City Council Minutes 03-24-2014 Special (lights)MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING — MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
Monday, March 24, 2014 — 6:00 p.m.
Mississippi Room, Monticello Community Center
Present: Clint Herbst, Tom Perrault, Glen Posusta
Absent: Lloyd Hilgart, Brian Stumpf
Others: WSB representatives Chuck Rickart and Shibani Bisson, Jeff O'Neill
1. Call to Order
Mayor Herbst called the special meeting to order at 6 p.m.
2. Purpose of Meeting: Update on flashing yellow arrows on signal lights
Clint Herbst introduced the purpose of the meeting and turned it over to Shibani
Bisson from WSB. Shibani Bisson provided handouts with information about
flashing yellow arrows, maps of the City's signal system configurations, and a
spreadsheet showing an estimated cost breakdown and potential funding split for
upgrading all signals in the City with flashing yellow arrows. Shibani Bisson noted
the spreadsheet also includes crash data and data on the number of crashes that
potentially could be corrected with implementation of the flashing yellow arrow. This
is an important criteria for the County in determining whether they will participate in
funding a project.
3. Consideration of installing flashing yellow arrows on existing signal lights
Chuck Rickart of WSB talked about the signals and how they work. The lights
consist of a variety of options with solid and flashing arrows. The signals can be
programmed for the best alternatives for a specific intersection. Cameras provide the
initiation of signal changes for the arrows based on the how the programming is set.
Chuck Rickart commented on the safety advantages for using flashing yellow arrows.
Chuck Rickart stated that MnDOT uses the flashing yellow arrows on all new signals
or major reconstruction of roadways where there are existing signals. The major
expense is the upgrade of the signal cabinets, which could cost up to $30,000 for a
new cabinet. For all of the signal updates listed on the spreadsheet, the total cost to
the City is estimated at $257,663.
Clint Herbst asked how the flashing yellow arrows would work at Hwy 25 and River
Street. Chuck Rickart confirmed it would flash yellow all the time from 4 to 7 p.m.
and would not turn red for left turns onto River Street. Clint Herbst wondered if it
might be better to just let it stay the way it is considering the cost.
Chuck Rickart reviewed the various intersections listed on the spreadsheet and
potential costs on upgrading each of those signals. He noted that the costs are split
City Council Special Meeting Minutes — March 24, 2014 Page 1
based on who has jurisdiction on each leg of the intersection. Chuck Rickart pointed
out the highest crash rate is at Hwy 25 and 7t' Street, most likely due to the
unrestricted left turn on green. Clint Herbst asked about planned improvements in the
near future at that location. Chuck Rickart agreed that the City could make the signal
improvements at the same time as the rest of the intersection improvements. This is
also a consideration for the signals at Chelsea Road and School Boulevard, to include
upgrades with the expansion of TH 25 in 2015.
Chuck Rickart gave the example of the signal upgrades in Albertville where there has
been a benefit in reducing the crashes at those intersections. Wright County funded
these since they were deemed safety improvements.
Glen Posusta indicated that adding flashing yellow arrows might be a means of
reducing some of the traffic congestion in Monticello and reduce the complaints in
that regard. He suggested, with the I -94 project, traffic will be diverted onto city
streets, which may be a reason to look at some signal upgrades.
Shibani Bisson stated that MNDOT seems willing to pay their share with any signal
upgrades at intersections on state roads. Wright County is hesitant to participate in
cost sharing unless the city can justify the cost based on safety improvements and if
they have budget available. They do not have a formal policy on funding or
implementing flashing yellow arrows.
Clint Herbst said the city should be ready to make requests for signal improvements if
the I -94 project results in severe traffic congestion that could be remediated with
flashing yellow arrows. He suggested that Council should pick out the intersections
of main concern and earmark them for city staff to watch. In the event a change has
to be made, the city should be ready to fund such improvements.
Council members earmarked the following five intersections as the ones with the
highest priority at this time for signal improvements. The estimated cost to the City
for these five would total $111,825. It is not known whether the County would agree
to participate at this time in the cost - sharing for the signals at Broadway and Highway
25, with their share at $36,300.
• School Boulevard at State Highway 25
• Chelsea Road at State Highway 25
• Oakwood Drive at State Highway 25
• 7h Street at State Highway 25
• Broadway at State Highway 25 (Chuck Rickart noted that there is a chance
that the State may choose to wait on this until the CSAH 75/Highway 25
Intersection Improvement Project.)
GLEN POSUSTA MOVED TO DIRECT WSB TO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO
MNDOT FOR CONSIDERATION OF INSTALLING SIGNAL UPGRADES AT
THE FIVE LISTED INTERSECTIONS WITH THE COST TO BE FRONTED BY
City Council Special Meeting Minutes — March 24, 2014 Page 2
THE CITY, AS NEEDED, WITH REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE FOR
THEIR SHARE. TOM PERRAULT SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION
CARRIED 3 -0 (WITH HILGART AND STUMPF ABSENT).
Shibani Bisson mentioned that they would also request MnDOT to include battery
backups as an option at the same time as they implement signal upgrades.
4. Adjournment
TOM PERRAULT MOVED TO ADJOURN THE SPECIAL MEETING AT 6:31
P.M. GLEN POSUSTA SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED 3 -0
(WITH HILGART AND STUMPF ABSENT).
Recorder: Catherine M. Shuman
Approved: April 14, 2014
Attest: 0��
City A gl� trator
City Council Special Meeting Minutes — March 24, 2014 Page 3