City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Parking and Traffic Safety Committee, 6 Jan 2022

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From YouTube: 1.6.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

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1.6.2022 Parking and Traffic Safety Committee

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To the january 6 meeting of the parking and traffic safety committee, I'm city manager, karen.

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Connard filling in as temporary, underline the word temporary chair until such time as we have.

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A council representative, so first thing we'll do is uh have the call to order, and I will read.

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Roll mary lou mckel wayne, I believe, you're on zoom, yes good morning, steve pesci. I also believe.

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You're on zoom, yes good morning good morning, mark syracusa president harold whitehouse. Yes,.

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Thank you erica wygonic, here uh police captain mike maloney, dear fire chief todd germain here.

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Public works director, peter rice here and city manager, karen connard is here. Thank you. Everybody.

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First up is the financial report and we'll hear from ben fletcher good morning ben good morning.

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Let me go ahead and everybody looks at me. This is a little bit delayed. So hang on a second yeah.

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I should mention for folks watching at home we're working with a hot spot for internet and there may.

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Be a minute or so delay as we transition okay. So here's the financial report, uh the the good news.

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Is we're at 53 of our budget on the year and we're only expended 41.67 of the year so far, uh so it.

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Looks like we're doing better than our budgeted goals uh in almost every category and we're and.

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We're pretty much right on with the one that is lagging behind so having a good year so far,.

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Great, do we have any questions about the financial report? Madam chairman, I uh I moved the.

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uh Financial report to and beep already presented great thank you so moved and do we have a second.

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Second, great uh any discussion, all in favor aye thank.

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Thank you next on our agenda is public comment. If you'd like to make a public comment, kindly.

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um Come up to the microphone and uh let us know what you're thinking about is anyone here.

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Present wish to participate in public comment. Come on up give us your name kindly and your address.

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My name is: lenore weiss, bronson, 828, woodbury, avenue, portsmouth.

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Can you please pull the microphone over here? I'm sorry.

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Lenore l-e-n-o-r-e, oh yeah, and I've good one last name is a double name: weiss w-e-I-s-s.

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Bronson b-r-o-n-s-o-n good morning good morning.

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I'm here uh regarding the request of our neighborhood, the frank jones farm neighborhood,.

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Two for uh traffic calming measures to be taken; um steps to be taken in our neighborhood on and.

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Adjacent to woodbury avenue- and these are long-standing the first time I think I came.

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Was probably 1995.? um Excuse me, I just ran here so again um and over the years our neighborhood group.

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Has had uh many meetings regarding the problems on woodbury and, um and they were many.

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Kevin, if you could hear the feedback, if thank you, go ahead, lenore, um yeah and so.

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We have requests of the city multiple times that stop signs and speed bumps or humps, such as those.

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On maple would now be installed through along woodbury, and I'm not sure. I was told that the.

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Request that we submitted for a cip was reviewed by all of you and.

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Put on file or not, or you had chosen not to deal with it at this point and um it's difficult for.

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Us to think in terms of it being too soon to deal with what's go. uh Have you know what needs to be.

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Addressed on woodbury avenue, I'll just give you a few. um I can give you a copy of our request.

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If you don't have it, but um just to tell you a bit of what it's been like to live there since 1986.

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I understood when I moved there that there would be traffic. There was traffic when I was there and.

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15 years ago there was a traffic count of 57 000 plus vehicles per week coming down woodbury from.

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That would be from same rite aid to bartlett and there is no need or no requirement to stop between.

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The light at garnet granite street, which is rite aid all the way to the stop sign on bartlett.

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Which means which is approximately three quarters of a mile: it's the only place in.

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Portsmouth, especially in a residential area that this phenomenon has been allowed to to remain.

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Forth decades, and I'm not sure why? Because I came before this commission several times and one time.

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Ed smith- oh I'm sorry, ken smith, who who was on the board called me afterward after I.

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Talked as I am now and said, we've looked into it and, yes, something can be done with four stop signs.

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On woodbury avenue at various intervals, and but nothing ever came of it and he was no longer on.

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The board um shortly thereafter, so it was never followed up on. I guess, then I went another a.

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Few years ago, again- and actually I have there- I have the the persons who responded me from this.

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To me, uh by phone in this um committee, uh I still have the recordings because I thought it was.

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Important to keep them and the last one was from brad lowne who called and said yes, your statement.

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Was very compelling, uh we really are going to do something about this. We'll get back to you.

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Believe me, something will be done so um the other day just to back up a bit, and I could give you.

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Accounts of anecdotal accounts from the last 30 years of horrendous accidents on.

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And near accidents on woodbury avenue and they've really they've affected me personally, one of which.

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Was someone who came around the corner, a car that came around.

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The corner into farm lane in front of saint catherine's church, which is where I live,.

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And when I was walking out of my house carrying a small dog and the um vehicle.

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Took out well came came to a screeching halt after having taken out the stop sign.

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About 15 feet from me, if it and almost hitting the stone wall that was in front, that is in front of.

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My house, but he was headed directly from me, and he stopped right about as far as we are like this.

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Not even, and I just froze I couldn't I I really um he would have killed me and when I called.

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I got his license plate, he drove away, didn't speak to me. He could drive his car away. It was.

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Damaged submitted it for a police report, I know it was followed up on. It was found that.

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He lived in nottingham and so on, but nothing nothing was done. This stop sign was replaced.

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But I went to work that day and I had to teach and I actually could not. I was so shaken and.

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It's a culmination of various, for example, seeing a young man and his toddler pushing uh and a dog put.

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Going crossing it farm lane in woodbury towards saint catherine's church, someone coming up from 95.

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And stopping about this far away, he came to a screeching halt because it's an incline, you don't.

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See, there's there's nothing to indicate there's a um a crossing there except painting that fades a.

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Lot on the ground, so it wasn't seen and I'd and witnessing this kind of thing and no and seeing.

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um I mean there are so many examples. There was a car hit in front of me with an elderly couple and.

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And I was at my kitchen window, I look out onto forum lane. The car went flying literally off the.

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Ground into my neighbor's retaining wall and just started was stuck there rocking back and forth.

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Until the police came another time, a woman was walking elderly woman when the church was open for.

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Services was walking across the street in front of my house on the crosswalk, which again has no sign.

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There so and she was hit and was lying face down in the stripes there at saint catherine. She lived.

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As far as I know, another time, a woman backing out of her driveway on woodbury avenue into wood had.

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To back out was hit, she was in her 70s or so alice, and I went over. I was I felt responsible. I was.

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To visit her, I was the chair of the neighborhood and she was a good neighbor and I went over to see.

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Her and she was sitting on the side of her bed with two black eyes and very shaken and and she.

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Died a few months later, I don't know, I can't say it was because of that she she had been rather ill.

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Anyway, but it I've also picked up my neighbor's dog that was killed in front of my house.

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My dog was hit not killed. I I have more of these accounts and when I did mention to the.

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Police at one point that two people were killed on woodbury avenue. The officer said: oh, I can't.

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Believe that, and so I called my neighbor who had told me that and she lives down near edmond and.

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She gave me the names of the two people and one was a 16 year old boy closer to the new franklin.

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School holiday inn, but on woodbury and another more toward the commercial part of woodbury.

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The problem too, now is, with all of this incredible building. In portsmouth, we have more traffic.

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Obviously, and the new signage has now really very clearly coming up from route 1, the state signage.

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Funnels all of the traffic into our neighborhood on it says get you know right lane, woodbury avenue.

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It's not commercial woodbury they're, going to it's residential so, for example, just to give.

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You an example: if you wanted to get to home depot from you're coming up from rye, so you're at the.

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Entering the circle and you're looking at tordova and you decide I'd like to go to tj, maxx or whole.

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Foods or home depot, so you say oh they're, on woodbury avenue, so you get off. You come.

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Through our neighborhood and you go, you take four traffic lights to get there.

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If you were to stay on the circle and go straight as if you're going to dover, take brady drive.

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Go by the ford dealership, the various car dealerships, you would take stay on brady.

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Drive you would pass home depot, you would come up to um to applebee's on the right or left.

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Into whole foods, or straight ahead into marshalls, it's all right there and no traffic light.

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And it would take you practice approximately four minutes from the circle at most so traffic.

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Is actually being diverted into our residential neighborhood people are taking out of their way.

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Are taken out of their way if they're looking to go to commercial woodbury, which I assume they are.

E

It does none of it makes any sense, and it it the the problem, is people's lives are in danger um and.

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There are a lot of people who would um be here right now because of the time of day, and so.

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Forth, it's not always easy for people to come, but also because they've, just given up I'm exhausted.

E

I came here when I was in my 30s. You know I've been trying to get this problem resolved in a.

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Really rational way for years now and the city and I assume state, have come up with various piecemeal.

