CITY OF PICKERINGTON

SERVICE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2003

 

WORK SESSION

6:00 P.M.

 

1.         ROLL CALL.  Mr. Maxey called the Service Committee Work Session to order at 6:00 P.M., with Mr. Maxey and Mr. Shaver present.  Mr. Parker was absent.  Others present were Bill Wright, Brian Fox, Mike Sabatino, Heidi Riggs, Lynda Yartin, Brian Bosch, John Grow, Mike Maurer, Rick Palsgrove, Jennifer Wray, Kevin Strait, Carol Carter, Frank Simonetti, Ted Hackworth, and others.

 

2.         SCHEDULED MATTERS:

 

A.        Discussion regarding proposed I-70/S.R. 256 Joint Improvements project with Reynoldsburg and ODOT. 

 

Mr. Maxey stated representatives from ODOT, Mr. Brian Bosch and Mr. John Grow, were present to answer any questions. 

 

Mr. Bosch distributed a summary of the SR 256 Operational Study and Improvement Plan prepared by TransSystems Corporation to all members present.  (Attachment 1 to these minutes)

 

Mr. Grow stated the goal was not to produce a long term solution as that would require reconstruction of the interchange area, the intersection, and so forth.  He stated their goal was to see what could be done with the existing pavement, evaluate some of the existing traffic problems, look at some additional growth, and see what they could find as far as a short term solution until a long term fix could be implemented. 

 

Mr. Grow stated the key elements of the project would be to add one additional lane northbound within the interchange area, and also to add an additional signal where the current loop ramp comes in from east bound I-70.  He stated the reason for that was because it helped traffic progression northbound between those intersections.  He stated further an additional lane would be added southbound from Taylor Road past the 204/Tussing Road intersection.  He stated the recommendation was that the traffic signals be interconnected throughout the improvement area so that when you have the various movements in the morning and evening peaks, and on the weekend hours, that all of the signals are connected to allow for coordinated movement through all the intersections. Mr. Sabatino stated a major concern for the City was giving up control of the signal at 256/204 and questioned if this was a requirement.  Mr. Grow stated it was the recommendation for the best operation throughout this corridor, that those signals be interconnected, and that is the current design.  Mr. Bosch stated it is a requirement for ODOT to get the maximum efficiency out of the project.  He stated if that signal is not coordinated with the other signals in the interchange area, they lose that efficiency and would, therefore, lose what the project is trying to gain.  Mr. Bosch clarified that the existing signals on the north side of the interchange are already connected to the ramp signal.  Mr. Sabatino stated a lot of the concern about approving this project related to that signal and questioned if Council could get some input on how we could coordinate that signal with the remaining signals the City would have control of.  Mr. Bosch clarified what Mr. Sabatino wanted was the input for the system loops and he would try to get that information as quickly as he could.  Mr. Shaver clarified the information provided on the summary projected the traffic out until the year 2015.  Mr. Bosch stated the goal was not to go out five years when this system could still be functioning, but try to project out far enough that the system failed.  He stated that way they could then project for the life of what they were trying to do.  Mr. Shaver further clarified the “No-build” figures related to if nothing was done at all, and “As Designed” related to the project as currently proposed.  Mr. Maxey clarified the analysis takes into consideration the entire picture, they were not discerning south of I-70 and north of I-70.  Mrs. Riggs ascertained the analysis was prepared using numbers from prior to the Tussing Bridge being closed.  Mrs. Riggs further questioned the width of the lanes and the safety for school busses.  Mr. Grow stated the lanes would be narrowed just a little. Mr. Grow stated an interstate lane is 12 feet wide, and there have been national studies that have determined there is no safety benefit between an 11 foot and 12 foot lane on the interstate.  Mr. Bosch stated as part of the project, by adjusting the lanes, there will be additional pavement out there. 

 

Mr. Grow and Mr. Bosch presented a computerized traffic simulation for 2015 traffic on the network as it is today, both at the morning and evening peak times, and 2015 traffic with the improvements, also at morning and evening peak times.  Mr. Grow stated they had based their figures on a projected one to one and one-half percent a year growth that was obtained from the Ohio Regional Planning Commission.  Mr. Bosch stated Pickerington may be growing at a rate higher than that, however, not all of the traffic using the intersection comes from Pickerington.  Mr. Wright asked if they could view the simulated traffic at the “No build” situation based on a five percent growth for the same time periods.     

