City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Parking and Traffic Safety Committee, 3 Mar 2022

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: 3.3.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

Description

3.3.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

A

Good morning recording in progress good morning, everyone calling to order the.

B

33 22 parking traffic and safety meeting.

B

And uh attendance, do you have the.

C

Mayor lou mccowan here steve pesci, here mark syracusa here mr whitehouse is absent. Eric organic.

D

One second there she is.

C

E

I'm here, can you hear me? Yes, uh uh please.

C

uh Police chief, newport newport, sorry, the name's still on still says maloney.

C

Yeah uh fire chief ty jermaine here public works director, isis absent.

C

City manager, karen connard here and chairman andrew bagley, here.

B

um I guess now we'll move on to the financial report.

D

It's full screen.

D

I do not see all right, let's just scroll it down,.

C

Looking for full screen, yup.

D

That thing pops up full screen for whatever reason screen view. Oh that's again,.

C

C

Okay, I can speak to this. We are.

C

58 of the year gone by and we're at 70 percent of revenues. So we're very optimistic about.

C

Obviously, making our goals and perhaps being a little bit of head ahead for fy22.

F

Mr chairman, I'll make a motion uh place this on good question. Why don't we do the motion and.

F

The second, then we'll do the question good motion to accept and place on file. Second,.

B

Discussion right yeah, I just have a quick question on the hh pass. Reinstatement it's 194 percent can.

G

You explain that again. Well, it's budgeted at 500 and we're sitting at 917 collections. It means if.

C

Somebody loses a pass, it costs money to replace the card or, if somebody uh allows their account to.

C

Lapse, there's a fee for for reinstating an account okay. So these are people who have annual passes.

G

Correct, okay, well, monthly passes yeah, it's a high percentage. Can I ask a follow-up question to that.

F

Is that a common number, or do we typically budget in the 500 range and see a much higher number 750.

C

For next year, I think it's important to note that this is 500 out of yeah seven million. It's right.

H

If you double 500, it looks like a really scary percentage, but it's still it's a pretty small high.

C

Percentage of a tiny number yeah, I just wondered what it came from specifically the reinstatement.

C

Okay, all right chairman um public comment: we're going to start with the people, take a roll call to.

F

Accept the financial report: oh, we should at least vote on it does it need to be broke because it's.

B

Financial, it has to be real call because we have a member on. Oh okay, uh roll call vote. Please mary.

C

Lou mccowan, yes, steve pesci; yes, mark syracuse; yes, erica wagonic, yes, police, chief newport, yes, fire.

C

Chief todd jermaine, yes, city manager, karen connard, yes and chairman andrew bagley, yes and uh we'll.

B

Start the public comment uh with people in the room first and then we'll move to people on zoom.

A

Good morning my name is liza hewitt and I live at 726 middle road. I see on the agenda under.

A

Informational that an update will be given on the subcommittee on speed limits. I am not sure what.

A

The update will include, but it appears that the complete streets design guidelines is being used.

A

To review the speed limits on city roads, since I first brought the 30 mile per hour, speed limit on.

A

Middle road to your attention two years ago, I have been told that middle road is a gateway corridor.

A

Road, apparently, that is not true: middle road is classified as a neighborhood connector street.

A

According to the design guidelines, there are 18 city streets that are classified as.

A

Neighborhood connectors, including middle road and islington street, of these 18 streets, 11.

A

Have posted 20 mile per hour, speed limits, five streets have posted 25 mile per hour, speed limits.

A

Islington street and middle road are the only two neighborhood connectors that have 30 mile.

A

Per hour, speed limits, it is time to acknowledge the safety of the residents on these streets and.

A

Lower our speed limits to equal those of the other neighborhood connectors in town. I do.

A

Not want to wait another two years you have been studying middle road traffic calming since july.

A

Of 2020, you do not need to study this further to know that lowering the speed limit on middle road.

A

And islington street is the right thing to do for the safety of its residents. Thank you. Thank you.

H

Good morning rick beckstead 1395 isn't in street. um It came today because two things on the agenda.

H

And they kind of coincide a little bit, one that the speaker just talked about, but the other one.

H

Is the jewel court, so the jewel court road is very concerning that, if a recommendation.

H

Is that there's a no block? I drive that multiple times a day I have witnessed personally accidents.

H

And I have seen very close calls at that intersection. I I think by going and putting.

H

That in place, if it was to be suggested, would put people at risk lives at risk and the only.

H

Reason why I say that is is because the no block will be a great advantage to allow people to turn.

H

Onto jewel court, making a left after they've turned on from bartlett street or continue.

H

On hezington street, when there's a red light for both of those, but when you have a green, when you.

H

Have a green light to go northbound on islington street to continue downtown in a red light. Turning.

H

Onto bartlett street, you create a false sense of security. What will end up happening is, is.

H

They will not be blocked, they will continue on and not see the cars that are traveling northbound.

H

On islington street and you will have a head-on collision. I have personally witnessed that with no.

H

Block a sense of a wave or suggestion coming from a very nice uh driver allowing somebody.

H

To go in and then being met on the other side, because you cannot see those vehicles. I would.

H

Strongly urge that you reconsider. I would deter uh that from happening um most of the time that.

H

I've seen people make that onto jewel court they actually park on the other side of cvs. The main.

H

Parking lot at cvs is actually a straight shot in going through the intersection on issington street.

H

That's the main parking lot, it's a kind of a sublet off to the side, and it definitely should.

H

Be something evaluated before it's put into perspective? I never claimed to be an expert.

H

But in all my years of service with the city, I've asked lots of experts. I even see eric eby is here.

H

Today and if that's something that's coming back, I look forward to continue my conversations. I missed.

H

Him for a time while he was gone and would look forward to answer asking questions, the other one.

H

Is what the last speaker had gone said? So I have lived my life of 39 years here: islington street.

H

Has always been 30 miles an hour now isn't street has changed probably about six or seven years ago.

H

By adding sidewalks, I personally have gone and lived on. Islington street raised.