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Solutions we did get the sidewalks we're grateful for that on the one side, so people can walk, but I.

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Mean this morning, for example, people are waiting with their kids on the corner of farm and woodbury.

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For the bus and and other parts of woodbury too but and I and you know, they've been there.

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Maybe a few living there a few years, never seen, maybe seen any accidents. I've seen it all and I.

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See them standing there right where many of these accidents have occurred. Their lives are in danger.

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On my way here I saw three police or crossing guards in the south end crossing children.

E

None we have none of that, there's nothing there there's! No. I have to just tell you that there.

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Are 23 accesses and egresses off of woodbury between granite street and bartlett street.

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You pass new franklin school, you pass the up and the down ramps from 95, which some people.

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By mistake, drive up because of the signage being poor, it's just and the speeding and the.

E

You know you don't see people on woodbury avenue much now and nobody uses that new.

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Fancy crosswalk with the light on it. I never see anyone use it. Why? Because, first of all people.

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Don't want to be endangered by being on woodbury avenue, and this new crosswalk.

E

With the light thing goes from one person's house to another: it isn't even at a place where people.

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Normally cross it's not where the school bus stops. I just wish that that the.

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The people who lived there would be listened to. Finally, and you know, some have moved away.

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Because of it- um and you know- maybe I will too I don't know, but I just I when I saw when I.

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Heard at the planning board meeting that our our on pretty well thought out. Compilation of.

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Requests were um were just put aside because they're, not uh it's more important, to put.

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Sidewalks in ellen park and and paint more, you know bicycle path, lines throughout the city.

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And when I heard of all these other projects that took priority over this 250 homes, families of.

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People live in this neighborhood and are affected by this, and then we have to also see- and I'm I say.

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Congratulations to them. I don't know how they did it, but the people on echo a have got their.

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Street closed now I've lived here how long I've never seen a street clothes. They got this small.

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Street with the least amount of well, certainly less traffic than farm lane or edmond and some.

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Of the other streets and actually a curve in it, so it does slow the traffic down, not many residents.

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Live on it, I can't figure out what they did to get that closed, but whatever procedure they followed.

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I would like us to be permitted to follow the same procedure and I have to say- and it's probably not.

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Politically correct to say: well when I asked this the traffic engineer, why.

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We were being ignored and why we were always told that um you know it's not a priority or.

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Just sort of piecemeal things are done, he said. Well, you don't have political clout.

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The political clout that the people on echo had- I don't want political clout. I just want to live.

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In peace and to see my neighbors be able to live in peace and the people who come after me to.

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To live in peace, I really you know I I feel privileged to live in this city, but this is.

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This is an acute problem and if you don't deal with it, I say you collectively or the.

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City or the state or whoever is responsible, I'm going to the governor. I know it sounds crazy, but.

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I don't know where else I don't know where else to go. I was told, oh if you go to d.o.t they'll.

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Just send it right back to portsmouth and you'll and so it'll go in a cycle, and I said okay, then.

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You know it's a it's, a question of people's lives being directly affected by neglect and there's and.

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It's not an expensive, it's not a costly project. Stop signs! I looked up. I priced them. I wrote it.

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In what we put together here, they're, not that expensive, those humps that you put in they put.

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In maplewood, we can't just have one, because if you put one in this big stretch, people speed up to it.

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Go over it and speed away from it, there's a lot of speeding and then tailgating. So.

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I I mean, I don't know I'm just as you can see pretty frustrated and I thank you for.

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For your time- and um I just feel like I can't you know I've other I've had people neighbors.

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Say to me just give up they're not going to do it they're, not, and but I I look at the the um you.

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Know my computer all the letters that we've sent to the city and all the presentations we've made.

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It's almost laughable if it weren't sad. So I don't know if you can give me some direction about what.

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We can do that is concrete, that's not and not put us on file, please. We don't want to be put on file.

E

Anymore, no, no, why don't we do this we'll be glad to take your letter, mr director go ahead, so I I'm.

D

We've heard what you said and just to clarify this process of coming up with solutions started last.

D

Fall with the collection of data, there is a project in the cip that speaks to traffic calming.

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There are ideas that are being developed to move forward with this, the the the concern.

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That you've raised has been heard uh and it has not been ignored. um So I I didn't get it in our.

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Response, well, we we weren't, interacting with you directly we're interacting the committee.

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Received a concern and- and it takes time to develop solutions, so it is happening. So I can tell.

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You right now that process is underway right now and there are. There is funds identified in the cip.

D

For traffic calming efforts, so can I just ask why it wasn't on the list, then, at the planning board.

E

Meeting it wasn't specifically called out, it was a generic traffic calming. So it's it's. It's a series.

D

Of projects, there are a number of of streets that have been requesting traffic coming items, so these.

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Are things that fundings have been set aside for that you are in the process of being evaluated.

D

Stop signs have come before this committee a number of times in the past, and they have not.

D

uh Been deemed warranted based on on the design, standards and, and I know you've been frustrated by.

D

That but that has been the committee's decision in the past. Yes, but excuse me they did change.

A

They did say they don't want to do it during public comment. It was warranted.

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We're going to schedule a conversation about woodbury and other traffic calming projects as.

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We move along in the cip and understand what can be done in all of these places, so we will properly.

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Notice it in an upcoming agenda so that you'll know it'll be on the agenda and you can come and.

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Participate as a in a more full discussion, then so in the meantime, we'd be happy to take your letter.

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Okay, thank you. Well, you have it. I I assume you have it and you've already. I was told that you.

E

Put it on fire so we'll be happy to take it again. Thank you for being here linda. Thank you.

A

Is there anyone else who wishes to provide public comment either in person or on zoom.

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Do we have any hands kevin or ben? I have one hand on zoom go ahead. It's robin russo, good.

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Morning robin go ahead good morning, I support my neighbor from woodbury ave and hopefully you get.

F

To that finally she's, obviously in distress that neighborhood is in distress, I didn't know about.

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It until she just talked about it, so hopefully you guys resolve that and I'll support. Her situation.

F

I'm chiming in today um I sat in on the um sort of breakout committee with the uh with your group.

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On the pilot program at islington, creek I'd say more people during that meeting were supporting.

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The pilot program than not it seemed like a few newbies in town were not for some strange reason.

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But um I would say it was an overwhelming success as far as a pilot program, and there needs to be.

F

Some tweaks to it and that's fine, um but we at um the macintosh building, which is I live at 90 fleet,.

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Street, it's 80 90 fleet street want to be next in line for that resident. Permit parking program.

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55 congress street across from us 80 90 fleet street, the new building on court street, won't.

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Have enough parking next to the fire station rockingham doesn't have enough spaces and that.

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Isn't even taking into consideration the walk-ups around town over the shops and restaurants, so.

F

We need to be next in line. We are taking the brunt of the tourism. We've also paid taxes for two.

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Garages for to accommodate the restaurants um and shops, and now it's our turn, it's the resident's.

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Turn for a resident permit parking program. I have some ideas. You're welcome to call me. I'm.

F

Happy to go over that, but we had a meeting in our building this week and residents are getting on.

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Board, we know that that pilot program is ending in february and we are going to speak loud and clear.

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That we are next, so I'm putting that on the table for your consideration and we'll be.

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Back to speak to about it again, um if you have an update for me today, that would be helpful.

F

And um that's what I have to say. Oh one more point, can you have these meetings on a weekday.

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At 7 00 pm, when the public can actually attend them. Most people are working at eight o'clock.

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In the morning or in commute to their job and can't attend this session, so I'm requesting.

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These meetings be moved to a week night uh or a weekend, but probably a week night at seven, where.

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Most of these city meetings are held, so most people can attend them. Thank you great. Thank you.

A

Robin anyone else wish to provide public comment, see any hands nope not on not on zoom great we'll.

A

We'll move on to new business and first item under new business is a request for a crosswalk.

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With an rrfb just west of the intersection of islington street at vine, with a sample motion to.

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Ask staff to investigate usage in the springtime and report back. Does anyone want to speak to this.

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First, could I get a motion so moved? Second great staff: do you want to mention.

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Where this came from, this was a citizen request, uh somebody that likes to use the bike trail.

B

uh That is accessed in this area, so the the thought would be we'll have a better sense of.

A

How busy it is when it's correct, I would assume that there's a lot more traffic in the spring.

B

And summer than there than there would be now, if we did a an assessment of that area now we.

B

Probably would not find it would warrant a crossing okay. um Any further discussion.

A

Sounds like in order to vote we're going to take roll calls and everything so bear with me.

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The motion is to ask staff to investigate you should, in the springtime and report back mary lou mcelwain.

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How do you vote just hang on.

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I'll move on to folks who might be in the wrong mark syracusa. Yes, harold whitehouse, yes, eric.

