HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2017-01-23BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK
Regular Meeting 4:45 p.m. January 23, 2017
PRESENT:
Vice Chair Jenkins
Commissioners (4) – Darling, Greene, McCormick, Warden
OTHERS PRESENT:
Supt. of Public Works - Thorne
Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities – Benjamin
Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer – Whitney
Common Council Liaison – Fleming
Information Management Specialist - Myers
Director of Engineering – Logue
Director of Parking – Nagy
Transportation Engineer – Johnson
EXCUSED:
Mayor Myrick
City Attorney – Lavine
Call to Order/Agenda Review:
Commissioner Warden, as a liaison to the Joint Sewer Committee (SJC) reported to the
Board that the SJC was informed that Dan Reamer, the Chief Waste Water Operator
had submitted his resignation from the City of Ithaca which will occur within the next two
weeks. He will really be missed; now, the City and other municipalities will need to
begin the task of finding another Chief Operator for the plant.
Mayor’s Communications:
The Mayor did not attend today’s meeting.
Communications and Hearings From Persons Before the Board:
Steve Williams, City of Ithaca, addressed the Board to report that a contractor has made
no accommodations for pedestrians at a construction project taking place at the corner
of West State/Martin Luther King, Jr. Street and Meadow Street (the new Elmira
Savings Bank Building). The sidewalk has been blocked completely at an intersection
where the traffic signal is the only way for pedestrians to cross the street safely. He
voiced his displeasure with whatever department in the City of Ithaca overseeing the
project and their disregard for the need to protect and provide for pedestrian access.
Gino Bush, City of Ithaca, addressed the Board regarding his water bill for the time
period this past summer where the City was experiencing issues with discolored water.
He requested that an adjustment be made to the bill for that time period when he could
not use the water.
Jacob Parker Carver, City of Ithaca, addressed the Board regarding his appeal to the
City of Ithaca concerning the water bill at 108 ½ Fifth Street. The apartment has no
dishwasher or washing machine, and only one tenant resides in it. A water bill,
significantly higher than normal, was received for the apartment and both he and the
property owner have submitted an appeal to the Board for a reduction in the amount of
the bill due to the faulty installation of a water meter in March 2016. He did note that an
adjustment had been made to the bill by the City of Ithaca as a result of the brown water
issue experienced this past summer.
Response to the Public:
Commissioner McCormick responded to the concern about the blocked sidewalk at the
new Elmira Savings Bank and stated that the Board would discuss this item later during
the meeting.
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Commissioner Warden responded to the concern raised about the blocked sidewalk
due to construction at the new Elmira Savings Bank. He also would like to know the
policy for keeping sidewalks open during construction. He further responded to
comments made about the appeal for the water bill at 108 ½ Fifth Street. He noted that
the board usually gets a report from the Water Department that provides the history of
the water usage averages to review and make a determination on these types of
appeals. He stated that this new appeal needs to be investigated and that information
provided to the Board by staff. If a mistake was made, the bill will be adjusted
accordingly.
Asst. Supt. Whitney responded to Mr. Bush’s water bill appeal due to the brown issue
experienced this past summer. He explained to Mr. Bush what he should do and who
he should contact at the City to address the problem. If a credit is due, the City will
make an adjustment to the bill accordingly.
Director of Engineering Logue responded to the concern raised about the blocked
sidewalk due to the construction on the new Elmira Saving Bank building. He reported
that no street permit was issued by the City of Ithaca because the work falls under NYS
highway work requirements because is a State owned route. He did visit the site, and
he is not sure why the sidewalk was allowed to be completely closed off, and noted that
the Building Department would have issued the building permit. There is an effort
underway to make work zones pedestrian friendly so staff will work with the contractor
on this issue. He will contact staff in the Building Department to see what happened with
this permit. He further noted that with New York State road projects, the City can only
make recommendations; however the State can do whatever they want.
Reports:
Director of Engineering Logue reported that the City of Ithaca was successful in
securing $1 million dollars from New York State funding for bridges. The money will be
used to rebuild the bridge on North Aurora Street over Cascadilla Creek, and that work
will begin very quickly.
The drilling for the retaining wall on East State/East Martin Luther, King Jr. Street
began; this is potentially going to become a multi-million dollar project.
The request for design services will go out soon for work on North Albany Street. In
addition, staff will be putting together bid documents for the repair of the maintenance
building at Stewart Park; the design work should be completed soon. Staff are
beginning to think about the ongoing and new projects occurring in Collegetown; they
are trying to coordinate three to four projects on College Avenue as well as on Dryden
Road. He reported that Dryden Road would be closed during the construction at
Cornell’s Johnson School on work days; once they begin installing the glass on the
outside of the building there, then most of Linden Avenue will be closed as well during
that work.
CC Liaison Fleming reported to staff that she also ran into a blocked sidewalk on East
State/Martin Luther, Jr. where the drilling for the retaining wall is occurring. She had
started up the hill there recently and gone too far before realizing the sidewalk was
closed. She thought it might be a good idea to put up the blocked sidewalk sign sooner
or provide some alternate pedestrian access. Director of Engineering Logue responded
that there should be a sidewalk detour sign at Stewart Avenue as well as at the tuning
fork intersections so he will follow-up to make sure.
Asst. Supt. Benjamin reported that crews were preparing for the snow storm predicated
to bring 4-8 inches to the area during the night and tomorrow. Crews repaired the sink
hole on the north end of the Columbia Street Bridge where a storm sewer line was
repaired last year, and the area is now closed back up for the rest of the winter. Work is
underway at the Streets & Facilities building to expand the lunch room with the removal
of a hallway to provide more space for training to occur in that room. Right now, the
entire crew cannot fit in the room for training. Crews are collecting Christmas trees; that
will stop at the end of January. A crew is looking to start on the construction of the
retaining wall by Six Mile Creek on South Titus Avenue. This work will be done in-
house and will require part of the street to be removed, and that block will remain closed
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until spring when the street can be repaired. The reason that the street will remain
closed is due to the cost of the machine to do this type of work during the winter; it will
be cheaper to replace the street in the spring. They are ready to begin work on the
retaining wall as soon as the weather cooperates.