H

My two kids on islington- it's always been 30 miles an hour, um but we are. um We still.

H

Have huge constraints? We are a delivery route, we have sherman williams, we have ben.

H

uh We have, uh let's see, pick and pay hannaford's. uh Their deliveries uh and food trucks go in.

H

And out of there all the time we have three gas stations on islington street they're, all refilled.

H

Two and three o'clock in the morning um 5 30 in the morning I have hannaford trucks.

H

And they go down at 30 and on an average people, do about five miles over the speed limit.

H

The road is narrower than it's ever been. There are more walkers than bicyclists that are on.

H

There and mind you on islington street: there are no bicycle lanes of any kind whatsoever.

H

So they go with the flow of traffic as best they can with no out or escape because of the curbing.

H

That goes all the way along isington street and we are tightening it up as we go year by year. So my.

H

Suggestion would be as a 25. I made the suggestion years ago, eric eby. Once again, I listened to.

H

New hampshire law did not allow us to go below 30 miles an hour, and we now have the making at.

H

New hampshire backing and law that we can go and make this road 25 miles an hour legally.

H

So that would be my suggestion on those two topics. Thank you very much. Thank you.

B

Do we have any hands raised online? We do have a hand raised uh uh bagley.

I

Okay, can you hear me yes good morning, everyone patricia bagley to 13 pleasant street.

I

I am speaking to strongly urge the city to consider changing washington street between.

I

Court street and state street into a one-way street.

I

I've talked about this mostly to myself over the past few years, when I'm driving.

I

Down washington street, it's a two-way street, but it has parked cars at the top of the hill.

I

Closest to state street, it is physically impossible to be a two-way street and I have been.

I

At the top of the hill with cars, turning onto trying to turn onto washington street from state.

I

And it's a standoff because I would have to back down the hill and over to the side in order for.

I

The car to come by or that car has to stop and I've had a car slam on its brakes right in front.

I

Of me um and back up and then and to allow me to come out so with the detour unpleasant at because.

I

Of the outdoor dining, it has only worsened this problem, so it's a combination of warm weather.

I

Tourists everywhere tourists not knowing where they're going when they.

I

Encounter a detour at pleasant street and court and then they realize they can turn.

I

On to washington to get up to stage street, and so it just um I've literally been behind two or three.

I

Two cars on washington street with a car coming from state trying to turn down on the washington.

I

Street so- and I use that street often because I can see if the if the light at pleasant and state.

I

Is backed up, I will just turn down court street and then try to access state from washington.

I

But I have to admit I sometimes I gun it in warm weather just to get up the hill so that somebody.

I

Sees me coming before, they actually try to turn, so it is a safety issue for me. I have to think it's a.

I

Safety issue for police and fire, so I would I'm just urging you to please consider this.

I

It is like trying to fit a a square peg into a round bowl. The parking spaces I understand are.

I

There, for a reason, I'm not suggesting at all that we get rid of the parking spaces.

I

But we do have atkinson street close by within yards. So if washington just were one way.

I

Approaching state street and atkinson were one way or even kept two ways. There are still other ways.

I

To access a right turn off of state at atkinson and at marcy street, so I am just um I I can't say.

I

How strongly I'm urging you? Because it is it's- the numbers may not show there- have been any accidents.

I

But it's that's not what it's about it's about: preventing accidents and there's.

I

There is a clear safety issue here and um thank you for listening to me. Thank you.

B

Okay, any other hands for public comment. Kenneth fairer kenneth uh go ahead.

D

Hello, uh this is ken ferrer from um uh 915 woodbury avenue.

D

uh I want to just echo like the two commenters before uh that we need to do something about.

D

The speed on on insulin, uh I agree on that. um I would go more in the line of.

D

um Harder uh calming streak coming uh because posting uh posting has its is its.

D

Purpose but overall enforcement is easier when you force people to do things instead of.

D

Into just putting a sign that says 25. uh but then on. I also agree that on washington, which I I work.

D

At I parked down washington all the time and walking and driving up it.

D

I've had the same situation happen to me uh multiple times. um That's the last commander.

D

I would just go around and just get rid of the parking and probably be the easiest. I I would.

D

I would say instead of making it one street one way street, but that yeah that's my comment on it.

B

Okay, thank you.

C

Looks like that's it all right, I'll, close the public comment and we'll go on to new business.

B

And item a is a request to add: do not block signage and pavement markings at islington street.

B

And jewel court sample motion staff to assess entire intersection and make recommendations.

C

Okay, so this was a public request. It's already been spoken of this morning. This is about.

C

Putting up some payment markings like you, see on the map here to allow for a clear traffic.

C

For drill court to access islington street while there's a red light at.

C

G

Mary lou, yes, ah thank you. I just wanted to comment that this was extensively studied before.

G

All the work was done throughout those intersections, so I would imagine that.

G

We must have some information already going back to eric already uh in place yeah, and we had a.

J

Before we discussed that oh yeah I'll make the motion.

D

I'll make them sorry. Sorry, sorry, mr chairman, I'll make the motion to assess the this intersection.

F

To have staff assess uh this intersection and make recommendations.

F

Is there a second okay? Second, okay? Okay, do I have to repeat that yeah, let's start from the top.

J

Okay, yes, well, we had the detour in place out there during construction of islington. We actually moved.

J

The stop bar back to you can see the stop bar on there. We're back at the bottom of the yellow.

J

Box and and that's when dual core was was more open that was to allow the left turns.

J

In from islington into dual core easier, rather than blocking the intersection, so in it it did.

J

Work well during that time, and now we have the new signal up there with the camera and we can observe.

J

What's going on so it's it's easy to collect more data and observe what's happening out there.

J

uh I wouldn't have a recommendation at this point as to one way or the other, but I think.

J

Rick made some good comments in the public comment period. I'd like to talk to him more about that and.

J

Get you know see what his his thoughts and ideas were on there. I think he brought up.

J

Some good points so uh yeah, but it's certainly something worth looking at and seeing if we can.

