Construction Advisory Group Route 141 – Kirkwood Highway to Faulkland Road MEETING MINUTES – January 12, 2009

Construction Advisory Group
Route 141 – Kirkwood Highway to Faulkland Road
MEETING MINUTES – January 12, 2009

Date: January 12, 2009
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: DuPont Chestnut Run Plaza, Bldg. 700 Wilmington, Delaware 19805

Present:

Mr. Bill Osborne – TMA
Mr. Robert Bristow – DuPont Co.
Mr. Michael Alfree – DSYF/DMSS
Mr. Pete Hayward – Resident
Ms. Charlotte O’Sullivan – Resident
Mr. Charles Stirk – Brookland Terrace
Mr. William Wheatley – Brookland Terrace
Ms. Phyllis Berggnun – Willow Run
Mr. Bernie Berggnun – Willow Run
Ms. Theresa Riddleberger – Willow Run
Dr. Joshua Ayers – Brookland Terrace
Mrs. Edie Realey – Willow Run
Mr. Thomas Slaughter – Willow Run
Mr. John Janowski – NCC
Mr. Al Conner – Berca
Mr. Tom Brooks – DelDOT
Mr. Harry Cooper – DelDOT
Mr. Mark Buckalew – DelDOT
Mr. Robert King – DelDOT
Ms. Misty Seemans – DelDOT

Misty Seemans called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

Tom Brooks discussed old business regarding design:
1. The left turning lane on southbound Route 141 has some drainage problems. The issue would be addressed by DelDOT Maintenance.
2. Traffic is reviewing installing permanent No Parking signs at the intersection of Field Road and Gilpin Drive. (UPDATE: DelDOT’s Traffic Section reported that the parking restriction is justified. The Department processed a parking resolution to officially establish the restriction. The resolution was approved, and a work order was placed to have the signs installed as scheduling and weather permits.)

Mark Buckalew updated the group on the project’s progress during construction:
1. (UPDATE: Dates changed to Thursday and Friday Jan. 22 and 23): The week of Jan. 19, Route 141 traffic will be shifted from the old pavement to the new pavement. This means that four lanes of traffic will be open, 2 lanes in each direction, on the eastside of Route 141. This traffic switch will allow work to begin on the old pavement on the westside of Route 141. Four travel lanes will be maintained after the switch, which will last for 1 year. Expect delays between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. while work takes place. The traffic switch is weather dependent. Message boards have been set up notifying drivers of the shift. Work will begin north of Faulkland Road and move south along Route 141. Work needs to be done to the pavement and waterline.

