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2008-04-15 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 April 15, 2008 Chairman David Narkewicz opened the meeting at 4:05 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Puchalski Municipal Building, 212 Main Street, Northampton. Members present David Narkewicz, Leslie Stein, Maureen Carney, Laura Hanson (DPW Representative), Russ Sienkiewicz, James Lowenthal, Wayne Feiden (arrived at 4:06pm), Keith Wilson (arrived at 4:18pm) and Ned Huntley (arrived at 4:18pm) Members absent Bill Letendre, Paul Sustick and David Reckhow 1. Public Comment Helene Powers, 976 Bride Road —She is present today for the discussion on the no parking Ordinance on Beech Street during school hours. She lives right across the street from where this is happening. Parking there has been a problem since the school was done. She has politely asked people not to block the driveways or the street and sometimes they listen and sometimes they don't, it is a real safety and courtesy issue. Sgt. Trushaw put some temporary no parking signs along the street and it seemed to do the trick. She is now asking for a permanent no parking zone. Lisa Ashe, 14 Jackson Street — Her neighbor Charlotte and her submitted a letter about the safety of the children along Jackson Street. She knows that this is the first discussion and there is a lot to talk about. The chief thing is to do whatever we can in the short term to make it safer and there is long -term things needed as well. They won some money from the State to look into this. She can hear the cars driving fast and the large trucks and it is scary with kids on the sidewalk. She is concerned about the short term. 2. Minutes of March 18, 2008 Carney moved to approve the minutes of March 18, 2008. Stein seconded. The vote passed unanimously (7 -0). Ordinances ■ Police Dept. Recommendation: No- Parking During School Day zone for Beech St. /J.F.K. Neighborhood Sienkiewicz read a memo from Sgt. Trushaw, see attached. The memo proposes no parking on Beech Street on both sides from Sam — 4pm. Helene stated that lam — 3pm is the problem. Sienkiewicz stated that he would amend the proposal to be from lam — 3pm. Narkewicz stated that this issue was brought to the Commission last year. There is a protocol for the parents to follow and the School Department was supportive of the Police Department's proposal. The no parking sign says that it is in effect during school days only. There was a discussion about the general area and the transportation and parking issues that are present there. Sienkiewicz moved to approve the no parking Ordinance for Beech Street from Bridge Road to Fern Street on both sides from 7am — 3pm on school days. Carney Seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). ■ Continued: Florence Bus Stops & Shelter Narkewicz gave a brief history of the issue. Stein gave an update and stated that this has been in the works for a year and a half. They have talked to a lot of people and met with the Florence Civic Association regarding bus stops and shelters in the center of Florence. The first bus stop is east going toward downtown Northampton in front of Valley Medical Center; a shelter will also be put there. This stop will require the removal of 2 parking spaces. Valley Medical agreed to place a shelter on their lawn. The stop going westbound will be in front of the ATM on Main Street across the street from Valley Medical and it will only be a stop and no shelter. Jake Toomey, Operations Manager for Valley Area Transit (contracted with the PVTA), stated that they currently use the Bird's stop and it gets a lot of use and warrants a shelter. In the west bound direction there are more people getting off then getting on. Right now the bus stops in a lane of traffic in the east bound direction and it is dangerous and in the westbound direction it is dangerous because of the intersection. They want to be able to pull the bus out of traffic. There was a discussion on proposed locations for bus stops and shelters. It was agreed that the downtown Florence stops are better for both routes and the DPW was comfortable with the locations and would verify the measurements and draft the necessary ordinances changes. Stein moved to support the bus stops and shelter locations. Lowenthal seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). 4. Continued: PVTA flay stop sianaue 2 Stein stated that Jake Toomey has been working with the DPW looking at all the flag and courtesy stops in the City. Jake and Laura went out and looked at all the spaces. Jake stated that they looked at several sites. The objective is to post the courtesy stops so people know where they are, most are not posted and that is rare compared to other communities. The idea is to try to ease confusion for passengers and drivers and create awareness. There are 66 locations that they would like to post a bus stop sign at. They are not looking for no parking zones, it is a stop and go spot. They want to try and do this without having to draft an Ordinance. Stein stated that the sign would only say bus stop not no parking. Jake stated that they have a similar arrangement on Route 9 in Hadley with Mass Highway. PVTA is purchasing the signs and post and requesting installation help from the DPW. Huntley stated that the installation might be difficult and he can't commit to it at this time. He did agree to waive the