J

Make that intersection a little safer and keep it flowing and unblocked harold? Oh sorry, steve.

K

Eric I have a question for you. When we look at this intersection, I think it would be.

K

Kind of short-sighted or myopic to not look at the fact that the cbs also has access on the other.

K

Side of their building and in a way, there's two sides. I don't know what the history of jewel court.

K

Is and whether it was always fully accessible with the parking right there at the cbs facility. But.

K

Instead of just looking at accommodating all the movements that are out there, should we be looking.

K

At something a little more macro in terms of safety in that area, it just seems so unnecessarily.

K

Bifurcated with vehicles trying to go in many ways do we need all of those access points.

H

I realize some of this might be previously approved or private rights way et cetera, but.

K

To me, you know just trying to accommodate every movement out. There is maybe not the best safety.

K

Response for the intersection, so I would encourage you when you look at this to think about that.

K

Yeah and then just the second point, the x that's drawn there. I know that's just a concept but.

K

Would it really be both directions of islington, or would it just be the inbound.

K

Yeah, just the inbound would be the one yep yeah and I think we uh tec had done a study of the area.

J

Jewel, court and and albany and looking at, and I don't know if they I forget if they made.

J

Any recommendations about that intersection as well but I'll, take another look at their report.

G

Maryland just one quick comment that the bond me shop is moving the spring so who.

G

Knows what's going to happen with that building.

J

Just to look at that too, I mean that whole area with bartlett intersection.

J

And the signaling everything being offset, and just it's a very difficult intersection yep in an ideal world you'd have a nice four-way.

J

Intersection there that signal- and we could have ten condominiums right there on me shop no time.

B

Any further discussion, or do we want to vote to have staff study this.

G

I make a motion that we uh rely on the staff we haven't got the motion. We just need to vote on.

B

It, okay am I it must be the 8 30 time yeah right. I got home at 2 a.m. Last night from from florida, so.

B

You did yeah, I'm not on my top floor better than I am eric. Can we get a roll call, a vote on this.

B

Certainly mary lou mccowan, yes, steve pesci, yes, mark syracusa, eric owen, yes, police, chief newport.

C

Yes, fire chief todd jermaine, yes, city manager, karen connor, yes and chairman andrew bagley. Yes,.

B

Unanimous: um okay: item b, five osprey road request for speed assessment.

B

Staff presentation of speed data so again this is a a citizen request to take and look at speeds.

C

On osprey road uh concerning that they're a little too high, I believe it is posted at 20.

C

What we're seeing here is average speed of 22 85th percentile speed of 27.

C

And certainly eric can speak to what we might look to going forward with this data in hand.

J

Well, I've had a chance to look at this, but uh you know we're uh average speeds of 22.

J

And you know it's not significantly over the speed limit. You know. 85Th percentile is a 27.

J

But uh you know for realistically it's based on the characters of the road and.

J

What the people driving it feels safe and comfortable at so it's.

J

You know this could be an item for further uh consideration as we're looking at speed limits.

J

But you wouldn't lower the speed limit any more than 20 out here. Looking at these, these numbers.

C

There was also a question as to the enforceability of a 20 mile, an hour, speed limit.

C

So can you speak to that all right? Let chief newborn address the enforceability.

L

If the speed the post is feeling up, there is 20 miles an hour. We would enforce that.

L

From uh what mr bex did, I wasn't familiar that the law changed, that.

L

We could go below 30 miles an hour so um if, in effect, that is accurate, then.

L

Yes, we could have forced 20 miles an hour. I think that the way the current statute.

J

Is that you can go to 25 as a minimum? If you have an engineering study to support it.

F

Mr chairman, I'll make a motion that we continue to study the the speeds at that location.

F

For our future report back second.

B

And no further discussion. Could we get a roll call vote on that? Please certainly.

C

Marilyn mccoy, yes, steve pesci, yes, mark syracuse, eric owen, yes, police, chief newport.

C

Yes, fire chief todd jermaine, yes, city manager, karen connor, yes and chairman andrew bagley. Yes,.

B

uh New business item c request for speed analysis on harding road and another staff, presentation.

B

Of speed data so again a citizen request on this. We did a quick study on in october. I did.

C

That one and then uh tyler reese, is here today staff engineer uh and he has created this map.

C

To talk about uh the two other uh places he put the speed device, uh what you're seeing here is.

C

The key at the top shows average speed and then 85th percentile. And when you look at.

C

Each individual data point the number on the left is represents average speed and the number on the.

C

Right represents that 85th percentile so again with a speed limit posted of 20 you're. Seeing an.

C

uh Averages of 21 23 22, depending on where the speed device was located and your 85th.

C

Percentiles are marked as well so pretty much the same discussion as five osprey.

B

I'll make the same motion I made last time that we'll continue ask staff to.

F

Continue to monitor the speed and report back at a future meeting.

L

I would suggest uh we just need a second for a second I'm sorry.

B

Second, any discussion mark yeah. Those are winner hours. You know, that's my neighborhood, so I've been.

L

Living on and off there for since 1973., I would suggest a summer study june.

L

When all the kids are out of school and people are home and more active june, a july study.

L

Might have different numbers.

B

Would that be a friendly amendment? Absolutely so we'll be a friendly.

B

Amendment to repeat the study in one of the summer months of june of july right a second.

C

Welcome roll club vote marilyn mccoy, yes, steve pesci, yes, mark syracusa, erica wagonic.

E

Yes, police, chief newport, yes, fire chief jermaine, yes, city manager, karen connard, yes and chairman.

C

Andrew bagley, yes, okay, yeah, exactly okay. Moving on to old business, we have none.

B

And then we have some informational items, starting with a monthly accident report from the police.

B

Chief chief newport I'm going to apologize, I don't know. I have the monthly accident report.

L

Do you have the numbers up there? Yes, sir, oh you can't see what that decision. Total crashes are 69.

L

January and reportable is 40. and reportable is 40.

L

And looking at it so going like month to month.

L

I can't see what the december number is, because I it's covered 99, it's 99., so they went down.

