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68 <br /> <br />meeting <br /> <br />was adjourned. <br /> <br />NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING <br /> <br />A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE HELD ON Tuesday, <br />February 23, 1988 AT 7:30 p.m. IN THE BUford Middle School <br />Cafeteria, Cherry Avenue. <br /> <br />THE PROPOSED AGENDA IS AS FOLLOWS: <br /> <br />Public hearing and work session on design of proposed <br />Ridge Street bridge improvements <br /> <br />BY ORDER OF THE MAYOR <br /> <br />BY Jeanne Cox (signed) <br /> <br />BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL - February 23, 1988 <br /> <br /> Council met in special session on this date with the <br />following members present: Mr. Barnes, Mr. Buck, Mrs. <br />Gleason, Dr. Hall, Mr. Towe. <br /> <br /> Ms. Judith Mueller, Director of Public Works, reported <br />on the recent history of the Ridge Street Bridge. In 1980 a <br />consultant's report showed that there was extensive <br />deterioration to the bridge and the bridge was given a life <br />of three to four years, and up to 10 years if certain repairs <br />were done. In September of 1983 the Department of <br />Transportation was requested to establish the bridge <br />replacement as a high priority. In November of 1985 the <br />Council discussed the width and number of lanes for the <br />replacement bridge, and in December of 1985 Council <br />reaffirmed their request that the bridge be constructed four <br />lanes wide, to be marked for three lanes, one being a <br />stacking lane for turns. The Department of Transportation <br />had Previously informed the City that it wOuld not replace <br />the bridge with a two-lane bridge and that it would only be <br />built at current standards which would put the bridge higher <br />than the present bridge due to the height necessary above the <br />existing railroad tracks. Ms. Mueller stated that the only <br />alternative to raising the bridge was to lower the railroad <br />tracks. <br /> <br /> Mr. Regg Beasley, an Urban Engineer for the Department <br />of Transportation, stated that in order to not raise the <br />bridge, the railroad tracks would need to be raised by three <br />feet which would necessitate the lowering of 2,500 feet of <br />double track at an estimated cost of $4,275,000 which did not <br />include an estimate for necessary adjustments at the 5th and <br />2nd Street intersections° Mr. Beasley stated that the <br />current proposal for the replacement bridge met the absolute <br />minimum Department of Transportation requirements for bridge <br />construction. Mr. Beasley stated that a compromise of 20 <br />feet of vertical clearance, which presently exists, had been <br />agreed to by the railroad, noting that 22 1/2 feet is the <br />normal requirement. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck reported that the 1986 daily traffic count on <br />the Ridge Street Bridge was 21,540 which far exceeded the <br />estimate previously made by the Department of Transportation. <br />Mr. Buck stated that although he was aware of concerns about <br />the bridge and its relationship to the proposed Meadowcreek <br />Parkway, he did not think that a no-build option was feasible <br />for the bridge. Mr. Buck stated that the issue before <br />Council was how the bridge could be designed to be safe and <br />attractive and have the least impact on the Mt. Zion <br />Baptist Church and neighborhood as well as a major entrance <br />into Charlottesville. <br /> <br /> <br />