And then emergency, if we are on the left, that'd be great.

This way I can keep making sure that we have everybody outside.

Um people online.

Cool.

All right.

So we're going to jump into the presentation.

This is the agenda for this evening.

Um, we're going to have the goal, the project location, the overview, the key improvements, construction impacts, the schedule, closing summary, and questions.

Um, if you have immediate questions, I'll take them, but if possible, can you hold your questions to the end?

And then we have somebody online.

We have somebody moderate the web to um if you have any questions, and we will talk into the questions.

Okay.

The project overview.

This is uh like I said the median pedestrian improvement project along South Patrick Street between Wilts and Franklin Street.

So right over here to there.

The paving limits go down to this just before the over the trestle over here on route one, all the way up to all the way up to just somewhere in this area here.

That's the paving limits.

So the construction of the curvy guns and stuff like that is essentially Wilkes, givens, and uh Franklin.

The paving limits as I said are back this way to the trestle here, and up in this way.

Okay, let's say on this.

Oh, I'm sorry.

So again, the paving limits are generally right in here, down to right in here, and then the construction of the new sidewalks curbing gutter will be on Wilkes, Wilkes, Gibbons, and Franklin.

Um, and then we're widening the median all the way up.

And then also part of the widening medians, we will be planting trees in there, and then making the crosswalks ABA accessible all the way through.

The purpose of the project is to connect, yeah.

And the purpose of the project is to connect, create a more aesthetically pleasing gateway and call traffic patterns to improve safety for all roadway and sidewalk views.

The scope of the work, as I said, is to widen the medians to install new curved extensions and make the 88 ramps uh with it's called American with Disabilities Act and Compliant Ramps, pedestrian signal, and improved the call for crosswalking.

Um funding source is a small is funded through VDOT.

It's a smart scale project, and our contract is audited construction LLC.

Here are the key improvements for the project.

I'm gonna walk between both sides, okay?

Yeah, that's not cool.

All right.

Starting with number one, we have the curbing section.

These green squares here, here.

Um, this is a curve extension on this side.

Um, this is Franklin.

We have the curved extensions on Franklin.

We have two on this is the Franklin is one way eastbound.

So we have the curved extensions on the north side of the street.

At Gibbons, we only have the curve extension on the west side of Gibbons as you go east west.

So here's your two curved extensions here and here.

At Wilts, we do not have any curving sessions.

Um, and then also we have new pedestrian signals as part of the program, which is public right-of-way accessibility guidelines and the AVA the American Wisconsin Disabilities Act, we're required to put new pedestrian signals um within three feet of the handicap ramp.

So that's why every place where you see a new handicap ramp, you will see a new pedestrian signal.

Um, and then also we have across the curved ramps, the crosswalks will be what they call high visibility crosswalks.

Some people call them ladders because sometimes you know they look like a ladder.

So we have the new pavement markings as well.

Um, and then also on Wilkes, we have the bike lane crossing on the south side of the hand section that goes back in.

Um and then four, we have the crosswalks, and then six and seven are the wider mediants and then the trees.

Every 35 feet is a tree.

No, every 17 and a half feet is a tree.

We plant the two species of trees, one's a gum, and then the other ones are I forget the exact species, but every 17 and a half feet, we have a new trees going in.

And then also we're narrowing the travel lanes.

We're narrowing down to 11 feet.

We still maintain the same number of travel lanes, we just narrow them down.

Cool.

Now here's the funny part.

The construction impact.

Yes, they're willing impact.

Um, but again, we work to minimize the impacts to those that's driving through the community as well as us that's live within the community.

Um, some of the impacts will include single and double lane closures, meaning the contractor will close one lane of Route 1, maybe one lane on Gibbons will to Franklin as well to do the work that they need to do.

Um there may be a time on given.

No, Frank, yeah, given where it may have to close temporarily for a couple of minutes because we're putting a new storm source across the intersection, but it's not uh overnight or anything like that.

It's more of a couple hours, you know, so the bike can be active.

Um the sidewalk closures on the corners where we be working, we will be closing the sidewalk to remove the existing sidewalk, put the new sidewalk back in and allow it to cure.

Um, most times concrete cures overnight, but on paper, it takes about a week for concrete to cure.

Most times it kills overnight and ready to be open back up.

Um, there will be parking impacts as you get closer to the intersection.

We will have to put up uh maintenance and traffic signs, the tapers or something like that.

So some people will be restricted parking.

Now it won't be a whole block or all three intersections at one time.

For example, if they're working at wilts, the parking restrictions be related to wilts.

And then when we move the givens, it will be related to givings as well as Franklin.

So it won't be all three blocks at one time.

Um we do not anticipate any disruptions to that service.

Um, as you know, we have the bus stop at Gibbons at South Henry's and Franklin and South Henry.

We do not anticipate any um disruption of service to those business stops.

And then also we are coordinating with the developer of the contractor for the heritage um project.

We've been leaving with them, we're not using it.

We've been talking with them to coordinate, and once construction gets closer to the beginning, we will have active meetings with them to make sure that our maintenance of traffic doesn't come from their maintenance and traffic and vice versa.

Um constructor is anticipated to begin June 1 and go through January 2027.

Um that doesn't mean every day, but that does mean that it will be a prolonged period, and then along those lines.

The work hours are from the road work hours are from 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m.

Monday through Friday, and Saturdays, 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m.

There's a whole bunch of caveats on that.

For example, on Fridays, they're required to be off the road by two o'clock.

Um, and then if it's a major federal holiday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and stuff like that, they have to be off the road by noon, and they can't resume work until noon of the Tuesday file.

So it's the issue on that.

But then also there may be instances on when the wolf, the work on Wilts, Franklin and Gibbons may occur outside of 3 p.m.

Provided they're not blocking any traffic on route one.

That's this is the main thing that we will.

So there may be some work outside of 3 p.m.

on those side streets, provided they don't block it and payment on those streets.

