HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2007-02-07BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Committee of the Whole Meeting 4:45 p.m. February 7, 2007
PRESENT:
Mayor Peterson
Commissioners (6) - Jenkins, Dotson, Chapman, Schlather, Tripp, Wykstra
OTHERS PRESENT:
City Attorney - Hoffman
Superintendent of Public Works - Gray
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Ferrel
Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer – Whitney
Common Council Liaison – Coles
DAC Liaison – Roberts
Information Management Specialist - Grunder
Mayor Peterson reported that her office received a formal petition this week regarding
the posting of parking on Inlet Island as two-hour maximum, (all parking in the triangular
lot as two-hours maximum) and all parking within the new lot adjacent to the Route 89
bridge as twenty-four hour parking. She will make copies and distribute the petition to
Board members.
Mayor Peterson presented a sample resolution from Barbara Clary, Upstate New York
State Safety Coalition Task Force, regarding controlling the waste trucks that are
coming through the Finger Lakes communities. Sen. Charles Schumer has agreed to
assist in this effort to get trucks back on Routes 81 and 90. Mayor Peterson requested
that this item be placed on the agenda for the voting meeting next week. No Board
member objected.
Mayor Peterson stated that the new owner of the Franklin Plaza has expressed
concerns about the condition of the road, the lack of sidewalks, and the landscaping in
that area. She requested a meeting with the City and the Planning Department to
discuss these issues.
City Sidewalk Program Update:
Asst. Civil Engineer Lynne Yost addressed the Board to report that a public hearing
date will need to be scheduled regarding the new sidewalks on Elmira Road. Once that
is done the City can send a letter to the owners of that stretch of the road explaining that
the City is asking property owners to provide portions of private property for a public
sidewalk at no cost to the City. She expects that the public hearing will be well attended.
Supt. Gray explained that the City of Ithaca widened Elmira Road in the 1970’s and at
the time, took a lot of land that resulted in a very peculiar set of property lines on Elmira
Road. If the City wanted to construct a sidewalk and not use private property, it would
have to be tight against the curve and the road carries too much traffic to do this safely.
The sidewalk needs to be setback from the road and in order to do this, the City either
has to widen its right-of-way or approach the property owners this way.
The Board agreed to have the public hearing at their March 7, 2007 Committee of the
Whole meeting.
Commissioner Jenkins arrived at 5:10 p.m.
Traffic/Transportation Improvement Program Project Update:
Traffic Engineer Logue introduced Chris Smith from Fisher Associates who has been
the lead agency on the South Meadow Street Traffic Study. Traffic Engineer Logue
explained that the Department of Transportation (DOT) required this traffic study as a
follow-up assessment of the operations along South Meadow Street from Clinton Street
to Elmira Road corridor and also as a comparison to the City’s projections made prior to
the construction project.
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Supt. Gray explained that the State DOT conducted this study to make sure that traffic
flow on Route 13 worked well and the City participated in the study to determine if the
Route 13 improvements worked to put less pressure on cars to go through the
neighborhoods to avoid Route 13.
Mr. Smith explained that the study was conducted to fulfill the requirements of the
highway work permit that was issued to the City so that the DOT could release the bond
that is currently being held. The City added a few items to the study such as
pedestrian/bicycle mobility on the corridor, and access management strategies primarily
in the Elmira Road portion of the project. He further stated that the goals were to check
the traffic signal timing and to check the traffic flow on the corridor to see if it can be
optimized to better improve traffic flow. They studied safety before and after the
development occurred. A requirement of the study was to show whether safety
standards went up, down, or stayed the same. There were quite a few traffic changes
with the City’s Six Point Traffic plan and the new development. He further explained in
more detail the following categories of the study regarding traffic study, traffic flow,
pedestrian/bicycle, and access management. He also explained what time of day, days
of the week, etc. that traffic counts were done to get a good cross-section of the types
and amount of traffic, both vehicular and non-vehicular that were using the roadway at
every signalized intersection along the corridor. This data can help calibrate and
validate traffic models.
The study found that the traffic through most of the corridor works as well as it can be
expected with the amount of capacity that is available, and the number of traffic signals.
The congestion occurs in the Fulton/Clinton street area, however, the widened bridge
has made an improvement. The only movements that were seen as unacceptable were
at the northern most intersection. The rest of the intersections were seen as operating
“acceptably” in traffic engineering language. In the morning, the east bound traffic
would back up and in the afternoon it was the opposite. On Saturday, getting out of the
City and the north bound traffic was pretty balanced, but not working all that great.
