City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Parking and Traffic Safety Committee, 7 Apr 2022

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From YouTube: 4.7.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

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4.7.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

A

Okay, there we go good morning, everyone, it's april, 7th.

B

I got to do something about my hearing.

A

Good morning, everyone welcome to the parking and traffic safety committee this morning april, 7th.

A

8 30 in the morning we'll get started. I would like to start with a roll call.

A

Vote of all our attendees ben, if you could help with that mary lou mccowan.

C

Here, steve pesci here mark syracusa here, harold whitehouse, yes, eric ohigonic here, police captain.

C

Maloney here fire chief jermaine here I know director rice will be joining us shortly.

C

And I know city manager, karen connor- will be joining us shortly. Great. Thank you very much.

A

I'm going to ask the committee's permission that we would suspend the agenda to move an item up.

A

Items 8b, which is the bridge street, lot we're going to have a quick update on that project.

A

By city staff, so there is a motion to approve that. Second, second ben, give me a second dave.

C

A

We should probably just do a roll call vote on that to make sure it's an affirmative, so.

A

Go around the table. I guess peter we're just moving motion to move item.

A

8B up on the agenda, the bridge street, lock, we have a motion on the floor. Second, second, harold.

B

President yep mark president erica do I get to vote today. Do I vote today.

D

Yes, yes, because andrew's not here, yes, hello! Yes, yes, todd all right! Thank you. Okay, dave welcome,.

E

I don't believe we need to do roll call votes for our future voters. Okay, we're good all right! Thank you. Dave welcome good morning, good morning.

F

Mr chairman, members of the committee, I'm dave defosis construction coordinator for the city.

F

I know that last month you were briefed on construction on the british street. Lot was.

F

Imminent at this point, it is truly imminent, we're starting monday, so the plan is up on the display.

F

As well, essentially, it's it's a rehabilitation project. There's no significant changes.

F

The surface of the parking lot is in dire need of reconstruction.

F

While we're doing this, we're taking the opportunity to get rid of.

F

Some duplicities in the sidewalks we're creating uniform parking spaces you'll see on the map that.

F

There is spot for four ev charging stations. Those will get plumbed with conduit. For now. The city has.

F

Not made a decision yet whether to put the ev spaces end at this point, but the spaces will be.

F

Ready to go with evie conduit and the transformer will be in place to support that. Should the.

F

City, decide to put charges in the parking lot. You'll see that if you notice closely that the.

F

Edge of pavement closest to maplewood is actually shifting three or four feet.

F

Toward maplewood avenue, because the interior sidewalk is going away, there will be a sidewalk.

F

Pass-Through sidewalks to get to the main sidewalk, that's on maplewood avenue,.

F

We're doing that so we can actually create a little bit of landscaping along bridge street.

F

So that, because right now, the cars are directly up against the curbing up against the bridge street.

F

Sidewalk and the overhang of the vehicles causes the bridge street sidewalk to not be wide enough.

F

We're also adding period lighting around the perimeter of the parking lot. As part of this.

F

Effort, so that is really in a nutshell: you notice that the handicapped parking spaces.

F

Also have been moved so they're directly in front of the entrance to the parking lot.

G

It's the other dave, it's the great and powerful wizard of oz.

F

Other than that, uh there's no significant changes, there's a loss of one space.

F

With the realignment and uni and making the parking spaces uniform some of the spaces.

F

Currently, do not even meet the minimum criteria of eight and a half feet, so they all meet minimum.

F

Standards, if you have questions I'll entertain them, what kind of lighting is that is a lantern.

F

Lighting or it's the period lighting that we use all over the downtown- oh that'd, be nice yeah.

D

Mr chair dave the point of the the speed with which we're going to treat bridge.

D

Street is directly related to when we start hanover right. Yes, that's.

F

Thank you for bringing that up. Yes, the intent here is to get the parking lot reconstructed.

F

Quickly, uh we anticipate it'll take four or five weeks starting monday, and so that.

F

The parking lot will be back online before the hanover garage renovation. Work starts.

A

Yes, mary lou, quick question on sidewalks new sidewalks along bridge street is that.

D

What you said, sidewalks along bridge street, are going to remain. uh There's currently concrete.

F

Sidewalks all the way around the periphery, uh those will stay concrete for now. Okay, so.

D

I'm just going to ask if they're going to be brick or concrete they're, all concrete good.

H

Thank you indeed, there'll be some paving of hanover street as well.

F

The area right, where the little hand is on the screen right there, that area we have to. uh We.

F

Have to connect to the drainage system properly the existing catch basin, that's in the parking.

F

Lot, the only drain in the parking lot is kind of hokey and we're going to put in a proper.

F

Catch base and get more in compliance with stormwater regulations, while we're.

F

Here renovating the lot so that particular spot in hanover between maplewood.

F

And bridge street, which is only about 100 feet of street, will get reconstructed while we do the lot.

F

Just because we have to excavate ins into it and it didn't get paved when we did the bridge.

F

Street area: what's your goal and completion of the deadline uh four to five weeks, and that does not.

F

Include uh having the period lights up, those are on order, um but we'll be done and and the parking.

F

Lot will be back open in four to five weeks and then we'll come back in once we have the lanterns.

F

And that sort of thing and just complete the work- and we won't have to close the lot to do that.

I

And what's our kind of ability to absorb this loss during construction, I mean at.

I

Presumably april may is a pretty calmish time parking, demand-wise ish being there.

I

It's it's definitely the ramp up of of our tourist season, so um we can expect to see.

C

That get absorbed largely at the foundry garage like we did when we had the pop-up last year. Folks.

C

Tend to know that now, so it should be a fairly uh easy way for them to. You know, find a place, so it.

G

Won't be open on weekends yeah, so the construction is during the week or is it seven days a week.

G

It'll be closed for the duration. There'll be construction, fencing around it just because of the.

F

The curbing and the and the people walk trying to walk through it. It's just a liability. Okay,.

F

So no parking before yeah correct you'll be able to move faster. Yes, harold yeah um same.

B

Number of uh handicapped spaces will be allowed. The number of handicapped spaces is the same.

F

Yeah, it's currently correct and it will be correct when we're done. Thank you.

A

All right, thank you very much appreciate you. I hope you have all have a nice day.

F

Thank you. I don't know, I don't think so. I'm going to move on to item three, the financial report.

B

Yeah yeah, mr chairman, acting champion. Yes, I move the secretary's uh financial report.

B

Be accepted as presented: do you have a second? Second? Second hold those in favor.

A

Okay, go on to on for public comment period, so I would like to invite people to come.

A

Up and express their comments, we have a long agenda today, so I'm going to ask that everyone.

A

Try to be concise and keep your comments to two.

A

Two minutes or so so, if you just remember to introduce yourself and state where you live.

J

Barbara grazer 504 506 middle street and I understand that the bicycle lane.

J

Survey is on the agenda today and I just wanted to say that.

J

My husband had a chiropractic practice on middle street for 52 years. I don't know how many years.

J

We had the handicap spot up front. It was taken away with the bike lane then, when they changed.

J

It it came back, so I'm happy that I have it right now. I'm concerned that it's going to leave again.

J

Because, even though he retired I rent the space to another chiropractor, so they are.

J

Using the handicapped spot and I'm also concerned about the survey that was done, I thought it was.

J

Just for excuse me middle street presidents, but I understand that it was posted. Maybe this is what I.

J

Was told that it was posted on seco, stereo, bicycle writer's web page and that they have a lot more.

J

Members than we have residents on middle street, and so I think this survey is probably tainted.

J

Because I thought it was going to be input from residents and business owners on middle street.

J

And it seems to have gone beyond that. So that's my concern. Thank you. Thank you.

K

Good morning elizabeth browder property owner 159 mcdonough street- I just wanted to talk about.

K

The bike, not the bike, I'm sorry the parking program uh in the islington creek neighborhood.

K

One of the signs that you need a bike: sorry, I'm still hooked on bikes.

K

One of the signs that you need a parking program is if the parking is so overcrowded that residents.

K

Are reluctant to leave a parking space for fear that they won't have one when they get back.

K

And that you see overcrowding causing something called space hoarding.

K

And I can tell you that I've witnessed it to the point where we've had to call the police.

K

Regarding some people getting a little carried away, the other sign of a good parking program.

K

Is spillover and one of the things that the city did report was that the goodman goodwin park.

K

Neighborhood did not show any signs of spillover from the program, which is a big issue for, for.

K

The islington creek neighborhood, the spillover- comes from downtown into this neighborhood, but.

K

The spillover from the parking program did not push cars into the goodwin park. Neighborhood.

K

One of the questions that I have is regarding the increase in available spaces.

K

Only being five percent, because when I look at the streets they look like they have a.

K

Little bit less cars than they had before, but they've been replaced by people who.

K

Live or work in the neighborhoods, so the five percent that's offered seems to me that there was.

K

A change of hands so before maybe employees parked there that are not have now moved to the foundry.

K

Garage but now those spaces are occupied by the people who live there and a good parking program.

K

Not only has a certain amount of spaces, but it has a certain amount of empty spaces.

K

For two-hour parking, which was the goal of this, was to create flexible parking and to create.

K

Parking that people could share and on our end, I'm on the cabot street end.

K

And I have two houses down there: one on mcdonough and one on cabot street and what's happened is.

K

During the day when people leave for work, those who do work or go to school, those spaces become.

K

Entry empty and the businesses that are down there fill those spaces and then, at the end of the day,.

K

It flips back, which is now shared parking before it was run over parking down on that end, because.

K

None of the businesses in the building next door we're using the parking lot in the back.

K

They're still not using the parking lot, but now that they're limited to three business space.

K

Business permits, it's created a more balanced parking situation down there, where they actually.

K

Have places to park during the day when they go to work, there's places for their um guests or their.

K

Business people to park if a restaurant is down there, they have spaces for their customers to park.

K

So I think it's created a much better and a more balanced parking situation in the neighborhood.

K

The only changes I would like to see to the program is the I've been looking at this.

K

Area for a while and kind of walking down there, the area from pearl to bridge street.

K

Is really packed all the time? It's it's realistic. If you go down there, you can count cars.

K

And you can see cars in every space almost all day, long and and in the evening as well. So it seems.

K

To me that that area should lose the two-hour parking and should just be for residents only.

K

It should save, there's a little corner store down there. That I think, has one space out front on.

K

Hanover street and that should be saved for that spot. I think it's a 15. I've never really.

K

Paid attention to how long it's for, but it is a limited parking space, but that area from pearl.

K

To bridge street should become resident parking only other than that. I think permits should be.

K

Issued to all the legal residents within the npp zone, it shouldn't be limited to three.

K

But everything else should stay the same. The number of business permits should remain at.

K

Three: the guest passes should remain at one if you're going to have a little shinding at your.

K

House you should be able to do that online. You should be able to put in your parking permit.

K

Number and say I'm going to have five guests on tuesday from 9 to 12 and I need guest passes. They.

K

Could be done online, it could be printed out in your home and it could have a time period. Specific.

K

Printed on it, and that would eliminate all this issue about people complaining about how hard it.