Commissioner Jenkins requested that in the spring a street grate on the 500 block of
West Green Street be repaired or replaced. Currently, due to its current condition, it
causes her house to shake and make noise each time traffic runs over it. She noted
that it was repaired once before, but now it's doing it again and was doing it through this
past summer. She believes that its condition is due to the need to re-grade and re-
surface the street in the area. She said that right now cracks can be seen around the
grate.
Asst. Supt. Whitney reported that crews repaired water main breaks at the intersection
of Triphammer and Jessup Roads, Titus Avenue, and Fallview Terrace recently. They
also replaced a sewer main that collapsed on Queen Street; it was an old one which
they have now abandoned and switched the two houses affected to the new sewer main
at that location. The department has had two staffing changes one was a retirement -
the pump station mechanic, whose successor is currently being trained, and the other
was the unexpected resignation of Chief Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator, Dan
Reamer. Efforts to find a replacement for Mr. Reamer will begin very soon. The new
Water Treatment Plant is two weeks closer to completion. The Contractor is having to
pay $12,000 for the new plant’s phone system; they bid the contract which included
clear expectations for the specifics required in a new telecom system so they are having
to take care of the installation of the system at their own expense, and staff are currently
working with IT and the contractor to set up the system.
Director of Parking Nagy reported that the revenue for parking violations increased by
14%, ($600,000 to $690,000) from last year, transactions at pay stations are up 21%
from last year, and the revenue from parking meters has also increased from $914,000
last year to $947,000 this year. Staff are currently working on a sign project for the
Green Street Parking garage related to the 90 parking spaces reserved for the new
Marriott Hotel and short-term parking for customers of downtown. The cost for the new
signage is estimated to be $5,000.00; if the Marriott Hotel would like additional signage
they will have to pay for it at their own cost. Staff are currently working on parking study
that includes a complete inventory of all parking spaces in the City of Ithaca, this
information is being entered into the City’s GIS system which will provide a way for the
City to provide reports on occupancy rates. The inventory of parking spaces will also be
added into the inventory database utilized by the license plate readers. This project
should be completed by the end of new month, and then he can begin to provide
information on average parking occupancies around the City.
Supt. Thorne reiterated the information already shared regarding the recent unexpected
resignation of the Chief Operator for the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Mr. Reamer’s
last working day will be February 10th. Staff are working with the City’s Human
Resources Department to determine who will be selected as the interim chief as well as
working on some restructuring of the positions at the Waste Water Treatment Plant to
get a different management structure in place. Once that restructuring plan is
formulated it will be presented to Sewer Joint Committee. On Dryden Road and Linden
Avenue the overhead telecommunication wires will be taken down today. This work has
had held up work on the curtain wall for a project on Dryden Road. These two streets
will be closed intermittently while the curtain wall work is completed. After that work, the
contractor can then work to finish the building. At the Board’s next meeting, the
committee tasked with looking at the geese problem at Stewart Park will make a
presentation with recommendations about what should be done in the spring to address
the problem. He further reported on the lead issue experienced by the City last summer.
He explained that when the lead sampling was done, samples were taken from all of the
City’s facilities. The results of that testing showed that some of the facilities did get hits
on lead. As the results were reviewed, staff realized that the samples had been
collected incorrectly. The City is now restarting the lead sampling collection plan with
the first being done at Cass Park. The City is working to put as many fixtures back into
service as possible; however, if lead keeps showing up in the testing, the City will need
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to replace those service lines. He did want the Board to be aware that the City is
making progress in addressing this important issue.
Commissioner Jenkins questioned what the latest reports on the condition of the
parking garages reveal as far as condition, in particular, the Green Street Parking
garage.
Supt. Thorne responded that there are still a number of “what if” scenarios; and the City
has the numbers for a variety of repair options. He is not sure what direction the City
will go, but hopes that by the end of June a decision will be made. The worst case
scenario is that the City would stick with the current plan and begin that work in the
summer.
Commissioner Warden questioned whether when the City did the test sampling for lead
in the water at all of its facilities whether it had been done correctly, and depending on
how the testing was done did the results tend to be positive or negative.
Supt. Thorne responded that with the lead issue in Flint, Michigan and the Ithaca City
School District, the City just went ahead to test all its facilities. The results from the
sampling done for Cass Park and Stewart Park resulted in positive hits for lead. This
was the result of the samples being obtained in the late spring when the water fixtures
had just been turned on after being shut off for the winter. Water had sat in the pipes
through the winter and some lead got into it. The proper protocol is to flush the water
lines, let them sit overnight and then test; when that was done at Cass Park the results
were negative for lead. As a result of the last testing at Cass Park, one ice machine will
need to be replaced because of lead in the lines.
Commissioner Warden stated that if the sampling had been done correctly, after
flushing of the lines to start with, would it have negated the lead issue. Supt. Thorne
responded in the affirmative.
Administration and Communications:
Approval of the January 9, 2017 Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes -
Resolution
By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner McCormick
RESOLVED, That the minutes of the January 9, 2017 Board of Public Works meeting
be approved as published.
Carried Unanimously
Commissioner Greene arrived at 5:25 p.m.
Highways, Streets and Sidewalks:
A. Award of a Professional Services Contract to Fisher Associates for the
Elmira Road Overlay and Signal Replacement Project - Resolution
By Commissioner Warden: Seconded by Commissioner Darling
WHEREAS, professional services proposals were received on August 10, 2016
for the Elmira Road Overlay and Signal Replacement project (CP 832, PIN
375592); and
WHEREAS, staff has reviewed the eight proposals received and made
recommendations for award; and
WHEREAS, engineering studies and designs are a Type II action requiring no
further review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the City
Environmental Quality Review Ordinance; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Board of Public Works hereby awards the
professional services contract for the Elmira Road Overlay and Signal
Replacement project (CP 832, PIN 375592) to Fisher Associates, of Rochester,
New York, for an amount not to exceed $210,000; and, be it further
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes January 23, 2017
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RESOLVED, That the Superintendent of Public Works for the City of Ithaca be
hereby authorized to enter into said contracts under the usual terms and
conditions.
Carried Unanimously
Discussion Items:
Proposal for a Temporary Community Alter in DeWitt Park:
Supt. Thorne suggested that this item be tabled until the next Board meeting because
neither staff nor the applicants were at the meeting to provide information and answer
questions for the Board as the request was discussed.
