Attachment A - Jan. 18, 2023 TIP Minutes

Phoenix City Council 
Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning (TIP) Subcommittee 
Summary Minutes 
Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023 
City Council Chambers 
200 W. Jefferson St. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Subcommittee Members Present     
 Subcommittee Members Absent 
Councilwoman Debra Stark, Chair 
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien (virtual)  
Councilwoman Laura Pastor 
Councilwoman Betty Guardado (virtual) 
CALL TO ORDER 
Chairwoman Stark called the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning 
Subcommittee to order at 10:04 a.m. with Councilwoman Laura Pastor and 
Councilwoman Betty Guardado present.  
CALL TO THE PUBLIC 
None. 
MINUTES OF MEETINGS 
1. Minutes of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee
Meeting
Councilwoman Pastor motioned to approve the minutes of the Nov.19, 2022, 
Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee meeting. Councilwoman 
Guardado seconded the motion, which passed unanimously, 3-0. 
CONSENT ACTION (ITEMS 2-4) 
Items 2-4 were for consent action. No presentations were planned, but City staff was 
available to answer questions. 
2. April 2023 Proposed Bus Service Improvements
Consent only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
3. T2050 Pavement Maintenance Program Update and Five-Year Pavement
Maintenance Plan through Fiscal Year (FY) 2027
Consent only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
Attachment A

4. Green Transit Technology Contract - Request Recommendation for Award  
 
Consent only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
 
Councilwoman Pastor motioned to approve consent items 2-4. Councilwoman 
Guardado seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 3-0. 
INFORMATION ONLY (ITEMS 5-8)  
 
5. Freeway Program Update 
 
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
 
6. Citizens Transportation Commission Meetings 
 
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
 
7. Metro, Regional Public Transportation Authority and Maricopa Association of 
Governments Meetings 
 
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
 
8. Tal Wi Wi Land Sale Consideration  
 
Councilwoman Pastor had a question on this item.  
 
Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua invited Aviation Services Director Chad Makovsky 
to address questions on item 8.   
 
Councilwoman Pastor asked why the City is not leasing this property instead of sale 
consideration, given its value is likely to increase.   
 
Mr. Makovsky responded the City has been weighing its options regarding ownership of 
the property and determined selling it would be the best course of action. Mr. Makovsky 
added the City plans to use this property’s $100 million valuation to support the Sky 
Harbor Airport comprehensive asset management plan. 
 
Councilwoman Pastor asked if the City is selling this property because it needs the 
revenue upfront instead of continuing to receive lease income for the next 20 years.  
  
Mr. Makovsky replied staff believes the revenue the City would receive through the 
disposal of that property would better support the airport’s asset management strategy.

INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (ITEMS 9-10)  
 
9. Scalloped Streets Assessment Update 
 
Chairwoman Stark invited Street Transportation Director Kini Knudson and City 
Engineer Eric Froberg to provide an update on item 9.  
 
Mr. Knudson gave an update on the Scalloped Streets Assessments Policy, noting 
benefits, including improving staggered development patterns, enhancing annexed 
properties, and varying development standards. 
 
Mr. Froberg discussed the background of Scalloped Streets Assessments, including 
when the City Council first adopted the policy in 1984 and the difference between 
scalloped assessment improvements allowed by State statute and City code. 
  
Councilwoman Pastor asked if the City was enhancing its scalloped assessment code 
to align with the State statute and whether it is required to make that change. 
 
Mr. Froberg replied the City is not required to align its scalloped assessment code with 
the State code, but staff is requesting City Council amend the current code to follow 
State statute language more closely. 
 
Chairwoman Stark asked about the condemnation process of annexed county land 
where half of the road is developed and the other half is not causing safety issues.  
 
Mr. Knudson responded the City does not apply the assessment improvement to every 
road that needs to be improved. Mr. Knudson added staff works with County officials on 
various issues, including cross-jurisdictional boundaries, the right-of-way of properties, 
and future development opportunities. 
 
Councilwoman O’Brien joined the meeting at 10:16 a.m. 
  
10. Traffic Signal Yellow Timing Field Study 
 
Mr. Knudson introduced Assistant Street Transportation Director Briiana Velez.  
 
Mr. Knudson mentioned a recent study by the American Automobile Association and the 
Insurance Institute of Highway Safety that shows red-light running accidents result in 
more than two fatalities per day across the U.S. and 113 deaths in the metro area 
between 2014 and 2020. Mr. Knudson also discussed the current signal light timing 
practices, standard procedures, and the impact of Phoenix’s population growth on traffic 
flow at signalized intersections.

Ms. Velez discussed calculating traffic signal timing practices based on the Institute of 
Transportation Engineers (ITE) updated guidelines published in 2020. Ms. Velez noted 
several modifications in the ITE’s updated signal guidelines, including using the 85th 
percentile approach speech for yellow timing intervals, extending timing calculations for 
yellow clearance intervals for left-turn movements, and adjusting minimums and 
maximum internals to align with extended timing calculations. 
 
 
Ms. Velez discussed the Traffic Signal Yellow Timing Field Study the City is undertaking 
in partnership with the University of Arizona. Ms. Velez described the objective of the 
study as evaluating the ITE timing guidelines from yellow change and red light 
clearance intervals, identifying the relationship between signal timing changes and 
drivers’ behaviors, and determining whether the new ITE suggestions on yellow change 
and red clearance intervals could enhance the safety of signalized intersections. 
 
