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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRAB MINUTES May 2015Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. TRAFFIC REVIEW ADISORY BOARD MINUTES MAY 12, 2015 PRESENT: Dan Becker, Steve Haas, Steven Herman, Gary Ross, Timothy Schuster, Ross Wandschneider and Dan Scieszinski STAFF: Jim Collins, Transportation Director Marlene Binder, Secretary The Oshkosh Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, Plan Commission, Traffic Review Advisory Board, Common Council and interested citizens attended a workshop on the road diet concept and its potential use on West Murdock Avenue between Wisconsin Street and Algoma Boulevard. This workshop was held at 4:00 p.m. with the Traffic Review Advisory Board meeting immediately following. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Timothy Schuster called the meeting to order at 4:47 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Herman moved to accept the April 14, 2015 minutes. Mr. Scieszinski seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). NEW BUSINESS 1. A REQUEST FOR A ROAD DIET WITH BIKE LANES ON MURDOCK AVENUE, FROM WISCONSIN STREET WEST TO SHERIDAN STREET (CURRENT CONDITION: 4 LANE ROAD) Mr. Collins explained this road diet will address the safety issues at the intersections of Murdock Avenue at Wisconsin Street and Murdock Avenue at Vinland Street / Elmwood Avenue. He went on to say additionally the plan provides for a pedestrian crossing and a new stop light on Wisconsin Street and Murdock Avenue. He said as an added benefit the bike route will connect North High School and the WIOUWASH trail. He told the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Planning Department looked at the projected 30 year traffic volume and all agreed the road diet makes sense to improve the facility and safety here. Adam Pugh from Expert Towing, 910 Murdock Avenue, said he understands Elmwood/Vinland and Murdock is a high crash intersection. His suggestion is to look at why there is a problem. He stated it took him three minutes to make a left turn onto Murdock Avenue to come to this meeting. Mr. Pugh explained he believes in the things he sees as fact and not studies of things projected to happen. He said the state made Murdock Avenue four lanes because of a study. He says he has watched for bikers on Sawyer Street and saw only one riding on the sidewalk. He fears his lot will lose business if this is implemented. He believes the problem stems from Congress Avenue and Algoma Boulevard and suggested Congress be converted to a one way street traveling west. His second suggestion was no left turn at Elmwood Avenue. He suggests these be addressed before changes are made to a major street with a truck route. TRA MINUTES 2 May 12, 2015 Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. Mr. Collins stated the road diet addresses not only the intersection of Murdock Avenue and Elmwood/Vinland Streets but also the intersection at Wisconsin Street. He explained safety is the main reason this is being proposed, bike lanes are an added benefit and currently bike lanes are not well connected. He continued to explain that in communities where road diets were implemented, crash rates decreased 19 -25% on average. He said the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) says the volume of traffic on Murdock Avenue supports the road diet. He continued that businesses on Commercial Street in Neenah and other owners nationally thought they would lose business but, after the road diet was implemented studies found that business increased because it was now easier for vehicles to turn in and out of these businesses. He added it is also easier for pedestrians to go to those businesses. Adam Bellcorelli, of 1624 Western Street and the Bike and Pedestrian Committee, said we need to make cars slow down. He stated more people will come to businesses in the area if it is a less dangerous place. He added that motorists will have less choices to make and therefore will pay attention to the one lane they are in. Paul Lauding, manager of Expert Towing, said he will not be able to make a left turn from the center turning lane because of the size of his vehicle and trailer. He says with his 40 foot truck pulling a semi with a 53 foot trailer he will block the straight driving lane while waiting to turn left. He stated he believes this will keep the cars behind him waiting and with one lane the wait to turn left will be substantially longer than now with the two lanes. He has concerns about the bicyclist with a child onboard being so close to traffic. Mr. Collins suggested he take the roundabout on Jackson Street. Mr. Lauding said he cannot get through a roundabout pulling the semi with a trailer and added he agreed with Mr. Pugh suggestions. Sue Brehmer, 1806 West Murdock Avenue, inquired when the project would be done. Mr. Collins replied if this passes today, it will then go before Council in two weeks, and if passed the project would start in the June / July time frame. Ms. Brehmer asked if the speed limit will be changed. Mr. Collins stated the speed limit will remain the same at 30 MPH and added that speeds naturally come down with the road diet because of the one lane. Captain Schoeni stated that police are not only doing more details in the Murdock Avenue, Jackson Street and Wisconsin Street area but have a goal of a higher ticket to stop ratio. He said police presence was stepped up when the roundabout opened. Judy Holst said she owned 1406 & 1412 Murdock Avenue for over 40 years. She says first there is a high volume of traffic; first industrial traffic, then school traffic in the mornings, then traffic after school and more industrial traffic later in the afternoon. She suggests installing a stop light at the Elmwood Avenue / Vinland Street intersection stating there is always a backup of cars at Elmwood. Mr. Collins stated the intersection of Elmwood Avenue / Vinland Street and Murdock Avenue do not meet the warrants for a signal, however the road diet is a good alternative. Ms. Holst said when Murdock Avenue was widened residents lost their terraces and all parking was removed. She inquired how traffic study data was