CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE
Regular MeetingMilwaukee, WI · July 7, 2016
Minutes
200 E. Wells Street
City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202
Meeting Minutes
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE
ALD. ROBERT BAUMAN, CHAIR
Ald. Milele Coggs, Ald. Mark Borkowski, Ghassan Korban,
Martin Matson, Mark Nicolini, and Mariano Schifalacqua
Staff Assistant: Linda Elmer, 286-2231
Fax: 286-3456, lelmer@milwaukee.gov
Fiscal Planning Specialist: Kathleen Brengosz, 286-3926,
kbreng@milwaukee.gov
Thursday, July 7, 2016 9:00 AM City Halll, Room 301-B
Meeting convened: 9:05 A.M.
Glenn Steinbrecher present for Martin Matson
Mr. Nicolini arrived at 9:15 a.m.; Ald. Coggs arrived at 9:43 A.M.
1. Review and approval of the minutes from the May 25th meeting.
Mr. Korban moved, seconded by Ald. Borkowski for approval of the minutes. There
were no objections.
2. Presentation of the Parking Condition Report.
Mr. Tom Woznick discussed the condition of the City’s parking facilities. The City has
5 parking structures, the oldest of which is 56 years. The structures are located at
2nd and Plankinton, 1000 N Water, MacArthur Square, Milwaukee and Michigan, and
4th & Highland. The structure at 4th & Highland will be replaced as part of the arena
project. The structure at Milwaukee & Michigan is leased to Johnson Controls. Mr.
Woznick said both the single space and the multi-space meters are near the end of
their useful lives. He said there are about 45 surface lots throughout the city that are
used for public parking. Mr. Woznick said that based on the FCI (facility condition
index), the parking structures are in good condition.
Mr. Woznick said the department has developed a 20 year program with the
structural design team. He described the proposed work at 2nd & Plankinton and
MacArthur Square structures. He said that work at MacArthur Square is being done
in conjunction with a Dept. of Transportation project. Ald. Bauman asked if the City
owns the Kilbourn tunnel. Mr. Korban replied that the state owns the roadway and
the City owns the ceiling of the tunnel. Mr. Nicolini asked if the cost estimates for the
MacArthur Square project were fairly well developed. Mr. Sean Shutten replied that
the specifications for the project will be available next year and that the project will be
let at the end of 2017 or in 2018. He said the budgeting and consulting have been
completed and the pricing is pretty solid at this time.
Mr. Woznick discussed surface lot and tow lot repaving. He said a program was
developed for the 45 surface lots. The lots that have the highest need for resurfacing,
crack filling and striping have been identified.
Mr. Wosnick discussed the replacement of single space parking meters. He said that
current single space, coin only meters will be replaced with smart meters that will
allow the City to change pricing models, provide information to customers and accept
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credit card payment. He said a Request for Proposals will be put out this year and
that meter replacement would be phased over several years. There are 3,800, single
space meters and 3,100 spaces in the multi-space network. Mr. Woznick said that
the current pilot projects suggest that single space meters have the highest level of
customer satisfaction and that will be the focus of meter upgrades. He said that 10
years ago, there was no way for a single space meter to take credit cards. Now the
single space meter industry can integrate with various technologies in the same way
that the multi-space meter does. Ald. Bauman asked about the department’s
experience with MKE Park. Mr. Woznick said the public response has been fantastic.
He said MKE Park averages around 2,200 transactions per day which is between
30% and 35% of the total transactions. He said the rate is significant because MKE
Park has only been in use for about a year. He said the app had high integration
from the beginning and has continued to grow. He said about 4,000 customers sign
up and download the app each month. He anticipates that at some point growth will
level off. He said widespread use of MKE Parks will help decrease meter
maintenance costs because there is no wear and tear on the meter when customers
pay with their phone. Ald. Borkowski asked if the new meters would accept coins.
Mr. Woznick said yes. Ald. Bauman asked if meters were being installed on St.
Paul. Mr. Woznick said he was not aware of a request for meters at that location but
he would look into it.