L

A little bit, um I I know in our ops meetings that captain maloney had been discussing that.

L

Reportable accidents had gone down as well. I don't have that actual number.

L

Apparently, in the wintertime well, we haven't had that much snow, so.

L

But reportable for this past month shows 40 of the 69 40 were reportable. Okay,.

L

I just in comparison to december is what I was asking right. Okay, I don't. I did not put.

C

December numbers of last year, these are 21 versus 22.. I can certainly add that to the next map.

D

That's fine! Okay. I have a question.

G

Can we get an idea of where these accidents are happening? Are they specific to us.

G

Of the city- or I mean, is there a focus where we see most accidents intersections or.

G

I haven't spoken to when I was here and I looked at them. I could we could see if there was a spike.

L

Or a certain area where the majority accidents are happening, but my guess is they're all over.

L

The place oliver yeah, I know it has been mentioned- the intersection we were talking about earlier.

L

At jewel court there of you know people trying to get across that lane and they don't look like.

L

Was mentioned that people are waving them through and then someone comes.

L

Through that doesn't see him and yeah having their essence there, but.

G

I just wondered if it was say: islington, street or market square or if there's a specific place where.

G

We see recurrence, that's probably the most. The traffic circle, probably anecdotally, 50 percent.

G

Yeah, okay, just for information to follow up on mary lou's uh comment: is it possible to make a.

B

Hot map of the accidents, or is that a lot of extra work chief- it's not impossible, but is it feasible.

L

We have some software, it's kind of dated right now and we're in the and we're.

L

Currently, trying to get some new software and a new cat rms system that will allow us to do that.

L

But captain maloney's he's the guru of our archaic software and he's not here, but I I'm sure he can.

L

Do that so maybe it's stuff that we could look into with the current software feasible, but.

B

If not in a future date when we have updated software, so I think it's a good idea to track.

B

If there are interesting to know where they're occurring and then we can figure out, maybe why.

B

And I don't think we need a motion on that. Yes, the majority of accents are.

L

Driver and attention so next we have the bike and vehicular traffic data.

C

Okay, so uh change this map up a little bit, so it made a little bit more sense. This just shows.

C

Basic data points uh through, I think february 23rd, when the when the data was due in for the agenda.

C

So that the next graph will show a little bit how that looks against uh pre-pandemic numbers, so, okay,.

C

So this also only so only february collected, we did not have the data for january of 2019.

C

In in in the data pool, but what I've done here is started with february 6 and gone through the.

C

23Rd you can see, thankfully, that the 22 data is now for the first time above the 19 data.

C

So very good news, great thank you.

B

And next uh the announcement: okay, so um on 3, 10, 20 22 at 6, 30 p.m. In council chambers.

B

We're going to have the middle street bike, lane public input meeting and we're going to.

B

Have the following week on 3 16 22 at 6, 30 pm in council chambers, the neighborhood parking program.

B

Public input meeting and I would say there is a survey I believe, that's out there. It's in the.

B

Is it in the city newsletter right? It's been a city newsletter. I know that the staff leafleted.

F

Every car and home in that area ben, can you speak to how many surveys have been received so far sure.

C

Just one second, it's a big number. I believe it's 120 as of right now should be right here.

L

How many butters just one second.

D

What does, how do you get to slideshow there we go.

C

So this data came in yesterday, so we have looks like 120 uh questions and our people answering the.

C

Questionnaire, 95 of those being the people that are participating in five percent that are not.

C

uh And then going down to you know what type of participant they are. It looks like 72.5 of those.

C

Respondents are residents in the neighborhood, 10 percent of the or 8.3 of the respondents are.

C

Outside the mpp neighborhood of those 5.8 percent tenants.

C

10.8 businesses and a small portion contractor guest and other.

C

Question three overall: do you approve? It looks like of the respondents. It looks like we have a.

C

66.7 percent that say that they approve of the program and 33.3 percent that say that they do.

C

Not approve the reasons that they like the program, the number one reason: uh 73 percent.

C

Is that they can find a parking space, which is the goal of the program? uh The next one.

C

Is allows me to have guests whenever I want at 45 contractor pass program, is working for 10.

C

And it works for my tenants 2.5 and it works for my employees. 5.8. That's where slides are.

D

Frozen on zoom right now, I'm re-sharing the screen, but I see it's only four slides.

B

Sorry to the folks at home, we have technical difficulties.

C

Now, there's two choices here: if it makes anyone feel better, the numbers are pretty small to read.

B

On the screen, so I don't know that we're at an advantage here in the room, hit escape and.

F

Then stop share and then try, reshare. Okay, the graphs are pretty easy to see, though.

C

So now there are two chances to reshare this. Let me just close them.

C

Go I think, stephanie's comment was it was working so okay, so now we'll go back here.

C

Let's see how we look now.

C

Do you want me to rehash the data or just go to slide two we're going to go through the data at.

K

The meeting right this was just to give us a heads up of where it stands, and data is in collection.

K

At this point, and if I speak to what you're reading, even if the folks at home can't see the.

F

Slide they'll hear your narrative so sure. So uh again the approval rating was uh 66. 33 said they.

C

Did not approve the reasons people liked it or that they could find a parking space. The largest.

C

Number at 73 percent, uh allowing allowing a person to have a guess when they want it at 45 percent.

C

Contractor program being a positive at 10 and then small percentages of it works for my tenants and.

C

It works for my employees and then 11.7 said that there was no reason that they liked the program.

C

So going to question five uh reasons you do not like the program. It looks like nineteen percent.

C

Said three permits, plus one guest permit, were not enough for their situation.

C

uh 32.5 said they needed more guest permits. Specifically uh 14.2 believes that the contractor.

C

Permit was too limited, 35.8 percent felt that they still see people parking in the neighborhood.

C

And walking downtown and then there was 27.5. That said, no reason that they did not like the program.

C

That is the preliminary survey report. Great thank you and I think um staff engineer tyler reese is.

B

Going to give us a update on the speed limit subcommittee, can I just hop back for a minute.

