Morning. >> All right. Good afternoon. Welcome to the November 2025 safety commission meeting. We'll call it to order here. Uh first order of business is uh everybody should have the meeting minutes from the August 7th meeting in their packet and
we'd like if there are any changes or additions. I'll make a motion to approve as they were submitted. >> I can second that. >> All right, we got a motion and second to approve the minutes from last time. All in favor? >> I opposed. All right. >> Did you need a motion to approve the
agenda, Joey? >> Okay. >> All right. Uh, next up, old business. Uh, update on >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair and commission members. Uh, hi and welcome. Um, just to update you, last time we
met, uh, it was recommended that the, uh, by by you, by the commission to city council that, uh, yield signs go in on Second North Street at the intersection of State Street. Um, street that was, uh, approved by the city council. They ordered in the installation of those
signs. The street department completed that, I would say, shortly thereafter that council meeting. Um, so those are up. Um I guess I haven't received any feedback positively or negatively on them, but so they seem to be serving their purpose just fine. And then um I
can jump right into 3.2 and that is comprehensive safety action plan and school zone uh speed study progress. Um so these both of these project projects are being done by SRF consulting group on the comprehensive safety action plan. They have completed the public outreach
and engagement. They attended four in-person events in town and those included uh Newm Night Out, the Brown County Fair, Hermanfest, and October Fest. Uh their in-person engagement was really good. They got a lot of good
comments and feedback from people. Um wishing to provide their their opinions and thoughts. Um I just had an update meeting with them this afternoon. We have about 85 comments on our interactive web map. So, um, it's that's
amount of feedback's okay. They would have liked a little bit more. So, I think it's going to be left open through mid till late November and then they'll compile those comments and begin work um moving forward on the plan. So more to come um in front of the commission most
likely in January, February of next year on plan uh progress uh once those uh uh comments are compiled and um just continued to plan progress moving forward. Also completed our uh SRF has
identified our high injury network and uh not uh surprisingly it's generally the state highway through tone. Um and then they also have completed the demographic review. So that's all components that'll be within this
completed plan. So uh they're making good progress. Um and they're right on schedule as well. As far as the school zone speed study, they have collected data and are really going through the analysis portion um of that right now.
So, um I we really don't have a a set schedule on that, but um reports will be in the works and hopefully early next um early next year we should have a at least a draft for the commission to
review. So, any questions? >> I don't have any. >> All right. Thank you. Um, so we'll just we don't need to do a motion on that because file that report. Okay. Then we'll move on to new business
consideration of the proposed 2026 capital improvement plan. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair and commission members. So within your packet today is the 5-year uh CIP list uh for the proposed improvements. Um I'll really I'll touch on a little bit
of the 5-year plan, but I won't go real in depth um beyond 2026. Um so plan for 2026 um you know what I consider standard utility and reconstruction year. We don't have anything real outstanding on there. The
main project there is State Street from 12th North to 16th North Street. The main improvements we were proposing with that it's a street and utility reconstruction project. We have aged and really some utilities are in really poor shape. Um but that segment really
doesn't include uh crosswalks along the segment into the fairgrounds. Um so we will be adding crosswalks at every intersection and um adjacent to the fairgrounds there. It's heavily traveled especially during fair week and whatnot. So um so those will be added in. Uh
under uh you'll see the miscellaneous concrete sidewalk and pedestrian improvement section. Uh we are proposing to do a bunch of trail patching along uh the recreck trail uh specifically along North High Avenue from Cassad 29 to 7th
North Street. Some of those big elm trees have created some issues with the trail. Um so we are looking to get in there and rectify that and repatch to provide that safe uh um usable surface
for trail users. And then the other one uh we've previously talked about as a commission and it's kind of been an item for quite a while is up by the MLC soccer fields on Fifth North Street or Cass 27. Uh especially during soccer season, it's really tough for kids and
parents to cross that road. Um so we what we are proposing um is to add an additional crosswalk location and install a set of our RFB uh enhanced crossing devices similar to what's at
center and garden and other locations throughout the city. We have received really good feedback on those devices. So uh we think that's an appropriate uh spot for them. Um, so we would have some parking restrictions, probably 50 feet each side of the crosswalk to provide
better sight lines because on the curve it's just it's not a a very safe situation um with some of the site constraints that are there. So that's uh probably you know of most interest to the commission that location and project that we are lumping in next year. Um,
just item of note that does I do need to take that to the county highway department um and their uh highway committee just for their blessing as well, but I've kind of gotten a verbal from the county engineer that he would fully support those improvements as well because that is a county state aid
highway. Uh, also included within the packet, I included the active transportation plan and the complete streets policy. Those are just kind of our document guiding documents as we develop our our projects, you know, to make those improvements to make our city more
walkable. Um, walk, bike, and roll friendly. Um, so those I included those just for reference if the commission chose to review those. Uh, >> questions. >> Yes. Is the north part the north side um bike trail included in here somewhere
resurfacing that >> north park? the no the north end if you go from like center street out. >> Yeah. So that that trail resurfacing is um probably from 7th north kind of where it starts by the high school. Yeah. So we're not going to do the whole thing.
