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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-07-17 Minutes1 MINUTES OF CITY OF EDINA, MINNESOTA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION COUNCIL CHAMBERS JULY 17, 2014 6:00 P.M. ROLL CALL Answering roll call were members Boettge, Janovy, LaForce, Nelson, Olson, Spanhake, and Whited. ABSENT Members Bass, Iyer, Sierks, Van Dyke. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Boettge to approve the meeting agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF June 19, 2014 Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Olson to approve the minutes of June 19, 2014. All voted aye. Motion carried. COMMUNITY COMMENT – None. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS Living Streets Plan Update Transportation planner Nolan said the policy was approved by City Council on Aug. 13, 2013, and to date, they’ve completed drafts of Chapters 3 (Living Streets Network) and 4, (Design Guidelines). Input was received from the City Council and the two advisory groups (staff and the Living Streets Advisory Group). He said the next step is to complete other draft chapters, complete the Sidewalk Map to provide input for future projects and approve the plan this fall. Discussion The street types in the Living Streets plan are the same classification as in the Comprehensive Plan with one added street type: Local Connectors. Most Edina streets are classified as local streets. Some examples of street types and treatment plan are local connector street (sidewalk required on one side); collector street (generally wider, sidewalk required on one side and can have bike lanes); minor arterial street (sidewalk required on both sides and designated bike lanes). The draft Sidewalk Map will be presented to the ETC in August and then to the City Council (it is the same as the 2008 Comprehensive Plan Sidewalk Map, except it was updated to include the Active Routes to School (ARTS) sidewalks and recommendations from the draft Living Streets Plan). Member Janovy recommended using data to determine sidewalk needs instead of making it a blanket requirement. Regarding bike facilities, planner Nolan said Hennepin County is developing their bike plan and staff discussed waiting for them to complete their plan before doing Edina’s plan. A suggestion was made to find a better way of explaining what a road diet is (shrinking the road to calm traffic, e.g. W. 50th between Wooddale and Halifax Avenues). Member Nelson said the plan was well received by City Council at the work session and they seem eager to approve the Sidewalk Map. 2 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Update Planner Nolan clarified that where “PACS Funds” is checked this means a sidewalk is included in the neighborhood reconstruction project that the PACS funds will pay for. Member Olson referenced a sidewalk priority report from 2013 and said it appeared decisions were already made without seeking input from the ETC. Planner Nolan said the sidewalks listed in the draft CIP list are ones that are listed in the referenced 2013 report and thus have been vetted through the ETC. Member Boettge noted that the Cornelia Drive sidewalk was not on the list. She said it is in the ARTS plan and was petitioned for. Planner Nolan said it was not included because it was cost prohibitive. He explained that constructing a sidewalk alone can cost twice as much as when it is included with a street reconstruction project and there was an opportunity to construct this sidewalk a few years ago but residents were not in favor. Construction cost is estimated at $600,000 and the PACS Fund is already budgeted for the next two years. He said it could potentially be added after 2016. Member Janovy recommended revisiting the sidewalk prioritization report that member Olson referenced in order to prioritize which sidewalks are built outside of neighborhood reconstruction areas. Member Olson said the goal of the franchise fees was to eliminate sidewalk assessment but it seems like the PACS Fund is being used in commercial areas, e.g. sidewalk planned by the hospital. Planner Nolan said eliminating sidewalk assessments was the primary reason and that businesses pay into the PACS Fund through a higher franchise fee. He said the sidewalk by the hospital fills in a missing gap. Member Nelson suggested adding a sidewalk on W. 66th between Valley View and France. There is a sidewalk on the north side but most of the properties are on the south side. 2015 Transportation Commission Work Plan Update Vice-chair LaForce recommended making work plan suggestions tonight and discussing them next month. Suggestions: 1. Sidewalk Prioritization 2. Living Streets (completion may change what they do in the future) 3. How to attract people to Edina with easy access to Southwest LRT 4. France Avenue Urban Design 5. Standardize intake form for Traffic Safety Requests Items to remove: 1. Grandview Area 2. Coordination with Bike Edina 3. Southwest LRT 4. France Avenue Intersections Improvement Project 5. PACS Program 6. Communications Committee Traffic Safety Committee Report of June 4, 2014 Adam Gildner, 5436 Brookview Ave, addressed the ETC regarding Section B-4, request for stops signs at 55th & Brookview, which was denied. Mr. Gildner said he was in attendance with two neighbors and together, they’ve had ongoing concerns about the intersection at 55th & Brookview and their recent request for a stop sign was denied for lack of warrants. He said the same happened a few years ago. He said there are high vehicle, bike and pedestrian traffic and asked what other criteria could be used. 3 Alyssa Pankratz, 5429 Brookview Ave, in attendance with Mr. Gildner, said she went through the process in 2010 and yield signs were installed. She said she assumed the intersection would not meet warrants again; however, there are seven school bus stops, they are one block from Arden Park and there are fender-bender accidents not being documented. Dan Katan, 5101 Juanita Ave, addressed the ETC regarding Section A-1, request to keep the intersection of W. 50th St. and Indianola Avenue clear of cars that often block the intersection. Mr. Katan said his primary concern was Indianola north to W. 50th but the same is also true for Arden and Bruce. He passed around photos of a recent accident and said he was concerned it would happen again and did not want to see it repeated three times. He said on W. 50th at St. Stephen’s church where 2 lanes merge into one, drivers continue to drive as though the two lanes continue and often they are on their phone or texting. He said staff’s recommendation to “move the current sign to the west side of the intersection, and adding orange placards to the sign in order to make it more visible to eastbound drivers on W. 50th St” is not enough. Discussion A-1: Member Janovy said this area would require a traffic study and the budget for the study. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Nelson to recommend a traffic study for W. 50th St. from TH-100 to France Avenue in conjunction with the Arden Park D Neighborhood Roadway Reconstruction that is scheduled for 2015. B-1: Regarding the curve, it does not cause a clear view issue and staff did not see a sightline issue. B-2: Member Whited said she recalled another intersection having similar issue and planner Nolan said the 85% speed was 25 mph for the other intersection. B-4: Member Olson said they had two stop signs installed in his neighborhood and speed was greatly reduced. Motion was made by member Olson and seconded by member Boettge to recommend 4-way stops at 55th & Brookview. Member Spanhake said research shows stop signs do not slow traffic and wondered what else might be going on there. Member Janovy said she recall the City Council saying sidewalk would be helpful in this neighborhood. She would like to find the right solution but is not convinced that stop signs is right. Traffic circles were suggested or other traffic calming measures. Vice-chair LaForce said there are four requests for stop signs that were denied and if they recommend that City Council approve this one, why not the other three? Aye: Boettge, Olson Nay: Janovy, LaForce, Nelson, Spanhake, Whited Motion failed. Motion was made by member Nelson and seconded by member Janovy to move B-4 to section C for further study. All voted aye. Motion carried. B-5: A reflector on post was suggested. D-1 & D-7: Member Nelson said these are similar. Planner Nolan said Hennepin County also have some concerns and are looking at these areas. Member Boettge said she’s noticed a lot of requests for stop signs and the average person is probably not aware that stop signs are not the right solution. She asked if they could develop a questionnaire that would help to inform residents. Developing a standardized intake form will be added to the work plan. Motion was made by member Nelson and seconded by member Whited to forward the July 2, 2014, report to the City Council. All voted aye. Motion carried. 4 Member Spanhake said she checked with her department and they thought the W. 60th St & Chowen area would be an ideal capstone project. She will follow up with more detailed information at a later meeting. Updates Student Members - None Bike Edina Working Group – Minutes of June 12, 2014 Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Olson to appoint Mary Zarling to Bike Edina. All voted aye. Motion carried. Discussion on revising City Code 24-399 to allow bikes in parking lots or parking ramps was postponed until next month. Living Streets Working Group See Living Streets Plan Update above. Communications Committee – None. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS – None. CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS Member Boettge said she attended the pedestrian safety conference that member Spanhake told them about last month. She learned that some pedestrian safety measures do not work if speeds are above 35 mph, 20-25 mph is better; it is unsafe to put one foot in the crosswalk unless you know for sure the vehicle will stop; most effective is to put your arm out like a waving gesture. Member Spanhake will forward a link to the pedestrian counter measures. Member Nelson asked if planner Nolan knew when W. 66th St. in Richfield was scheduled for reconstruction and the project limits. Planner Nolan will check on this. Regarding Birchcrest B being delayed because the same contractor has multiple other projects, member Nelson asked if staff looked at contractor’s capacity. Planner Nolan said there were other issues that caused the delay. STAFF COMMENTS 2014 Project Update:  Bredesen Park D Neighborhood Reconstruction – delayed two months because of water main bolts and weather. Same contractor for Birchcrest B and City Council approved delaying this project to 2015.  Countryside F Neighborhood Reconstruction – ready to be paved but had to wait for water to dry out;  Strachauer Park B Neighborhood Reconstruction – only need wear course;  Morningside B Neighborhood Reconstruction – sidewalk being constructed;  Todd Park F Neighborhood Reconstruction – start date is now late-July;  France Avenue Pedestrian Intersection Enhancement – work in the roadway is completed; finishing up median;  Hazelton Road – will remain closed until it is paved in early-August; ITNTwinCities: Planner Nolan said manager Neal recommended forwarding the ETC’s advisory communication to the City Council as a regular communication on Aug. 4. Ms. Forrest was notified. Edina To Go: Traffic Safety Requests could be added as early as next month. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned. 5 ATTENDANCE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE - 2014 NAME TERM J F * M A M J J A S O N D SM 2/27 SM 3/10 W S 3/18 # of Mtgs Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 8 Bass, Katherine 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 75% Boettge, Emily 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Iyer, Surya 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 88% Janovy, Jennifer 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% LaForce, Tom 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Nelson, Paul 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 100% Olson, Larry 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100% Sierks, Caroline student 1 1 1 3 38% Spanhake, Dawn 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 5 83% Van Dyke, Jackson student 1 1 2 25% Whited, Courtney 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 75% *Cancelled due to weather 2/27 Feb's rescheduled meeting; 3/10 Urban Design meeting #4; 3/18 City Council Work Session; Respectfully submitted, Sharon Allison, Secretary