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Minutes for the Master Street Plan Committee meeting on December 3, 2014
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Members present: Mike Cameron, Marvin Day, Ben Owens (chair), Councilman John Street, Garry Tate and Ann Garner (arrived at 3:09 p.m.)
Members absent: Jim Abel, Josh Brown, Eugene Holloway, Robin Nix, Sr. and Bill Smith
Mr. Tate motioned, seconded by Mr. Cameron, to approve the minutes for the October 23, 2014, and November 13, 2014, meetings. All voted aye.
City Engineer Craig Light provided the committee with copies of the draft documentation that will go with the Master Street Plan (see attached). MPO Director Patrick Dennis stated he was pleased that the cross sections meet federal funding requirements, which will help them in the future. He recommended changing the word "textural" on page 3, paragraph 3 to "textual" or "text" Since "textural" means something different. Mr. Light indicated he would make the change.
Discussion was then held regarding the lane widths for the different roads types. Mr. Light explained the lane widths were based on the Highway Functional Classification Concepts, Criteria and Procedures. But, he does think they should consider the traffic and number of trips for vehicles when considering the lane widths. He recommended taking off the 10 feet lane width minimum on page 12, as well as the 3,000 minimum surface volume. He also thinks they should ask developers to develop roads that will be sufficient for the anticipated speed limit and to make measures on the streets to keep drivers at those speed limits.
Mr. Cameron questioned whether the standards in this document will be the design standards developers will have to go by when they start projects in the city. Mr. Light explained most of the cross section and designs should match the design standards book the city goes by. The book was made during the MATA projects by Garver. But, if there's anything that doesn't match the book, then staff can change the book by ordinance. Mr. Cameron stated these standards need to be put into the Garver book to ensure this is what developers will go by. Mr. Light added they can add clarification to the beginning of the document that points developers to the Garver design book for further information.
Mr. Tate motioned, seconded by Mr. Day, to change the lane widths on pages 14 and 16 (collectors and local streets) to 12 feet. All voted aye.
Mr. Light then discussed the design speed for principal arterials on p. 10. He felt 55 mph is too high and recommended it be lowered. Mr. Day motioned, seconded by Ms. Garner, to lower the design speed on p. 10 (principal arterials) to 45 mph. All voted aye.
Mr. Light further discussed principal arterials, noting that the standard principal arterial with have a median with the alternative being a turn lane. He explained there will be breaks in the median to allow traffic to turn. Mr. Tate expressed concern with having medians on the roads. Mr. Cameron questioned who would approve the medians. Mr. Light answered city staff and the MAPC. He noted some areas such as the new Greensborough Village have their own design that was approved by the MAPC. Councilman Street then questioned how long the medians would be before a break is made. Mr. Light stated the medians would be quarter-mile in length, but there would be gaps for collector streets. Further discussion was held concerning medians. Mr. Light stated they will add a sentence to p. 10 to state median cuts will be at appropriate locations as determined by city staff and MAPC.
Mr. Light then discussed the collector street designs on p. 14. Mr. Cameron asked if there are provisions for drainage in medians to protect roadways. Mr. Light answered no, but they will add that language. Mr. Cameron stated if a developer chooses to have irrigation in a median, then they should be required to put in drainage.
Mr. Light referred to the design standards for local streets on p. 16 and noted local streets should have shared travel and bike lanes as opposed to separate travel and bike lanes. He recommended eliminating the first design standard and just having the second option as the only option. Mr. Tate motioned, seconded by Mr. Day, to take the first design standard out. All voted aye.
Mr. Cameron motioned, seconded by Mr. Day, to change the lane width on p. 12 (minor arterials) to 12 feet only and change the minimum right-of-way to 110 feet. All voted aye.
Discussion was held concerning the width of right-of-ways. Mr. Day recommended leaving the width of right-of-ways in order to ensure there's enough room for utilities. Mr. Cameron suggested giving staff the option of waiving the minimum right-of-way if it's too much, but with the approval of CWL. Mr. Light stated he will add language to p. 7 to allow for the ability to require less right-of-way if it is acceptable to the city and CWL.
JETS Director Steve Ewart asked the committee to consider infrastructure on the roadways that will allow public transit to pull out of the flow of traffic when making a stop. He noted bigger cities do this and it helps with the flow of traffic. Mr. Cameron suggested having developers with bigger pieces of property, such as 40 acres or more, to consider that issue, but he's not sure how smaller tracts of land would accommodate that request. Councilman Street questioned what other areas do in that regard. Mr. Ewart stated he could research it to see how other cities handle that problem. Mr. Light noted there is no language in the Little Rock Master Street Plan that refers to that issue, but it may be a separate document. It was suggested that another committee would be more appropriate to look at that issue and decide how to handle it. Mr. Light added he will add that to the recommendations list from the Master Street Plan Committee to the City, to look at future work with transit similar to the bicycle plan.
With no further business, Mr. Day motioned, seconded by Mr. Cameron, to adjourn. All voted aye.