Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.worksession.20170627 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION June 27, 2017 4:00 PM, City Council Chambers MEETING AGENDA I. Downtown Mobility/Pedestrian Experience P1 Page 1 of 7 MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Ashley Perl, Steve Barwick, Barry Crook, Sara Ott, Scott Miller, Jessica Garrow, Jeff Woods, Mitch Osur, Mitzi Rapkin, Nancy Lesley, Lynn Rumbaugh and Pete Rice DATE OF MEMO: June 23, 2017 MEETING DATE: June 27, 2017 RE: Aspen Mobility Lab SUMMARY: Mayor Skadron has introduced a concept for City Council to consider that involves conducting a large-scale, bold experiment to increase mobility options while decreasing the reliance on the personal automobile. This proposal sets forth a plan that will deliver new and expanded transportation services within the boundary of the Intercept Lot to east of Aspen during May and June of 2018. The Aspen Mobility lab will provide options for Aspen’s locals, visitors and commuters to get out of their cars and experience mobility as a service. This experiment will provide valuable insight into possible behavioral solutions to the entrance to Aspen and will enliven the downtown experience by creating community spaces and activities for all. The Aspen Mobility Lab marks the beginning of a long-term goal aimed at altering the transportation landscape in the Aspen community. To further explain Mayor Skadron’s vision, a press release is attached. REQUEST OF COUNCIL: Staff is presenting a conceptual scope of the Aspen Mobility Lab to City Council and seeking approval to move ahead with Phase 1 of the project. BACKGROUND: Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley have a long history of leading the way with innovative transportation measures. These accomplishments and the services that are offered to the community are renowned across the country, particularly for a community as small as Aspen. Attachment A provides a list of the many transportation options currently available to the Aspen community and the greater area, which would be built upon as part of a 2018 Mobility Lab. Despite these aggressive actions to reduce traffic over many years, traffic congestion remains a problem in Aspen, both for commuters and locals, and negatively impacts the quality of life for all. This problem is also evident in the ongoing community conversations that have led to the P2 I. Page 2 of 7 formation of the Community Forum on Transportation, and in City Council’s 2015-2017 Top Ten Goals, two of which were focused on transportation options and traffic reduction. Aspen has been aware of the negative impacts of congestion and has worked to reduce those impacts for decades. The 2000 AACP sought to limit average annual daily vehicle trips (AADT) to 1993 levels and established a formal goal of that nature. While the goal has been consistently met, the 2007 Entrance to Aspen Reevaluation Report found that congestion has expanded farther up and down the Highway 82 corridor during peak hours, a trend that continues today. To address this trend, the 2012 AACP suggested that Aspen ‘strive to reduce peak-hour vehicle-trips to at or below 1993 levels.’ It also identified the importance of using mobility measures to accommodate any additional person trips into town instead of relying on single occupancy vehicles. There is a need for new approaches to Aspen’s transportation landscape. This is a time for innovation, creativity, and action. Aspen is not alone in this struggle. Cities across the world are struggling with traffic congestion and the negative impacts it brings to those communities. These trends are driving an international conversation and investment in new mobility options and technologies that can transform the urban experience. These new technologies and transportation options are designed to meet the movement needs of a diverse group of people by competing with the personal vehicle and providing a superior experience compared to driving alone. In alignment with international trends, the Aspen Mobility Lab is a bold and unique concept that aims to reduce congestion and increase downtown vitality. The project is in the beginning stages of scoping. The Aspen Mobility Lab will experiment with ideas and concepts that were put forward during the discussions of the Community Forum on Transportation and will link with existing efforts. The following team members, representing eight City of Aspen departments, have worked to provide the scope included here today: Steve Barwick, Barry Crook, Sara Ott, Scott Miller, Jessica Garrow, Mitch Osur, Jeff Woods, Pete Rice, Mitzi Rapkin, Nancy Lesley, Lynn Rumbaugh, and Ashley Perl. DISCUSSION: The Aspen Mobility Lab is proposed to run from approximately May 1-July 1, 2018 and would create a testing ground for addressing transportation and mobility needs in Aspen. This section details the specific issue this lab is meant to address, the project proposal and phases, and measures of success. Opportunities and challenges are also identified. Current Status: Aspen’s transportation options, although innovative and well established, are still not competitive with the personal automobile and they lack the diversity needed to be seen and used as a ‘service’. This leads people to drive their personal vehicles instead of using an alternative mode of transport to move into, out of and around Aspen. Numerous personal vehicles on the roadways causes congestion. Traffic