In closing, the sole intent of this project is to do is to improve safety along the corridor.

That's the sole intent of the project.

The scope of work is the wider medium from four feet to nine feet, and so trees, curb rent, pedestrian signal, and crosswalks.

Umprove safety.

That's the whole key for this project.

The duration again is from June 1 through January 2027.

That's the close out the project.

Not necessarily when work is supposed to be complete because we count the paperwork as when the project is complete because sometimes they may have to come back for cycles.

And then the location is from South Patrick Street from Jefferson Street to Wolf Street.

Again, this is based off of the pavement.

We're working with the contractor to get his schedule and construction sequencing, meaning we won't close again, we won't close Franklin Wilts and get it all at one time.

But say we work at Franklin, they're gonna do the medians at all four corners on Franklin.

Now all four homes won't be done at the same time because we still gotta allow people to cross the street, but that will be one segment, and then the next segment may be given, and then the third segment will be wilt, and then the fourth segment will be paving, or they may jump to do the mediums.

So the meetings will the median between Wilts and Gibbons will be one section, then median between Gibbon and Frank will be another section.

So that's like five sessions that you'll be the work.

Again, we still have to maintain traffic through the court cut.

So and then this is my contact information as you scan that and queue up this um yeah, QR code.

Um that'll take you to the project web page.

This right here is the emergency contact of the contractor.

Please, if you have any questions, please call me in the event of something disastrous is out there not being done.

You can call them or please call me if you have any questions.

Feel free to view me, email me or call me.

Um then this is the typical section that shows everything which is we're doing, which is right in front of you.

Um this this has a little bit more detail again.

You have the trees, you have I think it was what's going on for us, either the gum or your own.

Um, and then column of trees, meaning that they grow straight up, not necessarily out like a regular flowering um pop popular trees and stuff like that.

They grow straight up column, and again, this shows the work at the um the curbing centers along the line, and then this is the limit of paving this right here.

These pavement markers are not added, and that's one of the key things about what I like about the project is we're putting in the refractors, meaning when you drive at night, especially when at land, you can see the uh the lane of each lane as you drive through versus as in the intersection when the paint, I mean, when the terminal starts the phase, you still can see the lane through the court.

So and that's it.

Let me go back to the presentation.

If you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer any question that you may have.

Um question will South Patrick Street uh all in one direction be closed at any one time, uh, or just the side streets of Wilkes and Gibbon and Franklin.

I I don't know how you close one side of uh Patrick Street and divert traffic.

No, South Pastor will not be closed.

There will be no entire closing of South Patrick Street.

Now you will have lane closed.

Uh let me see how I'm jumping.

You will have lane closures, but single lane closures from on South Patrick.

It may be double, it may be double, but you can have a single lane.

But okay, the reason I asked this question is I live on South Henry, where uh you know, and so if the traffic is closed on South Patrick, it's gonna majorly impact South Henry as a cut through uh going south, which means we're back to rush hour street on South Patrick Street.

So that's really my concern on that.

Uh is all that traffic for a period of time gonna move on to South Henry going south.

We will not street.

We will not direct people there, but it's literally permitted for somebody to turn the right on that.

However, this roadway work only goes up to three o'clock.

And that and that's why we're doing that because of rush hour soundbound traffic, and we're aware of that.

No, as Reggie said, that's why it has to the contractor has to be cleared of the roadway by three o'clock.

So they can't be out there wrapping up, they have to be clear by three o'clock.

Yeah, real quick, uh, and uh just to introduce myself.

My name is Ryan Knight.

I'm the transportation engineering division chief for the city of Alexandria, and I'm the kind of the project sponsor.

So the project kind of started with our group and then uh uh went to to Reggie's group.

Uh but there will always be one lane of traffic uh open on South Patrick's.

So no matter the closure that we do, uh you know, single lane, double lane, uh obviously uh South Patrick is three lanes in each direction, there will always be one lane closure open, or I'm sorry, one lane open on South Patrick's.

So it's still gonna even uh two o'clock up until about 11 o'clock, it's still gonna back traffic up in counter.

Um, because fresh hour really now which it you know, maybe between 10 and 2, you don't have it, but there's back up here.

Other question is you're narrowing the streets.

Was a safety study done because we frequently and probably the most used intersection is crossing at Wilk Street.

Uh and the number of accidents that have occurred and the lack of uh a camera that is there's a camera there, but it's not turned on, I understand.

And uh we're gonna narrow those lanes there.

I fear for what it's gonna be like stepping off the curve.

Because as of now, every time I go, I count how many people run the red light, and it's at least two.

So you don't dare step off the curve at Wilkes and South Patrick unless all traffic has come to a stop.

So I'm hoping some of these additional markings will help that uh because it's a very dangerous intersection.

We had to have the time on the walk light extended um shortly after it was put in there because uh the traffic issues, you can't just walk across the street.

So I appreciate this project.

I'm just concerned you narrow the streets, then you've got the heritage, which is the actual building is 10 feet off the street, and then please tell me you're not putting a bike lane there too.

No on South on South Patrick.

No, no, so um, and real quick, just uh uh check real quick.

Can hear could hear the um questions and us uh online okay, all right.

So um, so to answer your question about narrowing the lane.

So again, um narrowing the lanes was more to reduce uh or to improve safety and to reduce speeds on on South Patrick Street.

Uh what has been proven and what has uh kind of industry standards is that uh kind of a narrowing of lane um uh gives the depiction that you need to slow down in order in order to uh in order to control the vehicle.

So um all that being said, again it's gonna narrow down to 11 feet, 11 feet is the standard for typical uh uh lane that you would see either buses or or large vehicles or things of that nature.

So 11 feet is kind of the typical standard.

I think right now there's 1213 or 12 feet.

Um here, this one is 13, but everything else is 12.

12.

So we're literally uh narrowing it down to one lane or one foot.

Um so again, the the uh purpose of doing that is to reduce speeds and to improve safety.