G

To the march 10th meeting, I can't attend that the middle street bike lane I'm just wondering what.

G

The plan is for that meeting. I asked that question now I'll attempt an answer and eric and ben can.

F

Correct me, but um the outside consultant that was hired to study the effects of reconfiguring.

F

The or eliminating the bike lanes on middle street, okay, we'll give a presentation that is.

F

um That takes the data that the city's collected and their analysis and speak to.

F

The safety of the current roadway, so that will be accessible on the city website everywhere.

G

It's good okay! Thank you mark I'm going to make a motion. Mr chair. Yes, on this topic,.

L

I'm going to request that this the motion is to have the city of portsmouth, send out.

L

A butter notices to everyone on middle street, residential and commercial butters, inviting.

L

Them to the public hearing, because just so they can get involved during this visionary process.

L

It's important to hear from them early on, and this is a good opportunity. I think that's a good.

B

Motion the only question I have is march 10th is right around the corner. Is that.

B

A feasible motion uh I'm going to look to staff is that something we can walk door-to-door with.

F

With the leaflet versus sure, I suppose we could do that versus pop in the mail. I think I'm not.

L

Sure the numbers of of residential commercial properties, but during the visionary process.

L

And because this has been brought up so many times in the past, 30 years to hear from them early.

L

And if it is a public hearing to make to try to have the city.

L

Be a good neighbor and try to maximize on the amount of those of butters to show up. And in.

L

That notice contact information who they can reach out to if they can't attend via zoom or via live.

L

So that's the motion here tell you made a good um postcard, yes from middle street, that is going.

M

To be handed out at the public meeting, okay, the um informational survey will open up after that.

M

Public meeting got it, so maybe we can fashion a notice to to give to people. Similarly, we'll we'll.

F

Look at what you've got yeah. It's just a comment: if you're gonna, you say, you're gonna put a survey.

L

Together on this middle street yeah, it already is together. Okay, it's all right. I was just hoping to.

L

Insert in one of the questions, and that is directed right at middle street residents and.

L

uh And businesses and you know and ask them you know, based on surveys what they think and feel.

L

What they want, what they're afraid of what their concerns are, because this these projects do have.

L

A direct and indirect impact on their properties, so let's just can we get the motion again and then.

B

A second yeah, the motion was just to have the city send out a butter notices, whatever form.

C

So I got a message from our communications director that she is going to do an email.

C

The last okay to everybody on her list for the middle street bike, and we can also supplement that.

C

I'll get that information from her and put it on paper, and then we can just run those up each door.

C

All right and then just a second for the motion, I'll second, that, okay and I guess we got to do.

B

A roll, oh, no, we're doing discussion steve! That's a certain comment. I think mark when you say a butter.

K

Notice, I'm concerned that you mean an official butter's notice. I I think I appreciate the intent.

K

But I think the city with the outreach through the email blast is, is doing a lot. I wouldn't want to.

K

See the expense and the formality of a formal, a butters notice. I also think just maybe I'll.

K

Be a contrarian on this, but it is a corridor. It isn't just about the abutters on the street.

K

It's a carter, it's a transportation route that uh the bike issue especially had funding associated.

K

About people passing through not just living on it, so I'm gonna be the contrarian and say I think.

K

The uh door-to-door outreach uh in advance of the meeting is is sufficient and I just am very.

K

Cautious of using the word a butter notice so well, okay, a better notice, because you know we.

L

All get our tax bill in the mail, so uh no not to that extreme. We get letters in mail, but.

L

I never knew that the city does postcards and has everybody's emails on middle street.

F

Well, we have we. Let me jump in through the chair that we have emails for folks who have.

F

Shared their email with us about a particular project. You can go on the city website and.

F

Give your information and you can get updates on specific projects based on what your interests are.

F

So I hear steve and I would support or I'll make the friendly amendment can I do that if.

F

I seconded it to to simply put out an information piece. It did not make it as formal as an a butter.

F

Notice that has a different legal connotation all right. So what would be the language then.

F

Let staff work on the language we'll just get out and notice we're having a public.

L

Input session point is to make sure that the middle street uh residents and commercial.

L

Property owners know about the meeting, so they can get involved. We can do that. Staff is good at that.

L

Exactly good, so the language of a butter notes is just kind of a general term. It's not like a.

L

Tax bill or an abundant notice for like a variance. So that's that's where the language where I picked.

L

Up on that, that's good, because that gives them an opportunity during the visionary process to.

L

Be heard since these projects are, you know one of the biggest questions. Are we going to lose parking.

L

You know how is this going to impact my property, so it would be advantageous to for the city to be.

L

A good neighbor and reach out to them, and that's why I seconded it. I want to make sure people feel.

F

As notified as possible, but I hear steve on the formalities point on the formality. Thank you, steve.

B

Okay, so do you have that motion more or less or do we need to restate it.

B

Please restate it just take out the word of butter.

B

Yeah, but do you want to just restate it mark um that might be easier, steve's language.

K

Directed outreach to the neighborhood, just let them know just invite them, make them aware.

F

I think we're ready for a roll call all right roll call opens.

C

Marilyn mccoy, yes, steve pesci mark syracuse, yes, erica wegonik, yes, police, chief of newport, yes,.

C

Fire chief todd germain: yes, city manager, karen connor, yes, chairman andrew bagley, yes.

B

Okay, uh now we're ready for tyler's report good morning pts so two weeks ago, erica steve- and I.

M

The um and we're looking forward to having erica eric join us in the future. We are the pts speed.

M

Limit subcommittee, we working group formalize that uh we'll call a subcommittee. We sat down to set up.

M

Some introductory steps for what we are going to do to re-evaluate speed limits across the city.

M

Next slide, please: this was just an introductory meeting. We were doing some brainstorming.

M

Formulating ideas on how to go from here, so some of the steps we are going to review target speeds.

M

As outlined in the 2017 complete streets design, guidelines for specific street classifications,.

M

The seven specific classifications that are listed in the complete street design guidelines.

