Public Works / Traffic / Transit Committee

Chris Jenkins, Director Justin Messer, Assistant Director PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION , Cemetery Department Jody Gonzalez, Superintendent Engineering Services Aaron Carroll, Director Public Works Vehicle Maintenance Department Joe Krinke, Superintendent Solid Waste Collections Department Tim Garrett, Director Solid Waste Processing & Disposal Department Lee Stone, Director Streets & Drainage Department Chad Hampton, Director PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSIT COMMITTEE AND TRAFFIC COMMISSION November 10, 2021 9:00 AM. Sam King Room - 601 Broad Street PRESENT: Commissioner Mark Cochran Commissioner Bill Collins Commissioner Bonny Askew Mr. Sammy Rich, City Manager Ms. Meredith Ulmer, Assistant City Manager Mr. Chris Jenkins, Public Works Director Mr. Justin Messer, Assistant Public Works Director Mr. Aaron Carroll, Engineering Services Director Ms. Toni Rhinehart, Finance Director Ms. Kathy Shealy, Transit Director Ms. Courtnay Griffin, Assistant Transit Director Mr. Art Newall, Planning Director Pfc. Matthew Cowan, Rome Police Dept. Ms. Kayla Schaaf, Associate Transportation Planner Mr. Doug Walker, Public Information Officer GUESTS: Ms. Julie Smith, TRED CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Cochran called the meeting to order. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the previous meetings were approved as presented. 200 Vaughn Road • PO Box 1433 • Rome, Georgia 30162-1433 Phone: 706/236-4466 • fax: 706/236-4532 POLICE REPORTS PFC Matthew Cowan presented the October Accident Report. He noted there were 208 accidents during the month and 1,982 for the year, up from 189 for the month and 1,686 at this time last year. Injuries were up slightly from 65 last year to 67. There was one fatality in October and total fatalities for the year were 7, up from 4 last year. DUI arrests were down from 35 last year to 22. Total traffic cases were 567 down from 626 last year. Year to date, the total cases were 7,710, up from 6,315. TRANSIT OPERATIONS Update on Transfer Buses from Gainesville Transit System Ms. Shealy reported the new GDOT Compliance officer has requested the the resolution to transfer the buses be revised, which has delayed the transfer. She presented a copy of the revised resolution for review. Commissioner Askew moved to approve the revised resolution as presented. Commissioner Cochran seconded. The motion carried. Update on Free Ridership Ms. Shealy reported that since free rides were offered starting October 4th, ridership has increased by 26 to 28%. Hopefully, with GDOT’s approval, we will be able to offer this the first quarter of next year as well. GTA Conference December 8th-10th Ms. Shealy reported the GTA Conference takes place from December 8th through 10th on Jekyll Island. She will provide the agenda to any who are interested in attending. Commissioner Cochran asked if we know yet what restrictions will be placed the recently approved transportation funding. Ms. Shealy and Ms. Rinehart both replied that we do not know the specifics as yet. Financial Report Ms. Rhinehart presented the September financial report. She noted operating revenues were pretty much in line with last year. The biggest difference is in the Transit Alliance has increased by $15,000. There is a slight increase in advertising revenues, the operating reimbursements have been through June of this year and we are working to get the July and August reimbursements processed at this time. Total expenses a and transfers out are pretty much in line with last year. The cash balance is $1.125 mil. Public Work Committee/Transit Committee/Traffic Commission Minutes November 10, 2021 Page 2 of 5  Commissioner Cochran asked if there is any update on bus shelters. Mr. Carroll responded that he is still working on the them. Ms. Shealy noted that one has just been installed on Riverbend Dr. OLD BUSINESS Update on Speed Tables Mr. Jenkins reported the speed table was installed in October and took several days to complete. We have had a lot of positive feedback. We are waiting on the rubberized material for the ramp. We had someone scheduled to do this work the week that we installed it but they experienced weather delays that pushed their schedule out so we found another company that we expect to be here by Friday and the barricades will be removed on Saturday. He added cost for the ramps was slightly over $9,000. Commissioner Cochran asked to add placing speed tables at the 200 block on the December agenda. Update on Painting for Poles and Signs on Broad St. Mr. Carroll reported the RFP is it in the Purchasing Dept. and should go out for bid next week. We are hoping to get the painting done I the first quarter of next year, weather permitting. He added that everything will be sprayed hunter green. The rest of the period lights will be upgraded to LED as well. He added that the Parks Hoke Park Project will also go out for bid next week. Commissioner Cochran asked for an update on Pond and Company’s design for the River Arts District. Mr. Carroll responded that he met with them last week for a walk through with Ms. Leslie and they are in the process of moving forward. We expect them