TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Adam Lindsay, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Sheila Thomas-Ambat, Public Services Director
DATE: September 3, 2024
RE:
Title
Market House Pedestrian Improvement and Traffic Mobility
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
2
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Safe and Secure Community
Goal 3: High Quality Built Environment
Goal 4: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
Executive Summary:
With the City completing the study to repurpose the Market House, Council was previously presented two options that detailed changes to the footprint of the Market House and the traffic pattern surrounding the structure. Prior to advancing the project forward, staff wanted to bring attention to potential challenges with completing the project as Council previously directed.
As the scope of the project has evolved to a more traffic and pedestrian safety centric project, the two main concerns pertain to the constructability/functionality of expanding the brick paver footprint to a square pattern and the available budget for the project as proposed.
Staff is recommending to move forward with a traffic operational and safety analysis and a conceptual evaluation of the previously presented alternatives to ensure that as the project moves forward, all consideration is given to pedestrian and traffic mobility around the Market House.
Background:
Council was previously presented two options for improvements at the Market House to improve ADA access and pedestrian safety around the building. Option A consisted of extending the brick paver into the inner traffic circle, with traffic rated concrete brick paver crosswalks. Option B consisted of milling and paving ~4,400 sf, creating a square traffic pattern with ADA slopes, traffic rated concrete brick paver crosswalks, and extending the arcade from the base of the steps. Council selected to move forward with Option B.
Issues/Analysis:
Constructability/Functionality Concerns:
With converting the roundabout to a traffic square, the traffic control type will be the primary factor when considering the functionality of the project. There is a high likelihood that stop signs will need to replace the current yield signs on the circulating flow of traffic. Currently traffic can free flow through the roundabout, however with the proposed layout Council approved, a vehicle would likely have to make four complete stops when making a left turn through the proposed square. Staff is uncertain if this was Council’s understanding of the traffic control type when they selected the square option, and if not, how would it have weighed in on their decision.
Additionally, queuing on the approaches to the traffic square could become an issue due to the use of stop signs. Traffic may queue back to traffic lights on Person St, Gillespie St., and Green St. as traffic flows through the traffic square due to the expected increase in delay when all movements have to stop. The full impact would be determined through a Traffic Operational and Safety Analysis. With this analysis, traffic counts would be collected to determine peak traffic hours, directional distribution of traffic and the existing operation efficiency of each intersection. This analysis will also take into consideration downtown development, FAMPO model outputs, and historic growth rates to apply to alternatives while evaluating the different signal controls. The analysis is crucial to provide both near and long term solutions that balance the need for both pedestrian and traffic mobility around the Market House and is recommended to be conducted to evaluate both the traffic square and other alternative previously presented to Council for a Design year of 2050.
The schematic drawings previously provided do not contain detailed survey. There were no elevations or control points provided. Utility locates were not collected or incorporated in the schematic drawings either. Staff has visited the site and noted existing items within the project limits were not reflected on the schematic plan set and would be in conflict with what is proposed (e.g. concrete islands, street lights, signs, etc.). Also, the existing crown in the traffic circle conveys stormwater inward toward the Market House, however existing storm sewer alignments and structures were not included either in the schematic drawings. The conceptual analysis will be developed base off of acquiring survey to identify any impacts to existing right of way, utilities, and other surface features.
Budget Concerns:
There is approximately $1.1M in available, unencumbered funds to complete this project. This funding will need to be used to complete detail design, produce construction drawings and documents, and construction.
Staff did review the consultant provided construction estimate, which appeared to be adequate based on major line items that could be confirmed and provided assumptions (based on lump sum not quantities) on items such as drainage, landscape, irrigation, and building lighting. The construction estimate was less than $1,000,000, which aligns with what was presented to Council. Upon competition of the conceptual analysis (35% design), more detailed cost estimates will be presented based on quantities, not lump sum.
The cost to perform the needed traffic operational and safety analysis and conceptual evaluation of proposed pedestrian and traffic improvements at the Market House is approximately $100k.
Recommended Next Steps & Schedule:
Staff is updating Council on next steps and confirming interest in current pursuit. Staff is excited to move forward with a traffic operational and safety analysis and a conceptual evaluation of the previously presented alternatives to ensure that pedestrian and traffic mobility around the Market House is properly evaluated before moving forward with detail design and construction. The estimated schedule to complete this analysis is 5 - 6 months. Upon completion, staff will bring back to Council to present a recommended on a path forward.
Budget Impact:
There is no impact to the General Fund. Previously appropriated State grant funding will be used to complete the work as proposed.
Options:
1. Direct staff to proceed with the traffic operational and safety analysis and conceptual evaluation of proposed pedestrian and traffic improvements at the Market House for both the square and circle concepts.
2. Direct staff to proceed with the traffic operational and safety analysis and conceptual evaluation of proposed pedestrian and traffic improvements at the Market House for one of the options only.
3. Provide staff further direction
Recommended Action:
Direct staff to proceed with the traffic operational and safety analysis and conceptual evaluation of proposed pedestrian and traffic improvements at the Market House.
Attachments:
Market House Pedestrian and Traffic Safety