So that uh scenario where you know you see a lot of people um uh running the red light or like you know, uh speeding along uh South Patrick Street, the intent is to you know mitigate that.

Um so that's kind of the intent.

Before y'all go on.

Oh, I have a couple questions, uh kind of cross-walk questions.

In the median, is there um is a crosswalk light?

Is it is one light at each side of telepathic sheet, or is there a light also in the media?

Like, are you supposed to stop and pause in the middle and then keep crossing?

Or is it like it is now when you just walk straight across, or is it like a dual?

There's a refuge, it's a six-foot wide medium, so that qualifies, but there's no light.

I mean, your light will still be intended to cross and more all the way, but for some reason you you you couldn't make it, you could have a and I just had one question.

I think we kind of entered this um by trying to double check.

So um for about the sidewalks, um, you have to do one of the intersections at a time, but will like the like the north side stay open while you're doing the south side so that you can still cross there.

Like, would you do the whole intersection at one time, or would you be able to cross on one side of it?

And I'm not explaining this.

No, I'm not gonna tell it to answer the question better.

Um but yes, for example, for Franklin, what we in the contract we talked about is doing is working on the south side because currently today this south side does not exist.

Yeah, so they will this will this one remain open, however, the one thing that we need everyone needs to know is there's gonna be a time where all of them may have to close because we gotta put the the traffic the temporary the pedestrian traffic signal equipment.

So during initially this will be open, and then for this one, this will be open with the existing equipment, but then once this is ready, we may have to close it to put the the um the traffic signal heads for the pedestrians here so that they can have the way to cross once we start working on this.

I think just the it's is the local street one because a lot of kids class to go to school there, and that's probably the biggest issue.

I I call it three or four times a week myself, but I know a lot of kids walk to school on the Little Street one, so that's like the biggest concern to me.

The same thing will happen here, they'll work on one side at a time, but in order to put the new signals there for people to cross, we may have to close everything to you know connect electricals, yeah.

But we're not talking like three weeks or anything like that, at most, maybe a day, but again, it's during nine to six, so it's it's during a period where but we don't the extent of closures will occur when it actually doesn't work.

The short term is to unplug and revolve.

Yeah, I represent old parents out from uh given, and it looks like why don't you even be gonna have a large decent by this project?

And I sent you about five questions.

Um particularly uh about cut through because our parking lot is right here.

People have to be cutting for parking lot, particularly large features.

So I do know that the traffic, like you pointed out, you could walk out there 12 years and it's traffic to me.

So I did send you five questions of concern for the community, one of which is the cut through gonna get in the assistant to block off our parking lot.

The other one has to do with equipment because for some reason uh any project construction equipment is parked in our lot, private property.

Yeah, and I received your question, and I thought we're preparing the answer to that part.

Our contract will not be parking, they would not be putting any equipment stage or anything.

They will park if they need to park their vehicles, it will be any public assigned spot.

Um ideally, um, as they work in on front lane gettings, it will be within the vicinity of the of the immediate one.

Um, that's where they'll be working at they will not now.

As far as the cut through on Henry, unfortunately, that is allowed because that's a public street, but we the contractor will not be diverting traffic down.

So, in other words, if someone's not going to help us, the parking lot is adjacent, right?

So is the side wall.

So if you're gonna take out the side wall, that buttons up against our burn.

So, how's that gonna interrupt there?

And take out the side ball.

No, but it appears that we're gonna have to we're gonna have the photo for parking lot.

No, you will not you will still have access to your parking.

Now, you may get, for example, when they work on this side of the intersection of your parking lot, you may have to just use the north side as they do this curve or writing here, but this is only during construction workouts after after the hours is up, you will still be able to come in and down to here.

Now, our contract will be own work in here now.

The sidewalk between air and air, air and hair, we're not replacing that that will remain as is.

So, all the work is literally sidewalk between Wilkes and get them remained, yes, ma'am, except for where we work on, yes, ma'am.

So that won't be taken out.

No, ma'am, only the limit.

You may come say a foot or so, whatever to if there's something broken, but we're not intending to replace the whole entire group.

And and just to clarify that the sidewalk, because of the fact that we're working in the corner there, the sidewalk may actually be closed because we don't want people coming all the way down to where uh it's gonna where we're gonna work, but the actual construction activity will not uh impact that sidewalk.

What about the uh other side?

Just the reading.

I'm sorry, yeah.

Yeah, okay, that's what I mean.

Oh, that's the question.

Yes, but one thing to start on the question is going to be asking over here, and actually there's been five questions for the council.

Are these things going to be documented and readressed to the public?

Because the questions we have today, I think are going to need some references in informal references opposed to just casual competition giving the page.

So are we gonna have we're gonna have communication coming back to the residents and the terrorists understand what we're being said here?

The books are not everybody's in the area count here, and also unfortunately, not every resident, I don't think it's notified or questions or not.

So the question the question is are your group, your team going to respond to questions both here and the questions being submitted to you rather than category conversation because casual conversation does not cut it in there because we're not categories.

So the question is are this team going to respond to the questions this evening as well as questions that have been posed?

We're going to pose to the public at large is aware.

Um question I'm gonna go on is this is a significant impact.

Like when you talk about that South Henry block, I look at it.

That's a crazy street.

Not only do people come through there, come to the beef of light for traffic, they're doing 50 miles an hour.

So if they're gonna be some okay, let me get the first question.

Are you and are you not going to get back to the public with these answers?

That's that's a guess or no question.

It's not a lot of competition.

No, the short answer is yes.

Okay, yes.

So, real quick, sorry, sorry.

Um, just the house uh keeping they can't hear uh those that's asking the question.

So every time you ask the question, we're gonna repeat the question so people online that would be fine.

But the question is there's a lot of people going to be back for six months, or probably one month.

So I see we're gonna finish in January this in the summer from the beginning, but a lot of people are gonna be impacted with this what we're talking about, and I have a whole bunch of questions in this.

So the question is how and when are you going to get back to this food to go and down these questions?

Or perhaps set up a website that's specific that these questions are being asked, have an answer so that the public will be there and we could also respond publicly to public questions because she may have a question that I don't know.

So is that is that gonna be done?

What's the method to do this?

These answers back to the public.

question is how and when are you going to get back to this group to find out how these questions or perhaps set up a website that's specific that these questions are being asked have an answer so that the public will be there and we can also respond publicly to all the questions because she may have a question that I don't know but is that is that going to be done what's the method to give this these answers back to the public this presentation being recorded and then the question that I forget the last name but the question that she has I answered well I answered them but I have not responded to them and um as of yet I was planning to respond to them later but she can read so real quick real quick sorry uh again housekeeping so your question is how how are the questions that are being asked tonight coming back to you to ensure that the questions are being answered and how will everybody else see those questions and answer that's right so um to answer that question again as Reggie kind of pointed out the the uh the presentation will be recorded and also on the project website because there is a project website that's uh um uh that's been posted uh we will have a QA on there and so we will uh compile all the questions that we have tonight and if you have any other questions after tonight again Reggie will kind of put his uh he has his um uh uh stuff on on the screen and then also he has his uh what is it the uh business cards cards so excuse me not looking called thing but I just want someplace public reference that not pick a Harry ask the question tonight on mine reach over here and say gee I'm sorry we don't let you hear questions I might go back and read her questions and what your answers are that's this is the formal process I don't care if this is recorded because well to answer your question again again you're kind of reiterating it I'm I'm reiterating for those uh that's online um you're reiterating that you would like to see the questions and answer um uh in some form of fashion so that we you have a better understanding of the project and and that everybody else knows what the questions and answers are so to answer that question again uh recording I know that uh it it doesn't really matter but then the QA the QA is the key in order for us to have the QA we need the question submitted so we're requesting that not only you submit it tonight or now that you verbalize it tonight but then if you do have a specific question in mind please reach out to Reggie and and formalize that question and then we'll uh put that question on the uh project website okay this one more time that let's go through that no that didn't get the answer and I have to readdress these questions back to Reggie and then someone I'm just looking for a public website where yeah there is a project public website your question and answer on there the city has a project website you and we have the QR code on that will be construction and there will be the questions that were asked and the answers that were provided you're welcome this is the web and going on that South Henry street is there going to be any way of sort of assisting the residents on that block that they're the true traffic on because right now we're looking at so this right now we're looking at given impact is very badly evidence traffic is over conjected a lot of people coming up given earlier in three o'clock fly through go down to go down frankly take a fast swing over to South Henry and fly to the light at the other side that's on normal everyday business I can see here where this is going to get a whole lot of people say let me fly by and that's how Henry I know I cross that line with traffic right at that corner of South Henry and frankly it's not even work so what I'm looking at is this is a big impact and of looking at how how you go to mitigate risk how you're going to mitigate the community that lives here the session but making the main lanes narrower I can have a war but I I don't have it it sounds like a contradiction in terms that you're making the way narrow it makes it safety but that's a whole other conversation but so like I said I think what we're hearing here is a concern of that South Henry street and how that's being used at the thoroughfair and how are you going to handle that if it's stuck in commentary is the construction company going to be posting traffic first of that somehow another because uh I know like I said I just done a low block I come through that area and God forbid I don't be very careful.

Yeah we had people so it's uh I really got me my phone Joe can we go this question roll on yes maybe first question uh is there first question on my uh would this change require the winding one or the reduction of any guiding rates it would the question is will the project widen rule one or reduce the number one this project does not widen the rule one and it does not reduce the number of traffic lines once the project is finished we have three today you have three when the project's finished the only thing this project does is reduce the width of the travel range each name will be reduced by one foot next question um as somebody to process South every day this is going to be so important please turn that no trees are planted but then 17 T

We have three today, you have three when the project's finished.

The only thing this project does is reduce the width of the travel range.

Each name will be reduced by one foot.

Next question.

The tree planting within the intersection breakpoint as somebody said, um, as you see, the tree planting stops before the intersection here as well as here.

I do not remember the exact distance, but we did stop the tree planting before the intersection so that pedestrian as well as drivers have a nice one on the site to see if anybody's crossing the intersection.

Is cars at our south between lights?

Walking the back pedestrians and ice.

Once this project is complete, I expect people see that that built much more than in the East Town.

Will police monitor the situation ensure pedestrian and ice safety?

I have to talk to traffic operations as well as Alexandria police department to answer.

The question is will police monitor the safety of pedestrians for the system.

So I have that is actually the traffic operation and RSD.

So uh in the lines of that, just uh so that everybody's aware, uh obviously there's uh red light enforcement camera enforcement at Franklin and Gibbon, I believe.

Um so with within the city, and this is a state law that within the city you're only allowed uh a certain amount of uh red light cameras within a certain uh jurisdiction or within a certain population.

So we as a city as a whole, we have to be very cognizant and very um we have to prioritize the intersections that we uh uh propose to have red light cameras because again, like we can't put red light cameras everywhere we want to.

Um we have to you know prioritize it because we're only allowed a certain amount of uh number of uh red light cameras.

I do know uh the police department does uh uh manage that program, the red light camera program.

Um as of right now, they've suspended um the additional red light cameras uh within the city.

So uh as of right now, don't know when they're gonna uh provide newer red light cameras, but uh they are pro uh they are uh managing the program and majority of the red light cameras.

I'll have to double check.

I know there was a um uh question as to whether these like red light cameras are programmed or not.

I'll have to double check that with the police department, but I do know majority of them are operational and they do issue our tickets whenever a red light, whatever red light violation is there.

You've got the traffic signal pedestrians.

I I know for several of these first of all that's definitely formal name of the button push down, but I do know the situation is if you don't press the button to cross that street, you do not get a countdown for things, which is very dangerous because this gentleman walked up to the light.

I think he pressed the button, he starts off across.

I think I got time with a countdown when I get hit by a car.

