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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/12/2026 - Regular Minutes - Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board MINUTES BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN, AND GREENWAYS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING January 12, 2026 MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice Chairperson Kathy Langlotz, Board Members Joy Chmelar, Thomas Woodfin, Neo Jang, Matthew Jackson, Carla Robinson. MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairperson Scott Shafer STAFF PRESENT: Assistant Director of Planning and Development Molly Hitchcock, Public Works Graduate Engineer Deanna Ordoñez, Transportation Planning Administrator Jason Schubert, Staff Planner Joe Allen, Staff Planner Carl Ahrens and Staff Assistant II Grecia Fuentes AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Call to Order, introductions and consider absence requests. Vice Chairperson Langlotz called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Hear Visitors. There were no visitors registered to speak. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Agenda Items. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.1: Consideration, discussion, and possible action to approve meeting minutes. Board Member Robinson motioned to approve the meeting minutes from December, Board Member Woodfin seconded the motion, minutes were approved 6-0. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.2: Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a recap of the first College Station Jingle Bell bicycle ride. Planner Ahrens presented this item. Board Member Jang demonstrated a video of the event and shared his appreciation for staff on organizing this event and putting it all together. He also shared information about another group called Critical Mass, which also holds a similar bike ride every month. He said that he was glad to know that events like this existed to help promote awareness throughout the community. Planner Ahrens asked the Board if they had any suggestions on what worked well and what needed some improvement. The goal staff was trying to achieve was to have people stay to mingle and perhaps have some attractions for the kids too. Board Member Langlotz commented on the idea of having an informal gathering after to avoid some awkwardness and help people mingle. Board Member Jang mentioned that a group of participants had gathered at a food truck nearby after the event. Maybe offering something like a food truck or ice cream for the kids nearby would be an idea. Board Member Woodfin mentioned that having a Christmas theme bike ride is a good idea for attracting kids. He said most kids love to ride around at night and adding Christmas lights to their bikes would make the kids excited to participate. Planner Ahrens also mentioned that staff was looking to get on board with the schools on sending out flyers in their weekly newsletters to help get the word out on events like this one. Assistant Director Hitchcock asked the Board if they preferred that the city hold events such as the Cycle with Council that was directed towards introductory riders or if they wanted to have a variety of types of events that would include the more experienced riders too. She wanted to know if there was something staff should be more focused on. Board Member Woodfin responded and said that having more family oriented, shorter routes on a regular basis was a better approach for city staff. He said that those events showed education and would make the kids more comfortable riding their bikes around in the community. For him this seemed to be the most fruitful outcome. Board Member Langlotz agreed and added that having those routes mindfully designed so that families could replicate the ride outside of the event on their own. Board Member Woodfin suggested having each member of the C-STEP Police officers introduce themselves and speak to the kids and families. He said it would help build that trust and make them feel safer to ride around in their neighborhood. Robert Rose, former bike shop owner, mentioned that having these events increased points and helped maintain the city’s status in the Bicycle Friendly Community Program. He added the idea of expanding this event by having the Fire Department show their trucks to the kids as an attraction. In his experience he shared that he had collaborated with a business in the past to encourage people to ride their bikes. Essentially, customers would ride their bikes up to the business and receive a coupon for a reward. This idea worked and it grew so much in popularity that it came to attract around 600 people to participate. Board Member Langlotz said staff could also start off by doing a follow-up survey to get feedback from the participants on what they would like to see included for the next event. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.3: Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the initial draft of proposed changes to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan as part of the development of the new Active Transportation Master Plan. Administrator Schubert presented this item, which included an in-depth discussion of the draft map book for the proposed Bicycle Plan. Board Member Jang asked for clarification on the meaning of a bike route and a bike lane. Administrator Schubert clarified that a bike route just consisted of putting up a green Bike Route sign marking a street as a route and a bike lane included a striped lane designated for bicycles next to the street. Board Member Woodfin said that his neighborhood would not be happy about having a shared- use path because that meant that there would be a road being built along with it. Board Member Jang asked when the Board would be able to review the rest of the Master Plan and give feedback. Administrator Schubert said that staff were currently working on the draft and it should be coming along in late February. Staff are finishing the pedestrian map book and will distribute it to the Board when available and request that Board Members review it in advance of February’s meeting as there will be a discussion of it during that meeting. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.4: Presentation and discussion regarding the following items related to biking, walking, and greenways. a) Public Meetings of Interest – No updates available at this time b) Capital and Private Project Updates – No updates available at this time Board Member Woodfin attended a TxDOT public meeting on December 9th that was regarding the design for Harvey Road improvements. He asked if Amanda Soto, architect of the Bryan District, could come talk to the Board about the upcoming construction on Harvey Road. Administrator Schubert stated staff could provide the Board with an update at a future meeting. Board Member Jang stated that there would be a community bike ride called Critical Mass on January 30th at 7pm. He stated that a satisfaction survey would also be conducted. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.5: Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board calendar of upcoming meetings. a) February 9, 2026 ~ Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Advisory Board Meeting Administrator Schubert informed the Board that Texas A&M University Transportation Services was scheduled to come in and do a presentation on campus projects they have recently done. AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Discussion and possible action on future agenda items. A Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Advisory Board Member may inquire about a subject for which notice has not been given. A statement of specific factual information or the recitation of existing policy may be given. Any deliberation shall be limited to a proposal to place the subject on an agenda for a subsequent meeting. Board Member Woodfin said that the BCSMPO had ordered and received traffic counters and was asking if the Board could borrow those and use them to count cyclists. Graduate Engineer Ordoñez mentioned that Public Works Department had recently acquired traffic counting capabilities that could help get counts on pedestrians and bicyclists. Board Member Jang brought up a reoccurring issue in the community regarding trucks driving on shared-use paths. He wanted to ask staff to find out how to go about reporting that so that it does not happen. AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 5:16 p.m. APPROVED: ATTEST: ____________________________ ____________________________ Scott Shafer, Chairperson Grecia Fuentes, Board Secretary