K

Is to get a guest pass because you could use your permit number as the the identifier and then the.

K

Actual time that those permits are going to be used for and in regards to contractors, the.

K

That has been a problem in that area all along, and the same thing is true. I was just talking to.

K

A contractor the other day he was getting ready to go to the south end and he was shuddering at the.

K

Thought because he said there will be no place for me to park my truck while I go in and do plumbing.

K

So I think that that's a problem in any of the downtown areas and that's a completely separate.

K

Issue, in my opinion, from the parking program, and that should be addressed.

K

In whatever way the city chooses to deal with that, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Elizabeth.

L

Good morning, michelle wirth 439 hanover street, also speaking to the neighborhood parking.

L

Program, I would ask you to please suspend the program and terminate it immediately.

L

um Speaking to the survey that was taken and I'll say, I said this before I'll say it again: the.

L

Survey has mixed responses to whether we like it or not, but you need to understand that the first.

L

Several days of that survey, you were not allowed to submit the survey unless you answered question.

L

Four and question four required you to answer all of the reasons why you liked the program. So if you.

L

Didn't want to answer question four. You didn't like the program you were not allowed to submit.

L

The survey, so it got changed a few days later after some phone calls, but understand that there's.

L

A whole bunch of people like me who got frustrated and shut the survey off and never went back to it.

L

So the survey is not accurate. I'd like you to understand that a hundred thousand dollars a year.

L

And then that improvement was 12 spaces and many of those spaces came from situations like mine.

L

I uh my two children are old enough to have their own cars now, so I have a commuting car.

L

And a minivan that we carry stuff to the transfer station and my husband has a commuting car and a.

L

20 year old sports car he got from a friend of mine and then each of my two boys have a car.

L

We don't have crazy numbers of cars, but that's six cars in our house um and so my boys have to go off.

L

And park in a neighborhood, you know across the way and my own cars registered my house in that.

L

Neighborhood aren't allowed to park there, so if that gets changed and fixed those 12 spaces.

L

That you had that were free. Those are gone. I mean because there's other people in my same situation.

L

Neighborhood on bruiser street same problem, two grown children with drivers, so once you give.

L

Those spaces back to us which we should absolutely have there, is no net gain in this program at all.

L

It is not worth a hundred thousand dollars, there's more cars there than can park there.

L

I would offer a solution to you. If you look in the city ordinances, I've been.

L

Through this, before we've been here for 25 years already on the city books on it's already, there.

L

There's a parking prohibition on hanover street from brewster street down to bridge.

L

Street there's already a prohibition for anyone to park there, except for residents. It's already there.

L

If you just follow that parking program residents, only that will alleviate the hanover street.

L

Parking issue and there'll still be plenty of parking for the rest of us residents to.

L

Park where we need to park on sudbury street or mcdonald street, if you could please just do.

L

That program and suspend this extra fee and extra tax, an extra problem for all of us. We.

L

Do not need more rules and more ordinances and bigger government. Thank you. Thank you.

A

M

Liza hewitt 726 middle road members of the parking traffic and safety committee, I'd.

M

Like to know how many of you live on a street whose speed limit is more than 20 miles per hour,.

M

That would be none.

M

I live on a street where the speed limit is 30 miles per hour. It is one of the only residential.

M

Streets left in town that has a 30 mile per hour, speed limit. I have come before you consistently.

M

For two years asking for you to lower the speed limit on middle road and islington street, the.

M

Only two streets in the residential corridor zone that have a speed limit above 25 miles per hour.

M

My request to lower the speed limit to 25 miles per hour has been met with we are going to study.

M

The speed limits on 450 streets in the city first: what is the timeline of this so-called study.

M

Bottom line, how long is it going to be before I know if you will be lowering my speed limit.

M

Secondly, realistically, what are you hoping to accomplish with this exercise.

M

We have now established that you all live on streets with 20 mile per hour, speed limits.

M

Do you honestly think that the residents on your streets in your neighborhoods will support raising.

M

The speed limit on, for instance, south street, when you perhaps find that their 20 mile per.

M

Hour, speed limit is too low, be realistic about what is going to if this is going to accomplish.

M

No one is asking you to raise their speed limits, but I'm asking you no at this point begging you to.

M

Lower mine two weeks ago, on a wednesday afternoon at approximately one o'clock, a neighbor from the.

M

Condos across the street on middle road and her very sweet dog sammy were waiting to cross the.

M

Street at the crosswalk sammy and always sits on the side of the street and waits to be told.

M

It's okay to cross, I saw them waiting to cross and I stopped my car before the crosswalk. I was going.

M

25 miles per hour- as I always do so it wasn't hard for me to stop behind me going faster was a pickup.

M

Truck who apparently, was not able to stop because of his speed? I guess to avoid hitting me. He pulled.

M

Up beside me into the lane of oncoming traffic, and, thank goodness, saw sammy and his owner, who were.

M

Already by this point midway across the street, because I had stopped for the crosswalk in the.

M

Crosswalk and was able to stop before hitting them. These types of situations are regular occurrences.

M

On middle road that day, sammy and his owner got across the street. What what happens next time.

A

Any other comments from people in the room.

A

Ben, do we have any online? Yes, I've got two hands raised. Let's see.

C

Let's start with ken goldman please good morning ken good morning, can you join me? Yes, we can can.

A

Your name, yes, we can okay good morning ken goldman 271 islington street. um Thank you uh again for.

N

An opportunity to talk about the israelite creek neighborhood parking program. uh This program was.

N

Really, based largely on anecdotes and past history, at numerous meetings, ben fletcher has presented.

N

Data that has just consistently shown that the program not only is not needed, but has.

N

Been largely been effective, um I also agree with the previous comments that the survey.

N

That you put out was flawed and that you couldn't go on unless you said why you like the program.

N

uh It should have just been. Do you like the program? Do you not like the program, so I I.

N

Think that you can really, in some ways even work the survey or redo with it, because having that.

N

One roadblock in there, um you did reissue it, and I don't know if you know I responded. I actually.

N

Did it twice after you changed the survey and I don't know both my results were recorded or not.

N

uh A lot of programs so based on the fact that the data shows that this has been largely unneeded.

N

And ineffective, I I request that the program has commonly configured be ended, but you know.

N

Having said that, uh parking in the neighborhood is really not uniform. uh The end where I live.

N

Really there is there's plenty of parking, uh despite what some other people may be, trying.

N

To tell you they're, they're always happy, but the area between uh bridge street and brewster.

N

Street the parking is much denser and that's where I think there may actually be a problem.

N

With parking, so I'd like to ask the committee to consider that they may want to continue.

N

The program just for that area, if that's what the people there would like to see.

N

And if you do that uh there was a previous uh proposal to include that area. But then there was.

N

Like this strange gerrymander that went down on dun street and included a little 72-hour parking.

N

Lot, uh please do not include that in the future, because that would really benefit a few people.

N

But would inconvenience many of us who would live down down at that end of the neighborhood.

N

And also with the high a parking lot, a garage closing soon and in the construction of the.

N

New micro apartments, where escape location, uh the city may want to consider continuing.

N

To monitor the parking in the neighborhood, maybe at the not the same level as as now, but just to.

N

See if there truly is an impact on the parking in the neighborhood during these factors- and I.

N

Just heard today that uh the bridge street lot is going to be closed for four to five weeks.

N

So you may want to continue to monitor parking and been able to see how these impact.

N

The neighborhood and whether it drives can you continue, but I think things being as they are.

N

Today, looking at the data that ben fletcher has been showing us that consistently shows.

N

A no need for the program and b that has been largely effective. I ask you to please end the.

N

Program and it is currently constituted. Thank you very much. Thank you. Ken uh peter just wanted to.

A

Make one correction to something that we might have heard you say well, alan. You had said.

E

The the hanover garage is going to be shut down. It's only a third of the spaces, so it's.

E

A 900 space garage, so 300 of the spaces, will be impacted uh seasonally. So I just wanted to.

E

Clarify that statement, thank you, yeah sure, I'm sorry I underspoke uh yeah. It's gonna be uh that.

N

Could potentially be 300 more people going to uh boundary, and you know I I don't know there will be.

N

An impact on the neighborhood or not, and that's why I think it may be necessary for the city to.

N

uh Continue monitoring the parking in the neighborhood at least some level.

N

uh I understand um right now, they're doing it three times a day. I think that's what.

N

Dependent said previously- and maybe that's no longer necessary, but um you know between that.

N

um And then once they start work on the state it wants to actually be. This can be down the road, a.

N

Bit once they build those micro units there, that's very potentially going to have an impact and.

N

You know, I just think you need to keep an eye on it but, as I said, I think things being.

N

As they are right now, I think the program is currently constituted really is not necessary.

A

Thank you very much yes and next. So the next person in the zoom waiting room is allison busier.

A

Allison, are you there allison, you need to unmute there you go yeah. Can you hear me now? Yes, we can.

A

Okay, great, thank you. uh My name is alison boucier. I live at 678 middle street in portsmouth and.

O

I'm here to speak to you from what I understand that the bike lane uh issue is to be revisited.

O

um This was brought to my attention after I guess it was raised, perhaps at a recent.

O

Meeting- and I know I did get the survey although it closed before I got a chance to um fill it out.

O

So please understand there are I I do appreciate your efforts to include middle street residents.

O

And whoever brought that up at the previous meeting to reach out to us it's much appreciated.

O

I think, in order to reach many of us, perhaps the time frame of the meeting might need to.

O

Be adjusted because I know there's many people who'd like to be represented, but an 8 30 meeting.

O

Is difficult um in the essence of time I'm going to try to be brief, but I could speak a lot to this.

O

Issue because it's been going on for several years and many of us have invested quite a bit of time.

O

Already so we're a little bit perplexed as to why this is coming to the issue again, just personally.

O

In our family, my husband went on a three hour: walk through with members of the previous city council.

O

Two years ago, to address all the issues, there was a meeting with middle street residents.

O

Where many many many issues were raised, I could give a long history of this project.

O

And essentially it was determined um that the parking lane he moved.

O

The bike lane on the southbound traveling side you removed in the parking lot back to the curb.

O

um I guess there's a certain constituent of folks who are unhappy with this decision and I'm.

O

Wondering if that's why this is being now revisited again um the city. I know you know.

O

You've spent a lot of time a lot of resources studying this issue and trying to make it work.

O

This is a one-third mile area on route one and I'm trying to understand the attachment to um having.

O

This bike lane travel through that area. I've lived here for 17 years. I lived around the corner.

O

On aldrich, before that for five years, so I've seen it and I've seen the history. I've seen the changes.

O

um I have connected with some members of the sabre seacoast area bike riding group with the capitol.

O

I would say: I'm a seacoast area bike rider lower case, I'm a bike rider and a portsmouth resident.

O

um I I'm trying to understand the the attachment and why this fruit is such a priority, and I met a.

O

Woman who had come to take photographs on middle street and I stopped to talk to her and asked her.

O

What you're doing and she was from saver- and she said she was.

O

Coming to photograph situations on middle street, she had traveled from, I believe, durham or dover.

