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Update
on Development and General Development Plan (Todd
McGrath). McGrath is working with Rayovac and DNR
concerning control of the site and environmental
cleanup.
McGrath received its letter of assurance (on
environmental responsibility, etc.) two weeks ago,
which will let them proceed with development. Next
steps are environmental remediation and demolition,
each of which should take two months. McGrath also
applied for a Plan Commission hearing. The demolition
process will involve recycling of materials where
possible. Brick will be salvaged and re-used on-site.
McGrath expects to submit General Development Plan
(GDP) around September 23 or two weeks later. Response
to question on dust (Dan Melton): Not anticipated,
though McGrath will get back to neighbors and maybe
hold a meeting with neighbors on issue. Response to
question on whether availability of Tax Increment
Financing (TIF) funds will be a problem for this
project: probably not. There was news that the
railroad might be willing to sell part of its right of
way. McGrath is hoping to use DNR influence (railroad
land also has need of remediation, high power lines
underground). McGrath is purchasing the Unpainted
Furniture store on East Washington
Avenue. They are also interested in the Union House
Tavern because of its historic value. The bike
crossing of the railroad line will probably be at
Jackson Street.
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East
Washington Avenue Reconstruction Update (Rob Phillips,
Deputy City Engineer). East
Washington Avenue is being reconstructed in segments
(Segment 1 from Blair to Thornton is already under
way), and the segments that affect Union Corners are
Segment 2, Yahara to Third Street in 2006, and Segment
3, Third Street to Marquette Street in 2007. Segment 1
will be complete around Thanksgiving. Pavement
markings will be done in the spring. In response to
the question on putting utilities (wires) underground:
Foresee putting them underground at Milwaukee Street,
but don't know yet. Engineering will work with McGrath
(who is in favor of doing that). Underground utilities
might be paid for in part with TIF funds.
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Update
on Roundabout Idea and Discussion (Dan McCormick, City
Traffic Engineer). Installing a roundabout at
Milwaukee and East Washington Avenue was brought up at
the last meeting. In response, the City investigated
the possibility of using this form of intersection.
They talked to Mark Johnson of WisDOT who is an expert
in this type of intersection, which is fairly new to
Wisconsin and the U.S. Vehicle capacity issues: East
Washington is at the high end of traffic volumes
recommended for roundabouts. Space constraints: The
right of way width of East Washington at this
intersection is 130 feet. Roundabouts are typically
200' in diameter for the traffic volumes on East
Washington. Thus private property would need to be
acquired on all four corners to make this possible.
Pedestrian/bike considerations: This would need to be
a three+ lane roundabout (for East Washington's
traffic volume), which is less bike and pedestrian
friendly than single-lane roundabouts or conventional
intersections. (That roundabouts are pedestrian and
bike friendly at all is due to the fact that traffic
must slow down to about 15 to 20 mph as it
approaches the intersection.) The Association of
Pedestrian Bike Professionals recommends using
roundabouts with no more than one lane. Other
considerations: Roundabouts offer benefits for safety
in car-to-car accidents and for traffic flow. Examples
of roundabouts: Mount Horeb, Depere, and Madison
at Thompson Drive and Highway 30 (under construction).
Discussion: Did the City actually draw out the
intersection to see what the dimensions would be? -
No, we just modeled the traffic flows and estimated
diameter needed. Do you have any examples from urban
settings? - No, we could look for some. Would there
be a problem with a bike lane on East Washington? -
Would take the bike lane out of the road and have it
follow a widened sidewalk. Would a bridge for
pedestrians be considered? - City would tend not to
do that in this situation, because one aim is to keep
pedestrian traffic on the ground. Comments:
Experienced roundabouts in Europe; they seemed to work
well, but noticed that they were usually at the edge
of town, not in the city center. Have seen a
roundabout near a stadium, and it handled both
pedestrian and vehicle traffic in high volumes. See
roundabouts as a barrier to pedestrian movement. (Dan)
City will look more into design, and will bring it up
at the next inter-agency committee meeting on the East
Washington reconstruction.
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Union
Corners Area Proposed Traffic Calming and Safety
Measures (Dan McCormick). Handout: "Union Corners
Redevelopment Proposed Traffic Calming and Safety
Measures" (four pages). The handout presented 10
traffic calming and safety proposals, including their
status and the next steps needed to achieve them. They
would be presented in conjunction with the GDP. All
except #8 have consensus support from the Studio.
Traffic Engineering supports all of them, except for
#1, in which situation they would typically recommend
a conventional intersection (in accordance with the
'open grid' approach to street network design).
Traffic Engineering is, nonetheless, willing to
implement #1 if required funding and neighborhood
approvals are obtained. Implementation of most of
these proposals is contingent on obtaining funding and
neighborhood approvals (neighborhood meetings,
Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), and/or
Arterial Pedestrian Enhancements Program).
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Proposal
#1: Sixth Street and East Washington - Special
median for no left turns in/out of residential side
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Proposal
#2: Sixth Street/Packers Avenue/East Washington -
Traffic Calming (circles and/or humps)
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Proposal
#3: Sixth Street and Johnson Street Traffic Safety
Island - Arterial Pedestrian Enhancements
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Proposal
#4: Third Street/Johnson to East Washington -
Traffic Calming (circle and humps)
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Proposal
#5: Third Street and Johnson Street Traffic Safety
Island - Arterial Pedestrian Enhancements
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Proposal
#6: Winnebago Street/Sixth to Second - Traffic
Calming (circles and/or islands). This would be
planned in conjunction with the Winnebago Street NTMP
application now under preparation
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Proposal
#7: Winnebago Street/Sixth to Second Street -
Reconstruction/Street Narrowing
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Proposal
#8: LaFollette Avenue/Division Street Intersections
with Winnebago and Railroad - Intersection
re-orientation/closure. A new intersection would be
built to intersect both the railroad and Winnebago at
angles closer to perpendicular. Includes the proposed
Jackson Street bike/pedestrian crossing of the
railroad right of way.
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Proposal
#9: LaFollette Avenue/Winnebago to Waubesa -Traffic
Calming (circles and/or islands)
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Proposal
#10: Milwaukee Street/East Washington to Marquette
Street - Traffic Calming; Pedestrian Enhancements;
On-Street Parking Additions
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Questions:
(Judy Olson) When will McGrath go to City for TIF
funding? - (Todd) Would like to start first phase in
2005. Can parking changes on Milwaukee St. be done
soon? - (Dan) Yes. Will any of these proposals
affect East Wash reconstruction? (Rob) Design issues
need be resolved by end of 2004, however, options can
be accommodated if planned for. So the option to build
the Sixth Street and East Wash intersection with a
special median could be held open. Comments: Suggest
pushing #2 along, because residents are getting angry
this approved project hasn't been built.
