HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-28-2011* CITY OF AUBURN
CITY OF * * TRANSPORTATION, TRANSIT
► T T T AND TRAILS COMMITTEE
* v _AL ti 14 September 28, 2011
WASHINGTON
DRAFT MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Roger Thordarson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Conference
Room, located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, Washington.
Committee members present were: Vice -Chair John Calnan, Jim Fletcher, Nick Perius, Lonnie
Tealer, and Michael Pratum. Also present during the meeting were: Public Works Director Dennis
Dowdy, Transportation Planner /Grants Manager Chris Hankins and Public Works Office Assistant
Heather Guiberson.
CONSENT AGENDA
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
It was moved by consensus that the Public Works Committee approve the minutes for June
22, 2011.
III. DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION
A. SAFE WALKING ROUTES (Hankins)
Transportation Planner /Grants Manager Hankins distributed a letter that was mailed to the
Auburn School District regarding recommendations for safe walking routes to schools. At the
end of each school year the City and the Auburn School District meet to discuss the suggested
improvements for safe walking routes to and from school.
When the City meets with the school district they receive letters from the principals from each
school with suggestions, which the committee reviews and prioritizes. Member Fletcher asked
if crossing guards were included in the suggestions from the schools. Hankins stated that most
crossing guards are volunteers and those that are not they have to make a conscious decision
to where they are placed due to budget constraints within the district.
Hankins pointed out that page 3 of the letter he distributed shows that Washington Elementary
was awarded a grant from an organization called Feet First for a walking audit. Feet First
walked the same routes that kids walk to Washington Elementary and identified certain things
that could be improved to make routes safer for students. Feet First suggested that the
crossing at 4th Street and E Street SE that was unmarked be repainted and include a
pedestrian signal of some type to increase safety of children using this crossing.
As a result, the City found funding through the W TSC (Washington Traffic Safety
Commission) for flashing beacons at this intersection. The City applied for the grant last year
and the City was successful in receiving funding for improving the crosswalk and installing
flashing beacons. The flashing beacons are pedestrian activated so when a pedestrian wants
to cross at that intersection the push a button and lights flash on the signs to indicate that a
pedestrian is crossing the street. This enabled the school district to remove the area north of
4 T" Street as a bus route because students can now safely walk to school.
Transportation, Transit, and Trails Committee September 28, 2011
DRAFT MINUTES
B. SCHOOL ZONE SIGNAGE & FLASHING LIGHT SCHEDULE CHANGES (Dowdy)
Director Dowdy stated that the school zone flashers are now working properly. Teachers had
not yet agreed upon a school schedule and therefore the City could not set the timers until
they had done so. The City did not have adequate time to reset all the timers when the school
year started. The City needs at least two weeks to reset the timers for the school zone
flashers.
C. UPDATE — 2011 ARTERIAL STREETS AND SAVE OUR STREETS PAVEMENT
PRESERVATION PROJECTS (Dowdy)
Director Dowdy distributed the 2011 SOS (Save Our Streets) Map and the 2011 Arterial and
Collector Pavement preservation Map to discuss with the committee. The majority of the SOS
budget for this year and the years to come the will be spent on rebuilding the roads which
means that fewer and fewer roads will be repaired each year due to the costs
Director Dowdy asked that the committee go to Algona and drive their roads and give feedback
on their recent double chip seal repairs to see if that may be an option to spread the funding
further. Dowdy also asked that Vice -Chair Calnan ride his bicycle on those roads to get a
bicyclists perspective. Dowdy will send an email to the committee to let them know the exact
roads that have been recently repaired with the double chip seal.
Director Dowdy stated that the committee will need to work with the Chamber of Commerce to
sell bonds to fix City arterials. The Chamber board has voted to sell close to fifty million in
bonds to repair the arterial streets.
D. TRAILS UPDATE
Director Dowdy stated that the sharrows for the bicycle lanes have been marked on East Main,
R Street to the end of the City limits going towards Black Diamond and R Street North to the 8th
Street corridor NE.
E. PUBLIC RESPONSE TO CHIP SEAL
The committee agreed that the chip seal has made a great improvement to the roads. The only
negative feedback the committee has heard from the public is the remaining loose gravel that
is on the roadway, which eventually settles.
F. AGENDA ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
Director Dowdy asked for feedback on the double chip sealed roads in Algona.
Chairman Roger Thordarson asked for information about the Chamber of Commerce bonding
for arterial street repairs.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Transportation, Transit, and Trails Committee,
the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 a.m.
Page 2
Transportation, Transit, and Trails Committee September 28, 2011
Approved this day of 12011.
Roger Thordarson
Chairman
Page 3
DRAFT MINUTES
Heather Guiberson
Public Works Department Office Assistant