Bicycle Douglas County

Meeting Minutes 11/13/06

Announcements:

• Round table introductions
• New Douglas County Recreation Map distrubuted
• Preliminary draft for bike lane changes at University/Highlands Ranch Parkway from Douglas Count Public Works Dept.
• Bicycle Colorado petition for “Share the Road” license plates
• Repaving and shoulders completed on Deer Creek Canyon

Guest Speakers:

            Shannon Haydin:  Douglas County long range planner

            Elizabeth KayMarchetti:  Douglas County short range planner

Comprehensive Long Range Master Plan meetings coming up this week throughout the county.  (Check Douglas County website for details) input on Master Plan will be this winter through meetings or email to the planning dept.  Shannon would like to develop policy that shoulders be added when roads are improved.  Need support form BDC to make this happen.  Need to modify Douglas County standard x-section from 12’ lanes to 11’lanes and put the extra into shoulders.

As far as developing a bike map for Douglas County requires BDC input and GIS technology to trade and record information.  BDC needs a hardcopy of the current GIS roads in the county to start marking routes.  Ed suggests that a Peerson Map can be used and they are available at the grocery stores.   Potential support/grants for bike map are:  Kaiser HMO, Bikes Belong, Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, and Gates Foundation.

Shannon suggests we send a representative to the County Commissioners meeting on Tuesdays at 1:30; BDC needs to make a presentation about our goals.  We need to get the political support from the top to get changes in Public Works for a more bike friendly county.  Suggestion to work with Doug Devore, DC Administrator. 

Titan Rd Shoulders:

Titan Rd is a very dangerous, busy road that cyclists frequent and selected as the first road that BDC would like to get shoulders added to.  BDC can use the blueprint workbook from Thunderhead Alliance to develop our plan to obtain shoulders on Titan Rd.  Volunteers to work on this project:  Judy Siel, Ed Susman, Joe Kopchik, Chris Mars, Bennett Hug, Adam Rachurinski, Dale Arnold and Brian Martin.  Blank workbooks handed out to volunteers and each to pencil in ideas before committee meeting on Jan 15^th at 7:00 PM.  Judy to get meeting space set up. 

Bruce Pfabe volunteered to look into grant information for map.

Issues/Concerns:

Missing parts of sidewalks I Highlands Ranch-call HRMD to get information.

Loss of bike lanes when traffic lanes are added

Users of Highlands Ranch Back County Wilderness- HRCA states this is private land and just like the recreation centers- open to residents of Highlands Ranch and not “open space”.  BDC will poll membership to see if BDC will send letter to HR supporting open access to trail.  Suggestions made for a fee access to non –members

Adjourned at 8:30 

Next meeting moved from 2/14 Valentines Day to 2/7/06 at 7:00 PM.