Consider Directing Staff to Conduct a Study to Review Suggestions to Provide Relief for Traffic on Island Drive.  (Councilmember Oddie)  [Continued from January 20, 2015]
And can you let me know on this then? Is the staff have a presentation or do we. Go to the council. Pass it on to Ms.. Councilmember Odie. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'll try to get through this quickly, because. No, we still have a big agenda, but. I spent a lot of time on Harbor Bay. I lived there for 14 years, commuted on Island Drive most of those year. So I mean, this is not an academic issue for me. This is something real. And the folks that live out there, you know, it's real to them, too. And as I knocked on doors most, most all the Bay Farm, I was able to knock on. You know, there were a couple of recurring themes that people were telling me, and one which I already knew about was was the traffic on Island Drive. So no matter, you know, how many houses we build, whether we build zero or whatever on the rest of the main island, we still have a problem with traffic on Island Drive. So my referral is to direct staff to conduct a study. And people have told me there's a few things that they thought might help alleviate some of the traffic extending the turn lane, the left hand turn lane from island drive onto Robert Davey Drive, renegotiate the Bay Bridge. I'm sorry, the Bay Farm Bridge. Hours of operation understanding that might take an act of Congress, but. Or. God. Will know that, you know, and I think one of the most critical ones is, you know, working with are having a partnership with a UCD to work on the school start times. From the way I understand it, you know Lincoln starts before Earhart so folks go off a farm island dropped their kids off at Earhart come back I'm sorry, at Lincoln. Come back. Drop them off at Earhart or Bay Farm and then go back off the island to work or go back home. So now that's a lot of single occupancy trips or even, you know, carpool trips for four children that that we may be able to reduce, if not eliminate. So and then the last item is checking signal synchronization from Island for Inside Otis to Broadway. So this is a critical issue. I'm the only person on the council that has actually lived on Bay Farm. And, you know, the issues of folks that live on Bay Farm are still important to me, even though I don't live there anymore. Member. Ashcroft Thank you, Mayor Spencer. I, if I understand correctly, from having reviewed the rest of the materials today and about council referrals, the Council can vote to proceed as directed in the council referral. And and I'm fully supportive of this and would make that motion. The one slight amendment I would suggest is the wording is to request that city council direct appropriate city staff to conduct a study to determine if some or all of the following suggestions would provide relief for traffic on Island Drive. I would like to include or other remedies in in addition to these. So this is I think this is a good list, but it's possible that if staff appropriate staffer to study these possibilities, they might come up with yet another idea or two for alleviating the traffic. Just for formality. Can I just remind you it's the appropriate language in that sentences to direct the city manager so we stay away from council directing staff. That is a very good point. I was just reading, but you're right. Okay. And I appreciate that. Thank you. And I'm fine with that. That friendly amendment. And I think it says some or all, you know, by no means are those an exhaustive list of what caused this traffic out there. So. Okay. If there's others, I'd be happy to find a way. And I know the city clerk is getting. That would make me sound more eloquent than I sound. And so with that amendment, I would move. I'd appreciate if we could have an opportunity to speak before you at this point, if there's any other council members that would like to speak on this or. I was just trying to move the things along. I agree with the what the vice mayor's I mean, Councilmember Ashcroft's suggestion to to broaden the list and incorporate also the wording from the city manager, assistant city manager that we're directing the city manager. I'm. Dr. study. A personal. Emotion. So a move. And do we have a second? I guess I'll second it. So at this point in the event I'll speak and I can Steph clarify. So my, my understanding is that when there's an issue that someone has an issue in regards to traffic, nothing concerning that, that they can make a request to public works and the public works then. As to what I've heard is their cue, and then it makes it through the process and that they would initiate these items based upon their research and analysis. And in general, that would be the case, especially for the next one or two. One, it's a really local issue. This particular one is pretty broad because we're talking about a bridge and discussing potentially with the school district to change the bell tower. So I think this one in my mind is definitely appropriate for the council to have a discussion. Because it's much broader than, you know, one corner or one intersection. And in regards to the U.S. part of this, in the past, we have had joint meetings between the city and the district where we discussed, I would think, issues like this that it would go to that joint committee. Before as part of the process. And that's something that I would think that it's appropriate that that part of this referral go through that committee. Having been on the school board for six years, I'm familiar with that part of a process and and I would and this does say work with the wood. So again, I'm going to ask Steph. When we when we get to that point. Absolutely. I think that's the appropriate body. Okay. So. Would it be possible then to amend the motion so that through the joint? Meaning. So having made the motion, I, I think I favor keeping the language broad rather than narrow because work with a USD to change the start time. I think it encompasses a lot of things. It could encompass a subcommittee. I don't think it it eliminates that. But on the other hand, if it was as simple as making a phone call or two and we didn't have to wait for the subcommittee to be formulated, convene, meet and that sort of thing, we may might get resolution sooner rather than later. And I think that's all in the public good. But then again, it doesn't eliminate the possibility of a subcommittee. I'm just trying to be broad rather than narrow. So with all due respect to that common, having served on the school board for six years, I do not anticipate us requesting the school change their start time to be a phone call. I would be. I really believe that in all deference to the school district, it is appropriate to use the process that I've been part of for I think I don't know how long we've done that, but it's a long time. So I would. I think it's appropriate to go through that system, that process. May I suggest some language? How about work with the USDA and with the subcommittee as appropriate? So you have you have the opportunity to do both. Would that work? Now, that was work. Yes, I think that's appropriate. They have their word. And I'd like to work for the board. And I don't know. It may require negotiations with the labor union. So I mean, I don't I'm fine with the the correction, but, you know, I prefer not to be so prescriptive on on how staff should operate because I don't know the you know, what it's all going to