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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-25-2005 CITY OF AUBURN PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE July 25, 2005 MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Rich Wagner called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. in Conference Room #3, located on the second floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, Washington. Committee members present were: Chairman Rich Wagner, Member Bill Peloza, and Member Roger Thordarson. Also present during the meeting were: Mayor Peter B. Lewis, Public Works Director Dennis Dowdy, City Engineer/Assistant Director Dennis Selle, Assistant City Engineer Ingrid Gaub, Senior Project Engineer Bill Helbig, Utilities Engineer Duane Huskey, Traffic Engineer Laura Philpot, Project Engineer Jennifer Dvorak, Cultural Arts Manager Lori Patrick, Sewer Utility Engineer Jeff Roscoe, Transportation Planner/Grants Manager Tiffin Goodman, and Acting Department Secretary Megan Robel. II. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was moved by Member Thordarson, seconded by Member Peloza, that the Committee approve the Public Works Committee minutes for July 11, 2005. Motion carried. III. ISSUES NONE IV. DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION A. PUBLIC ART PROPOSAL AT THE CORNER OF F STREET SE AND AUBURN WAY SOUTH AS PART OF THE C1014 AUBURN WAY SOUTH SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Cultural Arts Manager Lori Patrick and Project Engineer Jennifer Dvorak presented a public art proposal for the Auburn Way South and F Street intersection. This proposal was chosen from designs submitted by 10 artists. The proposal includes a curved stainless steel sign with cut- through lettering and water swirls. The sign will appear to float and be surrounded by various colorful and river-related plantings. The stainless steel material will have a shimmering effect reminiscent of water. The Committee Members raised several concerns about the proposal, including the driver's ability to determine which way to go, the visibility of the lettering, ease of maintenance, and lighting. The Committee was assured that there would be standard way-finding signage in place ahead of, at, and after the intersection. Different options for increasing the visibility of the lettering were discussed for the artist to consider, which included putting a backing on the sign to create contrast, and using darker background landscaping to create the contrast. The Committee thought a blue background for the water would look best. The sign will be coated with a special material that allows it to resist graffiti and makes it easy to clean and maintain. The Committee concluded that because of the heavy use of the area even at night, the sign would require additional lighting for visibility. The Committee also agreed that the focus should be on the sign facing southbound traffic and that the sign facing northbound traffic should be very simple. Public Works Committee Minutes Julv 25. 2005 In addition, it was noted by the Committee that the original King County Auburn Library sign was a cut-out design as is proposed for the art project at the corner of F Street SE and Auburn Way South. It was determined by citizen comments that the original King County Library sign was difficult to read from a distance, and it was subsequently changed to a non-cut out sign. The Committee was very wary of the cut out art design effectiveness and cost. The Committee requested a follow-up discussion of the way finding signs, signage backing, further evaluation of the visibility of the water swiri cuts in the sign, and that the project include lighting elements for the signs. B. KING COUNTY CAPITAL PROJECTS - FUTURE SEWER IMPROVEMENTS Sewer Utility Engineer Jeff Roscoe presented information about future King County sewer projects to handle capacity problems. The project will divert flows from the Auburn Way South interceptor and from Game Farm Park to 15th Street SW and C Street for future construction of a parallel main line along West Valley. The intent is to alleviate problems during peak flow times. Project design is scheduled to begin in 2006, permitting in 2007, and construction in 2008. This is a high priority project for King County. It was noted that the City should make a temporary fix to the westbound lanes of 15th Street SW until this project is completed. C. CONSULTANT TO PERFORM A UTILITY ANALYSIS OF THE BONNEY LAKE - NORTH LAKE TAPPS SERVICE AREA Utility Engineer Duane Huskey discussed the need to hire a consultant to do a utility analysis of the Bonney Lake and North Lake Tapps service area. The first phase of the study, which will be paid for by the developers, will look at the Bonney Lake water area in the City. The second phase will be paid for by the City and will look at the Kersey III pump station capacity, develOp benefited area and develop charges for the future sewer main on Kersey Way to the Lakeland Hills pump station. The third phase will determine if Auburn should serve portions of the potential annexation areas of Bonney Lake or Sumner on the north end of Lake Tapps. This will not affect the overall utilities budget except that a line item budget amendment will be needed. The Committee suggested that Utility Engineer Huskey move forward with the next step. D. TRANSPORTATION PLAN - POLICIES AND OTHER PLAN COMPONENTS Transportation Planner/Grants Manager Tiffin Goodman presented the draft transportation plan policies and non-motorized chapter, which the Committee thoroughly reviewed. The Committee Members suggested formatting and language changes to maintain clarity, accuracy, and consistency in the policies. The final draft should be ready in August. E. TRAFFIC CALMING Traffic Engineer Laura Philpot discussed the Traffic Calming training on July 21 st. She is working on a written program, which includes standards, criteria, public involvement levels, and financing options for traffic calming projects, and requested guidance from the Committee during a review of a draft program outline. The Committee agreed that a reactive strategy should be used for existing neighborhood streets, and a proactive approach should be used for new construction on classified streets or as the City works with specific neighborhoods such as the current East Main meetings. The Committee also agreed that traffic caiming standards should be developed for both residential and classified streets. They felt that two to three neighborhood meetings would usually be sufficient for a proposed project. Page 2 Public Works Committee Minutes Julv 25. 