Bicycle Board Members,

Please see below, comments by Bill Austin as MMMPO Executive Director on the WVU Transportation and Parking Plan.

Frank

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Bill Austin" baustin@labyrinth.net Date: October 24, 2011 3:23:06 PM EDT To: "'Nancy Lohmann'" nlohmann@wvu.edu, "'Tom Arnold'" tarnold@cityofmorgantown.org, "'Morgantown Parking Authority'" parking@morgantown.com, "'Morgantown City Council'" citycouncil@cityofmorgantown.org, "'Terrence Moore'" tmoore@cityofmorgantown.org, "'Chris Fletcher'" cfletcher@cityofmorgantown.org, "'Asel Kennedy'" MonCom@aol.com, "'Roy Nutter'" rnutter@wvu.edu, "'Frank Gmeindl'" frank.gmeindl@comcast.net, "'Christiaan Abildso'" Christiaan.Abildso@mail.wvu.edu, "'David Bruffy'" bruffy@busride.org Cc: "'Narvel Weese'" narvel.weese@mail.wvu.edu, "'Randal Hudak'" randy.hudak@mail.wvu.edu, "'Hugh Kierig'" Hugh.Kierig@mail.wvu.edu, "'Joe Fisher'" Joe.Fisher@mail.wvu.edu, "'Keller, Perry J'" Perry.J.Keller@wv.gov Subject: RE: Draft WVU Transportation and Parking Plan

Nancy,

Thank you for offering the Metropolitan Planning Organization staff the opportunity to comment on the University's Transportation and Parking Plan. In general we would comment that the Plan demonstrates a strong commitment to alternative forms of transportation which is in agreement with the MPO's goals in the Long Range Transportation Plan. We would however, note that the provision of a subsidy to those in single occupant vehicles is counterproductive to the goals expressed by our organization and in the Plan itself.

In general the Plan moves to create more mobility throughout the area by maximizing the alternatives available to the University's population. The MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan strongly supports this effort. As you may be aware, the MPO is committed to improving the highway network and encouraging alternative transportation. We have been developing a Transportation Demand Management Program including an effort to create van pools in cooperation with the University, Mountain Line and other major employers in the area. We look forward to expanding those efforts.

It is opportune that this plan is being reviewed as the University is presenting the planned redevelopment of the Evansdale campus to the Community. In general the Evansdale Plan's goal of creating a walk-able campus appears to be in agreement with the WVU Transportation and Parking Plan and with the goals of the MPO's Long Range Transportation Plan. It should be noted that designing proposed development and the transportation facilities that serve them together can lead to cost savings for the proposed buildings, the transportation facilities, and for those working at and providing services to the facilities. This comprehensive approach would also benefit the general public. Unfortunately, it appears that this approach was not taken during the development of the Evansdale plan and we cannot positively comment on the transportation impacts of the proposal. We do have a concern that the proposed signal and closing of Evansdale Drive may have a negative impact on the area. We are also concerned that the large scale of the Campus may encourage persons to drive from one parking lot to another to attend classes rather than walking across campus. Assessing pedestrian access issues in the area is also a concern. The MPO's regional traffic model as well as the work being performed by the Division of Highway's consultant looking at traffic operations on the 705 Corridor can provide an assessment of the Evansdale Plan. We would be happy to assist in this matter.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these matters. We will provide some very minor comments on some of the wording of the Transportation and Parking Plan shortly. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we may be of any assistance.

Sincerely,

Bill Austin, AICP Executive Director Morgantown Monongalia MPO 82 Hart Field Road Ste. 105 Morgantown, WVA 26505 304-291-9571 304-692-7225 Mobile

"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly." ~Francis Bacon

"Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof." ~John Kenneth Galbraith

-----Original Message----- From: Nancy Lohmann [mailto:nlohmann@wvu.edu] Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 8:12 AM To: Tom Arnold; Morgantown Parking Authority; Morgantown City Council; Terrence Moore; Chris Fletcher; Asel Kennedy; Bill Austin; Roy Nutter; Frank Gmeindl; Christiaan Abildso; David Bruffy Cc: Narvel Weese; Randal Hudak; Hugh Kierig Subject: Draft WVU Transportation and Parking Plan

Good morning.

West Virginia University is in the process of revising its Transportation and Parking Plan, which was last revised in 2007. I wanted to share a copy of the draft plan with you and also invite your comments on it. A copy is enclosed. Today or tomorrow the Plan will also be accesible through http://transportation.wvu.edu/ http://transportation.wvu.edu/

We are inviting comments until NOVEMBER 18. After that date, the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee will begin to modify the plan considering the feedback received.

Comments may be forwarded to TransParkPlan@mail.WVU.edu mailto:TransParkPlan@mail.WVU.edu or TransPark Plan, P. O. Box 6205, WVU, Morgantown, WV 26506-6205.

I know this is a busy time of the year but we would welcome any advice that you may be able to offer. Thanks.

Nancy

Nancy Lohmann, Ph.D. Senior Advisor to the Vice President for Administration and Finance Professor of Social Work 101 Stewart Hall P.O. Box 6205 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26506-6205 Phone: 304-293-9200 Fax: 304-293-3493

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