1 00:00:06,799 --> 00:00:14,240 All right. Well, it looks like most people uh have joined us at this point. 2 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:18,640 It is approximately 6 PM, so we will get started. Uh my name is Dan Opsmer. I'm 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:23,760 the deputy township manager and director of public works and engineering at 4 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:26,640 Midian Township. Um uh brief way of introduction, we'll go down the panel. 5 00:00:25,519 --> 00:00:29,840 Jim, you want to start? >> Yeah. I'm Jim Padden. and I'm the 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:33,360 managing director of the road department. 7 00:00:31,039 --> 00:00:36,960 » And Mark Troder, I'm the interim engineer with the road department. 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:41,760 » Hi everybody. Rick Grill. I'm the chief of police. 9 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:46,800 » Okay. Uh so for our agenda this evening, we are going to have kind of four main 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:51,440 segments of the public meeting. Uh the first will be a presentation that I will 11 00:00:48,559 --> 00:00:56,239 walk you through. Uh Mark and Jim with the Ingam County Road Department have 12 00:00:53,520 --> 00:01:01,359 very preliminary uh outlines of what the lane configuration on Hazlet Road could 13 00:00:59,359 --> 00:01:06,720 look like. They will walk you through that. Then we will do Q&A. And if 14 00:01:04,479 --> 00:01:10,720 there's time at the end, what we will do is we will invite folks to come up and 15 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:14,960 we'll do more of a one-on-one interface, kind of a Sharet style. And you can 16 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:19,040 actually leave post-it notes on these boards of things you don't like, things 17 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:25,119 you do like, uh, comments that you want to make. Um, other housekeeping items, 18 00:01:22,799 --> 00:01:28,159 the meeting tonight is being recorded. Uh, we have two recording devices 19 00:01:26,799 --> 00:01:32,240 running to make sure that one of them works. Uh, the meeting will be published 20 00:01:30,479 --> 00:01:36,479 on the township's website and the county's website. Uh, so the meeting 21 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:41,280 will be available for all of you to look back on. Um, but also if there are folks 22 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:45,759 that could not attend tonight, uh, they will be able to tune in and watch. Uh, I 23 00:01:43,759 --> 00:01:49,280 also just wanted wanted to recognize some of the elected officials in the 24 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:54,759 room. Uh, from the county, we have county commissioner Tanya Pratt in the 25 00:01:51,759 --> 00:01:54,759 back. 26 00:01:55,119 --> 00:02:01,840 » Uh, Supervisor Scott Hendrickson with the township. 27 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:06,159 » Treasurer Linda Burghart. >> Trustee Pete Tris. Hello. 28 00:02:04,479 --> 00:02:09,759 » We have our township manager Tim Dempsey. 29 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:15,360 And I'm scanning the room and I'm not seeing Oh, Angela Deeus, our township 30 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:18,640 clerk up front. Apologies. All right. And with that, we're going to 31 00:02:16,640 --> 00:02:24,319 get into it. Um, I'm actually going to turn it over to Chief Gillow to speak 32 00:02:20,879 --> 00:02:29,200 briefly about uh the very first slide. All right. Thank you, Dan. Um, just a 33 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:35,519 couple quick things. Uh, a little bit of history. Many of you probably live on 34 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:39,760 Hasllett Road or have uh been members of these this community for a 35 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:44,480 long time and you you know some of the history that we've had on HAL Road when 36 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:48,560 it comes to traffic issues. Um specifically, I I'll talk to two 37 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:53,576 incidents that occurred um since I've been promoted to chief. Um, I I was uh 38 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:59,200 chosen for the position in September [clears throat] of 2023. 39 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:03,840 And the pretty much right after I got promoted to the position, I was out to 40 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:08,720 dinner celebrating with my family when I got a phone call that a a young uh girl 41 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:13,519 my daughter's age had been struck by a car on Hazard Road riding her bicycle. 42 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:16,800 Um, and it was horrible. Honestly, it was horrible news for me. Honestly, one 43 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:21,040 of the worst my worst days in law enforcement that I've ever had hearing 44 00:03:18,159 --> 00:03:26,800 that news. um kind of went from a joyous occasion for me to a very sorrowful one. 45 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:32,000 And I've had the opportunity to sit down with the father of the young lady who 46 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:37,200 was struck and discuss some of his concerns with the way that the road is 47 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:42,799 engineered there and how unfriendly it is to pedestrians um especially to um 48 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:46,000 young children who don't have any way to cross from the south side of the road to 49 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:49,519 the north side of the road in a safe manner. 50 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:56,720 Um, second incident I'd like to hit on real quick is the um, crash that we had 51 00:03:52,640 --> 00:04:00,959 in 2025 in August. A young lady got off the bus at the bus stop on the south 52 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:08,799 side of the road across from the uh, YMCA and um, uh, crossed right there. 53 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:13,760 Again, there is no crosswalk to cross there and was also struck. These are two 54 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:18,160 very serious injuries. as we all know the speeds that can occur on Hazel Road, 55 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:22,639 it really doesn't take very high speeds to um cause some pretty significant 56 00:04:20,479 --> 00:04:25,840 damage to pedestrians. And uh I think those two incidents are worth 57 00:04:23,919 --> 00:04:29,919 highlighting as we go through the night tonight. 58 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:33,840 » So and then before I walk through the presentation, I just want to give a very 59 00:04:31,759 --> 00:04:40,000 brief overview. Nothing has been designed at this stage. Where we are at 60 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:43,280 with this project is conceptual. Uh a grant was secured. We did secure a 61 00:04:41,840 --> 00:04:47,280 federal safety grant that would help fund this project and we'll talk about 62 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:52,720 that in greater depth. The purpose of tonight's meeting is to gather public 63 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:59,040 input that would help inform design of a future project. 64 00:04:54,560 --> 00:05:05,600 So with that, um, so as Chief Gerillo noted, uh, speeding on Hlet Road is an 65 00:05:02,479 --> 00:05:11,840 issue and we've had near fatal uh, accidents involving pedestrians, 66 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:17,440 multiple. But aside from the accidents, uh, speeding in general and pedestrian 67 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:22,479 safety are the two most common complaints that we get at the township. 68 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:27,280 uh the township board uh starting in 2022 began hosting listening sessions. I 69 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:31,600 would say all but one of those listening sessions which the senior and community 70 00:05:29,199 --> 00:05:37,840 center mill kind of was the the main topic of discussion at one. But aside 71 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:43,520 from that one, all of them the singular most common trend or comment from the 72 00:05:40,479 --> 00:05:48,320 public is calming traffic, reducing speeding, improving pedestrian safety. 73 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:53,039 So that's the lens through which we've kind of pursued this project to this 74 00:05:50,639 --> 00:05:59,039 point. Um and of course the public's 75 00:05:56,479 --> 00:06:06,840 uh input on speeding and pedestrian safety has been uh even more fervent 76 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:06,840 near schools or in school zones. 77 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:16,160 Uh, one of the other things prompting this project is the township's 78 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:21,039 long-standing policy as it relates to pathways and trails. 79 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:28,240 Um, so our pathway millillage was established in 1974. I think it's the uh 80 00:06:25,199 --> 00:06:33,680 oldest most long-standing millillage in the township um outside of the 81 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:39,120 township's general operating mill. And so since 1974, we have had a pathway 82 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:44,560 master plan. So it's a map of the township and it denotes where pathways 83 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:49,600 and trails uh are constructed and are currently there for use. It also denotes 84 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:56,720 where town or where the township intends to construct future pathways and trails. 85 00:06:54,319 --> 00:07:00,720 Um I know this map is pretty hard to read. I do on the next slide. I'm gonna 86 00:06:58,639 --> 00:07:06,319 blow it up, but just for purposes of giving you some reference points. 87 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:10,880 I can't really walk away from it, but if you look at the bottom lefthand corner, 88 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:17,120 that's MSU campus at Hagedorn Road. That's where the MSU to Lake Lancing 89 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:21,759 Trail begins. And then if you see the Stephen, take over the cursor. This 90 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:27,120 green, this is uh right where the American House development was 91 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:31,039 constructed. So that new fourstory mixed juice building that's been up for around 92 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:37,520 four years now, that's where that building is for context. So this is Hlet 93 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:43,280 Road and Marsh Road right here. So all the yellow comprises uh legs of andor 94 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:49,440 the main route of the MSU to Lake Lancing Trail, which are existing trails 95 00:07:46,319 --> 00:07:55,280 today. The green trail that I was just highlighting near American House 96 00:07:51,120 --> 00:08:01,120 actually just opened LA uh last Friday. And then the purple phase is a trail 97 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:06,560 that's been on the township's pathway master plan for quite some time and the 98 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:11,440 objective there is to build a trail through Hillrook Park to Lake Lancing 99 00:08:08,879 --> 00:08:15,440 Road in the future. However, one of the most common 100 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:20,960 uh comments that we get on the trail projects 101 00:08:17,039 --> 00:08:26,400 uh a classic example would be uh MSU to Lake Lancing Trail between phases one 102 00:08:22,639 --> 00:08:31,440 and two um is that the road crossings could be a lot safer for pedestrians and 103 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:35,200 bicyclists. So, that's one of the reasons for the project that we're 104 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:41,200 discussing this evening. The other thing that I would note is 105 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:47,519 this stretch of Hlet Road right here, which falls between Park Lake right here 106 00:08:44,399 --> 00:08:51,839 and Okamus Road right here. On the south side of Hlett Road, uh where the 107 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:59,040 vehicular accidents occurred with pedestrians, there is no pathway today. 108 00:08:54,959 --> 00:09:02,880 Uh the township secured a second grant prior to the current grant that we're 109 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:07,360 talking about tonight with Hlet Road to build that pathway. Um we have just 110 00:09:05,519 --> 00:09:12,080 submitted all of our final documents to MDOT and anticipate that that will be 111 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:17,920 bid this winter with construction next year. So at that point we will have 112 00:09:14,959 --> 00:09:23,120 contiguous pathway on the north side and south side of Hlett for pedestrian 113 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:28,959 safety. However, what remains are the gaps to cross the road. It's 114 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:34,640 approximately one mile between Park Lake and Okamus Road and it's approximately 115 00:09:31,519 --> 00:09:40,080 one mile from Okamus Road to Marsh Road. So, if you're looking to cross at an 116 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:43,760 established ADA crosswalk, you have to walk, let's say you live halfway between 117 00:09:42,399 --> 00:09:50,160 and you want to get to the other side of the road legally, you have to walk one 118 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:55,040 mile, a half mile to Marsh, cross Hlet Road at Marsh, half mile back. That's 119 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:59,120 what the infrastructure is telling pedestrians from a legal standpoint. 120 00:09:57,279 --> 00:10:04,560 However, we know that pedestrians are going to cross where it's convenient, 121 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:09,279 right? I think the best analogy for that in this entire region is actually next 122 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:13,200 door in the city of East Lancing. Um, obviously the city had traffic calming 123 00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:18,640 features through the downtown on Grand River Avenue for many years. However, 124 00:10:15,279 --> 00:10:23,200 they had there were crossing locations or there are crossing locations today 125 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:27,440 where there didn't used to be. The guide that the city used was looking at where 126 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:31,279 the grass was constantly dead because people were walking it so frequently 127 00:10:29,519 --> 00:10:37,120 that the grass could not establish. Right. So, we're kind of trying to 128 00:10:34,959 --> 00:10:42,640 follow that guiding principle, right, on where should crosswalks go. YMCA is a 129 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:48,720 destination, right? The neighborhoods themselves that stub at or off of Hazlet 130 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:53,519 Road are off often a destination, right, where you're trying to get from or to. 131 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:59,600 So, the orange lines that are shown there are crosswalks that could be 132 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:05,680 constructed. uh those could come with refuge islands. One of the requirements 133 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:10,480 for those to have a refuge island is that there has to be a center turn lane. 134 00:11:07,839 --> 00:11:13,440 So there would have to be a road diet and we'll get into what a road diet 135 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:18,959 means for those who are unfamiliar with that term, but there has to be a center 136 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:23,440 turn lane, right? So that requires uh changing the lane configuration of the 137 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:28,720 road to achieve that feature. Uh the other safety uh item that we would look 138 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:33,680 at are the RRFBs or the flashing light systems that you see at crosswalks 139 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:37,959 across the community. Um if you drive Okamus Road, there's quite a few. 140 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:50,800 So these this is the existing condition of Hlet Road. just to get into kind of 141 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:54,600 what a diet looks like. This is right in front of the Parkwood YMCA. 142 00:11:55,040 --> 00:12:03,040 And then this is Haslett Road in the city of East Lancing just west of Park 143 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:06,800 Lake Road. So this is an example of one of the crosswalks that they just 144 00:12:04,399 --> 00:12:13,120 constructed with the flashing light system and a refuge island. 145 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:17,920 This is also uh this is facing the opposite direction towards one of the 146 00:12:14,959 --> 00:12:22,519 city's new crosswalks that is identical but does not have a refuge island. 147 00:12:25,519 --> 00:12:35,279 So, just to give an example, if you wanted to go from Bayon, well, let's say 148 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:41,680 a home that is about five doors west of Bayon Avenue on Hlett Road and you 149 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:44,959 wanted to get to Bayon Avenue to go into the Hillberg Park neighborhood, you 150 00:12:42,959 --> 00:12:51,040 would have to walk just over a mile today legally. 151 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:54,720 To give an example, between Okamus and Marsh, 152 00:12:52,800 --> 00:13:01,279 if you lived essentially across the street from the Parkwood YMCA, you're 153 00:12:57,519 --> 00:13:06,920 going to have to walk about 6 to 7 miles to legally get across the street to the 154 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,920 Parkwood Y. 155 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:14,480 Uh so now just getting into the basics of what a road diet is. It's pretty 156 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:20,959 straightforward. It is what you see on the screen. However, uh we in the 157 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:26,240 township historically the road department has not had this lane 158 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:30,639 configuration at the intersections and that's critical because at the 159 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:35,600 intersections you do need capacity. So, what we've historically done and if 160 00:13:32,399 --> 00:13:41,040 you look at any of the dieted portions, um, like if you take a look at the lane 161 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:45,519 configuration on Mount Hope Road immediately west of Okamus Road, you'll 162 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:49,519 notice that there's still two left turn lanes. There's a right-hand turn lane 163 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:53,839 and a through lane. So, we never reduce the capacity at the intersections. So, 164 00:13:51,839 --> 00:13:59,440 that prevents traffic from queuing up further than it would today, or at least 165 00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:03,040 not much in addition to what it would. This would only be the configuration 166 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:08,639 generally speaking between intersections, right? Um not on the 167 00:14:05,519 --> 00:14:12,079 approach to the intersections, but basically we would convert it to two 168 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:17,120 through lanes in each direction to one through lane. The dedicated right hand 169 00:14:14,399 --> 00:14:23,040 or left-hand turn lane. Um and then the balance of the existing pavement width 170 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:27,760 would be dedicated for bike lanes. The other thing that I'll note as it relates 171 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:32,320 to federal funding, which the projects that we're discussing tonight, there are 172 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:36,800 two federal grants involved. When the township's pathway system began 173 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:43,199 in 1974, uh a shared use facility or basically a 174 00:14:40,399 --> 00:14:50,160 wider sidewalk that could be shared by multiple uses in multiple directions. 175 00:14:47,279 --> 00:14:54,000 uh 7 ft used to meet that and that's what our pathway system is 176 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:59,680 predominantly. All the existing pathways on Hazlet Road are 7 foot wide. However, 177 00:14:57,839 --> 00:15:05,360 that standard has changed. It's now 10 ft. So, by having the bike lanes, what 178 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:11,360 that does is it allows us to still have a shared use facility at 7 foot width 179 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:15,760 for the pathway, the concrete sidewalk, uh without having to go to 10. Because 180 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:20,800 what I can tell you is most property owners don't love a 10- foot wide 181 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:25,760 concrete sidewalk in their front yard. The scale gets disproportionate, 182 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:30,880 especially if you have a relatively small front yard setback, right? If your 183 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:35,440 home's not set back really far off the road in question, 10-ft wide concrete 184 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:41,760 sidewalks are going to feel disproportionately large in your front 185 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:47,920 yard. So the bike lanes h help us secure federal funding which does very you know 186 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:54,480 very basic things like provide funding to resurface the road um but also to get 187 00:15:51,440 --> 00:16:00,399 federal grants to build in gaps in the pathway or sidewalk system. 188 00:15:58,399 --> 00:16:05,759 Uh so just briefly touching on some of the ways that road diets improve safety. 189 00:16:02,959 --> 00:16:10,880 Uh they do calm traffic. uh they calm traffic by putting traffic in one Q-ine, 190 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:14,639 right? So, it only takes one responsible motorist that's following and adhering 191 00:16:12,639 --> 00:16:20,240 to the speed limit or at least reasonably following and adhering to the 192 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:25,279 speed limit to set the pace of traffic. It eliminates the ability to weave in 193 00:16:22,399 --> 00:16:30,880 and out of traffic. But perhaps the most important thing in today's day and age 194 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:36,320 where people are driving around while they operate this 195 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:39,360 is that it reduces rear end collisions. So if you're today, if you're driving on 196 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:44,800 Hazlet Road and you need to make a left-hand turn, you stop in a through 197 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:49,759 lane. If someone's texting behind you, they may not see that you're breaking. 198 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:55,199 So that's a major benefit in today's day and age with distracted driving being so 199 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,199 prevalent. 200 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:04,559 Uh the other thing that we would note is this is the only portion of Hazlet Road 201 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:09,439 now that has not been dieted. Right? The portion east of Marsh Road has been 202 00:17:06,959 --> 00:17:14,480 dieted. The portion west of Park Lake has been dieted. So the road design is 203 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:20,240 kind of telling motorists, this is your two-mile stretch 204 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:24,319 to weave and bob through traffic. and that's creating a less than ideal 205 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:30,080 environment for pedestrians and bicyclists. Um, which is kind of noted 206 00:17:27,120 --> 00:17:34,400 by Chief Gillow's uh overview of some of the severe accidents that we've 207 00:17:31,679 --> 00:17:39,120 witnessed. Uh, I'm actually going to turn it back 208 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:41,840 to Chief Gillow to touch on the next two slides here. 209 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:47,440 » Thanks, Dan. just to kind of expound on what he said with the rear end crashes. 210 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:52,400 Um in 2026 so far we've had 10 crashes between U Park Lake and Bayon on HLlett. 211 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:56,080 Um more than half of those have been rear end crashes where somebody is 212 00:17:54,000 --> 00:18:00,880 turning left and the people behind aren't paying attention and end up rear 213 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:06,720 ending them. Um additionally, we did have a bicyclist earlier this month who 214 00:18:03,919 --> 00:18:12,080 was riding legally in the roadway uh get hit by a vehicle uh coming up behind 215 00:18:08,799 --> 00:18:17,200 him. So, um, more than just anecdotal evidence, I guess, to show that we've 216 00:18:13,679 --> 00:18:21,760 we've got some some concerns with, uh, with traffic crashes on Hazard Road. 217 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:25,360 Now, there are certain things that I'm able to do through enforcement. Um, and 218 00:18:23,679 --> 00:18:29,679 I've always taken the stance that we're we're going to we're going to use three 219 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:34,080 tools to um, I guess solve some of the traffic issues that we have. Um, 220 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:37,600 education, enforcement, and engineering. So, I'll talk to you a little bit about 221 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:41,039 enforcement and what we have right now. Um I'm fully I will be fully staffed by 222 00:18:39,919 --> 00:18:46,160 the end of the year. Right now I've got 41 officers. I've got one officer that's 223 00:18:43,039 --> 00:18:52,080 in the academy. Um and uh that that's what we have for our road patrol. Now 22 224 00:18:48,559 --> 00:18:56,320 of those 42 officers are assigned to road patrol between four different 225 00:18:54,080 --> 00:19:01,039 platoon. Um two day shift platoon, two night shift platoon, and then I've got 226 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:05,840 one jump uh one jump officer on either side. So, um, with that being said, 227 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:12,799 generally speaking, I have five officers working road patrol at a time. Um, 228 00:19:09,679 --> 00:19:15,840 what what that means is, um, and then we've also got supervisors that on the 229 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:19,760 road, but they're responsible not just for, uh, proactive enforcement of 230 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:24,080 traffic. They're responding to calls for service. Um, they're doing school 231 00:19:21,919 --> 00:19:27,360 checks. Uh, they're doing a lot of different things. Uh, running reports, 232 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:32,640 they have training. And that's best case scenario of what I have on the road at 233 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:37,280 any given time. And currently we are responsible for 210 road miles um in 234 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:42,960 Meridian Township. So when you think about that when I've got an officer on 235 00:19:40,559 --> 00:19:48,960 the road, they're generally responsible for over 40 road miles. Um so to do 236 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:53,280 proactive enforcement, but to also take calls for service, write reports, do the 237 00:19:51,039 --> 00:19:58,160 other things that we're obligated to do. Um, last year we take we took over 238 00:19:55,679 --> 00:20:02,400 20,000 calls for service and uh that resulted in over 6,000 uh written 239 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:07,280 reports as well. So, what I'm saying is my people are are busy. Now, I do have 240 00:20:05,039 --> 00:20:11,520 two officers that are assigned just to traffic enforcement and they're doing a 241 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:17,919 great job of that. And when people have concerns about specific issues where uh 242 00:20:15,039 --> 00:20:22,559 regarding traffic, if they submit a traffic concern form to us through our 243 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:27,039 website, my officers go out there and they they hit those areas very hard. Um 244 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:31,760 I guess I'll give you a good example of that. Earlier this year, there was 245 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:37,600 issues with um people drag racing on Hlet Road. Uh earlier this spring, I was 246 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:41,520 holding my officers over on overtime. I was changing their schedules so that we 247 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:46,559 could go out and be proactive and and enforce some of these issues. And we did 248 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:50,559 see some success from that. Um, but I will say just traffic enforcement, this 249 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:54,559 isn't going to solve the issue. It's usually like whack-a-ole for me when we 250 00:20:52,159 --> 00:20:58,240 have traffic concerns, right? I send my officers out to Hazel Road to take care 251 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:01,919 of the drag racing and then I've got issues down in Okamus with speeding 252 00:21:00,559 --> 00:21:06,400 somewhere else and we're just kind of chasing our tail all the time. We need 253 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:09,840 more than just traffic enforcement. Um, we need some engineering and some 254 00:21:08,159 --> 00:21:14,240 education to assist us in what we're trying to do. 255 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:19,039 » Thank you, Chief. Um, road diets are not new to Meridian 256 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:22,880 Township. We've had quite a few as well as some in our neighboring jurisdiction. 