O

um Trying to again understand her perspective and why this was such a pretty [ __ ].

O

Because it's a safe route to school, that's why this section is so important.

O

um Having sent three children to the portsmouth public schools uh for the last 15 years by bike.

O

It is not a safe birth to school, and if that is the priority for holding onto this one-third mile.

O

I think anyone who uses middle street understands that they'll, most almost all students who are.

O

Traveling to any of the public schools in town will go along lincoln ave or any of the back.

O

Roads and that's not even even with the bike lane middle street is not the optional route.

O

So having that being said, that that is the priority reason for really holding on to this and.

O

In the larger framework of the fight, I I think is um at this point: it's not accurate.

O

And you can, I don't know you know you can continue to do more studies, I'm looking at the tool, design.

A

Interrupt you for one second, so just to be clear that the bike lane project's not on the agenda.

A

For this group today, but peter wanted to add a comment, an update so allison the the driver behind.

E

This evaluation was that this past city council directed us to do a six-month pilot.

E

Of the reconfigured bike lane and working with the department of transportation.

E

They agreed to that as long as we had a public process to review the modification and that we.

E

Come back with an engineer's study that supports that modification. So the intent of this study.

E

Is to confirm that the adjusted configuration is acceptable, so that is why- and it was, it was at the.

E

Direction of the prior city council to do this, so we are just fulfilling what we were directed to do.

E

And we are trying to secure the monies and make sure we don't lose the monies that were invested.

E

So that's really: the driver of this sabre had no involvement in in getting this pushed forward.

E

It was purely it was purely at the request of the past city, council, okay, and so just so, you.

O

Understand fever did post it on their website that that's their that's fine, that's with the comments.

O

Sure it's negatively impacting you know our route, but that that's the people responding to the.

O

Survey perhaps see that negative comment and that I don't know that that was the answer. So just I.

O

Guess in terms of reviewing your survey, understand that you're, getting probably over representation.

O

From the saber members, and not necessarily that's understood, thank you. Okay. Thank you.

C

So next, in the waiting room we have jonathan sandberg good morning, jonathan.

P

Jonathan all right um yeah, I want to talk about uh the intersection of um bartlett and islington.

P

Street um in my observation, uh it takes an excessively long time to get a walk signal.

P

At that intercessors, and I wonder if that can be programmed to be more favorable to pedestrians,.

P

I've timed it um myself: it can wait to take as long as a minute and 42 seconds. According to my.

P

Timing to get a walk signal um and that that seems like a really long time and it seems.

P

Depends on where you are, if there's other cars waiting, um it will take that long. If, if there.

P

Aren't cars in my observation at every um junction it can be faster.

P

And it makes seem to fair the boy as a pedestrian. You got there.

P

And there's cars already waiting, you have to wait your turn, but it doesn't seem fair to me because.

P

As a driver, um it's either green for you or you're pretty much next as a pedestrian.

P

You you have to wait until all of the car wait all the way through the cycle and.

P

It's pretty inconvenient, especially when you're carrying groceries and it's cold and.

P

Windy and you had to crawl over a snow bank to get to the button to push it. I think that.

P

We should have prioritize pedestrian convenience and the easy way to do that. I think at least at.

P

This intersection would be to reprogram it in a way that gives the pedestrian signal faster for.

P

um And the other um thing about the intersection is that, if you're crossing from uh the side, where.

P

Two brothers, garages and you're walking towards um uh upper wheelies. um It's.

P

uh Drivers in the right turn lane on bartlett street turning right onto islington, uh don't see.

P

You because, when cars turn right, when they come to a stop sign and turn right, they always look left.

P

They never look right and they don't look, um they don't see pedestrians and for that reason um it.

P

Would be really helpful to have some kind of sign or something that's. Maybe it should say a sign.

P

Saying no turn on uh when there's a walk signal. I know I'm pretty to my knowledge. It's already.

P

Illegal to turn, when there's a lock signal, however, I don't think very many drivers know that and.

P

You know you see, you see, cars turn right on. What's clock signals all the time and.

P

I'm pretty sure they're unaware that um that's illegal. It would be helpful to make it safer if.

P

If, if at that junction right there, there was some kind of sign reminding drivers to to look before.

P

They turn right for good. Thank you jonathan. I see eric making notes on this intersection and.

A

I'm sure he can go out there and check on the timing and the pedestrian alert signage as well.

A

So I see him scribbling very actively, so we'll put this on an agenda for a future report back.

A

Yes, I can take a look at that and welcome back eric good to see you here. Thank you, jonathan.

P

All right, thank you. Yes, okay, so we have one more christy jorgensen good morning, christy.

C

Make sure you unmute christy.

Q

Hi good morning, good morning this week, I've been in contact with several other.

Q

Residents who share my concerns regarding the recent middle street bike lane survey.

Q

That was intended to be distributed to the city residents who live and work on middle street.

Q

Saber or as everyone knows, at seacoast area, bicycle riders group posted the survey and the qr.

Q

Code on their website, this survey was intended to survey the residents who live and work on middle.

Q

Street and not for this highly political group, it's very unfair and saber is literally carpet.

Q

Begging, the majority of its members do not even live here on middle street, so the survey is flawed.

Q

And it's biased and not representing a true picture of the residents who live and work here. 24.

Q

7. sabre also campaigned in october last year for citizen input on the cip again. Another attempt to.

Q

Revamp this bike link project as posted on their website. I bet the majority of the residents aren't.

Q

Aware about filling out the cip citizen request form. Well, you can bet that's exactly what sabre.

Q

Members did and blasted it on their website, and so here we are again in front of the pts committee.

Q

Wasting taxpayers time and money, and um and as we um if this thing moves forward again, just a.

Q

Reminder that the whole intent of the project was focused on students attending local schools.

Q

And not for this minority group, like sabra, who rally a diverse group of members that reside.

Q

Outside of the state of new hampshire, portsmouth and members who do not live or on or near middle.

Q

Street, I believe the intentions of the survey were very much appreciated by the residents, but it is.

Q

Seriously flawed and that it did not request street addresses and more specific information.

Q

To identify the actual residents and business owners who actually live and work on the street.

Q

In the theater streets, I'm asking the pts committee to throw out this survey.

Q

And replace it with a survey that identifies the resident names, addresses emails and phone numbers.

Q

Or else utilize, the direct mailing pulled by tax records to all property owners and residents who.

Q

Live on middle street and in the affected fight zone, the pts committee has held several public.

Q

Sessions in regards to the middle school fighting project and if members of this committee go back.

Q

And listen and read the majority: the majority, um the feedback from them during the citizens.

Q

You'll hear from them the majority that they don't want to see cars packed um parked back in.

Q

The streets again fall, it's blasted everywhere: increased noise and exhaust pollution traffic.

Q

Congestion and increased risk of accidents that we've already witnessed in front of our homes and.

Q

We want to bring back the street parking that was removed. I asked the pts committee please consider.

Q

The validity and fairness of this recent survey and I hope that members listen very carefully.

Q

To the residents who live and work on this street and consider their concerns, and not this minority.

Q

Group with their own self-serving agenda, thank you. Thank you, dress. Ask your address. Chrissy. Did you.

A

uh State your address for the record, did you say middle street correct? Yes, 774 middles! Thank you.

A

Got it? Thank you very much. Anyone else, ben, not in the waiting room, no okay,.

A

I think, with that, we'll close the public comment period move on to the next agenda item. We have no.

A

Site visits this month, so we're going to go on to new business item six. Eric are you going to.

A

Lead us on this. Yes, this is a request from the business. The connections peer support center.

H

At the corner of islington street and cass street, they are requesting a designated.

H

Handicapped parking spot on castry adjacent to their building that it could be used by their van.

H

As well as it would also be open to the public, there's no way to reserve it for just their use.

H

But it would be a handicapped spot about 30 feet back from the intersection with islington street.

E

Move to accept yeah, second, second, second, by harold, all those in favor, aye, aye, aye, aye, item 6b.

H

Yes, this is a request from a resident who was noticed at the crosswalk on state street at the.

H

African burial ground he's noticing that maybe vehicles are not yielding to pedestrians as much.

H

As they should be, we have been putting out one of those in-street weeble yields to pedestrian signs.

H

In past years, which has seemed to have worked well, it's taken down the winter months for snow plowing,.

H

But we'll be putting that up again. We can also monitor the situation with video cameras and see.

H

If vehicles are yielding or not to pedestrians, it's a location where I think pedestrians.

H

I mean drivers are looking at the traffic signal ahead of fleet street and sometimes not realizing.

H

Their pedestrians crossing at this location so we'll be putting the weeble out again very.

H

Shortly and then monitoring with a camera as the pedestrian volumes increase in the better weather.

H

So motion to refer to staff to monitor and report back to a future meeting. Second, all those in favor.

A

Of yes, harold, yeah reporting back, this is the summer's coming there is. That area is widely.

B

Used and very interesting and a lot of people come to the city just to view the african barrier.

B

So you know reporting back. I hope it's within reason. A recent amount of time. Okay,.

A

Eric can we try to maybe get a report back by may in the may meeting for the recommendation. Yeah.

H

Certainly help if we get some good weather, for you know, get the people out there to walk so.

H

Yeah, okay, 6c, no more snow. Oh we should vote. Oh I'm! Sorry! I'm sorry! All those in favor of.

A

Staff reporting back on their observations with a recommendation at the may meeting. Yes, all right.

A

Unanimous 6c, yes, this is a request that came in through the chairman.

H

To uh still receiving some concerns about the pedestrian signal operations at the intersection.

H

Of congress, maplewood, islington and middle uh with a change to have that was implemented, a.

H

Year or so ago, with pedestrians crossing the same time as traffic turning um there was. We.

H

Did do observations at this intersection. A year ago, we had a lot of video monitoring.

H

I think was over 80 hours of video monitoring. We didn't see any conflicts that were of concern.

H

But it's something that, as the traffic volumes are increasing now for the summer and traffic is back.

H

To normal pre-covered pandemic levels, we we can certainly continue to monitor this intersection to.

H

See if there are any conflicts, what we did notice is that vehicles are waiting for the pedestrians.

H

And then making their turn, which is how they should be making the turns, then we didn't see any.

H

Instances of vehicles cutting off pedestrians or you know, running running the red light to try to.

H

Get cut the pedestrians off so, but we certainly can continue to monitor the situation. I think.

A

Much like harold's comment on the last project, given the tourism season and the chairman.

A

Council bagley was very interested in this review as well. So we try to is. Is there any.

B

uh Standards from the state in reference to uh stenciling in in the crosswalk, please look up.

B

That's all I'm asking you know: they're not only there but uh fleet street and uh and and state and.

B

um I don't believe the state has any standards, but I mean it's something it could be stencil. Maybe.

H

Possibly in the in the crosswalk to alert you know, try to get people look up from their phone or yeah.

I

I don't think you can put it in the crosswalk, but you might be able to put it on the sidewalk.

A

Right on the advanced to the crosswalk- and we talked about that, they stencil uh the bicycle.

