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Bike Path Public Information Meeting No. 2
January 26, 2000

Meeting Memorandum

January 26, 2000

To: Jeff Hanson, Earth Tech
Copy: Larry Nelson, City Engineer
Christy Bachmann, City of Madison - Engineering
Rielly O'Donnell, District 1 Management Consultant
From: Tony Fernandez
Re: Public Information Meeting No. 2
Project I.D. 5992-07-15
SW Commuter Bike/Ped Path
Earth Tech Job No. 35021

A Public Information meeting was held on January 20, 2000 at West High School from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM to present the pre-final bike trail and access designs to the general public and obtain comment. The meeting also included a presentation from Earth Tech regarding Spooner Street Bridge project, which is being coordinated with the path project. We estimate that 250 to 300 people attended the meeting, although only 143 people signed the roster (excluding staff). Also present were Madison elected officials and staff from Madison Engineering Division and Traffic Division, WisDOT Bureau of Rails and Harbors and Earth Tech. (See attached roster) Following is a summary of the exhibits, presentations and comments received.

Handouts and Exhibits

A three-page handout package was provided, which included an introductory letter and Fact Sheets for the bike path project and the Spooner Street project. Separate Comment Forms for each of the two projects were available. Also available were copies of the 5-page Report of the Engineer prepared by Madison Engineering Division. The following exhibits were displayed:

Format and Presentations

The first half-hour of the meeting was an "open house" format permitting people to view the exhibits and discuss issues one-on-one with City or Earth Tech staff. Formal presentations, including questions and answers, began at 7:30 PM and continued to about 9:30 PM. Afterward there was additional time for people to review exhibits and conduct individual discussions with staff.

Ald. Ken Golden provided introductory comments and introduced other public officials and City staff present and the other speakers. His comments covered the history of the planning for the path, including the composition of the Mayor's Committee. He noted that the plans being presented would now be carried through the political process including City committees and Common Council before they are approved.

City Engineer, Larry Nelson presented the information in the 5-page Report of the Engineer, focusing on the recommendations section. He noted the high level of public involvement on the project and the degree to which the comments received have been incorporated into the plans. Larry also discussed the proposed phasing of the project. Funds available for the project will not cover the full cost of the bike path as designed. For this reason, the Hammersley access path, the Harrison pedestrian overpass and the path segment from Breese Terrace to Randall Avenue have been dropped from Phase 1, to be started this year and completed in early 2001. The Hammersley access is being delayed also because it will be impacted by the planned WDOT improvements to Beltline Highway between the Nakoma and Whitney Way interchanges. The Spooner Street bridge, identified as Phase 2, will be constructed in 2001. Phase 3 (Hammersley access, Harrison overpass and path segment east of Breese) will be constructed in 2002 or 2003, depending on availability of funding.

Tony Fernandez made a brief presentation on the path design, focusing on the features, which have changed since the last public information meeting. The importance of the corridor as a radial transportation route was noted. It links the residential areas on the southwest side of Madison (and Verona, etc.) with major destinations on the University campus and downtown, and parallels the few existing routes, which are heavily congested today. The City and WisDOT's vision of developing this corridor for non-motorized use will have fewer environmental impacts and more beneficial effects on adjacent neighborhoods than if the corridor were used for automobile traffic. High priority will be given to making the trail usable and accessible to people with disabilities.

The most significant change since the last public meeting is the design of a wide, flat-bottom ditch for most of the length from the Beltline to Chippewa Court. The general need for drainage improvements in this area was discussed at the earlier meeting, but the size and grading limits for the ditch were not determined at that time. The ditch as designed will remove a large number of trees within about 50' of the path centerline. The size of the ditch was based on hydrologic calculations which agree closely with expected flow rates calculated by the City.

The alternative of carrying the stormwater in a pipe rather than the ditch was estimated to cost an additional $240,000. This alternative was not studied in detail because of the excessive cost and because installing the pipe would remove most of the trees, which would be removed by the ditch.

A second significant change since the last public meeting is the shifting of the path alignment away from houses on the south side for 1600' between Glenway Street and Sheldon Street. This change was made in response to comments from the meeting. The new alignment better matches the existing embankment and reduces the amount of grading and tree removal needed.

Verbal Comments and Questions

Many verbal questions and comments were received. Following is a summary of comments and responses.

Q: Several property owners were opposed to the wide drainage ditch between the Beltline and Chippewa Drive. Adjacent owners felt that insufficient information was presented at the previous public meeting, and that as a result there was not adequate opportunity to comment on this issue. Most of the comments focused on the loss of trees and screening vegetation.