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Oygonic, I don't think I get to vote. I think you're right uh police captain mike maloney, sorry erica.

G

Yes, fire chief todd jermaine. Yes, public works director rice, yes, uh mary lou mckellen. Can you.

A

Hear me yes great. Yes, I was muted. Thank you. That's okay, steve pesci, yes, and the chair votes. Yes,.

A

Thank you. Next item is request for no u-turn sign at market street extension and nobles island.

A

Staff, do you want to mention what's going on here? uh This was uh just another citizen.

B

Request uh the the picture on the screen shows where uh the u-turn signs would be located.

B

And I guess it's just up to us to discuss whether or not it's warranted.

H

Okay, there a motion or a discussion that anyone wants to propose. I guess I'm not quite clear on.

D

How bad a problem? How about a problem is this? You know I'm it's! It's really not something.

D

That I've ever had any complaints about, um and I just don't you know I'm not quite sure.

D

um If, at this time it's it's uh warranted, I I guess I would um you know I haven't had a.

D

Chance to to review the uh the metcd requirements from erica may or steve.

D

May know off the top of their heads when it's appropriate to put no u-turn signs in.

D

um But at this point I I would say we monitor um and and revisit if it's deemed a problem.

C

One question peter any part of that road state controlled: no, no, okay,.

B

So I can add that we do. We do have traffic counts, that we regularly take there. It's part.

B

Of the information we see at pts every month, so if there is a standard for u-turns on, you know.

B

Versus traffic count, we could we have that piece of data we could put up a camera and, and then.

B

Observe the number of u-turns that are taking place and see if it's necessary, I would recommend.

D

Staff uh research, this and report back yep does someone want to make that as emotional I'll give.

D

You this emotion, um do we have a new second herald? Yes, okay, discussion. Mark just is this.

I

You're talking outbound right going on marks your extension, correct, which we've all driven before.

I

And we all decided to say hey, I don't want to go down all the way down, and so what happens is.

I

Someone takes a left to go into noble island and then they go or they do the illegal turn. You know.

I

So yeah I mean I'll often go down to michael succi and then turn around and go back across yeah yeah.

J

Erica, I I think I don't think, there's a warrant for u-turns. I think it's more about a crash.

J

History, so I think that's the question if we are seeing a pattern of crashes here, that would be.

J

Aggravated by this or involve you turning vehicles that, I think that's the concern.

D

All right, well, I the the motion is to to you know: staff will investigate and we'll look at the crash.

D

History in second that, if you're gonna move okay great, um I guess a side note should I be voting.

J

Because we don't have a chair right now, are we down a person? I would say? Yes, we will gladly take.

A

You, as a voting member, I'm happy to vote yes to the correct preview. Okay, any further discussion.

A

Do you want me to read these chats? I don't know if they're they're relevant they're, the kind of.

B

Comments just like anybody making a comment: are they from the members? Are they from the members.

A

Okay, uh mary lou or steve: uh do you have any comments on this one, or are you ready for a vote.

K

Only a quick comment that um I I think unless there have been accidents there.

K

And as long as there is the engineering capacity for it, I would think we would want to maintain.

K

That flexibility, it is a protected left turn with the signal. So I look forward to the staff.

K

Report back, but I think, if possible, that's good flexibility to keep if it can be maintained safely.

A

Good, thank you all right, uh we'll take a roll call vote on this mary lou mckellen. Yes, I just wanted.

L

To comment that, I think it's time for um the city to study this further before we make a decision.

L

Great, I think that's really what peter was saying from the get-go correct. Thank you, steve pesci.

K

uh Yes, I approve of this study further study. Great thank you mark. Yes, harold whitehouse, yes, eric.

A

Oygonick, yes, captain maloney, yes, chief jermaine, yes, director, rice, yes and the chair votes. Yes,.

A

Item c request for a four-way stop sign at the intersection of state and union streets.

A

um Who would like to speak to this? uh This is another citizen request. uh They just believe.

B

That uh it would be beneficial to have a four-way stop here in the area pictured.

J

I moved staff studies it and lets us know. Second,.

A

Great, so the motion is for staff to study and report back. Is there any discussion on this.

A

Steve and mary lou have their hands up it's hard for me to turn around ben no okay, all right, we'll.

A

Take a roll call vote, mary lou mckellen, yes, steve pesci, yes, mark syracusa, harold whitehouse, yes,.

A

Eric oregonic, yes, captain maloney, yes, chief jermaine, yes, director, rice, yes and chair.

A

Bowtie, mr chairman, just one question please in reference to that, will there be a time limit? I.

C

Mean I'm talking about when the report back will come. That's a great question. Steph uh steph is a.

A

Little limited in the resource department so we'll we'll work to get that as expeditiously.

A

As possible would be yeah, so what we'll be doing? Is we we're working with a contracted.

D

Firm right now to provide engineering services, and this would require a warrant evaluation.

D

So we have to first, do you know some traffic counts um and see how met you know? So it's.

D

Going to take a while, harold, you know, yeah, I would say a few months a few months yep! Well all right.

A

Next, up is a request to add, led accent, lighting to the new stop signs that are on band field.

A

Road already, with a sample motion to approve the signage upgrade, could I get a motion in a.

A

Second, then, we could discuss uh so moved I'll. Second, thank you, um mr chairman,.

D

The the proposal was brought forward by um the department of public works.

D

Looking at the new stop signs along banfield road and some of the the crash history.

D

At these stop signs, uh the police have made it clear that there's a lack of awareness of folks.

D

Going down that section of roadway and we believe that the led perimeter lights on the stop signs.

D

Would help visibility and just make people more aware and help with that transition make sense.

A

Any other discussion, I would also add that the feedback from the police department is.

G

That these would um certainly be of benefit. um The officers are out there every day, stopping.

G

Cars and these people running the new stop signs that are clearly visible.

G

And they don't even know why they're being pulled over and and they're they're running the stop.

G

Signs in excess of 25 30 miles an hour: we've had a couple crashes out there, so this would. This would.

G

Help great- and there are a total of how many stop signs that would get this treatment. Peter.

A

Four, thank you. So actually, how do they work so sonar? No, they just have they're just digital.

D

uh Led lights that flash around the perimeter of the um stop sign. What provides the uh the power.

C

They're, solar yeah, they're, solar powered solar power, okay yeah all right there. We.

J

Go, I think, there's also an mutcd sign about new, uh like intersection control ahead or.

J

Something like that, that might be a good idea to put up temporarily to kind of alert people.

I

Hey mike I'm sorry, I'm done like are those when they put the stop something.

I

That says new: does your department feel that that's effective in working.

I

Or it says, stop sign, they'll see the word new on it. They're effective in working in the sense that.

G

It's a stop sign, that's visible in broad daylight or even under low light conditions with headlights.

G

People have driven that road for 20 30 years and they're just they're they're.

G

Not paying attention to them right, so um something like this to help draw their attention. I think.

I

Would be better so the word new isn't really working. I that's right in the instances that.

G

We've seen with people being stopped, you could put new old or anything on it and they're not going to.

G

They're not going to see it right. That was the point. So the point, the reason that news.

D

Put their mark is so that when people come up to it, they're like geez, I don't remember.

D

That being there and it's clear that this is new, that's the only reason it's there. Okay.

A

No there's not a traffic control element to it. It's just more information, so emotionally.

D

Mentally there are they're working, so it's helped me. Okay, there you go. I just didn't get in a crash.

J

Because of it, that's all I wanted to know one question, mary, lou or steve any comments from you.

K

I I just wanted to say I I support us introducing these led signs, both rrfb and the leds, but.

K

I do really want to encourage us to use them judiciously and to develop some threshold.

K

For their appropriate use, just because of the cost we know they're effective, but there's cost and.

K

You know we don't want to have hundreds of these all over town, I'm exaggerating, but I I encourage.

K

Them, but I I just want us to be judicious in where we use uh illuminated signs in general,.

D

Thank you steve, and, to that end we, you know we are. You know, thinking about that aspect and really.

D

It came down to um the police monitoring and that they showing that the the signs are being ignored.

D

And that there's has been a number of accidents um so that that was the justification in our mind,.

D

To add these, uh not just because it was a new and um great thing to do was just there was a.

D

Justification. Excellent. Thank you. Oh sorry, go ahead. I almost wonder if we could also use them.

J

Over a kind of medium term duration, you know if the issue is that people are just in the muscle.

J

Memory of not expecting to stop there, maybe we can deploy them for a year or two to kind of.

J

Retrain people that this is a stop sign and then potentially redeploy them somewhere else in the.

J

City, depending on what we're seeing in terms of crash history, I would argue against that.

D

In that, I would rather have, if we're going to do something temporary, have a separate temporary.

D

Signage, that's very clear that it's not the stop sign yeah. If you add it to the stop sign people.

