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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-03-29-ETF-minEstabrook Task Force Meeting March 29, 2012, 7:30 pm— Public Services Building Present: Michelle Ciccolo, John Livsey, Manny Ferro, Ben Moroze, Keith Hoyle, Sandra Trach, Bill Hadley, Judy Crocker, Richard Larrabee, Ed LoTurco, Tom Peterson, Pat Goddard, Mary Ann Stewart, Gary Ainslie (DiNisco Design). Call to order: 7:34 p.m. No corrections on minutes from January 11, 2012. John Livsey made a motion to accept the minutes; Ed LoTurco seconded. Unanimously approved. No corrections on minutes from February 1, 2012. Bill Hadley made a motion to accept the minutes; Tom Peterson seconded. Unanimously approved. Agenda was to go over the approved site plan and review what that meant for circulation and queuing. DiNisco felt that the site plan meets the goals of handling overflow of cars to keep traffic off Grove St. as well as providing a circular turnaround off Robinson Rd. DiNisco tried to get more curbside space closer to the building entry, and reconfigured the elliptical turnaround. This added almost 100 LF of queuing space. Also, will maintain three full lanes around the whole driveway (32 ft). This gives 860 LF of queuing on the site plan. In meeting with Police Chief, the Chief's main goal was to make sure the queue was flexible enough to work out the operational kinks. One way was to make parking lot wide enough to allow two -way traffic for queue overflow. Other options include adding 240 LF of curb space for 1100 LF on site. This approaches the maximum Beta predicted could be needed. Also have a 60' turnaround at the back off Robinson Rd. for 5 -8 cars. A question was asked if there was a dedicated bus lane designated as part of the queuing design. The answer was that there are two lanes in the queue where the buses can come around. A dedicated bus lane was described as partitioned by a metal fence to allow cars to pass legally when the bus lights were flashing. Department of Public Facilities indicated that ensuring that a proper bus lane was in place would be part of the detailed on site design. A question was asked if it is anticipated that pickup at the rear turnaround would require school staffing at the end of the day. The answer was that staff may be needed there for safety, but that the spirit of the rear turnaround was for families in the Turning Mill neighborhood. The primary pickup /dropoff will still be at the front entrance off Grove St., and it will be a matter of parent education as to that fact. An audience member asked about stickering cars as to indicate the right to use the rear turnaround. Answer: this kind of operation is still two years out for the School Department, and there are ways to configure queuing to avoid needing general use of the rear turnaround: the intent is that any Robinson Rd. turnaround use is minor. Also, since Robinson Rd. is a street, and Public Safety doesn't want queuing on the streets, perhaps that would prevent an issue. Public Safety indicated that they could petition for "No Standing" rules on Robinson road but enforcement of that is difficult. The School Committee indicated that the budget is designed to reduce the bus fees to Estabrook to increase bus ridership, but that it is up to families to use the bus with the reduced fees, so as to reduce all car traffic. DiNisco indicated that the 60' turnaround was sized to allow a truck to use it. An issue was raised as to how an emergency might be handled with two lanes of stopped traffic in an overflow queuing situation at the main entrance. Public Safety shares that concern, and hoped that overflow queuing would utilize the two -way parking lot option. DPF indicated that the plan is deliberately designed to be flexible if parent behavior doesn't change. DiNisco pointed out that the key to the whole plan is flexibility and multiple ways to keep cars off of Grove St. The Chair pointed out that because of the options, the pavement configuration wouldn't have to change to have choices once there is some experience with the new site. The point was raised that there are regular dismissal forms filed with the school office, and that parents can't constantly change whether they go to the back or the front on a whim. Also, most of the school staff is involved with pickup at the front of the school so they can't staff the back as a major location as well. The point is that there are more than just traffic and streets involved here —there are children, too. DiNisco mentioned that the school will ultimately manage the traffic. A question was asked as to how kids would load into cars if the extra queuing space was needed. The Estabrook Principal reviewed how pickup works today, with child and queue management, and that perhaps if overflow was needed then a staff member could be positioned down towards Grove St. to start the overflow queue. Ultimately, the school staff needs to experience the new design to know what's best. There were some concerns with how Kindergarten drop off and pickup would be handled with the site design. The hope was expressed that increased