There might be an opportunity to give a little more time to some of the side street
movements. The State DOT has accepted the results of the study with technical
recommendations regarding the extension of timing for some of the pedestrian crossing
signals.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding the timing of signals at various intersections
for pedestrians and bicyclists, and where signals may need to be adjusted to allow more
time for crossing.
Mr. Smith stated that the DOT reviewed safety data from before and after the
development. They looked at pavement markings, sign clutter, and all the different
things that might go into the landscape of the traffic signal areas to see what could
cause accidents. They found faded striping at approaches to intersections (one at Titus
Avenue and one at South or Wood Street) where the pavement markings were unclear
and confusing.
The Commercial Avenue curb radius looks as though trucks are constantly driving over
it. The City might want to make those a little bigger to help trucks get in and out more
efficiently. Traffic signal equipment on the southern end should be upgraded because
it’s small and blends into the background. The whole area was seen as a safety issue
with so many uncontrolled driveways, people turning in and out and waiting in the
middle lane.
Prior to development the corridor showed 8.7 accidents per million vehicle miles
traveled and the Statewide average is less than that. It was a heavily traveled corridor
with a lot of uncontrolled access points. The types of accidents were mostly rear end
accidents, which are usually lower speed with not as many injuries involved. Most
accidents were congestion related where someone was trying to switch a lane. There
were not a significant number of bicycle or pedestrian accidents. Post-development
results found that accident rates were twice as much as the State-wide average and
sometimes three times as much as the State-wide average at a few locations. The
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accidents seemed to be mostly congestion related such as drivers trying to pull out into
the roadway because there wasn’t a break in traffic, rear end accidents, and side swipe
accidents.
Pedestrian accommodations include a continuous sidewalk on the northern portion of
the area with efforts being made to extend the sidewalk down the southern end of
Elmira Road, and at several intersections there are count down audible timers. In
addition they are considering three options which are unique pedestrian
accommodations including an all red pedestrian phase located at Cayuga and Green
Streets, a protected pedestrian phase where traffic would be shut off on one side of
intersection, and leading pedestrian interval which is a concept that allows the
pedestrian to establish themselves in the street before the signal will go green for
anyone.
Access management is a way to control the amount of driveways and the ability for
vehicles to get out on the street. Recommendations were that as re-development
occurs to remove the ten uncontrolled driveways, although there are a few that might
not be able to be removed because there is no opportunity for cross access and no
opportunity to get to a signal. Another recommendation would be the installation of a
median and round about to help manage the flow and speed of vehicles and promote
pedestrian and bicycle safety. Also recommended for further consideration would be the
construction of another roadway from Home Depot to Walmart to accommodate traffic
and provide access management along this corridor. To assist with redevelopment, the
City could have requirements such as one curb cut if there is no signal access and if a
traffic signal can be accessed no curb cut, if you can get to a side street no curb cut, if
you can cross access to another property that has access to a signal and has an
established driveway, no curb cut. What the City wants to do is reduce the number of
curb cuts and consolidate traffic to points that can be controlled through a round about
or traffic signal. In conclusion, the City has fulfilled its requirements of the New York
State DOT highway work permit which was one of the biggest goals.
Water Treatment Plant Update:
Mayor Peterson explained that there are two resolutions coming forward to Common
Council this evening. One is on the decision for lead agency with Common Council
supporting the Board of Public Works as lead agency for environmental review; the
other one is on the decision maker body. She stated that Common Council and the
Board would benefit if the City had several topical seminars such as governance or the
financial aspect of this process to learn more about them. She further stated that a client
committee would need to be created that would include Deputy Director of Planning and
Development Cornish, Supt. Gray, Rick Gell from O’Brien and Gere, Director of
Planning and Development VanCort, and a few other people, including a Council
member and a Board of Public Works member to help make sure the process moves
along in a timely way and that the process is moving forward. She further explained
that Rick Gell from O’Brien and Gere reported at the City Administration Committee
meeting last week that there is still money left in the project so that once the thirty days
for lead agency and the involved agency period ends the City can begin the scoping
process.
Commissioner Schlather stated that, assuming the Board goes forward with
environmental review and they do it in the joint fashion that has been discussed, and a
client committee is created which is essentially a joint committee, and topical meetings
which would be joint meetings are conducted, that it doesn’t make sense, at this point,
for Common Council to say they are making this decision.
Mayor Peterson stated that she did not share that view. She further stated that
Alderperson Coles, as the BPW Liaison to Common Council, would be happy to convey
the sentiment of the majority of the Board. She knows what the sentiments are from
this Board and she can’t overstate how strongly she feels that this is a Common Council
decision. She further stated that she highly values the Board of Public Works and feels
that the lead agency for environmental review is such a key part of the decision making
process and that the Board would have a significant role in putting together the findings
and making recommendations to Common Council.
