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2008-05-20 TPC MinutesTRANSPORTATION AND PARKING COMMISSION City of Northampton City Hall, 210 Main Street Northampton, MA 01060 -3199 (413) 587 -1249 Fax: (413) 587 -1275 MINUTES May 20, 2008 Chairman David Narkewicz opened the meeting at 4:02 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Puchalski Municipal Building, 212 Main Street, Northampton. Members present David Narkewicz, Leslie Stein, Maureen Carney (left at 5:35pm), Bill Letendre (left at 5:OOpm), Russ Sienkiewicz, James Lowenthal, Wayne Feiden, Keith Wilson (arrived at 4:30pm, left at 5:30pm), David Reckhow (arrived at 4:56pm) and Ned Huntley. Members absent Paul Sustick and David Reckhow Minutes taken by Leslie Stein and typed by Lyn Simmons. 1. Public Comment Ed Hagelstein, 171 Nonotuck Street Reviewed traffic mitigation and master plan documents. Too many people walking and jogging on the wrong side of the road Should bicycles be taxed to cover costs of trail and other infrastructure? Public transportation does not work well for grocery shopping Rutherford Platt, 78 Hillcrest Drive, Florence Retired geography professor w/ office on Pleasant Street which he walks/ bike to Almost hit several months ago by driver ignoring crosswalks Concerned about safety downtown for pedestrians and bikers Get crosswalks remarked with traffic calming efforts Consider wider median strip on Main Street Consider business improvement district to support improvements Any consideration for re- routing traffic on route 9 down Damon Road and Bridge Road rather than through downtown? 2. Minutes of April 18, 2008 Correction to page 3 /Huntley Carney moved to accept the minutes of April 18, 2008. Letendre seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). Arts Council Request for use of Parking Garage roof Arts Council request to show movie on top of garage on one weeknight evening in July. Letendre ok with it — top floor typically not in use. Letendre moved to close the top of the garage. Carney seconded. The motion passed unanimously (8 -0). 4. Cooke Avenue & Hatfield Street Intersection Huntley has received crash data from PD for multi -way stop warrant analysis. Two previous traffic volume studies performed for development projects failed to satisfy warrants, but DPW will look at the intersection data again. 11. New Business - As required by MassHighway, DPW has drafted 3 ordinance changes related to the future roundabout at Route 9 /Bridge Road /Look Park - One ordinance missing for "do not enter" Carney moved for the Transportation & Parking Commission to sponsor the ordinances and submit them to City Council. Letendre seconded. The motion passed unanimously (8 -0). Narkewicz asked Huntley about status of Ordinance for bus stops in Florence Center /Huntley to get specific from Tom Smith and write the ordinances. Keith Wilson arrived at 4:30pm. Narkewicz checked with Sienkiewicz on Ordinance for no parking at JFK. 5. Traffic Calming Prouram ■ Update from Laura Hanson - Doing site visits in Cambridge, Amherst and Sunderland to get idea - Re- writing traffic calming manual - Will type up ideas and meet with Narkewicz - Traffic Logix demo May 30, 2008 at 10am on Meadow Street - Physical Plant at Smith offering to do two crosswalks with TyreGrip on West Street and one on Arnold Street - Huntley suggested using permanent granite /paver treatments for downtown crosswalks similar to ones installed in Easthampton near Williston- Northampton. - Huntley — begin painting crosswalks next week - Wilson showed examples of TyreGrip. - Is in conversations with TyreGrip manufacturer to do a number of test crosswalks and other treatments. 2 - Lowenthal — if we are spending money for crosswalks, we should improve streetscape at same time /improve traffic calming - Wilson — TyreGrip $500 approximately for 30 feet - Huntley /crosswalk at CDH looks good /that is Thermal Plastic /may last 5 -7 years depending on wear - Huntley questions need for consideration of traffic calming every street - Huntley — funding an issue for other improvements /City does not pay for repairing city streets - David Reckhow arrived at 4:56pm - Sienkiewicz: paint crosswalks in the short-term so we can enforce law, consider traffic calming in the short-term. - Letendre left at 5pm 6. Continued: Traffic Mitivation Fund Policies Feiden explained history of mitigation funds, there was no formula at the beginning four years ago. Last meeting we considered and approved a formula. The next step is formalizing it in ordinance form. Feiden — First draft of Ordinance - Reviewed info from zoning - Feiden more concerned about category description than money - Wilson — issue of mitigation has been awkward at Planning Board — move forward with this - Lowenthal — in line with what we want to do /support it/ should be able to flex money numbers as we are more experienced Continue next meeting. 7. Incorporating Transportation Goals & Obiectives of "Sustainable Northampton" Narkewicz suggests we review each section and chart our progress - Discussion of how to review regularly - Lowenthal — wants to know what are budgeted for transportation Wilson left at 5:30pm Carney left at 5:35pm Sienkiewicz not sure separating out all of the intertwined Police Department budget money for transportation is worth the amount of time involved without a clear goal. Huntley also not sure how to parcel out what is transportation Discussion of merit of looking at funding issue Continue discussion. Stein moved to adjourn at 6:00pm. Reckhow seconded. The vote passed unanimously (7 -0).