09-19-07 Special
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CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special City Council Meeting
September 19, 2007
I CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 6:30 p.m.
I ROLL CALL
Members Present:
Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Susan Rosenberg; Sue Sandahl; Fred Wroge; and
Bill Kilian.
Staff Present:
Steve Devich, City Manager; Mike Eastling, Public Works Director; Bruce
Palmborg, Community Development Director; Kristin Asher, Assistant City
Engineer; Tom Foley, Transportation Engineer; Cheryl Krumholz,
Recording Secretary; and Corrine Thomson, City Attorney.
Item #1
PRESENTATION OF PEER REVIEW BY JAMES TOBABEN, OF PARSONS
BRINCKERHOFF RELATED TO 66TH STREET AND PORTLAND AVENUE
INTERSECTION PROJECT (COUNCIL MEMO NO. 169)
James Tobaben, Parsons Brinckerhoff, made a presentation regarding his review of the
66th Street/Portland Avenue proposed roundabout intersection (Clerk's File No. C-432).
Mr. Tobaben stated the Transportation Commission and WSB, consultant, arrived at the
right recommendation of a roundabout after a good review process.
Council Member Wroge discussed his concerns regarding bicycles crossing the
roundabout.
Mr. Tobaben stated options to leave the roadway should be provided.
Mayor Goettel said it's a cultural issue. In Europe, there are stricter enforcement and
accountability laws. She asked how to get cars to stop for pedestrians.
Mr. Tobaben discussed the roundabout slowing traffic so there is a quicker reaction time.
He said there is an education process already underway.
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September 19, 2007
Mayor Goettel asked about site restrictions in the two-lane roundabout.
Mr. Tobaben explained there could be site restrictions but the same issue could occur at a
traditional intersection. The roundabout has reduced speed and a shorter pedestrian crossing
because of the splitter island.
Council Member Wroge asked about the left-turn lane intersections at Penn, Nicollet and
Lyndale Avenues operating satisfactorily, but not being able to at Portland Avenue.
Mr. Tobaben said he reviewed future projected traffic on Portland Avenue because an
intersection improvement should have a 20-year service life. Motorists' delays are less with a
roundabout than a traditional intersection.
Council Member Wroge asked how many cars will go through the roundabout.
Mr. Tobaben said 32,000 vehicles a day in the future. Peak traffic will be handled with a
level A or B service which is very good with little congestion.
Council Member Wroge said he was concerned why three intersections work with left turn
lanes. He asked how motorists can be trained to yield to pedestrians.
Council Member Wroge asked the size of the roundabout right angle.
Mr. Tobaben said, assuming the driver stays in the lane, there is no 90-degree angle.
There could be sideswipe accidents but no head-ons or T -bones.
Council Member Wroge said he disagreed with the sideswipes.
Council Member Wroge asked Mr. Tobaben why he thought the Bloomington City Council
denied a roundabout at 90th Street/Nicollet Avenue, the #1 accident intersection in Hennepin
County excluding Minneapolis. He said they denied it for the same reasons that Richfield has
concerns - a park across the street and being too close to an apartment building and swimming
pool. They knew exactly what the results of a left turn lane intersection would be but it is unknown
with a roundabout.
Mr. Tobaben said he could not comment on Bloomington's decision because he is not
familiar with the details. He continued that there are no guarantees with a signalized intersection
but research and design indicate a multi-lane roundabout is as safe as a signalized intersection.
Council Member Wroge expressed concern that all things are being grouped together.
Common sense indicates left turn lanes work. The issue with the changing cycle of signalized
lights should be addressed by engineers.
Mr. Tobaben stated a driver could not do what they're supposed to in any type of
intersection. A roundabout physically controls vehicles traveling through the intersection, a
signalized intersection does not. The pedestrian crossing is simplified because they need to leave
the curb, look one way to cross two lanes to get to the splitter island and then cross two more
lanes to get to the other curb.
Council Member Wroge asked about the maximum number of vehicles per hour that could
be handled by the roundabout.
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September 19, 2007
Mr. Tobaben discussed the roundabout in Clearwater, Florida, that can handle 58,000
vehicles a day with. Richfield's handling 32,000 a day. A roundabout appears to have the ability to
handle excess capacity.
Council Member Rosenberg said the issue is not about the roundabout and not the City
Council's opinion, but rather the low-comfort level in the community - 90% of the people who
contact her are opposed to a roundabout. The statistics are probably right but she questioned how
in good conscience, this could be forced on the community. If Mr. Tobaben says a roundabout is
appropriate for this intersection, there needs to be a better education program because the current
process is not cutting it.