congestion is a health and safety concern, from accidents as well as from an air quality and noise perspective, and has a negative impact on the quality of life and experience in Aspen. Proposed Project: During May and June of 2018, the City of Aspen will work with funders and mobility providers to offer a more diverse mix of mobility services to the community, visitors and commuters. Current transportation options including buses, electric on-demand shuttles and P3 I. Page 3 of 7 bikes will be expanded. At the same time, new modes such as electric bikes, shuttles for gear and dogs, and neighborhood vans will be made available. These new and expanded services will be paired with incentives that make these modes competitive with and more desirable than the personal automobile. At the same time, new approaches to parking and traffic management will be used to create opportunities for increased community vitality in downtown. The feasibility and success of the Mobility Lab is dependent on Aspen’s ability to secure funding and support from national partners, funders and mobility providers. Attachment B contains a list of possible technologies and improvements that could be considered as part of the Mobility Lab. This is an initial brainstorming list that would be refined as partners, funders and community inputs are identified. Opportunities: The Aspen Mobility Lab would provide ample opportunities to businesses, commuters, locals, visitors, and transportation planners. These opportunities may include: · Impacting real change in commuting patterns and modes · Creating new opportunities for existing businesses to attract customers · Increasing the vitality and connectedness of downtown · Supporting the City of Aspen’s goals around sustainability, quality of life, mobility and innovation · Providing a testing ground for innovative mobility technology and ideas Challenges: A project of this magnitude, seeking to drive bold change, is not without challenges. Some barriers and realities that should be addressed are: · New and expanded mobility services could compete with and be duplicative to existing business models. All private businesses in Aspen will be invited and encouraged to participate and possibly to expand their services. · Changing behaviors and travel habits takes time and the Aspen Mobility Lab cannot guarantee change. · Reducing traffic congestion is an audacious goal that few cities have achieved. Small reductions in vehicle traffic may not be noticed by drivers and might not be reflected in wait times. For this reason, the Aspen Mobility Lab’s success will be measured in numerous ways, in addition to measuring the number of vehicles removed from the road. · Transportation Network Companies (TNC’s), like Uber and Lyft, are unknown factors. It is possible that the use of this technology could increase the number of vehicles on the road instead of decreasing vehicle traffic because customers could choose to use the services over walking or biking around town. · Alterations to the movement of, and storage of vehicles in the downtown area will impact the business community both positively and negatively. The goal of the Aspen Mobility Lab is to bring more customers to town with fewer cars. · Constant and consistent communication with multiple audiences will be essential, and it could prove challenging to meet the demand for information at all times. Examples and stories from other communities show that an increasing number of cities and companies are looking at mobility experiments to relieve some of the pressure off existing transit systems and roads. Some cities that have experimented with increased mobility services are listed below. P4 I. Page 4 of 7 · Tallinn, Estonia – All public transit for free · Kansas City – Bridj on-demand shuttle · Barcelona – Superblocks · Centennial, CO – 1st and last mile experiment · Orlando, Beverly Hills, Phoenix, & Pittsburg – Autonomous vehicles · Boulder – Door-to-door experiment · Austin – Electrified, autonomous mobility experiment with RMI · Union County, Ohio – Autonomous commercial vehicle corridor for movement of auto manufacturing goods · São Paulo, Brazil - Avenida Paulista closed every Sunday to vehicles programmed by cultural and financial institutions. · Ford Motor Company – Smart Mobility Experiments in 25 cities across the world Although Aspen would not be the first city to try such a mobility experiment, it seems the Aspen Mobility Lab would be unique in that Aspen’s experiment proposes combining mobility services with downtown vitality enhancements, a combination that has not been heavily experimented with elsewhere. Metrics of Success: If the Aspen Mobility Lab is to be successful, specific sets of measurement must be considered and agreed upon before the experiment. In the initial scoping discussions, three areas that are key to measuring success have been identified: Traffic Congestion, Mode Shift, and Downtown Vitality. For the first two, there is some existing data that can be used to measure against. The third may require more creative ways of measuring. These three categories were chosen because they represent the full breadth of impacts that will be seen by addressing both the mobility services and the downtown environment. Most importantly, the Aspen Mobility Lab is not about solving traffic. The intention of the experiment is to offer numerous mobility options to all groups with the hope that an uptick in usage of these mobility services will lead to a reduced number of single occupancy, private vehicles on the road during peak times. If vehicle numbers are not reduced, but the goals of the other two categories (mode shift and downtown vitality) are achieved, the community will still see a benefit and the lab could be successful. In addition to the following metrics, anecdotes will be collected before, during and after with numerous surveys. 