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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-02-21 Press Release Adams Street Public Process Contact: Engineering/Public Works Department Name: Laura Parsons, Civil Engineer III Phone: 360-379-4432 Email: lparsons@cityofpt.us For Immediate Release – February 21, 2020 Adams Street – Jefferson to Franklin Street The City of Port Townsend is seeking public input regarding the section of Adams Street between Jefferson and Franklin Streets. Please see attached memo for additional information. The questions at hand are: 1. How would you prefer this block of Adams Street to be in the future?  Street re-opened to all vehicles.  Street remains open to pedestrians and bicycles only. 2. Do you have other ideas or suggestions for future use of this block of Adams Street? The public comment period is open between February 26th and March 18th. Opportunities to provide your feedback to the City are: Date & Time Description Tuesday 03/03; 4:30-6:30 Open house at Community Center – 620 Tyler Street Thursday 03/05; 4:30-6:00 Active Transportation Advisory Board (ATAB) public comment period 1st Floor Conference Room, City Hall, 250 Madison Street Wednesday 03/18; 3:00-4:30 Transportation Committee public comment period City Council Chambers, 540 Water Street, 2nd Floor Wednesday 02/26 - 03/18 Comment cards available at City Hall, open house, on City website Wednesday 02/26 - 03/18 Directly email Laura Parsons, City of Port Townsend Civil Engineer, lparsons@cityofpt.us; 360-379-4432 For more information please contact: Laura Parsons, P.E. (360) 379-4432, lparsons@cityofpt.us City of Port Townsend | Public Works Department Memorandum TO: City Council FROM: David Peterson, Interim Public Works Director DATE: January 10, 2020 RE: Adams Street – Jefferson to Filmore Background The closure of Adams Street from Jefferson to Franklin Streets was last considered by Council at its November 25, 2019, meeting. At that meeting, additional information was requested regarding costs and options; several questions were also raised. The issue to be resolved is whether to permanently close the street to vehicular traffic (improving it as a pathway) or repair and reopen the street; along with what additional public process should be undertaken in order to assist in arriving at a decision. If additional public process is to be undertaken, a decision is needed as to how to leave the street while the process is underway. This memorandum presents an update on options, along with answers to questions that were brought up at the meeting and subsequent to the meeting. It seeks to provide information to facilitate a path toward a resolution. Options Staff have identified the following options for moving forward. Option Estimated cost Timeframe 1 Pave and restore the corners and open the street to vehicles (Without parking on the shoulders) a. Leave permanently open b. Undertake a public process to determine whether to close it $9,000 One month to bid and install 2 Pave the street corners in conjunction with other City paving projects $8,000 3-4 months 3 Pave and restore the corners and open the street with parking on the shoulders $15,000 One month to bid and install 4 Patch the corners with temporary paving and open the street to vehicles temporarily (requires periodic maintenance) Undertake public process $3,000; Plus $9,000 if later opened permanently, or $3,000 if closed 1-2 weeks to open the street 3 months for process 5 Leave street as is and undertake formal public process to determine whether to close the street to vehicles or pave and reopen $3,000 - $15,000, Depending on final decision reached 3 months 6 Permanently close the road to vehicular traffic Improve pathway edge vegetation and install bollards $3,000 1-2 months Questions to Assist in a Decision There were several questions raised during public comment and Council deliberation of the closure options. These include: 1. Can the roadway be opened safely to traffic in its current condition with no further improvements? It is Public Works staff opinion that the street in its current condition is not safe to open to vehicles. The corners at Jefferson and Adams were not repaired at the close of the sidewalk project. These corners are without pavement and with wet ground conditions and turning movements on a slope, vehicles may not be able to reliably make the turns. 2. Is the street important as an evacuation route and for emergency access? In the event of a tsunami, it is recommended that those who are able should seek higher ground on foot and not attempt to go to their cars to drive up hill. For those who need to drive and proceed up the Quincy/Jefferson corridor, it is best to continue up Jefferson Street and use Taylor or Tyler. If Adams were to remain permanently closed to vehicles, the pathway would remain wide enough such that emergency vehicles could use the pathway if needed in the event of an emergency or disaster. 3. What are traffic volumes on Adams? There is no historic data for Adams Street; however, there were an average of approximately 120 cars per day between 7 am and 7 pm on Taylor Street in November 2019 with Adams Street closed. The peak hour traffic was 20 cars. Public Comments The comments that the City has received that are in favor of reopening the street can be summarized as follows: • The street is used regularly as a route to access downtown. • The street was closed without adequate opportunity for public comment and notification of neighbors. • The street shoulders provide on-street parking for festivals and events. • An emergency egress route has been lost. • The closure is unsightly. The comments that have been received in favor of creating a pathway include: • The Street is now being regularly used to walk downtown; there is a need for a safe, pedestrian- only route to connect uptown and downtown. • Closure is supported by the Comprehensive Plan policies regarding neighborhood streets and traffic calming. • The closure responds to quality of life and healthy living goals • Reduces impervious surfaces reduces stormwater runoff • Closure aligns with initiatives for climate change adaptation and reducing carbon footprint Street Closure Criteria In assessing a proposal for closure of a street to vehicular traffic, the following are criteria the City would evaluate. Staff suggests we work with the Transportation Committee to review and codify the closure criteria so that they are available for future decisions when these circumstances present themselves. Adams Street can be considered a pilot project where these criteria are used. Criteria and Considerations for Street Closure Criteria Factors to Consider Specific to Adams Street Maintenance If a street is in poor condition, closing the street to traffic will reduce long term maintenance costs by eliminating the street from the maintenance inventory. Adams street has failing pavement conditions in the travel way which will eventually require maintenance Street designation and classification For example, a street designated as a pedestrian connector on the