The Flagstaff Bicycle Advisory Committee on Thursday voted to send letters of support for two Transportation Alternatives grant applications and discussed steps to get its feedback in front of the City's Transportation Commission earlier in the agenda process.

Committee members approved a request that the group provide a letter backing a trail design application for the Mount Elden/Dry Lake Hills (Dry Lake Hills) urban trail concept. The project proposal, described at the meeting by the presenter as part of the Mount Elden/Dry Lake Hills recreation effort, seeks design funding to produce roughly 60% plans for an urban trail that would be narrower than a typical city footpath (roughly 4 to 5 feet wide with 10-foot passing or rest zones at intervals) and would connect existing trail segments on the east side of town, including through areas near the Arizona Trail/Flagstaff Loop Trail and Sandy Seep Trailhead. Presenters said the design application would be submitted to ADOT through MetroPlan and that construction funding could follow in a later application cycle; construction was described as possible in 2027 if subsequent rounds succeed. The committee approved a motion to draft and submit a letter of support, subject to edits and additions requested by members.

The committee also voted to back a city-led Transportation Alternatives application for multimodal improvements along Fort Valley Road (US 180) from the Mama Bee's/Navajo Road area north toward Seacrest Elementary. City staff described the scope as 60% design for infilling missing curb, gutter and sidewalks on the east side of the corridor; verifying and, where needed, acquiring right-of-way so the city can own and maintain the sidewalks; improving driveway pan details to meet ADA requirements; addressing several shoulder pinch points where a guardrail reduces usable shoulder width; and evaluating three enhanced crossings (Seacrest, Creekside Drive and Blue Willow). Staff noted the ADOT-administered program provides a relatively low local match for the city (described at the meeting as about a 5.7% local match) and that the design award would position the project for a later construction application.

Beyond votes, committee members spent substantial time on process: several members who attended a recent Transportation Commission meeting said the BAC's report typically appears late in that meeting, after the Commission has already discussed agenda items, and recommended ways to surface BAC and PAC (Pedestrian Advisory Committee) feedback earlier. Committee members suggested routinely adding a one-slide summary of BAC/PAC feedback to the start of relevant Transportation Commission presentations or, for specific topics, forwarding draft minutes or an addendum to the Transportation Commission agenda so commissioners can hear BAC input in advance. "I was able to speak for the group at the end of the meeting, but they had already moved on from that item," said one committee member; another added, "maybe sending the minutes" could help (committee member Estella).

The meeting included additional items and announcements: members discussed a proposed downtown First Friday/Bike Month event that would close a short stretch of street near Heritage Square for a community night (organizers asked for outreach and volunteers), and members reviewed recent changes in federal funding guidance and how to emphasize safety, connectivity and economic benefits in grant applications.

Votes at a glance
- Motion to approve minutes (Dec 2024, Jan 2025, Feb 2025, Mar 2025): motion made and approved (outcome announced as "ayes have it"); mover/second not specified in the transcript.
- Motion to approve a letter of support for the Mount Elden / Dry Lake Hills Transportation Alternatives design application (ADOT/MetroPlan): approved; motion recorded as subject to edits requested by the committee.
- Motion to approve a letter of support for the City of Flagstaff Transportation Alternatives design application for Fort Valley Road (US 180) multimodal improvements: approved; motion recorded as subject to edits.

What happens next
City and partner staff asked BAC members to provide suggested edits to the draft letters; staff said they would circulate a draft for committee review and would accept letters of support from partners to strengthen the applications. Staff and members emphasized the need to highlight safety and commuting/connectivity benefits in grant text as part of ongoing federal grant-review priorities.

Sources: meeting presentation and committee discussion at the Flagstaff Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting.