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2010-11-30CITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES BOARD OR COMMISSION: Parking and Traffic Commission SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: November 30, 2010 LOCATION: City Hall, Third Floor Conference Room MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Richard Benevento, William Bent, Richard Hutchinson, Tina Cassidy, Sgt. Bill Page (at 8:45 a.m.), Ilia Stacy MEMBERS ABSENT: Bill Fiore OTHERS PRESENT: Councilors Wes Slate, Maureen Troubetaris, Kevin Hobin RECORDER: Eileen Sacco Benevento calls the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. 1. Approval of Minutes The draft minutes of the October 19, 2010 Commission meeting were presented for approval. Benevento asks if anyone has any corrections to make. There are none. Bent: motion to approve the minutes of the Commission's meeting held on October 19, 2010. Motion seconded by Fiore, all members in favor. The motion carries 7 -0. The draft minutes of the October 22, 2010 site visit were presented for approval. Benevento asks if there are any corrections that need to be made. There are none. Bent: motion to approve the minutes of the Commission's site visit on October 22, 2010. Motion seconded by Fiore, all members in favor. The motion carries 7 -0. Cassidy says that Sgt. Page notified her that he might be several minutes late for the meeting because today is the first day of classes for students at the new Beverly High School. 2. Disscussion/Recommendation: Discussion of Site Visit and Potential Change to Traffic Flow Direction on Kittredge and Russell Streets / DPS Director Mike Collins Cassidy reports that Collins is unable to attend the meeting this morning, but she and Bent could report on their site visit. Cassidy reports that she and Bent visited the site and did some traffic counts on November 9, 2010 during morning commute times for the high school (7:30 a.m.to 8:30 a.m.) Bent explains that one of the things he observed that Collins could bring to railroad regulators is that Kittredge Street is too close to the railroad tracks. He explains that they wanted to look at Parking & Traffic Commission Minutes Nov. 30, 2010 meeting Page 1 of 5 the volume of traffic if Kittredge Street is closed off. He adds that Russell Street has a lot of traffic and is busy. Bent reports that they observed that people pull out of the intersection when the railroad gates are still down. Bent asks if the recent work at Beverly High School is going to change the traffic pattern. Benevento asks if there are any geometric improvements planned in the reconstruction. Cassidy notes that the project limit for the Rantoul Street (Route IA) reconstruction project is the Memorial Middle School. She states that she will get the design plans from Collins and share them with members of the Commission. Page reports that the traffic on Kittredge Street in the short term is going to increase. He explains that Panther Way will be shut down during the demolition phase so everyone will be accessing the school from these streets. He also notes that once the old high school is demolished that will free up the area. Cassidy notes that it may be a year before that is completed. Benevento states that the Parking and Traffic Commission has done its due diligence by doing traffic counting and visiting the site. He notes that they want to provide Collins with guidance, noting that it is not an easy location. He suggests that the Commission invite Collins to the next meeting to further discuss this matter. 3. Discussion: Neighborhood Concerns Regarding Intersection of Hale and Corning Streets/ Sgt. Page and Councilor Kevin Hobin Sgt. Page reports the accident data for the area during the last two years. He reports that there were 5 accidents in the last year and 7 over the last two years. He also notes that there have been several near misses, explaining that he has done a lot of traffic enforcement at Boyle and Woodbury Streets. Benevento asks if there have been any cross collisions. Page states that there have been cross collisions. Councilor Hobin addresses the Commission and states that the low volume of incidents surprises him because it is a tough intersection, noting that Lynch Park is very busy in the summer and he would like to be proactive in preventing serious incidents. He explains that on busy Lynch Park days people cut through the church parking lot rather than use East Corning Street. Page states that the sight line on East Corning Street is an issue. Cassidy suggests that the Commission visit the location. Benevento agrees and states that in the mean time he would like to get the Massachusetts DOT crash data and see where this area falls among the ranks of the top 200 dangerous intersections. Parking & Traffic Commission Minutes Nov. 30, 2010 meeting Page 2 of 5 It was noted that the Endicott College shuttle buses and construction equipment are an issue. It was also noted that a girl was hit on her bicycle at the crosswalk. People frequently cross to the Cove Playground as well. Benevento notes that Hale Street is a state road. He explains that the role of the Commission is advisory and recommends that the Commission visit the area to gather more information. The Commission schedules a site visit for December 7, 2010 at 3:45 p.m. at that location. Hobin explains that there is a very large commercial truck that parks on Corning and Lothrop Street in a no parking zone. Page states that he would check on that. Bent: motion to table the matter to the next Commission meeting on January 4, 2011. Motion seconded by Hutchinson, all members in favor. The motion carries 7 -0. 