B

Path and call it a shadow in the vehicle lanes right along middle street in islington street.

B

And I was wondering why we can't do that in a crosswalk.

B

People are looking down looking at the computer, not paying attention it's it's, it's serious. It.

B

Really is so if we could have a motion to have the staff review that and possibly come back with an.

A

Idea for a motion to monitor and report back at a future meeting, but instead of future meeting.

G

30 days eric is that possible? Yes or next meeting yeah I mean the farther we go out.

H

The better date it will have because of higher volumes and pedestrians, but yeah they're longer.

E

If I could, I mean this is a something we've had in place for over a year. It's something that is.

E

State approved and it's used as kind of a standard now for for this type of pedestrian crosswalks.

E

um I I appreciate you know the the concerns that people raise, but it's something that I think.

E

Doesn't warrant um a lot more attention? um It's it's been working, fine! I I will support the motion.

E

To to go ahead and do it again, but what I would like to every time we revisit it kind of opens up.

E

And everybody thinks well, we could change it again, we could change it, and this is this- is working.

E

um There's no indication of it of it failing, and I just don't want to make people feel like.

E

Well because we're revisiting, we might do it again and then then this is continuous feeling.

E

That well, if we just keep talking about it, maybe we'll change it. um You know, if there's something.

E

There that shows that it's it's unsafe, you know we would. We would obviously want to adjust it. I.

E

Think having signage that say, look up, you know, but that's in part. That's a um an educational thing.

E

um But I I I don't disagree but the the the you know I'll support this motion, but I just want to.

E

Make a point that it's really you know we need to get closure to some of these things. We can't keep.

E

Revisiting it yeah well as a new member, I don't know the history of. Of course, it's in your head.

G

As part of your job, but as members we don't know the history so sure, maybe we can know.

G

The history before it's proposed or before can I make a friendly amendment to your motion. Mark.

D

Go ahead that we collect data for two months that we come back in june with a report.

D

On the data and a little bit of history to help to help newer members and folks don't maybe we should.

G

Start recording history because you're right peter, I I just in the short period of time I've been on.

G

This meeting things keep coming up, they already came up and then you ask yourself why well why.

G

Is because the public wants to keep bringing it up at what point do you say no or what point do.

G

You say: we've got to do something about it and just move on. I mean it's easy enough to point.

E

To the past actions of the committee right and and have somebody go back and look at the minutes more.

E

The videos of those past meetings yeah, so I I it's just one of those things because just to that end,.

E

It does take staff time, it does take resources and if it's already been discussed and reviewed.

E

And right you know voted on it's it's, not a good use of market. I think for fair enough.

A

We that can be part of the report back in and I accept the friendly amendment in two months. So.

A

Yeah second, um I have some. I I have a little bit of concern that we are continuing to add.

I

Deadlines to the staff report backs where I feel like a eric, has always been very.

I

Very prompt in those report backs so I feel like adding those deadlines, creates unnecessary kind.

I

Of constraints to the situation, whereas I feel like we have situations where we might.

I

Actually benefit from not getting the data in the next four weeks, because if the weather is.

I

Crummy for four weeks, we're not going to get good pedestrian activity and we're not going to have.

I

The information that we really need to understand what it's like on a vibrant, active pedestrian day.

I

And so I and further, I think it puts demands on his time that might not be best spent if something.

I

Urgent comes up, I I I don't. I would love to see something about the african burial ground or if.

I

We have concerns about this intersection. You know great, let's move on that as soon as we can, but.

I

There may be something more urgent that comes up and I I don't think it's necessary for us.

I

To add that constraint? Okay, that's that's my opinion, I think so so my thought would be as a.

G

Member would be is if the staff, whether it comes through peter or it comes to eric or karen, that.

G

The staff put on the agenda if there's urgency, you know, is it important? You know to act now.

G

You know might be before 30 days a special meeting. I don't know okay, so eric I'd like.

G

To have you and karen and peter at least the department heads come out with you know, urgencies.

G

And actually put it on the agenda. If it's really an urgent, then that's a whole different. That's a.

G

Staff decision- I don't think it goes through committee- does it peter if it's really urgent.

G

It's not going to if it's really a junior, it's just not going to go through the committee. You.

G

Know it might be brought up at the next meeting, so I agree with erica on the on the latitude.

G

And flexibility and the responsibility level that the staff has to do what they need to do.

G

You know to get whatever attention it needs for a very specific issue. Marylou did you have some.

A

Comments on this, no okay! No, so we have an emotion with a friendly amendment, uh all those and we had.

A

The second on the emotion, I believe, did we have a second, I threw the second out. You made the motion.

A

Okay, karen's painted so can we have a second then well, if, except my friend, someone else is going to.

A

Have to second it. Okay, all those in favor of the motion with the friendly amendment say: aye aye, aye,.

H

6D: okay, this next request came in from a resident is concerned about vehicle speeds on mckinley.

H

In the elman park, neighborhood, especially this intersection with harrison ave and garfield road.

H

And also watching observing students walking to the dondero school and we thought that possibly.

H

This could be an area for a four-way stop, as well as a crosswalk through the intersection, as.

H

You can see on the slide. It is a very complex geometry at this intersection. So it's a not a.

H

Cut and dried situation, where you put a four-way, stop or crosswalk this. I would recommend that we.

H

Monitor the situation maybe collect some data out there, turning movement, counts or speeds and see.

H

You know maybe of the camera where the pedestrian activity is, and that would.

H

Maybe help to inform some possible direction as to.

H

Whether or not we could do some improvements at this location, so that's my recommendation here.

H

Is to uh you know, report back a future meeting with some evaluation and recommendations. You know.

H

Trying to do this while school is still in session, uh moved by peter seconded by mark any comments.

A

All those yeah yeah, I got some comment. I think this summer would be a great opportunity because.

G

Elwin park is really busy in the summer time with bicycle and pedestrians.

G

It's also very active in the school year, so maybe a mix of of a may june study assuming.

G

June, you know june 14th kids will be out of school, so this is something that you.

G

Know maybe in the from may 1st, to whatever you decide, I'm just trying to mix in eric.

G

School year versus summer, I'm thinking that if there's a period of time, let's say between may.

G

15Th and june 15th, or something like that- that's your own professional discretion, but to measure.

G

Both there's an opportunity here to measure both so noted. All those in favor of the motion.

A

Thank you 6e mechanic street. Yes, this is a request that came in from a resident who's.

H

Been watching the how vehicles park in this area and thought, maybe it might work a little.

H

Bit better, if we could do angle parking in this area, we have a cross a sidewalk here.

H

That just leads into the side of a building so really doesn't get much pedestrian usage.

H

And it can be difficult, but the mechanic street is narrow here. So there's and you do have to keep.

H

Parking 30 feet from an intersection, so you can't get too close to the intersection with.

H

Pierce island road, at this point um so and and angle parking, does stick out into the street.

H

Longer so it's it's, we would need to take a closer look at this and see if angle parking would truly.

H

Provide any benefits, so we don't have a recommendation at this point except to take.

H

A closer look at it and and how it would affect that green space that property there, because you.

H

Would really need to get into that property in order to get the cars out of the travel lane.

D

Mr chairman, I'd move to refer this to staff for evaluation and report back move in seconded.

A

A

I would only ask that we look at the the net benefit of this from a fiscal.

A

Perspective too, if we're touching curving could be costly for minimal incremental improvement.

A

All those in favor aye, aye, okay on to old business, there's no other new business. That.

A

The staff wants to bring that's okay on to old business um item. Six. Excuse me: 7a.

A

The neighborhood uh parking pilot program, discussion, feedback.

A

Ben, do you want to leave lead us off on that certainly good morning for those attending in.

C

Person via zoom, the city and the park division appreciate the input received from the community.

C

On the npp pilot initiative, anecdotal experience does play a significant role in the process.

C

Determining overall success, given we've had a public session this morning and the link provided.

C

In the packet is connected to the public feedback received via email this morning,.

C

I will simply discuss the program's uh results purely from a data standpoint. The high points.

C

So aside from anecdotal data, there are two primary indicators as to whether a pilot of this type has.

C

Had the intended effect of reducing demand in the target, do you want to scroll the? Are you going off.

C

Tiles, I I will, but when I get to them so okay, so uh reduced demand uh is, is measured by comparing.

C

Pre and post launch parking occupancy percentages and would manifest itself to the lay person as.

C

More parking space is available when you happen to be looking for one of the two measures, the.

C

First looks at whether or not the parking demand within the target area was actually reduced as a.

C

Result of the program then, given that data set the second factor, would then be a before and.

C

After assessment of the demand seen in the target areas, adjacent parking alternatives.

C

Referred to this morning as spillover, just as in the target area, this is measured by looking.

C

At parking occupancy percentages in those areas, just quick recap: there are 640 overall passes.

C

Issued in this neighborhood, which is 255 percent of the available parking in the neighborhood, so.

C

The neighborhood itself, without outside influence, is upside down regarding demand versus supply.

C

There's a long-held belief that people working downtown shifts for portsmouth businesses were.

C

Contributing to the demand on the target neighborhood, the spring of 2021 came with.

C

Expectations for the city's continued emergence from coven making for a more normal summer.

C

Hiring season than the previous year during the 2021 spring hiring season, the division welcomed.

C

252 new participants to the downtown workforce parking program offered at the foundry garage.

C

In layman's terms, if new additions to this program were previously using the target neighborhood for.

C

Their daily parking, then removing them from the equation by welcoming them to the foundry, would.

C

Have logically coincided with a reduction in parking demand in the target neighborhood.

C

However, the target neighborhood occupancy rates did not reflect this trend remaining in the high 60 to.

C

Low 70 range, as shown in the red square, at the top left of this graph. In fact, we did not see.

C

A drop in demand in the target area until roughly three months in when the seasonal drop in overall.

C

Traffic and therefore parking demand was seen throughout much of the city. This does suggest.

C

That the downtown workforce was not a primary influence on availability of parking in the target.

C

Neighborhood, at the time of the launch of the pilot outside of downtown workers, it's possible.

C

That shoppers and out-of-town visitors might also be engaged in using the target neighborhood out of.

C

Previous habit, if it bears true that the downtown shoppers were parking in the npp, neighborhood and.

C

A program is launched to discourage this practice. Another metric to consider would be any measurable.

C

Increase in demand for the target neighborhoods immediately adjacent parking alternatives.

C

However, rather than see increased demand, the bridge lot transaction and peak occupancy.

C

Figures held steady after the npp pilot launched in the 130 percent range shown in the red square.

C

In this graph later, we see the typical shoulder season drop in demand in october, mirroring what.

C

Is shown in the mvp neighborhood occupancy rates? Similarly, the foundry garage peak occupancy is.

C

Also held steady in the month's post launch remaining in the low 40th percentile shown here.

C

Additionally, foundry has not seen the same shoulder season drop off an occupancy that we have.

C

Experienced in the npp pilot area and throughout much of portsmouth, this data, coupled with an.

C

Average length of stay of 8.43 hours at foundry further suggests that downtown workforce is making.

C

Use of the garage in large numbers concurrently, we have not experienced increased usage at the.

