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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 6, 2009lr 1- nWl APRIL ■ 2009 Prior to the meeting staff met with Mr Tom Erickson of 873 41" Avenue NE to discuss his concerns with emergency vehicles and other traffic. An interpreter was present to assist with this discussion. Mr Erickson did not wish to stay for the entire meeting. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Carlson at 6 :05 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present: Anderson, Carlson, Doty, Goodman, Sturdevant Staff present: Kathy Young, Assistant City Engineer Gary Gorman, Fire Chief Leonard Austin, Police Captain Council Liaison: Bruce Kelzenberg, absent APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motioned by Goodman, seconded by Doty, to approve the minutes of February 2, 2009, as presented. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER MODIFYING TRAFFIC CONTROL IN THE AREA SURROUNDING THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING AT 825 41 ST AVENUE Young presented the background information for the hearing: The new Public Safety Building on 41" Avenue will be completed in the fall of 2009. The Fire Chief and Police Chief have requested stop signs and no parking be installed on 41" Avenue from Jefferson Street to Central Avenue to improve traffic control and safety for emergency vehicles and the public. The Police Chief also requested Jackson Street be designated "Two -way" from the Public Safety Building to 42 d Avenue. Ingress and egress for the lower level parking of squad cars would be from Jackson Street. The Notice of Public Hearing was published in the Focus newspaper and sent to owners/residents within 3 00' of 41 Avenue from Jefferson Street to Central Avenue. Fire Chief Gorman discussed the need for No Parking on the north and south sides of 41" Avenue from Quincy Street to Central Avenue. As trucks leave the fire garage, they will go to either Jefferson Street or Central Avenue. The existing width of 4 I s' Avenue combined with on- street parking will make it too difficult to maneuver the large fire trucks. The stop signs are needed to provide safety for both Fire and Police Departments when they are responding to calls and the public. The four way stop at Jefferson is important because of the hill on Jefferson Street and limited visibility at the intersection. Captain Austin concurred with Chief Gorman. Commissioner Carlson stated that if stop signs are installed on Jefferson Street, staff should also install stop ahead signs. All new stop signs should have warning flags. Traffic Commission Minutes April G, 2009 Page 2 Mr Wilson, representing the business at 4056 Central Avenue felt that 2 or 3 short -term parking spaces on one side of 41 Avenue are needed. His employees are skilled workers and stop by on Fridays to pick up their checks. If there were no parking on 41 Avenue, the parking on Central Avenue would be in even higher demand. This could adversely affect all the businesses on that block of Central Avenue. Chief Gon stated that No parking on the south side of 4 I St Avenue near the intersection with Central Avenue is the most critical. He felt that 2 or 3 parking spaces from the west property line of Wargo Court to the east would be acceptable. Commissioner Anderson suggested staff talk to Mn/DOT concerning the signal timing cycle at 41 and Central Avenue. The wait for the signal to turn green on 41 Avenue is long. Commissioner Carlson suggested 41 Avenue adjacent to the townhouses also have one hour parking. Commissioner Goodman asked if Chief Gorman met with the residents of the townhouses. The Chief did not meet with them individually, but they were mailed notices of the hearing. Chief Gorman stated the existing fitneral parking from Quincy Street to Jackson Street would not present a problem because the parking along 41 Avenue is sporadic and short in duration. Commissioner Doty suggested stop signs be installed on both sides of the street for the one -way streets. Commissioner Carlson stated there was already no parking on the north side of 41 St Avenue from Monroe to Quincy Streets. Chief Gorman requested lane striping with one lane for each direction of travel on 41 Avenue. Mr Wilson suggested reconstructing 41 Avenue by Wargo Court with bump outs for parking. The owner of 4102 Quincy stated that the tree obstructs the stop sign for eastbound traffic on 41" Avenue. Motioned by Sturdevant, seconded by Anderson to recommend the City Council approve the following traffic control modifications: Install "All -way Stop" signs at 41 st Avenue and Jefferson Street, and 41 st Avenue and Quincy Street. Install "Stop" signs at 41st Avenue and Madison Street, and 41st Avenue and Monroe Street, stopping traffic on Madison and Monroe Streets. Designate "No Parking" on the south side of 41 st Avenue from Quincy Street to Central Avenue, existing funeral parking from Quincy Street to Jackson Street to remain. Designate "No Parking" on the north side of 41 st Avenue from the alley east of Quincy Street to the alley west of Central Avenue. Designate "30 Minute Parking" on the north side of 41 st Avenue from the alley west of Central Avenue for 65 feet to the east, and designate "No Parking" on the remainder of 41 st Avenue east to Central Avenue. Designate Jackson Street "Two -way" from Public Safety building to 42nd Avenue. Motion carried unanimously. Traffic Commission Minutes April 6, 2009 Page 3 None. NEW BUSINESS REQUEST TO INSTALL STOP SIGNS AT THE INTERSECTION OF 52 AVENUE AND S STREET Young presented the background information for the request: Ms Marie Holmberg of 52314"' Street NE has requested stop signs at the intersection of 5 th Street and 52" Avenue. Ms Holmberg's concern is the safety of the intersection as it is the only uncontrolled intersection in the area. The visibility at the intersection is generally good, although southbound traffic has a partially obstructed view because of shrubs at the corner. Ms Holmberg stated that visibility at the intersection is obstructed, Later in the year the plum tree in the southeast corner obstructs visibility. This is the only intersection in the area from 49 to 53 Avenues that does not have stop signs. why not? other intersections have good visibility and still have stop signs. There is a lot of traffic at this intersection at the end of the workday. Captain Austin did not recall a large number of accidents at the intersection. He can review the accident record for the previous 5 to 7 years. Ms Holmberg questioned why 7 th Street was one way. Commissioners Carlson and Sturdevant clarified why 7 th Street from 52 Avenue to 53 Avenue became one way northbound. Commissioner Sturdevant observed the intersection and found the traffic to be light. Motioned by Sturdevant, seconded by Anderson to direct staff to review traffic accident records for the last 5 to 7 years at this intersection and surrounding intersections for two blocks in each direction and to present the results of the study at a future Traffic Commission meeting. Motion carried unanimously. REQUEST TO INSTALL HANDICAP PARKING SIGN AT 1410 47 AVENUE Young presented the background information for the request: Mr Dan Devere of 1410 47 Avenue has requested a handicap parking sign be installed as shown on the attached sketch. Mr Devere has submitted the required parking permit number. There is currently one sign for the building at 1400 47 Avenue. This will provide one parking space for each building. Commissioner Carlson discussed that this request was brought to the Conu nission prior to the sign being installed because it is different from a request for a single family residence. Motioned by Doty, seconded by Sturdevant to direct staff to install a handicap parking sign on 47 Avenue east of the entrance for 1410 47 Avenue. Motion carried unanimously. None. Traffic Commission Minutes April G, 2009 Page 4 I � It4 CITY ENGINEER None. POLICE CAPTAIN Suggested a temporary red Bashing light be installed on the new Jefferson Street stop signs if possible. COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Doty reported that the street name sign at 52 " Avenue and 5 Street was missing. Commissioners discussed several pothole locations throughout the City and on TII 47. ADJOURNMENT Motioned by Sturdevant, seconded by Goodman, to adjourn the meeting at 7.20 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfiilly submitted, Kathy Young Assistant City Engineer