There'll be a bunch of patchwork. >> Oh the trail. >> On the trail. Yeah. >> Okay. Y >> it's bad. Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's those elm trees are wreaking havoc on on the surface. >> No down on Front Street. >> Oh Front Street.
>> Yeah. On the real bike path. Oh no. Uh we aren't going back there yet. So Okay. >> Yeah, we did most of that patching and overlay work. We've tried to get most of it. There is a segment probably between third and seventh. We have a little bit of work to do yet.
>> Um kind of adjacent to dog park, but u we'll hope to include that in the future CIP. There's some pretty big gaps and cracks in the trail down there yet. We just haven't had the funding to um tackle. And depending on how bids come in, if we have some funds left over, we might add that in, but we'll have to see
how far we can get the dollars to stretch. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, I'll just kind of quickly go through the rest of the 5-year project listing. The main project in 2027 would be that Garden Street project from Center Street to Fifth North, including the mini
roundabout at uh Fifth and Garden. Um that's going to be a major roadway reconstruction project as long along with replacing aged and undersized water mane. Um another big stretch that we have including 27 would be Franklin
Street from Fifth North to 12th North, but that would be a utility and roadway reconstruction in the grid part of the city. Continuing through in 2028, uh we're coming back downtown to work on German Street between Center and Third
South Street. And then also with that would be first north street between German and Front Street in front of the public utilities power plant. Um so with that project it would be we try to make that uh trail crossing on First North a little bit better. It's some pretty steep slopes.
It's not the most friendly if you're biking. It's kind of jarring. So we'll make those uh ramps ADA compliant as part of that project. Um that's uh that's an ugly project in the old one of the oldest parts of the city. So lots of
utilities and things to work around in there, but um improvements can be made to our to our walk, bike, and roll network as well. 2029, uh another grid project on Pain Street from Center to Fifth North Street and then another
chunk of German Street from Third South to 7 South. So, um, if anyone's driven that, you know, condition of German streets pretty poor shape. So, we're trying to trying to tackle those projects as well. A lot of the streets that remain that are in poor shape have
very old utility utilities with them and need major work on the utilities as well. So, um, again, it's trying to put the puzzle together and, uh, decide which projects we can get to fit in and with the funding that we are allotted.
And then finally in 2030, which feels I'm scrolling on the wrong one. I'm sorry. My apologies. >> Yeah, I was wondering what >> There we go. Here we are in 2030. Um the the big one on this year would be Center Street, the Center Street
Corridor improvements. >> Um so that would include from Pain Street through Garden partially up the hill towards Summit. Um roundabout improvements at both intersections. Um we are we're keeping a placeholder in of
that PD tunnel, but as we've done more research that may become unfeasible because of existing utilities that are in the way. >> We'll know more about that as we reach uh actual design instead of concept design. Um but yeah, that that would be
the big one and we've talked with Brown County on that as well because that is Center Street is a CASA uh county highway as well. Um, so I think we are both going after grant funds. We each can apply for those funds. Um, there's bunch of different categories that I
think if we work together, we can find the funding to accomplish this project. So, um, it's a priority project with the county, too. So, it was it was a very good conversation with Mr. Lane at Brown County Highway Department. Um, he's a project he would like to see accomplished as well, but we need to
identify the funding for that because it is about $7 million worth of improvements. Yep. >> Why are there no new trees in 2028? >> Every other year's got trees except 2028. >> So 28. >> We know we don't have money already or
what? >> Well, so we don't anticipate um and there may be some trees, but in that section of German Street, we're not anticipating having to remove them. >> Need any. >> Yeah. So generally we include the tree planting pro. And once we get to design,
we might realize, oh, we do have, you know, 10 trees we have to replant that had to come out. But at this point, we're not anticipating needing to take any, but that might change once we get into actual design. So, it's uh our best guess at this point in time. So,
>> okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. And the council may always elect to if they want to see us plant any more trees, they may direct us otherwise as well to add that. At the >> end of the day, Joe, you're just breaking that out as a line item, are you? It's clearly in the project but yet you're breaking out as a separate line item.