Proposed Street Permit Fees:
Director of Engineering Logue explained that sometimes developers and contractors
need to be in the street to do work. The current fee schedule is not providing the right
financial incentive to hurry up and complete the project so that the street can be re-
opened in a timely fashion. There has been a lot of discussions taking place at City Hall
about fees in general and the need to provide access for public. In order to ensure
access for the public in a timely manner, staff have developed a proposed new Street
Permit fee schedule. He noted that the new fee schedule will not apply to Special Event
permits or utility work (i.e. NYSEG).
Director of Engineering Logue provided the following information regarding the proposal
for the Board:
There was a lot of private development in the City this past year, particularly in
Collegetown. Many of the buildings were built on land that offered little in the way of
staging or room to construct the building, and eventually the work spilled out into the
street right of way, closing sidewalks, parking lanes, travel lanes and sometimes the
whole street. In order to occupy the street right of way, people need to get a street
permit from the Engineering office. There is a fee for this permit: $50 for any and all
work except for sidewalk replacement, which is $25. It doesn't matter what you are
doing, whether you are doing a $5,000 roofing job or building a $30 million hotel, the fee
is $50. Also, it doesn't matter what the impact on the traveling public would be, whether
you are putting a scaffold over a sidewalk, closing a street or flagging traffic in one lane,
the fee is $50.
Staff found this past year that this low fee may have distorted the financial incentives for
development projects. There was no financial incentive to reduce the impact on the
public by occupying less of the street right of way or by accelerating the project
schedule. For example, it is considerably less expensive to close a street and put a
crane there, and all the construction materials, than it is to try to incorporate a crane into
the building itself.
Staff have prepared the following proposal to increase street permit fees. The proposal
is that the fee vary based on impact to the street-right-of way and by the duration of the
permission.
2017 Street Permit Fee
Proposal
Occupancy fees to be charged through Street Permits for use of City right of way.
Note: the fees do not apply to special event permits or to utility work.
PARKING LANE
Areas with no meters or pay stations $5I day I space plus $20 deposit for use of DPW
signs
Areas with meters/pay stations $20/ day /space (a space is defined as a 20 linear
foot distance within legal parking or loading zones)
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes January 23, 2017
6
SIDEWALK CLOSURE
Residential area
Less than a week $100
One week to a month $200
Each additional month $200
Commercial area
Less than a week $300
One week to a month $750
Each additional month $750
LANE CLOSURE $50/day
STREET CLOSURE $100/day
All days are calendar days and therefore include weekends and holidays. Days and
months are not pro-rated for partial occupancy.
Additionally, the City reserves the right to assess costs for assurance of compliance
with plans and specifications. Assessed costs shall be the City’s actual costs or the City
may require permittees to provide third-party engineering inspections or material
certifications at the permittees cost.
Fees do not apply to special events (I.e. Streets Alive/Ithaca Festival) and no charge for
utility work (i.e. NYSEG).
If scaffolding is installed to accommodate pedestrians, then no fee. No break for
Saturday or Sunday's with no pro-rating.
Director of Engineering Logue explained that had this new policy been in place for the
last construction season, it would have made a difference in the type of access provided
by contractors in Collegetown, and for the Marriott Hotel where the sidewalk on the
Aurora Street side was closed for about two years.
He explained that the construction work on Hotel Ithaca included the closure of the
sidewalk; however, the contractor installed a barrier in the street to accommodate
pedestrians. In this case, if they had chosen to pay for the parking spaces instead of
installing the barrier for pedestrians, it would have been more expensive. The City
would rather have pedestrian access maintained even if some revenue is lost.
Commissioner Greene asked whether some of the fees not otherwise obtained from
New York State for road work, could be incorporated into the building permit fee.
Director of Engineering Logue responded that it could be done; however, he doesn’t
believe that how New York State undertake their construction projects is the driving
force for proposal - it’s more for the private developers.
Discussion followed on the floor regarding the proposal, and the importance of
maintaining public access as much as possible during construction projects, agreement
that the City should collect a fee for its right-of-way not being maintained, the fact that in
some areas scaffolding won’t work, and whether other municipalities have such a
program in place.
Commissioner Darling, as the BPW liaison to the Planning and Development Board,
stated that he would bring this proposal to the Planning and Development Board for
their review and information. He noted that when the Board reviews projects during site
plan review, it’s often left with developers and contractors that “they’ll work it out with
the City” about maintaining public access accommodations during the work. He will
suggest that during site plan review one of the requirements should be the provision of
a plan to maintain public accommodations at all times during the construction of the
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes January 23, 2017
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project. He would like to include an incentive for developers to either build or create
pedestrian access that can be maintained throughout the entire project. The site plan
review fee will be less if something is built that will allow public accommodations for the
duration of the project. He noted that the site plan review piece regarding public
accommodations could also play a part in any project undertaken by New York State
because it’s the only place it could be done in the permitting process.
Director of Engineering Logue explained that the City can’t really tell developers and
contractors that they can’t close the sidewalk, because that would require staff to
provide the answer to them for how to construct the project and maintain public
accommodations, and that is not staff’s responsibility. The reason for the proposal to
increase the street permit fees is to provide an incentive to contractors to maintain
public access accommodations and to reduce where pedestrians have to cross a street
other than at an intersection.
Commissioner Darling stated that it is not fair either for public access accommodations
to remain closed over the weekend because work occurs Monday through Friday only.
In that case, the sidewalk should be opened up for the weekend.
Commissioner McCormick stated that it might be more expensive to install scaffolding to
provide pedestrian access than to close the sidewalk so contractors may choose to
close the sidewalk. He pointed out that this needs to be considered as the Harold’s
Square project commences on the Commons since the proposed closing of the
sidewalk in this project will most likely have negative impacts on nearby merchants. In
addition, with this project there is a proposal to close the bike lane on the Green Street
side of the project. He is concerned that during the construction of this project that both
pedestrian and bicycle access will be negatively impacted.
Director of Engineering Logue responded that he would double check with staff on the
details of the Harold’s Square project and the provision for maintenance of public
access accommodations. He did note that the Commons is different as far the
requirement to maintain pedestrian access since there are a lot of other walkways
available, so the impact of a sidewalk closure here is less than elsewhere around the
City.