257 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:27,679 Uh, some of which I didn't even list, but uh, the ones in on the left hand 258 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:32,240 side there are the ones that have been successfully performed here in the 259 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:37,520 township. And then I, uh, noted two most recent ones actually. 260 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:43,840 Um yeah, two recent ones from the city of East Lancing, but also uh Harrison uh 261 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:48,000 road was dieted. Uh Collingwood was dieted in East Lancing. So there are 262 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:51,280 many road diets that have been performed across 263 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:57,039 uh the township and the city of East Lancing. 264 00:21:53,919 --> 00:22:02,000 Um I would also note uh so as part of the uh grant application the township 265 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:06,720 conducted a study of the entire corridor not just from Park Lake to Marsh but 266 00:22:04,559 --> 00:22:11,360 actually from uh the township's western boundary to the township's eastern 267 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:16,640 boundary. Uh the traffic showed that Hlet Road is a good candidate for a road 268 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:21,440 diet. And just to quantify that for everyone, uh the two segments of Hlet 269 00:22:19,679 --> 00:22:26,480 Road that we're discussing this evening are highlighted there. So, Okamus to 270 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:32,159 Park Lake and Marsh to Okamus and then the remainder there are various uh 271 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:38,559 segments of dieted road and the most recent traffic counts for those roads 272 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:44,720 and uh the average daily traffic volume or number of trips [clears throat] uh is 273 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:49,679 noted in the fourth column and it's from the highest ADT which would be Hagorn 274 00:22:47,360 --> 00:22:55,280 Road from Grand River to Burchham all the way down to the lowest ADT which 275 00:22:52,080 --> 00:23:00,559 would the Central Park Drive uh right out here in front of the municipal 276 00:22:57,360 --> 00:23:07,200 complex. So, Hazlet Road falls uh slightly under or right at the average 277 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:12,799 overall for those roads. Uh general rule of thumb is if the ADT falls under 278 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:19,440 15,000, it's a pretty clear candidate for a road 279 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:25,600 diet. If the ADT is between 15 and 20, uh more study is needed. And once you 280 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:34,159 eclipse 20, it becomes uh precarious to pursue the road diet. 281 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:38,000 Um so just going through some of the questions that we anticipated this 282 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:43,919 evening. So what happens if a road diet is not implemented? Um 283 00:23:41,679 --> 00:23:50,480 one of the uh outcomes would be that we would not have funding at least in the 284 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:55,760 immediate to resurface Hazlet Road. Um we the safety grant that was secured uh 285 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:59,520 requires that we make certain safety improvements to the roadway. Basically 286 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:04,960 at the federal level they set aside a pot of funding. Um and that pot of 287 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:09,600 funding can only be accessed by making certain safety improvements with the 288 00:24:06,559 --> 00:24:16,640 road diet being one of the being one of the essential improvements that we make. 289 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:21,640 Um it is a 7525 grant. So 75% federal funding, 25% local match. 290 00:24:23,279 --> 00:24:31,919 Um, and it's unknown, you know, perhaps I know the leadership of the road 291 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:37,919 department has changed uh recently, but um, you know, they might be able to give 292 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:42,480 us some examples of uh when or some idea of when we might expect it. But the only 293 00:24:40,799 --> 00:24:46,960 project that we've had in the past 2 years also came with a safety grant. 294 00:24:45,279 --> 00:24:52,080 Mount Hope had a safety grant that funded the resurfacing of Mount Hope 295 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:55,760 Road. Uh notably though, Mount Hope did not have many of the other safety 296 00:24:54,320 --> 00:25:00,720 improvements that we're talking about this evening. There are no new 297 00:24:57,120 --> 00:25:05,279 crosswalks. There are no RRFBs. Um, one of the things that you're seeing 298 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:09,679 tonight is, I think, a new effort to better coordinate projects between the 299 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:13,122 new leadership at the road department and the township. [clears throat] 300 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:20,400 Um, so if a road diet is not implemented, 301 00:25:18,799 --> 00:25:26,360 obviously there would be no left turn lane and so refuge islands would not be 302 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:26,360 feasible. 303 00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:35,520 we would lose the funding to implement midblock crosswalks. However, it's 304 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:42,640 possible if the county permitted it that we could possibly build them without uh 305 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:50,640 refuge islands. So, it would just be the flashing beacons. However, uh RFBs or 306 00:25:47,919 --> 00:25:56,559 the flashing light systems, 45 miles per hour is is the threshold. 307 00:25:53,520 --> 00:26:02,640 like they it's the gray area. They work a lot better in a 35 mph zone. Uh a 308 00:26:00,559 --> 00:26:07,360 speed study has not been conducted on Mount Hope Road postroad diet, but I 309 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:13,360 suspect that if if and when it is conducted that the speed limit may be 310 00:26:09,279 --> 00:26:17,679 lowered. RFBs function far better when you can get under 40 miles hour because 311 00:26:15,679 --> 00:26:24,159 the stopping distance for the vehicles is greatly reduced. So, a lot of 312 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:30,080 conversations, I'll phrase it this way, a lot of conversations would have to 313 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:36,240 occur about if and how any midblock crossings are installed to alleviate 314 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:42,240 that one mile distance between these two segments, right? Parkway to Okamus and 315 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:45,200 Okchamus to Marsh Road. Um, and of course the pathway millillage, the 316 00:26:43,679 --> 00:26:50,480 township's pathway millage would have to fund 100% of that work rather than 25, 317 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:53,840 which means there's some other pathway work that doesn't get achieved, right? 318 00:26:52,080 --> 00:27:02,720 There's a new trail that has to wait a little bit longer or a gap in a pathway 319 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:05,720 system um that would have to wait. Um 320 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:14,400 so I have seen this comment um not uh on past road diets but also some of the uh 321 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:20,240 social media dialogue that was occurring prior to this meeting. Um why are there 322 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:26,799 so many road diets? So part of this is attributable to 323 00:27:23,279 --> 00:27:30,799 planners decades ago right in the 60s7s and 80s people anticipated that Meridian 324 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:34,480 Township would grow by a lot more than we have. Um, it's actually my latter 325 00:27:33,279 --> 00:27:40,799 slide, but I'm going to lead leave lead leave lead with it. The Elmswell Water 326 00:27:37,919 --> 00:27:45,520 Plant when it was designed was designed so that it could be a mere image of 327 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:51,360 itself. It could be doubled in size and capacity to serve a population of 328 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:55,039 200,000 people in Midian Township alone. We are obviously never going to achieve 329 00:27:53,200 --> 00:28:02,320 that. Nothing even remotely close to that. So in part what we are doing is 330 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:06,799 right sizing the lane configuration for the population we do have and getting 331 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:12,799 rid of the lane configuration that was conceived of for an anticipated 332 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:19,039 population that never occurred and was never realized. Um other contributing 333 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:24,720 factors to why our population didn't achieve what some estimated a half 334 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:30,080 century ago. We have a thousand acres of parkland. We have a thousand acres of 335 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:35,440 land preserves. And we also have the most stringent I believe it's probably 336 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:40,880 the most I'd have to double check that stringent wetland ordinance in the 337 00:28:37,039 --> 00:28:50,320 state. We regulate wetlands at 0.5 acre. The state regulates wetlands that are 338 00:28:43,039 --> 00:28:55,919 five acres or greater. So factor of 10. So all of those circumstances in fact 339 00:28:53,200 --> 00:29:00,960 have circumstances in facts have limited our population growth and we never 340 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:05,799 realized what many planners in the past had planned for in terms of population. 341 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:15,919 Um, I kind of touched on this at the very beginning, but just to reiterate, 342 00:29:11,919 --> 00:29:20,960 um, there has been no RFP issued yet to retain an engineering firm for designing 343 00:29:17,919 --> 00:29:25,120 the project. Uh, this meeting is to get public input to help inform the future 344 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:30,320 design. And this is by no means a hard and fast 345 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:35,760 schedule, but this is what a schedule might look like. An RFP is issued this 346 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:41,840 fall. A contract is awarded to an engineering firm. Design occurs through 347 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:46,640 27. Construction in 28, which segus nicely to uh what the road 348 00:29:44,799 --> 00:29:53,039 department is going to discuss with you, which is kind of what to expect during 349 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:56,399 construction of a project like this. Um, and uh go through some of the lane 350 00:29:54,720 --> 00:30:01,399 configuration documents they put together. Stephen, could you pull up 351 00:29:58,159 --> 00:30:01,399 their PDFs? 352 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:30,720 Okay. So, Dan did a pretty good job of explaining the kind of background of the 353 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:35,600 project from the road commission side, road department when we actually get 354 00:30:32,399 --> 00:30:39,760 into building this project. Um, so I guess stepping back, we did do a little 355 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:44,960 bit of preliminary design. Um, we have a few graphics to show you today kind of 356 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:51,200 what a a four to three lane conversion actually looks like. So, I'll walk 357 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:55,679 through kind of from the the west end going east. So, at the Park Lake 358 00:30:54,159 --> 00:31:00,480 intersection, we'll basically stay as the existing 359 00:30:57,919 --> 00:31:06,240 configuration. They'll be two lanes in each direction. will come uh heading 360 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:11,360 east through the intersection and at the first intersection to the 361 00:31:09,039 --> 00:31:16,480 east that's where we'll start to taper down to three lanes and that's where the 362 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:24,080 bike lanes will actually come into play. Um we'll end up with three 11 ft lanes 363 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:30,080 and two 4 and 1/2t bike lanes on either side. That'll be your crosssection 364 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:36,000 going up to the Okamus Road intersection. So we'll be consistent 365 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:41,799 three lanes through there. When we get to Okamus Road, we'll go back to an 366 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,799 existing configuration. 