>> Yeah. So the reason reason we have them as a separate project is the mindot tree warranty extends for a period of two years and we like to close our construction projects out as soon as possible. It um so doing them as two projects allows us to keep the tree
portion of the project open because if we combine them then we're keeping that entire $4 million project open for $20,000 worth of trees. and contractors don't like that because we hold money back when the project's open. So, >> so we found and we get much better
prices this way too. We found that we can plant a lot more trees for a lot less money. So, so that was uh kind of a byproduct of doing it this way, but we've found it's working pretty well for us. So, that I know I ran through everything really quickly. And then finally, the
last sheet in here is just a overhead view of State Street. kind of we can kind of see those locations where we're, you know, there's really isn't the ped ramps for those fair vehicles that park on the side streets and things like that. Uh especially during fair week.
So, we felt it would be ne uh a good add-on to it. Make sure we add those ped ramps in as part of the project. >> Well, there's really a lot of activity at the fairgrounds also. >> Yeah. Not just during the fair, right? >> Yeah. between the weddings and the festivals and
>> Yep. Yeah. And you know um Bavarian blast and everything else that happens down there the fairgrounds gets used. So >> So at this point we're not necessarily looking at adding bumpouts along the corridor. I don't think there's that consistent pedestrian uh count to
warrant that. But I think add at least adding the ped ramps in will help. But that's something we'll look at during design as well. >> Bump out for me. uh bump up like on Minnesota Street, those curb extensions uh where the curb so that crossing
distance for the pedestrians is shorter. Instead of crossing the four the full 40 ft, you're crossing maybe 22 ft of um exposed in the roadway, but I know it's a a quick run through of five years and you know about $40
million worth of work. Um, so is the the deal with the tunnel on Center Street in 2030, is that you the utilities closer to where the roundabout would be versus moving it a little further to the west? >> Yeah. So, there's major um tech water
mains, the main one that runs uh along center street and we have a feeling that's going to be kind of right in the middle of where that tunnel would be. >> Also associated with the tunnel is very extensive retaining wall work that would be needed. Um, so it really gets down to
that cost benefit where, you know, if we're pumping $2 million just for the ped tunnel, can we, you know, do better enhancements in the roundabout for the pedestrian um, crossings, you know, RFBs or other other things. So, that'll be as, you know, assuming we get the funds
and we can get a consultant under contract for that, then we would really dive into what's what's the best treatment for the intersection. >> Um, and there's sanitary sewer in there that comes down the hill as well. So, a lot of those we can't move. >> Water we could go up and down if we had
to, but sewer I'm guessing is going to be almost right in the middle of the tunnel, >> right? >> Or very close to it. So, >> but until we do a deep dive into actual >> just there's a lot of people that have started, you know, since some of this stuff information's coming out that the
city's looking at it. >> Yeah. 5 years. There's a lot of people starting to chirp on it and think that it would be a nice addition. So that's >> and if we can if we can construct it we will include it. >> Yeah. >> I I think it would be you know anytime you can have that grade separation is
going to be the perfect solution. >> But um >> if it can't be constructed will there be somehow another safe pedestrian cross? >> Yeah we'd look at RFBs or you know some sort of alter alternate. Um we'd see
what the consultants can come up with on that project. Yep. But, you know, as long as if the roundabout goes in, that's going to be a safer condition than what currently exists. But we'd hope to modify it to enhance it even further to make that safer. Maybe it's a bigger center island
or um um refuge area for the peds or something like that as well. So, but >> some communities you see an elevation. >> Yeah, bridges are expensive, I found. So, um you know, that that's always a possibility. Um but yeah, that comes
with a very hefty price tag as well. So but that will conclude my report. >> All right. Any further discussion? Okay. Are we looking for to make a recommendation to the city council? >> Yeah, Mr. Chair, I'd be looking, you know, if the uh commission so chooses um
typically um you know, the commission would make a recommendation that the CIP is meeting the intent of the complete streets and active transportation plan. Um so that's what we'd be looking for today. >> I would make that motion that it satisfies the intent.
>> I second it. >> All right. Motion and second to recommend that this plan meets the requirements. Any further discussion? All right. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. All right. Recommendation is
made. Uh that is the end of our agenda. So our next meeting is slated to be December 4th and the meeting is adjourned. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.