Public Works Committee

Filed in the City Clerk’s Office: CITY OF FITCHBURG FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Oct 04 2022 11:41 am PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES A meeting of the Public Works Committee was held on Tuesday September 27, 2022, in person at the Legislative Building 700 Main Street at 5:00 PM. Committee Members Present: Councilors Paul Beauchemin, Sally Cragin, Bernie Schultz (Chair), Sam Squailia (remote); DPW Commissioner Nick Erickson; Superintendent Gary Withington. Committee Members Absent: Councilor Marisa Fleming Other Participants: Councilor Andrew Van Hazinga 1) Vote to approve minutes from previous meetings (7/26/22): Minutes were approved unanimously. 2) DPW Updates: Commissioner Erickson provided update on paving and explained that our previous contract was street specific and does not allow us to add more streets. DPW Engineering has been working on a new 3 year on-call contract so that we don’t have to go through this process every year. We are not sure what the prices will be yet to determine how much work we can do with the money we have on hand. We will definitely be redoing Clarendon St and Industrial Rd. Clarendon St has sidewalk work that is being delayed due to supply chain issues with granite curbing. We are hopeful to get Industrial Rd done before winter and are actively working to include some paving under the Polito sewer separation project. Councilor Schultz asked about paving Kimball St. Commissioner Erickson explained that Kimball St still needs combined sewer separation work which leaves us with a choice to wait until the work is done (approx. 6 years) or pave it as cheap as possible now and make it smooth for the 6-7 years until the work is done. Councilor Beauchemin asked about the asphalt we are using to pave the roads and where we will be getting the mix from. Commissioner Erickson explained that it is up to the contractor that gets the paving contract as to where the asphalt comes from. Councilor Beauchemin asked if we plan on doing work in early spring. Commissioner Erickson explained that we plan to hit the ground running in April and working until our funds run out. 3) NEW petitions for review: a) 230-22. Ward 4 Councilor Andrew Van Hazinga to install a berm at 26 Whittemore Street (REFERRED from City Council on September 8, 2022) Discussion: Councilor Van Hazinga explained that he was contacted by the resident of 26 Whittemore St about the strip of land between his property and the street. He would like the City to landscape/maintain it. Councilor Van Hazinga spoke with the DPW and understands we do not maintain those areas Citywide. The resident would like a berm installed if we can’t maintain the area. Superintendent Withington explained that there is no need for a berm at this location it would just be for aesthetics. Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to give leave to withdraw. Councilor Cragin seconded the motion. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be GIVEN LEAVE TO WITHDRAW. b) 231-22. Councilors Andrew Van Hazinga, Councilor Paul Beauchemin, & Minna Talviharju to install rapid flash beacons at the crosswalk on Main Street at Wallace Avenue to preserve safe pedestrian access between the library and institutions including the Senior Center, YMCA, Wallace Tower, and Longsjo Middle School. (REFERRED from City Council on September 8, 2022) Discussion: Councilor Van Hazinga stated that the 2-way conversion of Main St has been successful but as a result it is more difficult to cross the street in the area of the Library. The signage for the crosswalk currently points east as that is the only direction there used to be traffic. Councilor Van Hazinga understands that the RRFB are more of a long term solution once the library construction has been completed but would like to see some short term solutions until then to improve safety. Councilor Beauchemin asked why this wasn’t done under the Main St conversion project. Commissioner Erickson stated that he personally wasn’t involved in the design process for the Main St project and isn’t sure why the 2 locations that got RRFB’s got them and the library did not but he would ask Tighe  & Bond who did the design project. The Contractor for the project is still working on punch list items and it is possible that the signage is on the list of outstanding items. Commissioner Erickson will check with PJ Albert to see if the signage issue is being addressed already. Commissioner Erickson agrees that the signage should be addressed immediately and that a RRFB should be installed at that location as part of the library construction project if it isn’t already planned as part of the project. Councilor Beauchemin asked why the planning department has input on projects like this when they don’t have construction backgrounds. Commissioner Erickson explained that Community Development works in coordination with the DPW to make sure that we are all on the same page when it comes to grant funding