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NEWS FROM CITY HALL:  

March 7, 2014: Council Brief 

Feb. 7, 2014: Council Brief 

Jan. 10, 2014: Council Brief 

Dec. 16, 2013: Council Brief 

       Nov. 29, 2013: Council Brief 

Nov. 18, 2013: Council Brief

Nov. 1, 2013: Council Brief

Oct. 20, 2013: Council Brief

Update on the Roundabout:

It has been over two months since I held the Town Hall meeting on the Proposed Roundabout and I have received several questions regarding our progress.  Aside from the zoning considerations in the Historic Preservation district, the City must consider the changes in traffic and parking that will occur as a result of the installation of a roundabout as proposed.  During the Town Hall meeting on the Proposed Roundabout, Richard Wilson, Director of Public Works and Parks, suggested the City set up a facsimile roundabout to make real-time measurements on the effects of installing a roundabout in the Historic Civic Plaza.  This plan for a mock Roundabout (Temporary Roundabout Implementation Plan) was devised with cost estimates (to be paid for by the City of University City) and submitted to St. Louis County for comment.

Last week St. Louis County rejected our proposed plan for the mock roundabout citing impact on their abutting portion of Delmar:

"Thank you and the other University City staff for coming in to discuss the temporary mock up roundabout on Delmar Boulevard at Trinity.
 
In our meeting we discussed that the geometrics of the proposed mock up, the use of channelizing cones, barrels, and concrete planters to delineate the outline of the temporary roundabout, and the lack of proper signing and tapers would contribute to traffic congestion and driver safety issues for motorists on the County maintained section of Delmar Boulevard.  We noted that the proposed mock up does not closely mimic the final roundabout design and would not provide an accurate simulation of the ultimate condition.
 
Given the traffic safety and congestion issues that could arise with the mock up installation, we do not believe that permitting the installation would be appropriate in this instance.  We suggest simulating an accurate model of the ultimate design using modeling software as a viable alternative to the proposed field mock up.
 
Please feel free to call if you have any questions.
 
Thanks,
Jim
 
James M. Knoll, PE, CFM
Supervisor, Project Managers | Civil Plan Review and Special Use Permits Groups
St. Louis County Department of Highways and Traffic
41 S. Central Ave. | Clayton, MO 63105
direct 314-615-8554 | office 314-615-8517 | fax 314-615-7084
jmknoll@stlouisco.com | www.stlouisco.com"
 

Computer simulation or placing the roundabout trial in off-site will not provide accurate information about this very complex intersection.  The City Manager discussed this with me, and the City will be developing another viable alternative so that we can accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed Roundabout in solving our traffic problems.  We are looking for the best solution.  Once the trial has been developed and agreed to by the County, it will go to the Historic Preservation Commission for approval of the plan as it impacts Civic Plaza.  You will be updated on the progress.  



REPORTS:

Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for FY 2012 

INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT FY2012

1) Report on Internal Control related matters and advisory comments

2) Report to the City Council

3) Single audit report (summary of all federal grants) 



Update on the Loop Trolley:

Loop Trolley CUP Approved; Line Could Be in By Summer 2014 

                     March 12, 2013  University City Patch

The Department of Public Works and Parks has completed the review of the Traffic Study for the Trolley.  They agree with the results and have forwarded this to the Plan Commission for use in the Conditional Use Permit required for the Trolley.  The Plan Commission will consider the Conditional Use Permit for the Trolley, now scheduled for February 27, 2013.

The Traffic Study for the Trolley assumes that the proposed Roundabout will be built, and the traffic projections are based on the simultaneous existence of the Loop Trolley and the Roundabout.  The Roundabout, however, has not yet been considered nor approved by the Council.

It is also noted that when the Roundabout was previously was reviewed for design conformance with the Civic Complex Historic District Standards by the Historic Preservation Commission last July, the Commissioners had not been properly provided the with the Civic Complex Historic District Standards: The Civic Plaza Historic Plan from 1985 and the Civic Plaza Historic District Report from 1993.
 
These plans were drawn up by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of staff and citizen time (details in the master plans).  The City executed these plans and installed all the specified improvements through, in part, a $450K voter-approved bond issue (approx. 1994). 

Since the HPC members did not have these existing standards in hand when considering the Roundabout, this may need to be resubmitted to HPC for review of the proposed Roundabout development for conformance with Civic Complex Historic District standards. 

The Roundabout appears to be in major conflict with the City's adopted and executed plans. These plans would have to be amended to change the standards.

Aside from the zoning considerations in the historic preservation district, the City must consider the changes in traffic and parking that will occur as a result of the installation of a roundabout as proposed.  During the Town Hall meeting on the Proposed Roundabout, Richard Wilson, Director of Public Works and Parks, suggested the City set up a facsimile roundabout to make real-time measurements on the effects of installing a roundabout in the Historic Civic Plaza.   A cost analysis for this roundabout facsimile study should soon be provided to the Council.