entail. So can and also in regards to the referral process, it was my understanding that the referral comes to us and then we we agree then that it goes on the agenda for another discussion, that it would come back to us as. Yes, we would have to come back. I, I think I. We have to figure out the. Timing on each of these referrals, but I think at the earliest would be in two meetings. Just given our publication deadlines and we would come back with a proposal that essentially lays out the scope. And you know what it would take, how long it would. Take and potentially. How much it would cost. Okay. Because this so so if you could clarify this statement in regards to changing the start time, it says work with a USD to change start time for Lincoln Middle School to 810. So that suggests that we are agreeing to change in America. Yes. Thank you. Please. And I think the the notion of keeping this broad, it was important. And these as examples, because that's these are all anecdotal suggestions. They're not based in any kind of traffic engineering or any kind of studying. And we don't know if belt time changes are going to affect. They may make it worse. So I think those are examples to explore and that's why staff is going to look at it and give us an evaluation of what they think. And then I think we're a long way from calling, so. Okay. So then I would so I appreciate that. In which case I would strike the time, but work with a USD to change, start time to allow a better flow of traffic as opposed to being specific as to a set time. Because I anticipate when they're hearing from us that we want to change their start time to 810, that that is actually I think that is specific. I do not think that is broad. I'm sorry. But again, these are examples and they're anecdotal. So I think this is the referral process puts it it gives the council majority. An opportunity to direct the city manager to expend staff time to search these out and to apply. And. And to apply a solution if one can be had. So but my suggestion is, would council be willing to strike that start time? So I would like to the chair if I could ask Mr. Councilmember Ody, since this is his Council referral, why and the reason you have the 810 time in there was was what? Because that, that would make it start earlier than then the elementary schools. To start earlier than elementary school. So there was some rest. Sorry. Later than the elementary schools it's turned out now it's START. Elementary starts at 820, Lincoln starts at eight. So currently that that solution actually does not resolve the issue. If you have to get there at 810 and do your drop off and get back to the elementary at 820. Well, I mean. I think we can get into the nits and that's of it. You know, that's why it. Comes back to us. This is just a broad policy level discussion that these may be ideas that work. They may be ideas that don't provide relief. But let's get some, you know, information on what does and what doesn't. So I I'd prefer not to be so overly prescriptive and just set policy levels at the council level from a high level and not micromanage every activity that that the count that that the staff is supposed to do. So would you be willing to strike the 810? Yes. Thank you. That we have. So it would just read then to work with us to change the start time for Lincoln Middle School to allow a better flow of traffic. Is that correct? I would like to keep abroad and because I think that's contrary to the intent there. And I thought this was one of the easier ones. So anything else? Thank you, Madam Chair. The I support this. I think it's based upon contacts that council member Odie had with residents, so it reflects a concern. My my the one concern that I have, though, is, you know, as a city council, we are a body that has to juggle a lot of balls and deal with competing concerns. You know, to. But in front of the queue checking signal signalization for Ireland for insight Otis to Broadway. Wouldn't it be fair to all of the residents of Alameda say check signal synchronization for all roads in Alameda? I recognize that. You know, this is. Particular current concerns raised by residents that you met. So so now you're doing your responsibility as a council person. I recognize that. But I think part of my responsibility as a council person is also to say if we're going to do X synchronization and we're going to put this in front of everything else . You know, it's. To me, it's. There are other parts of town that might have the same issues. So the fourth bullet point I think is a general enough matter that that does raise concerns. I will support it nonetheless. But at the point in time that it is brought back to the city council, it's altogether possible. It raised the same concerns. I think the concerns with regard to Lincoln Middle School and the traffic flow there, I think the circumstances are so particular to their that warrant. Okay. We can deal with that because the issues there are particular. The Bay from Breeze Island to I mean, I think there's only one Bayfront Bridge in town. Right. But but on the fourth point, though, that I'll just have to it's possible that also that applies to the first point. I mean Mike we checked left turn lanes throughout. So it's nice support this but as this comes back to us first and fourth. So I have another comment on something like this. Would it be appropriate to ask someone from public works to come and speak with us about how they would normally addresses and then their Q and action? Because I really don't want to micromanage public works. And I appreciate your comments that we have people from across our communities that have concerns with traffic and lights and why would we prioritize this area over other interests within our community? But they come and speak with us. Would that be part of the process? We could certainly agenda's that because I'm pretty. Sure none of us are intending to bump any other areas through this motion. Question there. S So two things that I didn't really understand, that we were pushing this to the front of the queue. I understood that when staff is able to come back with a report, they will. And I would think that as part of that report, Public Works could weigh in on exactly the question the mayor raised. I mean, I think, you know, to the extent that there are other problematic intersections, we do tend to hear from our citizens. But, you know, certainly this this process is alive and well. And, you know, we all live in different areas of town. So, you know, this again, we don't want to micromanage staff. And just because we're hearing this council shrill tonight doesn't mean you go back and put it ahead of everything staff is working on. We look to staff through the city manager to tell us when this can be fit in. But I think we've all heard those concerns. And if you've, you know, tried to get back and forth over that bridge during school or commute time, you know, it's it's a challenging situation. So I don't think anyone's denying it's a problem. And we'll try to get to all of our problems as expeditiously as we can. Be ready to. Vote of emotion in the second. All those in favor. I oppose. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. And I appreciate you bringing that to our attention. Next item three Be. Considered directing staff to conduct a consultant study to determine the feasibility for a wetland mitigation bank at Alameda Point. This item was placed on the agenda at the request of Councilmember Odie.