C

Masonic lot post launch, nor have I been made aware the division has not been made aware.

C

That we've received calls or complaints about rising occupancy rates in neighborhoods.

C

Immediately adjacent to the npp zone throughout the summer of 2020 spring of 21 and pre-launch.

C

2021 occupancy figures in the target neighborhood were consistently averaging in the high 60s.

C

To low 70s percentage-wise, typically in the parking industry, occupancy rates of 85 percent.

C

Or higher are where we begin to develop strategies to mitigate demand with programs of this type. The.

C

Largest impacts are generally seen early on as the execution of the enforcement process.

C

Encourages eligible users to participate and those not eligible are encouraged to seek alternatives.

C

This familiar title represents the first three months: data of the program before.

C

The shortage season began when we typically see reductions in demand throughout the city.

C

Through those first three months, the neighborhood did enjoy a cumulative 4.95.

C

Reduction in occupancy equivalent to 12.42 more spaces available on average throughout the day.

C

These are gains that can be directly attributed to the launch of the pilot on august 4th.

C

We should note, however, that the majority of these spaces were gained at the west end of the.

C

Neighborhood, where streets on the east remained very tight, but now had populations of vehicles.

C

Showing npp credentials collections from citation issuance are not anticipated to.

C

Be a major factor: should the program proceed so with an annual program cost of roughly 120 000.

C

A price point of 210 dollars per pass annually would be needed to reach relative break even.

I

Ben, oh sorry, am I allowed to. Certainly you had shown that the um occupancy in.

I

The neighborhood was pretty level until the shoulder season, but then that last tile with the.

I

Table you said those 12 spaces were directly tied to the npp program. First, three months.

I

Why those were before the shoulder season kicked in is that yesterday, okay, thanks.

G

Do you have a conclusion at this point or any a preliminary conclusion.

G

I had anticipated, I had anticipated seeing a surge in the foundry garage, but it looks.

C

Like we got that early on um from the downtown employee parking program, it looks like we have.

C

Solved some of that perceived or very real problem in 2017 to be honest of shift workers.

C

Using that neighborhood we did not see spillover when we closed the bridge lot. For, um for the.

C

Pop-Up, either that that traffic did directly go to foundry. So if we're not seeing spillover and the.

C

Overall, occupation of occupancy rates are not being reduced, then that would suggest.

C

That the folks, the of the 640 passes available in a neighborhood that has 251 spaces, that the.

C

Folks, largely using the neighborhood uh and including you know, folks, visiting businesses.

C

Are the folks that are that belong there or not? That are not necessarily folks that.

C

Are coming in from out of town or from and parking there and walking in to spend the day.

C

Or working shifts is there a deadline on the prior program? So that's a little bit fluid. I would I.

C

Would ask the city manager to opine on that, so we extended. Mr chairman, sorry, um we extended.

D

From the end of the six-month pilot, which was the beginning of february to the beginning of.

D

April, where we are today and beyond this point, we would we could administratively extend that.

D

If it were the will of the pts and the council to continue the pilot, or we could bring this forward.

D

We being pts for a recommendation at the april 18 council meeting, so we have. We have options. So it's.

D

We've gone beyond the six months and we're and the council knows we have because we mentioned.

D

It at a council meeting that we would administer. We would extend until such time as pts made a.

D

Recommendation back to council, so ben peter karen where's. How does the city staff feel about at this.

G

Point, that's funny you should ask so uh the city staff does not feel that um we should opine on.

D

A policy decision so as such, uh we would look to the the members of the board that are not.

D

City staff to to make that ultimate recommendation to the council. If, if I can speak for staff, but.

A

Before we bend, the second part here is a public survey feedback. We had some comments about the.

A

Survey, I know you revised it. Can you just give in a nutshell, a summary of the public feedback.

A

That we've received so the revision refers to the inability to move forward without giving an.

C

Answer that that was one once I've discovered that I reached out to the the conductor of the.

C

Survey and was corrected immediately, so that was a problem early on and was was immediately.

C

Fixed when we discovered it so uh if, if you run through the emails, there are lots and lots of them.

C

uh The um it's very difficult to categorize in in any any really feasible way. There's probably.

C

A hundred comments and and 98 different reasons why somebody might like or dislike the program.

C

um Depending on which way you look at things, it's, uh there are plenty of folks.

C

That think it's uh it's been helpful and and can then consider anecdotal experience.

C

I rely on data. There are also plenty of folks that that don't feel that it's necessary based on costs.

C

And other things like that so again, as as the city manager said, it's it's it's not for me to opine.

C

It's for me to execute and I'm more than happy to uh to continue to do so. If that's what's necessary,.

C

um But I I think the data is is what I I know. The data is what I always go by when.

C

I make my my recommendations and um the data has spoken fairly clearly here in this case.

D

Say that last sentence the date of one summary: what's your date, it's a split public opinion.

C

Pretty much yeah and and there's a link in this packet to for anybody that wants to go on and.

C

Read all of those, but they are in longhand and and very difficult to categorize. Any sort of.

C

Graph or anything like that, yeah other than other than a like or dislike, which is, I think, I'm just.

I

Struggling with the data a little bit because, on your slide, that shows the islington creek.

I

Parking occupancy graph things are, you know, the parking occupancy is varying by maybe two percent.

I

Up until I guess that last month is what you're looking at to get that five percent to get down.

I

I included october there, even though october is a shoulder season month, but so the september number.

I

That's where you're getting those that five, the four point: nine to get the 12 spaces well, you'd.

C

Have to go down to the 65.13, I believe, which is october, so I I kind of overlapped the data, a.

C

Little bit I wanted to to be fair to the program, so some of that drop in an occupancy in october.

C

Is due to the shoulder season beginning and some of that drop in occupancy, I wanted to make sure.

C

That, if it was attributed to the program that we were showed that as part of that data set march.

I

Historically, for parking demand in the city, you know we're: where does the shoulder season go back.

I

In the other direction, uh current years, not but uh we're already starting to see that ramp back.

C

Up and to have so this graph goes till february. Have we seen uh you know? Are we getting back up to.

I

In peak, I guess it's hard because we're not in peak months again to know if we're going.

I

To get back to that 70 percent or if we've leveled at 65., this gets to the question as.

C

As to whether or not the neighborhood is being utilized in a commercial fashion, yeah on a.

C

Long term state basis, so the drop-off in shoulder season in a residential neighborhood is typically.

C

Due to uh habits for those residents, they might go south to you know florida when it gets cold, they.

C

Might come back, then you see a surge a little bit come back for uh thanksgiving and christmas.

C

Time we had a very busy december, so it spiked up in december in all areas across the city, um so.

C

It that really just depends on on whether folks have alternatives where they don't like.

C

The cold weather, what happened? It is fairly common up here for folks to have you know a.

C

Place to be when it's cold, so do you see any difference between today and the next 90 days.

G

Any differences in numbers I think it'll ramp back up to the to the high 60s low 70s, where we've seen.

C

This neighborhood, if you look at the very first uh uh part of the graph there you're at 69.33, that's.

C

Actually, summer of 2020. yeah, so the summer 2020 compared to the summer, 2021 is uh 70.08 uh less.

C

69.33, so it's it's less than a percent difference over the over the course of the two summers: 40 50.

G

50, there is no consensus on this. My other question would be when it comes to the fee. Does that go.

G

To the fee committee, or is that stay with us uh procedurally director rice? Can you open on that.

E

This committee doesn't have the authority to set fees. Okay, all right, so we're not worrying about.

G

You know the money issue. I think that would be a council decision. Yes, um this issue is.

D

Brought up because of quality of life for the residents in that area, and it's hard to put.

D

A number a monetary number on that specific issue, but this seems like an expensive program to me.

D

For that specific neighborhood- and I don't know how it could translate to other neighborhoods.

D

In the city, I think the pilot has been effective in this period of time, extending it.

D

For maybe through the summer might be the way to do it, but this just seems like a high price for.

D

A small area of the city.

E

All right, yes, the committee can recommend they don't set fees, but they can recommend whether.

E

Fee is appropriate right right. Okay, okay, you know the staff has put tremendous amount of work in.

B

And the public knows about it and they appreciate it. I just want to say thank you. Thank you.

A

I I wanted to add that comment to ben and your team you've done an amazing amount of.

A

Data collection here um I I I feel personally that there's a consensus that there's been a marginal.

A

Benefit, but this is a big cost and I don't know if the benefit matches the cost. I think fundamentally.

A

The issue is, there's 251 spaces and there are 640 passes issued. So it's it's a supply and a demand.

A

And a convenience issue, I don't think something like this is practical without a fee to the permit.

A

I feel that there's also a cost to undo this program.

A

Minimal, but to undo it signage, everything is a cost and I'm very conscious of the policy issue.

A

That falls to the council and I'm conscious that our chairperson is not here today, so.

A

I possibly the best way forward is to allow an extension for a few more months.

A

So that we can get a more clear recommendation to the council about what our thoughts are on this I.

A

I don't I don't think 90 days we can do 30 or 60, but I think this has been going on andrew's.

G

Not here today, the chairman he's definitely going to weigh in on this. This is the first.

G

Time that I've heard about this decision-making because staff's not doing it, the members are.

G

So do we need 90 days, I'd have to say no, do we need 30 days? Yes, I mean it's just a question.

A

I think if we do an extension, it would be more of a 60ish day minimum thing and our role is to.

A

Make a recommendation in the end, and so um I don't know if anyone is willing to put forward a motion.

A

Any final thoughts from the city manager on this in terms of process with I know, opining.

A

Is a wonderful world word, I think, and I'll look to director rice to confirm this, that if it were the.

D

Wish of pts to administratively extend this. We could inform the council that that was going on.

D

Peter does that sound appropriate for a finite period of time period of time to give you know.

E

You want to give the council the opportunity to make a policy decision. You don't want to.

E

Make the policy decision for them by shutting it down, so I think extending it to allow the council.

E

The opportunity to make a decision, I think, would be appropriate steve. You agree on 60 days. I I.

A

Don't want to make the motions of the chair, but I I do feel that 60 days is a good number.

A

It gives enough time for at least one more meeting of our group, obviously ample council time.

A

And gets us back into the new normal and observations during that.

A

Although I'm conscious of how much time has been spent on doing observations,.

A

And also anyone who felt that the survey uh was limiting uh is the survey still active online.

C

I I would not think so. No, it is not. I um yeah. I do hesitate to make a decision in andrew's absence.

I

And I I feel like there's, I mean either way we're making a decision, but one is.

I

More conclusive and one, I guess, buys us a little bit of time. I would be curious to see what the.

I

um You know getting another month or two of data to not just waiting, but I think understanding.

I

If we're leveling out at 55, that's a lot different than leveling out at the upper 60s.

C

We're at mid mid 50s right now for march for march yeah, whether or not that's.

I

Information that we means that we carry through with this program or at least tells us information.

I

When we think about this in the future, I think that's important data to get so. I think a 60 day.

I

Is a good idea, I'm happy to make a motion? Yes, I move that we continue the neighborhood parking.