2005 The Committee agreed that the following traffic calming tools would be acceptable: speed humps, cushions, and tables as long as the geometry would not cause an increase in accidents, traffic circles (local streets only), roundabouts (classified streets only), pedestrian islands, neighborhood entry treatments, narrowing of streets, channelization modifications, signing, and flashing lights, such as in-pavement flashing beacons. The Committee prefers stamped asphalt to higher maintenance landscaping for traffic circles, roundabouts and pedestrian islands. They would also prefer the least amount of marking prior to vertical deflection treatments as necessary to be safe and effective. The City will consider neighborhood trial of different methods before deciding to install permanent items, especially if there is not a consensus of the neighbors. The Committee discussed who would pay for the improvements and decided that the City would pay if the City determined that a need exists. If the neighborhood wants something that is not supported by sufficient evidence of the need, or not willing to wait for City financing on a first come- first serve basis, then the residents would have to pay for it. The 2006 budget request of $50,000 for traffic calming appears reasonable to the Committee. Staff will work with the City Attorney on the legal issues and WCIA on risk management issues. They will also research how these devices work with motorcycles, emergency vehicles and street sweepers, what devices can be used on graded streets, and accident statistics for each method. Traffic Engineer Philpot will bring a draft of the program to the Committee meeting on August 22"d. F. TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN (TIP) 2006-2011 Traffic Engineer Laura Philpot distributed the Draft 2006-2011 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). She discussed several changes she made to the TIP as requested by the committee, and mentioned that she would like to provide this to the whole Council later this week. She will add a map showing the locations of all the projects, and will take it to the Planning and Community Development Committee (PCDC) on August 8th for detailed discussion. G. CAPITAL PROJECT STATUS REPORT For the purpose of these minutes, this discussion took place after Discussion and Information Item B. The following items were briefly discussed: Item 3. C228A. 2004 Sanitarv Sewer Repair and Replacements: Staff is reviewing the next Change Order, to include the pedestrian pathway. Staff has also been working with the contractor to reduce the dust due to construction within the 6th Street NE area while expediting the design work needed to remobilize the contractor to complete the community's preferred pedestrian path option. Item 5. C308A. Sidewalk Improvement Proiect: There are several elements of the 3rd Street pedestrian island that are not yet complete. These include painting the curb traffic yellow, channelization, installation of the infrared detection system, flashing lights, and the overhead signage. These items will make it more visible. In the meantime the temporary barrels will remain at each end for visibility. Item 9. C9056. Auburn Way South Sewer Improvements - Phase 1: The night work is going well. Traffic impacts appear to be reasonable. Committee Member Peloza related a citizen complaint that the contractor is dumping blacktop shavings in the storm ditch. Engineer Gaub stated that the shavings are on the edge of the ditch and not actually in the ditch; however, staff will investigate and let Committee Member Peloza know what the situation is. Page 3 . . . Pubiic Works Committee Minutes July 25. 2005 Item 12. C1006. 3rd Street SE/Cross Street Improvement Proiect: Staff is currently working to close on property for right-of-way, and anticipates advertising the project for bids in late August. Item 13. C205A. Kersey Way - Oravetz Road Traffic Sional: Staff had been waiting on comments from ICON, which have been received, and will advertise in late August. The Committee asked that staff coon;Hnate with the schools if the project will impact bus routes in any way. Item 20. C411 A. Academy Drive Geotech Study: The summary paper is being completed this week for the Mayor to review. Item 21. C505A. 2005 Arterial Preservation - Auburn/Black Diamond Road: The companies that use the road for hauling have already reconstructed and widened the shoulder, re-Ieveled some of the concrete slabs, and redirected some drainage. Previously, the City wanted to rubbelize the road, but the geotechnical investigation indicates this would not be a good idea due to the high water table and the potential for liquefaction of the subgrade soils. Staff anticipates advertising the project in August. Item 36. C502B. Citywide Patchino Proiect: The contractor is removing the damaged asphalt down to the gravel and patching over it. V. OTHER DISCUSSION Municipality Drinking Water Security - Committee Member Peloza advised the Committee and staff that he attended an EPAlAmerican Water Works Association sponsored Seminar in Denver, CO. this past Friday and Saturday. The seminar was very interesting and a report to the Mayor and Council will be provided shortly. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Public Works Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Submitted by Megan Robel, Acting Department Secretary. Approved by the Public Works Committee on ~+ 8, 2.005 . File: 17 (17.2) REF. H:\PWCAgendaMinutes/072505Minutes Page 4