3. Presentation of the Street Lighting and Traffic Control Report.
Mr. Roland Bertran discussed the street lighting system. He said there 77,000 lights
in the system
Mr. Bertran discussed the series circuit conversion project. He said the target is to
convert 2% of the system each year. He said the department has restructured its
approach to the project and the improvement is moving forward. He said the
department is targeting circuits that have the highest failure rates. Mr. Nicolini asked
which areas are planned for this year and next year assuming a $1 million budget.
Mr. Bertran said that circuits SP7 & 8, which are generally located in the area
between, W. Forest Home, W. Morgan, W. Oklahoma, S 51st and S. 60th were
replaced in 2015 as were circuits T1, NW3 and NW4. Circuits SR 15 & 16, WK 7 &
8, NE 1 & 2, NM 11 & 12, SJ 9 & 20, SP 7 & 8, T1, and NW 3 & 4 were also replaced
in 2015. Work scheduled for 2016 includes SR 7 & 8, which are located between S.
Howell, E. Bolivar, E. Layton and S. Logan; NG 1, 2, 13 & 14 which are located in
area between W. Hampton, W. Hope, N. Tetonia and N 35th; and NP 3 & 4, which
are located between W. Florist, W. Silver Spring, N. 55th and N. 64th Street.
Mr. Bertran discussed LED streetlights. He said that the department has identified an
instrument that meets the City’s specifications. The department has been testing
LED lights in various areas of the City including along Montana, on Broadway and
Market Streets, and in the 3rd Ward. Mr. Korban said that the Westlawn
development has the most holistic LED lighting in the City. Ald. Bauman asked about
the environmental impacts of LED street lights. Mr. Bertran said that one of the main
issues is the color temperature of the lights and how that affects drivers, especially
older drivers. He said that lights with a temperature of 4,000 kelvin are the most
widely used by municipalities. He said the industry makes a 5,000 kelvin unit but it is
not recommended. Mr. Bertran said that LED lights are being added in the series
conversion project. He said it is a little more difficult to convert series circuits in
conjunction with paving projects, but the department has found some creative ways
to separate the circuits so they don’t have to be retrofitted at a later date. Mr. Bertran
said the initial cost of LEDs is somewhat higher, but they have a longer life
expectancy. He also said that LEDs tend to experience light degradation near the
end of their lives, not the sudden failure that occurs with HPS lamps. Because LED
fixtures don’t have ballasts, there are additional energy savings. He said the
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department is replacing 700 to 850 lights per year.
Ald. Bauman asked about the conflict between trees and street lights. Mr. Bertran
said the department is in the process of evaluating policies and practices. He said
they are working with Forestry to determine appropriate planting distances.
Mr. Joseph Blakeman discussed the City’s traffic control facilities. He said there are
767 signalized intersections. He said that seven of the signals were acquired through
a jurisdictional transfer, most of them on Appleton Avenue. (@Florist/107, Carmen,
91st, Grantosa, Hampton, Congress) He said the department is continuing the city
wide conversion to countdown timers; 129 were added in 2015. Two audible
pedestrian signals were added in 2015. He said the department is beginning to
install non-intrusive detection at intersections to get loops out of the pavement. As of
January, 25 intersections had been completed.
Ald. Bauman asked how the fire preemption system worked. Mr. Blakeman said that
the City uses infrared technology. He said it is usually located in the light bar of the
vehicle. A small detector is located on the pole or the mast arm of the traffic signal.
Ald. Bauman asked if that system would work for bus rapid transit. Mr. Blakeman
said that it could. He said transit signal priority technology can use either infrared or
GPS technology.
Mr. Blakeman discussed crosswalks with rapid flashing beacons. He said there are
six crosswalks that have rectangular or circular rapid flashing beacons. He said that
the research sponsored by Texas A&M University to determine which shape was
more effective found no significant difference between the two shapes. The
rectangular shape has been designated as the standard so the circular test signs will
be replaced with rectangular ones.
Mr. Blakeman said that four intersections have been programed for audible
pedestrian signals. (W. Capitol Drive & N. 76th Street, W. Appleton Avenue & N.