M

Are shown right here we're going to identify speed limit ranges for each of the seven street.

M

Classifications and we're going to review and adjust classifications for individual study street.

M

Street city street. Sorry, obviously we understand that there are incongruities in the city speed.

M

Limits within these classifications, this is not something that has been looked at by the.

M

City in a long time, streets have changed character, streets have become more busy, portsmouth has grown.

M

So this is a good opportunity for us to reevaluate uh next slide, please so some of the goals of this.

M

Evaluation are to ensure that all streets and speed limits are codified in city ordinance as.

M

There are a numerous amount that are not currently codified and default to 30.. uh We are going to.

M

Codify speed limits that are not currently in the ordinance and ensure that codified speed limits.

M

Match posted speed limits, as there are a couple of examples that that is not the case currently.

M

We're going to ensure that speed limits are compliant with new hampshire state law. There.

M

Is currently a bill in the state house that would allow us to legally lower speed limits below 25.

M

Miles an hour, so we are looking forward to seeing if that passes next year and we're going to ensure.

M

Obviously, the speed limits are appropriate for a given street section. uh That is the end goal of.

M

This so with that in mind, next slide, please um in the future, we will be looking for pts.

M

And resident input on how they feel this process will work out, uh erica and steve. You are here if.

M

You have any further comments, please feel free to chime in erica. Do you want to start? I defer to you.

F

And if I can interrupt, you want to pull that down, so we can see erica unless there's other slides to look at okay thanks.

E

Hi, did you turn that to me? I I did I wanted to ask if you would like to speak first.

E

um Sorry, it's a little hard to hear so I wasn't sure if he said eric or erica.

E

Yeah, you know, I think I think tyler gave a good overview there. um We're just trying to be.

E

The conversation we had was about how we can be systematic and thoughtful and and target this in a.

E

Kind of strategic and structured way, so the the complete street guides um provide some good.

E

uh You know it's already available to the city, it's already there and it provides a really good.

E

Organization to this, and I think a lot of what we already have aligns, and so um you.

E

Know I think we can pretty quickly get through the bulk of the streets in the city just by.

E

You know what makes sense with what already exists and then.

E

Focus our energies on on the things that that tyler identified that, for one reason or another.

E

Don't don't make sense either they're not um don't have them in the ordinance or.

E

Something about them doesn't align with the existing context. It's you know the speed limit.

E

Isn't right something has changed. Maybe the road isn't appropriately characterized in terms of the.

E

Different street classifications, so things like that we'll work to rectify so that.

E

Was the plan- and I you know, I think it's a good plan and we'll just keep marching ahead.

B

Great, thank you steve. I would just add to what erica said you know we're trying to be.

K

uh Systematic on this, but I think all of us have heard at meetings.

K

That the public has brought up, there are several streets that are, as tyler said, known.

K

In congruencies, islington street keeps coming up and and the issue with islington street as.

K

I understand it is it's not codified? So therefore, it defaults to 30 miles per hour, which I think the.

K

Majority consensus is that's inappropriate, so there is one where I think we will try.

K

While being systematic to also respond to the known in congruencies, so that.

K

We can get a kind of low-hanging fruit or you know most critical list simultaneously uh to.

K

This committee for the council to consider and islington would be one of those examples and there.

K

Are others that have been brought up, whether it be middle or et cetera? There are streets that we know.

K

Through over the course of time, are not codified or something has changed or they're, just not.

K

A good match, so we are aware of being both systematic and responding.

K

To some of the acute issues that have been brought up, I think we can do both things at once.

K

And I do think the state law compliance is an important one. um I believe tyler that that bill.

K

That was in the house has been either tabled or deemed an expedient. We got to follow up on that.

K

But you know we are still have a situation where many of our streets right now lack the specific.

K

Engineering study that I think the state law, the spirit of the state law, if not the letter of the.

K

State state law requires to have speed limits as low as they are posted and to me, as a committee.

K

Member, what that does is it creates unrealistic expectations in the community of what the speed.

K

Limit should be, and we see frequently then people coming and asking for speed limit studies.

K

For roads that are posted at a speed limit that may or may not be appropriate and or compliant.

K

With state law so we're trying to be systematic somatic, but a drill deal with some of these.

K

Acute issues and I hope, tyler and eric- we can continue this and when we report back next month.

K

Maybe have both our systematic progress going. You know the streets that are not codified streets.

K

That are appropriate and maybe be able to pull out for the committee. Some of these acute ones.

K

That there is general consensus that there needs to be a change and start that process as well.

E

Maybe I'll just add one more thing, which is one of the things we talked about when we met as a.

E

Working group was just trying to be efficient with our time and with with the time of parking.

E

And traffic safety um and trying to focus what we um bring to the to parking and traffic safety.

E

Trying to get it to the point of kind of policy decisions, and so does it make sense for this road.

E

Class to have this speed limit in in terms of kind of more of a policy sense, as opposed to trying to.

E

Wrestle over individual decisions, as as our large parking and traffic and safety group.

E

Together, so I think part of the purpose of today's presentation is just to outline our plan of attack.

E

Or you know kind of what we articulated to make sure um I guess ideologically or policy oriented.

E

That everyone on the on pts feels okay with the plan of attack, so that we can then implement it.

K

I think there's one other word. I want to point out in tyler's presentation that was.

K

Important he said the range of speed limits on our classified streets and the important word there.

K

Is range you know to say that a certain street classified should always have x as the speed limit.

K

Is never going to be appropriate that it always is subject to what the actual conditions are.

K

On the street and the neighborhood it goes through, and the volumes and we're lucky enough.

K

To have eric and erica engineers working on this project that can help us with that, but.

K

There is not a cookie cutter answer for every single street is x. Always it's going to really.

K

Be subject to what we see in the field and and that's how the state law is written, that's why you.

K

Can have a lower speed limit with an engineering study, and I think we need to be sensitive to that.

G

Yeah, I am impressed with how comprehensive this plan is and uh and systematic, and I think it will.