Board members expressed concern over the Harold’s Square project and its possible
negative impacts on Commons merchants who have just gone through a very difficult
time during the reconstruction of the Commons. They feel that that the merchants might
disagree that the impact of no pedestrian access being maintained near to the project
site might not be negative. They feel that if some type of alternate pedestrian passage
could be provided that would keep pedestrian access to merchants near the project site,
then something different should be done to ensure that for the duration of the project in
an effort to support the nearby merchants.
Supt. Thorne stated that this proposal to increase street permit fees was prepared now
so that it might be able to be finalized, hopefully by the next Board of Public Works
meeting so that it can be implemented prior to the new construction season
commencing in Collegetown soon. Staff did meet with the City’s Economic
Development Director and other staff and they all thought this proposal was a good
idea. The costs of scaffolding and crane can be reviewed, but in the meantime this is a
good starting point to hopefully incentivize contractors in Collegetown and downtown to
maintain public access accommodations.
Commissioner Greene asked how truck traffic would be impacted during the Johnson
School construction project and the project occurring next door to it. There has been a
lot of truck traffic on Linden Avenue, and in some cases trucks are backing up against
the flow of traffic. He guess is that this topic would be covered during site plan review;
however, he wonders if that did not come up then, how trucks would access
construction sites for deliveries. He realizes that maybe this is not the right forum to be
asking the question; however, the plan for how construction materials is going to be
gotten in and out on these projects is an important consideration.
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A brief discussion followed on the floor regarding truck traffic for construction projects in
Collegetown; especially since deliveries show up when they show up. Staff learned
some valuable lessons as a result of last years’ construction season in Collegetown and
downtown which helped put these recommendations together.
Commissioner Darling noted, again, that a lot can be done doing site plan review
discussions to answer some of these questions and concerns. In addition, the Building
Department can hold up certificates of occupancy when needed as well.
The Board agreed that this proposal is needed and expressed support for it. Director of
Engineering Logue will provide a resolution for the Board’s next meeting. The resolution
will include two proposals for alternatives on what will be done and what each one
costs. He stated that he does think that the suggestion to open/close, open/close public
accommodations for weekends when work is only done Monday through Friday will
become too difficult. The best way is to install a concrete barrier with a fence that
outlines the work zones that will also include an approved space for deliveries to be
made in. Once the City approves the developer/contractor’s plan for public access
accommodations and deliveries it will not be allowed to change during the project.
Commissioner Darling encouraged staff to communicate these new requirements in the
street closure application and permit to make sure they are received and understood by
the project manager.
Director of Engineering Logue responded that staff is having those conversations now.
The new rules will be published so everyone knows about them and their significance
when the contract is bid out. In addition, the Planning and Development Board can give
a heads-up to the developer when sites are going to be difficult to work in, and to reach
out to staff first on the requirements that need to be met. Further, staff just told one
developer that there are going to be two projects in the same area and that they can’t
both occur at the same time. Permission will be given on a first come, first serve basis.
Commissioner Darling stated that it will be very important for these requirements to be
communicated and discussed regularly between Building Department staff and
Engineering staff if the City wants to have a successful street permitting process
whereby public access accommodations are maintained for each and every project.
Supt. Thorne stated that he believes once the plan is in place, that Engineering staff will
be having more and more discussions with the Building Department staff on
enforcement and what is the best way to shut down the work for non-compliance. This
will definitely be a work in progress; the Deputy Building Commissioner is in support of
the proposal.
Appeal of Water Bill for 108 ½ Fifth Street:
Jacob Parker Carver, 108 ½ Fifth Street, has made an appeal to the Board to
have the water bill adjusted for Apartment #2 at this address. He has been the
sole tenant in the apartment for some of 2015 and all of 2016. The water meter
for the apartment was replaced in early 2016, and shortly afterward, the water
bills became extremely high. The bill for August 2016 has already been adjusted
(due to the brown water issue experienced during early summer 2016), and he is
now requesting that the bill for May 2016 be adjusted as well.
Supt. Whitney explained that he spoke with Senior Meter Technician, Barb Frycek about
this request. She reported to him that on March 31, 2016, the City replaced the
transponder for the water meter and set it at zero. In May, readings were taken that
indicated that there was a leak, so the City of Ithaca sent a letter to the owner informing
them of a possible water leak. The property owner contacted Ms. Frycek and met with
her at the property at which time the meter technician verified that the visual reading
was the same as arterial reader. The meter technician adjusted the float level of the
toilet, and since then there have been no more high readings. The initial high readings
in May were due to an incorrect float setting on the toilet. A credit was given to them for
the August bill as well as everyone else whose bill was high for the extra water used to
flush the pipes during the time that the City was experiencing brown water issues last
summer. He doesn’t see any problems with the meter, although it can always be
brought in for further testing. Staff has a certified meter reader to make sure their
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes January 23, 2017
9
readings are accurate. If the meter were faulty it would be replaced at the city’s cost; if
not, then the homeowner would pay ($40). In June, the property owner received a bill
for more than $500 and that is the amount in dispute. The high readings and high bill
were the result of the tenant’s leaky toilet that resulted in 50,000 gallons of water a
month wasted. The float setting had been set too high since at least March 31, 2016,
that is when the new meter went in; the meter was then read in May.
Board members expressed their agreement that this appeal should be denied because
the water was consumed by a leaky toilet.
Asst. Supt. Whitney stated that he would provide a complete summary memo to go with
a resolution with a detailed graph of the history of the water usage for the apartment, for
the Board’s February 13th meeting.
Complete Streets Policy Recommendation from Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory
Council:
Transportation Engineer Hathaway joined the Board for discussion of this topic. He
explained that members of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) have
recently written a draft “Complete Streets Policy” for your consideration. Staff from the
Engineering Office have reviewed the document and drafted this summary to help guide
the discussion of the proposed policy today:
Purpose
The purpose of a complete streets policy should be to help establish a transportation
network that provides for the needs of all users of the public right-of-way. These users
include pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists (commercial, emergency
response, commuters). Many communities in New York State and the Department of
Transportation have adopted complete streets policies in recent years for this purpose.
We are appreciate that members of BPAC have been proactive in researching complete
streets and helping to suggest a direction for the City.
Identifying the Problem, Setting Goals
Per the American Planning Association's publication, Complete Streets: Best Policy and
Implementation Practices, "Identifying an environmental, economic, or social problem
within a community and recognizing the range of stakeholders affected by it are
important first steps in the complete streets policy-making process."
