Vacating Petition_Portion of Cox Street_City Manager Council Follow UpMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Council Follow -Up: Vacating - Portion of Cox Street
DATE: July 22, 2010
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos has provided answers to the questions asked about the
possible vacation of Cox Street.
The major problem relates to the conclusion that West 17 Street should be widened
from Clark Street west to the top of the hill. The estimated cost is over $150,000. The
street is 31 foot wide, but with parking on both sides, there is only a 16 foot driving lane.
This can be problematic, especially in the winter. This is a problem that already exists,
but will be exacerbated with the increased traffic. The City will have $50,000 from the
land sale. If the Cox Street closure is not done immediately, the City could reprioritize
some funding in a future budget year.
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Attachment
cc: Jim Collins, President, Loras College
Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
U.
Michael C. Van Milligen
Dubuque
Al-Medea City
P
2007
Loras College plans to reconfigure the proposed vacated area into more of a campus
atmosphere with landscaping and other pedestrian features. The existing roadway
would be reconfigured to eliminate local through traffic, but would still be accessible for
fire apparatus, pedestrians, and other emergency vehicles.
The Council questions discussed at the July 6 meeting are addressed as follows:
1. Traffic may produce some additional weight on the street surface, often
accompanied by some vibration from larger vehicles. However, it is the City
Engineer's opinion that the traffic along Cox Street would have an insignificant effect
on the existing retaining wall because of the following:
— The vibration from heavier traffic would be minimal due to the low volume of
heavier vehicles and the short duration.
— The wall is above the street grade, therefore, not supporting the street.
— Portions of the wall are constructed on natural ledge rock where sliding or
bearing failure is unlikely to occur.
2. Engineering evaluated the street system with the anticipation that Cox Street would
be closed between Loras Boulevard and West 17 Street. Several different streets
were looked at that would provide alternate routes for vehicles due to this closure.
This analysis evaluated the improvements necessary to move vehicles and
pedestrians safely through the area.
The proposed improvements were given a priority from 1 to 3 defined as follows:
— Priority 1: Should be done prior to actual closing of Cox Street between Loras
Boulevard and West 17 Street to the public.
— Priority 2: Should be done in the near future.
— Priority 3: Should be done in the future.
The possible responsibility for these improvements was separated between the City
and Loras College and summarized by priority in the following table:
Priority CAL City and /or Loras Total
Loras
1 $ 48,100 $ 165,500 $ 0 $213,600
2 107,700 54,010 5,695 167,405
3 91,400 0 6,545 97,945
Total $247,200 $219,510 $12,240 $478,950
The City's participation in the proposed improvements is based on providing asphalt
overlays on deteriorating streets. Other miscellaneous items, such as signage and
increasing radii at intersections, are common traffic improvement projects
constructed by the Public Works and Engineering Departments.
The improvements proposed to be the responsibility of City and /or Loras College is
directly related to making the alternate routes conducive for the additional vehicle
and pedestrian traffic. The largest component of these improvements is for widening
streets to provide two -way traffic and adding sidewalks to provide a safe walking
route for pedestrians. If parking is removed from the other side of Cox Street (it is
already prohibited on the west side) from West 17 to Angella, $42,300 could be
deducted from Priority 1 above. If parking is removed from Angella from Cox to
Pierce on one side, $43,800 could be deducted from Priority 2 above.
The widening of 17 Street from Clark Street to the top of the hill where there is a
Loras College parking lot and tennis courts is more challenging. Because of the
width of the street (31 feet) and parking allowed on both sides, there is only a 16 -foot
travel lane. With additional traffic, especially during winter conditions, this is
problematic. There are probably too many apartments to restrict parking to one side.
The cost for the widening is estimated at $151,600. The City will have $50,000 from
the sale of Cox Street.
The attached table represents the suggested street improvements to the alternate
routes. Please note that the overlay on Kirkwood is scheduled for this construction
season and Alta Vista is anticipated to be overlaid next year, both will be done by
City crews as part of the standard City program.
3. In order to facilitate access during snow and ice conditions, the Public Works
Department will establish a higher priority response for West 17 Street and Cox
Street. Kirkwood and Alta Vista are already "secondary streets" on plow /deice route
#7. Public Works is willing to add Cox Street and West 17 Street to the "secondary
streets" for that route. This would create three optional routes for accessing the
West 17 /Angella neighborhood during a winter storm.
4. In order to provide safer street crossings for students, painted crosswalks will be
installed on Loras Boulevard at Alta Vista, Cox, and Walnut Streets. In addition,
pedestrian crossing signs will be installed along Loras Boulevard.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
This information should be provided to the City Council for their consideration.