D

Will get used to it and then something happens, they would say. Well you had that before I didn't.

D

Notice it because it wasn't there I'm flashing now, so I think that would be problematic point. Okay,.

A

um Let's take a roll call vote mary lou mckelway. uh I just have a comment before.

L

We do this, I had my hand up. Can everybody please put their microphones closer to them? I'm having.

L

A hard time hearing every comment. Sure we'll do. Can you do that? Please we all will do this.

L

Yeah erica she's beautiful, I think her problem is mask and yeah always louder. Mary lou.

J

Because I'm practically kissing mine all right, we'll do our we'll do our best on this end, so.

A

um We're going to take a roll call vote, mary lou. Yes, thank you, steve pesci, yes, mark syracusa,.

A

Harold whitehouse, yes, erica, yes, maloney, yes, chief jermaine, yes, director, rice, yes, chair of outside.

A

Under old business, we have confirmation of the formation of a subcommittee to study.

A

The portsmouth street inventory make speed limit recommendations. I believe this was.

A

Something that erica and steve were going to step up and help with.

A

As was discussed at the november 16th pts meeting, what's the best way to move forward with this item,.

L

A

Are we looking to confirm that this in fact will take place yeah yeah? My concern was that.

D

We felt like we kind of jammed this through with steve and erica, and then it wasn't necessarily.

D

Something that they volunteered directly to do, and we wanted to make it clear that that was something.

D

They were interested in participating in um you know. Obviously, staff will support them to to.

D

To provide whatever materials and and legwork, but if that's something that they're willing to do.

D

If not, you know, staff can go ahead and do the do the leg work and do the evaluation and come.

D

Back with recommendations, I'll propose a hybrid motion to that. Why doesn't staff come up with.

A

Something and run it by eric and steve to prep it for the committee. How do you feel about that.

J

Yeah, I think, that's fine, I'm definitely happy to participate support, whatever role you want me to.

J

Play I'm happy to play. You know, support this effort. I guess it would help um just thinking.

J

About kind of what our planet, I I don't know, do you want to put a plan together? Do it meet up.

J

It feels amazing put the plan together as yeah. I think the modified recommendation or or motion or.

D

Whatever we have on the table is appropriate that the staff will take the lead and we'll report back.

D

And then obviously it'll go before the whole committee as well. So steve, are you comfortable.

A

With that and yes, I'm happy to participate and look forward to working with the staff.

K

And and erica and whoever else might want to be involved, I think it's going to be a process.

K

I think you know we'll work together and develop some high level principles or.

K

Protocols and work downwards because it's going to be a big process and you know it's going to.

K

Be impossible to do everything at once, but I look forward to working with the team and.

K

Addressing some of the inconsistencies that we see yes, so why don't we do this at the point in.

A

Time staff has a draft for the subcommittee to review erica and steve can find out if they have.

A

Any volunteers to join them and we'll take it from there. Okay, so go ahead. Procedurally, um if and I'm.

D

Not sure- and I guess I'd have to look into this um if we call it a subcommittee whether it becomes.

D

A public meeting whether it has to be posted whether it has to be um you know my my thought,.

D

Is that you know, given the challenges associated with coordinating all things, it would be better to.

D

To start as a working group working group and then report to the committee in a public format, so that.

D

People have the opportunity to see what's been done and what's being recommended um and fulfill.

D

That public right to know aspect through that, not that we don't want to it's just there's a lot of.

D

Administratively, it would make yeah it would be hard to just like get the work done.

J

I agree peter, so how are you going to work, the karen? How are you going to work the motion? I.

A

Think the motion will be that staff will work to develop a draft uh portsmouth street inventory.

A

Share it with a working group that will then be uh the byproduct which comes to the full.

A

Council for consideration for the full committee for consideration people comfortable with that.

A

Yeah all right, that's my messy motion. Is there a second second great any discussion on that.

A

Mary lou are steve, you good. Yes, absolutely. Could I just add one comment sure um I did.

K

Notice uh that there are at least one possibly two bills being introduced in the legislature.

K

Regarding minimum speed limits, so I think part of our task will be to to follow that uh to keep tabs.

K

On that as well and the application for portsmouth great we'll mention that to uh jane ferrini who's.

A

Our assistant city attorney and legislative, yes watchdog. Thank you. uh Okay, we'll take a roll.

A

Call vote on that uh mary lou. Yes, steve! Yes, mark! Yes, harold, yes, erica, yes, cat maloney, yes, steve.

A

Jermaine, yes, director rice, yes, chair boats, I thank you. Next up under old business is a request for.

A

Rrfb at the intersection of south street and broad street, as discussed at the november 16th meeting.

A

With the sample motion for staff to place a traffic camera there in the spring of 2022 and.

A

Report back so this is really just informational. It was a topic that was brought up and there's no.

D

Motion needed for this no motion, I'd like to make a comment sure in reference to that uh at our last.

C

Meeting we talked about a blinking light at the condor abroad and south. You know, in my opinion, I.

C

Thought about it afterwards, in my opinion, blinking lights are not effective at all. Was there ever.

C

Any consideration of a raised pavement in that section coming out abroad to slow the traffic down.

C

Just I thought that's all. No, the the the issue was not so much speed going through the intersection.

D

Was more visibility of pedestrians going across the side crossing the street? Okay and a speed.

D

Table really would not address that concern. Okay, so that that is not, uh and the blinking light was.

D

Not on the table, it was, it was the rrfb. It was the two pedestrian actuated um setups with two.

D

Signs with the pedestrian actuated, I was mistaken all right. Thank you. Yup. Give me a second when we.

H

Put you up thanks for clearing that up peter. Thank you for the question harold.

A

Karen, I might add a comment I I I did go out and although I wasn't with the group, I think you had.

K

A site visit I did go out and look at that closely myself and I look forward to the staff report back.

K

But uh to me this, this falls in that category of judicious introduction of these electronic.

K

Sign enhancements, uh I I I I'll look forward to the staff results, but.

K

My first take on this was this is a pretty safe crosswalk with a.

K

Protracted signalized intersection a short block away so again the threshold issue, but okay.

A

Bear with me we're having a technical issue. Okay, thank you, steve uh next, up under informational.

A

Items cat maloney with the report from the police, uh if I may interject for just a second.

B

uh It was pointed out to me that the the november date at the top of this is correct.

B

But it's showing up in the october bar. Actually the number for october was 64.

B

So uh that'll be corrected, obviously in the next meeting, but uh the november number is correct at.

B

70 and uh and the captain can speak to it and just this point we will correct.

D

This and for the post, the presentation that gets posted online, correct, we'll correct it.

G

Yeah correct so uh 70 total crashes, 40 of those uh in the month of november, uh reportable crash.

G

Again is is a damage in excess of a thousand dollars property damage, so uh we're tracking.

G

Right around uh average, okay, any questions for the captain next step, jim, I go ahead. I don't.

C

Know if this would come under informational or miscellaneous, but I like to have it brought up.

C

In reference to stenciling in the crosswalk, I I brought it up twice in previous meetings.

C

You know I'm thinking about stenciling like a bicycle stencil on the roadway in middle street.

C

You know please look up. That's all I'm saying they're crossing at market at.

C

Congress and maple avenue and they're pushing the button and not even looking up and traffic, is.

C

Making a right-hand turn they're crossing at fleet and congress and they're not looking up they're.

C

Looking at the computer, you know I was wondering if that's allowed by the state statue to stencil.

C

In the crosswalk, please look up. That's all I'm saying because it's all over the city and they're.

C

Just too concerned about looking at their computer looking down pressing the button and not even.

C

Paying attention mr adressa yeah, chair, yeah, we'll we'll confirm, but based on past uh research,.

D

Crosswalks are very specific on what you can and can't do and adding additional things are not is.

D

Not permissive, so it's not even by the state. Is it it's? It's yeah, it's design. It's the mutcd.

D

Manual, uniform traffic control, yeah uh design, so it's it's very specific on what uh you should.

D

And shouldn't be doing with with crosswalks, so you know, I appreciate what you're saying, but.

D

You know it's really not appropriate uh to add additional uh information in a crosswalk.

C

So how do we educate the people, please? When you press that button for watch, please look.

C

Up now, you're talking about common sense at the computer yeah, you know jesus.

D

You can't legislate common sense. No, I don't we'd be in a different world. Let's, um let's.

A

Move on to bike and vehicular traffic data with um ben: do you want to speak to this sure? This is.

B

The data from market street at nobles, island and you'll see at the far right. That's our current.

B

Data, if you compare that december of last year, we're considerably higher, it looks like we're.

B

Closer to the 2019 numbers, which is indicative of what we're seeing on south street as well.

B

This information is from south and middle, and this was a comparison from 21 to 19.