Based on these best practices, a certain level of public outreach before adoption of the
plan could have value. One method that has proved successful in other communities is
to reach out to stakeholders such as those listed below to discuss the existing issues in
Ithaca that they would like the complete streets policy address:
• Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County
• Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit
• Disability Advisory Council
• Emergency Responders
• City Planning Department or Planning Board
• Freight Community
• Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council
• Ithaca College
• Cornell University
• Downtown Business Alliance
• Tompkins County Office for the Aging
• Ithaca City School District
A second proven means of identifying existing issues and establishing goals is to
conduct a statistically significant survey of the community to assess needs and to help
in the prioritization of future work. This method was used effectively in the Town of
Decatur, Georgia, not only in helping to guide the policy, but also in building support and
enthusiasm for the policy. We believe this could be an invaluable exercise that enables
us to understand the overall needs of the community and identify the types of
improvements that will most effectively encourage active transportation and safety.
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes January 23, 2017
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Ensuring Feasibility and Effectiveness
It is important that any proposed complete streets policy have a clear direction for
implementation and that the requirements of the policy be achievable for staff. With this
in mind, there are a few aspects of the plan that might require some additional follow-up
and discussion.
Though the Reading, PA policy is recognized as meeting many of the objectives of an
effective policy, it has only been in place for a little over a year. It may be useful to also
reach out to communities with well-established complete streets policies to gain from
lessons learned and help to guide the structure of the policy to ensure effective
fulfillment of the policy goals.
It is important to have an understanding of what types of transportation projects will
require a formal evaluation for compliance with the complete streets goals and how the
review will be conducted. As proposed, all projects, including repair and maintenance
efforts, would require an evaluation for compliance for complete streets (see section 2).
Any exception to this policy would be reviewed by a committee comprised of three
representatives from the Board of Public Works (BPW), two from the Planning and
Development Board and two from the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC). The
group reviewing exceptions under the proposed Ithaca policy differs from the Reading,
PA policy, which has higher level staff reviewing exceptions. It will be important for the
City to decide who determines the scope of work for projects in the context of a
Complete Streets policy. This policy would have a much larger impact on Streets &
Facilities operations and work plans, as they perform the majority of this work, so having
their input would be valuable.
Summary
A Complete Streets policy has potential to help our community move in the direction of
an improved transportation network that better meets the needs of our community.
Some of the larger questions that ought to be addressed by the Board of Public Works
include:
What are the goals of a Complete Streets policy and how do we engage with
stakeholders or the broader public to shape these goals?
What types of projects are subject to the policy and who determines the scope of
work for these projects - staff, the Board of Public Works or a newly created
committee?
What kind of performance measures can we use to measure progress toward our
goals?
What data exists that we can use and how much effort would it be to collect
additional data?
The proposed Complete Streets Policy submitted by the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory
Council is provided below:
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca seeks to design and maintain a public right of way
that safely and adequately accommodates all users and all modes of
transportation; and
WHEREAS, roads and sidewalk space is a limited public good that must be
shared by public transit service, pedestrians, taxicabs, bicycles, vehicles,
sidewalk vending and cafes, bicycle racks, newsstands, bus stops and shelters,
and planters, among other things; and
WHEREAS, increasing public transit use, walking and bicycling offers the
potential for a healthier citizenry, cleaner air, reduced traffic congestion,
economic development, more livable neighborhoods, less reliance on fossil fuels
and imported energy and more efficient use of road space and resources; and
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WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca’s adopted Comprehensive Plan, Plan Ithaca,
states that All future projects will prioritize improvements as specified in Plan
Ithaca, Ithaca’s Comprehensive Plan: pedestrians first, bicycles second, public
transit third, followed by passenger vehicles and freight; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Transportation is challenging mayors and
local elected officials to take significant action to improve safety for people of all
ages and abilities riding bikes and walking;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
SECTION 1: VISION, USERS, AND MODES
A. The City of Ithaca shall develop a safe, reliable, efficient, integrated, and
connected multimodal transportation system that best--enables access, mobility,
economic development, aesthetics, and health and wellbeing for people of all
ages and abilities.
B. This transportation system shall be designed and operated in ways that, to the
greatest extent possible, ensure the safety, security, comfort, and convenience of
pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit/paratransit users, assistive mobility device
users, skateboarders, motorists, emergency responders, freight providers, and
users of other common modes of transportation.
C. When there is conflicting needs among users and modes, the following
prioritization will apply:
(1) above all, safety is paramount, followed by mobility;
(2) among modes, pedestrians shall come first citywide, followed by the
next most vulnerable types of users; and finally,
(3) seek balance among all modes involved. It is recognized that all
modes cannot receive the same type of accommodation and space on
every street, but the overall goal is that everyone—young, old, and of
varying ability—can safely and conveniently travel across the network.
SECTION 2. INCLUSION AND EXCEPTIONS
A. The City shall approach every transportation improvement and project phase
as an opportunity to create safer, more accessible streets for all users. These
phases include, but are not limited to: planning, programming, design, right--of-
-way acquisition, subdivision and land development, new construction,
construction engineering, reconstruction, operation, repair, and maintenance.
Other changes to transportation facilities on streets and rights--of--way, including
capital improvements, re--channelization projects and major maintenance, must
also be included.
B. Any exception to this policy, including for eligible private projects, must be
reviewed and approved by a committee comprised of three representatives from
the Board of Public Works, two representatives from the Planning Board and two
representatives from the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council and be
documented with supporting data that indicates the basis for the decision. Such
documentation shall be publicly available online and at the City Clerk’s office.
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C. Exceptions may be considered for approval when the project involves:
1. An accommodation that is not necessary on corridors where specific
user groups are prohibited;
2. Costs of accommodation that are excessively disproportionate to the
need or probable use, when factoring in both current economic conditions
and economic benefits of initial capital cost;
3. A documented absence of current and future need exists;
4. Transit accommodations that are not required where there is no existing
or planned transit service;
5. Routine maintenance of the transportation network that does not
change the roadway geometry or operations, such as mowing, sweeping,
and spot repair, but not including milling and paving and lane restriping; or
6. A reasonable and equivalent project existing along the same corridor
that is already programmed to provide facilities exempted from the project
at hand.