367 00:31:42,399 --> 00:31:45,799 Go to the next. 368 00:31:51,200 --> 00:32:00,880 I can't. Okay. So there's Alchemist Road intersection. So, you'll 369 00:31:58,159 --> 00:32:07,360 be back to basically a four-lane configuration at Okamus Road. Um, your 370 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:13,840 north south legs on Okamus will stay as is. Um, no change there. Uh, we'll come 371 00:32:11,039 --> 00:32:17,679 through the Okamus Road intersection and then transition back to a threelane 372 00:32:16,159 --> 00:32:24,080 section. Um, going towards Hazard Road. So the 373 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:30,159 next So your bike lanes will start kind of 374 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:34,880 mid block after the intersection. Give um cars time to merge back into one lane 375 00:32:33,232 --> 00:32:42,080 [clears throat] and then your bike lane start. That'll carry through um down to 376 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:45,559 the last intersection before Marsh Road. 377 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:54,559 So at that that intersection will be back 378 00:32:52,240 --> 00:33:00,240 to existing configuration. So you'll have um two lanes in either 379 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:05,720 direction going all the way into Marsh Road. So basically no no change at that 380 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:05,720 point. 381 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:17,120 And then on the bottom here, we've got highlighted kind of the four proposed um 382 00:33:13,279 --> 00:33:21,279 pedestrian crossing, the RFB protected island locations. 383 00:33:19,039 --> 00:33:27,039 Um those same locations that Dan went through earlier. Um the actual 384 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:32,960 construction, um this is just a light resurfacing project. It's what we call a 385 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:39,919 mill and fill. So, we'll just be milling off between 1 and 2 in of the pavement 386 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:44,799 surface, repaving. Basically, that gives us a clean slate to restripe um rather 387 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:51,679 than trying to grind off stripes and paint over top. Um so, dual purpose. We 388 00:33:48,159 --> 00:33:57,039 get a new new clean paving surface and new striping. So, that'll that'll go 389 00:33:54,320 --> 00:34:01,039 through the project limits. um each approach if we need to pave a little bit 390 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:04,559 at each intersection we can do that as well. 391 00:34:02,799 --> 00:34:11,679 So um the actual uh islands the protected 392 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:18,560 islands those will be concrete that'll be a concrete curb and gutter and a 393 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:23,919 concrete sidewalk panels in between. um most likely would have some sort of a 394 00:34:20,879 --> 00:34:32,440 raised um delineator, a flexible delineator in in the wall. 395 00:34:27,599 --> 00:34:32,440 So that's the the overall configuration. 396 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:42,359 Anything else you wanted to touch on? >> I think you got it all. 397 00:34:38,639 --> 00:34:42,359 » Anybody any questions? 398 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:47,839 » With that, I think we'll turn it over to questions. uh if you could please raise 399 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:51,839 your hand and we'll call on you and we'll have you come up to the podium and 400 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:56,000 that way you can uh that way everyone in the room can hear the question that's 401 00:34:53,200 --> 00:35:01,520 being asked and we'll ask those who are attending virtually to start raising 402 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:07,520 their hand uh virtually um and we'll go to the virtual questions second um ma'am 403 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:12,560 in the pink and if you're comfortable please use the 404 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:18,280 the uh podium that way the audio equipment can pick up your question for 405 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:18,280 the recording. 406 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:30,960 » Do I have to give my name or anything? No. Um, I think it's very fortunate that 407 00:35:27,359 --> 00:35:36,000 you mentioned why there's a bike path. I think there's a feeling that out there 408 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:41,520 that why are we having a bike path? Gee whiz, isn't there enough going on in 409 00:35:38,720 --> 00:35:45,680 Hasslet Road? So, that's not a question. I think 410 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:51,359 how on earth are you going to get out to the public why you have a bike path 411 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:55,920 because that 10 foot 7 foot that's going to make a difference in selling this. 412 00:35:54,000 --> 00:36:02,480 It's not just a bike path for healthy people. You know what I mean? That came 413 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:07,280 out sounding wrong but you know anybody else have the same feeling 414 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:12,800 because I just didn't get the bike path thing. 415 00:36:09,119 --> 00:36:15,839 » Thank you. So, thank you. >> I think there's stuff we can do on 416 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:18,839 social media. Sir, with the tie in the front. 417 00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:27,520 » I probably have more questions than we have time to cover right now. So, I 418 00:36:25,839 --> 00:36:32,960 appreciate you'll have more time later, right? The meeting for personal. 419 00:36:30,079 --> 00:36:37,280 » Yep. Okay. A lot of things hit home for me. I'm longtime resident almost 36 420 00:36:35,359 --> 00:36:41,920 years on Hazard Road, just off the corner of Okamus. 421 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:49,440 Um the police chief mentioned one of the accidents I was rearended in March total 422 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:52,400 the car very dangerous. Um you were able to mention from the 423 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:56,240 township's perspective you know you talked about the four lane where it's 424 00:36:54,800 --> 00:37:01,599 going to be at the intersections and that's not changing but the narrowness 425 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:07,520 is between and I'm all for the safety. I think a lot of things look good to me 426 00:37:03,839 --> 00:37:13,040 but um I am concerned about where I am. I'm right in that zone 427 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:16,400 that's already iffy. Left turn lane narrows at that point. It's not always 428 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:19,040 clear to people coming to my house whether they should get in the left turn 429 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:25,760 lane. It's not really made for that. It's made for the intersection. 430 00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:29,920 the drawings that were done seem to show I'm I'm again in that 431 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:35,839 section that's going from four to down to you know single lanes and 432 00:37:33,839 --> 00:37:41,440 there's a lot of concern there from that perspective you know whether I'll be any 433 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:48,480 safer or it'll be even more complicated the other thing is that um well number 434 00:37:45,359 --> 00:37:52,880 of things but um the speed as you said as people go 435 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:57,280 through That's not apparently going to change on the road at least not 436 00:37:54,720 --> 00:38:03,280 initially. Right. So where we've got a slower speed down towards Martian Hlet 437 00:38:00,240 --> 00:38:08,320 that's about 35 and then it gauges up to I think 45 during that time. That's 438 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:11,280 always been you know as you said people trying to get through. It's a 439 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:14,400 thoroughare to many places. So it's not just going through town for a lot of 440 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:19,040 people. It's the only way to get across town. So those are things a lot of those 441 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:24,000 things are in my mind like well what does this really mean? So the others I 442 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:29,440 think I can take off oneonone but those are the comments I wanted to make. 443 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:33,839 » Uh just to briefly answer that the question regarding speed limit and then 444 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:37,119 I'll have a show of hands. Um ordinarily what would happen is the road would be 445 00:38:35,119 --> 00:38:42,720 died and then a new speed study would be conducted to discern whether the current 446 00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:47,200 speed limit is appropriate or if a new speed limit should be set. And just for 447 00:38:45,119 --> 00:38:52,800 everyone's education, speed limits are generally set using the 85th percentile. 448 00:38:50,079 --> 00:38:56,720 So the 85th BA instead of the average would be a which would be the 50th 449 00:38:54,400 --> 00:39:02,240 percentile, speed limits are established using the 85th, right? Um so basically 450 00:38:59,839 --> 00:39:07,040 post project there could be a change. Um but that would wouldn't be known until 451 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:11,760 the project has concluded. Um just to be orderly, let's go with the 452 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:15,359 gentleman here and then we'll go to the right hand side. Thank you. 453 00:39:17,119 --> 00:39:23,520 I'm gonna go this way so you can get the microphone. I can talk to you guys at 454 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:28,000 the same time. I'm uh Rogers Aivera by right by by the high school and I 455 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:32,320 actually came with the concern of a bike lane because I thought again that the 456 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:36,720 whole point was to give a bike lane in that on that road. I'm like I'm an avid 457 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:40,480 biker. I love all the bike lanes that we have on Mount Hope and all these other 458 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:44,960 places. They're like, why would you put a bike lane on that road when you have 459 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:48,400 the inter urban all the way? But after coming to this meeting, I realized it's 460 00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:54,800 a speed. It's a safety issue. And that's that opened my eyes. I am with this lady 461 00:39:50,160 --> 00:40:00,400 here. It's really uh my concern with the uh road diets is those blinking yellow 462 00:39:57,520 --> 00:40:06,880 lights. I'm always trying to cross those with my bike and I bet you 60% of 463 00:40:04,079 --> 00:40:11,040 people, maybe 80% never stop. They just keep on going. Oh, that yellow blinking 464 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:15,680 light is just a warning. And so I'm always going, "Okay, well, I guess I'll 465 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:20,079 just, you know, go across." So, what I've what I've want to bring up is maybe 466 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:24,720 instead of those yellow blinking lights when you go on Lake Lancing, there's one 467 00:40:22,400 --> 00:40:29,680 of them where it's actual stop light, red, yellow, green. So, if if you're on 468 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:35,280 I don't know what that trail is, but you can push a crosswalk and actually turns 469 00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:39,440 red and cars have to stop and that would be much more safer. you have a couple 470 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:44,800 there like by the YMCA and you know maybe two or three of them that would 471 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:50,160 cut out a lot. Um the other thing that I want to bring up is [snorts] the 472 00:40:47,599 --> 00:40:54,720 configurations at the intersections. I don't know I can understand why you'd 473 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:59,280 want to have two lanes at the intersections or four lanes I guess two 474 00:40:56,720 --> 00:41:04,319 going each way. But could you make the right lane be right turn only because 475 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:07,920 you're gonna have at that intersection, I've seen it many times, is somebody 476 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:11,440 will come up, they know it's going to merge, but they're going to speed up to 477 00:41:10,079 --> 00:41:15,119 try and get ahead of the slow person that was ahead of them. So, every 478 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:19,599 intersection is going to be a drag race. And I don't know if you can make that a 479 00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:23,520 right turn lane only, and then the on the other side is just emerging for 480 00:41:21,119 --> 00:41:26,800 people turning right onto that street. Um, I think that's the only comments I 481 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:30,319 have. Thanks, >> Mark. Could you briefly speak to that 482 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:34,079 last uh comment? >> Yep. The right turn, that definitely is 483 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:38,720 a possibility and that's what we'll look at when we get further into design of 484 00:41:36,720 --> 00:41:43,359 what the actual lane configurations would be, but a right turn is is more 485 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:48,240 than likely there. >> And I would just note that the the lane 486 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:52,640 configuration you described is exactly how every other road diet in the 487 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:58,680 township has been performed to date. Um ma'am in the back and then ma'am in the 488 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:58,680 pink. second. 