Is that Franklin street?

That's a dead trick.

Okay.

People watch you there, I probably down the poll and then walk closer to it.

So the question on the is number one, are you going to be sure that these buttons working?

And that whether a person presses or not presses that button, there's a countdown that's activated.

I've had this with the traffic department for two years, and I've gotten nothing but where the matter instead of fixing things the crossing over Franklin to the south side and the other side of the street, he took off the button, so I don't want to do that.

Yeah, I'm sorry, I just could let me hear how to get down for you as this area.

This is not this area to make fly trail streets.

Um I have a follow-up question at the end of this one.

We say this project is for uh to increase safety.

I have no clue how putting a grass path in the middle of that area of town and trees is going to make safety.

I should see more if it's gonna be a waste of time.

It's probably trash.

People gotta think here, but that that's that's a concern I have is proper theory.

That's why I'm at the clean thing.

This impact is going off in six or more months closing out a lane as it is all of you that would live here is pretty much a corner.

But people actually have live.

You could make four foot wide lanes or five hundred foot wide line, people in and out to get the left track.

So the you're at that area.

Your first question was about the pedestrian signal.

So and just to kind of be iterated for the people on online.

Um will there be enough time for pedestrians to cross the street?

And then also where will the uh pedestrian push buttons be activated or you know uh operational, and will the pedestrian signal be operational even if you don't push buttons.

Yeah.

Now, so to answer that question, uh from a technical standpoint, we can program the controller, uh the signal, uh the signal controller, which is the signal computer essentially, uh a number of ways, but there's two different ways.

There's the way that a pedestrian signal comes up all the time, and therefore you don't have to push a button, or there's a number uh, or there's the way that uh this pedestrian signal comes up um just when you push the button.

There's a pros and cons to each, but you can't have both.

You can't have both.

You can't do uh one or the other.

So the person press the button, it does not initiate the countdown.

It doesn't initiate the countdown.

So again, with the if you push the button and we program it to push the button, then it will initiate the countdown, but you have to press the button.

If you do not press the button, then it won't come up.

If we if we do it the other direction, which is if we uh have it come up all the time, you don't have to necessarily push the button, even if you push the button, it doesn't really matter because it's going to come up all the time.

So that's that's one of the things.

So the way that we have a program currently is because of the the impacts of traffic, we have it so when that a pedestrian is there, you have to push the button in order for the uh the pedestrian signals to come up.

Yeah.

So um in that situation where if I'm a program to not push a button, if there is no car there, that's a pedestrian and it won't turn, right?

No, so that that's what happens if they're gonna carry.

That's the pros and cons is that at any given time, even if there's not a car, let's say you try to cross on Wilkes, and even if there's not a car on Wilkes, the signal for Wilkes will come on because uh it will come on at the time that the pedestrian signal comes on.

So even if there's another car on Wilkes, it will always come on.

So that's the kind of pros and cons to it.

Yeah, I don't know.

Yeah, it's I I live in Old Cow South on Wilkes Street.

I've been there since 1978, and I know the lady since you represent, but I live there and I received the letter, you know, south is leading.

But what I want to understand so that I will understand you the city is trying to make from Jefferson Street to Wolf Street, trying to make it a safe area.

And in other words, you're narrowing the lane, where it's three lanes, but each one lane is going to be narrow.

So I'm going to save this so I can understand.

And then what's left out of that, what you have whereas with three lanes, you make it a medium strip, and you place the trees up in that strip.

And but on each side, like I live between Wilts and Patrick and Haven.

And what I want to know, I'm gonna wait a minute, so I don't get mixed up.

You're not gonna narrow the side box.

Is that right?

Correct.

Okay, that's what I want to know.

And you're gonna be working at the door the same time that the pilot just track that it's going on.

Yes.

Okay, so okay, so I can see that part, both things from Wolf to Jefferson and from Jefferson to Whoop, you work it on both sides of the street.

Yes.

Okay, so uh thank you.

I just want to understand, so I know we're still at all.

No problem.

Okay, thank you.

All right, yeah.

Mr.

King, I'm here.

Yes, can you hear me?

Can you speak up?

Yes, we're hearing you.

Yes, I mean speaking as loud as I can.

Uh so uh thank you all very much for this presentation.

My name is Casey Kane, and I have uh some questions about the uh pedestrian detours.

When I looked at the uh drawing set online that just so shows typical um uh detours, uh when you gave your presentation this evening, uh again they look somewhat typical as opposed to specific.

So I'm wondering when we can actually see the specific pedestrian detours.

Um this I don't know which street that's referring to.

Um and my concern particularly is with Wilk Street because you have both uh bicycle and pedestrian crossings there, but uh the big concern is if I look at this properly, it looks like you're gonna have people having to cross back and forth uh Patrick Street in order to proceed uh on their way when you've got the sidewalk closed, uh, like you had on that drawing that just disappeared.

Um so that's part of the question.

Then the second is I think you guys are aware that there's an ongoing project with the heritage site where they had the sidewalk completely closed on one side of uh Patrick Street.

Um I understand you're not gonna narrow uh close traffic lanes for pedestrians, but how are you gonna accommodate uh say how are you gonna safely accommodate pedestrians in this project?

I I it's not clear to me from uh what you've put up there or what I can find online that we've got a really well planned out uh detour for pedestrians.

Well, Mr.

Kane, two things.

One, the contractor has not submitted his pedestrian detour plan, but two, when we talk with the contractor, generally the plan is as they work on an intersection.

I'm not sure if you put the beginning on the presentation, but if they work on the intersection, for example, front in the street.

I'm just using that as an example.

When you go on Franklin, the plan is to do the meeting um as Franklin, but then also do this side of the intersection first.

I'm sorry, I can't see where you're pointing.

Oh, I'm um who do you see on the screen?

Do you see that?

I see no, I see the the map.

I can't see the live um presentation.

Uh I can't see you pointing at anything.

Do you see me?