Prepared by Ronald J. Turner, PLS
cc: Jim Collins, Loras College — President
Don Vogt, Public Works Director
John Klostermann, Street & Sewer Maintenance Supervisor
THE CITY OF
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agencies shall not be held liable for any direct, IMlrect, incidental,
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Phone: (563) 589 -4270
Fax: (563) 589 -4205
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Item
Item Description
Priority
Cost
City $
City/Loras $
Loras $
A.
Alta Vista and Kirkwood Streets
A.1
Remove parking on north side of Kirkwood at Alta Vista from end of radius east 30 feet.
1
100.00
0.00
0.00
A.2
Overlay Alta Vista from Vernon Street to Kirkwood. (Scheduled for 2011.)
3
91,000.00
0.00
0.00
A.3
Overlay Kirkwood from Alta Vista to West Locust Street. (Scheduled for this year.)
2
85,000.00
0.00
0.00
A.4
Increase radius at southeast corner of Kirkwood and Alta Vista.
2
1,900.00
0.00
0.00
B.
Kirkwood and Cox Intersection
B.1
Increase radii at intersection from 4 feet to 15 feet.
2
3,800.00
0.00
0.00
B.2
Construct sidewalk on the west side of Cox from Kirkwood to south existing walk.
3
0.00
0.00
6,545.00
C.
West Locust at Kirkwood and Pierce Intersections
C.1
Monitoring turning traffic on the southwest side of Kirkwood and West Locust for possible
reconfiguration.
0.00
0.00
0.00
C.2
Remove parking on the west side of Pierce from West Locust to 30 feet south.
1
100.00
0.00
0.00
C.3
Increase radius at southeast corner of West Locust and Pierce.
2
1,900.00
0.00
0.00
C.4
Remove perpendicular parking on Pierce and make parallel.
3
400.00
0.00
0.00
D.
Pierce Street at Angella
D.1
Remove pine tree and other brush on Pierce Street near Angella.
1
500.00
0.00
0.00
D.2
The widening of Pierce Street at Angella would be impractical. Very expensive due to
constraints caused by narrow right -of -way and existing structures.
3
0.00
0.00
0.00
E.
Cox Street at Angella and West 17th
E.1
Widen Angella from Pierce Street to Cox Street from 27 feet to 31 feet or remove parking
from one side.
2
15,000.00
43,800.00
0.00
E.2
Increase radius at southeast corner of Angella and Cox.
2
0.00
1,900.00
0.00
E.3
Increase radius at northeast corner of West 17th and Cox.
2
0.00
1,900.00
0.00
E.4
Construct sidewalks on the north and south sides of Angella, Pierce to Cox.
2
0.00
4,030.00
0.00
E.5
Construct sidewalk on the north side of West 17th along the parking lot.
2
0.00
0.00
3,315.00
E.6
Construct sidewalk on the east side of Cox Street from West 17th to Angella.
2
0.00
2,380.00
2,380.00
E.7
Widen Cox Street from West 17th to Angella Street or remove parking from the other side.
1
18,000.00
42,300.00
0.00
F.
West 17th Street
F.1
Widen West 17th Street between Clark Street and Loras parking lot from 31 feet to 37 feet
or remove parking from one side.
1
28 400.00
123,200.00
0.00
VACATING PETITION - PORTION OF COX STREET
Street Improvements for Alternate Routes
Item
Item Description
Priority
Cost
City $
City /Loras $
Loras $
G.
Cornell Street
G.1
Restrict parking on one side at May Place due to inadequate sight distance and existing
one -lane traffic at top of hill. Could make one way as an alternate to removing parking.
(This is a neighborhood parking permit area.) Widening of the street is impractical and very
expensive due to the terrain and structures close to the right -of -way.
2
100.00
0.00
0.00
H.
Cornell at Loras Boulevard
H.1
Extend no parking on the north side of Loras west of Cornell 40 feet.
1
100.00
0.00
0.00
I.
Loras Boulevard
1.1
Add painted crosswalks at Alta Vista and Walnut Street.
1
400.00
0.00
0.00
1.2
Add pedestrian crossing signs on Alta Vista.
1
300.00
0.00
0.00
J.
Glen Oak at Loras Boulevard
J.1
Remove bushes and 40 feet of parking on the north side of Loras Boulevard west of Glen
Oak for better visibility.
1
200.00
0.00
0.00
TOTAL
$247,200.00
$219,510.00
$12,240.00
VACATING PETITION - PORTION OF COX STREET
Street Improvements for Alternate Routes
Priority 1 Must be completed prior to closure of Cox Street.
Priority 2 Must be completed prior to three (3) years from date of closing Cox Street.
Priority 3 Must be completed prior to five (5) years from date of closing Cox Street.