489 00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:09,440 » Um, I don't really have questions, but I just want to first of all, thank you all 490 00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:14,000 for taking this on. If this was actually built, it would dramatically change our 491 00:42:12,079 --> 00:42:18,640 relationship with the neighborhood that we live in. We have an 8-year-old and 492 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:24,240 his very best friend lives right across the street from us. You have to risk 493 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:29,359 your life, and I'm not exaggerating, to cross the street is extremely dangerous. 494 00:42:27,359 --> 00:42:35,119 I don't even feel comfortable when he becomes 10 or 13 having him cross the 495 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:41,440 street because there have been 12y olds that have been really badly injured 496 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:45,040 trying to cross the street. So, we live um 497 00:42:43,119 --> 00:42:49,839 on the side of Hasslet Road that doesn't have a sidewalk. So, we don't really 498 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:54,880 even have the option of taking the halfmile walk all the way down to park 499 00:42:52,640 --> 00:43:00,079 or to Okamus because we have to walk through people's unmode grass and like 500 00:42:57,839 --> 00:43:05,040 it's just not realistic, right? So, if he wants to go play with his friend, we 501 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:09,599 have to take him across the street every time and I'm not comfortable crossing 502 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:14,000 the street. It is truly and legitimately dangerous. So, this would be radically 503 00:43:12,240 --> 00:43:19,680 transforming for us. The other thing that I wanted to flag for folks is that 504 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:23,440 that drag racing continues. We hear it, not every night, but very frequently 505 00:43:21,599 --> 00:43:27,520 from our house. And our house is very far set back from the road, but it's 506 00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:32,240 that loud that we can hear it. And the last thing that I'll say is that um when 507 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:37,119 I'm coming from Hasslet going towards East Lancing, I have to sit there in 508 00:43:35,119 --> 00:43:43,119 that middle lane and put my turn signal on and wait to cross. And it's scary. 509 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:47,839 It's just scary sitting there knowing that somebody flying down the road 510 00:43:45,599 --> 00:43:53,440 because the speed limit's 45, but people routinely drive 55 and even 60 miles an 511 00:43:50,960 --> 00:43:58,720 hour on that road. And it's scary to sit there exposed in the middle of the road 512 00:43:55,839 --> 00:44:03,200 waiting to turn. We love our house. We love Meridian Township. We love Hasslet 513 00:44:01,119 --> 00:44:09,839 School District, but we don't feel physically safe moving throughout our 514 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:13,440 our neighborhood area. and we would be profoundly grateful. And I don't know 515 00:44:11,680 --> 00:44:16,800 how many of the folks here have small children, but there are a lot of 516 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:23,359 families that have small children in this corridor. And it would really truly 517 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:27,280 benefit folks. So, I really hope that um you all take this project on. And I 518 00:44:25,440 --> 00:44:32,079 really hope too that the folks who maybe have some concerns about it express 519 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:36,560 those and find good solutions to some of their concerns to allow this project to 520 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:40,800 go forward because it really will support the safety of everybody in the 521 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:44,720 community and especially children in the community. Thank you. 522 00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:50,400 » Thank you. Uh the one thing I would note to build on one of my prior points um 523 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:54,160 that she touched on, I referenced that speed limits are generally set using the 524 00:44:52,240 --> 00:44:58,880 85th percentile. There was a recent change in state law that allows for the 525 00:44:56,960 --> 00:45:03,119 50th percentile, basically the average speed to actually be used. However, 526 00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:07,839 there have to be ADA compliant pedestrian facilities in order for that 527 00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:13,119 to be utilized. Today, that law would probably not be applicable. You'd have 528 00:45:09,359 --> 00:45:18,079 to use a very loose interpretation of that new public act um in order to do 529 00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:24,359 that. So, the enhancements in this project could also allow that law to 530 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:24,359 come into play. Ma'am. 531 00:45:32,319 --> 00:45:44,480 » Hi. Um I'm Donna Kerrion from um Meridian Township East Lancing address. 532 00:45:40,480 --> 00:45:52,640 My grandchildren live and go to school right there by Okamos and Mount Hope. 533 00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:59,599 And a road diet was done last year or the year before. And I have videos. 534 00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:05,599 I'm walking my grandchild home from school like I usually do. And the bus 535 00:46:02,240 --> 00:46:12,640 trying to get out of the northwest corner of that intersection. There's 536 00:46:08,560 --> 00:46:16,960 like a little business there. um is sitting there and sitting there and 537 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:21,839 sitting there despite the wider lanes at that intersection and the traffic's all 538 00:46:19,599 --> 00:46:29,119 backed up down Mount Hope and this is during rush hour and when schools get 539 00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:34,960 out. Okay. And um the people from Indian Hills Drive, 540 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:42,560 from Indian Hills subdivision where my daughter lives, um are trying to make a 541 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:49,040 left turn onto Mount Hope toward Okamus Road and they can't. Um 542 00:46:47,119 --> 00:46:55,440 during certain times of the day, it's all backed up. I have videos if anybody 543 00:46:51,359 --> 00:47:00,480 wants to see this. Um, we've had people cutting through the subdivision. So, 544 00:46:57,920 --> 00:47:05,200 we're moving the safety issues from Mount Hope into Indian Hills 545 00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:14,000 subdivision. And none of those roads have sidewalks 546 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:18,560 except for one. And u there's bikers, there's people walking their dogs. It's 547 00:47:16,079 --> 00:47:24,079 a very active neighborhood. They've even put speed bumps at one point in that 548 00:47:22,079 --> 00:47:30,720 subdivision. Um, and I want to bring up this article 549 00:47:29,119 --> 00:47:37,920 written January of 2019. 550 00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:43,599 Um, it's online. It's by the International Journal of Transportation 551 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:49,359 Science and Technology. If anybody wants to see this, come see 552 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:57,359 me after the meeting. And the name of the article is Advancing Healthy Cities 553 00:47:53,359 --> 00:48:03,359 through Safer Cycling, an examination of shared lane markings 554 00:48:00,720 --> 00:48:08,720 and it's multi-page. I'll read you the summary. 555 00:48:05,680 --> 00:48:16,000 More important, the rece the researchers found that painted bike lanes provide no 556 00:48:12,720 --> 00:48:22,559 improvement on road safety. And their view is that shared roadways 557 00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:30,400 where bike symbols are painted revealed that it is actually safer to have no 558 00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:35,280 bike markings at all. We found they're worse than nothing. 559 00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:41,520 you're better off doing nothing. Marshall, he's one of the authors said 560 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:49,599 it gives people a false sense of security that a bike lane has. It's just 561 00:48:46,319 --> 00:48:56,319 a sign telling cyclists it might just be there. The security, 562 00:48:52,480 --> 00:49:03,440 the sense of security. So, this study shows that there were more accidents 563 00:48:59,839 --> 00:49:07,520 where drivers see this bike lane and they think they're giving the cyclist 564 00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:12,960 enough room versus not having the bike lane and a 565 00:49:10,160 --> 00:49:19,359 biker next to you or coming up on a biker. 566 00:49:15,119 --> 00:49:26,640 They give wider birth to the biker when there are no lines marked. Besides on 567 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:32,480 Mount Hope, there are multi-pathway bike lanes on both sides and hardly 568 00:49:30,079 --> 00:49:38,559 anybody uses them. I use them because I walk my grandchild to school and back. 569 00:49:35,200 --> 00:49:42,800 Okay. So, I'm in that subdivision a lot. But with the backups 570 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:48,319 and people cutting through the subdivision, it's just transferring the 571 00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:52,559 safety safety problem from the main road to the subdivision. 572 00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:57,040 And if most of these accidents are happening because people are jaywalking 573 00:49:55,280 --> 00:50:02,400 and they're cutting across the road where they should not be, then let's 574 00:49:59,280 --> 00:50:07,440 reduce the speed limit and let's put in these cross 575 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:11,760 intersection things so that they can get through. I'm all for that. 576 00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:18,800 Okay. And putting the red lights instead of the yellow lights and etc. But what 577 00:50:14,640 --> 00:50:24,400 we found at Indian Hills subdivision and I'm afraid at mine which is at West 578 00:50:21,200 --> 00:50:29,680 Westminster Way there it's Everett Farms and Everett all that um is that we're 579 00:50:27,920 --> 00:50:34,240 going to have buses, we're going to have delivery trucks. You're going to have 580 00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:39,680 some slowm moving vehicles and it's going to back everybody up 581 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:45,040 and they'll try to cut through the subdivision 582 00:50:41,839 --> 00:50:51,680 to get wherever they're going and it's just transferring the problem to another 583 00:50:48,559 --> 00:50:58,079 area which there have been no studies by the way. So what you're hearing is 584 00:50:54,880 --> 00:51:02,400 people who are basically jaywalking because they don't 585 00:51:00,559 --> 00:51:11,040 want to go down and cross with the light and come back and so we do need the 586 00:51:05,520 --> 00:51:16,960 cross lights. Yes. Um but there might be a reduction in 587 00:51:13,839 --> 00:51:23,520 vehicle collisions, but what will but will they replace by 588 00:51:19,520 --> 00:51:28,079 be replaced by more serious injuries from bikers and pedestrians like in the 589 00:51:26,079 --> 00:51:33,119 subdivisions that people are cutting through on. And like I say, there has 590 00:51:29,920 --> 00:51:39,040 been no study of that. So, I would like to see the the before 591 00:51:36,400 --> 00:51:44,800 and after stats of how many collisions and what kind 592 00:51:41,200 --> 00:51:52,960 were being held on Mount Hope before and after the road diets and also 593 00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:58,160 accidents or problems inside the subdivision there. 594 00:51:55,839 --> 00:52:05,040 Um, so I'm in favor of reducing 595 00:52:02,079 --> 00:52:10,400 the um speed limit. If that's the problem, reduce the speed limit. Put in 596 00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:17,119 those cross lights and I think you'll achieve the same 597 00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:22,960 thing. But as far as backing up and me trying to get out of my subdivision onto 598 00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:26,319 Hlet Road and make a left turn, I'm going to have the same problem I'm 599 00:52:24,640 --> 00:52:33,839 having now as coming out of my daughter's subdivision at Indian Hills 600 00:52:29,200 --> 00:52:36,559 Drive trying to make a left to get out. Because what we do is we say, "Oh, 601 00:52:35,440 --> 00:52:41,400 they're coming this way and they're coming that and we try to zoom across 602 00:52:41,680 --> 00:52:52,319 to to just get left there to the intersection because it is backing up. 603 00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:59,079 Um, all right. 604 00:52:54,559 --> 00:52:59,079 I'm basically done. Thank you. 605 00:52:59,200 --> 00:53:02,920 » Thank you, sir. 606 00:53:11,680 --> 00:53:21,021 I live on Hassler Road at the top of the hills. I look down at everybody at East 607 00:53:17,599 --> 00:53:23,680 End. So that's kind of a joke, but [clears throat] 608 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:30,079 uh the one thing that I see right away for 609 00:53:27,359 --> 00:53:35,599 the road commission people is where you putting the traffic. I'm an engineer, so 610 00:53:33,680 --> 00:53:41,280 been through civil engineering and everything else. That's not where I work 611 00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:48,240 most of the time, but I work garbage and sewer and water. So, I'm moving things. 