CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Agenda Date: July 20, 2020 Action Required: Resolution Presenter: Tony Edwards, Service Manager, Public Works Staff Contacts: Jeanette Janiczek, UCI Program Manager, Public Works Amanda Poncy, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Public Works Kyle Kling, Project Manager, Public Works Brennen Duncan, Traffic Engineer, Public Works Title: Resolution of Support for 4 SmartScale Grant Applications – West Main Streetscape Phase Three Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements Preston Avenue/Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements Emmet Street MultiModal Phase Two Background: Virginia’s SMART SCALE (§33.2-214.1) is a grant process where transportation projects are scored and funded based on an objective, outcome-based process that is transparent to the public. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) continues to refine the process in each round with this being the fourth round. Eligible projects include newly constructed facilities that increase capacity or improve operations – for vehicles, transit, rail, bicyclist and/or pedestrians. Project applications must also meet an identified need in the Commonwealth’s long-range transportation plan – VTrans2040 - under one or more of the following categories: x Corridors of Statewide Significance (CoSS) – certain key multimodal corridors x Regional Networks – certain multimodal networks that serve urbanized or intraregional travel areas x Urban Development Areas (UDA) – areas of identified concentrated growth and development x Transportation Safety Needs – Statewide safety needs identified in VTrans2040 Each project in the Culpeper District are scored by the 6 factors and their weighted basis: x Safety – 20% x Congestion Mitigation – 15% x Accessibility – 25% x Environmental Quality – 10% x Economic Development – 20% x Land Use – 10% Once a project is scored, that score is divided by its submitted budget/estimate to create its final ranking/funding priority. Even if a project has many benefits, if the cost of implementation is too high, it will receive a low final ranking/ funding priority. One method of improving a project’s score is to commit local or other grant funding to lower the amount of funding being sought, or cost of the project for the SmartScale application. All of the projects addressed herein are competing for VDOT’s “District Grants Program” against projects from all other localities within the Culpeper district for a total pool of approximately $20 million. Some projects may also qualify under the High-Priority Projects Program which allows the projects to compete for another pool of funds if they provide capacity on a Corridor of Statewide Significance or regional network, however, there is a lower likelihood that our projects would be competitive statewide. Some of the candidate projects discussed below have been submitted to VDOT previously and have scored well. Complete applications are due August 3, 2020 which require a Resolution of Support from City Council being sought tonight. Next Steps: VDOT will evaluate all applications received and will issue a Recommended Funding Scenario of projects to receive funding in January 2021. February to April 2021, public meetings will be held to discuss Funding Scenario to inform the Commonwealth Transportation’s Board adoption of the Six Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) which finalized awards to projects in the Funding Scenario in June 2021. These SmartScale funds for Round 4 will be scheduled for at least 6 years out with the earliest possible availability of July 2027. Discussion: The following four projects were identified as highly ranked needs in previous planning documents (Streets That Work, 2015 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan) which were developed with the community via multiple public meetings, surveys and websites. Two projects, West Main Streetscape and Ridge Street Multimodal, also benefited from individual corridor studies with additional public involvement. Each project has been evaluated to ensure they meet SmartScale eligibility as well as address the 6 scoring factors. If an application secures funding, this funding will allow for the preliminary engineering phase to begin which will include additional public involvement opportunities to include formal Design Public Hearings. 1) West Main Streetscape Phase 3 Cost Estimate $7.9 million Plan/Estimate Status 60% Application Project Manager Jeanette Janiczek Scope – Streetscape project on West Main between 8th Street NW to 10th Street NW. Improvements include - widened sidewalks, redesigned on road bicycle lanes, intersection upgrades for safer crossings (including signal work) and landscaping with water quality treatment. Aesthetic treatments will focus on creating a human scale, pedestrian-oriented corridor with greenery, street furniture and historic interpretation. Current Plan Development Status and Public Engagement – Master planned and overall concept has been vetted through public process to advance plans of streetscape to 60% via 3 public meetings and early coordination with the Board of Architectural Review. Steering Committee has transitioned from stakeholder group to City Council. Detailed plans outline ROW limits and construction details that can be refined into construction documents. Additional Details– Two phases of the 4 phase project have been previously funded through SmartScale, Revenue Sharing and Local Contributions. West Main has seen and continues to experience redevelopment with high density buildings increasing travel demand that would be best met with multimodal improvements within this constricted corridor – walking, biking, mass transit or scooting. West Main is the main east-west route between Downtown Mall and the University of Virginia. 2) Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements Cost Estimate $5 million Plan/Estimate Status Concept Application Project Manager Brennan Duncan Scope –Ridge Street would be reconfigured to include a continuous bicycle lane in both directions from Cherry/Elliot Avenue to Monticello Avenue through the elimination of on-street parking on the west side of Ridge Street. a study team assessed parking availability and found that only one residence lacked either off-street or side-street parking, and that one residence was on the east side of the street. For pedestrians, the project would include curb extensions on the east side of the intersections with Oak Street and Dice Street. Curb extensions reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians and improve their visibility to motorists. Current Plan Development Status and Public Engagement – 5TH/Ridge/McIntire Multimodal Corridor Study was conducted with community meetings to develop concepts along the corridor. Additional Details– This project would help expand the benefits of 2 adjacent projects – the redesign of Cherry Avenue/Ridge Street/Elliott Avenue/Fifth Street intersection through SmartScale funding and redesign of the Ridge Street/Monticello Avenue intersection through Highway Safety Improvement funding. 3) Preston Avenue/Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements Cost Estimate $6.1 million Plan/Estimate Status Concept Application Project Manager Kyle Kling Scope – Multi-modal transportation improvements to increase safety and enhance operations for all users at the intersection of Preston Avenue, Grady Avenue, and 10th Street to create "complete streets" consistent with the City’s Streets that Work Plan. The project will consist of intersection improvements that focus on improving roadway operations, vehicular movements, bicycle & pedestrian safety and multimodal connectivity. Current Plan Development Status and Public Engagement – In 2018 an existing conditions analysis and traffic study was performed by RK&K in preparation for the 2018 SmartScale cycle. The study included the development of three conceptual designs and cost estimates to support each concept. The concept developed includes simplifying roadway configuration to improve safety of all users, creating pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, lighting and landscaping. A public meeting was held on Cville 360 on June 30, 2020 to provide additional information and respond to community questions/comments. Additional Details– In 2018, the project was submitted for SmartScale and was fully funded. The city deferred the funding to the 5th St Corridor. VDOT has recommended the City apply for Preston/Grady in 2020, as they feel it will score well enough to receive funding. The intersection has been identified in the City’s Streets that Work Plan as the #1 priority intersection for needed improvements. 4) Emmet Street MultiModal Phase Two Cost Estimate $4.5 million Plan/Estimate Status Concept Application Project Manager Amanda Poncy Scope – The proposed project provides bicycle and pedestrian accommodations along Emmet Street between Arlington Boulevard and Barracks Road. Proposed improvements include widened sidewalks/shared use paths and on road bicycle facilities along with aesthetic treatments that create a human scale, pedestrian oriented corridor (including pedestrian scale lighting, plantings and street furniture). Current Plan Development Status and Public Engagement – A feasibility study was completed this year to evaluate bicycle and pedestrian accommodations along this corridor and connecting up to the Hydraulic/250 interchange via the Meadowcreek Trail through Meadow Creek Gardens. Results of the study were shown at the September Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting and Barracks/Emmet Public Workshop on Oct. 2, 2019. The concept plan was generally supported by meeting participants. Additional Details– Emmet Street is a Corridor of Statewide Significance. This project would fill a gap in the network and continue the improvements between the Round 1 funded Emmet Streetscape SmartScale project and Round 2 funded Barracks/Emmet Improvement S,artScale project while supporting UVA’s redevelopment initiatives along this corridor (UVA Athletics Master Plan and master planning the east side of Emmet between Massie and Carruthers Hall). Alignment with City Council’s Vision and Strategic Plan: Approval of this agenda item upholds the City’s commitment to create “a connected