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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWeekly Newsletter Date: August 20, 2010 To: Mayor & City Council From: Mark A. Rohloff, City Manager WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Subject: HYBRID BUSES 1.Transportation Director Chris Strong tells me thathe has accepted the hybrid : buses from the manufacturer and his department is in the process of getting them road-ready. They have been on the road a bit for various types of testing, and they've been turning some heads, so you may be getting some inquiries about them. I know that Council Members Herman and Cummings saw them on their tour of the Transit Department this week. The Transportation Department is looking to have a public launch sometime in mid-to-late September. No definite date has been determined. In the meantime, if you would like to see the buses fi rst hand, please feel free to stop by the Transit garage and take a look. If you have any questions concerning the hybrid buses, please contact Transportation Director Strong. PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ON ROUNDABOUTS 2.: As was highlighted in the Oshkosh Northwestern recently, there have been a high number of accidents at the new roundabout at Jackson Street and Murdock Avenue. I have also received numerous inquiries concerning the challenges pedestrians have faced at this intersection. There have been requests for increased signage at the intersection. However, city staff is not convinced that additional signage would improve the safety of this intersection. Instead, staff believes that the primary issue is not with the design of the intersection, but with ed ucation. In addition to the various educational efforts provided prior to the roundabout opening, the Police Department has maintained an active presence at this intersection, issuing warnings and citations to help motorists understand how to drive through the roundabout. They also have been working with pedestrians to ensure they cross at the marked crosswalk locations. They will be engaged in similar efforts when other roundabouts open throughout the city. I am enclosing a brochure, put out by the Wis consin Department of Transportation, which provides tips for walking and biking in a roundabout. I would also encourage citizens to look at the roundabout web page on the city's website (www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/Transportation/traffic/roundabouts.asp). T his has some excellent information on how vehicles and pedestrians should navigate roundabouts. If you have any questions on this matter, please feel free to contact Transportation Director Chris Strong or Police Chief Scott Greuel. Weekly Newsletter August 20, 2010 Page 2 URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL MEETING 3.: Oshkosh Community Foundation Executive Director Eileen Connolley-Keesler and City Forester Bill Sturm are making present ations this morning to the Urban Forestry Council in Stevens Point. They are talking about the City of Oshkosh's highly successful Taking Root Project. They will be covering the process in arriving at the Taking Root Project, the vision process, the fund ing process, city government cooperation, community involvement, and the application/replication of the Oshkosh model for the rest of the state. They will be giving the Urban Forestry Council the essential keys for this to be successful in other municipalities. Specifically, Bill will be answering the UF Council's questions pertaining to practical management, maintenance, and follow-up of the tree planting program for city foresters. Community involvement in public planting projects as it relates to unio n workers and creative budgeting will be other questions from the UF Council. The success of the Taking Root Project is a testiment to the hard work of everyone involved and is now a model for communities across the state. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS & UPDATES 4.: Other items I'm enclosing with today's Newsletter include Assistant Museum Director Mike Breza's weekly report to the Public Museum Board. At the request of Council Member Palmeri, I am also enclosing the ordinances from the City of Madison and the City of LaCrosse concerning keeping chickens on residential property in the city. The next items I'm enclosing are two FOCUS newsletters, from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, featuring articles on state-local spending in Wisconsin compared to other states; and the effect of new census figures on state tax rankings. The only minutes I have to send along today th are the minutes of the July 26 Housing Authority meeting. rd UPCOMING MEETINGS 5.: Meetings I have scheduled for the week of August 23 include: On Monday, at 10:00 a.m., I will be meeting with the Planning and Parks Departments to discuss the Marion Road riverwalk and boat docks. On Wednesday, at 9:30 a.m., I will be meeting with federal and state representatives at the Chamber to talk about the possib le consolidation of the Oshkosh Post Office with their Green Bay office. If you have any questions concerning my attendance at these meetings, please feel free to contact me. MAR/jdc