City Council Planning Sessions

Monday, February 26, 2024 I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilman Barbier Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilman Clousing Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller Absent: Councilman Brown City Staff Present: Michael G. Dzugan, City Manager John M. Duguay, Assistant City Manager Joseph Tebrugge, Director of Engineering Sonia Zala, Traffic/Project Engineer Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator II. Approval of Planning Session Minutes – February 12, 2024 The City Council approved the February 12, 2024, City Council Planning Session Minutes. III. St. Francis Traffic Signal on Roosevelt Rd. City Manager Dzugan stated that City staff will present an in-depth review of a request for the City to place a proposed traffic signal at the intersection of Roosevelt Road and the driveways of St. Francis High School (St. Francis) and Target. The City has received requests from the St. Francis community, as some students park in the Target lot and cross Roosevelt to get to school, and from Marian Park Apartments (Marian Park), whose residents also cross Roosevelt. Project Engineer Zala outlined the existing conditions as it relates to the area for the proposed traffic signal. The St. Francis property is south of Roosevelt Road, to its east is the Marian Park property, and Target is north of the school on the other side of Roosevelt Road. The three intersections involved are along Roosevelt Road and include the intersection of Roosevelt and County Farm Road; the driveways of St. Francis and Target with Roosevelt; and the intersection of Fapp Circle and Roosevelt Road. She stated that in 1996, the City installed a crosswalk across Roosevelt Road at the County Farm Road intersection along with sidewalks east and west of the St. Francis property. St. Francis then installed an additional sidewalk to create a fully connected pedestrian network from St. Francis to the County Farm Road crosswalk. Focusing on the driveways of St. Francis and Target, Project Engineer Zala stated that there are eastbound and westbound through lanes and a left turn lane into the Target driveway. The St. Francis driveway in this specific area is for exiting only, and those wanting to enter St. Francis need to travel further Monday, February 26, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES west and use a left turn lane. For the Fapp Circle intersection, there are eastbound and westbound through lanes, a left turn lane into Fapp Circle when headed eastbound on Roosevelt Road, and a left turn lane into Marian Park when headed westbound on Roosevelt Road. Project Engineer Zala noted that in 2024, the City plans to install sidewalks in areas where there are gaps along Roosevelt Road. After completion of this project, there will be sidewalks on at least one side of the road on Roosevelt from County Farm to Lorraine, creating a fully connected pedestrian network. Regarding the St. Francis property, there are several factors contributing to the property’s parking limitations. A portion of the property is within the 100-year floodplain, which limits the ability for developing additional parking. In addition, while the property exceeds zoning requirements with 300 parking spaces, many of the drivers are between the ages of 16-17, and Illinois driving laws limit the number of passengers for this age group, which prevents carpooling. To accommodate overflow parking, St. Francis drivers use spaces at the Target property across Roosevelt Road. Project Engineer Zala noted that no agreement between St. Francis and Target to allow student parking in this area has been shared with the City. A special use permit needs to be approved to allow St. Francis students to park in the Target parking lot. The Wheaton Police Department has been assisting with St. Francis students’ pedestrian crossing for over 20 years and deploys two officers as crossing guards Monday through Friday at 7:15-7:45 a.m. and 2:30-3 p.m. Project Engineer Zala stated that Fire Station #38 is 900 feet from the Fapp Circle intersection, and it is heavily utilized by the Fire Department, with approximately 11 emergency vehicles passing through it daily. She stated that there are Opticom Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) devices and advanced warning signs that alert drivers of emergency vehicles approaching the intersection of Fapp Circle and Roosevelt Road. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) conducted a traffic study in 2020 and analyzed the following locations: west St. Francis driveway; west Target driveway; east St. Francis and Target driveways; Fapp Circle and Marian Park. For the study, IDOT used the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration to specify the standards for installation of traffic control devices. The three main areas of analysis were eight-hour vehicular volume, pedestrian volume, and crash experience. The study found that none of the intersections met the minimum required values for the vehicular volume warrant or crash experience warrant. The intersection of Roosevelt with the east St. Francis/Target driveway had a peak of 121 pedestrians/hour. Although the required minimum from the MUTCD is 133 pedestrians/hour, IDOT stated that this intersection approached the minimum requirement and approved signal installation at this location. Should a traffic signal be installed in the warranted area, the results from the study indicated that there would be a short amount of green time provided to vehicles exiting St. Francis and Target. Motorists exiting these lots will have to wait for longer periods of times compared to the current system with the Wheaton Police Department and it would create a long backup through the St. Francis intersection. Project Engineer Zala stated that separate from this proposed project, IDOT plans to make enhancements to Roosevelt Road from Winfield Road to County Farm Road, including adding a right turn lane for westbound traffic turning north onto County Farm Road, widening sidewalks, and installing raised road medians. Land acquisition is required for many of these improvements which will decrease the available  Monday, February 26, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES parking spaces in both the Target lot and the Marian Park parking lot. Construction on these enhancements would tentatively begin in 2026. As part of the City’s recommendation for this project to assist both St. Francis school traffic and residents of Marian Park, project Engineer Zala stated that a proposed cross access easement within this project would involve creating a one-way through lane from the Marian Park property to the St. Francis parking lot. This would allow for queueing from Marian Park to orderly file into St. Francis traffic for use of the signal. The total cost for the installation of the traffic signal at St. Francis/Target and other associated requirements, including electrical interconnection, roadway lighting improvements, and engineering fees, would be approximately $816,000. In response to Council questions, Project Engineer