612 00:53:45,119 --> 00:53:56,960 And I think in Meridian Township, since I moved here long ago, has the stupidest 613 00:53:52,000 --> 00:54:04,720 road arrangement I've ever seen. And if I'm going out east of here, 614 00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:08,960 I'm going to go Grand River or Hasslet. Everybody used to go Grand River. Well, 615 00:54:06,960 --> 00:54:15,119 when they were messed around with Grand River for three years, everything got 616 00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:19,760 changed around. I do things out, have a garden and everything out in the yard. I 617 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:25,680 see what's going on. I have a couple of dogs. uh they bark at things and look 618 00:54:22,880 --> 00:54:30,559 around. So I see things the whole traffic pattern changed radically in 619 00:54:28,319 --> 00:54:34,480 that three-year period. People figured out I'll go a little bit out of 620 00:54:32,400 --> 00:54:42,240 Wilminston or off the main drag down there. I can fly down here and it and 621 00:54:39,119 --> 00:54:47,839 after the road's done, we got traffic lights to little islands and all that 622 00:54:44,160 --> 00:54:55,280 stuff. Well, there's less of that on Hasslet. there's still going to be less 623 00:54:50,160 --> 00:54:59,760 even if you make these changes. Uh they're going to stay there. So you got 624 00:54:57,200 --> 00:55:05,760 that traffic and it's going to flow and it goes the other way too if you look at 625 00:55:02,079 --> 00:55:11,040 things. Haggodorn ends Okamus ends jolly ends you have all 626 00:55:09,440 --> 00:55:18,559 these roads that don't go through the community. So everybody gets forced into 627 00:55:14,319 --> 00:55:24,160 the one. So, I think you got an issue there because right now with the change 628 00:55:21,760 --> 00:55:30,960 in East Lancing, I'm beyond Park Lake coming this way. 629 00:55:27,920 --> 00:55:37,040 Everybody races up the hill because it's been one lane. They get into they get up 630 00:55:34,240 --> 00:55:41,520 the hill on one lane and then they go to two 631 00:55:39,040 --> 00:55:48,480 and they're flying. When I'm messing around like by the 632 00:55:43,760 --> 00:55:54,480 mailbox at a little garden out there, uh I'm used to driving and doing things. Uh 633 00:55:51,359 --> 00:56:00,079 I'm not I don't feel comfortable there. So, uh, you got to you should consider 634 00:55:58,160 --> 00:56:06,960 what's going to go on particularly with that switch on two lanes, one lane type 635 00:56:03,440 --> 00:56:12,880 things. Uh, that's not going to be a pleasant change. Just drive by Abbott 636 00:56:10,880 --> 00:56:19,599 and Lake Lancing and watch the traffic pattern coming 637 00:56:15,599 --> 00:56:26,880 this way from there. You're It's just a mess. Uh, one of my biggies is I'm in 638 00:56:24,079 --> 00:56:32,720 kind of the environmental program. Uh, what do you put in the turn lane for 639 00:56:29,599 --> 00:56:39,040 me and everybody on the road? A left turn lane. There's no reason to have a 640 00:56:36,160 --> 00:56:42,720 left turn all the way up and down the road. 641 00:56:40,480 --> 00:56:46,559 My thing is if you want it safe and you want it safer for people to cross the 642 00:56:44,720 --> 00:56:53,119 road, do a Michigan turn like four places 643 00:56:49,839 --> 00:56:58,079 along the road so everybody's making a right turn no matter what you're doing. 644 00:56:55,200 --> 00:57:04,640 If I come out my driveway on the north side, I'll end up going towards up by 645 00:57:01,680 --> 00:57:13,520 the Y maybe and do a turn, a Michigan turn there to go towards East Lancing. 646 00:57:09,040 --> 00:57:18,720 And then you may not need all your cute little flashing lights. just put a 647 00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:23,200 crosswalk where you want it and you don't have to put up all and go to the 648 00:57:21,440 --> 00:57:29,920 expense of putting the lights and all the special stuff in. And if I'm going 649 00:57:27,119 --> 00:57:36,319 to walk across the road in between the the designated 650 00:57:32,240 --> 00:57:42,640 crosswalks, you have an island then that's grass, maybe some nice little 651 00:57:39,440 --> 00:57:47,599 trees along it that over the years grow up and turn into something. And you've 652 00:57:46,079 --> 00:57:53,200 got the left turn, come down, turn around, 653 00:57:50,000 --> 00:57:59,520 go back. and you got walk across a street anywhere along the road is not 654 00:57:56,079 --> 00:58:05,839 going to be nice. But you have a safe margin in the middle a curved area with 655 00:58:02,720 --> 00:58:10,400 grass and a tree or two. Not you're in the middle of a left turn lane because 656 00:58:08,079 --> 00:58:14,319 I'm not going to walk down the even one of your little turns 657 00:58:12,720 --> 00:58:21,760 and I'm with the lady on a speed limit. 658 00:58:19,200 --> 00:58:28,880 I I've see people when they don't see messing around by 659 00:58:24,240 --> 00:58:36,880 the yard doing up to 70 80 m an hour down the road and in the rush hour 660 00:58:32,559 --> 00:58:42,960 55 is nothing going by my house and and then the other thing is when you 661 00:58:40,000 --> 00:58:50,160 have the lanes down the single lane traffic coming up to me if you live like 662 00:58:46,720 --> 00:58:55,359 me on the road Right now, because of the way that traffic changed since East 663 00:58:52,079 --> 00:59:00,000 Lancing has the one lane, everybody's in one lane when they get up there to the 664 00:58:57,599 --> 00:59:06,000 light. When the light changes, they come through. So, even in the middle of the 665 00:59:02,640 --> 00:59:11,920 afternoon, I can have 10 cars going try right by my house 666 00:59:09,440 --> 00:59:19,119 on one lane configuration because they haven't switched to two yet. And that's 667 00:59:15,680 --> 00:59:25,760 10 going the one way. The light goes red and it clears out. The okamus one turns 668 00:59:22,960 --> 00:59:32,720 in that time period. And I have 10 going the other way. So I can trying to drive 669 00:59:28,559 --> 00:59:38,799 or go across the street. I can spend two three light changes at any time and 670 00:59:35,680 --> 00:59:44,000 particularly 8 to 10 in the morning. You you can be 15 minutes trying to get 671 00:59:41,520 --> 00:59:50,319 out of your driveway if it's a one lane. I guarantee it. 672 00:59:47,359 --> 00:59:58,000 So uh that's it. And uh the other thing is I 673 00:59:55,200 --> 01:00:03,599 want to compliment them. I have a big tree that's over 100 years and they 674 01:00:01,200 --> 01:00:09,119 actually came out and kind of listened to me. I don't completely agree with him 675 01:00:07,040 --> 01:00:12,640 at all. So you better watch it in the parking 676 01:00:10,799 --> 01:00:19,760 lot when you're driving out if I'm still there. uh but his junior engineers or 677 01:00:16,319 --> 01:00:26,799 whatever were very helpful in this and uh the other thing is 678 01:00:24,480 --> 01:00:33,599 Saturday or Sunday I can't remember which day 679 01:00:29,119 --> 01:00:38,799 across the way is already a bike way and there were three boys high school age 680 01:00:35,839 --> 01:00:44,880 not the 10 year olds that got hit coming along and they had a soccer ball 681 01:00:41,920 --> 01:00:51,599 and they weren't [snorts] the South American champ soccer players. They were 682 01:00:48,079 --> 01:00:56,480 kind of goofing along. They got it up there and that's close to the road and 683 01:00:54,160 --> 01:01:01,839 there's a little bit of a rise there. Three times while I was getting in my 684 01:00:59,920 --> 01:01:06,400 car and driving out and I saw him out there three times 685 01:01:04,400 --> 01:01:12,799 it went in the road. They were kicking it in the road in their high school. 686 01:01:09,760 --> 01:01:19,119 Give me a break. And one of the guys looked like he was going to nonchalantly 687 01:01:15,599 --> 01:01:25,920 run out without really looking to get the ball. One of his friends stopped him 688 01:01:22,319 --> 01:01:32,480 and going. So you can't tell everybody how to go across the street. Exactly. 689 01:01:29,200 --> 01:01:38,559 And then the bike trails in the road. I wouldn't recommend 690 01:01:34,799 --> 01:01:44,720 taking the bike trail in the road on Hassl when you change it or even right 691 01:01:41,040 --> 01:01:49,359 now go along the curb. I've only seen two people that I consistently I don't 692 01:01:47,599 --> 01:01:55,200 know who they are but I know what they look like that go on that road. No one 693 01:01:52,319 --> 01:02:00,520 else goes on the road. They go on the bike trail on the north 694 01:01:57,520 --> 01:02:00,520 side 695 01:02:00,559 --> 01:02:08,640 and My other general one that goes beyond 696 01:02:04,400 --> 01:02:16,799 that is I would recommend that all you elected officials look at the map for 697 01:02:11,920 --> 01:02:24,000 the bike trail, walking trail thing. Uh I'm Scotch. 698 01:02:19,599 --> 01:02:29,200 I ride bikes. I walk. I do all of stuff. Go on a tennis court. I'll take you out. 699 01:02:27,359 --> 01:02:35,040 I don't care who you are, younger or older. Uh 700 01:02:32,480 --> 01:02:39,040 and uh like you have Marsh Road and that's a 701 01:02:37,200 --> 01:02:45,359 bike trail on both sides right now, right? All the way up from the mall 702 01:02:43,440 --> 01:02:47,359 » and designated bike lane. >> Yeah. [clears throat] 703 01:02:45,760 --> 01:02:53,720 » Drive up and down there a couple of times. You got a bike trail. You poured 704 01:02:50,240 --> 01:02:53,720 all that concrete 705 01:02:53,839 --> 01:03:01,359 and I if you see more than five or six people and this is summer so the kids 706 01:02:59,119 --> 01:03:05,119 are running around you know you may be working 707 01:03:03,040 --> 01:03:11,440 there's five or six people that use that road and anytime you drive up and down 708 01:03:07,520 --> 01:03:16,400 it and I've I drive it fairly frequently and so my consideration and some of my 709 01:03:13,839 --> 01:03:21,039 neighbors is we want the bike trail we want the walking trail but we don't want 710 01:03:18,880 --> 01:03:27,520 it everywhere. where we don't need four of them going around this building. 711 01:03:24,160 --> 01:03:33,200 And that exists right now. If you go over here at Marsh and Hasslet, 712 01:03:30,480 --> 01:03:38,960 you guys just opened your little pile driving 713 01:03:35,359 --> 01:03:46,160 trail there by the new old folks home. That's big money. I'm an engineer. It's 714 01:03:41,680 --> 01:03:52,079 pilings. It changes the wetlands. There you have both sides of Marsh Road. 715 01:03:49,520 --> 01:03:59,119 You now have at least in that area both sides of Hasslet Road. You had the old 716 01:03:56,079 --> 01:04:06,400 urban inner urban train street car what it was really were on. 717 01:04:02,000 --> 01:04:12,400 You had that road back in there and you put uh the new one between the 718 01:04:08,960 --> 01:04:17,920 wetland and the old folks home. And then right on the other side of the 719 01:04:14,799 --> 01:04:23,520 wetland, as close as you can get, you have Bayon and you have a hookup that 720 01:04:20,480 --> 01:04:28,799 goes through the back there. And now with the new housing development going 721 01:04:25,920 --> 01:04:33,839 in there behind the commercial stuff, you're going to have a couple streets 722 01:04:30,240 --> 01:04:36,989 and parking area. So you have about seven different ways that go around 723 01:04:36,319 --> 01:04:40,960 there. >> [clears throat] 724 01:04:37,280 --> 01:04:47,839 » I'm wondering why you spent our money on the bion part of that thing. That's big 725 01:04:44,079 --> 01:04:53,359 bucks. And you say you got a grant. Well, I'm sorry. I pay state taxes and 726 01:04:50,799 --> 01:04:58,640 federal taxes, so you're still paying for it somehow. 727 01:04:56,000 --> 01:05:03,244 And I I just regulating hit what you really need. 728 01:05:01,224 --> 01:05:03,244 [clears throat and cough] 729 01:05:03,359 --> 01:05:10,319 I can see the future of if you go up there on Okamus Road, you have the 730 01:05:08,480 --> 01:05:14,720 bridge on the walkway. I've used 731 01:05:13,015 --> 01:05:20,720 [clears throat] to goof around at Best Buy way around. I'd ride my bike over 732 01:05:18,160 --> 01:05:28,799 there and that wasn't there when I was doing some of that. That is that was a a 733 01:05:25,760 --> 01:05:35,039 an act to get through that swampy area with all the traffic. So the bridge was 734 01:05:32,240 --> 01:05:39,870 should be there on some style. I wouldn't put that bridge there since I 735 01:05:37,280 --> 01:05:44,720 think it's falling apart already. [clears throat] Uh but I can see the 736 01:05:42,240 --> 01:05:48,240 other side. The excuse is going to be in front of the trustee. Well, we're going 737 01:05:46,559 --> 01:05:52,480 to get this grant and we can put a bridge on the other side 738 01:05:50,640 --> 01:05:57,280 of the road. There's hardly any buildings over there that are directed 739 01:05:55,119 --> 01:06:01,280 on the road. Maybe five or six. There's a whole bunch of trees there that you 740 01:05:59,520 --> 01:06:06,799 could save. And the bridge there, what did the one 741 01:06:04,559 --> 01:06:09,200 that's built? A million bucks. >> Which one are you referring to, sir? The 742 01:06:08,240 --> 01:06:13,359 one on road. >> Okamus one. 743 01:06:10,480 --> 01:06:16,240 » Uh, that was just over $1 million for that boardwalk, 744 01:06:14,559 --> 01:06:19,680 » which we are we've already had conversations with the road department 745 01:06:17,760 --> 01:06:24,319 that that could have been done differently in concert with a road 746 01:06:21,760 --> 01:06:29,599 elevation raising. If I saw that when I was working for the state, the way it 747 01:06:26,640 --> 01:06:34,960 was it's designed, there would have been red ink all over that thing. But my 748 01:06:32,319 --> 01:06:40,960 comment is you don't need another one on the other side. 749 01:06:37,839 --> 01:06:45,760 You know, be economical. Pick the better side. The bridge that 750 01:06:43,680 --> 01:06:49,839 you have is the better looking side, I think, for looking at the birds or doing 751 01:06:47,839 --> 01:06:55,839 something. But you don't need two sides. 752 01:06:53,920 --> 01:07:01,680 And sometime somebody should fix some of the 753 01:06:58,720 --> 01:07:07,839 roads around here to make for more traffic flow. 754 01:07:04,079 --> 01:07:18,000 I a long time ago was bend in people's ears that you have Mount Hope ending at 755 01:07:12,000 --> 01:07:24,079 Okamus. You have marsh ending down at technically by the river red cedar. 756 01:07:22,079 --> 01:07:30,559 You could easily there's an easement there for the power lines. You could go 757 01:07:27,359 --> 01:07:36,559 around the mount hope take it over on the easement and bend it up towards 758 01:07:32,799 --> 01:07:41,599 Marsh. Put a bridge in there. Condemn one house. 759 01:07:38,960 --> 01:07:47,039 And now the traffic instead of going all up Okamus 760 01:07:43,599 --> 01:07:52,799 you the Mount Hope won't join the Okamus traffic you can go around the Mount Hope 761 01:07:50,799 --> 01:07:58,640 will go keep going around and then you can go east without ever getting on 762 01:07:54,640 --> 01:08:06,720 Okamus road you spread out your traffic around the shopping center both sides 763 01:08:03,280 --> 01:08:13,280 but nobody was interested in doing that and I kept bringing it 764 01:08:09,200 --> 01:08:15,520 15 20 years ago. So anyhow, >> thank you sir. 765 01:08:13,760 --> 01:08:21,359 » Thank you for having me in. Thank you for what you're doing. 