PED, PEDAL & PADDLE COMMITTEE (3PC)
Thursday, October 3, 2019 – 1:30 PM NIRPC Lake Michigan Room
AGENDA
6100 Southport Road
Portage, Indiana 46368
(219) 763-6060
1.0 Welcome and Introductions
2.0 Approval of Minutes of June 6, 2019 Meeting
NIRPC Business
Presentation: NIRPC’s Living Streets Policy
Ped
South Shore Trails – Update
Trail Towns Workshop – October 31ST @ NIRPC
Pedal
Next Level Trails Update
Presentation: “What I learned at the Portland APBP Conference”
Paddle
NWI Paddling Association – Update
7.0. Grab Bag
Emerging Trends Presentation
Project Updates
General Announcements (upcoming rides, events, etc.)
Next 3PC Meeting – Thursday, February 6, 2020 @ NIRPC – 1:30 PM
8.0 Adjournment
Requests for alternate formats, please contact nirpc@nirpc.org at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Individuals with hearing impairments may contact us through the Indiana Relay 711 service by calling 711 or (800) 743-3333.
The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, parental status, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.
Members & Guests – Don Ensign, Ed Morales, Jenny Orsburn, Mark Schreiber, Mark O’Dell, Jeff Sheridan, Chuck Gleason, Kevin Nuppnau, Zully Alvarado, Tim Jones, Craig Zandstra, Kelly Goodpaster, Daliz Zygas, Nathanial George, AJ Monroe, Terro Saltzman, Theresa Mince and Veronica Jalamo.
Staff – Mitch Barloga, Gabrielle Biciunas, James Winters, and Mary Thorne
Don Ensign called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and self- introductions.
The minutes of the April 4, 2019 meeting were approved on a motion by Jenny Orsburn and a second by Zully Alvarado.
NIRPC Business
Gabrielle Biciunas said the 2050 Plan addresses public health through a series of strategies and a new task, starting July 1, 2019 will examine the linkage between public health and transportation and what it means for the region, such as looking at indicators. The task will be in multiple phases. The initial phase will assess existing conditions and identify strategies and this committee will be very helpful as an active transportation group to provide input on health in the region. Staff will also look at hospitals, community groups, etc.
Mitch Barloga presented on Next Level Trails. $25 million was available in the first round. 17 of 84 applications for 42 miles of trails in 17 counties were funded. Three NIRPC projects received awards: Schererville Pennsy Greenway: $2.9 million; Burns Harbor Marquette Greenway: $1.7 million; and Hebron Veterans Memorial Trail: $303,000. The next round is scheduled for July or August. Communities should work with NIRPC on their applications before submission to DNR. Contact Mitch for more information.
Mitch Barloga said staff is working on tasks for the Unified Planning Work Program. There will be a major bike map update in 2020. We would like to get a trail town program underway and it is hoped a workshop can be held through the Greenways Foundation. Not having a central city in the region, it is hard to develop a regional bike share program. We would like to see model ordinances and would like to get a bikeshare vendor map together. We will also hold another Cornucopia this year.
Ped
Don Parker, South Shore Trails, emailed his report, saying SST participated in the Bike Valparaiso celebration and recognition of that city's Bike Friendly Community Bronze Level award on May 16th. SST continues to focus currently on formalizing the processes that will allow SST to assist other NWI communities in achieving similar goals.
Mitch Barloga presented on the Great American Rail-Trail which, when fully completed, will span more than 3,700 miles from Washington, D.C., to Washington State. The trail will directly serve
nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. The preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail through Indiana is 224.7 miles and just under 50% complete, comprising 109.6 existing trail miles and 115.1 gap miles. Not all of the trail will be on rail, but all of the trail must be offroad.
Pedal
Paddle
Zully Alvarado reported that there were a limited amount of paddling opportunities due to the rains. There are log jam clean up efforts and volunteers are needed. The Sunset Paddle will be held next Friday at Marquette Park Lagoon at 1 p.m. and the following Tuesday at 6 p.m. You must sign up for one of the 20 available kayaks.
Updates were provided by Mark Sheridan, Mark O’Dell and Craig Zandstra.
Don Ensign said a Middle East Memorial dedication will take place in July or August.
Mitch Barloga said the Communitree Program was a success but there may be a need for a local match next round. He suggested communities plant trees where possible on the trails. The next round may be in August or September.
Mark Sheridan said the Night Rides will be held on June 21, July 19 and August 16.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. in the Lake Michigan Room at NIRPC.
Hearing no further business, adjourned the meeting at 2:40 p.m.