Blacksburg Town Council Work Session - April 29, 2024

Note: The agenda and minutes indicate the meeting occurred on April 16, 2024, but the assigned date for this summary is April 29, 2024.

The Town Council held a work session to discuss the FY24/25 operating budget, a photo speed enforcement program for school zones, the Harding Avenue sidewalk project, and the Prices Fork Interchange bike and pedestrian study. No formal votes were taken; discussions served to guide future action.

Discussion Items

Follow-Up Discussion of FY24/25 Operating Budget

• Town Manager Marc Verniel provided Council with time for continued review and consideration of public input before the April 23rd meeting to adopt the budget package.

Photo Speed Enforcement in School Zone Program

• Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer reviewed the proposed use of photo speed enforcement for school zones. Chief of Police Todd Brewster reminded Council that the Town would partner with a vendor, who would issue citations and collect fines to help deter speeding in school zones. Council voiced questions and expressed overall interest in moving forward with implementation.

Harding Avenue Sidewalk Project Discussion

• Interim Engineering Director Kafi Howard reviewed the Harding Avenue project, explaining its goals (addressing stormwater problems) and showing slides of improvements that will also create a sidewalk and bike network.

Prices Fork Interchange Bike and Pedestrian Study

• Kevin Wills, Senior Project Manager, presented a slideshow outlining vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian challenges at the Prices Fork and U.S. Route 460 Bypass intersection. He gave four options for Council to consider and reviewed public engagement that had taken place. Council expressed overall agreement with the Pedestrian Improvements – Option B+ proposal. The Planning and Engineering Department will continue to update Council as the project progresses.

Council/Staff Exchange

• Deputy Town Manager Steve Ross provided a brief overview of the Transit Center on the Virginia Tech campus (formally called the Multi Modal Transit Facility). He noted the east loop is now open for training and the west loop will open next month. The tentative opening date for the Transit Center is June 21st, and it will be fully functional for the upcoming school year. Councilmember Lauren Colliver advised of a Community Funding Project she had recently learned about and asked that the Town look into potential funding opportunities for Town projects.

Key Outcomes

• Council indicated overall interest in moving forward with photo speed enforcement in school zones.
• Council agreed on Option B+ for pedestrian improvements at the Prices Fork interchange; staff will continue to update Council.
• Budget discussions will continue with a view to adoption at the April 23rd meeting.
• The Transit Center's east loop is open for training; full opening is expected by June 21st.