D. Accountability measures tied to performance measures shall be used when
granting exemptions, and impacts shall be estimated as needed.
SECTION 3. JURISDICTION AND NETWORK CONNECTIVITY
A. The policy shall apply to all City--owned transportation facilities in the public
right--of-way including, but not limited to, streets, sidewalks, alleys, bridges, and
all other connecting pathways. Privately constructed and owned streets,
sidewalks, alleys, and parking lots will be encouraged, where possible, to also
adhere to this policy through funding requirements and development review.
B. The City shall foster partnerships with NYSDOT, Ithaca Tompkins County
Transportation Council, the Ithaca City School District, its municipal authorities,
adjacent municipalities, private developers, public and private utilities, to develop
facilities and accommodations that further the City's vision of a connected,
integrated network and continue such infrastructure beyond the City's borders.
C. Ithaca’s street network, while already a robust asset, will further benefit from
the following connectivity improvements:
• Identify opportunities to enhance the network through maintenance
activities
• Address deficiencies at railroad crossings
• Fill gaps in trail and bike lane network
• Identify and repair sidewalk segments that form functional gaps
• Continue ADA improvements throughout the City
• Consistent enforcement of sidewalk clearing in winter, identify
possibilities for city staff snow clearing to be expanded beyond the Ithaca
Commons along primary pedestrian routes serving major bus stops and
other priority destinations
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SECTION 4. CONTEXT SENSITIVITY AND COMPLETE STREETS TASK
FORCE
A. Context sensitivity to the community’s overall surroundings, its current and
planned buildings and land uses, and current and expected transportation needs
of all people must be a factor in decision--making. Context sensitive design
allows roadway design decisions to be more flexible and sensitive to community
values, and to better balance economic, social, and environmental objectives.
B. Outreach and involvement of the community is essential to ensuring context
sensitivity. As implementation begins, community engagement and education
efforts shall accompany tactical pilot projects. Institutional stakeholders that
develop their own master plans must be included, and the Ithaca City School
District in particular must be coordinated with, which may be best done through
the Safe Routes to School program. Other stakeholders shall be identified and
engaged, as well, with a special effort made to incorporate minority populations.
C. To facilitate this engagement activity, a Complete Streets Task Force shall be
established for the City of Ithaca. The Mayor shall appoint members of the task
force, with each contributing towards the group’s need for diverse representation
of the stakeholders recognized above. There will be no limits to the terms and
seats of members of the task force at this time.
D. The purpose of the Complete Street Task Force shall be to promote and
advance both the broader vision and implementation details of this Complete
Streets policy, while ensuring that the needs of all users and all modes are
addressed throughout the planning and design process.
SECTION 5: DESIGN GUIDANCE AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
A. The City shall use the best and latest design guidance, standards, and
recommendations available to maximize design flexibility and innovation, and
always be aware that design solutions should balance user and modal needs.
This includes a shift toward designing at the human scale for the needs and
comfort of all people and travelers, in considering issues such as street design
and width, desired operating speed, hierarchy of streets, and connectivity.
Design criteria shall not be purely prescriptive but shall be based on the
thoughtful application of engineering, architectural, and urban design principles.
These materials include, but are not limited to:
• The United States Department of Transportation Policy Statement on
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and
Recommendations
• The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway
Administration’s Manual of Uniform Traffic Design Control
• The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway
Administration Traffic Monitoring Guide
• The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban
Street Design Guide
• The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban
Bikeway Design Guide
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• The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s
(AASHTO) Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets
• The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s
(AASHTO) Guide for Planning, Designing and Operating Pedestrian
Facilities
• ITE Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive
Approach
• NYC Street Design Manual (Most recent update: 2016)
• Documents and plans created for and approved by the City of Ithaca,
including but not limited to the Comprehensive Plan, the Bike Plan, the
Bicycle Boulevards Plan
B. The City shall measure the success of this policy using, but not being limited
to, the following performance measures:
• Number of crashes and severity of injuries
• Injuries and fatalities for all modes
• Number of curb ramps
• Number of countdown signals
• Miles of accessible routes
• Sidewalk condition ratings
• Travel time in key corridors (point A to point B)
• Emergency vehicle response times
• Number of audible traffic signals
• Number of students who walk or bike to school
• Access to industrial property (trucks)
• Commercial vacancies in downtown business improvement district
(Downtown BID)
• Number of mode users: walk, bike, transit
• Bike route connections to off--road trails (equity across all districts of the
City)
• % of city that is within two miles of a ‘low stress’ bike route
• Number of employees downtown
• Number of bike share users
• Progress towards STAR Community standards: (a) drive alone max
25% and bike/walk min of 5%; (b) 50% of household spending less than
15% of household income on transportation; and (c) bike/pedestrian
fatalities – progress toward Vision Zero
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• Citizen and business surveys of satisfaction with streets and sidewalks
• Number of bicycle friendly businesses recognized by the League of
American Bicyclists
• Number of bike parking spaces
The Board of Public Works will present an annual report to the Mayor and City
Council showing progress made in implementing this policy. The annual report
on the annual increase or decrease for each performance measure contained in
this legislation compared to the previous year(s) shall be posted on--line for each
of the above measures.
SECTION 6: ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS
A. Green Streets: In addition to providing safe and accessible streets in the City
of Ithaca, care shall be given to incorporate best management practices for
addressing storm water runoff. Wherever possible, innovative and educational
stormwater infrastructure shall be integrated into the construction/reconstruction
or retrofit of a street.
B. Attention to Aesthetic: Complete Streets are beautiful, interesting and
comfortable places for people. The design of cities begins with the design of
streets, as community places where people want to be. As part of Ithaca’s public
realm, streets shall be held to a higher standard for urban design at a human
scale. Multi--modal accommodations and all City projects in the right--of--way
shall be approached as opportunities to enhance the aesthetic qualities of Ithaca
and its public realm through the thoughtful creation of place. Wherever feasible,
streetscapes shall protect and include street trees and native plants, and
incorporate landscape architecture, public art, pedestrian amenities and
wayfinding signage, sidewalk cafes and street--facing retail, and/or other
elements that enhance the attractiveness of Ithaca and foster healthy economic
development.