See that I can see you, but I can't see you're not going to be.

So Reggie, I don't need the detail tonight.

Um, my concern is that you've got it that the detail is available for people to ensure that there's an actually safe uh detour for pedestrians and it's done properly.

Um hold on.

If you look at the heritage site, that is not a proper uh detour, and I've been working with the city to try to get that straightened out.

And you're now adding another project on top of an improper detour.

So I and with the contractor three weeks away from starting this project, and they still don't have the MOT for the pedestrians.

Um I'm a little anxious.

I was trying to explain to you what we talked about and how is planned, how is um will be regular.

Right.

We do wait to impose it, right?

Yeah, I think what's this is submitted and approved.

Yeah.

I I'm sorry, I hear other people talking, so I don't know if they're responding or or adding it.

Oh thank you, Current.

So I I've made a general comment, Reggie.

Um I I would I would love to see the MOT posted somewhere so that I can look at that and then start filling out my 311s when it's not done properly.

Okay, we'll post it.

Okay, and and then if we go back to Wilk Street for a moment, um you have you've shown typicals for pedestrians, but it's not clear to me how cyclists are going to cross uh Wilk Street during the construction phases.

It will be similar to the other intersection.

Um so if you can see me right here, when the contractor is working on this side, this side will be open.

When you're talking north side or south side of what you're pointing at, because again, I cannot see what you're pointing at.

I can see you pointing, but I can't see what you're pointing at.

Okay.

The screen is very uh washed out on them.

So if somebody can point these in mouse.

Okay, Wilkes Street.

When the contractor is working at Wilkes Street, if he's working on the south side of the intersection, the north side will remain open.

And that's good, but then are you directing the cyclists who have come uh uh westbound to eastbound to then cross the crosswalk and then cross on the north side of Wilk Street?

Everybody will be directed to use the north side of the street.

Okay.

And but just to be clear, uh, in many instances, contractors sort of forget the fact that they need to put the signs up.

Uh so that's a why I would really like to see a clear uh MOT uh for this project and not um just kind of theory of what's gonna be done.

Okay, so that's really good.

My my concern is just that we have a proper and safe uh MOT, particularly for pedestrians, but also um with cyclists who particular particularly cross at Wilkes, but um you know, depending on which direction you use, you can use either Gibbon or Franklin, but um most cyclists cross at uh Wilkes Street.

We'll probably yes, sir.

I'm trying to keep my questions condensed so you guys can respond.

Ultimately, all this we can I appreciate all the effort you're putting into this presentation and brand sounds questions again.

I'll try to keep my question very good.

Just to okay.

The first is when you're going north on Patrick, there's only a left-hand turn signal on Wilkes.

It goes for six seconds, I would say.

You get two, three cars.

Is that gonna be maybe lengthened?

I'd even give a high lengthening to that to eliminate it most of the time because you can't turn because there's way too many cars all the time.

But you you get in line, it's like people are in line at that lane, they're not turning, so then you can't like you you end up just like waiting in the shotgun.

So that's just I guess comment.

The question how maybe are you gonna link in the turn signal your found on the world story last yes?

Right, that would be for the presentation.

Yeah, so the question is are we going to left lengthen the timing that it takes for the left turn uh signal going into Wilts?

Um, not part of this project.

So however, that is something that uh my team uh could look into uh no matter what if this project is done or or not.

I will say again, you know, uh the the thing with uh signal timings is there's a pros and cons to everything, there's impacts and uh to everything.

So if we lengthen the time that it takes for uh this signal to uh turn left, then we obviously impact the opposing traffic, which may uh means that there might be more uh delay and more queuing of vehicles um for that or that uh stint, but that's something that we could kind of continue to look into though.

Thank you.

I have a total question.

That could just I want to second that as an issue, uh, because it it does back up there, and that's a lot of U-turns there, also definitely during construction.

Someone needs to change that at least temporarily, if not permanently.

Awesome, and Franklin Street going is one way going east or not?

Well, west right now, eastbound, eastbound, yeah, eastbound.

It's all backwards.

Going eastbound, people go wrong way, all go the wrong way all the time there, so it's like really dangerous.

Any invisible any additional visibility and signs and workings on Franklin to make sure on both sides of Route One that they're going the right way would be encouraged because they don't know what they're doing.

Come on, the gas station, they don't look out that way, they go Franklin.

Yeah, it's all the Franklin on both sides of it.

It's like make sure people know don't go wrong.

Yeah, so the the question or the comment was more that uh people on Franklin Street uh tend to go the wrong way, so is there any are there gonna be any mitigation measures for that?

I will say that that's not the first time we've heard it.

Um there are uh plenty of signs that indicate hey, you're going the wrong way, do not enter.

Uh only on right turns only, no left, and things of that nature.

That's uh near that uh that gas station.

Um so again, we can kind of look into other communitigation measures.

I will say that uh one of the benefits of this project is that it reduces the width of Franklin, so it does appear um coming from uh route one that um that you're not supposed to, or I'm sorry, uh yeah, coming from route one, you can turn that button.

You can't go in the opposite direction coming from uh route one going the opposite direction, the signs will be much closer to to that uh to that opening there.

So it will be somewhat clear, hopefully, somewhat clear that uh you won't be able to you shouldn't uh uh go in that direction, but but we'll look into other means and measures to kind of and uh real quick, um, just uh to uh put a pin in the left turn lane or or put a sample of the left turn lane coming.

I I know there was a comment on like even going the other direction, which is uh completely restricting that.

Uh that's something that we could pursue again outside of this project.

Again, you know, my team could kind of look into that.

However, in order to do that, we have to go through a certain process because it does restrict a certain movement, so we have to do an analysis, we have to get the community on board uh with what we're trying to do, and then also we ultimately have to go to the traffic parking board uh for their recommendation of approval.

So I'm Steve Malone from Moldown Civic Association, and we may have a couple board members online too live within a couple blocks of this.

Uh couple of questions, comments.