1) Traffic Congestion Metrics: a. Number of cars on specific segments of roads b. Types of vehicles (passenger, heavy duty, etc.) c. Multi Modal Level of Service (MMLOS) ratings at certain intersections 2) Mode Shift Metrics: a. Cars parked at intercept lot, Rio Grande and other lots b. Bus ridership numbers c. Increased awareness of mobility options d. Sign-ups to subscription services e. Occupancy of cars on certain segments of roadway f. Ratio of bikes/pedestrians/cars g. Bikes parked and in use in downtown P5 I. Page 5 of 7 h. Pedestrians using pedestrian corridor i. Parking counts in private lots j. Carpool permit counts k. Parking occupancy in residential parking areas l. Use of existing mobility options m. Use of new mobility options 3) Downtown Vitality Metrics: a. Outdoor dining patrons b. Users of games and facilities c. Pedestrian and bicyclist feedback (safety, way finding, etc.) d. Sales tax revenue e. Businesses participating in opportunities Project Phases: The 2018 Aspen Mobility Lab will require extensive work and partnerships. Because this is such a large project, staff proposes it be broken down into phases. These are outline below: Phase 1: Feasibility and Testing Phase 1A: July 1 – October 1, 2017 Overall Goal of Phase 1A: Gauge the interest of funders to determine if project is feasible. · Identify possible funders and pitch funders · Identify possible partners and pitch partners · Identify grant opportunities and apply for grants · Create community outreach plan · Engage external consultant support (transportation consultant, design firm, project management assistance) · Create macro design and examples for downtown · Create and scope the ‘Ideas Competition’ for designing downtown Phase 1B: October 1- December 31, 2017 Overall Goal of Phase 1B: Inform final design of mobility options and downtown area · Start to implement outreach plan to assess local capacity and interest · Start surveys and data collection to inform needs · Implement small test projects · Create logo and design · Identify existing capacity in transportation system · Identify what would be needed to increase mobility and what incentives and motivators are best · Identify what is needed in town to affect change · Choose finalists in ideas competition · Finalize scope with funders and partners Phase 2: Final Design and Selection January 1 – March 1, 2018 Overall Goal of Phase: Finalize details of each aspect P6 I. Page 6 of 7 · Address regulations · Get permits · Create implementation plans for each mobility mode and downtown aspect · Graphic design and media/outreach product creation Phase 3: Implementation and Measurement March 1 – July 1, 2018 Overall Goal of Phase: Implement project and measure results · Downtown build-out · Mobility services move-in · Surveys Public Outreach Plan: As with all major new initiatives, a detailed public outreach strategy is needed. Part of the work included in Phase 1A would involve the creation of a comprehensive outreach plan for implementation by an external outreach consultant. As outreach and ideas collection is also needed during the initial conceptualization phase, staff will be available immediately to hear ideas and concerns. Community members should contact staff at MobilityLab@CityofAspen.com. The comprehensive outreach plan will include elements such as: a hot line phone number with an outgoing message that provides updates; website information for businesses, commuters, residents; tailored messages and information for specific impacted groups; open houses; in-person and small group meetings; and newsletters. FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPACTS: Bringing an array of new mobility technologies, including an app, to Aspen will require funding most likely in excess of $1million. The City of Aspen cannot provide this level of funding and must create new partnerships and build upon existing ones to make the Mobility Lab a reality. It is expected that the City of Aspen will need to fund a percentage of the overall project, but the goal is to minimize the City’s contribution. Phase 1A is focused on connecting with partners and funders and gauging their interest and willingness to provide in-kind services and/or donate funds to cover the costs of the project. Following Phase 1A, the City of Aspen will know if the Mobility Lab can move forward, having secured outside funding, or if the scope needs to be readjusted due to a lack of funding. At this time, staff is requesting budget authority for up to $125,000 to spend on Phase 1 of the project and gauge what is possible. This funding estimate includes the following: Project Management Assistance - $25,000 Project Design (Downtown Experience) - $20,000 Transportation Consultant - $15,000 Grants/Funding Assistance - $30,000 Miscellaneous, including travel assistance - $15,000 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: The Aspen Mobility Lab positively impacts numerous measures from City Council’s Sustainability Dashboard including: Air Quality (PM levels, ozone levels); Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Castle