B

Just to look past the coveteer and kind of see where we were pre-covered we'll have to.

B

Decide if we want to continue this graph going forward, obviously we're through with the year.

B

And uh and maybe come up with something else, that's uh that's more relevant in the future. Great.

A

All right any questions on that. If not, we will move on to item c, which is a presentation.

A

um From sebago tech sebago, I don't want to ruin the company's name. Come on up that'd, be great.

A

We have derek caldwell and we have tyler reese. Are you joining derek okay, great.

A

Derek good morning, good morning, thanks for joining us, thanks for having us.

A

Tell us the proper name of your company, so I don't botch it again, sebago technics. Thank you.

A

Just like the lake, all right so ben will run the slide deck. If you want to take us through.

A

The middle street of millerav and summer street traffic signal replacement project. Thank you.

M

So yup my name is derek caldwell, I'm a traffic engineer with sebago technics.

M

We're working as a consultant for the city on the redesign of this intersection.

M

With me, too, is brad lyon who's serving as the project manager for this.

M

So he might chime in after the presentation as well. If you want to jump to the next slide,.

M

So real quick: this is just the general purpose and need of the project.

M

The purpose is simply to modernize the existing traffic signal equipment and to increase mobility.

M

For all, including vehicles, pedestrians and bikes- and this is just demonstrated by.

M

The obvious age of the infrastructure and the ongoing maintenance issues that the city has.

M

Been having, as well as the infrastructure, just not being compliant with ada standards,.

M

Next slide so, as you all know, the intersection.

M

Is at middle street miller, avenue and summer middle street being route 1., I'm going to.

M

Refer to middle street as north and south and then miller and summer, east-west, not sure if.

M

That's how everybody else would, but for this presentation, that's how I'll be referring to it.

M

Next slide, so, as you all know, out there, it's a four-way signalized intersection right now.

M

It operates as what we call fixed time. There's no detection for vehicles at the intersection.

M

So the signal will run the same timings all day, regardless of vehicle demand. So one thing.

M

This project certainly will be doing, is installing some detection to make it more traffic, responsive.

M

uh There's existing pedestrian crossings on all approaches. The plan is to maintain.

M

All of those, and simply just upgrade the curb ramps, replace all the pedestrian infrastructure.

M

Currently, there's no separate bike facilities out there. There are some shadows painted on.

M

Middle street and as you see as you'll see when we walk through some of our concept designs at.

M

This point that there is an opportunity to potentially provide some more formal bicycle.

M

Facilities immediately at the intersection and finally, there's no emergency vehicle preemption.

M

Out there today, so the design will certainly be incorporating that equipment as we move forward.

M

Next, please, the next few slides are just a few images that we took this past summer out at the.

M

Intersection, this is just looking north on middle street, as you can see, there's a singular mast arm.

M

On the right hand, side there that has two signal heads mounted on it.

M

One for each direction on middle street and that the rest of the signal heads at.

M

The intersection are mounted on posts on all the corners. You can flip the next one.

M

This is just looking south. You can see one of the sharers out there again one overhead.

M

Signal and then also a post mounted signal on the near side of the intersection on the right side.

M

Next and again, just looking down summer the summer and the miller, avenue approaches, don't.

M

Have any overhead signals just the post mounted traditionally with designs? We prefer to have the.

M

Overhead, it just uh enhances visibility to have them out over the middle of the intersection. So.

M

Vehicles can see them more clearly next and that's just looking for miller ave.

M

A little hard to see this slide from here, but this is the design traffic volumes that we are.

M

Using as we walk through our alternatives, this is based on traffic counts that were collected.

M

I believe this is this past summer and then we adjusted for a few different factors.

M

First, we adjusted for covid that graph that you just had up. Actually we used some data.

M

To adjust up from 2021 to what we think would be if we ever recover fully from the pandemic.

M

We also adjusted for seasonality using some of the continuous count data that the city also has at.

M

Nearby intersections and then finally, we adjusted to a future 10-year build out of 2032.. So as you.

M

Can see, uh as would be expected middle street is the major movement um out of all the singular.

M

Movements at the intersection middle street northbound has the highest volume ranging from.

M

About 380 cars to just over 400, I actually can't see this clearly myself right now, so.

M

Yeah I forced 466 about 470 and then of note, though, is the middle street southbound movement.

M

The number of lefts, ranging from 100 to about 125, depending on the peak hour, I should say that the.

M

Upper left hand corner there is the amp hour. The upper right is the pm peak hour and then.

M

The lower left is the saturday peak hour. Miller avenue also has a pretty heavy right turn movement.

M

Compared to the movements at the intersection, so that's that left turn southbound on miller.

M

Opposing the northbound movements or sorry, the southbound left turn on middle opposing the.

M

Northbound through a middle kind of becomes the critical design volumes that we're working with.

M

Next, please so here's just a quick overview on the next slides, we'll actually have images of.

M

This that will do a better job. We've come up with two alternatives at this point.

M

The first essentially maintains the existing lane configuration so a single lane on each approach.

M

At the intersection, the one change, though, is with the new signal equipment that we would implement.

M

What's called protected permissive phasing for the middle street southbound, so there would be a.

M

Left turn green arrow up there. That would come up to provide that southbound protect the left.

M

From middle to miller, one other thing that this alternative could do is pull in some curb lines.

M

uh To create some shorter pedestrian crossings and define bike lanes and again you'll see this on the next few slides and then real, quick. The next alternative is.

M

To provide dedicated left turn lanes on both the middle street approaches.

M

And to know, overall, with both of these alternatives, all the signal equipment would.

M

Be replaced at the intersection, so all the the cabinet, the signal controller itself, all detection.

M

And the signal structures would be replaced and that all the curved amps would also be.

M

Reconstructed to meet current ada compliance, and also the exclusive pedestrian phase would be.

M

Maintained, I think that might go in line with some of the concern I heard along maplewood. As far as.

M

The the right hand turns when the pedestrians are walking, so our plan would be to maintain. What's.

M

Out there today, when a pedestrian pushes the button, all four crosswalks go at the same time,.

M

Next, please, so this is the alternative. One plan you can see like I mentioned, there's.

M

One lane for each direction, miller and summer avenue essentially would not be.

M

Touched as far as the lane configuration goes.

M

Middle street, you can see that this is showing the curb lines pulled in a little bit that dark and.

M

Curve, it's it's pretty hard to see the existing curb lines on this plan, but those those dark.

M

Curb lines are a couple feet closer into the intersection and the reason we did that.

M

Was essentially that, if we're going to with this alternative, we're going to keep only one.

M

Lane in each direction there's the laneways are actually pretty wide out there today. So there's.

M

Some excess space on the shoulders so, rather than just leaving that larger than it needs.

M

To be, if you pull the curb lines in you, get that defined bike lane, as well as shorting the.

M

Pedestrian crossings might just be an opportunity to increase some safety for pedestrians and bikes.

M

So in this one, like I said, the plan would be for middle street south bounce on the right.

M

Side of the screen coming down on the new mast arm you'd have a signal head that would provide.

M

A protected left turn to miller avenue. Now the one concern with this configuration is that you don't.

M

Have a defined left turn lane for that approach, so that protected phase would have to come up.

M

At all times, it could be programmed so certain times of day it wouldn't, but if it needs to be.

M

On then, it would need to come up each cycle. One benefit of this plan too. The way it's laid out now.

M

Is that the majority of on-street parking in the area could potentially remain next slide? Please.

M

So this is uh referring to the second alternative. You can see that we have shown striped out.

M

Dedicated left turn lanes on middle street northbound and southbound the curb lines in.

M

This would stay the same. There is actually enough pavement out there to squeeze in the.

M

Three lane cross section as well as some some form of bike lanes that does come at the expense.

M

Of on-street parking- and I have a- I- have a later slide- that details a little bit more.

M

So the benefit of a plan like this is that we provide that protected permitted phasing for.

M

Middle street southbound to miller avenue, but the vehicles would have a dedicated left turn lane to.

M

Queue up in that does two things. Obviously, just enhances safety that those vehicles are removed.

M

From the through traffic, but it also operationally makes the intersection more efficient.

M

In that that protected left turn will only be called up if there is a vehicle actually waiting.

M

There to be turned and the reason we also provided a dedicated left turn lane on middle street.

M

Northbound, even though that left turn lane the summer is not particularly high volume.

M

If we go this route and we do provide that turn lane on southbound, we have to mirror.

M

It in some fashion, on northbound, so rather than just having dead space.

M

Might as well take advantage of it and provide the left turn lane there as well next slide.

M

So this table details the capacity analysis. We did vehicle capacity analysis of the different.

M

Alternatives we do this using the sim traffic traffic simulation models, so this takes those.

M

Design volumes that I showed we have some proposed signal, timings that I don't have detailed here.

M

But certainly as we move with the design plans, it will.

M

It outlines the projected delay, which is measured in seconds per vehicle.

M

Corresponding to a level of service, for those of you don't know, level service is measured from a to.

M

F, just like grades with a being the best f being failing and e, also being generally unacceptable.

M

uh So you can see the columns are set up, that the first two are the pm peak hour and the next.

M

Two are the saturday peak hour and I highlighted some key differences here. You can see it really.

M

Comes down to that mill street northbound approach having the biggest impact under the alternative.

M

Where there's not dedicated left turn lanes that northbound approach would suffer.

M

Since the southbound left turn phase would come up every time if that makes sense, uh so whether.

M

Or not, there's a vehicle making left on south uh southbound middle to miller that left arrow would.

M

Come up hence holding up northbound traffic. So that's why the second alternative you see better.

M

Better movement there and less delay one thing too, as we're walking through this. I should note.

M

For that alternative one, we do show the curb lines pulled in, and I know the way it's configured today.

M

There is enough pavement with that people are able to bypass a vehicle. That's waiting to turn left.

M

On southbound so depending how it's laid out, that ability to bypass might be lost.

M

Unless the vehicle is actually waiting in the intersection, so these results attempt to.

M

Take account for that, but just something to keep in mind that, even though there's not a formal left.

M

Turn lane out there today, the pavement width is wide enough that people do have the ability to.

M

Bypass and just on on my few times driving through, it certainly seems to be the normal operation.

M

Next slide, so this is just a quick summary of the number of on-street parking spaces. I mentioned.

M

So under alternative one, where we'd be keeping a single lane in each direction, we counted.

M

Preliminarily about 20 spaces available on streets south of the intersection within that plan area.

M

And then seven to the north for a total of 27 under alternative two, where we wouldn't.

M

Be widing the curb curb lines, but we would be widening the the vehicle travel way it would put.

M

A dent in the parking spaces to the south of the section to six to the north would be about four.

M

So there's some difference and again this would be more detailed once we, you know selected our.

M

Path and really got into the detailed design, but just to give you a kind of a sense of level that.

M

There could be a chance that on street parking would be lost depending on on which route we go.

M

And with that uh be glad to take any questions or more discussion on it,.

M

So, just one quick clarification: uh this is the start of a public discussion. This isn't something.

D

That people, you know it's not going to be set in stone today we're going to this. We want to bring.

D

This to the committee and then we're planning on having public input uh session uh so that there'll.

D

Be further discussion and at the at the end of that we'll come back to the committee with our.

D

Recommended uh but we did want to get kind of a feel from the committee um so that you know it.

D

Wasn't something that was just you know that you were aware, and this is what was being discussed.

H

I have uh go ahead, harold just one question uh in reference to ada requirements,.

C

In the curb cuts, is there going to be another change in reference to.

C

That type of curb cut for ada requirement. You mean right right now, there's a mat put down.

C

With knobs in the mat yeah, some people are complaining about that, especially.

C

Icy weather, yes, they're, very slippery, so the the the knobs the panels are referred to are.

M

Required now the actual material of them we would certainly, as we move forward. I don't know what.

M

The city is preferring at the moment, but that is something cast iron. They are required, but there.

M

Are different materials, so there are options, but there will be something out there, but the intent.

M

Certainly would to I know some, I know if they're plastic, they can be more slippery than others.

M

um Right and just to clarify the reason they're required is for people who are.

N

Blind they know they're entering in the path of traffic, so otherwise they don't.

N

Have a sense that they're entering into that! So that's why they're kind of raised.

C

There's some criticism in reference to it: yeah understood very slippery, uncertain conditions.

N

The best thing we can do with that is trying to steepen the slopes as best we can, while.

N

Staying ada compliant to make sure water runs and gets out of the area.

N

Sometimes, when those are too flat, especially in the winter that tends to freeze and be problematic.

N

So we'll certainly look at that erica stephen mary lou had their hands up, so I was gonna. Let them all.

J

Right mary lou go ahead. uh Yes, uh this is a long time coming. I've commented on this many times.

L

In the years that I've been on this committee and it's very unsafe- and it really needs.

L

Major changes here just two comments that the no turn on red signs continue.

L

Those are not just wouldn't be discontinued there and I'm concerned about.

L

Eliminating any parking spaces, I want to look at that very carefully, so thank you, of course, steve.

K

Thank you for a very concise presentation, a quick question. um Is there a possibility of.

K

A hybrid that would allow the middle street southbound to have a dedicated left turn.

K

Only I'm just curious, you don't have to answer it now, but that's the one thing that struck my.

K

Mind that you know alternative two seems like it doesn't quite fit the neighborhood.

K

And I'll leave that, but I also want to just point out that I think it's very important.

K

That we look at not just the level of service, but you documented really well.

K

But the importance of the pedestrian safety enhancement of alternative one, which has.

K

Shorter crosswalk lengths, so I think that that needs to be given equal status looks very good.

K

And I look forward to further evaluations of the alternatives I can touch on the turn lane.

M

Just real quick, I think I mentioned it briefly but, like you said certainly so, if we provide the.

M

uh The left turn lane for southbound we'd have to mirror, in some fashion, on the northbound side, so.

M

You'd end up with some sort of painted island there: um okay! Now, if it's not a formal turn lane.

M

That could be shorter and it could be tapered in quickly. So that is something we could certainly.

M

Look at uh to see and see how much we can minimize it. I thought that's what you would say so thank.

K

You I I guess I feel that alternative one at this point looks like a much better fit, but thank you.

J

Erica, I echo what a lot of what steve just said. I do think that it'll be great to get.

J

The signal upgraded and redesigned- I don't love when we have a protective permitted.

J

Phasing without the extra lane that's really tricky, but I think it would be great to try and.

J

Kind of look into some sort of hybrid- I know we'd- have to have some sort of.

J

Taper there, but I think we could be quite a bit shorter. We could save quite a bit of parking.

J

And I echo what steve had to say in terms of the bike: pet infrastructure here is really important.

J

And if anything we can do to kind of narrow those crosstalks, I think, would help a lot. There is a lot.

J

Of pavement out there now, but also you know the middle street bike lanes. Everyone loves to talk.

J

About those, but I think that transition in this area is part of what has made them pretty tricky.

J

So being able to improve this intersection to help facilitate that, I think is, is something that is.

J

A really important factor of this particular project, so I think that hybrid maybe depends.

J

You know, depending on what's possible, there seems like potentially a good idea. um The other thing.

J

I I did want to point out that the level of service we're looking at is is 10 years out.

J

Right and I don't know what sort of growth rate you guys used, but um from my perspective I'm going.

J

To assume you used a one percent growth rate. Yes, something like that. One percent annual, yes yeah.

J

And that's I mean that's a lot of growth, it tends to be pretty aggressive and so.

J

Looking at the level of service results that you shared even for the alternative one, I thought.

J

Those are quite reasonable, given that amount of growth and the environment that you know it's.

J

A pretty urban environment, so I think a level of service d into e is is not a terrible thing.

D

And it's peak those are peak hours too. So it's it's! You know it's important to keep that in mind.

A

Okay, so the the the follow-on to this will be that uh there'll be a public info.

A

Session coming up: okay: where does that start peter public? When does the public start yeah.

D

The public input sessions- well, we haven't had it yet, so you need to schedule it okay, so there's no.

D

There's no formal schedule at this point: okay, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna ask the city.

I

uh It's always advantageous because there's like mary lou alluded to it's important to.

I

Communicate to the butters, because there are parking spots yeah in question here.

I

And that's 27. That means there's residential and commercial properties that will be impacted to.

I

You know maybe put out some notices to them. Well, your point's well taken mark- and this is just the.

D

Start of that discussion- and you know- we've learned from past experiences- that we don't.

D

Make changes without uh informing the budding properties, so it'll it'll be taken care of.

C

I thought I knew all the streets in the city, but I I don't know where the lincoln.

C

Lincoln street is, I know, lincoln avenue, but I don't know lincoln state off castry.

C

Is there lincoln's right, typo, probably think it was supposed to happen? It's probably a typo.

D

Great catch- oh probably, a typo, yeah! Okay! Thank you all right! Where'd! I have that sorry about that. I.

C

Was wondering if I was losing it a little bit? Is that exeter lincoln street yeah? I just have one.

A

Question it might be for staff. When was the last time this intersection was comprehensively studied.

A

Or overhauled, or how long has this equipment been? This phasing been in place probably 15 years ago.

D

We made an effort to do something like this. We had issues with easements and were unable to.

D

Move forward, however, we've resolved that issue. There was some work done. I believe.

D

12 years ago, that new master one master was added uh but a comprehensive review. This is really the.

D

You know it's been a while, you know 10, plus years, since it's been reviewed and there's.

