East Hampton
Streetscape Steering Committee
Minutes of Special Meeting
Wednesday, January 16, 2008, 5:30 pm
East Hampton Middle School Library Media Center
Agenda Item #1: Call to Order
Streetscape Steering Committee Chairperson Elizabeth Harris called the meeting to order at 5:35 pm. Other committee members present were Kevin Burnham, Ralph Stoeckle, and Sue Weintraub.
Others present: Val Ferro and Heidi Hajna, of TPA Design Associates, and Christopher Granatini of Tighe and Bond.
Agenda Item #2: Approval of Minutes, December 12, 2007, Special Meeting
Motion to accept the minutes from the December 12, 2007 special meeting was made by Kevin Burnham and seconded by Ralph Stoeckle; the minutes were approved by unanimous vote.
Agenda Item #3: Communications and Announcements: TPA announced that the Connecticut DOT is planning to begin modification of the MainStreet/East High Street intersection in April, 2008, and the plan has gone out to bid.
Agenda Item #4: Update from Tighe and Bond regarding traffic recommendations:
Christopher Granatini reported on Tighe and Bond’s draft of traffic operations and feasibility assessment for a mid-block crossing. Recorded data included traffic volume and speed, pedestrian volume and crossing locations. Analysis showed approximately 11,000 vehicles per weekday, split approximately evenly in both directions; 85th percentile speed was just less than 40 mph, as compared to the posted speed limit of 30 mph. Crash data from DOT recorded common accidents with no obvious deficiencies. Pedestrian crossing locations were random. Analysis of the data suggested an appropriate location for a midblock crossing at the east end of the retail area on the west side of the Pocotopaug Creek culvert; however, the Connecticut DOT avoids the installation of mid-block crossings, a policy which
was reiterated by the DOT at a meeting with Tighe and Bond. Additionally, East Hampton Chief of Police Matthew Reimondo noted a concentration of crossings by adolescents in the afternoons, primarily in the region of Rite-Aid Pharmacy and Citgo, west of the suggested crossing location. The DOT has suggested some driveway modifications and a traffic control signal warrant analysis, believing that the safest pedestrian crossings are located at signalized intersections.
Further development and planned DOT work at the Route 66/Route 196 intersection could increase or change the nature of pedestrian crossings in the retail area, which could, in turn, alter the mid-block crossing recommendations in the future.
Agenda Item #5: Public Information Meeting
Val Ferro and Heidi Hajna of TPA presented the proposed plan for the East High Street streetscape project, including before-and-after visuals at the Classic Auto location, existing and proposed street cross-sections, and furnishings.
Agenda Item #6: Next Steps
The committee is to review the recommendations from Tighe and Bond and send comments to Heidi Hajna. TPA will also need the committee’s final choices regarding lamp design. Visuals from this evening’s presentation will be put on display at the East Hampton Library and forwarded to the webmaster for inclusion on the Town’s website.
Agenda Item #7: Public Comments
Heidi Hajna and Val Ferro answered questions regarding the proposed design during their presentation.
Agenda Item #8: Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm. The next regular meeting is planned for Wednesday, February 20, 2008.
Respectfully submitted by Elizabeth Harris.
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