Zala stated that the proposed traffic light’s timing can be adjusted for traffic flow to accommodate various scenarios, such as school days. The City would require St. Francis to obtain a special use permit for the offsite parking at Target. In response to Council questions, Project Engineer Zala stated that the IDOT study was conducted in 2020, and the vehicular volume for St. Francis and Target has likely remained the same. She stated that for assisting students across the road, the Wheaton Police Department’s staff coordinates their timing with the current traffic signal at County Farm Road. The Wheaton Police Department also assists with pedestrian crossings during special events. In response to Council questions, Project Engineer Zala stated that the green time for the St. Francis light would be significantly shorter than the current traffic light on Roosevelt Road. The duration of IDOT’s construction in 2026 would be approximately 6-7 months. In response to a Council question, City Manager Dzugan stated that the cost of the proposed cross access easement and other details would need to be evaluated and determined at a later date if the City Council chooses to move forward with the proposed traffic signal. He stated that Target owns the parcel in which St. Francis students use for overflow parking. In response to a Council question, Director of Engineering Tebrugge stated that work on the Roosevelt Road bridge to the east of St. Francis is slated for the summer of 2024. In response to Council questions, Project Engineer Zala stated that IDOT is requiring the installation of a right turn lane at County Farm Road first in order for the St. Francis signal to be installed. The new traffic light would be synchronized with the current traffic light. Philip Kerr, President of St. Francis High School, stated that his institution has coordinated funding for the proposed traffic signal. He stated that the school’s primary focus is student safety. Council members directed City staff to move forward with the process of installing the traffic signal by meeting with key stakeholders of St. Francis and Marian Park. IV. Public Comment State Senator Seth Lewis expressed his appreciation for the City Council’s direction to move forward with this project. He stated that his office is working diligently to secure the $1.25 million in funding for this  Monday, February 26, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES project. Beatrice, a Marian Park resident, stated that she has been in contact with DuPage United and other Marian Park stakeholders regarding pedestrians crossing Roosevelt Road. She expressed concern for pedestrian safety and thanked the City Council for moving forward. Natalie Hill, a parent of a St. Francis student, expressed concern for students’ safety when crossing Roosevelt Road. She stated that the absence of a dedicated crosswalk within school boundaries is a safety hazard, and that the school zone speed limit is infrequently used by motorists due to a variety of factors. She stated that the proposed traffic light and crosswalk is the best solution to safely manage pedestrian crossings and mitigate vehicular traffic crashes. Nick Jenz, a Wheaton resident and member of DuPage United, thanked the City Council for moving forward with the project and expressed appreciation to the Engineering Department for their presentation. He urged the City Council to continue to work with St. Francis and Marian Park stakeholders regarding this issue. Ron Almiron, 455 W. Front Street, expressed support for the proposed traffic signal to enhance pedestrian safety. He expressed concern regarding the proposed cross access easement due to the costs that Marian Park and St. Francis would incur for its construction and stated he does not support this aspect of the project. Frank Hudetz, a Wheaton resident, stated in addition to the safety benefits of the proposed traffic signal, he appreciates the potential positive economic impact of the new traffic light for the shopping center. He thanked the City Council for moving forward with the project. Laura Lemke, a parent of a St. Francis student, thanked the City Council for moving forward with the project. She expressed concern regarding the proposed cross access easement as it would increase vehicular traffic in the St. Francis parking lot. She requested that the City Council prioritize enhancing the visibility and maintenance of the current crosswalk at County Farm Road to increase pedestrian safety. Warner Cruz, a parent of a St. Francis student, expressed concern for students’ safety regarding crossing Roosevelt Road. Debbie, a parent of a St. Francis student, requested that the City Council take action now to enhance pedestrian safety through means such as crosswalks, yellow paint, and additional lighting. Jane, a parent of St. Francis alumni, does not support the proposed cross access easement because it would introduce more traffic into the St. Francis parking lot. She expressed concern for both police officers’ and students’ safety with the current system of pedestrians crossing Roosevelt Road to get to St. Francis. Mina Kerr, a Wheaton resident, expressed concern for the safety of Marian Park residents and thanked the City Council for moving forward with the project. V. City Council/Staff Comments Councilman Barbier stated the City cannot make changes to Roosevelt Road without approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation, as it is their road. However, he stated that the City Council will continue its efforts to enhance student safety when crossing Roosevelt Road, especially once the  Monday, February 26, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES construction for this project commences in 2026. He thanked City staff for their efforts in executing the Boards and Commission Brunch on Sunday, Feb. 25. Councilwoman Bray-Parker thanked staff for their efforts and the residents and visitors for their attendance and advocacy. She stated that the City Council prioritizes the safety of residents and is especially aware of the pedestrian safety concerns regarding Marian Park. Councilwoman Robbins thanked the St. Francis parents and Marian Park residents for their attendance and City staff for their efforts. Councilman Clousing thanked the St. Francis parents for their attendance. He thanked City staff for their efforts in executing the Boards and Commission Brunch on Sunday, Feb. 25. He thanked those who executed the Wheaton North High School and Wheaton Warrenville South High School Battle of the Bands event on Saturday, Feb. 24, which raised money for the schools’ post-prom party. Mayor Suess thanked St. Francis President Philip Kerr for his comments and leadership in generating the funding for this project. He stated that a major challenge in relation to this project is that Roosevelt Road is under the jurisdiction of the state. He expressed his appreciation for the advocacy of Marian Park residents and proposed that the Marian Park ownership also help facilitate pedestrian safety for its residents. VI. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Halie Cardinal