D

Been some market changes in terms of uh complete street concepts and other things that the city's.

D

Goals have evolved so hey mike, have you seen? Has the department seen an increase over the years and.

I

Because of the flow of traffic has increased over the years enforcement.

I

Has there been an increase substantially at that intersection in accidents.

I

No, no mary lou. I understand you have your hand up. uh Yes, just two comments um that there.

L

Are bus stops on these north and south sides of middle, and uh also.

L

I think the consideration for emergency vehicles isn't very important because we have the housing.

L

Authority building close by and emergency vehicle vehicles go there frequently great, so we'll be.

A

Sure to notice far and wide the public information and input session that we will be holding.

J

Can I make one more comment sure go ahead if we do pull the curbs in at all, I would love to see.

J

If we could do that in a way that kind of biases towards better alignment of miller and summer.

J

I think we could kind of pull more in on one side and less on the other and get that.

J

A little bit better yeah yeah they're offset but try as much as we can with that great.

A

Thank you very much, gentlemen. All right appreciate it we'll see you again at the.

A

Public information session, thanks for your time, thank you. Next up will be the bartlett street.

A

Public meeting review presentation by city staff, engineer tyler reese welcome tyler good morning.

O

Good morning pts so on december, 9th uh city staff held a public input session.

O

With the residents of the bartlett street area in regards to planned improvements,.

O

That will be going on in the near future regarding bartlett street next slide. Please.

O

So, as a project overview, bartlett street is in need of full roadway reconstruction, the.

O

Pavement is currently in poor condition. It also needs replacement of all underground.

O

Utilities, drainage, water and sewer so currently in our schedule, we are in our.

O

Fact-Finding and data collection stage where we're trying to seek community input. This will.

O

Give way to preliminary design final design bid documents and then construction next slide. Please.

O

So we are currently seeking input from the parking traffic and safety committee.

O

As you can see, we have been trying to gather input from various facets of the community.

O

Next slide, please so existing conditions we've all been down. Bartlett street there are substandard.

O

Pedestrian crosswalks there are substandard sidewalks. The pavement is in relatively poor.

O

Condition um this these improvements seek to improve this next slide. Please uh also the speed.

O

On bartlett street, this is from august of 2020, the 85th percentile is 29 and the average is 25 which.

O

Is north of the posted speed limit of 20, so this project will also seek to bring that down more.

O

In line with the posted speed limit next slide, please uh existing conditions on thornton street.

O

The pavement in thornton street is in fair condition. However, the lane widths are fairly.

O

Wide which, although it is a short street, can lead to faster travel speeds than necessary.

O

Narrowing these lane, widths, which you will see in the upcoming plans, will also help to hopefully.

O

Reduce speeds through the thornton bartlett intersection.

O

Next slide, please morning, street is a fairly quiet, low volume, low speed street, but the pavement again.

O

Is in poor condition, so it will be resurfaced as part of this project next slide, please. So three.

O

Percent potential layouts have been drawn up based on existing city streets. We brought these to the.

O

Public and allowed them to comment on it should be known that these three layouts only exist.

O

From the thornton bartlett intersection to the woodbury violet intersection, the section going.

O

Down the hill will be, we have further constraints there and that will remain largely unchanged next.

O

Slide please so alternate one is similar to as dennett street appears. Currently, it involves two.

O

Marked lanes as well as parking on either side of the road, it is important to note that this is how.

O

Bartlett street exists currently in its current form, so this would be more of a no build option.

O

Next slide, please: this is just a plan view of alternate one with the two travel lanes and two.

O

Lanes of parking next slide, please- and this is just a profile view of that option- alternate two.

O

Is similar to how aldridge road exists? Currently it has two designated lanes of.

O

Travel as well as parking on one side of the street, this would mean a reduction in.

O

Parking on one side of the street as from how bartlett currently exists next slide, please.

O

This is just a plan view of that with parking on one side of the street as opposed to both, and this.

O

Is a next slide please! This is a profile view. As you can see, the travel lanes are slightly wider.

O

Reducing parking on one side would obviously leave more room for greenery and sidewalks.

O

In the corridor next slide, please alternate: three is more of an alternate yield kind of street.

O

Where vehicles need to yield to traffic coming at them, this is similar to cass street and lincoln.

O

Street as it exists right now, this style of street has been slowed to slow traffic speeds.

O

And would hopefully also have the effect of pushing more traffic to use the kate street.

O

Extension to the route 1 bypass as bartlett is now currently a thoroughfare to get to the circle.

O

Next slide, please: this is a plan view of alternate three. As you can see, there are no defined lanes.

O

And there is parking on both sides of the street next slide. Please- and this is just a.

O

Profile indicating there will be 16 feet of shared travel way for both north and southbound lanes.

O

Next slide, please lower bartlett street, as I mentioned earlier, will remain largely unchanged.

O

Due to geography constraints, however, there will be an addition of a sidewalk on the eastern side of.

O

Bartlett street, which is the auto shop side, going up the hill next slide. Please thornton street will.

O

Also remain largely unchanged with the addition of delineated parking on one side of the street.

O

This will help narrow the street. As I said earlier, the lanes are currently quite wide, which leads to.

O

Higher traffic speeds than necessary, as well as higher traffic speeds through that intersection.

O

Next slide, please: uh this is just a profile view of thornton street, as we proposed.

O

Morning street will remain largely unchanged. It is a low speed, low volume street.

O

That is really just in need of underground utilities and resurfacement. At the moment.

O

Next slide, please so we've solicited a good amount of public comments at our meeting morning, street.

O

Residents do not feel the sidewalks are necessary on their street, as we mentioned earlier. It's a low.

O

Speed low volume street and they do not feel that sidewalks would be beneficial to them.

O

That was something that was brought up on our end. They have concerns about the effect that.

O

That may have on parking. Additionally, there is a large interest in lowering traffic volumes and.

O

Speed on bartlett street now that the kate road to kate street to the bypass is fully implemented. It.

O

Would be beneficial to direct as much traffic as possible onto route 1 that way so lowering traffic.

O

Speeds and volume are a big priority. With this reconstruction there has been a large interest.

O

In more trees and greenery along the corridor and there's also a general interest in sidewalk.

O

Improvements along barley street, as well as overall pedestrian improvements, including rfbs and.

O

More visible, crosswalks, so alternate three. If you haven't already figured out, was the most preferred.

O

Option of the other options, it would very much likely be the most effective at limiting speeds.

O

Due to the yield, alternating traffic method and discouraging the use of bartlett altogether,.

O

By people who would therefore find it easier to just go to k street and get on route 1.

O

On the bypass, however, there were valid concerns about using this method of road design on a road.

O

With this high volume spiral street is a heavily trafficked road, so there were significant concerns.

O

About while this is a preferable idea, if it would work correctly in this case that we had.

O

Issue concerns involving coast buses because there was a stop on bartlett street, so they would have.

O

To navigate this alternate yield street and that may be difficult for them. I'm sure chief jermaine.

O

You have comments, then we will get to that in the future about fire access on a yield street.

O

So next slide please at this point we are open to welcoming up to questions and discussion. I.

O

Know steve and mary lou, you attended the meeting, so I'm sure you have some stuff to add. We would.

O

Appreciate that, thank you thanks very much tyler. You want to stop sharing, so we can see the folks.

A

Great presentation, thank you uh any comments. I did not attend the uh the public meeting but uh steve.

A

Steve and mary lou did yes: independence. Go ahead, steve we'd love to hear from you. Thank you. Tyler.

K

And uh I think the meeting was very, the public meeting was very well run and got a lot of great.

K

Comments glad to see this moving forward. I have two quick questions. I think maybe one of these is.

K

A repeat, but I wanted to encourage that if we had any 2021 volume or speed data that would be post.

K

Opening of hodgston way, that would be important for consideration. I think we all know that the.

K

Volumes have dropped a little bit on mark bartlett, which is great, but I want to make sure that we're.

K

All grounded in reality. I still think it is an important arterial street and will remain not.

K

Even with hodgson being open and- and to my point I I guess I my bias is, I know people are very.

K

Positively received alternative three conceptually, but I think professionally. My opinion is.

K

That uh it is not workable, given the function of the street and the volume.

K

Of traffic that exists so, hence why I would really like to see some 2021 data. If we have it.

K

uh Just note I brought this up before, but there's two transit systems that use that.

K

Carter coast and wildcat transit and there are a series of stops, so we do have even with.

K

The departure of large commercial vehicles, we have bus traffic on there and I wanted to ask.

K

um Are the plans? I know you said you were going to post them, but where are we with the status of.

K

Full format, plans being posted for people to physically.

K

uh Look at view and comment are those up at public works or city hall. At this point,.

D

Peter, do you know if they're they they would not be posted at city hall? They would be at public.