to get a contract to us this week. He noted the same landscape architect that worked on the Town Green and South Broad project is now with Pond and Company. Commissioner Cochran asked about the idea of a traffic circle on N. 5th Ave. Mr. Carroll responded that it has been tabled since the cost of additional right of way would be prohibitive. Mr. Rich said suggested we could get a conceptual drawing of a traffic circle to better determine what we would be dealing with. NEW BUSINESS Trail Run on GE Trail Ms. Julie Smith requested permission for TRED to hold a 5K and trail run on the GE Trail on Saturday February 19th from 8 am till 11. This is a fund raiser event for TRED. She added that she is in the process of filling out an SOP which will be provided at the next meeting. Public Work Committee/Transit Committee/Traffic Commission Minutes November 10, 2021 Page 3 of 5  Ms. Smith also requested the City add four to five more miles of new trail at GE. This would be higher ground and where we could have higher ground and much less maintenance. Ms. Smith noted that in May she and Allie Booker came to this Committee with the Guardian of the Trail project. She noted that the sculpture was vandalized twice so we will find another location that will be less vulnerable. Request to close Jennings Street Mr. Carroll reported there is a SPLOST project to remove the parking lot next to Jennings Street and make it a playground. Mr. Rene fountain will be deeding the property to the City so they there will be a contiguous space to develop the playground. Mr. Rich noted we had $600,000 in the 2017 SPLOST for this project. It is a good investment for north Rome. Commissioner Askew moved to approve the request to close Jennings Street. Commissioner Cochran seconded. The motion carried. NPDES Program Presentation Mr. Messer gave a presentation of the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. This presentation is a requirement for the City’s annual report to EPD detailing best practices the City has adopted in our Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to comply with the requirements of our NPDES permit. Recommendation to Remove One-Way Designation on Crane St. Mr. Carroll reported that Crane Street between 14th and 15th streets was designated as On-Way years ago likely to accommodate Southeast Elementary school traffic and parking, although we have not been able to find exactly when it was made one-way. Since the school has long been closed, we can’t find any reason for a One-Way designation there, so he recommended it be removed. OTHER Commissioner Cochran noted he wanted to discuss Chulio at the next meeting. Mr. Rich noted he is currently working on a City/County staff meeting to discuss it. Public Work Committee/Transit Committee/Traffic Commission Minutes November 10, 2021 Page 4 of 5 Commissioner Cochran reported he has received many requests about getting a new red light at the Dans Car wash that will be constructed on Riverside Pkwy. Mr. Jenkins said Dewayne Comer is working on this intersection and will assist us with acquiring the funding from GDOT. Mr. Rich added this is a large impact project that we are currently working on. Commissioner Cochran asked if we could plant some trees on South Broad Street to replace ones that were cut down. Mr. Rich said we can put it on our list for tree planting. Commissioner Cochran also noted that Oakdene residents also want more trees planted to block their view of the liquor store and Paper Recovery. Commissioner Cochran noted the residents around S. McLin Street can’t sell their houses because they are in the flood plain. He asked if there is any way we can get some funding to build up the levy to get those houses out of the flood plan. Mr. Rich said we did a program years ago to either buy up or jack up those houses but the program ran out of funding. Mr. Carroll noted there is a large sewer line through there that might have to be moved in order to do that. Mr. Jenkins said he will talk with Brian Roberts about this. Mr. Carroll said Atlanta Gas contractors are finishing paving on Charlton Road today and will start week after next on Division Street. There is some paving to do inside of Ridgeferry park but we are finally seeing the end of the work there. The SEC has sent a couple of crews back in town and they are working on the dog park and getting sod placed. The parking lot below Chick- fil A has been repaved and curb and gutter installed. He added that all went well at the County Commission last night and all the easements have been received for Phase 2 of the Berry Trail. The bridge design is complete and the bid will go out for the manufacture of the bridge in the next week. That will be followed up with an RFP for the installation of the bridge. Aaron said one other project Engineering has been working on for a long tie is the rear entrance to East Central Elementary which will be completed after Christmas. MONTHLY REPORTS The monthly departmental reports were distributed for review. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully Submitted, Margaret Hollingsworth Margaret W. Hollingsworth, Secretary Public Work Committee/Transit Committee/Traffic Commission Minutes November 10, 2021 Page 5 of 5