4. Discussion: Previous Decision to Post "No Right Turn on Red" at Essex and Dane Streets Intersection Benevento recalls that this recommendation was the result of a walk around the neighborhood when Montserat College's dorms were under construction. Cassidy explains that the signage was installed and is causing traffic to back up . Bent states that he went to the site to check the sight distances and explains his findings. He notes the crash data that was provided by Page and he reviewed it. He is inclined to recommend that they leave the stop sign there to determine if it improves safety in the area. Benevento asks if the crash data can be broken down to provide more details about the accident (head -on vs. side collision, direction of travel, etc.). Page says that it cannot be broken down into that level of detail. Councilor Slate notes that the area is the end of Rt. 22 and confirms that traffic does back up at this location since the sign was installed. Benevento states that he would rather err on the side of safety and suggests that if the traffic is backed up that they should look at the signal timing, which if changed may be an improvement. Hutchinson agrees that it is an excellent idea. Sgt. Page reports that he has looked at the area around 8:00 a.m. and found that all traffic was able to clear the intersection within one light cycle cleared there was no backup. He notes that people wishing to turn right onto Dane Street did have to wait for the light to turn green. Bent will pull the data from Mass DOT so the Commission can review it at the next meeting. 5. Discussion: Traffic Issues Near Salem/Beverly Bridge (Cabot/Rantoul/Water /Front Streets and Goat Hill Lane Slate reports that representatives of the State inspected the School Street Bridge and they also looked at the traffic. He says there is work scheduled to be done and it includes increased signage. He says that Representative Mary Grant's office will get the report and will get a copy to the city. He notes that the report is to include a recommendation for lane striping and Parking & Traffic Commission Minutes Nov. 30, 2010 meeting Page 3 of 5 additional signage. He recommends that the Commission table this matter until the results of the state inspection are received. Cassidy reports that Stacy expressed concerns about traffic safety near the Chamber of Commerce's office. Stacy explains that she observes near misses and difficult situations at the base of the Salem/Beverly bridge on a weekly if not daily basis. By way of examples she says she has watched buses turn onto Goat Hill Lane by mistake and back up to turn around and unsafe turns involving tractor trailer trucks. She feels that there are a lot of public safety issues in this area that deserve attention. Cassidy says that she noticed that the barriers MassHighway initially installed at the end of the center guardrail have since been removed. Without them some motorists take unsafe, sharp turns onto Cox Court or U- turns. She offers to follow up on to see why the barriers were removed. 6. New /Other Business a. City Ordinance Review Councilor Slate addresses the Commission and reports that the City Council's Ordinance Review Committee has completed its review and sent recommendations to the Council Legal Committee. He explains that the information will be sent to the outside counsel reviewing the matter shortly and he hopes to have the process completed after the first of the year. b. On Street Parking on Essex Street at Library Sgt. Page reports that there are several unregulated on- street parking spaces on Essex Street near the Library which people park in long term on a daily basis. He estimates that 90% of the cars that use them are Montserrat College students. He recommends that some time limit be posted and suggests a 2 hour parking limit between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for these spaces. Cassidy suggests that parking meters could be installed to assist with enforcement, explaining that next spring the City will be replacing meters in its parking lots and there should be enough to put some over there. Cassidy will look at the new meters going in and in the mean time signs restricting parking could be installed. Bent: motion to recommend to the City Council that the on- street parking spaces on Essex Street immediately in front of the Library that signs be limited to two hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturdays. Page seconds the motion, all members in favor. The motion carries 7 -0. C. Discussion: Installation of Pedestrian Sign on Elliott Street Cassidy explains that Ward 1 Councilor Troubetaris has requested that advance warning signs for the crosswalk at Elliott Street and Giles Avenue be installed. Troubetaris Parking & Traffic Commission Minutes Nov. 30, 2010 meeting Page 4 of 5 explains that there is a flashing signal at the crosswalk at Elliott and Giles but no one pays attention and there should be a high- visibility sign installed there. Benevento recommends that a high intensity, fluorescent yellow sign be used in both directions. Cassidy: motion to recommend that advance warning signs be installed at the crosswalk at Elliott Street and Giles Avenue, seconded by Bent. Benevento suggests the motion be amended to include the recommendation that a fluorescent yellow sign be installed. Bent seconds the motion, all members in favor. The motion carries 7 -0. d. North Beverly Railroad Tracks Cassidy reports that she still needs to get an update from Mike Collins. She also says that the matter was referred to the Commission by Councilor Don Martin and Former Councilor Tim Flaherty. Benevento suggests the Commission discuss this subject with Mike Collins at the next meeting. 7. Adiournment Benevento asks if there is any other business for the Commission to discuss at this meeting. There is none. Fiore: motion to adjourn. Motion seconded by Hutchinson, all members in favor. The motion carries 7 -0. The meeting is adjourned at 10:00 a.m. Parking & Traffic Commission Minutes Nov. 30, 2010 meeting Page 5 of 5