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Mayor Peterson left the meeting.
Commissioner Dotson assumed the role of Vice Chair and stated that this topic has
been discussed at length here and suggested that the Board move forward with the rest
of the agenda items at this time.
Deputy Director of Planning and Development Cornish stated that she and Supt. Gray
would provide more information on this topic for next week’s meeting and if possible
would e-mail information to the Board before the meeting.
BJM Pick Up/Drop Off Request:
Traffic Engineer Logue explained that the City has a request to create a pick up/drop off
zone on Buffalo Street from BJM. There is a fire lane in front of BJM on Buffalo Street
just immediately west of Albany Street, and there are two handicap parking spaces. The
City would like to create a zone in there that would allow standing on the street as long
as the driver stays in the car from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This change
would allow parents to drop off and pick up children for school. He explained that the
fire department is comfortable with this proposal.
124 Robert’s Place – Curb Cuts
Supt. Gray explained that the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a
proposal to construct a gravel drive at 124 Roberts Placed located in the Cornell
Heights Historic District. The proposed drive is curved and will require a curb cut at
either end, both accessing Roberts Place. He further explained that the scope of the
Commission’s deliberation was limited to assessing the impacts on the historic and
architectural character of the property and didn’t include issues such as the pros and
cons of multiple curb cuts, which are within the Board of Public Works purview. The
Commission’s decision supports the applicant’s request to accommodate a drive with
two parking spaces. Properties at 122 and 124 Roberts Place originally shared the
same site and continue to share a landscape, a condition that underscores the unique
value placed on landscape design in the development of Cornell Heights. Based on
physical and historical documentation presented at the Commission’s meeting, much of
the original shared landscape has survived over a period of almost 100 years. This
circumstance allows one to perceive a relationship between 122, 124 and the residence
across Roberts Place, 123.
The applicant Robert Mzarek and neighbor, Ken Vineburg studied several concepts for
providing parking on the site in an effort to find a solution that would have the least
impact on the landscape. The Commission members too, disturbed by the proximity of
the drive to the house and the “front yard” location, discussed several different
scenarios at the meeting. In the end, however, the Commission members were
convinced that the current scheme was the only design that would successfully
preserve the landscape context for these resources, a feature important to
understanding the historic significance. The applicant is requesting that the Board of
Public Works approve the request for two curb cuts.
Robert Mzarek, applicant, addressed the Board to further explain his request. He
explained that the property was designed and constructed by the Comstock family in
1914. He stated that he has attempted to restore this property in a way, hopefully, that
Anna Comstock would be proud of. Unfortunately, she did not have to deal with the
curse of the automobile. The certificate of compliance requires one parking spot for
each one of the apartments in this particular house. He has two neighbors on Roberts
Place and a next-door neighbor and they attempted to create a plan which was
presented to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission that would allow for two
parking spaces on the property. He explained that it would be simple to create these
two parking spaces and the proposal takes into consideration some of the historic
configuration on both his property and his neighbor’s property, as well as the original
Comstock home in trying to create a plan that would have the least impact on the
property and it does include two curb cuts. The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation
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Commission approved his request and he was hoping that the Board would also
approve the request for two curb cuts.
Supt. Gray explained that this request violates two of the guidelines that the City would
have for driveways. One would be that a property of this size would normally only get
one driveway curb cut. The other is that you would never put curb cuts this close to a
corner. He stated that he thought the Board should take the time to review and
consider this request. He further stated that if the Board felt that it had enough
information particular to this property that the City might recommend that the driveway
be only one way in and one way out, to only make right hand turns into it and right hand
turns out of it. He explained that the property is located on a long sweeping curb that is
pretty low speed, low volume location. He further stated that there is no on street
parking because it is narrow and there is no room for parking on the street there.
Mr. Mzarek explained that unusual to this property is that the sidewalks are on the
property he owns as opposed to City property, so the double curb cuts would simply
connect to the sidewalk. He stated that he has the full support of both his neighbors for
this proposal as well.
Commissioner Chapman asked if approval of this request might be setting a precedent
for similar requests.
Supt. Gray stated that it would be very rare to have someone sit before this Board
having come through the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission and produce the
historic background and recommendations like this request. Normally, he would be very
uncomfortable with this, but he thinks for a number of reasons this one gets to stand by
itself.
The Board requested that Supt. Gray prepare a resolution for their consideration of this
item at their next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
On a motion the meeting adjourned.
Sarah L. Myers Carolyn K. Peterson
Information Management Specialist Mayor