SECTION 7. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND STARTING POINTS
A. The City of Ithaca shall view Complete Streets as integral to everyday
transportation decision--making practices and processes. To this end, the policy
shall be implemented through the following directives:
• The Department of Public Works, the Department Community
Development, and other relevant departments, agencies, or committees
will incorporate Complete Streets principles into all existing plans,
manuals, checklists, decision--trees, rules, regulations, and programs as
appropriate (including, but not limited to the Comprehensive Plan, Capital
Program, and other appropriate planning tools)
• The Department of Public Works, the Department of Community
Development, Department of Planning and other relevant departments,
agencies, or committees will review current design standards, including
subdivision regulations which apply to new roadway construction, to
ensure that they reflect the best available design standards and
guidelines, and effectively implement Complete Streets, where feasible
• When available, the City shall encourage staff professional development
and training on non--motorized transportation issues through attending
conferences, classes, seminars, and workshops
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• City staff shall identify all current and potential future sources of funding
for street improvements and recommend improvements to the project
selection criteria to support Complete Streets projects
• The City shall promote inter--departmental project coordination among
City departments with an interest in the activities that occur within the
public right--of--way in order to better use fiscal resources
• The City shall develop and institute better ways to measure performance
and collect data on how well the streets are serving all users
• Every Complete Streets project shall include an educational component
to ensure that all users of the transportation system understand and can
safely utilize Complete Streets project elements
• The City shall educate on and enforce proper road use behavior by all
users and all modes, and adopt additional laws and regulations as
necessary to ensure people are protected to the greatest extent possible.
B. The implementation of Complete Streets shall begin through the consideration
of the following potential starting points:
• Participate in the U.S. DOT’s Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People, Safer
Streets
• Continue to pursue certification as a walk friendly and bike friendly city
• Adopt stronger laws and regulations against street harassment
• Begin work on a Vision Zero policy aimed at preventing all traffic injuries
and fatalities
• Further engage the Ithaca City School District through the Safe Routes
to School program
• Identify and build a pilot project
• Identify priority streets for potential repurposing
• Work on connections to and between trails, including improved signage
• Seek funding support through all identifiable sources
• Ensure that all bridge projects include sufficient pedestrian and bicycle
accommodations
• Distribute the policy to NYSDOT, local utilities, and other key agencies
• Ensure consistency in street projects to create broader community
benefits
• Preserve and further maximize on--street parking for both convenience
and commerce
• Build intersections right the first time, and correct existing issues
wherever possible
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SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy shall be effective immediately.
Director of Engineering Logue stated that staff have some concern about way the policy
was written; although they do agree that it is a good idea to have a written policy. The
big concern is where a lot of the authority to do this would be delegated to an advisory
board and staff would prefer that authority remain with staff and the Board of Public
Works.
Transportation Engineer Hathaway stated that it needs to be determined, first, what is
the existing problem, and what are the current goals to fix it? That should be
determined before a policy is developed. This policy that was provided was based on
one from Reading, PA which was successfully implemented. City staff recommendation
would be to take a step back and look at a complete streets project for the City of Ithaca
as a whole. That could be done by engaging staff from other municipalities to obtain
information on what works or didn’t as information is gathered going forward.
Commissioner McCormick thinks that it is a good idea to have some policy on complete
streets. It is often times thought that a lot of the things in the proposed policy are being
done but in reality they aren’t. If some things could be done to make the policy clearer
for decision makers it would be helpful. He is in support of having something out there.
He understands the concerns of staff, especially having another committee work on it
which would mean that two BPW members would have to attend another meeting. He
agrees that engaging community members and communities elsewhere is a very
valuable exercise that should be undertaken by the City before implementing any policy.
Supt. Thorne shared that he read through the policy, and he has a number of concerns
with it. The way it is written now, every time the City mills and paves a street, before
that work could begin it would have to go through this committee. This is just another
hoop for staff to jump through before a project could even begin, and he does not think
it is a good idea. Staff is already doing a lot of the work mentioned in the proposed
policy. As it is, the number of streets that the City can make repairs to, is not nearly
enough as should be done in a year. The complete streets policy forces the City to look
at every street project and evaluate it for all these things which is a very cumbersome
exercise that is going to cost a lot of money and time, not to mention how it will hurt any
progress in reaching any goals set by the City for streets to be repaired each year. The
policy might work for projects in certain areas, but for others it wouldn’t due to current
constraints of real estate. He feels that to try to force something into a street where
there isn’t room becomes a problem for both the City and the general public. He is not
sure there is any value of such a policy for the City of Ithaca.
Commissioner McCormick commented that he does not know if the vision for City
streets outlined in the proposed policy is being done currently. He would argue that it’s
not. He is pleased with the current work being done by the City, and agrees that it is
onerous to say every time a street is milled and paved to have to follow the procedures
in the policy, but it could be changed to require the only projects that are at such a level
must follow the policy; he would not recommend that the policy be re-written so that it
becomes less restrictive. He further stated that in a city where the focus is on
neighborhoods and access is important, this policy makes sense to follow. However, he
does not want to make the process outlined in the policy onerous to the point where it
costs too much both in staff time and financially.
Supt. Thorne responded that each year, staff develop a work plan based on funding and
work force so there are a lot of pieces that go into developing the City’s yearly road
project work plan so as to get the most bang for the buck with the resources allotted for
each project. The work plan is presented to Common Council and the Board of Public
Works for review, input, and approval. He feels that once the work plan is developed
would be the time for BPAC to take a look at it and then have discussions with the BPW
on specific projects of concern. That would be easier for staff than to come up with all
Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes January 23, 2017
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these points to evaluate prior to the work being done; which could result in a document
that basically results in a process or plan for the road work that the City is already doing.
Director of Engineering Logue stated that what would be more useful is to have
strategic plans for walking, biking, and traffic instead of this filter for each project.
Commissioner Darling stated that he would support a complete streets policy; however,
he would recommend that when each project is reviewed that efforts are made to make
sure the vision of those goals in such a policy are communicated and articulated
between the Board of Public Works, the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council, and
whoever else that might want to have an opportunity to review and provide input on the
project. This recommendation would also apply to the City’s Sidewalk Improvement
District program. Any policy developed should be broad and give the Board of Public
Works the authority to include appropriate components of a complete streets policy.