community” by improving upon our existing transportation infrastructure. In addition, it would contribute to Goal 3 of the Strategic Plan, to be “A Beautiful and Sustainable Natural and Built Environment” by meeting Objective 3.1 Engage in robust and context sensitive urban planning and implementation; Objective 3.2. Provide reliable and high quality infrastructure; and Objective 3.3. Provide a variety of transportation and mobility options. Community Engagement: In addition to the public involvement activities listed above related to each project, the Metropolitan Planning Organization coordinated a public, online meeting to discuss the area’s proposed SmartScale applications on May 13 & 14, 2020 (comments/questions attached). In response, an additional public meeting was scheduled to further discuss the Preston Avenue/Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements on June 30, 2020. If funding is award for any/all applications, a public involvement process will be developed for each project during its preliminary engineering (design) phase which includes a formal Design Public Hearing. Budgetary Impact: West Main Streetscape Phase 3, Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements and Preston Avenue/Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements applications have no impact on the General Fund. 100% federal and state funding is being sought. Emmet Street MultiModal Phase Two is also seeking 100% federal and state funding for eligible, transportation improvements. Utility relocation, which is not eligible, may be required and local funding will be sought over the next six years within the Capital Improvement Program if grant funding is awarded. Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the attached Resolution of Support for the 4 projects: x West Main Streetscape Phase Three x Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements x Preston Avenue/Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements x Emmet Street MultiModal Phase Two Alternatives: Remove one or all of the projects from the Resolution of Support so a grant application can not be submitted for federal or state funding. Attachments: 1) Resolution of Support 2) Public Comments Received from May 14th public meeting 3) Project Concept Sketches A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE FOR PROJECTS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR EVALUATION UNDER THE SMART SCALE PRIORITIZATION PROCESS At a regularly scheduled meeting of the Charlottesville City Council held on July 20, 2020, on a motion by [name of Council member], seconded by [name of Council member], the following resolution was adopted by a vote of [#] to [#]: WHEREAS, House Bill 2 (HB2), signed into law in 2014, directed the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) to develop and use a prioritization process to select transportation projects and that the CTB approved the HB2 prioritization process on June 17, 2015; WHEREAS, the HB2 process, now named SMART SCALE, specifies eligible applicants for four project types – Corridors of Statewide Significance, Regional Networks, Urban Development Area and Transportation Safety Needs; WHEREAS, Local Governments submitting projects require a resolution of support approved in a public forum with adequate public notice at the time of application; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Charlottesville City Council hereby supports the following to be submitted for evaluation under the SMART SCALE Prioritization Process: x West Main Streetscape Phase Three x Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements x Preston Avenue/Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements x Emmet Street MultiModal Phase Two BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Manager is authorized to execute all agreements and/or addendums for any approved projects with the Virginia Department of Transportation. ADOPTED this 20th day of July 2020. A COPY ATTEST Kyna Thomas, Council Clerk West Main Streetscape Phase 3 Citizen Question/Comment Answer Peter Ohlms Got it, thanks! Here are some comments for the record: Thanks for your comments Peter. -I am in support of this project. There is no proposed midblock crossing between 8th and 9th Streets. About 875’ between the two streets with a -It was unclear from the image whether a marked midblock crosswalk exists between 8th and 9th Streets (as is currently the case). I 200’ long bridge included. I see we have a midblock crossing between the Standard and the flats now. We’ll keep would support having one or two in that stretch. that under consideration. -When responding to concerns about parking removal related to this project, the City should seek to implement modern active parking management solutions rather than just purchasing or constructing additional free parking along the corridor. Parking meters were considered as a measure. This has been turned over to the Parking Manager at the City to pursue. Peter Ohlms Jeanette Janiczek Mike Stoneking Would you reconsider retaining the right turn slip-lane from West Main onto Ridge/McIntire? live answered. No, the right turn slip-lane from West Main onto