A: The need for drainage improvements was known at the time of the previous meeting, but the consultant did not recognize the magnitude of grading that would need to be done until a field review and detailed calculations were done following the meeting. No special efforts to contact adjacent owners were made because the grading limits are still about 50' from the property lines. The degree of property owner concern was not anticipated. There remains a substantial width between the ditch and property lines which could be used for screening vegetation.

Q: Another concern about the ditch is the possible danger of deep, fast water to children playing near it. Some asked why we could not use a pipe instead of a ditch.

A: West of Midvale the ditch will carry the same flows as the current ditch. Flattening side slopes and widening the bottom will if anything make it safer because it will reduce the depth and velocities in the ditch. Flatter slopes with stable vegetation will also prevent people from inadvertently sliding into the ditch bottom. The pipe alternative was considered too costly. It was also pointed out that greenway ditches of this type are common throughout Madison and other communities, and have not been a problem in the past. East of Midvale water is being diverted from the ditch on the south side of the tracks because currently water on the south side is flowing out of the right of way and causing property damage.

Q: One resident felt that the ditch improvement unfairly burdens adjacent property owners, when most of the water is not coming from the adjacent yards.

A: Most of the flow in the ditch is coming from storm sewer pipes near the Beltline, draining substantial areas to the south and east. However, this water has historically flowed into the railroad corridor, and the project is not changing existing drainage patterns, only improving the conveyance to reduce erosion and embankment wash-outs.

Q: Will there be lighting and emergency telephones along the corridor, and will emergency vehicles be able to use the path to respond to emergencies.

A: The path will have lighting in the industrial / commercial and multi-family areas south of the Beltline. North of the Beltline there will be selective lighting at intersections and access path connections. No emergency phone system is planned, but conduit is being installed which could support such a system in the future. Emergency vehicles will be able to drive on the path.

Q: Several residents in the Virginia Terrace area questioned the need for this access ramp, requesting stairs. Other comments supported incorporating a sharp bend or a switchback design for the ramp. One resident felt that the Virginia Terrace access should be eliminated because the path would be safer if it were treated as a "limited access" facility, similar to the Beltline highway. Some residents felt that their previous comments had been ignored.

A: A ramp rather than stairs is proposed because it is an important goal of the project and the City to serve disabled users. A ramp is feasible and practicable, so there is no justification for creating a barrier to handicapped people in this location. The generally straight ramp minimizes indirection for pedestrians crossing the path, reducing the chance of people creating informal "short-cut" paths up the slope. The current design also conforms to the existing terrain, minimizing grading, removal of vegetation and visual impacts from the street end. An improved access in this location is necessary because it is the shortest route to the north side of the corridor for hundreds of residents, particularly West High students, on the south side of the corridor. The path is not envisioned as a limited-access facility, and convenient access from adjacent neighborhoods is a goal of the design.

Q: One participant questioned the process used to determine that signals would not be installed at Odana and Midvale.

A: The process to date has been informal, relying on judgement and experience. There has been no decision to eliminate signals, only to postpone the decision on signals until after the path is build so the need for signals can be more accurately assessed. Conduit for future signals will be installed under this project.

Written Comments

Approximately 46 written comments were submitted at or immediately following the meeting. Following is a summary of written comments received to date:

Paving and Multi-Use Issues: 5 comments supported accommodating skiers. 1 comment supported 12' wide pavement east of Commonwealth and 2 comments requested narrower pavement. 2 comments requested the grading be modified to allow existing fences to remain in the right of way and 2 comments suggested that efforts to accommodate private encroachments on public property were excessive.

Lighting: 5 comments requested more extensive lighting of the path for safety reasons. 6 comments supported the selective lighting as proposed or no lighting near back yards.

Street Crossings: 4 comments urged signals at the Midvale crossing and 3 requested signals at the Odana crossing. 2 comments requested grade-separations at these crossings. 1 comment opposed the curb bump-outs at Midvale and 1 comment requested better delineation of the bump- outs to reduce traffic speed.

Drainage ditch from Beltline to Chippewa Drive: 3 comments opposed to the ditch west of Midvale; 1 comment concerned with safety east of Midvale, 1 comment urged improving the segment of the existing drainageway west of the proposed special ditch; 1 comment supporting current design.

Access locations:

Miscellaneous: One comment requested that the Harrison trolley abutments be preserved for their historic value. One comment suggested a park & ride location with handicap access. Two comments requested that vegetation be managed to remove weeds or support native planting restoration efforts. One comment urged bike / pedestrian improvements in vicinity of project, such as bike lanes on Vale Circle and sidewalk on Odana Road. One comment urged consideration of informational signing for nearby businesses, services and public facilities.

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