Memorandum              

City of Lawrence

Public Works

 

TO:

Mike Wildgen

FROM:

Chuck Soules

Date:

January 4, 2005

RE:

Response to Mayor Rundle’s comments on proposed 19th and Louisiana roundabout project

 

Background.  In April, 2000 Wilson and Company completed the Louisiana Traffic Calming Study.  In September, 2000 the Traffic Safety Commission accepted the report and recommended the City Commission implement Phase 1 and Phase 2, which was accomplished at the October 10, 2000 City Commission meeting (minutes attached).  The 19th and Louisiana roundabout project was a recommended improvement listed in the Louisiana Traffic Calming Report. 

 

PLEASE NOTE – throughout this memo, a differentiation will be made between the Plan that is officially adopted each year for capital improvements (Capital Improvement Plan or CIP) and the annual Capital Improvement Budget (which lists specific projects and/or misc. improvements that are approved to be funded for the particular year via the bond and interest portion of the budget).

 

Comment Responses.

1.      “The intersection of 19th and Louisiana Street was not included in the elaborate Intersection Improvement Priorities process that involved the Traffic Safety Commission review in 2004 followed by city commission action.”

The Intersection Improvement Priorities List that was presented to the City Commission on October 19, 2004 (attached) is a list of intersections that warranted improvements for traffic control.  This list is for new installations only (intersections that do not have signals).

“Further, in discussing that process with one of the member of the current TSC, we   both felt that staff had given the impression that the financial capacity did not exist for additional projects beyond those recommended in the Intersection Improvement Priority process.  (see also Traffic Safety Commission Minutes, 13 September 2004)”

Within the Capital Improvement Budget for the last few years are two separate accounts for intersection improvement projects that are bonded:

·       New installation projects, (no signalization currently exists at the intersection); these projects are priorities in the Intersection Improvement Priorities list and are typically included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

·       Renovation projects (allows budgeting for projects to improve existing intersections that are experiencing congestion or have a safety/accident issues).  Renovation projects typically have not been specifically listed in the CIP.  Renovation projects could range from street widening (to install a turn lane), to signal upgrade, to reconstruction.

 

2.      “This project is not in the 2002 CIP Budget (2002-2006)”

As a renovation project, the 19th and Louisiana roundabout was not specifically listed in the 2002 Capital Improvement Budget, as noted in response #1 above.  Other examples exist: the Utilities and Parks & Rec departments have general categories in both the CIP and the Capital Improvement Budget such as “Misc. Water System Improvements” and “Park Maintenance Facility Improvements”, respectively, that we know will be needed but don’t have the specific project information detailed in the documents.

 

3.      “This project is not in the 2003 CIP.  The priority project from the Louisiana Street Traffic Calming Study that is identified is the roundabout near Checkers/Malls Driveways.”

As a renovation project, the 19th and Louisiana roundabout is not listed in the CIP, as noted in response #1 above.  The roundabout project at the Checkers/Malls driveways is in the CIP because of a request from the Park Hill Neighborhood Association.  This area has not been studied, nor have any warrants been established.  Once studied, this project could be recommended for inclusion in the Intersection Improvement Priorities list and would fall into the “new installation” category of projects. 

 

4.      “This project is not in the 2004 CIP.  The priority project from the Louisiana Street Traffic Calming Study that is identified is the roundabout near Checkers/Malls Driveways.”

As a renovation project, the 19th and Louisiana roundabout is not listed in the CIP, as noted in response #1 above.  The roundabout project at the Checkers/Malls driveways is in the CIP because of a request from the Park Hill Neighborhood Association.  This area has not been studied, nor have any warrants been established.  Once studied, this project could be recommended for inclusion in the Intersection Improvement Priorities list and would fall into the “new installation” category of projects.

 

5.      “The 2004 Lawrence City Budget 2004 Budget lists 19th Street and Louisiana Street as a Traffic Signal Renovation (page J-12).”

The intersection at 19th and Louisiana has an existing signal but there are still congestion and safety issues (attachment, crash diagram).  This has consistently been considered a renovation project.

 

6.      “The 2005 Budget calls the project a traffic signal renovation but describes it as an intersection geometric improvement.  It goes on to state that this may be a multiyear funded project (page J-12).”

On July 22, 2003, the City Commission approved Resolution 6478 (attached) authorizing bonds for improvements to the intersections of 6th and Lawrence Avenue and 19th and Louisiana.  Due to funding concerns, staff waited until the construction was completed and all costs were incurred for 6th and Lawrence Avenue before proceeding with the 19th and Louisiana project.  There is $65,000 remaining in authorization from Resolution 6478.

 

On November 23, 2004, staff requested the City Commission approve Resolution 6571 in order to commit an additional $250,000 from the 2004 budget for the 19th and Louisiana Street project (memo attached).  Many projects of this size/scope take multiple years for funding.  The Louisiana Traffic Calming Study provides a project estimate of $545,000.  Updated estimates would be established as we develop the project.

 

We were remiss in not including the total project estimate for a roundabout in our memo to the City Commission for the November 23, 2004 resolution request.  Although the assumption could be made that the initial step of the project process (i.e. design) will result in a roundabout construction, this is not a certainty until all of the design phase activities are completed, which includes surveying, feasibility discussions with property owners, neighborhood input, etc.  The reason for keeping within the $250,000 limit for the resolution is the 2005 Capital Improvement Budget lists this as the amount for indebtedness for this project for 2005, thus we kept the resolution request limited to that amount, knowing that additional indebtedness would need to be incurred in 2006 to complete the construction phase of the project.

  

As discussed at the joint meeting on January 3, 2005, we are ready to begin the process of selecting a consultant.  Concurrently with this process, and throughout the design phase, staff would undertake a variety of outreach activities (some suggested at the January 3rd meeting) to insure the success of this project.  These activities would include:

 

o     meetings with school board members, LHS staff, and/or site council members from LHS to discuss their questions and concerns

o     meetings with adjacent neighborhood associations to discuss similar issues

o     setting up a project website to garner additional stakeholder input

o     provide additional opportunity fro TSC review/comment during the design stage

 

The focus of these efforts is to improve the safety of the intersection for both pedestrians and motorists by working with and including the school, neighborhoods, adjacent owners, and the public to provide the best project.

 

 

Attachments