Council tables intersection proposal
The proposal calls for improvements at several intersections.
Published Oct. 16, 2007
The Columbia City Council tabled discussion on a resolution to make improvements on several of the city's intersections at the next council meeting.
"This is a continuation of a public meeting from the Sept. 17 council meeting," City Manager Bill Watkins said. "Staff has held a meeting with a number of interested parties."
He said the city staff was suggesting the issue be tabled again due to the council's policy of allowing 10 days for written comments after a meeting with interested parties.
"It has not yet been ten days since the IP meeting," Watkins said.
Mayor Darwin Hindman offered the citizens attending the meeting the chance to speak on the topic.
"This has been advertised as a public meeting," he said. But Hindman also said it was general council policy to only allow someone to speak on a topic once, and that anyone who spoke tonight would most likely not be allowed to speak at the next meeting.
The council voted unanimously to follow the staff's suggestion.
The proposal calls for non-motorized transportation improvements at the intersections of Forum Boulevard and Stadium Boulevard, Providence Road and Stadium Boulevard, and Providence Road and Stewart Road.
Among the improvements is a narrowing of the median from 12 feet to 11 feet to provide better directional guidance for motor traffic, a refuge area for pedestrians, and a visual cue for motorists of the intersection and the possibility for pedestrians.
Forum Development Group Vice President Jay Lindner wrote a letter with concerns about the dangers of vehicles making the transition to the thinner median at 50 miles per hour.
In his letter, he noted the possibility that motorized vehicles are being left out of the equation.
"We find the overall design to be counterproductive, as it appears that vehicles have been given secondary preference, and this very busy intersection will now not adequately handle the vehicular traffic that has, is and always will exist," he stated.
David Nichols, manager of Engineering and Inspections for the Department of Public Works, also noted the need for pedestrians to have time to cross the intersection in another letter.
"We are not sure that the minimum green time for northbound to westbound is sufficient during off-peak periods," he stated.
The estimated cost of the improvement project is $800,000, and payment for it will be made through the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program project funds as well as other outlets.
Project Manager Christopher Kinzel stated in a letter that the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission had identified the intersections as locations where the improvements could be made easily.
"These intersections were identified by the commission as 'low hanging fruit,' at which fairly simple improvements could be made without right-of-way acquisition or significant reconstruction," he stated.
The City Council will discuss the renovations at its Nov. 5 meeting.