Mr. Tobaben discussed how this fear of the unknown and discomfort of something new has
happened in almost every city where a roundabout was installed. The public's opinion of initial
opposition is typical but after the roundabout is operational, their opinion changes. The goal is to
have a good design with good results whether it be a roundabout or traditional intersection.
Mr. Tobaben said typically 10% of the daily traffic occurs at peak rush hours.
Council Member Kilian discussed conversations he had with residents who had concerns
with the roundabout but driving the 66th Street/Richfield Parkway roundabout changed their mind.
He stated a recent power outage did not disrupt traffic flow at the roundabout because there were
no signals. He discussed his experience as a pedestrian crossing the roundabout.
Council Member Wroge said everyone knows that when there are no signals working,
vehicles need to stop at the intersection. He stated he is representing the community so it's what
the people want, not him.
Council Member Wroge voiced his problem with the effects of pedestrian safety in the U. S.
as "unsubstantiated"; which is the reason why Bloomington did not approve a roundabout. He said
too many people are making up information that is factually not true.
Council Member Wroge asked about traffic backing up to 70th Street/Portland Avenue
during rush hour.
Mr. Tobaben said there haven't been many accidents in a roundabout so there is very little
data available. He was not aware of a concern with traffic backup.
Council Member Wroge asked if little data was available because motorists avoid a
roundabout.
Mr. Tobaben said a roundabout is not avoided. The minimizing of conflict points in an
intersection needs to be remembered. He did not want to leave a wrong impression with the City
Council that a signalized intersection is perfect.
Mayor Goettel asked Mr. Tobaben regarding her request to have him review other
intersections that mirror Richfield.
Mr. Tobaben responded that was difficult because there are not many examples similar to
Richfield. No two locations are exactly alike. Information was found on multi-lane roundabouts
resulting in no traffic back up, decreased by-pass traffic and decreased queuing time.
Mayor Goettel asked about difficulties for handicapped and sight impaired pedestrians.
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September 19, 2007
Mr. Tobaben said this is an area of research and there are the same concerns at a
signalized intersection.
Council Member Kilian stated nothing is foolproof. He recently observed a sight impaired
person crossing 66th Street/Portland Avenue mid block.
Council Member Sandahl discussed her experiences with roundabouts while on vacation in
France, where most if not, all intersections were roundabouts. She said they functioned well for
driving and were easy to cross as a pedestrian.
Council Member Sandahl said she appreciated the re-affirming that the Transportation
Commission followed a good process with appropriate data and did a good job recommending to
the City Council that the roundabout was the safest and most effective intersection. She said she
has heard safety issues from residents and encourages them to drive the roundabout at 66th
Street/Richfield Parkway.
Council Member Sandahl expressed support for an educational campaign determined as
appropriate by the City Council and staff. She said she trusted the truth was told regarding public
opinions. She suggested incorporating the ramp use for pedestrians and bicyclists. She said she
believed the roundabout to be a safer intersection for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.
Mayor Goettel stated she has read several international studies and had hoped tonight's
material would be new regarding double lane roundabouts in similar situations. She said she
spoke with the Bloomington Mayor and he said not enough information was available to put in a
roundabout at this time. .
Council Member Wroge asked Mr. Tobaben if it was true that he, personally, has not
rejected a roundabout when it was presented to him.
Mr. Tobaben said yes and he discussed his personal experiences with roundabouts. He
said in general, traffic engineers' comfort level has increased with roundabouts.
Council Member Wroge said Bloomington engineers did not support their roundabout
because of the unknown outcomes which were known with a traditional intersection.
Council Member Kilian stated the Bloomington issue of proximity to sites resulted in the
inability to redesign the roundabout.
Council Member Wroge said he hadn't seen a bad single lane roundabout but it's a different
design for a 2-lane roundabout.
The City Council thanked Mr. Tobaben for his presentation.
City Attorney Thomson advised the City Council that a Closed Executive Session is needed
because absolute confidentiality is necessary regarding the sale and purchase of land. The
Closed Executive Sessioh will be convened pursuant to M. S. 130.05.
I ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:49 p.m.
Special Council Meeting Minutes
Date Approved: October 9, 2007
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Cheryl K(tmho z .
Recording Secretary
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September 19, 2007