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Minutes 12-03-08RICHFIELD TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 3, 2008 7:00 p.m. | Richfield City Hall | Council Chambers Commission members in attendance: Martin Kirsch (Chair); Peter Easterlund (Vice-Chair); Bob Elliott; Bob Shotwell; Barb Kritzman; Gary Ness; Steve Lindgren; Gerald Charnitz; Sara Nutter; Jay Hermann; Council Member Sue Sandahl; and, Maureen Scaglia. Others in attendance: Chris Mullen and Jared Mullen; Carla Stueve of SRF Consulting; and, Jack Broz of Howard R. Green Company. City Staff: Tom Foley and Kristin Asher. Excused absence: Pat Sorensen. CALL TO ORDER M. Kirsch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Agenda with the additions of Oliver Avenue and 74th Street, and Safe Routes to School was approved in a motion moved by B. Elliott; and seconded by S. Lindgren. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES Motion to approve November 5, 2008 meeting minutes with the corrected date was made by B. Kritzman, seconded by B. Elliott. Motion carried. OLIVER AVENUE AND 74TH STREET G. Ness reported that the Community Services Commission discussed the on-street parking problem raised last month by Bob Hall, 7309 Oliver Avenue. The City’s Recreation Services Department uses the fields at the Richfield Middle School for certain activities. The Commission recommended painting the curb yellow for 30 feet south of the stop sign on Oliver Avenue or adding signs to the area. He reported that a long time resident of the area did not perceive parking on stub ended streets next to Donaldson Park as a parking problem. If cars park illegally, then residents can call the Police. RENAMING 76TH STREET AND 77TH STREET G. Ness mentioned that the Celebrations Commission has discussed renaming part of 76th Street and 77th Street as Centennial Boulevard. S. Sandahl explained the Council will consider this in 2009. Edina will be asked to consider renaming their 76th Street, too. RICHFIELD ARTERIALSTUDY Jack Broz of Howard R. Green Company reviewed study done by the Metro Council on ranking arterials for transit needs outside of Minneapolis. Nicollet Avenue, Portland Avenue, and 66th Street were placed in the Tier I category and Penn Avenue and Lyndale Avenue were placed in the Tier II category. J. Broz gave a brief history of how arterial roads have been designed. Engineering was first emphasized, and then environmental factors were added over time. He also discussed 4-lane to 3-lane conversions. He discussed the advantages of three-lane roads as offering reduced crash rates and providing room for on-street bicyclists. Using the City’s Comprehensive Plan, J. Broz will overlay the sidewalk plan and bikeway plan over the arterial streets to provide a better understanding of how the traffic network works. J. Broz then mentioned the next steps in the arterials study. In January 2009 the Commission will discuss the needs evaluation followed by having a public meeting on January 21st to gain public input on the needs evaluation. The proposed schedule showed the Commission preparing recommendations in March 2009. Another public meeting would be held in May 2009 for the public to comment on the Commissions recommendations before they are submitted to the City Council. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL UPDATE Carla Stueve of SRF Consulting Group gave an update on the steps SRF has taken to date. A survey of each school has been completed and safety problems identified. The consultant also had prepared a list of possible improvements based on needs identified in the survey. About three percent of parents responded to a parents’ survey sent out by SRF. This was a lower percentage than SRF has received in other cities. SRF will try to meet with school principals within the next two weeks to review the proposed improvements. LYNDALE AVENUE BRIDGE T. Foley reported that the contractor has reached 15% completion and has begun work to build retaining walls on the northeast side of the project. This will affect the frontage road on the Richfield side of I-494 and the businesses from Ramada Inn to Richfield Bloomington Honda. BIKEWAY PLAN AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN T. Foley asked the Commission if they wanted to modify the Bikeway Plan before it is finalized. Motion by B. Shotwell, second by S. Nutter to modify the Richfield Parkway route to follow Cedar Avenue south of 68th Street until Richfield Parkway is built as part of redevelopment in the corridor. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by J. Hermann, second by B. Kritzman to drop Oliver Avenue as a bike route and designate a north-south bike route in the vicinity of Penn Avenue. Motion passed unanimously. The Commission agreed to insert wording in the Comprehensive Plan that 68th Street between Nicollet Avenue and Lyndale Avenue be considered as a possible collector. NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION PILOT PROGRAM GRANTS T. Foley informed the Commission that City staff is proposing two grant proposals for Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program funds. They are: a joint proposal with Minneapolis for the Cedar Avenue Corridor Trail using Richfield Parkway and Cedar Avenue in Richfield; and, adding a pedestrian/bikeway crossing to the existing Penn Avenue Bridge over Highway 62. Motion made by B. Kritzman, seconded by M. Scaglia to move forward with both applications. Motion passed unanimously. 6200 AND 6300 LYNDALE UPDATE K. Asher reported that 6300 Lyndale Ave. Project is opened to traffic. Temporary street lights will be replaced in mid-January. The 6200 block of Lyndale and the area under the new Lyndale Avenue Bridge is opened for two lanes of traffic until next year when the road will be completed. In spring 2009, work will resume to open up two-lanes of traffic in each direction. Sidewalks in the area remain unfinished and will be completed in spring 2009; however, pedestrian access is available along the roadway. The 6200 block of Lyndale is part of the 35W/62 Crosstown Project. 66TH STREET AND PORTLAND AVENUE UPDATE K. Asher reported that the roundabout will be opened for traffic on Friday, December 5th, but landscaping and other items will be completed next year. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Topics for upcoming meetings include the Safe Routes to School Study and the Richfield Arterials Study. ADJOURNMENT B. Elliott motioned to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by S. Lindgren. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned at 8:56 PM. THE NEXT TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON JANUARY 7TH AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE RICHFIELD CITY HALL.