2002-08-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 Mr. Jim Tolbert, Director of Neighborhood Development Services, said brid ge repairs on Park Street and Locust Avenue are about to go out for bid, but construction will not begin until spring to avoid any interruptions due to bad winter weather. Regarding the traffic calming process, he said that once a design is selected by th e neighborhood, ballots are sent out for a yes or no vote. PUBLIC HEARING : RECONSIDERATION OF INTERCHANGES ON ROUTE 29 CORRIDOR Mr. O'Connell said that the issue before Council is whether to ask the state to study the Hydraulic and 250 Bypass interchan ges on Route 29. Mr. Tolbert gave an overview of the corridor and studies that have been conducted over the past several years. Mr. Tolbert noted that the Metropolitan Planning Organization is also developing a scope of study for this area. Mr. Cox sa id that Council had a work session in March to discuss road projects and this project was brought up at that meeting. Mr. Cox said an update on other road projects will be given to Council in September. Mr. Cox said the main purpose of the public hearin g is to hear public input, but a vote will not be taken on the resolution until September. The public hearing was opened. Mr. John Pfaltz, 1503 Rugby Road, expressed concern about the narrow focus on only the 250 Bypass and Hydraulic interchanges, and said he thinks the Greenbrier intersection and connections to the west should be studied as well. Mr. Pfaltz said a piecemeal design is inappropriate. Mr. Pfaltz said the County should take the lead in road improvements to the new Sperry development, and there should be a study of all traffic patterns in the area surrounding Hydraulic Road. Ms. Marilyn Basham, 2203 Shelby Drive, said she is a resident of the neighborhood adjacent to the Hydraulic intersection, and she asked that Council consider the peo ple who live there as they consider the area. She said pedestrian traffic is also important. Mr. Peter Kleeman, 407 Hedge Street, said he is a proponent of regional transportation planning and supports looking at the intersections in a comprehensive way . Mr. Kleeman said he is not sure that the MPO is the correct body through which it should go. Mr. Henry Weinshank, 500 Ivy Farm Drive, and owner of Express Car Wash on Seminole Trail, said that he would like to include a fifth condition in the resoluti on, that of visibility. Mr. Weinshank said tortuous access also has a bad impact. Mr. Weinshank said that VDOT's previous drawings probably tell the real story of what a grade separated interchange would look like at Hydraulic Road. He noted that extra lanes will have to be built during construction of the interchange. Speaking as a citizen, he said he feels there are some who really are trying to avoid building the western bypass by building an urban highway. Mr. Weinshank asked that the North Grounds connector also be included in the study. nd Delegate Mitchell Van Yahres, 207 - A 2 Street, N.W., said that he has sponsored legislation for photo red for dangerous intersections and this has gotten him very interested in the issue of interchanges. Delega te Van Yahres said he feels roundabouts have a lot of merit with a separated grade, and help air quality. He said this would provide a far more aesthetically appealing entrance to the City. He also said that he feels a funding stream would be opened up. th Mr. Gaither Pratt, 413 9 Street, N.W., a member of the Urban Design Committee and Community Development Block Grant Task Force, supported the intent to study the grade separated interchanges and said he hopes that Council will look at the big picture. He also encouraged Council to look at roundabouts, and reclaim the area and make it an