01-24-2011 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL Monday, January 24, 2011 • 7:00 o'clock p.m. (8. OLD CRYSTAL BAYROAD RECONSTRUCTION PLAN UPDATE, Continued) forms of landscaping without the need for irrigation. Since that time, a question has arose on whether the median should be made narrower and forego the landscaping. Kellogg indicated the City Council will need to make a decision on that issue either tonight or in the next few days if they wish to meet the schedule outlined in the feasibility study. John Slack, Landscape Architect with Bonestroo, presented different boulevard and roundabout treatments that address traffic /pedestrian safety and prevention of midblock pedestrian crossings. Slack stated median treatments are possible without irrigation, but they typically do not recommend that. Typically a maintenance plan is included as part of the construction, which requires the landscape contractor to provide irrigation for a year or two after the project is completed to ensure that the landscaping is established prior to the irrigation being discontinued. Slack stated they looked at three different options for the median treatments to address those two primary concerns. The first option would be strictly plantings, the second option would be land forms, and the third option included a combination of the two. Slack displayed the first option depicting trees in the median and along the boulevard. The roundabouts would include a cluster of trees and some low lying shrubs. The second option would incorporate some metal fencing to help prevent pedestrian crossings at undesired locations. Slack noted there are a number • of existing trees, which will largely remain. The purpose of the trees is to create a canopy and a closure, which helps to slow traffic down and helps separate the pedestrians on the trail from the roadway. Slack displayed an illustration of one of the larger roundabouts depicting a cluster of trees on the top and a circle of smaller shrubs towards the edge of the roundabout. Slack indicated the shrubs they are proposing would be low maintenance. Slack displayed a mid block section depicting a row of trees and a land form consisting of a metal fence, which is on the lower end of the cost spectrum. Slack indicated the last sheet of the packet includes a cost analysis for the various options. The cost is around $186,000 for a combination of the plantings and the land form. Slack noted these costs are lower than what was projected in the feasibility study. If the cable railing is eliminated, it would reduce the costs by $36,000 to $40,000. The cost of the trees is approximately $76,000, which could be reduced depending on the number of trees. Franchot asked what the width of the median is that was used in the cost analysis. Slack indicated it is 10 feet wide from curb to curb. Kellogg stated based on past discussions, it was felt that a median between eight and ten feet would be the best approach to allow for some type of landscaping in the future. Franchot asked what the cost of the project would be with a bare concrete median and no landscaping. Kellogg stated at a minimum the median should be four feet wide, which could consist of concrete or • colored concrete. Page 7 of 15