General discussion ensued:
· A Beech Avenue resident asked whether maintenance would be maintained to Brookland Terrace. Mark said yes.
· A resident asked when the ramp from westbound Route 2 to northbound Route 141 would open. Mark said after the traffic switch.
· A resident asked about the timeline for the traffic switch. Mark said at least 1 year.
· A representative of the Ferris School asked what company’s water line will be worked on. Mark said Artesian Water.
· A resident asked if the City of Wilmington water line is tied in on Faulkand Road. Mark said it is but the City of Wilmington thinks there is a leak. Mark said that the line has passed the tests and he doesn’t think there is a leak. If there is a leak, it will be addressed. Contractors will be in the field for 2 years.
· A resident asked about the status of Montgomery Road. Mark said Montgomery Road will remain closed because a retaining wall still needs to be built. The retaining wall cannot be built if traffic runs next to it. Montgomery Road will be open within the next 2 years.
· A resident asked about the schedule. Mark said the project is a little bit behind schedule but DelDOT is trying to catch up. The fall 2010 completion date is still expected.
· A representative of DuPont Co. asked about DelDOT’s work zone safety culture. Mark said that the couple of car crash-related injuries have been non-construction related. The representative asked DelDOT to examine barricades to increase safety. The speed limit is 35 mph and speeding through the work zone is an enforcement issue. (UPDATE: The project team has discussed installing a temporary electronic speed sign that tells motorists how fast they are going, per a resident’s request. Tom spoke to DelDOT’s Traffic section and the Route 141 contractor about renting an electronic speed sign. Misty contacted the Delaware State Police about coordinating enforcement with the electronic sign.)
· A resident said motorists are driving from Greenbank Road onto Route 141. Harry Cooper said traffic violations are an enforcement issue. (UPDATE: Tom has contacted DelDOT’s Traffic section to review signage at this intersection. Traffic reviewed the location and reported that additional signing is needed. They have put in a work order to produce and install more signage.)
· A resident asked how far the traffic switch will go. Mark said residents from west of Route 141 who are turning onto Route 141 will have to cross the existing median. A resident asked what would happen to the old curb. Mark said it would be demolished. A resident asked whether residents in communities like Brookland Terrace will have a difficult time turning onto the new pavement after the traffic switch. Mark said left turns (to go north on Route 141) would be restricted but it is already difficult to turn onto Route 141 from the communities west of Route 141. He said the restriction would be posted.
· A resident asked about the potholes in front of the Ferris School on Route 141. Mark said the traffic switch from the old pavement to the new pavement will allow DelDOT to repair these potholes since the road will get a new surface. The resident said the pot holes are getting deeper. Harry said the traffic switch will eliminate this issue.
· A resident asked if the No Parking sign at the intersection of Gilpin Drive and Willow Run will stay. It has helped the situation. Mark said it will stay for the time being. Tom said Traffic will have to review whether it should be permanent. (Please see update on Page 1.)
· A resident said there is a dumpster at the entrance of Willow Run. Mark said this is a private entrance. Harry said the dumpster does not belong to the State. The property owners’ would need to remove it. DelDOT will talk to them. (UPDATE: Tom spoke with the property owner who will contact the tenant about removing the dumpster.)

Frequency of meetings discussed:
· Misty asked the group about the need for bimonthly meetings. She asked the group whether they would find project updates online more helpful than in-person meetings or whether the group would like to have a meeting every 3 months instead of every 2 months. The project does not have frequent updates. This will also save the Department any costs associated with the 2 less meetings this year. A resident said in-person meetings are important so that the project team can explain issues with the use of a map. Discussion ensued. The group voted by raising hands. An overwhelming majority decided to have a meeting every 3 months. The next meeting will be at 5 p.m. Monday, April 13.

General discussion ensued:
· Charlotte O’Sullivan asked to go on record to thank the Department for installing a fence along the construction limits.
· The discussion turned to litter problems along Route 141. Mark said that when the Department redoes the retaining wall some of it will be cleaned up. The construction is not the source of the litter. Litter from other places gets caught in this area and most likely will continue, therefore requiring continual maintenance. The resident asked whose responsibility it is to clean up the litter. Mark said DelDOT is responsible for cleaning up along the side of the road, not the side on private property. The resident asked who to talk to, to get this cleaned up. Harry said the fence that is acting like a net for the litter is privately maintained. He said the DelDOT Maintenance and Corrections crews that clean up litter along roadways have limited time and resources and have statewide responsibilities. (UPDATE: Misty spoke to the Maintenance section about assigning a Corrections road crew to the Route 141 area. The supervisor said he would add it to the list. The list is very long.) Misty recommended the residents contact the Adopt-A-Highway program to more immediately address the problem. The coordinator’s number is (302) 760-2080. Bob King said there are costs associated with sending a Corrections crew. For instance, paying the supervisor.
· A resident asked if the new retaining wall would replace the fence. Bob said the wall will go in front of the fence, no matter what its condition. A resident asked where it would go. Tom said it would be in the state’s right-of-way. A resident asked about mowing in between the wall and fence. Tom said the wall would be right next to the fence. Tom said the new fence installed by DelDOT would be rod iron. Property owners will still have to maintain fences on their land.

The meeting ended at 5:39 p.m.

NEXT MEETING:

Monday, APRIL 13th - 5:00PM

DuPont Chestnut Run Plaza
Building 700
Cafeteria
Directions: Use Route 141 entrance, north of the Faulkland Road intersection
Travel on South Mall Road
Left on Third Street
At stop sign, left on North Mall Road
Parking is available on all four sides of Building 700
The main entrance faces North Mall Road