76th Street, W. Congress and N. 76th Street, and W. Fond Du Lac Avenue and W.
Silver Spring Drive)
Mr. Blakeman discussed the traffic controller replacement project. He said the
existing controllers use technology from the early 1980s. He said that parts are
becoming difficult to get. He said 35 new controllers have been installed. He said
there is funding to replace about half of the controllers over the next 5 years. He said
the new controller cabinets will be connected to the City’s fiber optic network.
Mr. Blakeman discussed the LED traffic signal conversion which began in 2005. He
said that an evaluation of crash data from the last 10 years showed that disregard
crashes peaked in 2007 and then decreased by 40%. He said that the data included
all disregards so it includes stop sign related crashes, but the reduction coincided
with the installation of the LED traffic signals. Mr. Blakeman said that some of the
LEDs are beginning to fail. By 2017, 25% of the LEDs will be more than 10 years
and by 2019 more than 90% will be at least 10 years old. Mr. Blakeman said that the
Dept. of Transportation experienced about an 8 year life with their first generation
LEDs. He said that group replacement of the LEDs should begin next year.
Mr. Blakeman said that projects are completed with City capital funds, and federal
and state funds for paving projects as well as Highway Safety Improvement Program
(HSIP) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds.
Mr. Blakeman discussed the age and installation of street signs. He said about 2,000
signs were added last year. The additional signs were primarily new signs required
for school zones. A few hundred new stops signs were added for speed humps. He
said about 2/3 of the street signs are less than 20 years old. At the budgeted level,
the department expects regular and warning signs to be compliant for retro-reflectivity
by Jan. 1, 2019. Street name and other guide signs are expected to be compliant by
Jan. 12, 2026. Mr. Blakeman said that signs last between 16 and 25 years
depending on the color of the sheeting and the letter color. Mr. Blakeman discussed
the number of signs that are past their useful life. He said that 1,390 of 21,000 white
signs, 2,100 of 7,600 yellow signs, 300 of 18,300 red signs and 11,500 of 21,900
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green signs are older than they should be based on the department’s retro-reflectivity
study.
Mr. Blakeman discussed the pavement marking program. He said the department
maintains 295 locations that are arrows and only, 4,563 crosswalks, 1,246 stop bars
and about 3,000 angle parking spaces. He said 11 miles of lane lines and center
lines were added in 2015. As of Jan. 1, 2016 there were 154 speed humps. Mr.
Blakeman discussed the useful life of pavement markings He said the waterborne
paint currently used by DPW lasts about a year on the centerline. Dashed white lane
lines are repainted two or three times per year depending on the roadway. The
epoxy used on state paving projects last about 3 years. The inlaid thermal plastic
used on High Impact paving projects lasts about 5 years.
4. Presentation of the Underground Conduit Report.
Mr. Roland Bertan discussed the underground conduit system. He said the system is
9% iron pipe which was installed in the early 1900s, 19% clay, 53% fiber and 19%
PVC. The fiber causes the most concern because when it gets wet it tends to
collapse. The department is exploring ways to rehabilitee existing ducts by pushing
new pipe through the existing duct package. Mr. Bertran said there are 7,500 active
communication and electrical manholes. He said 2017 will be the last year of a 5
year manhole inspection program. Inspections have identified 320 manholes that
need to be replaced, 95 that require deck replacement and 690 that need chimney
repair. The department has begun doing the repair work with a City crew. The data
the department has collected so far indicates that there will be cost savings.
Mr. Bertran discussed projects in 2015, 2016 and 2017 including the City hall
Foundation project, Westlawn and the Bucks arena.
Mr. Bertran discussed conduit leases. He said the City leased conduit space to nine
telecommunication companies. Annual revenue is $923,700. Ald. Bauman asked
who sets the price and how we know that we charging the appropriate rate. Mr.
Bertran said that prices are defined in Chapter 98 of Code of Ordinances. He said
the department is in the process of reviewing the leases and will make
recommendations to revise Chapter 98.