Creek Bridge Counts; Acres of Trails; Mass Transit Use; and Walkability and Bike-ability Rating. P7 I. Page 7 of 7 RECOMMENDED ACTION: City Council approve budget authority and staff time to pursue the Aspen Mobility Lab concept through Phase 1. ALTERNATIVES: City Council could elect to retain the status quo and not conduct a Mobility Lab. City Council could choose an alternative level of scope from the possible levels listed below or could set a new level, not listed. Level 1: Offer more incentives for use of existing mobility services Level 2: Expand existing mobility services (buses, downtowner, bike share). No new mobility, incentives or downtown changes. Level 3: Expand existing mobility services and provide additional incentives. No new mobility or downtown changes. Level 4: Expand existing mobility services, provide additional incentives and alter downtown. No new mobility services. Without the combination of new mobility services, incentives for using those services, and an alternation of downtown, it is difficult to say if the Aspen Mobility Lab would be as impactful to the community or as appealing to funders and partners as the current proposed scope. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Current Transportation Options Attachment B: Proposed Project Ideas Attachment C: Press Release P8 I. TDM in Aspen, Colorado FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.cityofaspen.com/transportation Free Transit Service Eight free local routes. · Local routes carry 1-million annually. Commuter routes carry over 4-million riders each year. · Nation’s first rural dedicated rural highway bus lanes, first rural Bus Rapid Transit system Downtowner On-demand service supplements transit. · On demand, electric vehicle service · Free of charge Paid Parking Acts as auto disincentive. · Helps fund TDM efforts. · Seasonal pricing reflects demand. Rubey Park Transit Center Renovated in 2015. · Serves over 4 million annually. · Features include solar panels and green roof. CAR TO GO Program Supports a car-free lifestyle. · Encourages reduced vehicle ownership and increased use of alternative modes. · Nine hybrid vehicles, 220 members. · Individual and corporate memberships. Bike Sharing WE-cycle bike share program debuted in 2013. · Over 100 bikes at 13 stations · City provides funding and operational assistance Carpool Incentives Thousands of carpools reporting annually. · HOV lanes · Free carpool parking with daily permits · Free carpool matching services Employer Outreach Free services offered to local employers. · Grant opportunities · Meetings, alerts, schedule distribution · Emergency ride home service · Custom employer web pages CommuterConnect Commuter incentive program serving over 800. · Prizes and events · Commute tracking · Custom employer pages Marketing Campaigns Marketing to residents, commuters and visitors. · Bi-annual Drive Less campaign offers incentives to locals who pledge to participate · Variety of special events including Bike to Work Day, Bus Rider Appreciation Day, Carpool Month Transportation Impact Analysis Requires development to mitigate all trips generated. · Trip generation custom to Aspen · New trips must be offset with TDM and MMLOS Results · Traffic remains at 1993 levels · PM-10 Maintenance Area · Colorado Environmental Champion · Best Workplaces for Commuters District · ACT Outstanding Service Award · EPA Clean Air Award · Colorado Association of Transit Agencies TDM award · 2016 Resort Transit System of the Year P9 I. Attachment B: Possible Project Ideas Possible Mobility Modes: Expand Existing Modes: · Fixed route buses · Fixed route shuttles · Bike share · Downtowner · Taxis · Hotel Shuttles · Car share · Pedicabs · Horse drawn carriages · Valet services · Walking New Modes to Pursue: · Fixed route E-bus · On-demand e-cars · On-demand shuttles · On-demand rides (TNC’s) · E-bikes · Autonomous vehicles (fixed route or on-demand) · Segway · Trolley · Free bikes · Flexible return car share · Luxury on-demand shuttle · On-demand specifically to Red Mountain, · Vanpooling · Free buses from downvalley · Dog transport · Buses for tools and gear · Emergency ride home option · VIP carpool program, easier to use Possible Incentives (TDM Measures) and Infrastructure: · Bike parking · Continuous bike lanes · Bike-only corridors · Staging areas for bikes · Bike commuting support · Bike storage · E-bike policies · Pedestrian routes and way finding · Drop off zones · One-way loops · Curb changes (Bulb-outs, etc.) · Lane assignments/mode priority · Decking (crowned streets are too steep) · Super blocks · Surface treatments (painting, striping) · Traffic controls, signs, lights, flaggers, cones, speed bumps · Waiting areas for taxis, Uber, etc. · Signs on Hwy 82 altering people of remaining parking in town · Charging stations for shuttles, downtowner, cars and bus · Mobile app o for on-demand carpooling o for shuttle services, etc. o for valet services o that shows traffic wait times · Storage for gear · Stroller and wagon share · Housing for additional workforce · Altered parking policies/Pricing · Specific visitor parking only · Incentives for parking at intercept and other lots · Policies for parking at outside lots · ‘United Lounge’ for those who take the bus · Parking · Covered · Wi-Fi · Comfortable seating · Something to do while you wait · Shade and weather protection · Car detailing · Tire pressure check · Dry cleaning pick up · Grocery