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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-03-28 RecommendationCity of Iowa City MEMORANDUM To: Steve Atkins, City Manager From: Rick Fosse, City Engineer Date: March 21, 1995 Subject: Burlington/Gilbert Intersection Improvements Jeff McClure met with the Design Review Committee on March 20, 1995, as directed by the City Council on February 14, 1995, to discuss the landscaping scheme within the parkways of the Burlington Street / Gilbert Street Intersection Improvements Project. The Design Review Committee stated their desire to postpone this project for another year so that the Near South Side Streetscape Plan could be implemented into this project. This would allow for a continuous streetscape design from Clinton Street to Gilber~ Street along Burlington Street. No recommendations were made for their desired treatment of the parkways if the project continues as scheduled. Engineering and Public Works recommend preceding with the project as scheduled for the reasons discussed at the February 14, 1995, meeting. The project can be modified to place a low cost temporary asphalt surface in the parkway areas where final surface designs are pending the outcome of the Near South Side Plan. We do not recommend brick crosswalks at this intersection now or in the future because they are unlikely to perform well with the traffic experienced at this location. High maintenance of the brick cross walks would be expected. cc: Chuck Schmadeke Jeff McClure City of Iowa City MEMORANDUM Date: March 23, 1995 To: From: City Council Laura Hawks .~. Design Review ~'~'--mittae Re: Burlington and Gilbert Streets Intersection Improvements At the Design Review Committee's March 20, 1995, meeting, the Engineering Division, at the Council's request, presented the Burlington and Gilbert Streets Intersection Improvement project. The purpose of the presentation was to gather feedback from the Committee regarding the project's parkways (see attached memo). However, during the review .3f the project, the Committee expressed its concerns regarding the timing of this project and the adoption and implementation of a streetscape plan for the Near Southside Neighborhood. Given that this project is located as an entry point to both the Near Southside and the Downtown, the Committee is of the opinion that this project should be delayed until the streetscape elements for the Near Southside Design Plan have been developed and approved, including design elements for street intersections. When the Committee reviewed the draft streetscape plan for the Near Southside Neighborhood, key intersections included special crosswalks. Given the opportunity to incorporate this concept into the proposed construction project, the Committee is of the opinion that the project should be delayed to do that. Rather than construct this project without the proposed improvements and then years down the road replace the concrete with special paving across the streets, the Council should attempt to incorporate the streetscape intersection elements at this time. The Committee is aware that the draft streetscape plan has not been adopted by City Council and is also aware that the City is in the process of hiring a consultant to prepare a design plan for the Near Southside Neighborhood, which will include plans for streetscape improvements. The Committee deferred consideration of the parkway issues until its next meeting, in order to provide time for the Committee to present its above recommendation to the City Council. A Committee representative will be present at your March 28, 1995, Council meeting. City of Iowa City M E M O R A N D U M 1%: Design Review Corgmittee From: Jeff McClure d/~/ Date: March 15, 19957 Subject: Burlington Street / Gilbert Street Intersection Improvement Project City Council asked at the February 14, 1995, Council Meeting that this project be reviewed by the Design Review Committee in regards to the project's landscaping. This project includes the widening of the north and south legs of Gilbert Street and the e~st leg of Burlington Street to acconunodate new left turn lanes. Tbe widening of Gilbert Street MII require removing 17 of the existing 27 trees located between the curb and sidewalk within City fight of way. The larger trees being removed are too big to be relocated. The smaller trees being removed may not be worth relocating. Efforts to relocate trees will be made ifpessible. Burlington Street currently does not have any trees located between the curb and sidewalk within City right of way. Currently there is approximately nine (9) feet between the curb and sidewalk (parkway) along Gilbert Street where the trees am planted. Because of the widening of the streets, the widening of the sidewalks, and the close proximity ofexisfing buildings, the proposed parkway w/dths will be narrower than they currently exist. The new parkway widths are as follows: Gilbert Street North Leg - West5 feet Gilbert Street North Leg - East4 feet Gilbert Street South Leg - West5~J feet~ Gilbert Street South Leg - East~-/feet Burlington Street West Leg- North 4.5 feet Burlington Street West Leg- South 4.5 feet Burlington Street East Leg - North 4.5 feet Burlington Street East Leg- South 4.5 feet These distances are not negotiable. City Forester, Terry Robinson and Project Green both feel that 5 feet is not an acceptable width to grow decent healthy trees due to root constraint and the close pmrdmity to vehicles and pedestrian traffic will damage the trees. Some types of trees can grow in these areas but they will not be as full or as healthy as the trees being removed. The Gilbert Street south leg east side has a proposed 7 foot wide parkway. This is a decent width for planting trees. However, the large amount of underground utilities in this area~may make using a tree spade d/fficult, Seven feet is also an acceptable width for growing grass. However, the existing parkway is 9 feet wide and has patchy spots due to the high amount of pedestrian traffic walking across it to cross the street midblock. In certain areas along this project the parkway narrows to four (4) feet wide and less. It is proposed as part of this project to pave these areas since grass will not grow in these widths. There is currently exposed aggregate concrete in similar type parkways along Gilbert Street north of College Street (1 block north of this project). There is currently brick in similar type parkways along Burlington Street at Linn Street (1 block west of this project). Tree grates and paving could be placed in the 5 foot wide parkways. Project Green feels that parkway widths 5 fe~t and less should be paved with no tree grates. This is acceptable to the City. The questions that I will ask you based upon the above information are: Should the 5 foot wide parkways have tree grates installed or be paved entirely? Should the parkway "paving" be exposed aggregate concrete or brick? If the Gilbert Street south leg west is paved, with or without tree grates, should the south leg east be paved, with or without tree grates, to match or be sodded? I will bring a plan of the Intersection Improvement Project to the March 20, 1995, meeting which will make all this clearer. You may also have questions for me regarding the above information. Please call me at 356-5138. Thank you for your time.