Ridge/McIntire is being removed in Phase 1 to simplify traffic operations, create additional public space and improve pedestrian/bicyclist experiences as well as safety. Peter Ohlms Hi Jeanette, what are the extents and funding status of the previous W Main phases? Phase 1 is between Ridge and 6th. Phase 2 is between 6th and 8th. Both phases are shown as funded by combining City's Capital Improvement Program, State Revenue Sharing program and a previous SmartScale application. Michael Fraser How has the construction phase been handled for existing businesses to ensure access by customers? live answered. A Maintenance of Traffic plan will be developed to ensure circulation for both vehicles and pedestrians is maintained through corridor as well as to businesses/destinations. Valerie Long Is the intent with the plan to shift more trips down Grady instead of down Preston toward Barrack's road? No. There is a fairly even distribution already. Nancy O'Brien what kind of trees are you planning? A combination/mixture of the following: Red Maple, American Hornbeam, Kentucky Coffeetree, Sweetgum, Black Gum, London Planetree, Swamp White Oak, Willow Oak and American Elm has been proposed for the corridor. Beth Kuhn With re-allocation of parking, will additional parking facilities be provided? live answered. On-street parking was studied previously with this project and various alternatives were explored (shared parking agreements, parking garages, meter parking). The City's Parking Manager has been tasked with reviewing possible alternatives/strategies. No funding has been identified or project established to build a parking garage in this area. Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements Citizen Question/Comment Answer Peter Krebs That east side parking is going to be important because of the Earling Learning Center there... live answered Dan Heuchert Anything to help traffic flow through that area? live answered Rory Is the buffer solely protected by paint? live answered Kent Schlussel No parking on the street? live answered Peter Ohlms You mentioned the possibility of a shared-use path on Ridge - is it the case that the bike lanes would go away in that option? live answered Preston Ave/Grady Ave Intersection Improvements Citizen Question/Comment Answer Nancy OBrien our neighborhood has been overrun during the hospisal / roosevelt brown contwruction making it difficult for the residents live answered Valerie Long Also for Preston/Grady: would you be willing to start with a community engagement process first before taking this project further? live answered Paul Josey Does this cost include the future "green/park" space? If so, what is that? live answered Valerie Long For Preston/Grady: other concept plans for this area have been shared with the City that many of the area neighbors feel are much live answered better. Why was this plan which seems more impactful pursued instead of these other plans? Chris Henry Has a traffic study been conducted on this intersection? live answered Mike Stoneking Hi I am the Chair of PLACE Design Task Force. In June of last year we took on the subject of the Preston Grady intersection. We reviewed the several Schemes the City had prepared and found each falling far short of being successful proposals. I attach three schemes we offered as alternatives. Our suggestions at the time included items that seemed un addressed by the City’s consultant’s schemes. 1.Value the nature of street edge as an important aspect to commerce- that all properties should have decent frontage. 2.Seek pedestrian friendly solutions. 3.Look for opportunities to create good spaces. 4.Find development opportunities that fit into a strong urban fabric. 5.Examine whether the Preston median might be abandoned- offering a chance for wider sidewalks, street trees along the edges, bike lanes etc. 6.Develop a strategy that could be applied to the entire eastern length of Preston- to McIntire. 7.Consider how new connections can be made into adjacent neighborhoods, reestablishing a system of streets and blocks. I don’t see any of that reflected in the exhibit attached to this meeting. Seems no changes have occurred since last year. Sincerely, Lloyd Snook How many trips now go on Preston from downtown past Washington Park to the west, and vice versa? They are all going to be put live answered into a sharp right or left turn at the light instead of just moving through. Reid Also, how does east-bound traffic exit Sticks / Mona Lisa Pasta / etc.? Traffic would have to exit onto 10th St NW and travel through the intersection to head back downtown. We will continue to look into access management for those businesses and explore additional options. Chris Henry How was RKK selected as the design consultant? Were other consultants considered? live answered. RK&K was selected to complete a feasibility study as one of the City's On-Call Contracts for a previous SmartScale application round. If the project was selected for funding, a Request for Proposal would be drafted and advertised for design, right of way and construction services. Roger Schickedantz I am trying to understand why it would be proposed that traffic on Preston, a major