2021-09-28_PWETC_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. Communication Items City Engineer Jesse Freihammer provided a brief review and update on projects and maintenance activities listed in the staff report dated September 28, 2021. Member Cicha thanked Assistant City Engineer Smith for helping with the County Road B project issues with a family member. Mr. Culver thanked Member Cicha for pointing that out and appreciated the comment. He noted that project is nearing completion. Mr. Culver updated the Commission on the City Council items related to the PWETC as well as an updated on the watermain break between Josephine and County Road C2. Member Misra indicated she was happy to see a four way stop at Hamlin and C2. She noted she goes through that area fairly often and it feels safer now. She wondered if this is a permanent change. Mr. Culver explained this is an intersection the City has been struggling with and there has been a high crash rate there, in particular over the last four or five years and the City has been working with the County trying different things because people are not seeing cars in that area of late. He indicated this does not meet warrants and technically speaking the City should not have a four way stop there and the danger is if an all -way stop is put into a non -warranted situation it sets up a situation where people do not respect the stop sign because there is not enough traffic there and people will start to do California stops or go through the stop sign and an even worse crash could happen. He thought it has been working great and people are used to the signs now. He thought in the future this might be converted to a possible mini round about, which would be more suitable for that type of intersection. For now, it will be an all way stop for the foreseeable future. Chair Wozniak asked if the City has done any follow-up traffic studies on C2 to determine whether or not there has been an increase in crosstown traffic since C2 opened all the way up to Victoria. Mr. Culver explained the City did follow up traffic counts between Josephine, C2 and Woodhill. The traffic study that was done before C2 connected to Lexington nailed how the traffic would be distributed through those three routes, once C2 was opened to traffic. He noted it is pretty well balanced out between the three. 6. Emerald Ash Borer Update and Accelerated Plan Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Matt Johnson and Parks Superintendent Jim Taylor gave a presentation regarding the Emerald Ash Borer update and accelerated plan. Page 2 of 6