ITEM NO. 4:
Review the 2004 INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES, prepared by the Traffic Engineering Division.
http://www.lawrencepublicworks.org/pdf/intersection-priorities-04.pdf
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report.
Commissioner Hagen asked if there was only enough money to build one project. Woosley advised that some projects would not take all the funding available in one year while others may take two or three years funding to build.
Commissioner Drungilas asked why the improvements at 15th (Bob Billings Parkway) & Wakarusa were substantially less than many of the other locations. Woosley advised that 15th (Bob Billings Parkway) & Wakarusa would not require as much geometric improvements as some of the others.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer asked if 15th (Bob Billings Parkway) & Wakarusa costs $200,000, then can the studies for Harvard & Wakarusa and Inverness/Legends & Wakarusa be done for the remaining $50,000. Woosley advised that was a possibility; until bids are obtained the actual costs won’t be known. If there isn’t enough money to complete the recommendations with this years funding, then they could be carried-over to future funding availability.
Commissioner Hagen asked if there had been any consideration for future needs when Wakarusa was planned. Woosley advised that obviously there had been at 15th Street (Bob Billings Parkway) since left-turn lanes had been constructed, but not at any of the other intersections.
Commissioner Morse asked if it wouldn’t be better to not have the 4-way stops at Harvard & Wakarusa. Woosley advised that the reason they were there was due to crash history.
Commissioner Morse asked about 15th & Engel. Woosley advised that the current intersection is in a poor location at the top of the hill and there have been discussions with the University of Kansas in the past, but no agreement has been reached as to what the best solution would be.
Commissioner Bowen asked what would be done for pedestrians at 15th (Bob Billings Parkway) & Wakarusa. Woosley advised that the city standard is to provide pedestrian crosswalks, push-buttons and signals at all new signalized intersections.
Commissioner Graves asked if that included the countdown portion of the signal. Woosley advised that it did.
Commissioner Drungilas asked if a lot of the priorities had been on the list for many years but keep getting bumped back. Woosley advised that some had been there for several years and have been moving up in priority while others stayed the same or moved down the list as higher priority locations were added.
Commissioner Brune asked if the new development being planned on Highway 10 would show-up on the list in a few years. Woosley advised that was possible.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORSE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ZIEGELMEYER, TO RECOMMEND ISSUING BONDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $250,000 TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT 15TH STREET (BOB BILLINGS PARKWAY) & WAKARUSA DRIVE AND TO CONDUCT FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND DESIGN APPROPRIATE IMPROVEMENTS AT HARVARD ROAD & WAKARUSA DRIVE AND INVERNESS DRIVE/LEGENDS DRIVE & WAKARUSA DRIVE AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OTHER PROJECTS ON THE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PRIORITY LIST; THE MOTION CARRIED 9-0.