through-street to Rt. 29, would be disrupted so Roger, severely in favor of traffic coming from Grady. Maybe this is due to the new development in the Dairy building? Is there really Thank you for taking the time to reach out and provide comments on the Preston Avenue & Grady Avenue sufficient traffic to and from UVA on Grady to give it precedence? Admittedly the shopping center parking access is currently Intersection Smartscale application. I will be sure to pass these along with the project team as we work through the challenged, but this solution will just relocate the bottlenecks, not resolve them. Is there a way that an elongated roundabout could application phase. The project is currently in a very preliminary phase and we will be holding a more robust public work here? That would provide for more contiguous green space in the center, simplifying access for pedestrians and bicyclists. outreach phase to solicit more detailed feedback from community members. In 2018, a traffic study was performed at the intersection which considered constructing a standard and elongated roundabout at the intersection. Our initial findings showed that while roundabouts help alleviate traffic congestion at the intersection they create challenges for pedestrians and cyclist traveling through the corridor. Additionally, roundabouts are more invasive to neighboring properties and will require the acquisition of additionally right of way. With that being said, we will most certainly continue to look at all alternatives as we move through the public process. Please do not hesitate to contact me with additional questions or concerns. Best Regards, Kyle Kling Peggy Van Yahres I may be reading this plan incorrectly. How does one go from Martin Hardware back to the downtown? There would still be an entrance/exit on 10th St NW that would allow for traffic to exit the site and head back to the Peggy Van Yahres west downtown Mike Stoneking Jeanette and Kyle, Thanks for the update and info re Preston Grady tonight on the webinar. I think you’ve seen the attached sketches before but I wanted to share again. In addition to the project goals you described tonight, please consider the following: 1.Value the nature of street edge as an important aspect to commerce- that all properties should have decent frontage. 2.Seek pedestrian friendly solutions. Not just safety- but good experiences. 3.Look for opportunities to create good spaces. 4.Find development opportunities that fit into a strong urban fabric. 5.Examine whether the Preston median might be abandoned- offering a chance for wider sidewalks, street trees along the edges, bike lanes etc. 6.Develop a strategy that could be applied to the entire eastern length of Preston- to McIntire. 7.Consider how new connections can be made into adjacent neighborhoods, reestablishing a system of streets and blocks. These are meaningful objectives and were the foundation of the ideas attached and discussions at PLACE. It is important to achieve these along with the engineering, safety and access goals you’ve identified. But the two sets of values are not mutually exclusive. I’d go as far to say the City would be better off if the Smart Scale application did not use the plan advertised tonight as it might prove to confine the project in ways undesirable. Peter Krebs Mr. Kling: Good Afternoon Peter, The Piedmont Environmental Council does not support the Preston & Grady Avenues SmartScale project currently under I appreciate you taking the time to attend the webinar earlier this month and to provide detailed comments related consideration. While we recognize that it seeks to address a legitimate problem (a confusing swirl of intersections) it misses some key to the Smartscale application. I will be sure to share these with those working on the application. underlying issues and could exacerbate them. The other SmartScale projects the City is considering all result from long-standing dialog about their respective corridors. West Main, Additionally, as we relayed during the initial webinar with the MPO, the visual concept that was shown is simply a Fifth/Ridge/McIntire and Emmet have been studied holistically and the resulting projects emerged from robust public discussion and placeholder for the application. The main thing I want to stress is that the rendering shown is simply a possible advance multiple goals simultaneously. The Preston project, on the other hand, addresses a tactical problem but is not situated within concept and not a finalized design. Ultimately the only thing that has to be constructed are those elements that we a larger strategic plan. call out in the application such as signal upgrades, multimodal improvements, lighting, transit upgrades, etc. We are Preston Avenue is built like a suburban arterial that emphasizes through traffic, auto-centric land use, a past industrial legacy and intending to leave the application as open ended as possible to give us maximum flexibility during the design phase. social divisions that need healing. The Preston Avenue of today is situated within the very heart of Charlottesville and is surrounded by dense residential and commercial neighborhoods. It ought to be a