Minutes 12/12/1978 - Laserfiche WebLink

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December 12 1978 On motion of Mr. Early and seconded by Mr. Holley, the ordinance was adopted, and by the following vote: Ayes: Barnes, Nays: None Abstaining: Elliott Early, Gray, Holley, Oast, Davis 78-352 The following report submitted Portsmouth Boulevard: by the City Manager on Hodges Ferry Road and "As you will recall citizens of the Hodges Manor and Mayflower Park subdivisions appeare( before City Council on June 13, 1978, to protest the placing of a median along Portsmouth Boulevard across from Mayflower Road, which at one time had been contemplated by the City's Traffic Engineer. The proposed median was thought to be needed in order to reduce the large number of traffic accidents that have occurred at this location and to decrease the amount of traffic' that was using Mayflower Road as a thoroughfare to Hodges Ferry Road. As a result of this, Council requested that I provide a report covering plans for traffic regulation in this area. This report, which is attached for your review, was presented to Council at its July 18, 1978 meeting. After hearing many residents express pros and cons concerning increased traffic regulation in the area, Council deferred action until such time as the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation completed an environmental comparison of two alternate north/south routes (Hodges Ferry Road and Elmhurst Lane) through this area. Council also chose at this time to delay the activation of the new traffic light at the intersection of Portsmouth Boulevard and Hodges Ferry Road, which was in the process of being erected, pending receipt of the referenced report. The report has now been received and reviewed by appropriate City staff. A copy of said report is attached for your perusal. The report has recommended an alternative (IIA) which the City had previously endorsed several years ago. The City staff agrees with VDHT that the recommended alternative causes the least environmental disruptions and is the most cost effective. However, the staff and this office are not in complete concurrence with the design elements planned to effect Alternative IIA. We do not consider the design short comings to pose a threat to the viability o£ the recommended option however as initial conver- sations with VDHT personnel concerning changes have been very encouraging. The Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation has within the report recommended adoption of Alternative IIA as a City/State joint project on a 10%/90% funding basis with a preliminary cost projected to be $1,053,000 (excluding purchase of required right-of-way). This project had originally been included the 1975-76 CIP (without improvements to the Gr Drive interchange) at a projected City cost of $220,000. The project was delayed pending further investigation by City and VDHT personnel in order to determine which of the two previously referenced routes was most desirable. The resulting recommendation provides the City with a considerable project savings as the 1975~ project was to be undertaken at 100% City cost. The recommended option will not deter all through traffic from using Hodges Ferry and Mayflower Roads. However, it is projected to eliminate approximately 2S% of the morning traffic and in excess of S0% of the evening tra~ffic. The residual and local traffic on Hodges Ferry Road and the growing traffic on Portsmouth Boulevard will continue to warrant traffic signalization?a-t.~'th~i.ntersection of the above two streets in the opinion of the City's Traffic Engineer and as determined through the use of uniform traffic regulation criteria. This intersection has experienced an extremely high rate of accidents over the past few years as cars continue to be forced to cross two lanes of oncoming traffic in order to make left turns without the assistance of a traffic signal. ~As a result of my review of the .report I offer the following recommendations for Codncil consideration: (1) Endorsement of Alternative IIA as a joint State/City 90~z~ funding road improvement pro~e~ f~nded on a basis. Approval of Alternative IIA will be subject to the City's approval of the final design. (2) Upon the acceptance ~pdnapproval of Alternative ~IA,'''~ endorse by resolution and amendment to the 1995 Regional Transportation Plan outlining the finalized alternative. (3) Immediate installation of the traffic signal at the intersec- tion of Portsmouth Boulevard and Hodges Ferry Road." BUrrell R; iJ~ 11'$6 Melvin D~i~!a~§P~kel in m~Bp~ of ~he l~ght being turned on, as it may saves some lives. Pa~IM. Rohnson, 308 Robin Road, representing concerned citizens for the stoplight, requesting that the light be turned on as soon as possible. Motion of Mr. Early and seconded by Mr. Gray, to concur in the recommefidation of the City Manager, and tcpr0~eed~:with'-activatiO~of the light at HodM~s Ferry Road and Portsmouth Boulevard, and was adopted by unanimous vote.