766 01:08:18,640 --> 01:08:25,920 » Absolutely. Thank you, sir. >> Um I'm going to put out a refresher 767 01:08:23,440 --> 01:08:30,560 reminder for those who are attending virtually that you can use the virtual 768 01:08:28,319 --> 01:08:38,520 raise your hand function. We're nearing the end of the uh uh public comment here 769 01:08:33,679 --> 01:08:38,520 in person. sir in the back. 770 01:08:45,839 --> 01:08:53,520 All right. Thank you. Uh my name is Sean Hammond. I live uh off of Green Road um 771 01:08:49,920 --> 01:08:58,159 out so I on Hlet Road all the time. Um and uh you know I want to say one I 772 01:08:56,400 --> 01:09:02,640 really applaud this project. I think that this is a great start um on HLlet 773 01:09:00,799 --> 01:09:07,920 Road. I know there's been some work done with the repaint and rechip and seal. 774 01:09:05,199 --> 01:09:10,719 Um, and I really think I've I've really appreciated, you know, hearing a lot of 775 01:09:09,520 --> 01:09:13,839 things from Meridian Township lately that it sounds like we're trying to 776 01:09:12,159 --> 01:09:18,640 really build a community here and not just move cars because that's kind of 777 01:09:15,600 --> 01:09:22,960 how we always designed roads and traffic for the last 50 years in America is that 778 01:09:20,880 --> 01:09:27,920 we want to move cars as fast as possible. End [clears throat] of 779 01:09:24,960 --> 01:09:33,120 sentence. That's not what our cities and towns should be about. And we should be 780 01:09:30,560 --> 01:09:39,120 providing pedestrian safety, bike safety for everyone in the community where it's 781 01:09:36,480 --> 01:09:41,359 all needed. Um, and I'm going to actually take a little bit of a 782 01:09:40,000 --> 01:09:44,880 different tack here and say I encourage you all to go bigger when you're 783 01:09:43,120 --> 01:09:48,640 reconsidering this project. 11 foot lanes with a 4 and a half foot bike lane 784 01:09:46,319 --> 01:09:51,520 is great. About a 5ft bike lane with a 10-ft turn lane so you can actually 785 01:09:50,159 --> 01:09:56,480 buffer the bike lane and put up some ballers and protect it because as as was 786 01:09:54,159 --> 01:10:00,159 said earlier, paint doesn't do much on its own for a bike 787 01:09:58,480 --> 01:10:04,560 lane. And frankly, you know, I've heard I've seen and heard comments about, you 788 01:10:02,000 --> 01:10:07,760 know, bikers ride the sidewalk a lot. I will push it and ride the road most of 789 01:10:06,239 --> 01:10:12,000 the time because that's what I've historic, you know, I've I've biked most 790 01:10:09,520 --> 01:10:15,760 of my life. I'm feel comfortable uh taking the lane when I need to and and 791 01:10:13,679 --> 01:10:20,159 biking in a safe manner. Um I occasionally bike with uh my young child 792 01:10:18,159 --> 01:10:24,320 on the back of my bike. I ride the sidewalk then because a lot of our roads 793 01:10:21,920 --> 01:10:29,280 are not safely marked for pedestrian including that redone Hazlet road 794 01:10:25,920 --> 01:10:33,280 between uh pass Marsh um that really needs to be striped a little bit better 795 01:10:30,880 --> 01:10:36,400 for bike lane markings. Um if we're going to build a holistic system and I 796 01:10:34,880 --> 01:10:40,960 think that's really where um some of the comments I've heard today I want to push 797 01:10:38,800 --> 01:10:44,400 is like make the system holistic. I know this is a we're talking Hasla road today 798 01:10:42,880 --> 01:10:48,080 but there's a lot of pieces and parts here and yes we have a lot of great bike 799 01:10:46,400 --> 01:10:53,840 infrastructure the inner urban I ride it a lot. um all the trails kind of through 800 01:10:50,159 --> 01:10:58,719 town, but to get from one to the other is near impossible in a safe way. To get 801 01:10:55,920 --> 01:11:03,600 from Hlet Road to the inner urban means turning left across Marsh that is not a 802 01:11:01,600 --> 01:11:07,120 easy or safe thing to do and you're use you're relying on sidewalk right now 803 01:11:05,120 --> 01:11:11,120 with all the construction especially. Um, so as we're building this out, 804 01:11:09,520 --> 01:11:14,400 continue to think holistically about how are we going to build all these 805 01:11:12,159 --> 01:11:19,920 interconnections so that you know you're not, imagine you're driving your car and 806 01:11:17,440 --> 01:11:24,080 all of a sudden the nicely paved, freshly paved, freshly marked road turns 807 01:11:21,920 --> 01:11:26,960 into a twotrack. That's basically what happens for bikes when a bike lane ends. 808 01:11:25,600 --> 01:11:30,480 You know, you're riding along, you have a nice safe feeling ride, and then all 809 01:11:29,120 --> 01:11:33,600 of a sudden you have to stop and figure out, okay, where am I going now? Is 810 01:11:32,239 --> 01:11:37,360 there a sidewalk? How do I get to the sidewalk? How do I safely navigate 811 01:11:35,840 --> 01:11:40,159 traffic? who thinks I'm going to stay on the road when I actually want to not be 812 01:11:38,800 --> 01:11:44,960 on the road because now it's not safe anymore. Um, so there's a lot of when 813 01:11:43,920 --> 01:11:48,000 we're doing that and that's what's happening I think on HLA road right now 814 01:11:46,480 --> 01:11:54,400 with the East Lancing portion of the road diet that just kind of ends and now 815 01:11:51,280 --> 01:11:57,520 we're you know this will very nicely continue that and I definitely encourage 816 01:11:55,920 --> 01:12:00,960 the right-hand turn lane only so that you only have those two lanes of 817 01:11:58,880 --> 01:12:05,360 traffic. Keeps it smooth, keeps it flowing. Um, 818 01:12:03,840 --> 01:12:10,000 and the la the next thing I'll say is, you know, there's been a lot of talks 819 01:12:06,320 --> 01:12:15,040 about speed limits. Um, there's a lot of studies out there. Speed is a factor of 820 01:12:12,640 --> 01:12:18,080 design, not necessarily a sign on the road. A sign on the road tells you what 821 01:12:17,040 --> 01:12:21,840 the police are going to pull you over for. 822 01:12:19,760 --> 01:12:26,960 But if the road is overdesigned, as Hasslet Road is right now, you're going 823 01:12:23,920 --> 01:12:31,280 to go faster than the road is. I've seen, you know, I today I paid very 824 01:12:29,840 --> 01:12:36,640 careful attention as I was driving down Hlet Road. I drove right at 45. I drove 825 01:12:34,719 --> 01:12:41,120 right at 35. People were getting frustrated behind me and going around me 826 01:12:39,040 --> 01:12:47,360 because that's not what the road feels like it's designed for. Um, another 827 01:12:44,480 --> 01:12:52,640 thing I'll add is uh wildlife crossing. Adding uh a red doing the road diet will 828 01:12:51,120 --> 01:12:56,400 provide a safer wildlife crossing in some ways. I helped move a snapping 829 01:12:54,640 --> 01:13:00,800 turtle across Aslet Road earlier this year. Um, we have a very active wildlife 830 01:12:59,280 --> 01:13:04,960 corridor throughout Meridian Township because of our very protective wetlands 831 01:13:02,320 --> 01:13:08,480 ordinance. Um, as uh myself and another person were trying to move a very hefty 832 01:13:07,199 --> 01:13:11,679 snapping turtle out of the road, which is a road safety concern on top of a lot 833 01:13:10,320 --> 01:13:16,080 of other things, people were still trying to fly by A45 834 01:13:14,320 --> 01:13:23,360 um going the other direction as we were trying to like maneuver things uh to get 835 01:13:18,640 --> 01:13:28,080 a road hazard out of the road. Um and then you know lastly I'll just say 836 01:13:25,520 --> 01:13:32,960 there is uh or two more things. One there was a talk about the schools and 837 01:13:29,679 --> 01:13:38,159 things like that. Um uh you know there's been a recent study 838 01:13:35,360 --> 01:13:42,640 out of Chicago 7% of all traffic in Chicago during the school year is K12 839 01:13:40,400 --> 01:13:48,000 school drop off and pickup related. 7% of all traffic in the city of Chicago. 840 01:13:46,080 --> 01:13:53,120 We've all driven on Hasllett when we pick up time from the various elementary 841 01:13:49,920 --> 01:13:56,800 schools. It's a lot. What if we could build a pathway and a 842 01:13:55,120 --> 01:14:00,560 system where people didn't have to feel like they needed to drive their car to 843 01:13:58,800 --> 01:14:04,719 pick up their kid? Right? You're going to reduce those backups if you have the 844 01:14:02,320 --> 01:14:10,000 alternatives that are safe and everyone feels safe using them. Um, 845 01:14:08,320 --> 01:14:12,960 and really lastly, I'll just say there's a factor of induced demand. It's a 846 01:14:11,760 --> 01:14:18,800 concept well known in traffic engineering. goes back again 50 60 847 01:14:16,159 --> 01:14:24,159 years. If you build another lane, there was a highway expansion I believe in New 848 01:14:22,239 --> 01:14:27,360 York. They announced in the 50s, "Hey, this is going to end all our traffic 849 01:14:25,440 --> 01:14:32,400 problems forever." Lasted 3 weeks until it was completely 850 01:14:30,480 --> 01:14:36,560 backed up again. When you build another lane, you're going to add traffic. When 851 01:14:34,320 --> 01:14:39,920 you shrink a lane, you actually divide the traffic up. And when you build a 852 01:14:38,560 --> 01:14:42,960 bike lane, you're going to induce people to actually use that bike lane, 853 01:14:41,679 --> 01:14:47,199 especially when it's a safe and well marked one. Um, so you can induce demand 854 01:14:45,600 --> 01:14:50,320 with bikes, you can induce demand with pedestrians, and by adding crossings, 855 01:14:48,800 --> 01:14:54,239 you're going to do that. So there's a lot of really, really good work being 856 01:14:52,080 --> 01:14:59,520 done here. And I just continue to push everyone here to go bolder, push harder, 857 01:14:57,520 --> 01:15:03,120 understand that there is a a trustful majority who likes all this stuff and 858 01:15:01,600 --> 01:15:10,960 they just don't have the time or energy to come out on a Monday night to come 859 01:15:06,719 --> 01:15:16,159 talk uh at the township hall. Thank you. Thank you. 860 01:15:13,040 --> 01:15:19,440 Uh sir, in the black shirt, did I see one more hand in the back 861 01:15:17,760 --> 01:15:25,120 somewhere? No. Okay. So we will uh be going on to 862 01:15:22,480 --> 01:15:28,722 the virtual public comment next. We have uh 863 01:15:26,800 --> 01:15:32,320 Matthew and Janette on deck. [clears throat] 864 01:15:29,840 --> 01:15:36,800 So my principal comment is that I think it's important to look from a policy and 865 01:15:34,640 --> 01:15:42,159 planning perspective. It's very easy to create solutions to 866 01:15:39,280 --> 01:15:46,719 solve problems. But too often you solve one problem and create new problems. And 867 01:15:44,800 --> 01:15:52,560 I think we have a significant risk of creating new problems here that would 868 01:15:49,040 --> 01:15:56,800 just replace the old problems. And in that area, I think that one of the 869 01:15:54,239 --> 01:16:01,120 biggest concerns that I have is right now the cars can platoon. 870 01:15:59,360 --> 01:16:06,400 And so you have a stream of cars and let's say you have four cars that are 871 01:16:03,040 --> 01:16:09,760 running down the road in two lanes. If you go to one lane, now you've got eight 872 01:16:07,920 --> 01:16:14,560 cars running down the road. So the gaps in the traffic don't take place to the 873 01:16:11,760 --> 01:16:19,520 same measure. This issue came up when I was living in the Marble Township on 874 01:16:16,320 --> 01:16:25,440 Hagenorm. In 2007, they were talking about road uh diets. Then uh they did 875 01:16:23,440 --> 01:16:30,719 studies, they did a lot of studies, they got public hearings and it was rejected 876 01:16:28,080 --> 01:16:34,640 at that time in 2007. I was wondering why it resurfaced in 23. 877 01:16:33,040 --> 01:16:39,440 And now I know it's because federal funding is incentivizing the creation of 878 01:16:37,440 --> 01:16:44,880 bike lanes when they're really not needed. And not only not needed, in my 879 01:16:42,080 --> 01:16:48,960 opinion, dangerous. I brought a bike and I tried riding down the bike lane on 880 01:16:46,400 --> 01:16:52,560 Oakmus Road once. We'll never do that again. I don't think they're safe, 881 01:16:50,800 --> 01:16:56,719 generally speaking, and not on roads like Hazel Road. I like love the bike 882 01:16:54,800 --> 01:17:01,360 paths. Those are great. But the platooning of the cars is important 883 01:16:58,480 --> 01:17:05,520 because in from Everett Woods, if you're going to turn right, you got to wait for 884 01:17:02,880 --> 01:17:10,159 a gap in the traffic. And right now, the timing is pretty clear. You see the 885 01:17:07,040 --> 01:17:15,920 traffic coming from Okamus Road from the light and then there's a gap and then it 886 01:17:12,560 --> 01:17:20,239 starts coming from from Park Lake on the other side. And if you don't get that 887 01:17:18,560 --> 01:17:24,800 gap then you have to wait and when the traffic's heavy in the morning at times 888 01:17:21,840 --> 01:17:29,440 you have to wait considerably longer. If the traffic is now platooned, so it's 889 01:17:26,800 --> 01:17:34,400 stretched out, those gaps are going to be smaller and your capacity to make and 890 01:17:32,719 --> 01:17:38,239 timing for those left turns is going to be greater and then the traffic's going 891 01:17:35,840 --> 01:17:43,679 to back up into the neighborhoods. And exactly what has happened in on 892 01:17:41,040 --> 01:17:48,560 Hagodor, I wouldn't call a success because uh my kids have a house on Mount 893 01:17:46,159 --> 01:17:52,000 Vernon and I cannot make a left turn from Mount Vernon going south on 894 01:17:50,159 --> 01:17:56,400 Hagodoran Road because there's never any breaks in the traffic ever. Maybe during 895 01:17:54,719 --> 01:18:01,120 the summer there are a few, but not generally. I can turn right, but I have 896 01:17:59,679 --> 01:18:04,159 to go back through the neighborhood. And I go all the way through the 897 01:18:02,080 --> 01:18:09,520 neighborhood down to Brookfield and come out that way. So, what is East Lancing 898 01:18:06,640 --> 01:18:12,880 doing? They've now done a study and everyone's complaining about all the 899 01:18:10,800 --> 01:18:15,679 traffic going through the neighborhoods and they're going to put roundabouts in 900 01:18:14,480 --> 01:18:20,080 the neighborhoods. They're going to put speed bumps in the neighborhoods. They 901 01:18:18,080 --> 01:18:25,360 tried doing that 20 years ago by putting partitions down Cill. the traffic speed 902 01:18:22,960 --> 01:18:28,960 actually increased as a result of that. So now East Lancing space was spending a 903 01:18:27,280 --> 01:18:32,239 lot of money in the neighborhoods to try to control traffic in the neighborhoods 904 01:18:30,719 --> 01:18:36,880 that's been caused by the controlling of the traffic on Hagador. So that's a you 905 01:18:35,840 --> 01:18:42,000 don't want to create those kind of unintended problems and I think coming 906 01:18:39,199 --> 01:18:46,960 out of Everett Woods is going to be highly problematic because there's going 907 01:18:44,239 --> 01:18:50,159 to be very little gaps in the traffic. So, I'm gonna have to make a decision to 908 01:18:48,719 --> 01:18:53,520 make and I want to be able to go in the left turn lane. If I want to go left, 909 01:18:52,320 --> 01:18:57,920 I'm going to have to get into that traffic. So, you're going to have to 910 01:18:54,640 --> 01:19:02,640 accelerate very quickly and I think the probabilities of more accidents from 911 01:19:00,320 --> 01:19:05,679 that could potentially occur. So, I mean, you got to weigh those 912 01:19:03,840 --> 01:19:08,239 considerations and I have some further information that I'll leave with you 913 01:19:06,880 --> 01:19:11,760 tonight, but I'll I'll leave it at that. Thanks. 914 01:19:09,040 --> 01:19:17,920 » Thank you, sir. All right. Uh, that concludes the public comment here in 915 01:19:14,239 --> 01:19:24,480 person. Stephen, you wanna So, Matthew, you are unmuted. 