5. Presentation of the Public Facility Communications Report.
Mr. David Henke discussed the condition of the City’s communication network.
Ald. Bauman asked how much excess capacity is in the conduit system. Mr. Henke
said that system utilization varies by location. He said that the downtown area is very
congested and in other areas there is less utilization. He said that areas where the
City has a lot of facilities tend to be the same areas that the telecommunications
companies want to be. Ald. Bauman asked about the status of call boxes. Mr.
Henke said the called boxes are managed by ITMD. He said the call boxes continue
to be utilized for the copper communication but the department is downsizing over
time. If a call box is damaged or conflicts with a paving project, it is typically
removed.
Mr. Henke discussed the copper system. He said that it is an older technology that is
still used for small sized circuits for remote sites or cabinets. He said that to reduce
maintenance costs, the department is moving off of copper over time by replacing
copper with gateways and IP phones that utilize the data network and fiber optic. Mr.
Henke said there are 637 active repair tickets for copper. Each year more copper
tickets are entered than are closed. He said that instead of repairing the copper, the
department attempts to relocate services to an alternate technology or a different
facility. He said eventually, the copper system will not be used.
Mr. Henke discussed the fiber optic system. He said the City has been installing fiber
optic for about 25 years. He said the majority of our communications and high speed
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communications are on the fiber network. He said most of the fiber installation is for
construction avoidance and for relocating facilities. He said that when fiber is
relocated for construction projects, it is not automatically restored to its original
location. The fiber may be restored in the future if a need arises. He said that fiber
was relocated off of the Vliet Street Bridge over the Stadium Freeway this summer
and that a project on N. 76th Street over W. Silver Spring Drive will be done next
year. Mr. Henke said ITMD is working with DPW to install fiber for the new traffic
control cabinets and that fiber will be installed to serve the new libraries. Mr. Henke
said that in 2015 there were three unscheduled construction incidents that damaged
the fiber network and five planned construction cuts.
Mr. Henke discussed the City Hall Foundation project. He said that the project is an
opportunity to migrate communications to fiber. He said there are over 1,600 copper
pairs that provide service to City Hall and that there are over 2,000 pairs from outside
locations that come into the building. He said the number of copper pairs will be
reduced by over half by the time the project is complete.
Meeting adjourned: 10:18 A.M.
This meeting can be viewed in its entirety through the City's Legislative Research
Center at http://milwaukee.legistar.com/calendar.
City of Milwaukee Page 5
Agenda
200 E. Wells Street
City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202
Meeting Agenda
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE
ALD. ROBERT BAUMAN, CHAIR
Ald. Milele Coggs, Ald. Mark Borkowski, Ghassan Korban,
Martin Matson, Mark Nicolini, and Mariano Schifalacqua
Staff Assistant: Linda Elmer, 286-2231
Fax: 286-3456, lelmer@milwaukee.gov
Fiscal Planning Specialist: Kathleen Brengosz, 286-3926,
kbreng@milwaukee.gov
Thursday, July 7, 2016 9:00 AM City Halll, Room 301-B
1. Review and approval of the minutes from the May 25th meeting.
2. Presentation of the Parking Condition Report.
3. Presentation of the Street Lighting and Traffic Control Report.
4. Presentation of the Underground Conduit Report.
5. Presentation of the Public Facility Communications Report.
This meeting will be webcast live at www.milwaukee.gov/channel25.
Members of the Common Council and its standing committees who are not members of this committee
may attend this meeting to participate or to gather information. Notice is given that this meeting may
constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of its standing committees, although they will not
take any formal action at this meeting.
Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities
through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this
service, contact the City Clerk's Office ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456,
(TDD)286-2025 or by writing to the Coordinator at Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Limited parking for persons attending meetings in City Hall is available at reduced rates (5 hour limit)
at the Milwaukee Center on the southwest corner of East Kilbourn and North Water Street. Parking
tickets must be validated in the first floor Information Booth in City Hall.
Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances are
required to register with the City Clerk's Office License Division. Registered lobbyists appearing
before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is
available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying.
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