lively streetscape but instead it is a barrier that sunders Furthermore, the City is in the midst of setting up a virtual public meeting for late June to discuss the project in communities and discourages street life. greater detail and solicit additional feedback from community members ahead of the August submission deadline. I The proposed project ignores this pattern and actually perpetuates the corridor’s worst characteristics: high vehicle speeds, a median will be sure to follow up with additional information on this when it becomes available. without purpose, too many lanes with too few pedestrian crossings and frontages that are difficult to develop. Best Regards, There is tremendous opportunity to imagine a better Preston Avenue, if viewed holistically as you have successfully done on the other Kyle Kling corridors under improvement. Why not Preston? The current project would make such visioning moot before its conception and represent a tremendous missed opportunity. Therefore this project should be shelved until there has been proper consideration of the wider context and opportunities throughout the corridor. Thank you, Peter Krebs Albemarle/Charlottesville Community Organizer The Piedmont Environmental Council Peter Olms Good morning Kyle, Peter – I appreciate you taking the time to attend the webinar yesterday evening and providing us with the detailed comments below. I would agree that this project does need to go through a more rigorous public process, which we Some comments: certainly intend to do. The conceptual design shown last night is preliminary and certainly open to change as design -I tentatively support this project. From the discussion during the meeting and my experience in the community, and compared to the progresses. Two issues that certainly need to be refined a bit more are access management for the many businesses other city proposals, it seems like community engagement for this one has been lacking and that the conceptual design is half-baked. in the project limits and taking a more detailed look into the bike/ped accommodations along the corridor. Once -Speaking of design, add (preferably separated or buffered) bike lanes to 10th and Grady/Preston within the extents where they’re again I appreciate the feedback and look forward to sharing more information with you and the community as we missing, in accordance with Streets that Work and the adopted bike/ped plan. Ensure safe, comfortable, and connected bike facilities move through this process. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns. are shown for every path of movement within the project's scope. -It was unclear whether the western driveway to Preston Plaza will be retained or closed. Closing it would improve access management and bike/ped conditions. Peter Ohlms Chris Henry Please accept the attached comment letter as the official response from Dairy Holdings, LLC to the short public forum that was held Definitely. on the Preston/Grady SmartScale Application on May 14th. If not too late, I would appreciate if this letter of concern could be I am copying Ann and our staff to make sure. included in the official packet for the MPO Policy Board Meeting this evening. I noticed that several Albemarle County SmartScale Chip Submissions have included comment letters from neighboring property owners on those projects. I look forward to your response and hope to craft a productive working relationship as this important infrastructure project is considered for funding. Sincerely, Christopher A. Henry President See Appendix Reid What is the purpose and use of the large area inside the new sidewalk? Who uses it? Who maintains it? This is a detail yet to be worked out. Nancy OBrien while construction is on-going how will you protect parking in the adjacent neighborhoods live answered Peter Ohlms Why aren't the bike facilities continuous in the concept image? Why don't they match the city's adopted Streets that Work or The plan shown is still a conceptual image. We would ensure that a final plan would have bike facilities that match bike/ped plan? what is shown in STW/ Bike Ped Plab. Mike Stoneking Will you entertain a workshop involving PLACE Design Task Force, area property owners and other constituents to perhaps re-imagine live answered this? DŝŬĞ^ƚŽŶĞŬŝŶŐ Brennen Next week I'm open every day from 9-10am if you want to pick one. Could I come see you and talk one-on-one about the Preston-Grady intersection project? I’d like to do so before the next PLACE Brennen Duncan, PE meeting. I figured it would be better for a preview talk rather than the typical PLACE burst of comments. -Mike Stoneking 434-981- City Traffic Engineer 4382 CALL SETUP with Kling : Mornings are usually better for me. I figure you’re busy so I thought you might list a few good times and I’ll maneuver.