I

Program for 60 more days to allow a little bit more data and for city council to weigh in on the.

I

Decision second, can I help shape that? Does that mean pts and met? I think if we're respectful of.

D

A 60-day window does that mean in may the pts makes a decision that to to recommend something.

D

To council and then council has within that same 60-day window from now exactly that would be my.

A

That we have the program remain active for 60 days that yeah at our next meeting. We revisit this.

A

That gives the council a month to take. You know: executive action on how to dispose of the program.

A

Continue modify or terminate are the members going to have enough information to make a decision.

G

In 60 days or next month, you're going to have the data that you have.

D

um Ben is it possible to collect more data to bring to the may ptsd we're continuing.

C

To collect data now and make many calls, as you want to ask ben as many questions as possible.

A

I I just want to ask one final thing: sorry about the survey. Is it worth reactivating that.

A

For another 30, would there be any harm to that just turning it back. On quote.

A

Unquote, I think the folks that are affected uh one way or the other have probably spoken.

C

uh It's probably pretty easy to turn it back on. It's just standard online survey, so I just looked.

C

You guys to tell us what you'd like to see happen and we'll make it happen. I don't know enough about.

D

Survey collection to know that we'd be getting duplicate answers from from folks who want to.

C

Weigh in more, you know twice whether they're for or against 160 people took the survey yeah. That's.

D

A significant number adequate, it seems like a lot of people yeah or I mean that's pretty good.

C

Participation, it is so I think we have the motion then, on the floor. uh If I could clean it restate.

A

It for error it's to continue the program for 60 days, as is to have this on the agenda of our next.

A

Traffic safety committee meeting with a refresh of data, any new observations that the staff.

A

Is able to come up with and that will allow the chairman to bring forward a report to.

A

The council, we may have a recommendation or the chair may bring forward a recommendation.

A

Erica motion second, second mark harold: did you want to say anything else? Are you.

A

Ready to vote okay, all those in favor of that motion abstain, please. I would like to abstain.

A

All right, so item 7b suzanne drive cut through traffic. Yes, uh this issue has come up in the.

H

Past with the concerns from the neighborhood of traffic, uh especially in peak hours in the.

H

Afternoon on route 1, when traffic backs up on one vehicles cutting through the neighborhood to.

H

To save some time it was looked at past just looking at volumes in and out of the neighborhood.

H

And it didn't appear, there was much cut through, but we had a recent neighborhood meeting on the.

H

Sidewalk proposal in that neighborhood and this issue came up again, so we placed uh video cameras.

H

At the entrance and exit of the neighborhood, that's shown by those yellow circles and the.

H

We were able to watch video of vehicles coming in and then going out and able to match them up.

H

And uh tyler had some actual volume numbers here, but we did see some cut through traffic and tyler.

H

Could update us on that? What the numbers and percentages tyler we did. Thank you eric. So on.

R

A friday afternoon, which is when we expected the heaviest cut through traffic as traffic backs.

R

Up on route 1., we saw 15 cut throughs. Oh sorry, we saw 15 cut throughs in the hours of three to four.

R

11 cut throughs in the hours of four to five and seven in the hours of five to six.

R

This amounts to 44 52 and 47 percent of the traffic that turns left onto suzanne from.

R

Lafayette, yes, so that's 44 of the traffic from 3 to 4 pm is cut through traffic bumping up to 52.

R

Percent from four to five, that means that one of every two cars driving through this neighborhood.

R

Is a cut through traffic, so we also collected speed data at the middle portion of suzanne.

R

Where it is the straightest right there right before the bump, and we got an average speeds of.

R

17 miles per hour and 85th percentiles of 21 miles per hour, it is important to note that the speeds.

R

Were relatively similar in the both directions, indicating that cut through traffic is not moving.

R

At a significantly different speed than cars in the neighborhood.

R

We also noted, based on the time, stamps, that these speeds are consistent throughout the day.

R

Further indicating that cut through traffic is not traveling at a significantly different speed.

R

Than traffic already in the neighborhood, however, 52 percent of cut through traffic is a high number.

R

And we feel that it is something worth looking into um something that you like to do yeah. So it's.

H

It's it was the most cut through traffic. We saw was 15 vehicles in an hour. So that's you know one.

H

Car every four minutes, but you know when you only have what 30 total vehicles coming through. So it's.

H

Percentage-Wise, it's a large number, but the actual number is it's relatively small.

H

And the speeds were not an issue for this cut through traffic. It's just a an increase in traffic.

H

Cutting to the neighborhood, you know we have signs up. People ignore science they're just going to go.

H

Where they think is the quickest, and so when, when traffic on route one is backed up, it is quicker.

H

Do you have a recommended action at this point or just uh recommend the action if.

H

If we wanted to do something that would need to be a physical measure, I believe to keep traffic.

H

From cutting through make it physically slower to get through that neighborhood.

H

Whether that would be a diversion, a one-way street, a blockage, a you know, a speed, hump something a.

H

Physical, that would slow traffic down or redirect them through this. It's it's not a sign. It's a.

H

Significant one yeah signs have been out there and they're ignored. Have you guys figured out the.

I

Travel time difference to do that move. You know how much time are people saving, yeah.

H

Not during the the peak periods, but you know we when it's when there's no backup on route.

H

One it's it's equivalent time to get through the neighborhood or to stay on route one, but I'm sure.

H

It's faster to go through the neighborhood when traffic is backed up on route, one okay,.

I

Are the um in the neighborhood meeting there were complaints about cut through traffic.

I

Do you feel like they were concerned enough about the cut through traffic? To top I mean.

I

To actually make a difference with cut through traffic, I think you have to do something substantial, like you've talked about with a one-way pair or not a pair, but you know.

I

One-Way section or a diversion, or you know you can't get through particular ways. You have to take.

I

A longer way around, were they concerned enough about the cut through traffic to be willing to.

I

Tolerate something substantial yeah, that's a good question. I I was not at the meeting myself, so I.

H

I wouldn't be able to answer for the mood of the room, but so we will be having another report back.

E

Relative to the sidewalk project, we could report this information at that time and get you know.

E

Judge a get a temperature of the acceptance of doing something more significant are those new.

G

Sidewalks peter or just the rehab and the ones that are there, they're re rehabilitating uh the.

E

Existing sidewalks, um but we're not doing all the the first phases to do. Look at one side right so.

E

It's uh we're in the process of of selecting the right side to put it on this.

E

You know everybody wants them, but they don't want them in front of their in front of their house.

J

But they're there already, you know so it's like you already have them there. So.

G

Eric mckinley road has a cut through, but the ongoing neighborhood joke is that they have rye.

G

And newcastle permit stickers on their cars, so people have actually boldly followed.

G

People to their houses, but I think that's an extreme, so I would make a motion that.

E

Staff presented at the next meeting and report back, um you know if there's actions uh that we.

E

Need to program uh if it's a significant cost it'll have to be put into the cip.

E

um And you know we have traffic coming monies that have been identified, uh an ongoing manner.

E

This first year's monies are going to be for middle road, aldridge and.

E

Section last section of south street: so but we could, you know we could add it to the list of.

E

You know requests over time. So, okay, can I ask one more question: sorry to.

I

Get into the data a lot on this, but did you guys just collect data on friday afternoon or you just.

I

Sat, I mean, I know it's really time consuming to match vehicles. It is um or you know you look.

I

You report it back on three hours. Are those the only three hours we think that there's cut through.

I

I mean that there's only meaningful cut through is it three hours on friday afternoon.

I

Is it all week long, we did monitor you wanna yeah. If I will mr chair, um we did also monitor on a.

R

Tuesday, to give a more better represented representative date um from the same area.

R

Time period of three to six pm and we got an average of between 30 and 40 percent cut throughs.

R

So it is not just a friday at peak traffic hours, there was also significant cut through.

R

Yeah and then but background traffic is about the same at the same time, so we're looking at 15.

I

We know the volume the volume is lower. The volume is about five to seven cars per hour.

R

But the percentage wise is very similar, so we have a motion on the table. Do we have a second on that.

A

Second, that, second, um all those in favor of the motion- yes, hi, hi hi. Thank you um item d request.

A

For u-turn, prohibition, oh yeah, I think we skipped one there. Oh sorry, sorry, austin street. My apology.

H

So we've gone out in the field and looked at this situation, took some measurements and looked at.

H

State laws and city ordinances regarding parking and blocking of driveways and intersections and.

H

What this diagram up shows is that, uh from the crosswalk at the intersection with union street.

H

Back to the edge of the driveway at 274 is the total distance of 55 feet. It's not shown there, but.

H

The state law requires that there's no parking within 30 feet of a stop sign from the crosswalk.

H

30 feet back: there's no legal parking according to state law, so that leaves a 25-foot area.

H

Between that end of that blue line and the edge of the driveway to 274, where it is legal to park.

H

So certainly you can fit one car in there and when a car is parked there, the there is still a.

H

10-Foot traveling to get by um the roadway width is 17 feet. You know, on average the vehicle is.

H

About six and a half feet wide seven feet wide: you know on a wide vehicle, so it does leave.

H

A narrow, 10 foot travel lane to get through and depending on you know, the size of the vehicles.

H

Or they're turning it can be difficult yeah, but you know it's a tough situation, because if we.

H

Were to enforce everything by the letter of the law that leaves us just one legal.

H

Spot and that spot is right across the from the driveway for the people who have the concern.

H

You know there is a wiggle room of you know. Average car length is 17 18 feet long and there's.

H

A 25 foot area to park there, so there is a little bit of wiggle room on either end of that legal.

H

Area where the car could be located and that could help them uh getting in and out of their driveway.

H

So it's we don't have a recommendation at this point because if we were to recommend.

H

Going by letter of the law, it's not going to help anybody! It's it's going to formalize a parking.

H

Space right across the street from their driveway and it's a it's a challenging situation, because.

H

It's a very narrow street, similar to many narrow streets in the city, where parking you're, not.

H

Parking directly in front of someone's driveway, but you are making a challenge to get in and out.

H

Of their driveway by parking across the street from the driveway right, mr chair question: yes,.

G

Chief can t2 get through on that.

G

T2 is a fire, it'll be tight, but our trucks get through there. We actually use that street.

P

For training for driver training, okay, good to know in fairness I used to park, I lived on that.

G

Street just down for four years and my cars were parked on the street and we used it for.

G

Driver training so but yeah it can get through there incentive for the crew, it sure is, and for.

A

The record we did receive additional communication from uh the requested with some neighborhood.

A

I I'm a little bit concerned about the precedent here about if we were to do this city-wide.

A

We would be removing a lot of spaces public spaces from play, but I'm also sympathetic.

A

To the applicant.

G

Was this a scenario take away where, before the paving it had pain in the street.

G

And then, after the paving the the paint wasn't put back. No, no, it was.

G

It was a misunderstanding, then I think there was a triangle painted out there by.

H

Then it was removed, somebody it was, it was not done by the city. Somebody took it on.

E

Themselves to paint the triangle: oh all right, somebody went rogue.

H

We've looked at other options and considering you know.