G

Answer a lot of the questions that the community has when we continually get questions about speed.

G

Limits, I think it will really give us an overview of the city and it's quite appropriate for this.

G

Subcommittee to be doing this, so we thank you, I think we'd also be open if any other of the.

K

Committee members want to, you know, join the kind of working group. I don't know if it's a working.

K

Group or a subcommittee whatever officially it is, we're certainly would be happy. How often are you.

L

Meeting with erica we've met once I leave that to the staff to direct us. Okay, I think you got.

B

A good start for one meeting. I was just going to say that it's got a lot done in one meeting.

L

It's informative to hear about the state leg. You know the laws and what's going on in concord, yeah.

K

Maybe tyler we can report back on that bill at the next uh traffic safety. That's great.

J

I'd just like to say it's, it's a great effort to make, because the with regulatory science.

J

Really they need to get people's respect and when they see signs that just aren't.

J

um Reflective of the road conditions, people ignore them and.

J

They won't know what what signs are really mean it in which one zone.

J

Right, so it's it's really. It's a good idea to have realistic speed limits, not idealistic speed limits.

K

Good any further discussion.

B

Well, thank you guys for all the work on this. Thank you looks like it's off to a fantastic start and.

B

Now we have conversion of the reins and vaughn to one way from 11 16 21 ob, a staff working to set up a.

B

Meeting with a butters again, this is something was discussed a while back. uh This is just a reminder.

C

That now, that spring is coming on that the city will be reaching out to the abutters of this.

C

Area to show that this proposal is what we'd like to do and uh and then obviously set up a public.

C

Input meeting after that, so great, thank you and I have. I do have one more late ad. The bridge street.

C

Lot was going to be part of today's presentation, but there were some changes late to that, so the.

C

The um the ad is just simply that the the bids are out for the reconstruction of the bridge.

C

Street lot, which will take that lot offline for a considerable amount of time, with the idea that.

C

uh It will be completed uh prior to uh hanover undergo beginning the under.

C

Go of its construction and losing those spaces so uh so that they don't overlap. That's just a.

C

Public input or public knowledge to to to put out there's the end. What's the what's, the anticipated.

L

Start date uh the bids are in uh are out so I mean it's there. They have to wait on the bids.

C

uh uh Certainly, the you know um dave defosus could speak to that, but this is just basically.

C

A general announcement that the bids are out the the work is, is going to be scheduled shortly.

B

Okay, any questions or comments on that. um I just wanted to comment on that intersection of.

G

Maplewood and range: that's going to be a very busy, stop sign there, because a lot of traffic comes in.

G

Maplewood avenue, so I'm not sure if there's another way, you can't put a stoplight up there.

G

Of course, but I anticipate that that reigns maplewood will be a busy busy intersection.

G

Just commenting on that, I don't know what to do about it. It'd be blocked up because those.

G

Hotels are very busy and the office buildings are very busy yeah and, and it is each one of.

J

Those developments in that area has come online for approval, they've done their traffic studies.

J

Too so it's yeah, we have all the data and we can look at that and we, you know.

J

See, what's appropriate for traffic control, good.

K

Yeah, yes, steve eric have any of those traffic studies looked at an assumption of a one-way.

K

Street, I believe the uh the one that's proposed for the uh the health club and the other.

J

Site we had them look at the one-way flow because we knew that was a possibility in the future.

C

It found that comments also, the one-way flow is also.

C

Part of how we did things while the ac was being constructed so.

B

Any comments on that area that gave me time for just a quick comment. So just so I'm clear the.

B

Bridge street lot: we're anticipating that the I guess it's repaving or modifications.

B

Would be completed before the high handover goes. That is the goal, I'm understanding. Yes. So that's.

B

A pretty tight timeline or do I have my dates, kind of wrong in my head. Well, I mean you, I would think.

C

That he would be looking to be finished with it by earlier mid april, when, when, when we'd.

C

Like to see uh hanover come online, so we we did have a preview meeting with and got a number of.

C

Respondents for the high hanover project- and I know that uh that uh joel ameda is working on on.

C

Collecting those bids and he's working with walker on collecting those bids.

C

And uh and doing that, work behind the scenes to to bring forth the the best bidder. So we we.

F

Could have updates on both projects for the april pts meetings, absolutely great.

G

I was just going to suggest that the electronic sign being put back up at russell street and.

G

Market street extension that indicates the rate of parking at the foundry garage. I thought that.

G

Was effective a couple of years ago since we're regrouping everything before the hanover just.

G

As a reminder for people coming into town, you can park at the foundry's garage for a dollar an hour.

C

So I think we took that down for for the winter season, for snow removal purposes and and emergency.

C

Vehicle purposes, I think that it's probably a good idea to have that discussion uh as the as the.

C

Weather warms up, we start seeing greater degree of traffic. I think it's a good reminder. Thank you.

B

Maybe this uh man oh go ahead. I just have a comment for the public. If, uh if there's people.

L

Out there listening- or this is also being recorded to to have the public- it's a reminder that we do.

L

Have a newsletter in the city of portsmouth that you people can sign up for that and there's a.

L

Lot of information on what's going on on a weekly bi-weekly basis and between that and the website.

L

Is to be do your due diligence and get involved? A lot of the public keeps himself in the dark.

L

And it's their responsibility and it'd be good to see that if more people sign up for the newsletter.

L

And also, if you have any questions on the website, you can always pick up the phone and call someone.

L

In tech, support and they'll help you so just a final question, for I think the city manager.

B

The I think it's a good idea to have that sign there to show people that there's you know dollar.

B

Parking at foundry garage, but it's probably not the best, look coming into the city. Is there any.

B

Chance of putting a more permanent nicer, looking sign at some point, or how would we go about if.

B

We wanted to do something along those lines. We can certainly look into that um and it will be.

F

We will have to message foundry as an option for the next three years because of what is going on.

F

In hanover, so perhaps this is the opportunity to find the best way to cl cl classically, not a word.

F

um Tastefully yes put up some some signage that does two things diverts people away from hanover.

