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Minutes 02-04-09RICHFIELD TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 2009 7:00 p.m. | Richfield City Hall | Council Chambers Commission members in attendance: Martin Kirsch (Chair); Peter Easterlund (Vice-Chair); Bob Shotwell; Barb Kritzman; Pat Sorensen; Gerald Charnitz; Sara Nutter; Jay Hermann; Steve Lindgren; Council Member Sue Sandahl; and, Maureen Scaglia. Others in attendance: David Gepner; and, Jack Broz of Howard R. Green Company. City Staff: Tom Foley and Kristin Asher Osberg. Excused absence: Gary Ness. CALL TO ORDER M. Kirsch called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Agenda was amended to include two items under new business: a report on Richfield’s Economic Stimulus package and selection of a date to provide the City Council with the Commission’s annual report. m/Lindgren to approve the amended agenda s/Kritzman. Motion carried. REAPPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION MEMBERS M. Kirsch and P. Sorensen were reappointed to the Transportation Commission. There is still one vacancy on the commission; S. Sandahl encouraged members to invite others to apply. Additional interviews will be held on February 10, 2009. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES M/Hermann to approve January 7, 2009 meeting minutes s/Sorensen. Motion carried. RICHFIELD ARTERIALS STUDY J. Broz reviewed the comments received at the January 21st Open House. No written response will be provided to people who commented because the names of people who provided comments were not recorded. J. Broz discussed photos taken recently on Marshall Avenue in Saint Paul to compare with photos taken in the Fall 2008. Commissioners were able to see a big difference between Fall and Winter in the condition of the road to handle bicyclists without proper winter maintenance. Little attention was paid to keep the bike lanes or parking bays free of snow. Next, J. Broz presented a map showing the four arterials being studied. The arterials on the map were broken into residential and commercial segments. The residential segments became the focus of further discussion as candidates for redesign. He followed that with the introduction of an idealized 3-lane roadway cross-section to possibly serve the transportation needs of the four arterials generally south of 66th Street and north of 76th Street. The three-lane conversion would require 70 feet of right of way as opposed to the 66 feet that most of Richfield’s arterials have now. J. Broz then presented a map that identified parcels along all four arterials that would be impacted by the wider right of way. The map assigned the degree of right of way impacts from no impact, then less than 2 feet of impact, up to 5 feet of impact, and finally over 5 feet of impact. Discussion followed on the impacts of the three-lane section on each arterial. J. Broz will discuss the proposal with the Community Services Commission on February 17th. Alternative cross-sections will be prepared for: Four-lane road (As is) Four-lane road- narrow lanes Three-lane road with bike lanes Three-lane road with on-street parking Three lane road with one-side bike lane Directive: Consultant to prepare a computer simulation of the three-lane operation for bus interaction. Directive: Staff to provide traffic volumes for south Minneapolis arterials, and history of on-street parking from County. J. Broz plans to present a draft recommendation at the next Commission meeting in March. The draft recommendations will include typical sections for the corridors and include recommendations for key bus stop locations at crossroads with transit, biking or pedestrian facilities. ON-STREET PARKING T. Foley reviewed a memo that proposed a policy regarding on-street parking. After some discussion, the Commission directed J. Broz to consider on-street parking in the commercial areas but to treat on-street parking in residential areas as a low priority. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL UPDATE T. Foley reported poor attendance at the Open House held on January 29th. The Commission directed staff to hold another meeting for public comment. They felt the District Office was hard to locate and difficult for parking that discouraged participation. They recommended using the Elliot Community Education Center and time a meeting with the Bicycle Safety Program. P. Sorensen suggested a promotional campaign tied to National Bike to Work Day and offer an incentive to get children to participate. METRO SEWER PROJECT UPDATE K. Asher reported that City staff had reviewed the 90% plans for the project. The schedule has been reaffirmed for 2009. Work west of 35W and north of 76th Street will be done in 2009. Work on 76th Street will occur in 2010. LYNDALE AVENUE BRIDGE UPDATE T. Foley reported that Lunda Construction delayed pile driving during recent cold weather but would resume next week. The pile driving will occur from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. so there will not be any nighttime pile driving. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Topics for upcoming meetings include the Safe Routes to School Study and the Richfield Arterials Study, and progress on the Urban Partnership Project on 35W. OTHER BUSINESS T. Foley reported that the City was proposing four transportation projects for the President’s Economic Stimulus Package. They are: the 77th Street Underpass; the Richfield Parkway; Countdown Timers on all Pedestrian Signals; and a Traffic Signal at 77th Street and Colfax Avenue (Main Entrance to Shops at Lyndale.) Chair Kirsch agreed to submit the Commission’s Annual Report to the City Council on March 10, 2009. B. Shotwell asked staff to check with Hennepin County on changes in signal plans at 69th & York, 66th & York ADJOURNMENT M/S. Lindgren to adjourn the meeting. S/Kritzman. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 P.M. THE NEXT TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 4TH AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE RICHFIELD CITY HALL.