H

Driveway width and driveway length can help someone maneuver in another driveway.

H

Limit is 24, so it would be possible to maybe widen their driveway or lengthen it or.

H

You know, but there's not a lot of physical changes that could be made out here on the street. The city.

H

Ordinances that you cannot block a driveway, but that means parking directly across the right way.

H

Right, you could drop the crosswalk move the parking space forward. I don't think that's a.

I

Great solution, no one question peter: when we have an outside contractor excavating and doing a job.

B

Do we have somebody on staff to monitor to make sure it's put back in the original position.

B

For original condition, um you know what I'm talking about yeah, it's a pavement. Yes, uh yes,.

E

They have an excavation permit and then it's it's um reviewed and checked after the after they're.

E

Done: yeah: okay, it's not going to be back to perfect condition because trenches are eliminating.

E

Our trenches, but they are required to make sure there's no settlement and that they crack seal. It.

A

Is there any action that the committee member would like to propose on this.

A

If this request were to be approved.

A

My concern that it be clear that this is not being approved as a precedent.

A

That it's a unique to the situation at hand.

G

It sounds like a variance well and if the sign was to be posted, it said, do not block.

H

Driveway or no parking, it would not be enforceable per city ordinances.

I

What do you mean it wouldn't be enforceable? Well, there's.

H

Not blocking a driveway is meant to be on the other side. On the other side right in front.

H

Of their driveway, but we could say no parking now holes, I mean basically yeah. Basically we're.

A

Saying no, the reality of the request is to make it a no parking zone yeah and that would do not.

A

Block and and that's an ordinance yep yes in order to make it no parking across from their driveway.

H

That would require an ordinance change right: approval from city council, steve you're, right.

G

You alluded to the fact that we did receive uh a butter support, we're one of those supporters. 274.

A

You know we received the letter, I don't know if it's every a butter or it's all the effect 74. It.

A

Says: they're supportive. They weren't supported. Oh okay, because 274 does have the off street parking.

G

I mean it's just.

G

Are they getting in and out of their driveway every day all day, but it's challenging or they.

G

Can't get out flat out, I can't get on my driveway if someone parks right there with that truck.

H

Yeah, I I that, according to them they're having a difficult time, I don't know.

H

How much and I think they alluded to the fact that in the wintertime with the snow banks, it's.

G

Even more difficult, the narrower street, so because, in effect, this would be a no parking zone, an.

A

Ordinance all we can do is make a recommendation to the council to approve that ordinance. Yes, I.

H

Mean if we recommend it, it could be implemented on a trial basis, and you know then, to see how it.

H

Works then the city council would have to approve it to make it, and if we make a recommendation that.

A

Might come with the caveat of being aware of a precedent that this is site specific.

H

It could open up the possibility of other people, have the same exact situation.

H

Right many other places in the city: significant loss of on-street spaces. Like we're talking, you.

A

Know x percentage not just a few but x. That's my big concern. I I'm, I think.

G

Peter knows this: by now the whole world does I'm not in favor of losing on street parking.

G

You know it's it's really hard to say. I'm sorry, you know you lived in a congested area and here I.

G

Have art and street parking you live there and you work there and to say that you can't park there.

G

Anymore, because I'm challenged on getting out of my driveway, I I you know, I just can't see it.

G

I mean if this voted today I'd say: keep the keep the street parking. The chief says he can get.

G

Through through with his apparatuses and emergency vehicles, you know it sounds more of a personal.

G

Issue and then to make a special concession to open up a window for any kind of ordinances.

G

And going to city council on this topic, I just can't see this going to city council.

A

I might might not suggest that a motion would be that we ensure that the setback state.

A

Setback from intersection is posted with signed and marked on pavement at 30 foot.

A

But we deny the remainder of the request as a compromise, uh mr chair, I I've.

E

The difficulty um of of doing that is there's many situations throughout the city.

E

That are in the same exact position and if we start doing it here, we will need to be doing.

E

It um at many other spots and we'll run into the same issue. The intersection intersection setbacks.

A

um You know signage and pavement marking are lacking in a lot of intersections. Yes,.

I

Because it's a state rule like we don't sign that you have to use your blink right, I mean there's. I.

I

Guess my motion would be suggesting that we do it at this intersection because of the issue.

A

That's been raised, but that we don't fulfill the complete request of the. I don't think the.

I

Person that submitted the request was looking for the 30-foot setback to be acknowledged. I think, if.

I

Anything they would see potentially see that as a slap in the face, because now we're forcing the.

I

Cars to be right in front of their driveway, so I would be reluctant to I. I would be reluctant to.

I

Take any action, I guess is where I come out. I I, I guess one basically, one motion could be to put it.

E

On you know this place yeah place it on file. Is that, instead of that's emotion, that's a motion.

A

Okay, harold has made a motion to take place this on file. Do we have a second mary lou? Second, I, like.

A

This uh vote of the committee yeah all those in favor of the motion place on file hi. That's.

A

U-Turn, prohibition, market street nobles island, yes, we've looked at.

H

This this intersection here on nobles island market street intersection with the recent.

H

Reconstruction of market street to provide a bike lane and take away one of the travel lanes. It has.

H

Made the ability to make a u-turn heading out of town, more difficult. We have a traffic camera.

H

That counts this intersection on a daily basis and we've seen on average about two.

H

Vehicles a day making this u-turn movement in the other direction you get about 10., isn't it.

D

D

I do that I forget where I'm going and then I over shoot and then I have to turn around.

D

That's my emotion, wow! That's a lot! Karen will be abstaining from all further discussion on this.

A

Item motion motion a place request on file. Sorry motion. Second, second, all those in favor, aye, aye.

A

Rrfb request the this is the crosswalk that was recently painted on south street in broad street.

H

uh We were monitoring the traffic, the pedestrian traffic at this location on a recent.

H

Good weather day- and we counted you know a good number of pedestrians here using it.

H

And actually two-thirds of the pedestrians were traveling along broad street, so they.

H

Weren't traveling up towards the south and in middle middler intersection, but rather.

H

Continuing along broad street and what I was particularly concerned about watching the traffic.

H

Was how often the cube from the traffic signal was coming up and blocking that crosswalk.

H

And it did happen a couple of times, but at that time there wasn't any pedestrian activity so.

H

I'm thinking as we really to continue to monitor the situation as traffic volumes increase and.

H

The better weather comes, we may see more of this conflict to that location, with a crosswalk being.

H

Blocked by traffic and pedestrians walking out from behind a vehicle stopped in traffic.

G

Motion to refer to staff to continue monitoring during warmer weather at staff deems the amount.

G

Of time as staff themes necessary, okay, we have a motion. We have a second second mary lou. The second.

A

All those mr awesome, um the origins of this request was from from me um the concern I had.

E

Was we have a section of sidewalk that is really heaved by roots, and I was hoping to be able to get.

E

You know the additional safety which you know it. I guess it's not necessarily warranted based.

E

On the review at this point, but I would like to be able to make the decision to move forward to.

E

Remove that section of sidewalk uh and say that we, you know, we have reviewed it and we.

E

Are cognizant um that we've taken away a section of sidewalk right now? It's a very.

E

Dangerous trip hazard section of the sidewalk, it's you know, literally heaved up.

E

um Feet um in spots, um so I guess I'll support the motion to continue on, but I would like.

E

As a follow-up, after that to just get a sense from the committee, if they're accepting of removal that.

E

Section sidewalk: until such time we can either get additional right-of-way or the trees are.

E

Removed, well, that's been a hazard for a long is it would that be deemed a hazard by you guys, but it's.

G

Absolutely it's definitely all right, so that's not even a decision that we have to make that's just.

G

A that's a that's a that's a public works decision. It is but at the same time it's a section sidewalk.

E

That um you know we don't remove sidewalk lightly and we want to make sure that the committee is.

E

Comfortable with that decision, okay, so remove. The motion is to remove the sidewalk due to hazard.

E

Well, this first, the motion was the rrfp, so this would be a separate and it really doesn't need.

E

To be a motion, and just the consensus of the committee would probably be acceptable. So, let's.

E

Continue monitoring to under to acknowledge that public works may need to remove the section of.

A

Sidewalk, that is currently a safety hazard, correct and defer on the rrfp evaluation. Has the motion.

B

Been seconded it has it's been kind of messily amended there, but friendly amendment in there.

A

Somewhere, karen peter, are you wanting to a motion today to get to remove that section of sidewalk or.

I

Are you wanting to wait until the rfb question is resolved to move forward on the sidewalk.

E

I would like to I don't know if the you know, I don't believe the.

E

Rrfb question really impacts. You know, based on the review, um we don't believe it's it's.

E

There needs to be more data to justify the rfp, but there isn't an indication that there's a.

E

Huge risk in that without having it right, correct, correct interpretation error so is there? Is there.

G

Two motions here then, or is there a friendly motion thrown in maybe let's focus on the.

I

Rfb first yeah, so the motion to continue studying that it's been seconded. That's insane can we vote.

G

Now the motion based on the sidewalk is yeah is the motion to replace that it's acceptable.

E

To remove that section, we had an on-site and I never realized. There was a sidewalk issue.

B

It wasn't brought up in on-site by this the heaving the sidewalk evening yeah. I I thought we.

E

Were very clear, the the reasoning for the request originally, if it didn't get conveyed to you.

E

Appropriately, I mean I apologize, but it was always that reason was that was the okay yeah was the.

B

Direction, I first thought it was a raised pavement coming down broad street. That's what I thought it.

B

Was going to be? Oh? No, no! No! Okay! Nope! I have to admit I was not with the group at the sidewalk. I.

A

Looked at it myself separately, but mary lou, I just had a question: what happens with that.

D

Section of sidewalks does the entire section section: that's removed yep from south street.

E

Okay, so it's really not possible in certain months you wouldn't be able to use that sidewalk. You.

D

Probably, wouldn't there would be no sidewalk yeah yeah, I think it wouldn't be a sidewalk right. The.

G

Whole envision was a was a baby stroller going over the going over because the trees. So then.

D

We'll have more people crossing. Probably I brought up the taboo question to peter. Can you grind the.

G

Roots down- and that was just so back to the task at hand here we have uh do you really want to.

A

Motion on this, or do you just want to sense the committee that we understand just a sense of the.

A

Committee is fine. I think you've got that right. Yeah is everyone content with that? Okay, all right.

A

Okay, item f little harbor road- this is uh did some speed monitoring that was done as an update.

H

From last summer and tyler's here to present the results of the speed monitoring, so yes week up.

R

At this map here we have speed data from summer of 2021 and january of 2022.. As you can see, the.

R

Speed data is average and then the 85th percentile speeds at various points along little harbor road.

R

It is important to note that the um summer and september early fall speeds.

R

Are noticeably lower than the speeds that were recorded in january? We feel that that is.

R

Due in large part, due to the resurfacing of the road which has now made it smooth.

R

As well as the reduction in pedestrian activity, which helps to naturally slow down drivers,.

R

So we feel that it will be worthwhile to continue to monitor speeds this summer now.

R

That we have both new smooth pavement and the introduction of pedestrians in the summer months.