Non-Motorized Plan should be considered for special pedestrian accommodations. Adams is mapped as a pedestrian connector – a continuation of the ‘buggy trail’ – and has no sidewalks Neighborhood traffic calming Closing a block of street can provide neighborhood traffic calming benefits by reducing neighborhood “cut-through’ traffic on streets which have no sidewalks. A ‘broken grid’ is encouraged by the Comprehensive Plan and neighborhood planning guidelines. In the case of Adams Street, this would appear meet this criteria and be a benefit. Environmental benefits Reducing impervious surfaces, for example, reduces stormwater runoff. Complete Street and Comprehensive Plan policies Closure of a street should be in conformance with adopted City policy, Other uses for the right of way. The street right of way can be put to other uses, for example, stormwater treatment or mini-park, that may provide other long term benefits greater than those for vehicular travel. Traffic Volume Measure traffic volumes in order to determine frequency of use as well as potential impacts to other streets as a result of closure. Low traffic volumes could indicate the street is not essential to traffic circulation. High volumes could indicate neighborhood ‘cut-through.’ Based on data from adjacent Taylor Street, traffic volumes would be under 100 vehicles per day Impacts to other streets For example, would the street closure divert traffic to another street where impacts would be greater. There are no sidewalks on Adams Street so vehicles and pedestrians are not separated. The traffic that may be diverted from Adams Street to Taylor Street, the next street west, is being diverted to a street which has sidewalks on both sides of the street from Jefferson to Lawrence. Traffic volumes on Taylor with the Adams closure are 100 vehicles per day. Access to residences. A Street closure must not eliminate legal access to properties. Policy Basis and Considerations Several policies from the Comprehensive Plan can be considered in the street closure discussion. Excerpts from the Comp Plan are included at the end of this memo. These policies apply to neighborhood street planning, environmental concerns, and maintenance. The policy guidance leans in favor of closure of the street. Cost Considerations As Council is aware from the pavement condition survey of 2019, the City has a large capital backlog of deferred maintenance, preservation and rebuild needs for existing streets (separate from new construction needs). Public Works staff are currently preparing work plans for 2020, including identifying pavement preservations projects for the $100,000 included in the street operations budget. At this point in time, staff are considering chip seal for Washington Street (as follow up to dig-outs and crack seal), work on a block or two of the Lawrence Street due to pavement failures (which require a complete rebuild due to the poor condition of underlying soils), and rebuild of a portion of a failing street such as Center Street that would include drainage improvements. These are costly preservation projects and examples of locations where limited repair funds can be used. Public Process If Council chooses to go forward with a public process for consideration of the Adams Street closure, staff would bring the issue to the Transportation Committee in February to initiate the process. The committee could then take the lead and recommend back to Council, or comments and recommendations can be brought back to City Council. Comments could be solicited through: • Transportation Committee – place on the agenda and take public comment at the February 19 meeting, • Advisory committees – add to the agendas, take public comment and make recommendations at the March 5 meeting of the Active Transportation Advisory Board and the February 25 meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Tree Advisory Board. • Notify neighbors within 300 feet and solicit comments. • Notify the public through media advertisement, soliciting comments. • A survey link can be created and placed on the City’s web site. Once comments and recommendations are received they can be brought to the March meeting of Transportation Committee meeting for a recommendation, or staff can bring back directly to the full Council. Process Follow Up After hearing Council comments and decision at the Council meeting, Public Works will follow up and prepare materials to formalize the decision. Current image – top of Adams Street Bollards – if closed Existing pavement RSL 6 Taylor Street – with sidewalks both sides of the street Comprehensive Plan Policies Some excerpts from the Comprehensive Plan: The Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 6 – Transportation Element, provides guidance for the development of the City’s transportation system. The Introduction to this chapter identifies a wide range of transportation needs: • Current revenue sources are inadequate to maintain all the streets in town • There are concerns about transportation impacts to neighborhoods • There is a strong impetus to reduce the environmental impacts of transportation through the creation of “complete” streets and reducing our reliance on the single- occupant vehicle • There is a push to provide a resilient and sustainable transportation system Listed below are Goals & Policies which support the closing of an existing street to motorized traffic. Goal 1: Promote a balanced, affordable, reliable, convenient, and efficient transportation system that supports the Land Use Element and Community Direction Statement of the Port Townsend Comprehensive Plan. Policy 1.7: Promote biking, walking, and transit use in order to reduce growth of automobile traffic. Policy 1.8: Site and design transportation facilities to minimize environmental impacts and consider projected climate change impacts. Policy 1.11: Encourage land use and transportation practices that reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Goal 4: Develop a local street system that accommodates multiple modes of transportation with design standards that may vary depending upon individual neighborhood characteristics. Policy 4.3: Develop standards and street layout guidance to encourage local access and residential traffic only on local streets to minimize traffic noise, congestion, and hazards to pedestrians. Discourage through access for motorized traffic by traffic calming and/or by not requiring certain sections of streets to be opened to motor vehicles. Policy 4.4: Designate certain viewpoint street ends and, where appropriate, provide signs, benches, and safety barriers to encourage public use and to prevent encroachment from neighboring residents. Policy 4.5: Allow and designate certain streets for closure (or do not allow some streets to be opened) in certain areas so the street grid is broken in an effort to promote more pedestrian friendly neighborhoods. Land Use Element Key Issue #4 4. Transportation options that are multi-modal, safe, and interconnected, and the need to prepare for shifts away from an automobile-based transportation system.