916 01:19:21,440 --> 01:19:29,840 » Thank you. Um, as um as others have said, I'm uh I'm very excited about this 917 01:19:27,199 --> 01:19:35,360 project. I live on Hlett Road at the corner of Hlett and Westminster where 918 01:19:32,880 --> 01:19:41,199 there was a pedestrian accident involving a child two years ago. The 919 01:19:38,320 --> 01:19:45,199 last time that I or three years ago now, uh the last time I addressed the city 920 01:19:42,880 --> 01:19:52,640 council was following that for a couple reasons. That stretch of Hazlet Road 921 01:19:48,080 --> 01:20:00,560 from Park Lake to um Marsh Road, I'm sorry, to Okamus Road is sandwiched in 922 01:19:56,239 --> 01:20:04,640 is 45 m an hour sandwiched between 35 miles on the other side of Park Lake 923 01:20:02,000 --> 01:20:09,920 whenever you're in East Lancing and 35 miles again when you get on the other 924 01:20:06,400 --> 01:20:15,760 side of of Park Lake Road. Um and so living there, we live um on a road that 925 01:20:13,600 --> 01:20:21,199 everybody speeds through. And not only that, there is it's at the top of a hill 926 01:20:18,320 --> 01:20:26,080 where there is minimal visibility. I deal with this every single morning when 927 01:20:23,040 --> 01:20:30,640 my kids get on the bus to school. Um the everything is great with the school, but 928 01:20:27,760 --> 01:20:36,960 as people are flying to down Hazlet Road to get to work, um I sincerely feel like 929 01:20:34,719 --> 01:20:41,520 I have to say a little prayer every time the kids are getting on and off that bus 930 01:20:39,280 --> 01:20:47,280 because people don't stop for the bus. Um and people are already going above 45 931 01:20:44,800 --> 01:20:53,440 m an hour um on that road very frequently with a massive hill that um 932 01:20:50,800 --> 01:20:59,360 minimizes visibility. Um, so I think that while there is 933 01:20:55,760 --> 01:21:04,960 concern about traffic, um, the safety of the roughly 80 houses on both sides of 934 01:21:02,640 --> 01:21:11,679 Hlet Road, um, and the neighborhoods that come that walk around and enjoy, 935 01:21:07,440 --> 01:21:17,120 um, that area is a is a is a priority to, um, the safety of of the people that 936 01:21:14,800 --> 01:21:23,840 live there is a priority to any concern about um, that change in traffic. Um and 937 01:21:21,040 --> 01:21:30,320 um uh we have friends on other sides of the street that do not have a sidewalk 938 01:21:27,040 --> 01:21:35,600 that do not have an accessible place to walk across the street within half a 939 01:21:32,480 --> 01:21:40,400 mile. And so in a in a family-friendly area like Meridian Township where we 940 01:21:37,760 --> 01:21:46,960 have great parks, um we have a number of households that have to literally play 941 01:21:43,520 --> 01:21:52,159 Frogger anytime we want to go visit our friends in the community. Um 942 01:21:48,626 --> 01:21:57,679 [clears throat] and so by just you know um by just de and and the last thing 943 01:21:55,040 --> 01:22:02,000 I'll say is um on both sides of the road depending on which direction you're 944 01:21:58,960 --> 01:22:08,239 coming from currently you have to turn um into we have to turn into our homes 945 01:22:04,960 --> 01:22:14,480 um from a left lane um on the coming up minimal visibility on a hill. Again, it 946 01:22:11,440 --> 01:22:20,639 is a terrifying prospect um when we enter our homes on a daily basis of what 947 01:22:18,159 --> 01:22:26,080 visibility someone might be dealing with coming from the other end. So again, I I 948 01:22:23,040 --> 01:22:31,360 I really applaud this project. Um I think for those um who drive by on 949 01:22:28,800 --> 01:22:35,120 Hazard Road um and don't live there, notice the people that are turning in. 950 01:22:33,199 --> 01:22:39,199 Um notice the speed of the people around you. Notice the people, notice the kids 951 01:22:37,280 --> 01:22:43,360 that are walking around, getting on and off the school bus, um going to visit 952 01:22:41,120 --> 01:22:49,760 neighbors because there's a lot more than just traffic. There are actual 953 01:22:46,320 --> 01:22:54,639 lives and as we've seen with two major um car accidents taking place in this 954 01:22:52,080 --> 01:22:59,120 stretch of road. Um this has the opportunity to really improve the 955 01:22:56,960 --> 01:23:04,880 quality of life for people that live in this area. So, thank you so much for um 956 01:23:01,440 --> 01:23:11,280 for this opportunity to discuss this. Thank you, Matthew. Uh uh before I go to 957 01:23:08,480 --> 01:23:15,840 our final attendee virtually who has their hand raised, final call for those 958 01:23:13,679 --> 01:23:22,000 attending virtually to raise your hand for public comment. Uh Kaen is our next 959 01:23:19,120 --> 01:23:27,280 speaker with her hand raised. And as we discussed, we've got 35 minutes left in 960 01:23:24,880 --> 01:23:32,960 tonight's a loted time from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. So once public comment concludes, 961 01:23:30,639 --> 01:23:35,840 uh, all the panelists will stay and we'll basically do a sharet style 962 01:23:34,560 --> 01:23:40,239 one-on-one. You can walk around the room. You can take a look at the diagram 963 01:23:38,080 --> 01:23:45,199 boards over on the table which mirror what Mark walked through earlier 964 01:23:41,760 --> 01:23:51,760 tonight. Um, and with that, Stephen, if you could unmute. 965 01:23:47,360 --> 01:23:55,000 Kaen, you are unmuted. And oh wait, no, you're still 966 01:23:55,120 --> 01:24:00,080 » So she she's muted on her side. >> Yeah. 967 01:23:58,080 --> 01:24:03,320 » Miss Fear, could you please uh unmute your microphone? 968 01:24:04,639 --> 01:24:08,080 » Can you hear me? >> There you go. 969 01:24:06,639 --> 01:24:13,600 » Yes, we can. Thank you. >> Okay. Um I have lived in this township 970 01:24:10,800 --> 01:24:18,080 since I was 2 years old and I have lived on the corner of Hllett and Bayon since 971 01:24:15,760 --> 01:24:22,880 I was 16. Um, I have seen a lot of changes on Hlet 972 01:24:20,480 --> 01:24:27,760 Road. Uh, for some reason they put in curbs which were not needed. And as a 973 01:24:26,320 --> 01:24:33,280 matter of fact, it actually made things more difficult on Hlett Road way back 974 01:24:29,840 --> 01:24:36,880 when. They took away a, 975 01:24:35,280 --> 01:24:43,280 you know, the side of the road that was gravel where our mailboxes were further 976 01:24:39,760 --> 01:24:47,280 back and the mail cars, delivery cars, emergency vehicles, they could all be 977 01:24:45,840 --> 01:24:51,600 safely on the side of the road. If you were in an accident, you could get off 978 01:24:48,960 --> 01:24:55,760 the road and be out of the way. Um, now our mailboxes are right on the curb. And 979 01:24:53,840 --> 01:25:01,679 I am one of these people that have had my mailbox hit five times this year. And 980 01:24:59,760 --> 01:25:09,199 I do not think it's speed. I think it's people on their phones. Um I also have a 981 01:25:05,280 --> 01:25:16,560 lot of car accidents at Hlet and Bon. Almost all of them are from someone 982 01:25:14,000 --> 01:25:22,639 going off from Bon, not stopping at the stop sign or just going and being hit by 983 01:25:19,440 --> 01:25:28,080 someone on HLT. I can see a lot of problems with this 984 01:25:26,239 --> 01:25:34,560 plan mostly because I know that by 5:00 p.m. 985 01:25:31,840 --> 01:25:39,600 at Marsh it is almost backed up all the way to Bon 986 01:25:36,480 --> 01:25:46,639 and that's that's almost a nightly thing. Um, I do have to drive 987 01:25:44,000 --> 01:25:54,719 um to my job and I do have to take the Mount Hope road and the amount of scary 988 01:25:52,400 --> 01:26:01,199 issues that I see on that since the road diet is unbelievable. I believe that the 989 01:25:58,320 --> 01:26:06,560 right hand the the right turns should be a hard stop. You should not be able to 990 01:26:03,440 --> 01:26:10,880 merge because you do have people trying to rush to get around and then they get 991 01:26:08,320 --> 01:26:14,960 around and then they slow down. So then you have people slamming on 992 01:26:12,639 --> 01:26:20,800 their brakes trying to avoid hitting people who are 993 01:26:17,679 --> 01:26:26,480 doing that. You have people passing other people who they feel is are going 994 01:26:23,280 --> 01:26:32,239 too slow in the turn lane. So you're not really you're just you're 995 01:26:28,960 --> 01:26:36,960 causing people to actually play more frogger. They're getting angry. They're 996 01:26:34,719 --> 01:26:42,400 road raging. They're using the turn lane to pass people instead of just 997 01:26:40,080 --> 01:26:46,560 sitting there waiting. Um, and yes, those of us who live on 998 01:26:44,719 --> 01:26:53,679 Hasllet Road are going to have a more difficult time getting out of our 999 01:26:48,960 --> 01:26:58,719 driveways. Um, I already have Bon right there. Literally, 1000 01:26:56,239 --> 01:27:04,800 right? I mean, it's not even 50 ft from my driveway to Bon. And I do have issues 1001 01:27:02,000 --> 01:27:11,920 getting out, but I wait sometimes up to five minutes 1002 01:27:08,639 --> 01:27:16,320 because of how much traffic there is. I can see if you take that down to two 1003 01:27:13,760 --> 01:27:20,159 lanes, one on each side and a turn lane, that's going to 1004 01:27:18,639 --> 01:27:26,480 take more time for me to get out of my driveway. Um, also, you do have those 1005 01:27:24,560 --> 01:27:30,159 school buses. uh anybody who's being stopped by the 1006 01:27:28,080 --> 01:27:35,840 police, getting in a car accident, delivery drivers, they all stop in that 1007 01:27:32,480 --> 01:27:39,760 road. So, you're going to have people going into the turn lane to get around 1008 01:27:38,080 --> 01:27:46,239 them because they're not going to want to stop and wait. And then, you know, 1009 01:27:44,239 --> 01:27:50,880 I sit here and I watch people cross Bayon every single day. People on bikes, 1010 01:27:48,800 --> 01:27:57,199 people walking, people walking their dogs. They don't wait a long time. and 1011 01:27:55,120 --> 01:28:02,480 they do wait. They don't run out in the middle of the road in front of cars. 1012 01:28:00,000 --> 01:28:05,920 Um, but they get across with no problem. And if they're complaining, it's 1013 01:28:03,840 --> 01:28:10,960 interesting because they I I literally while you were all 1014 01:28:08,239 --> 01:28:15,600 talking, I was watching a a couple cross the road. They stopped, they waited, 1015 01:28:12,480 --> 01:28:21,280 they got to go. Um, I just think that 1016 01:28:18,000 --> 01:28:26,080 some of this is I don't know. I feel like it's because 1017 01:28:22,880 --> 01:28:31,440 you got the grant. Um, you get the grants before you make the plans and you 1018 01:28:29,760 --> 01:28:36,320 just want to do it because you have that money. And I understand that that money 1019 01:28:33,840 --> 01:28:40,560 is meant to improve things, but I have a feeling that this is going to cause more 1020 01:28:38,719 --> 01:28:45,600 issues. You're going to have people going through down Bayon to get to Lake 1021 01:28:43,280 --> 01:28:49,679 Lancing to get down faster and get around away from this, but that's also 1022 01:28:47,679 --> 01:28:53,440 going to cause people to speed through school zones. 1023 01:28:51,920 --> 01:28:59,040 Um, I don't know. I just I've seen a lot of 1024 01:28:56,880 --> 01:29:02,800 changes. I've seen things that they thought were going to be great and that 1025 01:29:00,480 --> 01:29:07,040 have caused more issues. You have us mowing the lawns now closer to the road 1026 01:29:05,199 --> 01:29:12,320 than what we were before because we now have curbs and it extended our right of 1027 01:29:10,239 --> 01:29:16,480 way in the front. And then you're going to make these and you're going to put 1028 01:29:13,920 --> 01:29:20,719 bikes in the roads, which that is very dangerous. I don't care what road you're 1029 01:29:18,159 --> 01:29:26,400 on, it is dangerous. And I do see people almost get hit on 1030 01:29:23,840 --> 01:29:32,320 their way to MSU um on their bikes. And there's not a lot 1031 01:29:28,239 --> 01:29:35,920 of people, but there are a few. Um anyways, 1032 01:29:33,840 --> 01:29:39,679 but yeah, there are a few things. Those um yellow lights, those yellow flashing 1033 01:29:37,600 --> 01:29:43,280 lights, they are confusing because you have people who will stop at them when 1034 01:29:41,760 --> 01:29:46,800 there's no one there because they've already crossed and they'll sit there 1035 01:29:44,960 --> 01:29:50,719 and wait because they don't know what they're supposed to do. and you have 1036 01:29:49,040 --> 01:29:54,800 people who won't let the people cross because they don't know what they're 1037 01:29:51,920 --> 01:29:58,000 for. So those flashing yellow lights are confusing. 1038 01:29:56,320 --> 01:30:03,520 And uh yeah, so if you're going to make the changes anyways, um 1039 01:30:01,280 --> 01:30:09,360 make those turn right turns a hard stop. You can't go forward anymore. Make the 1040 01:30:05,840 --> 01:30:14,000 lights red and uh you're going to have to find a way to get us out of our 1041 01:30:11,679 --> 01:30:20,800 driveways because it's going to be more difficult. Anyways, thank you. 1042 01:30:17,920 --> 01:30:25,440 Thank you, Kaen. All right, I see no more hands virtually. Um, the one thing 1043 01:30:23,440 --> 01:30:29,600 and I would encourage folks as we get into the sharet phase, take a look at it 1044 01:30:27,360 --> 01:30:32,639 on the poster boards over here and then everything that's presented tonight, 1045 01:30:31,280 --> 01:30:37,440 including the recording will be made available online. But if you look at the 1046 01:30:34,639 --> 01:30:42,800 poster boards over there, what's unique to this road diet that we've at least 1047 01:30:40,000 --> 01:30:49,440 discussed in concept is that from Benson Drive to Shoptown, which is where the 1048 01:30:46,400 --> 01:30:56,560 former W8 is, right? When you go eastbound on HLT, you can go, we have 1049 01:30:52,639 --> 01:31:01,280 two through lanes through uh uh the Marsh Road intersection 1050 01:30:58,320 --> 01:31:04,800 eastbound, right? and that outer through lane terminates when you get to Shoptown 1051 01:31:03,120 --> 01:31:09,520 and it becomes basically an auxiliary right turn lane into Shoptown. That 1052 01:31:07,440 --> 01:31:14,480 configuration would likely remain. That's what we've discussed in concept. 1053 01:31:11,440 --> 01:31:18,400 So from Benson Drive to um the Shoptown complex on the east side 1054 01:31:16,560 --> 01:31:23,120 of Marsh Road, you would have two through lanes in both directions and 1055 01:31:20,960 --> 01:31:28,880 there wouldn't be so whatever capacity there is to queue cars from Marsh West 1056 01:31:26,560 --> 01:31:33,600 towards Benson and towards Bayon that would remain the same. Um and that's 1057 01:31:31,520 --> 01:31:39,040 another uh public commenter made reference to uh shared bike emblem 1058 01:31:36,480 --> 01:31:43,199 symbols and you know we can use utilize pavement markings like that in those 1059 01:31:41,199 --> 01:31:48,400 conditions. So with that uh final comment uh we are we'll segue into the 1060 01:31:46,239 --> 01:31:54,440 sh phase. Thank you to everyone for attending tonight and uh please feel 1061 01:31:50,080 --> 01:31:54,440 free to mingle and chat.