D

Works and we'll we'll make sure they're uh on the website if they aren't already we'll get them on.

D

I I would be surprised if they're not on already but um I'll, confirm, because I think it's important.

K

Especially when thinking of the alternatives that people see the three sketches side by.

K

Side with the lane widths and the sidewalks, you know when you see them independently: it's not the.

K

Same effect as when you see them together so uh good job, I look forward to this continuing.

K

But I just want to make sure we're looking at some current data post-hodgston way. Thank you got it.

A

Marylee, do you want to add anything to that.

H

No okay, thank you, harold uh erica! Do how much on how many people are parking on.

J

Street on bartlett right now do we have a sense of quite a few. I don't.

D

Congested street from that standpoint: okay, because the yield isn't going to.

J

Work, if we're not, if there's not actually enough on street parking.

J

Demand to make that happen, you know right. Yes, that's true, but there's enough for that.

J

Because I guess, when I've gone and looking at the photos, it doesn't seem like it's.

J

Enough use, but that's a good point we'll we'll have to you know we'll, have to put up some traffic.

D

Cameras and and just confirm that it's consistent use, I believe, I believe, there's quite a bit of use.

D

Of on-street parking, okay, awesome anecdotally. I would agree. um I'm going to put the cabin.

A

And the chief on the spot, what is your opinion here and chief? You have bigger.

A

Vehicles, I guess you'd- want to weigh in option three is less desirable from our perspective.

I

And I'm using cass street, which I live on as an example. It's it's hard to get vehicles down in.

I

There, especially in the winter time we do, we make it, we make it work, but if option three becomes the.

I

uh You know the desired design, then we'll work with engineers to try to get some concessions so.

I

That we can get a little wider and make it work and again it a lot of it depends on the parking.

I

Inventory, if there's not a lot on there, it's not a big issue, but if it becomes that way, then you know.

I

It does get tight, but you know that being said: it's not a very it's not an often traveled route.

I

For us emergency wise, not to say that emergencies don't occur on that street and you know distal to.

I

That but there are other ways to get there that are quicker already than going through barley,.

I

Street captain you want to add anything. I would agree when I saw option three for the first time.

G

That that wasn't my first option uh because of the volume option three works well on lincoln, because.

G

It's relatively low volume option three works not as good on cash, because there's more volume.

G

I think this is probably more volume than cass. So, um for those reasons the same, I I I think I'd.

G

Prefer to stay away from option three because of the volume that we're seeing on that road.

G

And because we see how it works, I think that the lincoln cast is a good example, because lincoln.

G

It works well because it's quiet and there's less traffic cass. We all know what that's like chief in.

G

Particular um so I'd be a little cautious of that peter. Do you want anything before yeah just to.

D

Remind everybody: this is a start of discussion, one aspect of that we didn't look at or didn't discuss.

D

At this point- and we haven't really evaluated- is the possibility of improving intersection.

D

Safety along that area by potentially creating one-way streets. There's a couple of streets.

D

That are particularly dangerous coming out onto bartlett street and there may be a potential.

D

Benefit if we have one way, look at creating a one-way street in certain spots. Obviously you.

D

Know before doing anything like that, we would vet that through this committee, and we would.

D

We would go to the public and explain why we felt that was a good option to improve safety, um but I.

D

I concur with you know the challenges that that people have pointed out the difficulty.

D

That I see is the aspirations of the neighborhood are to create wider sidewalks, more uh amenities.

D

Along that space, and given the the the width of the roadway and and alternative three is the only.

D

Way to accommodate those types of things, so it I agree, 100 percent, that it's it's probably not a.

D

Great alternative to take a a highly traveled road and really choke it down to the point where you.

D

Create a yield condition, um but you know we can look at the traffic data. Steve had a good.

D

Point we have, we have a little bit of uh data right from after uh the hudson way was opened.

D

um It would, I think, it'd be appropriate to continue to some data collection and.

D

You know we need to have a serious discussion about this and really look at the functionality.

D

um You know we could potentially pilot uh something in there by by creating you know.

D

Some narrowed space edition just see how it works. You know, run run emergency vehicles.

D

Through there and make sure it functions before anything is drastic. As alternative three happened.

D

So I think this is, you know, really good feedback, and you know we look forward to continuing the.

D

Process um steve, I know you have your hand up and then I'll go to erica. One point I forgot there was.

K

A really great, I think, consensus of the meeting that's worth noting is a lot of people brought up.

K

uh The possible opportunity for a paint pine street bartlett street.

K

uh Enhancement of the pedestrian crossing near the playground, whether that would be.

K

A three-way stop or whatnot, so I think that's something that's worth keeping on the table is.

K

uh People seem to all have a consensus that pine and bartlett offered an opportunity for some.

K

Safety enhancements last traffic. Coming point great, thank you. Erica.

J

Two things I wanted to note- and this is just based on these designs. I know they're early designs.

J

It looks like the total pavement is pretty similar between alternative two and alternative three.

J

And so I think that gives us some flexibility in terms of how much parking demand there is. Could.

J

Kind of dictate, which of those two would be needed, and I think if we tried alternative three and it.

J

Just wasn't working because there just was too much traffic. I think it wouldn't be too hard to.

J

Roll back to alternative, to I mean the you know, the crowning might be a little bit different, but.

J

I don't think that's you know, it is what it is. One question I had, though, is that it looks like.

J

All three alternatives, and again this might be more a factor of just where we are in the design.

J

Process but um two and three we've lost four feet of pavement, but the sidewalks appear to be five.

J

Feet in all the alternatives, I'm wondering what you know: we have that extra four feet, presumably.

J

Do we are what's the vision, would we do a wider sidewalk? Would we do a green space? I feel like.

J

A planted green space might really help this road, but I just wanted a combination of both.

D

You know you're correct this, is these are rough they're, not they weren't near final designs. They.

D

Weren't really fleshed out completely was more just an opportunity to get a.

D

General feel, for you know, what's the what's the appetite for these various alternatives um and.

D

Obviously, you know the the balance of a six-foot sidewalk is really a minimum. From our standpoint.

D

um And then you know the additional green space is something we'd like to have you.

D

Know, green strips so that you can plant trees and you can have a buffer yeah, harold yeah.

C

You know I've been around here since stuart, and uh you know this city was laid out for.

C

The hosts and buggy days so these professionals are coming in and making changes. You know uh they.

C

Already considered um that you know it's, maybe we can't compete with larger cities or larger areas.

C

So they should take that all into perspective. um You know it's a small city and they come here for.

C

The historical part of it- and uh it's still like, like I said before it, was laid out in the house.

C

And buggy days, and uh why make any changes some? Sometimes it's not practical. That's how I feel.

A

Thank you peter and tyler. What are the next steps on this.

D

We'll you know we'll take this information come back and and and flesh out the alternatives, a.

D

Little bit more uh and then come back for you know we'll do an additional public presentation and and.

D

You know we could potentially make it a uh uh committee uh public presentation and so that.

D

You know committee members who are available could attend. uh We can get feedback from the.

D

General public and and just of a more fleshed out alternative got it. So we anticipate that probably.

D

Probably towards april, I would think. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Tyler the item. Our last.

A

Item is a borthwick update and I can read from it, but peter do you want to speak to it.

A

I will read that east coast signal will be on site at the intersection of borthwick and route.

A

1 bypass did that take place around the christmas time to install wiring. They were out there.

D

And so now, mass arm installation is scheduled. I think for next week, okay, great under miscellaneous.

A

We have a letter from liz brader relative to the neighborhood parking program. Can I.

A

Get a motion to place that on file so moved. Do you have a second yeah? Thank you again.

A

All right do I have to do a roll call for that. I think I do mary lou. Yes, steve, yes, mark! Yes,.

A

Carol, yes, erica yep cat maloney, yes, chief jermaine, directorized, yes terrible! It's.

C

Yes, have we got a copy of that letter? It is the last page in your packet, okay. No, I don't want it.

A

So um at the next meeting we will undoubtedly have a council rep who will most likely serve as chair.

A

And it remains to be seen whether that chair would like to hold at this at the normal time.

A

Of first thursday, at eight o'clock, but we'll stay in touch with the committee on that. So should we.

J

Assume that the next meeting is first thursday at eight. I would assume that for scheduling purposes,.

D

One miscellaneous item: that uh kind of a foreshadowing of the next meeting.

D

We did receive some feedback from a resident on the corner of union and austin relative to the the.

D

Challenges, especially during the winter time of the width of the roadway down there.

D

And requests to eliminate parking, so this is something we've reviewed in the past. However,.

D

We'll bring it back at the february meeting for further consideration um so.

D

uh That just a heads up in terms of the next new business, correct great, could I please.

A

Have a motion to adjourn yeah so moved second happen all right. Thank you. Everybody also peter.