Councilwoman Pastor asked to define what the “during all red” phase of the traffic light 
signal was measuring. 
 
Ms. Velez answered the all-red phase is the stage following the yellow period, where 
the traffic light shows red in all directions of travel for a brief period before a green light 
is activated. 
 
Chairwoman Stark asked why staff conducted the red light running study on Saturday 
instead of another day.  
 
Ms. Velez replied it was randomly chosen. 
 
Councilwoman Pastor asked if the initial results of the red-light running study showed 
driving behavioral change. 
 
Ms. Velez responded that based on the initial four-week study, the data indicate a 
reduction in red light running frequency incidents, however the study needs to continue 
to determine whether the reduction is sustained. 
 
 
Councilwoman Pastor inquired if the new ITE timing standards reduced the yellow and 
red light clearance intervals.  
 
Ms. Velez replied it increased the yellow light interval. 
 
Ms. Velez explained the preliminary results show the new ITE timing standards are 
promising, but that more study is needed. 
 
Councilwoman O’Brien asked if the long-term study changes included all-red phase 
clearance time in the light intersection.

Mr. Knudson answered no.  
 
Councilwoman O’Brien questioned if this meant the yellow light clearance time 
increased, but the study did not adjust the all-red clearance at any of the 12 
experimented intersections. 
 
Mr. Knudson responded yes. 
 
Councilwoman O’Brien asked when staff will return to the TIP subcommittee with this 
item again. 
 
Mr. Knudson responded staff plans to present to City Council Policy Session on Jan. 24 
and back to the subcommittee later this year with the study’s findings.  
 
Councilwoman Pastor commented on driver behaviors and possible ways of influencing 
by changing the speed limit.  
 
Chairwoman Stark asked if staff consulted with the Citizens Transportation Commission 
(CTC) about the Traffic Signal Yellow Timing Field Study.  
 
Mr. Knudson replied staff plans to present to the CTC in the future.     
 
  
11. Update on Proposed Water Conservation Measures for Existing and New 
Development 
 
Mr. Paniagua invited Deputy City Manager Karen Peters, Deputy City Manager Alan 
Stephenson, Water Services Director Troy Hayes, Water Services Principal Planner 
Maxwell Wilson, and Acting Planning and Development Assistant Director Joshua 
Bednarek to give an update on item 11. 
 
Ms. Peters explained staff was present to answer questions regarding the City’s policy 
of becoming the most sustainable desert city, namely its conservation programs and 
how that affects existing water customers. 
 
Mr. Hayes gave an overview of the City’s water conservation efforts and water usage 
trends over the last three decades, noting a 30 percent reduction in residential water 
use despite an increased population to about 1.7 million. 
 
Mr. Wilson discussed the City’s water conservation programs for single-family 
properties, including xeriscape plans, water budget calculator, text water reminders, 
toilet rebates, and town halls meetings.

Councilwoman Pastor asked if it would be possible to incentivize multi-family property 
owners to participate in the conservation rebate program. 
 
Mr. Wilson answered the City intends to ensure that the conservation rebate program is 
broad enough to allow multi-family property owners to participate if they choose. Mr. 
Wilson explained multi-family property owners are less interested in participating in the 
rebate program than single-family homeowners because the property owner passes the 
water bill directly to customers.      
 
Councilwoman Pastor commented many multi-family property owners have an HOA 
through which they pay for water services. Councilwoman Pastor questioned why such 
a rebate program would not benefit them. 
 
Mr. Wilson replied that it would, and staff would reach out to those customers. 
 
Chairwoman Stark stated the TIP Subcommittee extensively discussed existing water 
use and suggested the need to have additional dialogs on some of the conservation 
proposals staff put forth about new development water uses. 
 
Councilwoman O’Brien asked staff to discuss the City’s HOA efficiency program and the 
true impact of potential gallons of water savings through this policy. 
 
Mr. Wilson responded staff is currently updating the HOA efficiency program data based 
on last year’s savings numbers. He added based on preliminary results, the City is 
considering developing more programs to incentivize customers to go further with their 
water savings approach.  
 
Councilwoman Pastor commented on the effectiveness of potential water savings 
depending on the turfgrass type, recommending the City’s turf conversion program look 
into exploring weather-tolerant turfgrasses that use less water. 
 
Mr. Bednarek discussed various best water management practices and policies across 
several planning, zoning, and development types, which included zoning ordinances, 
drought-tolerant landscaping requirements, water efficiency programs, enhanced 
standards on new swimming pools, and restrictions on the utilization of turfgrasses.  
 
Mr. Stephenson requested the TIP Subcommittee recommend the City Council approve 
the Sustainable Desert City Development Policy as revised. 
 
Chairwoman Stark asked staff to provide a quarterly report on this item, namely the 
City’s best water management practices and approaches for new developments. 
 
Councilwoman Pastor made a motion to approve item 11. Councilwoman Guardado 
seconded the motion, which passed unanimously, 4-0.

The subcommittee congratulated Ms. Peters on her new role with the State as the head 
of the Department of Environmental Quality.  
 
CALL TO THE PUBLIC  
None. 
 
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 
• Street Maintenance Apprenticeship program  
• Public Works Capital Improvement Program for the Facilities Management  
• Public Works Apprenticeship Programs  
• Public Transit Capital Improvement Program for FY 2023-24 through 2027-28.   
 
ADJOURNMENT 
 
Chairwoman Stark adjourned the meeting at 11:36 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Yusuf Dirow, Management Fellow