So, one is the compound signal for pedestrians.

Yeah, uh, I agree that it's a problem that you have to press the button.

We have a couple we have issues online in Washington Street at Wolf, at Slater's at Bashford or first, where the lights don't change.

People walk up in their section, they're waiting for it to get a pedestrian signal as it goes green for cars, they don't get it, and then as they see it turning yellow, they start running across the street to make the intersection, make that light as a pedestrian.

Uh, also could we have lead countdown for pedestrians considering how busy it might be these crosswalks so that pedestrians get a couple of minutes and cars we people are in front of them.

I I don't know about track, they've probably had a couple of water enforcement on the pivotal side, not track, but I did have to do a lot of behavioral psychology.

What did you get when you lower like you're going to narrow the lane and you're going to have this for six months?

You have the effect of behavioral personalities, aggressive personalities.

Instead of slowing down traffic, they become more dangerous.

And those those countdowns are linda, you've got to be 24 seconds.

Some people are pushing baby carriage, some people walk and go to live on bikes.

That that area is the most dangerous area in our town.

You can stand on that corner right now, right now at this time of the night, stay on Franklin and South Patrick, and you will see Collins going through that intersection at 56 miles an hour.

So there needs to be some impact by your team if you go through this safety change with trees and grass, that water enforcement gets involved from the traffic side.

If you need to get a town opportunity or boundary control, somewhere over there.

Scare.

And this area has a lot of healthy people off to learn.

That's really tough.

So the original question was uh about uh pedestrian uh countdown and how it can be sometimes confusing because of the fact that uh sometimes there's a push button and you have to push the button in order to get it, but then sometimes it doesn't, uh, or sometimes there is no push button and it comes up automatically.

Is that is that the original question?

Just that yeah, people don't know the press it.

I would think that pressing the button would would hasten the pedestrian light, but it doesn't.

Yeah, uh it should go on at every time every time the light changes.

Yeah, yeah.

And and I also want to say we do it also affects bicyclists because I know as a biker biking to work and biking all around, you're not touching that button because it's too far from you and you're parked along the curve waiting, and that pedestrian countdown signal gives some measure of safety to bicyclists crossing the intersection, too.

Yeah, and then and I do remember you saying part of that question was if uh we could include uh what we call LPI leading pedestrian intervals, which is pretty much a head start for pedestrians um to to cross the street.

So to answer that question, yes, uh that will be included with this project.

Uh we will have leading pedestrian intervals with this project.

Uh leading pedestrian intervals are mostly kind of a head start of about four seconds or so.

So, and just for everybody's awareness, uh, whenever I say head start, that means you get a walk signal while everybody gets a red for about four seconds, and then uh the concurrent or the um the uh driving uh signal then turns green right after that.

So you kind of get a head start, it gives more visibility to the drivers, it gives more visibility to the pedestrians that you're out there.

Um so yes, that will be included with this project.

To answer a question about you know, enough time uh to cross the street.

There is a kind of an industry standard that we go based off of what the walking speed of a typical person is.

Um we tend to go uh be very conservative of that walking speed, given you know, people with all uh types of uh abilities.

Um, so with all that being said, we time the um signal based off of that industry standard of walking speed.

Um again, very conservative walking speed.

So uh we do think you know, whenever we do have a pedestrian uh uh countdown, not only is it uh the countdown itself, but there should be some extra seconds that provide some as the wall.

So that entire time that you get the walk and the countdown, you should have enough time to cross the street.

Right, and uh one other comment regarding the pedestrian countdowns.

I just came from uh a couple weeks of work in Lima Peru.

Their countdown signals have the count there, it's awesome, both red and green.

So you see how much time you have until they're free for you, and then as soon as it goes green, it starts going you know 59, 587.

And it's really it's really helpful.

Yeah, uh pedestrians and getting everyone moving and knowing when they should stop uh at time.

Uh I just wanted to also say because I know we've making a lot of comments of concern.

I'm I'm looking forward to this.

I I think you're you know, hopefully, all the ideas you expelled about slowing down traffic and things will happen here, it's gonna bring it up, and hopefully, people are paying less better the pedestrians here.

I like the thank you for adding the crosswalk on the south side of Franklin Street, it's been missing for decades.

Um two other questions.

So one is uh the heritage, I assume the heritage is it looks like you're just doing the median and the intersections for pedestrians, of course.

So the heroins will do their own sidewalk widening and tree planting and all that from that area, yes.

Okay, uh thanks.

And then uh the lane.

So you said that you would narrow them, go to one lane when you had to for construction, but that at rush hour you would open it up.

It sounded like you sit to all three lanes, but I assume there has to be at some periods where you can only open up two because you're pouring the concrete curve in the meeting of things, or will it always be three lanes both directions outside of construction work time?

Outside of construction report time, yes, it will be rolling three.

Um that's good.

I was considered that backing up into old down or how you're gonna stop a lane if you had to stop it up in your friends that you need to do for something.

Um thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, so I live on the 600 block of South Henry, and uh to the showman's point, it during rush hour becomes a speedway, right?

And there is no enforcement of turning right out of Franklin Street on to get onto the beltway.

Okay, so in my estimation, narrowing the lanes and calming the traffic, which I think we're all in agreement is a good thing.

In my opinion, it is going to now force more people onto South Henry Street, especially the 600 block where I reside, which is already a speedway.

So, what is the plan, not just for the construction period, but for once the lanes are narrowed to avoid people coming through?

Because we're already redlined back in there because of the closure of the streets for old town village.

So you've already redlined us back in there.

So the the question for for everybody online.

Uh the question is how do we mitigate uh essentially cut through traffic, or how do we mitigate uh more traffic and more speeds on South Henry Street, which is the adjacent street that's uh to this project, uh to the West.

Right?

Yeah, to the west.

So it's not gonna be addressed through this project.

I will say that.

However, again, we you know, with the city, we have a program uh net uh yeah, what is it called?