collected. Mr. Collins replied that cameras were used because staff does not have the time to observe in person. Paul Lauding asked that people keep an open mind to other options. He said it appears your mind is set on the reduction of lanes. TRA MINUTES 3 May 12, 2015 Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. Mr. Collins stated he has been looking at options for this area for a year and it had been studied by his predecessor for two years prior to that. He added he brought this before this Board because he believes this to be the best solution. He said he does not have final say but he will recommend the road diet. He explained this Board will vote on it and then it will go before Council twice. Chris Duprey, of 1907 West Murdock Avenue (Pizza King), said Murdock was widened from a two lane road to a four lane road based on data from a study, which meant that property owners lost their terraces and were assessed to pay for the wider street. He continued to say now a study says there is too much road, it was a mistake. He said recently new businesses opened on the four lane road that is a state highway. He said the complete streets program will be cut by Governor Walker. Mr. Collins said things change with time and this plan improves the safety at the intersections. He said streets can operate more efficiently with a turn lane. He said he has had only two business owners speak against the road diet, the owner of Pizza King and Expert Towing. He stated that property owners in the area supported the plan. He continued that Mr. Duprey was correct about the complete streets program possibly being cut by the Governor, which includes all usage (pedestrian, bike and vehicle) for the street. Mr. Buck stated currently state and federal dollars are tied to the complete streets program for the construction of new streets but not for existing roads. Mr. Becker inquired if the problem at Elmwood Avenue / Wisconsin Street and Murdock Avenue could be solved by a signal with left turn lanes. Mr. Collins replied that a signal is not warranted at Elmwood Avenue and Murdock Avenue. Mr. Herman interjected that Council approved a traffic light at 9th Avenue and Westhaven Drive that was not warranted. Mr. Collins said a roundabout was suggested at Elmwood Avenue but there is no room for one there. Mr. Becker suggested terminating Elmwood Avenue and added he feels for Expert Towing trying to make the left turn. Mr. Collins said it doesn’t happen that often as the person said and they probably block traffic now. Paul Lauding interjected that he presently does not block the right lane of traffic when turning because it is not from the center of the road but further to the right. Mr. Herman said he voted for this in the Bike and Ped. Plan when it came before Council, but he struggles with putting bike lanes on a major roadway. He thinks there are better alternative locations for bikers to enjoy their sport. He also voiced concerns about turning left onto Sheridan Street with the 30 MPH speed limit. He said stop lights were installed on 9th Avenue and Westhaven Drive even though they were not warranted because it slows traffic. He stated the Elmwood/Vinland/Murdock intersection comes up every year and we need to address it. He continued that similar issues came up with the Sawyer Street road diet but there were not as many businesses. He questions whether he can support this even though the DOT and our statistics do. Mr. Schuster stated he drives this stretch of road two times daily, if not more. He said in the morning there is steady traffic in both lanes, both directions. He thinks the road could manage the traffic with one lane but his concern was the bike lanes on this main east to west artery with commercial vehicles. He said he waited 10 minutes to turn left onto Murdock to head east for this meeting, admitting it was school dismissal time. He doesn’t see the road diet fixing this, just stacking traffic up in one lane versus spreading it over two lanes. He said his biggest fear is bike lanes on this state highway. Mr. Ross said that changing the 4 lane road to 3 lanes will limit the flow of traffic. He also said he believes something needs to be done at the Elmwood/Vinland intersection. Mr. Schuster said if traffic signals were installed there it would slow traffic. TRA MINUTES 4 May 12, 2015 Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. Mr. Scieszinski said this should be passed to Council for their input. He stated the Council members are elected and this Board is appointed. Mr. Schuster said that even if it is defeated here the Council can still bring it back, this is an advisory Board and Council can still do what they want. Judy Holst said she was concerned about traffic backing up at Algoma Boulevard. Mr. Schuster pointed out that there will be 2 lanes there, the road diet starts at Sheridan Street. Ms. Holst thinks the bike lanes should be put on Bent Avenue. Mr. Collins said the signals at Murdock and Algoma are actuated, but some vehicles do not pull up to the stop bar. He explained that when this occurs it doesn’t call the signal and causes traffic to backup. He also explained there are bikers that use it as their means of transportation who feel safe in an environment such as this would be and then there bikers that recreate that may not be comfortable here. He said he supports the road diet here because it addresses the issues and connects the bike and pedestrian facilities as an added benefit. Chloe Wandschneider, of 1609 Jackson Street, says she has resided there for 50 years. She stated she learned she has to wait. She said if she lived on Murdock Avenue she would prefer having the road diet, because the traffic will police itself, definitely slowing the traffic. She continued that living in the area would be better because the noise will be less. She explained that she would much rather have to wait for traffic backed up from the road diet, than the wait she has now with traffic from two lanes coming at her with the speeding, noise, and lane hopping. Mr. Becker moved to accept this request. Mr. Herman seconded the motion. Motion carried (4-3). Mr. Herman moved to adjourn at 5:46 p.m. Mr. Scieszinski seconded the motion. Motion carried (7-0).