 

Mr. Maxey stated a lot of the merchants from the Turnberry shopping center have some questions, as it does not seem like this project takes into effect the traffic going in and out of Turnberry on Tussing Road or S.R. 256.  Mr. Maxey further stated with the new configuration the only way for someone coming from Pickerington to go to the Turnberry Shopping Center would be to go to the 256/204 light, turn left, and then turn left at the Winderly light.  Mr. Bosch stated that was correct.  Mr. Bosch stated when S.R. 256 goes to three lanes, going northbound, the entrance to Turnberry will be eliminated.  He stated going southbound, it will remain a right-in/right-out entrance.  Mr. Bosch stated the left turn from 256 into the Center presented a safety hazard with the additional lanes.  Mrs. Riggs clarified the owner of the shopping center is to build the access road to Turnberry at the Winderly light.  Mr. Maxey stated the City currently controls the light at Winderly and Mr. Bosch stated the City will maintain control of that light. 

 

Mr. Bosch stated he would like to clarify the emergency request.  He stated the project itself is not an emergency, however, they are selling it as an emergency project.  He stated this means that it will allow them to sell it quicker so they can get it constructed this construction season.  He stated the goal is to have the project completed this season and ODOT has lined up all the money from their end to make that happen.  Mr. Bosch stated there is nothing that says it cannot go next year other than ODOT could not guarantee the funding would be there next year.  Mr. Bosch stated ODOT is willing to come up with the funds to give a temporary fix rather than to say a study is underway and in 10 to 15 years they will come back and do something.  He stated they were trying to do a project that would work for the next five to ten years so that hopefully, the study will be in place, the money will come in, and they can build the ultimate fix. 

 

Mr. Maxey stated he did not see where the Turnberry and Winderly traffic has been taken into account, because he felt that vehicles wanting to turn in there would tend to create some backups going westbound on Tussing Road.  Mr. Bosch stated to try to accommodate that they have added the signal at Winderly into the model.  He stated they did not specifically look at that maneuver when doing the model as their priority is the traffic on S.R. 256 and they did not make any modifications on S.R. 204 or Tussing Road.  Mr. Simonetti stated he felt by eliminating the left turn lane northbound going into the Turnberry center it was a death knell because there were few people in Pickerington who would go to Tussing, turn left, and go to Winderly.  He stated he understood that was not ODOT’s major concern, and Mr. Bosch stated he thought if people were going to Damon’s, Cracker Barrel, or whatever, they would take that route.    Mr. Simonetti stated this Center has weathered two or three major construction projects that have interfered with the flow of business and traffic in the Center.  He stated he did not know how much more they could take.  Mr. Simonetti continued, stating this interchange has been a problem for at least 15 years.  He stated he thought all these fixes meant very little except for spending lots of money that could be saved up to do a permanent fix that will solve the problems. 

 

Mr. Grow presented the requested traffic simulation Mr. Wright had requested using a five percent growth figure for the same time frames. 

 

Mr. Shaver ascertained that ODOT planned to sell the project August 13th, they would do a same day award, have the contractor start work right around Labor Day, with a completion date around October 31st.  Mrs. Riggs clarified one of the reasons ODOT was so eager to participate in this project is because there was a large initiative done state wide looking at congestion and safety areas. He stated this intersection came in at number 216 as the worst in the State of Ohio for congested areas, and is District 5’s highest location.  Mr. Bosch further stated approximately $650,000 of the total $1.9 million cost of this project is nothing more than the cost of resurfacing the interchange area which they planned to do in 2006.  He stated they were basically just advancing that resurfacing money ahead of time.  Mrs. Riggs stated she wanted to ensure this would benefit Pickerington as much as it would benefit the Reynoldsburg side, and was not being done because of traffic issues at the Wal Mart area.  Mr. Bosch stated it would benefit both municipalities. 

 

Mr. Wright stated he would like to clarify that this was not Pickerington’s project and Mr. Bosch stated ODOT was taking the lead just from the fact that they actually looked at having the two municipalities try to partner and bring this forward, but they could not advance their monies without being in the lead.  He stated they are now coming and asking for the legislation, but they have been working with both the City and Reynoldsburg and it just happened that when it became an interest for them, there was already local interest.  Mr. Wright stated this has always been a problem area in the morning so the City has talked with ODOT. 

 

Mr. Maxey stated he would like to thank everyone for their input this evening and if anyone had any questions the representatives from ODOT would be available. 

 

3.         ADJOURNMENT.  There being nothing further, Mr. Maxey closed the work session at 7:40 P.M., July 24, 2003.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

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Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk