Bike Jeffco Meeting Minutes: July 9, 2019

 

 

Introductions and a Few Announcements

• Some Bike Jeffco members rode the full week of Ride the Rockies and others just did the 1 day ride from Gunnison to Taylor Reservoir.
  
• Team Evergreen’s famous Triple Bypass is July 13^th. Bike Jeffco reps will be volunteering on road cleaning.
  
• Bike Jeffco teamed up with Team Evergreen for cleaning up a segment of the Genesee/El Rancho Bikeway on June 4:
  

  
  

• Bike Jeffco volunteers managed the water stop for the Denver Century on June 15. They dispensed 65 gallons of water and Nuun sport drink. Registrations were reported to be 18% higher than last year.
  

 

• Women’s Ride Day (Ride like a Girl) is August 4 in Golden.
  
• Safe Driver Courses – we co-sponsor these events with Bicycle Colorado. There was one at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center on April 25 and one tomorrow night at the Buchanon Recreation Center in Evergreen.
  
• For crash victims needing legal support, we can refer them to Megan Hottman, Brian Weiss, and Brad Tucker.
  

 

Focus on Safety

A video from former racer Phil Gaimon was featured, Share this when I’m killed by someone driving a car. https://cyclingmagazine.ca/video/phil-gaimon-please-share-this-when-im-killed-by-someone-driving-a-car/

 

New crosswalk design from Iceland was shown that involves 3D imagery.

 

Keynote Speaker: Yelena Onnen, Transporation Planner with Jefferson County Transportation and Engineering Division

Yelena provided an update on all the construction improvement projects and planning efforts that T & E has going on this summer.

• Deer Creek Canyon Climbing Lanes: between South Turkey Creek Road to Meyer Trail (Yelena will let Bike Jeffco know as soon as they have a date from Road and Bridge on when construction is scheduled.)
  
• 7^th Ave Bike Lanes: already have done some curb and cutter under the I-70 bridge, finishing up the prep work for the shoulders, ditches and grading and repaving is planned along with appropriate bike lane markings. As this is part of the West Line Bike Route as contained in the Jeffco Regional Bikeways Wayfinding Guide, appropriate wayfinding signs will be installed.
  
• Willow Springs: W. Belleview Ave to Hwy 8 shoulders and/or climbing lanes will all be going in this summer.
  
• W. Bellevue Ave: Quincy Roundabout to Willow Springs Rd. Install signage (3 Foot to Pass) and a pavement overlay is planned not currently funded.
  
• County Road 73: Cragmont Dr to Alabraska Ln adding 4′ shoulders and realigning Alabraska Ln/Thimbleberry Ln intersection.
  
• Jeffco Trails Plan: Jefferson County Open Space is facilitating the creation of the first countywide trails plan. The intent of the plan is to create an interconnected and comprehensive system of soft surface and paved shared use trails countywide. Everyone is encouraged to visit JeffcoTrailsPlan.org to take a quick survey.
  
• T & E has received a TIP grant of $275,000 for a bike master plan. The request for qualifications is anticipated to begin around winter 2019 or early spring of next year. There will be coordination with the Jeffco Trails Plan especially regarding paved shared use paths.
  
• Three new grants! Evergreen Lake Trail on the north side of the lake; County Road 73 between Buffalo Park Road and Hwy 74; and Colfax shared use path – a continuation of the SH 6 shared use path. Currently the path ends at Poppy Street. A regular user of this path mentioned how ending at Poppy actually provides a direct route to the West Line Bikeway via Poppy to 8^th Ave to Orion to 10^th to Moss etc.
  
• Garrison Street: Wheat Ridge Public Works is adding bike lanes to both sides of Garrison. There are already shoulders on the segment from 44^th Ave to the I-70 Frontage Rd and this project will install bike lanes with all the proper paint and signage.
  
• T & E is currently interviewing for open staff positions: Traffic Operations Engineering Associate, Transportation Civil Engineer and Transportation Planner.
  
• Golden Gate Canyon Road: Mike and Charlie met with T & E and Road and Bridge reps pursuant to a resident’s call for safety measures to be taken ASAP. Although the terrain is extremely constrained and options are limited, two measures are being considered: improving sight distance on blind curves, 3 Foot to Pass as well as Bicycles May Use Full Lane signage. Some riders said they would probably not ride Golden Gate Canyon Road. Charlie reminded riders that this route is used on many organized rides such as the Gran Fondo and is listed on maps used by national and international tour groups. So he expressed how we have a duty to make it safer for those who choose to ride it. Mike mentioned that a lot of cross country cyclists have no choice but to use Golden Gate Canyon Road especially now as cyclists are prohibited from Coal Creek Canyon Road during construction there.
  
• Lookout Mountain: Golden Public Works has installed a portable 3 Foot to Pass sign which some of our bike Jeffco Riders feel has had a positive impact. T & E plans to coordinate with Golden on more signage further up. Yelena asked for Bike Jeffco’s help in trying to improve rider behavior especially for descending cyclists as she has received complaints about riders passing cars at high speed on the descent. Many members commented on how this riding behavior is extremely dangerous.
  
• Quincy/Simms: From Eldridge to the Simms Round-about is going to be improved with bike lanes and sidewalks. Simms/Quincy was a high crash intersection and the roundabout changes should reduce crash frequency.
  
• McIntyre Phase III: Construction from 56^th to 60^th should begin in the next couple of months. This will include bike lanes, curb, gutter and sidewalks.
  
• T & E is planning to transition to overhead traffic detection, which will detect bicyclists.
  
• T & E will be analyzing the intersection of Owens and Deer Creek to determine the best treatment, i.e., roundabout or 3-leg intersection.
  
• Hwy 93 with the new climbing shoulders: wrong way cyclists coming off the Red Rocks Trail have been encountered by a number of cyclists. Signage of some kind to stop wrong way riders was recommended by riders.
  
• DRCOG: Vision Zero, Statewide Transportation Plan, Regional Transportation Plan (Public comment is encouraged.)
  
• Mary Carter Bike Trail from C-470 to Mineral is closed. For project information call CDOT’s 24-hour hotline at 303-347-0507, or email C470info@flatironcorp.com.
  

 

Gary Peterson and Christopher Satriano with Bike Blue

 

Gary and Chris talked about putting together a state wide tour to meet with bike shops, cycling clubs, municipal bike coordinators, EMTs, police and fire departments, local tourism boards, colleges, universities and outdoor related businesses to build the support needed to pass a distracted driving bill in this next legislative session. Contact your state legislators and demand they pass a hands-free distracted driving bill. One more life lost is one too many.

 

Dave Evans Memorial Bench

The bench has been ordered by Denver Mountain Parks (DMP). Bike Jeffco will be meeting with a Denver Mountain Park Rep on July 15 to firm up installation plans.

 

 

Pleasant View Community Park Multi-Use Trail (formerly called the NREL Bypass)

The construction of gravel trails through the Pleasant View Community Park has been completed. Trails now connect the east side of NREL to Research Road. Bike Jeffco and NREL Reps are anxious to discuss with the District Board bike/ped access into the neighborhood west of Research Rd.

 

The Pleasant View Community District has an Open House planned for August 2. Bike Jeffco will join with NREL in having a table with some literature, maps and swag at the Open house.

 

Upcoming Events:

• Pleasant View Trail Open House (August 2, 2019)
  
• Bike Jeffco Ride Reviews: Golden Gate Canyon and routes as contained in the Jeffco Regional Bikeways Wayfinding Guide.
  

 

Next Meeting:

August 13