bus ridership would help with this issue. Also, buses could use the perimeter road with kids entering and leaving from the cafeteria which would be along that road. A question was asked as to whether there would be a sidewalk to the back turnaround. The answer was yes. A question was asked if buses were to use the perimeter road, would they then use Robinson Rd. to enter or exit? It is hard to know now what would happen. An audience member indicated that it wouldn't be safe for buses to use Robinson Rd. as the site lines at Robinson and Grove are terrible. Others pointed out that buses use that intersection today. The School Committee indicated that the MSBA approved the plan, so that the next step is the Special Town Meeting approval of the building funding on Monday, April 2" DPF indicated that everything is on schedule so far to begin this summer. The DPW indicated that they are requesting $170,000 for the engineering design of off site street improvements, including rebuilding Robinson Rd. to a uniform 18' width, with a sidewalk on one side of the street from Turning Mill Rd. up. Other things the DPW is looking into off site include sight line improvements at Grove St. and the Estabrook driveway, and Grove St. and Robinson Rd. Also, the Town is still considering signalizing the Estabrook entrance at Grove St. but currently leaning away from that option. Indications today suggest there will probably be a formal pedestrian crossing but not a traffic light. The DPW will likely begin design in early May, assuming appropriate of the funds at Town Meeting. They would start with ideas and concepts as to where sidewalks would go, where sight lines would be improved. There would be workshops with the abutters, where they would present plans and get feedback. This would be in the early fall time frame. Then, they would finalize the designs and begin permitting. DPW would need to obtain Conservation approvals, and Mass DOT review because of work near the bridge on Grove St. There could be a MEPA environmental process due to removing walls or shade trees. That could take 3 -6 months. DPW indicated that the most time sensitive work would be the improvements to the Estabrook entrance at Grove St. because they need to do any work there when school is out of session. They also don't want to do that work when trucks would be delivering materials at the beginning of construction or at the end, when demolition of the old building would be occurring. DPW indicated that sidewalk easements from abutters may be necessary, and that there will be standard language in the appropriation request at Town Meeting to cover all the bases and give the Selectmen options. The audience asked if the DPW had a certain side of Robinson Rd. in mind for the sidewalk. Answer: prior to having it surveyed they're leaning toward the south (higher) side of the road. But the survey may show differently. DPW hasn't surveyed the Turning Mill sidewalk yet. DPW indicated that abutters would be notified via the notice in the newspaper, and mailings to direct abutters and some set of owners beyond that. It was suggested that the neighborhood might want to appoint one point of contact to communicate with the DPW through the process. A question was asked what it means to make Robinson Rd. "rebuilt" to 18', would that mean that the entire street would be rebuilt. The answer is yes. DPW explained that if they thought they were going to need a traffic light at the Estabrook entrance to Grove St. that they would have pushed for the money at the 2012 Town Meeting, because it is a slow process to get the equipment. The light is not off the table, but they don't think they'll need it. If they did have a light, they wouldn't need to do as much sight line improvement on Grove St. (which means lowering the crest of the hill on Grove St. to the left of the Estabrook entrance as one exits). The first meeting with abutters on the Grove St. work would be early fall to get feedback. DPW indicated that any work on the actual Estabrook driveway is part of the on site plan rather than this off site engineering appropriation. Public Safety indicated that they are encouraged by the widening of the parking lot to accommodate overflow queuing, because they have concerns about the double lane overflow queuing on the road itself. They also indicated that they would plan and work out how to get emergency equipment in and cars out of the way no matter where the overflow queue ended up. A question was asked about what the primary use of the meandering road around the school was for. The answer was for Public Safety / fire apparatus. A question was asked as to whether the DPW Town Meeting $170,000 appropriation article was for design or for the actual work. The answer was for design and engineering. The Chair indicated that the task force should send a final report or letter as its work is wrapped up, and that the task force did not make a recommendation on the traffic light. There is a chance that another meeting may be needed to consider the traffic light. Another member brought up bus lane design as a possible reason for an additional meeting.