roux campus convo

[Liz Trice]

Notes from 11/21/22 Roux institute /IDEALs trnasportation group

Nancy Grant, Sam Reiche, Jim Ahearn, Jaime Parker, Michael Cochrane. Barry Sheff, Lindsay Sirois

• Sam is working with Brad Foley at MDOT, highway program manager, feels like they're talking to the right person. Roux has an MOU with MDOT to explore all the ideas. The only thing MDOT said should not be on the table is the swing bridge – seems like a political situation. 

• Sam walked the site with Jim Tasse. 

Jaime Parker put together on google maps all options he imagined, Roux is using that map: 

1.Swing bridge & Portland-Auburn Corridor north – Nancy Grant: there have been 4-5 rail use advisory meetings, next on is Dec 5, all about public input, Casco Bay Trail advocates are doing everything they can to get public input. Process has been flawed; no-one is sure what recommendation will be. 

1. Path east of 295 (red): MDOT has structural issues with cantelever, suggests new bike ped bridge

2. Sherwood street: (black) Roux will put bike paths on both sides

3. Veranda Street (black): city says they will put bike paths on both sides. 

4. Back Cove Trail to Bates Street and Front Street (black); make new connection to Front Street, remove sliplane (black); issue with going from back cove to Bates – if you take the crosswalk you end up going the wrong way up the sliplane. 

5. Connect Back Cove to Roux under 295 (yellow) and create direct path from Roux to Howie's + right turn onto Emmons Street (light orange) along the exit N to Washington Ave. DOT has structural concerns about any additional loads whether cantelever or “gravity/bin” wall under 295. 

6. Building new parallel east ped bridge east of 295 (purple) 

7. A ramp off 295 N is still in discussion, whether/how to prioritize for buses (yellow)

8. Off-site parking (DOT lots – Marginal Way, could eventually be structured parking), site by Amtrak Station 

9. Adding path along F Street (paper street extension of Randall street, not shown) to new housing development 

10. Connection between NW side of 295 to Veranda street intersection (Red) 

11. Good conversations with Metro; they're saying they'll definitely come into the site; right now #7 goes down veranda but is only hourly, 9A/B doesn't go right by the site, 8 hasn't been discussed, might make more sense to have a new Metro shuttle back and forth. 

Jaime: it would be good to keep the route under 295 on the table, even if that was used for 5-10 years

Sam: planning board meeting tomorrow night is a hearing, likely to focus on traffic, the city staff appears ok with their current traffic estimates.

Barry: fundamental idea is to reduce SOV to site. It's a small site and we don't want to occupy it with parking, it's a challenge site to access via vehicles, and we want the experience to not be a traffic. Our estimates for alternative modes are high, and we are going to do everything in our power to make it work. It is not in anyone's interest to build a lot of parking. 

Nancy: It's so much cheaper to provide free bike and tax rebates compared to parking. Recommends Sarah Cushman as she's the expert on both cultural and technical aspects, good reputation (others agree) 

Programmatic ideas and requests (Jim Ahearn)

• Put in a request for bike share location

• Working with metro so that ID cards will work with Metro busses (not sure if it will also work with other bus systems)

• Advocating for showers and other amenities

• Doing surveys internally; right now students and staff can use the parking garage gratis, but that will likely change in the future. Chris Mallet's assistant has done research about other campuses are doing. It's uncommon for urban campuses to have free parking. 

• Discussion of how some businesses offer transportation reimbursement pre-tax benefits. Would like to hear of model incentive programs. 

• Chad Heid at BSOOB transit is doing a feasibility study about carshare. 

[Winston Lumpkins]

Excellent notes Liz, thank you! 

Unfortunate to hear about the concerns with a Pedestrian path attached to 295.  I was hoping that might be a doable solution.  I think it's rather an old bridge, so it's probably real.

I'm wondering if you have the Map Jamie made? 

Thanks again,

~Winston

Winston Lumpkins IV (he/him/his)

Chair, Portland Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee
https://www.portlandbikeped.org/

winston....@gmail.com
207-408-1508

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[Liz Trice]

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Liz Trice

Schedule a meeting with me here.

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[Zack Barowitz]

Wow great report +1

My $.02:

1. Bike parking should be covered to protect bikes from the elements. Rain and snow are bad for bikes but sun dries out the rubber and leather. 

2. When I mentioned the cost of adding a ramp and the utter ridiculous of it to a friend from out of town his reaction was “You gotta wonder who is getting greased on a project like that.”

I think it is a fair question, but it’s hard to ask it in a polite way. But otherwise we end up with business as usual. 

Thanks 

Zack 

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[Lindsay Sirois]

Hi All, 

We had another Roux Campus meeting this afternoon so I wanted to provide some updates to the group.

Very much still in planning phases, not a lot of concrete movement forward.

Things of note:

- There will be a bike path around the whole campus with connection to Veranda via Sherwood

- Campus will include indoor bicycle storage, showers and locker rooms centrally located

- Casco Bay Trail (essentially would originate at Roux Campus) - is not a done deal yet, concerns around recent vote, with two communities not having voted yet (Pownal/New Gloucester)

- Bates/Veranda/Washington intersection plan from City of Portland recently discussed at community meetings would not impact Roux plans, as Bates/Veranda/Washington plans will begin implementation this year, while Roux is still many years away from any bike/ped implementations. The City's plan aligns with any future Roux developments by creating more immediate improvements along a dangerous corridor.

More specifically regarding the map shared previously (and leveraging the nicely organized options Liz had previously outlined):

1. Swing bridge & Portland-Auburn Corridor north – No forward momentum. This option definitely seems the most ambitious (largest, $$$$) option across the water

2. Path east of 295 (red): Not mentioned today

3. Sherwood street: (black): Reaffirmed Roux intends to propose bike paths on both sides

4. Veranda Street (black): City Bates/Veranda/Washington plans will be implementing parts of their bike path plan here, potentially as early as later this year

5. Back Cove Trail to Bates Street and Front Street (black): As above this is being covered in the city's proposed Bates/Veranda/Washington plan

6. Connect Back Cove to Roux under 295 (yellow): This connection option was again brought up and encouraged to remain on the table as an option until such time it is no longer feasible (ie. if/when a ramp may connect directly to the Roux Campus). This option continues to be supported by the group as it would assist pedestrians/cyclists in avoiding the Veranda/Washington intersection and allow for connections to neighborhood streets and other alternatives to the Veranda/Washington intersection. It was mentioned that this connection also helps get folks access to 9A/9B bus routes, adding more options there.

7. Building new parallel east ped bridge east of 295 (purple): SURPRISINGLY this is still on the table and is being explored by MDOT/Roux as a desirable option. No funding yet and definitely not a done deal, but more positive discussion around this option than had seemed likely after our previous discussions. Some concerns voiced around this option included if the new, parallel pedestrian/bike bridge east of Tukey's bridge would connect only at the lower water level (at the abutments of the existing highway bridge). Ideal-state would include multiple connections on the peninsula side - options to connect to both the Eastern Prom Trail, as well as Washington Ave. This point was made multiple times for all aspects - more connections = more convenience, more use, more active transportation traffic.

8. A ramp off 295 N is still in discussion, whether/how to prioritize for buses (yellow): This remains part of the discussion. The group once again expressed their lack of support for this car-centric option.

9. Off-site parking: Still being explored by Roux

10. Adding path along F Street (paper street extension of Randall street, not shown) to new housing development: Not mentioned today at all

11. Connection between NW side of 295 to Veranda street intersection (Red): Recent improvements made by the property owner were mentioned. A paved path over the 'desire path' cut-through between the Other Side/GPCOG parking lot and the trail now exists. Not the full realization of better infrastructure but still a small improvement to current state.

12. Conversations continue with METRO to connect the campus via bus. 

Lindsay

[Scsmedia]

Thanks for the update.  It sounds like some good opportunities abound here.

3. Sherwood Street: (black): Reaffirmed Roux intends to propose bike paths on both sides

I assume you mean from the campus to Veranda Street.  The side to side clearance of the underpass of Sherwood Street is 36 to 38 feet wide.  Don't know how they plant to fit two traffic lanes, two bike lanes and two sidewalks into that width.

6. Connect Back Cove to Roux under 295.  

I didn't think this would be a problem for an off ramp as that would be further up the road.  The off ramp conflict was in creating a path to the east side of the existing Washington Avenue North off ramp runing in front of Howie's.

7. Building new parallel east ped bridge east of 295 (purple): SURPRISINGLY this is still on the table and is being explored by MDOT/Roux as a desirable option.

Good to hear this is being pushed.  It will be expensive, but far cheaper than fixing the rail bridge.  It also would serve a larger segment of users from destination to destination.

10.  Adding path along F Street (paper street extension of Randall street, not shown) to new housing development: Not mentioned today at all

You have me totally lost here.  Randall Street runs from Washington Aveune to a dead end at the top of Baxter Blvd.  A trail from there down the hill would be very steep.  There is no F Street in Portland (if it existed it would probably be between St John and Valley Street next to D Street).  

There is a ROW at the end of Front Street (which is perpedicular to Randall Street) leading to Baxter Blvd., but the parcel map shows it encumbered by two properties.  They would probably object to an opening that would allow significant traffic along the route.  One of the two abutters has a fence in the middle of the right of way.  There is a desire path running along the fence to Baxter Blvd. leading to the end of the sidewalk.

Keep up the good work here.

Steven Scharf

207-415-4662

SCSM...@aol.com

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/PBPAC/b53c7215-8159-4964-8fa4-30f5940629d9n%40googlegroups.com

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[zbar...@gmail.com]

Excellent report indeed. Especially favorable is the possibility of a bike ped connection off Turkey’s. 

I think the Randall Street thing is about building a path next to the Portland Housing Authority buildings along a paper Street. It doesn’t relate to the campus but is more of a community benefit. 

Zack 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 22, 2023, at 12:57 AM, 'Scsmedia' via Portland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee <PB...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[Tony Donovan]

No rail.  Even though city transportation engineer testified to legislators that it needs to be considered.

Train Time 

Tony Donovan MRTC 

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