trench permit fees. There was a brief discussion over possible volunteer help. Huntley stated that the DPW could allow the sign installation tool for use and that dig safe numbers will need to be provided for each site so trench permits can be issued. Jackson Street School Community Safety Committee request and petition Narkewicz gave an overview. Huntley stated that this was investigated 3 -4 years ago when a complaint was brought to the DPW. Jackson Street doesn't have a very big layout. The man filing the complaint never came back to the DPW after he was asked to knock on the neighbor's doors for support. It would take a complete reconstruction of Jackson Street to lower it below grade. The bridge is more problematic because if posts are placed along side then you can't remove the snow from the sidewalk in the winter. If there were a barricade on the bridge they would have to switch the snowplow that uses that route. It has been discussed but hasn't gone anywhere. There was a brief discussion on block grant money. Huntley stated that there is no budget to maintain the existing inventory. And the money used last year was to create a sidewalk on Bridge Road from Elm Street to Jackson Street and from Grandview Street to the light on Bridge Road. Feiden stated that he was hoping to apply for CPA funds for the connection of the bike path ramp on Jackson Street. There is $5,000 in block grant funds left and it is not enough money. He stated that what is used for a bike path connection now isn't really a connection, it is actually for drainage. It will need to have a ramp for ADA approval. Previously the landowner was unwilling to sell the land necessary to build the ramp. But he would like to get the money in place and then go back to the neighbor to see if he is still unwilling to sell. If he is still unwilling to sell it will be Council's decision. Huntley stated that DPW is also looking at re- running some sewer lines off Jackson Street and may be looking at a land taking. They are trying to get a study done that would be funded by the River Valley Market; the project would be done to take some relief off of the sewer line. There was discussion over DPW projects with transportation issues and whether both issues together would move the project up the traffic calming list. Lowenthal thanked the citizens for their work on this letter /document. He feels that fast cars are where the Commission should focus their attention. Independent funding and the school should be included when the Traffic Calming program is applied. Wilson questioned whether there are any traffic counts? Huntley stated that traffic counts had been done at the intersection of Jackson Street, Prospect Street and Woodlawn Avenue and it met the warrants for a traffic signal. There was a discussion over the federal money that is available and who would be the contact for the application. Huntley stated that DPW engineering could be the contact for the application. There was a discussion over short-term low cost measures to try to make Jackson Street safer. It was recommended that the neighborhood try signage and the pace car program. Sienkiewicz stated that he would look into putting the radar display on Jackson Street. 6. Continued: Traffic Mitivation Fund (Wayne) Feiden presented a handout, see attached. He stated that some of the money listed has come in with conditions, some money doesn't have conditions but some projects are obvious, there are also smaller pockets of money that are unclear. Harrity's project off of North King Street is on hold but if it goes forward there is $90,000 in traffic mitigation money. He explained each item on the handout. There was a discussion over the breakdown of funds for item number two and whether the majority of the money should be spent for traffic calming instead of surveying. There was a discussion over item number three, it was suggested that language should be added that the survey and design should not preclude bicycle safety, consider the Norwottuck Rail Trail connection and include bicycle sensitive detectors. Sienkiewicz moved to request that item number four move forward. Carney seconded. The motion passed unanimously (8 -0). There was a discussion over the collection formula versus the spending formula and the payment -in -lieu of policy. 2 Feiden moved to endorse item number 5. Stein seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). There was a brief discussion about the three spending recommendations. Sienkiewicz moved to request that item number one move forward. Stein seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). There was a brief discussion about item number two Hockanum Road and item number three King Street Summer Street. Sienkiewicz moved to authorize up to $15,000 for traffic calming and surveying for Hocaknum Road. Carney seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). The Commission agreed to hold off on a vote on item number three King Street Summer Street and to take it up at a future time. 7. Transportation- related funding for FY2009 and beyond Continued. 8. UPDATE: Traffic Calming Program Continued. 9. Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Report Continued. 10. Public Transit Committee Report Continued 11. New Business There was a brief discussion over the budget for FY2009. 12. Adiourn Feiden moved to adjourn at 6:02pm.Sienkiewicz seconded. The vote passed unanimously (8 -0). E