I

What is this road signed out? Is it posted it's not posted, but by state law? It's 30 miles an hour.

G

And there's a very large increase because of the.

G

You know the end: what's the one worth, oh, that the school is changing, yeah there'll be a lot.

G

More traffic so motion is to mark you want to make that motion then. Do you want to support the.

A

Staff motion to uh monitor speeds during warmer weather, a second, if he's moving, I'm secondary.

A

Mark is supporting that right, you're making that motion the motion. Okay,.

A

And erica seconded all those in favor good side hi. Thank you. I'm gonna have to excuse myself.

A

Okay, we're running a little late today, but we've got a few. I have a doc appointment. Okay, a few.

A

uh Final items to go through all right see a nice scene. Talk to you later under item eight eight, a.

A

Informational on um raine's avenue, vaughn street. Yes, we will be having a public meeting to discuss.

H

The proposed one-way flow on rains and lawn that public meeting will be on april 19th.

H

At 6 30 p.m. At the ac hotel, they've generously agreed to host the meeting for us.

H

So we've published notice online we've also handed out flyers to the abutters.

H

In the neighborhood, let them know of this public meeting. That's coming up on april 19th.

A

Excellent, we have already discussed b we're on to c speed limit subcommittee work. We have a few.

A

Slides to update the group on and uh tyler will walk us through the slides tyler busy. Today, okay,.

R

Exercising so we have met, I believe, twice uh steve, erica and eric, and I to discuss the speed limit.

R

Subcommittee, we have a few small updates to bring next slide please so first, we want to just go over.

R

Some terminology chapter seven, is the city code of ownings. These are vehicles, traffic and parking.

R

And is where we find the um legal speed limits, as recorded by the city state law, rsa, 265, 60.. First.

R

Off the basic rule is that vehicles shall not travel faster than is reasonable and prudent for.

R

Current conditions irregardless of signage, however, the default state speed limit for business and.

R

Urban residences in the state of new hampshire is 30 miles an hour as per rsa 265 63 limits may be.

R

Lowered to no less than 25 miles per hour on the basis of an engineering or traffic investigation.

R

The posted limit is fairly straightforward. Is the speed limit signs that are posted in the road it.

R

Is important to note that speed limits are not required to be posted, however, if they are not.

R

Posted they default to the stake standard of 30 miles per hour slide. Please, up to this point. We.

R

Have created an excel sheet which can change every city street a posted limit? If it has one.

R

That it has in chapter seven if it has one its compliance with state statute and.

R

The target speed based on the 2017 complete streets, design guidelines next slide. Please.

R

As we were saying the 2017 complete streets, design guidelines, they set a target speed for each.

R

Classification of roadway in the city now this is not a legal rule or regulation or standard. This.

R

Is just a target speed for each type of road, and this is these numbers were put forth in the 2017.

R

Design guidelines and they are subject to evaluation for unique street settings. We obviously.

R

Understand that not every primary connector is the same in terms of traffic form function, every.

R

Primary connector should be at 30 miles per hour if 30 miles per hour is appropriate for a primary.

R

Connector we will be reviewing these target speed, design, target speeds and recommending.

R

Any changes that we see fit, including implementing a range of speeds, say for neighborhood connector.

R

55 to 30 is appropriate, given the specific road. We do not feel that a hard fast.

R

Target speed is appropriate for all streets within a given category next slide. Please.

R

So a few statistics there are approximately 100 city streets that differ from state statute. These.

R

Are streets that have speed limits lower than 25 miles per hour? These are all the 20s and the.

R

15S that are, you see, posted around the city. These do not meet the current state statue.

R

There are approximately 55 city streets with discrepancies between chapter 7 and the posted.

R

Speed limit: this is a instance where maybe the street is posted at 30, but it is listed at 25 in.

R

Chapter 7, or vice versa. This is something that you need to take a look at, get that straightened out.

R

And there are also about 250 city streets that are not listed in chapter 7.

R

Which inherently is not an issue that just means that those streets default to 30 miles per hour.

R

However, the issue arises when that default of 30 miles an hour is not appropriate for.

R

That given street this is the instance with many streets that we, as a committee, have heard about.

R

Fairly, frequently, cities that are not listed in chapter 7 and default to 30.

R

And many people feel that that 30 default is not appropriate, so moving forward next slide. Please.

R

We have been reviewing the complete streets target guidelines and trying to work through that and.

R

Come up with numbers potentially a range that is more appropriate, but we do want to open this.

R

Up to any committee members participation, we meet the caliber meeting a couple of times before the.

R

Next meeting um we have several things to focus on. We need to review the complete streets target.

R

Guidelines we need to talk about potentially bringing speed limits into compliance with state.

R

Law and we need to work on matching chapter, seven limits to the posted. So at this point, steve ericka.

R

And eric I'm sure you have more to add. I I just wanted to give a thank you to that was excellent.

A

And I wanted to say for the community watching and for some of the people that spoke this morning.

A

There's this tension between doing it comprehensively and addressing streets that.

A

Are of an individual or groups concerned that they feel they've been asking this for many months and.

A

I think, as a committee, the council would prefer that we do this comprehensively and identify.

A

All of the areas and try to look at the city holistically compliance with state law is a very.

A

Good thing we should be complying with state law, but we also have a lot of instances where.

A

We have streets that are either falling through the cracks or silent and no one's happy with.

A

The default speed limit, that's an ordinance, so we're trying to kind of balance, holistic.

A

Comprehensive with we know there are some streets that people are unhappy with, so our working group.

A

Continues to meet any of the committee members to want to participate in those work sessions.

A

We're happy happy to have you do so erica. Did you, I think, that's good. I think.

I

We're trying really hard to focus on this as a policy question and I think that's why.

I

We're approaching it in this comprehensive way. We are trying to break it up into.

I

Kind of these subcategories, so it isn't some big overwhelming comprehensive way, so it isn't 450.

I

Roads all at once, so that we can try and make some progress quickly on on some of the pain points.

I

And I did want to kind of reiterate what tyler was saying about the complete streets guidelines.

I

Those are, you know, it's target speeds. He said this, but I think it's just important to note that.

I

If a road doesn't align with the target speeds, that's not necessarily a problem. It's.

I

It's meant to have flexibility to it, but we do want to make sure that.

I

What is in, there aligns with what we think is best for the city.

A

Eric did you want to add anything or yeah? I think it's just.

H

We have a lot of work to do and we're looking for some direction. I think from the committee as to.

H

What we should tackle first- and you know where we should focus our efforts on it's it. It's a lot to.

H

Looking for a first bite out of the big plate, so obviously it's mister for me.

E

Obviously, there's a vocal uh group along the middle road corridor.

E

That have been advocating for adjustments, uh so I would, I would think, if we could expedite that.

E

Portion of the review, so we could come back with a response in in you know, in a timely manner. I would.

E

Probably want to try to do that in coordination with the traffic calming pilot that we did last.

E

Year and if there's any recommendations coming out of that, because you know as.

E

We know just putting a speed limit sign. Speed limit sign up, doesn't stop people from speeding.

E

So you know there are treatments that we could try again, um you know, extend the pilot effort.

E

um I'm not sure you know eric whether you've had a chance to think about it.

E

More and I know we had collected some data based on what we did last year, so it might be worth.

E

Digesting that a little bit- and you know if there's something there- that.

E

Could be done to you know to actually get physical change so that we get some.

E

Reduction in speed, I think that would be you know equally as appreciated as putting a sign up.

A

Okay, so we're going to shoot for another meeting within two weeks. Another work session, I should say.

A

And if any of the committee members want to join us in that just reach out to eric and uh yeah, we.

E

Just need to be cognizant of not reaching a quorum, yes, because if it's a quorum, it has to thank you.

D

Right, good, any other input. Yes, it'll, be publicized, because I I don't have a computer. So there's no.

B

Email to me, and and so it's not a public, it's not a public meeting. It's a working group.

E

So if you're interested in attending you just you know, let eric know okay, but I already think there.

D

Are two members of pts on there, so we would have to notice a quorum if other members attend correct.

D

Right well, quorum, I believe, um is, is more than that, because at nine this is nice. Thank you.

A

Thank you. Thank you, tyler good job, um very good, eight d. We're going to accelerate now 80.

A

Near the home stretch, this is an update that the city council did approve.

H

The action by pts to implement the time movement changes to the loading zone.

C

So yeah, this is just an update for uh what we talked about back in november this and the next.

C

Item uh we're approved via the minutes, so we've we've put a map up uh there's a much.

C

Better version of this professionally done, this is my map that I was able to do before the for.

C

The meeting deadline, but this basically tries to outline the different types of zones that we have.

C

The city had a number of different types of zones already. This is just representing when you would.

C

Be able to park after hours, so we have received some public feedback and I do want to uh have the.

C

Folks, rest assured that we'll be throughout the summer we'll be monitoring these, just as we did.

C

uh When we came up with these recommendations uh with scout cameras and and looking at the data to.

C

See if uh if there are conflicts between parking and necessary deliveries, so I want to try to.

C

Help folks understand that this is a pilot and we will be able to uh adjust it as as the data.

C

Shows we need to green. Thank you. It's nice to see that come through the council, so this d and e or.

A

um Well, did you know you want to go back to e? Well he's right here, it's just it's! It was done in the.

C

Same meeting this is the three spaces at market street and russell this map. I should have put a.

C

Little bit further out, but it's the last three spaces before you would turn right onto russell.

C

uh We've gone ahead and made those zone b and monetize them because uh it made sense to do so in.

C

In the area and uh to try and for folks that want to use the park to have to ensure that the spaces.

C

Were open uh that they were pretty much full all the time before so great. Thank you. Okay item f,.

A

Accident report from police in february we had 54 total crashes that includes uh property damage and.

G

Personal injury, 29 of those 54 were reportable and that damage in excess of a thousand dollars year.

G

Relatively low numbers for february, that's a good thing. We did have a little bit of weather, which slowed things down too. It also slowed the traffic down.

A

Any questions on the report. No thank you. Final item.

H

This is the bike data yeah. This is bicycle data from our uh continuous count station at the.

H

Intersection of lafayette and south uh you know, chose bicycles activity with the warmer months now.

H

Is picking up again, so it's uh we're continuing to monitor this to see how bicycle usage is along.

H

The middle street lafayette corridor with our ongoing bicycle bike, lane study effort.

A

Any questions for eric on the bike theater, mr chairman, hacking chairman. I move away again.

B

Mr, mr chairman, we have one small bit of miscellaneous. If I may uh we're reorganizing.

P

Our committee assignments internally and I'd like to introduce assistant chief, william mcquillen,.

G

Who will, as of next month, be uh taking this committee over yeah? Okay, though excellent? All.

A

Right come in. Thank you. Welcome william, just take a quick moment to acknowledge the the efforts from.

E

The chief over the over the you know the duration of of tenure. Here I truly appreciate your input.

E

Thanks chief, thank you. Thank you. We have a motion to adjourn as a seconded.

A

Seconded all those in favor aye aye. Thank you. Thank you. Everyone have a good day.