- Mike Brennen, thanks for sending this over. Have you all officially applied for VDOT funding at this point or are you getting ready to (I was TWO REPLIES TO CRAIG-KLYLE KLING AND BRENNAN DUNCAN: thinking those applications are due in the Fall). If you’ve applied already, could you share the application with us? Preliminary applications were due in April. Those are basically just place holders with very basic information letting VDOT know our intention to apply. We'll continue to refine our application in conjunction with VDOT review Thanks, especially as it regards to the budgeting. The main thing I want to stress is that this is only a concept and not a Craig design. Ultimately the only thing that has to be constructed are those elements that we call out in the application such as Signal upgrades, multimodal improvements, lighting, transit upgrades, etc. If we put those words in the application, then we're held to that by the grant, but I don't believe the exact layout is something that we're held to. I'm looping in Kyle as he's actually the project manager for this one and would have access to the preliminary application if you still want that passed along. Brennen Craig – Brennen did a great job summarizing where we currently stand with the project. I’ll just add that for the pre- application we simply imported all data from the 2018 submission and tweaked the cost estimate to update it to 2020 figures. I have attached our final application for the 2018 submission for review. Page 22 of the attachment has a list of attachments that were submitted with the application. If you see anything on there you would like to see in more detail I would be happy to send that over to you. As Brennen indicated, for our April application we just wanted to ensure we got some information into the portal prior to the deadline. We intend to take a deeper dive into refining the application ahead of the August 2020 final submission date. One thing we will be certain of is to leave the project description as open ended as possible to allow for flexibility in the design. Let me know If you would like to see anything additional. Thanks, Craig Kotarski Kyle Kling Emmet Street Multimodal Phase Two Citizen Question/Comment Answer Chris Henry If the project is designed and funded before a public engagement process is conducted, how can that engagement have a meaningful A valid question for all this projects, not just this one. The project is not designed. What is shown is a concept in impact on said design and funding? order for the city to figure out preliminary costs to improve multimodal access and safety concerns. The only thing that will have to be constructed would be those elements strictly stated in the grant's purpose and need statement. Beth Kuhn Will there be improvements for pedestrian crossing of Emmet St.? There will be pedestrian crossings at the signalized intersections. Nancy OBrien Are there any trees along Emmet? Trees would be incorporated in the 6' buffer on the east side. In addition, the Barracks Road side of the street (west side) has a nice existing tree canopy and we were trying avoid impacts to those trees with the project. If we hold the curb line on the west side (Barracks Shopping Center side) of Emmet, we can avoid tree impacts. Peggy Van Yahres Did you consider having 10’on both sides for bikes and people and then having trees on both sides? Why 15’ on one side and 10’ on The feasibility study looked at creating seamless bike/ped connections from Arlington to the 250 bypass while the other? connecting the improvements currently under design with the two previously funded smart scale. The west side of Peggy Van Yahres Emmet has a number of conflict points due to Barracks Road shopping Center, as well as limited right of way. In addition, the primary connection north of Barracks Road is is Meadowbrook Road, so continuing the shared use path on the east side was preferred. Helen Wilson How are pedestrians protected from cyclists? This is a design detail, but the sidewalk-level bike lanes will be a great opportunity to try out raised tactile guidance strips between the bike lane and sidewalk/path. Several versions of these have been applied in similar situations. Paul Josey Thanks, Amanda - with overhead power located on the west side of Emmet, could you consider the 6' median located on the east side The planted buffer is proposed on the east side. to avoid those? Secondly, would it be possible to consider a shared 5' and 5' sidewalk on both sides to allow a planted buffer on both The feasibility study looked at creating seamless bike/ped connections from Arlington to the 250 bypass while sides? connecting the improvements currently under design with the two previously funded smart scale. The west side of Emmet has a number of conflict points due to Barracks Road shopping Center, as well as limited right of way. In addition, the primary connection north of Barracks Road is is Meadowbrook Road, so continuing the shared use path on the east side was preferred. Paul Josey Were overhead utilities factored into the design to allow for canopy trees? Overhead or underground utilities have not been evaluated at this stage. Our focus was evaluating how we could create a continuous connection between the two previously funded projects. Our hope is that the 6' median will allow for canopy trees. West Main Phase Three Ridge Street Multimodal Improvements Preston Avenue & Grady Avenue Intersection Improvements Emmet Street Multimodal Phase Two Typical Section: Emmet Street between Arlington & Barracks