pick up · TNC Management Plan · Bus stops (additional and improved) · Increased use of bus lanes P10 I. Possible Opportunities in the Downtown: · Expanded walking corridors · Dwell areas/free seating (benches, etc.) · Shaded areas · Art o Street chalk o Telescope (nighttime) o Large scale public art exhibit o Science fair/exhibit o Activities for children · Dining · Games o Bowling o Arcade games o Ping pong o Mini golf o Corn hole o Dog agility games o Pickle ball o Racquet games o Tournaments · Kid areas/ Tot Lot · Gardens · Additional planters and landscaping · Water features · Fountains · Bubbles · Slip and slide · Music gathering areas · Community gathering tables · Yoga and fitness areas · Solar arrays · Spaces for speakers/seminars/education · Community build project (fix it area) · Expanded retail operations · Farmers’ Market P11 I. PRESS RELEASE Aspen City Council to Consider Mobility Lab Experiment Contact: Steven Skadron, Aspen Mayor at steve.skadron@cityofaspen.com or Ashley Perl, Climate Action Manager, 970-429-1798 or Ashley.perl@cityofaspen.com. Aspen, Colorado – June 23, 2017 – On Tuesday, June 27 Aspen City Council in a work session will consider implementing an eight-week experiment in spring 2018 that tests the capacity for Aspen government, residents, visitors, and commuters to push the boundaries on alternative transit modes as well as reconsider downtown design that favors more pedestrian and bicyclists and traffic calming measures downtown. Dubbed “Aspen Mobility Lab”, the experiment is meant to challenge the status quo of mobility options into, out of, and around Aspen. “I want to take bold action to address Aspen’s congestion problem by championing modern mobility options. We must think and act in ways that go beyond relying solely on personal vehicle. This is about mobility and exploring all the modes we can move people with besides the stop-and-go traffic entering and leaving Aspen and the congestion we see in the core, especially in the summer,” says Mayor Steven Skadron who has been pushing this idea since 2015. “I want people who live here and people who move here to take a pride in the Aspen lifestyle. For me that means embracing the historic character and small town charm. We’re drowning in automobiles and we need to preserve the set of values that keep us a desirable town to live in and visit. Congestion is antithetical to this,” he adds. “This doesn’t mean we are banning cars, but the goal is to provide options that suit residents and commuters needs as well or better than what they are using today.” The idea behind the Aspen Mobility Lab is to introduce the future of how we move people without solely relying on personal vehicles. On the ground this means implementing solutions to congestion between The Intercept Lot and downtown including the entirety of Aspen. P12 I. “Other than building a four-lane into Aspen, which I don’t support,” Skadron says, “something has to be done. It’s not going to be easy but every single individual on the road is both part of the solution and part of the problem. The question for everyone who drives is: Which end of the spectrum do you want to be on?” While the physical boundaries of the project are defined, the scope and breadth of the Lab have yet to be determined. The issue the project is meant to address is that Aspen’s transit options are not diverse enough to compete with the personal vehicle. Creating diverse possibilities enticing enough to get people out of their cars is essential for the Lab’s success. Examples might include a fleet of ride-share mopeds, a network of on- demand electric vehicle shuttles, quiet, pollution-free buses that run between Aspen and the Intercept lot every ten minutes, premium subscription commuter services tied to incentives and rewards like happy-hour concerts at the Intercept Lot, self-driving minivans, new transit apps, altering the configuration of downtown streets for smoother traffic flow, or lockers for down valley commuters to store gear. Or maybe even a dog shuttle that allows people to ride as well. The notion is that anything is up for consideration. A significant part of the Lab will be reaching out to funders and innovators who are active participants already in the future of mobility. Companies like Tesla or Ford or Google who might be interested in bringing a fleet of electric cars or autonomous vehicles to Aspen or Bloomberg Philanthropies, which is interested in helping cities rethink what is possible are examples of potential partners. The Aspen Mobility Lab idea began with a conversation Mayor Skadron had with a representative from the Rocky Mountain Institute who suggested that the next wave of mobility options and those presenting them may need a willing city to test out the future. One of the first steps in this process was convening the Aspen Community Forum on transportation hosted by the Aspen Institute. “I knew when I had this discussion that Aspen was forward-thinking enough and conscious enough to welcome an experiment that would not only address its congestion problems but serve the environmental good. My goal is to begin to alter the ways we move people in the Roaring Fork Valley so we are not reliant on more lanes and more parking garages because that is an old world solution not appropriate for a progressive, innovative City,” Skadron said. Council will discuss the idea of Aspen’s Mobility Lab in a work session on Tuesday, June 27 at 4pm in Council Chambers. ### P13 I. P14 I.