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03/05/2001CLEARWATER BEACH ENTRYWAY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER March 5, 2001 Present: Commissioner Ed Hart Facilitator/Non Voting Chair Herb Brown Committee Member – departed 5:35 p.m. Lucile Casey Committee Member – arrived 4:10 p.m. Bruce Littler Committee Member Dan Moran Committee Member Roger Schulman Committee Member Carl Wagenfohr Committee Member Bob Bickerstaffe Committee Member – arrived 4:10 p.m. Bill Jonson Alternate Absent: Hoyt Hamilton Committee Member Arthur Lupien Committee Member Also present: Mahshid Arasteh Public Works Administrator Paul Bertels Traffic Operations Manager Sgt. Fontayne Egger Police Department Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #1 – Approval of Minutes Approval of the minutes of the February 5, 2001 minutes will be considered at the next meeting. ITEM #2 – Old Business ITEM #3 – Discussion Items a) Overview of Roundabout Advisory Committee Meetings AND b) Committee Member Summary Reports AND c) Cost Matrix AND d) Roundabout Committee Comments Matrix AND e) Educational Model The Chair said the City Commission had requested the committee file a report as soon as possible. He recommended the committee prioritize projects recommended by Barry Crown. He said Mr. Crown had stated the City should institute all of his recommendations or none of them. He suggested the report include the five discussion items listed above, as well as a brief overview presented in a one-page executive summary with recommendations. He reviewed some citizen suggestions including constructing a flyover, elongating the roundabout, designating Poinsettia and Mandalay as one-way pairs, and rewiring the intersection for signal lights. He recommended the committee meet weekly. Committee members were requested to submit to Carolyn Brink by March 9, 2001, their comments, corrections, and suggestions. Discussion ensued regarding the report. It was suggested the report be succinct, that it detail options, and review dissension. It was felt resident opinions should count. It was felt enforcement of traffic and pedestrian laws would slow vehicles and improve traffic flow. Member Wagenfohr moved for the report to include an executive summary and recommendations, the overview of roundabout advisory committee meetings, as amended, committee member summary reports, the cost matrix, roundabout committee comments matrix, and the educational model. The motion was duly seconded. Discussion ensued. Public Works Administrator Mahshid Arasteh said staff will revise the overview after all comments are received. Upon the vote being taken, Members Casey, Moran, Schulman, Wagenfohr, and Bickerstaffe voted “Aye”; Members Brown and Littler voted “Nay.” Motion carried. It was noted the municipal election is scheduled for next week. Consensus was to schedule the next meeting for March 19, 2001. It was felt implementing Crown recommendations would not be worth the financial investment. A recommendation to limit access to the beach on key weekends was stated. It was noted the roundabout is safest when it is crowded and traffic moves slowly. It was indicated the Fire Department had opposed recommendations to roughen the pavement to slow traffic. It was noted an accident on the causeway also causes traffic tie-ups. It was stated the roundabout is too dark at night. It was noted the fountain’s lights have been off while the fountain is short cycling. It was suggested the City install lights similar to those in the Hilton parking lot, as they look similar but are brighter and friendlier. In response to a question, Sgt. Egger stated 12 accidents were reported in February. While only 3 accidents were reported in January, the Police Department has changed its procedures and now writes reports for all accidents. The reports do not indicate where in the roundabout the accidents had occurred. It was recommended the report include an appendix listing accident statistics. It was stated the educational model does not explain that right turns from the roundabout’s left lane are allowed at Coronado and the Causeway. It was indicated the location of future parking garages will impact traffic movements through the roundabout. It was suggested the City try removing lane striping within the roundabout. Ms. Arasteh said that type of experiment would have to be delayed until after Spring Break. Member Brown moved to recommend the Crown report not be accepted in its entirety without modification. The motion was duly seconded. It was noted the committee previously had approved implementation of several items in the report. Discussion ensued regarding the motion. Upon the vote being taken, Members Brown, Casey, Littler, Moran, Wagenfohr, and Bickerstaffe voted “Aye”; Member Schulman voted “Nay.” Motion carried. It was recommended the Cost Matrix and Roundabout Committee Comments Matrix be cross-referenced. Discussion ensued regarding the proposal to remove striping in the roundabout, the proposal to move the Mandalay and Coronado accesses closer together, and points of conflict, especially at the Coronado exit. Opposition was expressed regarding the Crown recommended “T” intersection at Mandalay. Member Wagenfohr moved to recommend approval of Item 3.1 of the combined summary matrix to modify the geometry from the entry at Mandalay Avenue to the exit into Coronado Drive, removing the reference to revising the striping. The motion was duly seconded. Members Casey, Moran, Schulman, Wagenfohr, and Bickerstaffe voted “Aye”; Members Brown and Littler voted “Nay.” Motion carried. Member Wagenfohr moved to add Item 3.1a, Revised Striping, to the combined summary matrix. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Wagenfohr moved to recommend approval of Item 3.1a: striping changes per the Crown illustration to allow inside lane traffic to exit at Coronado. The motion was duly seconded. Discussion ensued regarding traffic movement. Concern was expressed increased conflicts may result if striping is removed from the roundabout. It was stated that by approving Item 3.1, revised geometry of the Mandalay entrance/Coronado exit, the remaining recommendations in the Crown report also have to be approved. Upon the vote being taken, the motion carried unanimously. It was suggested the board review the combined summary matrix and vote against the inclusion of certain items. Member Casey moved to reconsider the motion approving Item 3.1 of the combined summary matrix at the next meeting. The motion was duly seconded. Members Brown, Casey, Littler, and Moran voted “Aye”; Members Schulman, Wagenfohr, and Bickerstaffe voted “Nay.” Motion carried. ITEM #4 – New Business Ms. Arasteh reported the annual advisory board dinner is scheduled at the Harborview Center on March 20, 2001, at 6:00 p.m. Member Wagenfohr said the educational model for Pinellas County School Board drivers’ education instructors was well received. Staff is capturing roundabout movements on film for use in a video. ITEM #5 – Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for March 19, 2001. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 5:43 p.m.