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greatest priority in those situations given the City's number one function for <br />public safety; <br />As part of follow -up discussions, staff was requested to provide the PWET <br />Commission with an updated street classification map showing three- phased <br />power lines to see where they co- locate; an estimate of the number of miles of <br />streets; and traffic volumes for the streets as part of the analysis, and whether <br />there are existing or proposed (as part of the Pathway Master Plan) <br />bike /pedestrian paths along those streets. Further information requests included <br />any evidence on negative or positive impacts to land values for residential and /or <br />commercial properties for underground versus overhead utility lines; discussion <br />of the 5 -year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for those streets being considered <br />for reconstruction during that time period; related consideration of tree <br />preservation and inventory, with staff advising that the City's forestry ordinance <br />was currently being reviewed for revision with the Parks and Recreation <br />Commission taking the lead, but the PWET Commission having a role in that <br />review as well; and recognizing that there would still be the need for street light <br />poles at intersections, even with undergrounding utilities. <br />Mr. Schwartz noted that, under the PUC surcharge process, they would not allow <br />any surcharge for work done on private services; and it was current City Policy to <br />make residents pay for their costs for undergrounding streetlights up to the host or <br />existing pole in the street to their homes. <br />Chair DeBenedet suggested that it may be reasonable for the Housing and <br />Redevelopment Authority (HRA) to consider an option to finance such private <br />undergrounding as a home improvement, similar to a street assessment, since it <br />should add to the value of the property. <br />8. Traffic Management Policy Discussion <br />Mr. Schwartz introduced another request from the City Council for PWET <br />Commission discussion that had come forward as part of the public information <br />process for the Dale Street Reconstruction Project, that of a potential policy <br />defining the types of traffic calming and management tolls the City should <br />consider. Mr. Schwartz noted the intent was for the Commission to consider <br />broader traffic calming issues city -wide beyond speed tables that would establish <br />ground rules for various treatments. Mr. Schwartz provided additional websites <br />for further research by the Commission to facilitate that discussion. <br />Discussion included the use of such traffic management tools by the Cities of St. <br />Paul and Minneapolis and personal observations on their effectiveness by <br />individual Commissioners; repeated requests received by City staff for electronic <br />speed signs; use of narrowing streets and speed bumps and other traffic calming <br />efforts; use of chokers on Roselawn between Roseville and Falcon Heights; and <br />related plowing issues versus their benefits. <br />Page 7 of 11 <br />