The neighborhood transportation improvement program, where we uh collaborate with the the community and determine what is feasible and what makes sense to calm traffic down and to avoid uh uh higher speeds and higher volumes on neighborhood streets.

That could mean that uh we do projects like this on a smaller scale, so curve extensions, speed cushions, um more stop signs, whatever that means, whatever that's what's in our toolkit, we could present it to the community and and have an understanding of what's the best approach for that uh within that community.

So, all that being said, uh, we have that program.

We um encourage people to look into that program and and from the city standpoint, we'll be happy to work with the community as to what is the best approach.

But for this particular project, it's not it's not gonna address that issue.

So don't you think that we call it hard question?

You at this team should collaborate.

So, real quick, I just want to um uh do you have a call?

Yeah, I do, and so my follow-up is really related, but not maybe adjacent on the 600 block of South Henry.

There is no permit parking required.

It's the only block of South Henry that does not require resonant two.

So that as part of this in my mind should also be changed.

Yes, okay.

Yeah, so the question then becomes we have no power in the zoo.

Sorry, I gotta I gotta reiterate the question for those online.

Um the question was about parking and and permanent parking on the 600 block booth.

So Henry, is that correct?

Yes, yes, 600.

So 600 block of South Henry.

Again, that's a different program for this.

Um, so again, this project is only dealing with South Patrick Street.

However, again, encourage you to look into the uh the parking uh permanent program uh residential parking permanent program, the U RPG, and they'll be able to kind of assist you in that in that effort.

Thank you.

That's just because we are continuing at the city galaxy.

Yes, that's what I have two comments.

First, I'd like to second what she said it took 10 years to get strict restricted parking on the 400 block of South Henry, and we had to go through all kinds of boots to make that happen.

I'm sorry to say you may have to go through that too to get petitions, get people to show up the city council.

Second, which sort of involves all of this in communication, and it certainly doesn't reflect on you individually, but I was very active in the mayor's campaign, and a part of our community, Old Town Village met with her, and one of the things we were most concerned about was the lack of communication directly to residents.

We talked about the fact that you can't expect residents to go on to the less than friendly dot govite to find things because it's a little bit better than it used to.

I think there's some improvements.

Second, we are not being communicated with on a consistent basis, even on small projects like this, when there was the small area plan for the Southeast Quadrant, very very few people, as big as that was showed up because they knew nothing about it, and the communication system failed a businessally.

Second, with this, you've got to have mandatory follow-up to specific addresses to everybody who lives in the area compacted by this.

They're gonna be tremendously impacted by this, and they're gonna be really upset when they don't get notified and they are told to go on the website to find out about it.

So my strong suggestion is the communication system has to improve directly to individual residents, either through email or mailings because it's not happening, and I think the small number of people here tonight is shows that because I know 10 people in my neighborhood who are pretty active who would have been here if they'd known about it.

So that's a major issue.

And I don't want to have to meet with the mayor again about this, but I'm willing to because I don't feel like the people directly impacted by this project are gonna get timely information about the impact and the steps they're going to have to take in this project.

And this is a small project in the city in general, but it's just another example of how people don't get information.

My name's Lordia Grant.

I work in the communication programming.

I it's a conversation that's taking place amongst staff as well because uh for this meeting, for example, we actually send out and pulled up our mail because we sent out almost requirements, and yeah, and that's not even the number of emails um and press releases and various and so 20 and how so there is the restitution on the other side.

So there is respiration on the other side.

Um so we are we're having discussions on how can we connect with people because we want to put in a lot of time effort to put together content and we want you to understand what's going on, and so I think um you know there's the new tools that we're looking at that's a new software program that's being piloted in the city.

Uh we're looking at how many can use signs and different failures and different outreach advice and uh we're we're trying to kind of be a little bit more creative about it, but it can like I would love to talk to you, but it's not one-sided.

I just want to think that like it's something that I think uh it's not that we're willfully ignoring what's going on.

I think it's something that I think if you chuck out of staff and I think you everyone wants we want to understand what the block are and how to make that work a little bit better.

So I'm happy to chat with you afterwards and email and something like it's uh there's an audience there in that process.

Yeah, and you know uh lecture for you to write as a project manager because again, Lydia kind of helps us out with the communication aspect, is that it's it's obviously not the lack of effort.

And again, from a project management standpoint, the more that we get input, the more it makes better, it makes the uh project better.

So that's what we intend to do.

And so um again, it's always kind of that battle as to how how much do we uh involve the public, how much engagement do we have, how do we go about it.

I think you know nowadays there's different tools to go about it.

You uh way back when it was either you did a phone call or you did in person or mail.

Now you have email, now you have social media, now you have all these blasts that like all these different people know how to you know navigate and and have different uh ways of communicating, and so we're trying to kind of navigate that as well.

So it's not for lack of trying.

Uh I will say that uh I think it's just more of just trying to you know understand what is the best approach um to communicating this effort.

So I again reiterate what what Lydia said is that you know there were a number of ways that we reached uh the public uh through this effort, uh non-hunter email non-huntry mailing address and and all that.

Um and then also reaching out to different associations and different you know, other avenues, social media and things of that nature.

We uh we did do a lot of effort for that, and again, you know the the fact that we have uh this many people from that outreach is still puzzling, but at the same time we're still trying to figure that out.

So I'll be happy to talk to you.

I've dealt with this problem, and it is a two-way street.

Um I've dealt with it as communications chair in my neighborhood.

Let's pack that first.

All right, well, thank you everyone for coming out.

Thank you.

That's why we've been here for decades.

And I think the communications include that in this failure because of so uh I'm sorry if I'm welcome to pass it.

I think what we should do is congestion pricing, like Manhattan's.

I suggest this when I work for the city.

Yeah, Rich Bear left and be a directly done.

But we should do it.

Charger coming in route one and Washington, and if they want to go through the city, go through anything lab or pay congestion pricing.

No, it's just automatic.

Like reelectors, yeah, having good and pay.