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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransportation Committee 07-08-08 4 REVISED ` NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE July 8, 2008 - 8:30 A.M. St. Croix County Highway Department Office, 920 -3 Street, Hammond, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING DATE OF NEXT MEETING CONSIDER VOUCHERS FOR PAYMENT REVIEW FUND BALANCES REVIEW HIGHWAY SAFETY MINUTES CONSIDER SEMINAR ATTENDANCE REQUESTS CONSIDER STATE PROJECT REQUESTS ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE OLD AND NEW BUSINESS 1. Deer Park Facility Update 2. Consider Facility Disposition Options 3. Machinery Management Considerations 4. Consider Speed Limit Alternatives for 2008 CTH "F" Project Area 5. Consider Long -Range Rail and Other Strategic Transportation Matters 6. 2009 Budget Discussions 7. 2008 — 2009 Goals 8. Potential Project Tour ANY OTHER BUSINESS AUTHORIZED BY LAW POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING ADJOURN (Items may be taken in different order. Action may be taken on any or all items shown.) SUBMITTED BY - Tim Ramberg, Highway Commissioner DATE SUBMITTED — June 27, 2008 ** Additions /Changes /Corrections Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by Wednesday morning preceding a County Board meeting. 6/27/2008 1:38 PM MINUTES OF THE ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE Meeting of July 8, 2008 Chairman King called the meeting to order at 8:30 A.M. Roll call was taken with King, Peterson, Grant, Rebholz and Demulling in attendance. Others present for all or parts of the meeting included Chuck Whiting, Tim Ramberg, Jeff Durkee and Rich Loney. A motion was made and seconded (Grant/Peterson) to adopt the agenda as published. Motion carried. A motion was made and seconded (Demulling /Rebholz) to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried. The next meeting is scheduled for 8:30 AM, Friday, August 8 th . After reviewing the vouchers prior to the meeting, a motion was made and seconded (King /Rebholz) to approve for payment as presented. Motion carried. Loney reviewed the administration, maintenance and machinery fund balances. Full contract payment has been made on construction of the Deer Park shop. Some additional items that remain before occupancy include finishing paving the yard area and construction of the security fence. Grant reviewed activities of the Safety Committee. He noted that the fall safety seminar is scheduled for Thursday, October 16 The possible informational presentation discussed at the last meeting was again reviewed. After discussion of possibly having one of the Department's maintenance trucks on display at the County Fair later this month, a motion was made and seconded (Peterson /Demulling) to so move. Motion carried. The Department's liability claims for the year were discussed and compared to previous periods. In particular, an incident involving an employee flagging was discussed as was an incident involving a haul truck. Ear protection recommendations were noted. Plans are to route various safety suggestions to employees through check stuffers. Ramberg noted that the CHEMS (County Highway Expenditure Microcomputer System) annual training sessions are set for October 16 and 17 in Mishicot, WI. Additional information will be brought to the Committee when available. Rebholz noted a renewable energy tour scheduled for July 30 that will involve stops in both Pierce and St. Croix County. Under the heading of correspondence: • Ramberg noted the inclusion of an article featuring Highway Dept. employees in a Caterpillar company newsletter article that dealt with paver training. • The Commissioner of Railroads sent notices of crossing upgrades planned at three locations in St. Croix County: 0 215 Street, Town of Cylon c CTH "T" in Jewett o Davis Street (CTH "T ") on the south side of Hammond ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MINUTES Page 2 July 8, 2008 • Correspondence with Sheriff Hillstead and Risk Manager Ziliak regarding security issues was noted. • Operational time sequence for repair of recent concrete blow -ups on 1 -94 was shared. Demulling noted a request from the Somerset fire chief that roadways that pass over STH 35/64 in the Somerset area be designated for the benefit of travelers on 35/64. The chief also has requested the installation of mile markers along 35/64, but WisDOT does not see the need at this point. The subject is scheduled to be addressed through the County Traffic Safety Committee. Mary Bowen - Eggebraaten and Tim Erickson from the Hudson School District and Angela Popenhagen from Stevens Engineers met with the Committee at 9:20 AM to discuss a speed zone request on CTH "F ". The School has approached the City of Hudson regarding a speed zone on CTH "F" in the vicinity of the new elementary school located across from the YMCA, near the intersection of CTH "F" and Coulee Trail. The City recommended that the current speed limit of 45 MPH in the area be maintained with a reduction to 35 MPH accompanied by flashing warning lights during peak traffic times associated with school operations as follows: o 7:30 AM — 9:30 AM o 3:00 PM — 5:00 PM It was noted that normal school day hours are 9:00 AM — 3:45 PM, although additional programs will use the facility at other hours. Various questions and concerns were discussed, including; enforcement, sign costs, sign maintenance, locating the school in a rural setting where urban facilities are not readily available, congestion on a major gateway into the community, vehicle safety, additional traffic control initiatives, access points, turning movements, busses -only access from Coulee Trail, parent drop - off access from CTH "F ", busing and car - pooling, 25 MPH speed limits in school zones, safety for walkers and bikers, the lack of pedestrian and /or bicycle lanes for students to get to the school, and the lack of trail access and that there are presently no trails to the north to connect to. Bowen - Eggebraaten and Erickson noted that the school intends to discourage all walkers and bikers and that the purpose of their meeting with the Committee is to request help with traffic flow during the time periods noted above. Potential future residential development in the area was discussed. The school, which is for grades K -5 with an early childhood program, is expected to open with a census of approximately 600 students and that the building could expand to 700. The City and Town of Troy have approved changing the speed limit to 35 MPH in the areas during the times noted. The school district would bear all costs associated with the installation, operation, repair, etc., of the signs and lights and would need to obtain a permit to install these structures in the right of way. After further discussion, a motion was made and seconded (Peterson \Demulling) to accept the recommendation of the Hudson School District and City of Hudson for signing the 35 MPH zone on CTH "F ", including flashing warning lights, with all costs associated with the acquisition, installation and operation being borne by the School District. Motion carried. With completion of the Deer Park shop, Ramberg brought up disposition of the current facilities in Deer Park and Star Prairie. Sales studies for similar properties have been completed, resulting in suggest selling prices of $147,500 for the Star Prairie facility and $63,500 for Deer Park. The transition of operations from these facilities was discussed, as were possible disposition methods. ST. CROIX COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MINUTES Page 3 July'8, 2008 The Village of Star Prairie has expressed interest in acquiring the site there. The Committee approved written notification to these two Villages as well as the Deer Park fire district, in an effort to solicit their feelings. The group discussed a presentation from the Highway Conference that dealt with privatization of the parts room, inventory storage cost savings, and a transition recently completed in Manitowoc County. A visit to Manitowoc County Highway Department to investigate and gather more specific details was discussed. The status of the scalper (a device used to segregate rip -rap material from limerock prior to crushing) was discussed. Ramberg reviewed the numerous items currently on the Department's long -range transportation items list. The group also discussed the transportation element of the County's comprehensive plan that has been updated by the Highway Department on an ongoing basis for several years. As the Department with the authority and responsibility for the issues of this element of the plan, Ramberg said that a working draft that is nearing completion to enter into the planning process and said he feels the Department is moving forward in a responsible manner. He expressed his hope that a timetable for development of the County's total plan would soon be forthcoming. He reviewed the basic components of the transportation element of the comprehensive plan. Whiting said he had fielded an inquiry from an individual interested in serving as a transportation lobbyist in Washington D.C. for the area. Interest was expressed in having this person meet with the Committee. The 2009 budget was discussed, in particular the levy for Highway Department operations as well as the 5% - 10% expense reductions requested by the County Board for the overall budget. Various aspects of these overall issues were discussed. Adiournment: Chairman King adjourned the meeting at 12:35 PM. ---------------------------------------------------------------- SECRETARY