown, but it would connect to the Herndon trail and Clovis and other trails as well. A lot of connectivity comes...

...from this project as well.

@Esmeralda_Soria : There is a question about an education campaign.

Shelby Macnab (Fresno Public Works): We do have included as part of the grant a kick-off ride once the project is installed. We also plan on doing counts before and after.

A promotional event is planned with our elected officials.

@Esmeralda_Soria : I think it is a great educational opportunity with these ATP projects to let people know about the changes in these traffic patterns. I think that's pretty much it. Thanks Supervisor Brandau...

..., Steve White, and everyone for coming and being open-minded to a project that could be transformational in the city of Fresno.

Steve Brandau: Thanks Esmeralda for bringing this project to my attention. I think we are really going to get something good done. A survey is out..

...now for the county residents who can call us and ask us any more questions.

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