Everyone involved in the project be it staff, the contractor, BPAC or whoever else that
might be, should focus on communicating with one another on the specifics of the
project in order to ensure that the complete streets policy is reviewed, and, where
appropriate, applicable components of the policy be included in the work plan.
Commissioner Greene stated that the City has already set up a committee to discuss
the City’s waterfront related to bicycle and pedestrian routes going north, south, east,
and west and where they interconnect with one another. This proposed complete
streets policy would be good for that as well. He agrees with the points made by
Commissioner Darling, and he would like to remind everyone that when the Board of
Public Works discussed extending the bicycle boulevard on North Tioga Street that he
suggested that the City try to experiment following the suggestions and guidelines
outlined in the Bicycle Boulevard Plan; that suggestion was ignored. That may have
been the right decision; however, with budgeting issues aside, he thinks that there
should be some halfway point where there is an obvious opportunity to try something,
that the City implement it to see whether it works or not. In the case of North Tioga
Street, it wasn’t a matter of cost but of policy and it involved just striping the street in
order to implement the plan.
Commissioner Darling noted that that’s where politics falls into play with government.
The Board was restricted in the case of North Tioga Street because of a contract
deadline. Let’s say that the City is going to look further out to see how that vision could
be obtained with a complete streets policy. In order to do that, all stakeholders need to
be engaged so that details of the plan can be discussed to obtain feedback (both the
pro and the cons) in order to move forward with any project.
Commissioner Greene stated that no one wants to do anything that would constrain the
Board’s authority in any way.
Supt. Thorne stated that the Bicycle Pedestrian Plan took a lot of work and looks good.
He noted that books, visions, and missions all look good on paper, and the City will
implement the components outlined in the plan with street work to be done on University
Avenue and Old Elmira Road. These are very old streets that are in very poor shape
and the City is only going to get more claims and expenses incurred because they need
to be repaired; however, they are significant projects to complete; and having a
complete streets policy would only hamper and delay that work. This document belongs
in a Planning Department; and not be a policy that must be followed by the Department
of Public Works on a daily basis for its road work projects.
Commissioner Darling stated that what is needed is a connection with appropriate
stakeholders who can review and provide input into a “proposed” work plan. That way,
when the final work plan is approved and distributed, people know the complete streets
policy was considered as the work plan was developed.
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Commissioner McCormick agrees, and noted that access following American with
Disabilities Act requirements, as well as access for bicyclists and pedestrians being
addressed on a work plan would be a good way to start. To make a policy too vision
and mission oriented loses its teeth because it’s not a policy it's a vision. Any sort of
goal to make a pedestrian friendly city is lost in the City’s Comprehensive Plan as
projects move forward without any policy in place to follow.
Director of Engineering Logue stated that in some cases when work is being proposed,
the City does look at all the options that it might want included with it such as sidewalks.
If the work can be incorporated into the project within any constraints it would be great,
if not then at least consider what the minimum options would be so that at least
something is included in the project related to concerns raised in the proposed complete
streets policy.
Supt. Thorne reiterated that staff already bring any proposed work plan to the Board of
Public Works and Common Council for review and input. He would suggest that at
those meetings it would be appropriate for stakeholders to bring up concerns or
suggestions they might have related to a complete streets policy.
Director of Engineering Logue stated that when the North Tioga Street project was
discussed with the Board of Public Works that it included proposals to incorporate bike
lanes and pedestrian accommodations. The accommodations were not implemented
with the project because of the push back from the public. Another factor in the
decision was the recent installation of a bike lane on North Cayuga Street. In addition,
when staff can’t make a decision about a project, they bring it to the Board for
discussion and input, and that would also provide an opportunity for input from
stakeholders.
Commissioner Darling stated that no policy is going to get support unless one is
developed and approved by the Board of Public Works.
Commissioner Warden stated that he supports the need for the Board of Public Works
to be aware of the road work project plans; however, where shall BPAC be placed in
that loop so they can provide feedback as well. He feels that it is worth the Board’s time
to hear the opinions and suggestions from BPAC for road work projects planned for the
City of Ithaca.
Commissioner McCormick stated that one of the concerns of members of BPAC is that
there is a missed opportunity for them to provide input on some road projects being
done by the City of Ithaca. There can be a project for a street to mill and re-pave where
it would have been a good location to install bike lanes and have the parking adjusted.
Currently, there are no mechanisms in place when this type of work is being planned
that BPAC, who would like an opportunity to provide some feedback or input on the
project, can do so.
Commissioner Greene stated that the Board of Public Works does not need another
process to follow. With North Tioga Street, there was a process, there was a suggestion
to incorporate accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians, it was considered and
discussed, and the public provided input. There was a process that allowed for that
input, and as a result of the input from the public, the suggestion was included in the
project. He does feel that some sort of established vision for components in the
complete streets policy to consider when work plans for road projects are presented to
the Board of Public Works would be helpful to incorporate any input from stakeholders
at the same time. He is not sure whether there is a way for BPAC to have more
opportunity for input regarding proposed road projects, and whether Commissioner
McCormick attending their meetings as the BPW liaison is enough for that.
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Director of Engineering Logue responded that if the complete streets policy goal is to
create/construct more biking, walking and less parking accommodations, then it needs
to be determined what the proper accommodations should be. Right now, someone
can ride their bike on any city street, should there be some sort of traffic calming or
construction of bike lanes on every street; maybe they might not be necessary – those
are the discussions that need to be held between the Board and appropriate
stakeholders.
Supt. Thorne suggested that rather than a policy for all streets, perhaps
accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclist should be constructed so that there are
east, west, north, and south routes through the City. Maybe the focus right now should
be on creating those complete streets; not on streets that just need to be repaired.
Director of Engineering Logue summarized the discussion for the Board as follows: it
sounds like there is some interest in a complete streets policy with goals, Tompkins
County Transportation Council has a map that could be used to choose the streets to
include in the policy. The proposal to create a committee to review projects should not
be considered, the City’s annual work plan should be published and circulated to the
City’s Boards and Committees, and the public and stakeholders should be provided with
opportunities to address the Board of Public Works with their concerns on particular
projects.
The Board expressed their support for that summary of their discussion of the Proposed
Complete Streets Policy.
Adjournment:
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 6:48 pm.
______________________________ __________________________________
Sarah L. Myers, Claudia Jenkins,
Information Management Specialist Vice Chair