F

And toward foundry, so we do have permanent signage. That does exist there, but it's pretty small and.

C

It's very very limited. The software is horribly antiquated. My recommendation would be to look.

C

Into updating that location, you know with a much larger visual field, obviously within.

C

Standards allowable to uh you know for for road use and error can certainly speak to that.

C

I've long wanted to update that signage because it is so limited, and so if we want to have that.

C

Discussion, that's great. I have no idea what the cost on that something like that would.

C

Be but I'm I'm happy to charge forward looking looking into it and I might even.

B

Add if, if we did look at signs, I know some places, they'll say: there's spaces available.

B

So you know if, if we had a sign that was digital, which I know would add, cost one, it could say.

B

The rate so in the future, if the rate changes were covered, but two, it could say full or or.

B

Presumably, it would always say open, but tourists don't know that when they come into town that.

B

The garage is, you know not full. That does require some software integration that foundry can do, but.

C

Hanover cannot right now, so what we're looking into there is at the end of the hanover renovation.

C

Project is an installation of an upgrade of the software and hardware at that garage that has.

C

Caused such consternation in the past few years, uh the the goal being that the garages will be.

C

Able to speak to one another and then speak to signage and then, of course, the cost of getting.

C

uh The information to the sign, whether that was with the hard wire situation.

C

Or whether that was electronically or through the web or cloud or whatever, which is probably.

C

More reasonable these days, so those things can all be done, but the hold up on something like.

C

That would be to to come out with a holistic approach and not piecemeal it. Okay, great.

L

Yes, uh karen and ben how much does control or input does the city of portsmouth have with gps.

L

Navigational platforms, for example, if someone is driving down 95 and they say parking portsmouth,.

C

That's that's more of a google thing and and we're on all of the we're. So we get searched quite a bit.

C

I get thousands of I get a report from google each week about a thousand or each month about.

C

Thousands of people uh they uh how many people have inquired, how many people have inquired.

C

Through the use of particular keywords, uh how many people have called in the market, let's talk about.

F

What ability do we have to influence gps? Does the city? Can you influence it? Can you I know that.

F

Jamie mccarty and I'm looking at eric um jamie mccarty is our gis manager and he has that ability.

F

He um and eric you want to add to that yeah. I know it is limited. You give them the information, but.

J

They still have their algorithms that they go by and you know you can try to help influence. What.

J

They will put up, but it's still up to them to can we steer? Can we steer the public, especially the.

L

95 percent of the population that comes into portsmouth into a very specific location for.

L

Parking is there any way to do that or highlight it? I I check with jamie to see if there is, I don't.

J

Know if we can that's a behavior thing, and I don't know that we're ultimately going to be.

F

The arbiter of that I don't know if that's our function, what we can do and through I think we.

F

Do through well, I think, through park portsmouth, we provide as much mapping and signage as to options.

F

And if we can get an upgrade to the software that speaks to how many spaces are at each garage that.

F

Would be an improvement too, but we're honestly seeing on technology, so the garage is already.

C

Half floor counts. It's just a matter of getting that information out where people can see it and.

C

So that's that's where we're kind of stuck even hanover's got floor counts. We use them every day.

D

Okay under miscellaneous, can I come here? Are you ready for miscellaneous? I should have.

G

Mentioned this at the beginning, I wanted to acknowledge that ted gray, who had been.

G

On this committee for decades passed last week, and I just wanted to acknowledge that he was a.

G

Very active member in the community and certainly on parking and traffic safety, so.

G

um It's a very good obituary because it captured ted's personality of his. You know just.

G

He's out there he was out there. You knew that ted was in the room. So I want to acknowledge that for.

G

All of us they're just a couple of us, I think who knew who were on the committee when ted was.

G

On the committee- and you know him yeah, one of my swimming buddies over the course of indoor pool.

G

So, thank you. Thank you for bringing that up. I didn't have the pleasure of knowing him.

B

But it sounds like he had quite a presence, yeah very much so in the community. Mr chairman, if I.

F

If I may, before we close um ben, has shown, has shared with us the comment that patricia bagley.

F

Has about the bridge street uh net effect? It's my understanding. There won't be a loss of parking.

F

Spaces but a total of four as many as four will be converted to ev charging station spots so.

C

The second, the latter part of that is absolutely correct. uh The uh I am.

C

Understanding that some of the striping in that lot is not necessarily to spec, so there might.

C

Be a re-stripe just to get it to to code so to speak, uh and there might be lots of space there.

C

But uh the the primary is is the switch over for of up to four of the spaces to ev usage.

F

Patricia if you're listening, the goal is to retain as many spaces there as possible.

F

um But but given that ben has mentioned, we need to make sure that the the spaces are.

C

In compliance, we will um seek to be in compliance. Thank you, mr chairman. I have one more question. Yes,.

G

Comment, could we put pat begley's comment regarding washington street and maybe.

G

Atkinson on the agenda before the permits are giving given to specifically the clipper.

G

Restaurant, because that's really what affected the confusion at washington and all the way down.

G

To atkinson, so if we can get that on the agenda so that we can address it, um I would appreciate that.

B

Yes, I think we can probably get the agenda for the next meeting, so I don't know if it will.

B

Happen before yeah, because we'll already be in april and that's when things are happening. Yeah.

G

I just thought before the permits were given for specifically the clipper restaurant, that.

G

We looked at look at that intersection and what happens to washington street.

B

Yeah I just say I I don't know that we can do it before, but we'll do it as quickly as we can. We can.

F

Consider both as part of the permitting process should clipper choose to apply yep good. Thank you.

B

Okay, any other miscellaneous, if not I'll, look for a motion to adjourn.

F

Moved and we need to roll call vote marilyn, mccoy, steve pesci, yes, mark syracuse.

C

Erica wagonic, yes, police, chief newport, yes, fire chief jermaine, yes, city manager, karen.

C

Connor yes and chairman andrew bagley, yes, thank you portsmouth. Thank you. Thank you.

F