1993-08-23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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113 Responding to a question from Mr. Vandever, Mr. Jim Marshall, Traffic Engineer, stated that two-waying Water Street would provide better access to the new parking garage, but it would create more traffic conflicts and buses and trash pickup would need to be accommodated. Mr. Hendrix noted that the original concept of the downtown mall was to have one-way traffic flow around it and not have cross traffic, but an objection has been that the distance around the mall is long and cars go too fast and it was felt that two-waying Water Street would slow traffic down. Mr. Bill Harris, Planning Commissioner, stated that he saw no need to maintain the few parking spaces along Water ~Street if it was made two-way because of the additional parking available in the garage and the cluttered look the parking spaces would create. Ms. Daugherty noted that the Charlottesville-Albemarle Bicycle Association had asked that Council consider the bike plan in its discussion of downtown traffic. Mr. Toscano noted that a proposal has been made to change the names of Main Street and Water Street to University Avenue and it was the sense of the Planning Commission and Council to explore the idea further. It was agreed that Ms. Mueller would outline an implementation schedule for the tWo-waying of Water Street and funding sources would be identified and a joint Council/Planning Commission public hearing would be held on the matter. EXTENSION OF THIRD STREET The extension of Third Street down to the entrance to the new parking garage was discussed and Mr. Satyendra Huja, Director of Community Development, stated that the proposal was to make Third Street a pedestrian street, with a new brick laying system, and to reduce the pavement on Water Street in front of Third Street, or install pavers in the street to delineate the crossing. Mr. Huja exPlained that the cost was proposed to be borne by the ~ity except where improvements are made adjacent to property owners in which case the cost would be'shared equally between the owners and the City. Ms. Slaughter recommended that more pavers and less brick be used on Third Street. Mr. Harris questioned the cost benefit of the proposed improvements on Third Street and Mr. Huja replied that he felt it would help businesses economically and would increase pedestrian access. Mr. Toscano suggested that attention could be drawn to the mall at the Third Street area with lighting, banners, and benches and that allowing traffic to crOss the mall might accomplish the goal of improving visibility for the mall. Mr. Gib Akin, Planning Commissioner, stated that he felt it was important to make the intersection of Water and Third Streets more pedestrian friendly. Mr. Toscano stated that he thought the improvements on Third Street should be thought of more as adding parking-like activity rather than having it thought of as economic activity and recommended that phases of the project be costed out before a decision is made. Mr. Toscano requested that real design alternatives and cost estimates be provided to Council.