and construction projects. Commissioner Erickson will commit to addressing the signage issue immediately either with PJ Albert or in house. Councilor Cragin made a motion for a leave to withdraw and revisit the request at a later date. Councilor Van Hazinga made a request to pass the petition and add the work to the queue of projects to be done at a later date. Councilor Squailia made a motion to amend the petition pending final design noting location of crosswalk with the library design. Councilor Cragin motioned to approve the petition and get it into the queue for work to be done. Councilor Beauchemin asked if we could put up the beacons that were to be used at Cumberland Farms for this location. Superintendent Withington will have to look into if we received them or not. Councilor Beauchemin seconded the motion to approve. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be APPROVED. c) 232-22. City Councilor Bernie Schultz and Ron Wihtelin of 25 Saint Paul Street to build up berm at the 25 Saint Paul Street mailbox to stop rain water from flooding driveway. At the same time, berm across the street at 28 Saint Paul Street needs to be replaced after being destroyed completely by snow plows this past winter. (A photo for each location is attached.) (REFERRED from City Council on September 8, 2022) Discussion: Superintendent Withington stated that the berm at 28 Saint Paul St needs to be replaced and the berm at 25 Saint Paul St needs to be built up. Councilor Beauchemin visited the site and believes the driveway is higher than the road already. Superintendent Withington said the corner of the driveway is the problem. Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to approve the petition, seconded by Councilor Squailia. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be APPROVED. d) 233-22. Councilors Sam Squailia and Paul Beauchemin to repair the concrete driveway apron/sidewalk in front of 186 Daniels St. Concrete has ‘bowed’ or ‘settled’ in such a way as to cause damage to vehicles entering and exiting the driveway. (REFERRED from City Council on September 8, 2022) Discussion: Superintendent Withington stated that the way the sidewalk meets the road all cars will bottom out. A gradual transition needs to be installed at this location. Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to approve, seconded by Councilor Squailia. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be APPROVED. e) 234-22. Councilors Sam Squailia & Marisa Fleming to repair sidewalk as required & install new sidewalk and driveway apron as required at 117 Myrtle Ave. See attached pictures. (REFERRED from City Council on September 8, 2022) Discussion: Superintendent Withington explained that the driveway apron is non-existent at this point and would need to be replaced. Councilor Beauchemin visited the site and wanted to know why we wouldn’t just repair the sidewalks on the entire road. Commissioner Erickson explained that the section of the petition is something that the DPW crews can handle in house over a few days versus something we would have to have a contractor do if we did all the sidewalks on the road. Councilor Squailia asked for a timeframe of when we thought the sidewalks would be done. Superintendent Withington answered that he hopes to get to it this year but it might not be until next year. Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to approve, seconded by Councilor Cragin. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be APPROVED. f) 237-22. Councilor Fleming, on behalf of Amanda Romine-Nelson and Sammy Nelson of 88 Eithier St. to pave or resurface the roadway between 7 Pearl St and 674 Pearl St. (REFERRED from City Council on September 8, 2022)  Discussion: Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to withdraw the petition. Commissioner Erickson stated there are 2 issues with this petition. The section of roadway requested to be repaved includes Blossom St to John Fitch Hwy which was just redone not long ago (5-6 years). The section of John Fitch Hwy outbound to town line needs to be repaired. The issue with submitting petitions for paving is that if we entertain this petition we will have everyone in the City submitting petitions to get their roads paved which will become unmanageable and unsustainable for the City. There is a process that is done which involves underground infrastructure, pavement condition index score, average daily traffic, businesses in the area, residential traffic, etc. and that is what is used to generate a paving list that can be accomplished with the budget. Commissioner Erickson made a recommendation that the Committee not approve this petition. Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to withdraw. Councilor Cragin seconded the motion. Councilor Squailia commented that we had just paved this section of Pearl St not long ago and doesn’t understand why this petition was submitted and agrees that there is an unwritten rule that we do not put in petitions for road paving. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be GIVEN LEAVE TO WITHDRAW. g) 243-22. City Councilor Bernie Schultz and Judy Perla of 236 Walton Street to install a yield sign on Pole 1615 facing out on Munroe Street at the intersection of Fairbanks and Munroe Streets to improve traffic safety when motorists depart from South Street Elementary School (REFERRED from City Council on September 20, 2022) Discussion: Commissioner Erickson stated yield sign requests need to be approved by Fitchburg PD. Councilor Schultz met with Sargent Boudreau who said that a traffic study would need to be conducted. Superintendent Withington visited the site with Sgt. Boudreau and the Yield sign would need to be in a different location and will still require a traffic study. DPW will do some brush clearing to increase visibility. The schools are looking into funding to clear some additional land. Commissioner Erickson recommended referring the petition to the Public Safety Committee. Councilor Squailia made a motion, seconded by Councilor Beauchemin. Motion rescinded by Councilor Beauchemin. New motion to hold pending review by public safety committee made by Councilor Beauchemin and seconded by Councilor Cragin. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be HELD PENDING REVIEW BY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. h) 244-22. City Councilor Derrick Cruz on behalf of Tyrone and Sheila Tines, residents of Clyde Street. I request that the City of Fitchburg implement either “No Parking from Here to the Corner” or “No Parking Signs” at the corner of Hancock and Summer Street, an appropriate distance on both sides. As residents exiting Hancock Street cannot see past the row of cars parked there, it has become a public safety concern for them. (REFERRED from City Council on September 20, 2022) Discussion: Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to send the petition to Public Safety, seconded by Councilor Cragin. Councilor Squailia mentioned that she thought both this petition and 243-22 were referred to public safety and public works committees. Commissioner Erickson suggested holding this petition and 243-22 pending decision by public safety committee. Councilor Beauchemin rescinds his motion on 243-22. Motion to hold pending review by public safety committee made by Councilor Beauchemin and seconded by Councilor Cragin. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be HELD PENDING REVIEW BY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. 4) HELD petitions for review i) 089-20. Councilor Bernie Schultz and resident Alex Freeman to remove the “No Turn on Red” sign at the intersection of John T. Cetrino Memorial Drive and Water Street. (HELD on the 10/28/20 meeting and the 1/26/21 meeting and the 7/27/21 meeting and the 10/26/21 meeting and the 3/29/22 meeting and the 4/26/22 meeting and the 5/31/22 meeting and the 7/26/22). (Amended the spelling of Cetrino at the January 2021 meeting).  Discussion: Commissioner Erickson explained that we have a consultant on board working on the traffic study. He spoke with them a few weeks ago to give some background and record plans and expects results by the next meeting. Councilor Squailia made a motion to hold the petition, seconded by Councilor Cragin. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be HELD PENDINGTRAFFIC STUDY. j) 027-22. Councilor Derek Cruz, on behalf of resident Bassem Awad at 8 Boylston St., to install a streetlight on telephone pole #4 on Boylston Street. (HELD at the 5/31/22 meeting and the 7/26/22 meeting). Discussion: Commissioner Erickson explained this was held at the July meeting per Councilor Beauchemin’s recommendation pending completion of construction of the development. The light in the area is dim but not terrible and Commissioner Erickson doesn’t feel a new light is warranted in the area. Councilor Beauchemin made a motion to withdraw the petition, seconded by Councilor Squailia. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be GIVEN LEAVE TO WITHDRAW. k) 093-22. Councilor Sam Squailia on behalf of resident Nick Hains, to add a 4-way controlled stop at the intersection of Victoria Lane, Industrial Drive and Game-On Way. During times of heavy traffic flow in or out of the Game-On facility, residents of Victoria Lane do not have the right of way to cross, and thus must wait for long periods while the traffic lines go through. If a 4-way stop sign is not feasible, an alternate solution shall be investigated by the City. (HELD at the 5/31/22 meeting and the 7/26/22 meeting). Discussion: Commissioner Erickson explained that we have a consultant on board working on the traffic study. He spoke with them a few weeks ago to give some background and record plans and expects results by the next meeting. Councilor Squailia made a motion to hold the petition, seconded by Councilor Cragin. Recommendation: The Committee voted 4-0 that the petition be HELD PENDINGTRAFFIC STUDY. 5) Any Other Business: Motion to adjourn by Councilor Beauchemin seconded by Councilor Squailia.