These are kind of silly, hey are scheduled for a half hour before the council meeting starts, they start late, have to end early for city channel to switch over to the next production and are hugely rushed. But . . . here’s what I’ve got. I’ve heard them called the Chris squared show, and I can’t get it out of my mind. That’s because the presentations are from Chris Klein in the Mayor’s Office and Chris Petykowski from City Engineering.
STATION UPDATES
After projector problems, Chris Klein starts off by saying:
– Last week DOT held another public meeting, there were updates on the rendering, platform preferred alternatives and cost estimates.
– The $11.5 – 12.5M is for the first floor of DOA and the glass station items.
– The first floor has a ticket kiosk, bathroom, administrative office and updated restaurant.
– Amtrak would staff the kiosk, they were previously told it would just be automated.
– They showed the new canopy design.
– He showed the escalators to get to platform and the elevators.
– Points out there is an access point to go out onto ground level of Pinckney but it only gives access to the elevators not the escalators.
– Points out that there is only one set pf escalators and the switch direction depending upon if a train is coming or going.
– Thanks the observant people who attended the public hearings and says that DOT is working to fix that and get two sets of escalators. [Seriously, they thought that was going to work? At least there is one thing they listened to the public on!]
– Majority of train will be under Monona Terrace when parked, they have 13 or 14 cars.
– Says the alternative for the is the only alternative they will bring forward from this point on.
– Station is in the middle of two tracks, no other alternatives on platform design because this is the only way for it to function for freight and commuter rail and high speed rail.
– Passengers can board either train from the platform.
– They are still working on the intermodal part of the station and haven’t figured out where the taxis and buses go.
– Canopy is still a piece of the puzzle taking public input on, he is not sure what input they got last week, but they will refine that and it will be at next public meeting. [Oh thank goodness, they take input on the most important things!]
– Those are the only updates on the design.
ALDER QUESTIONS
Marsha Rummel asks about Pinckney St and what level of Monona Terrace interacts with the station.
Klein says something about there being lost parking spots if they do it any other way. I missed the rest.
Rummel seems annoyed by the answer and says that staff are discussing it further.
Satya Rhodes Conway asks where taxis and Metro and intercity buses might be.
Klein says something about Metro stops I missed. He says ticketing is beginning to be discussed. Intercity buses have options on the table, they might board from John Nolen if they can figure out how to get passengers across John Nolen, otherwise it might be at the public market. It’s up in the air, there is no one place being considered.
Mike Verveer asks if they can get the PowerPoint emailed?
Klein promises to send all 24 slides – but he only showed them about 6.
Verveer asks about the number of tracks, and decisions made by WISDOT about how many tracks, how will they integrate fright and potential commuter rail?
Klein says the dual track is best way DOT is saying they can have High Speed Rail and freight and not eliminate commuter rail possibility. He can’t say on which side they will go, they can’t guarantee it, that is why they can board from either side. The preferred alternative is three tracks, no other alternatives at this point.
Chris Schmidt asks about costs splitting for station and parking, do they have numbers yet.
Klein says no, not yet. $11.5 to 12.5 is just still basic station, elevators, escalators and upgrades to DOA, city hasn’t asked for anything extravagant.
Schmidt asks if that includes the tracks.
Klein says that is a corridor expense.
Bryon Eagon asks if there are dual engines or how they would turn around.
Klein says they will have two engines or a pull car on one end.
Eagon asks if the seats can change direction.
Klein can’t remember.
Mark Clear says Chris Petykowski has about 60 seconds to speak.
Someone suggests he go first next time.
CORRIDOR UPDATES
Petykowski says:
– There is a diagnostic team and accorridor management focus group.
– Diagnostic team is a set of technical people from DOT, Wisconsin Rail and the Federal Railroad Administration, and their issue is safety first, warning devices, the geometry of road and track and they are looking at each crossing and making recommendations.
– He has met with the diagnostic team once, he is not a member, he can come along and offer input and answer questions.
– The next meeting of the diagnostic team is September 20th.
– There is also a focus group of stakeholders in corridor.
– The city has identified groups to be included and the first meeting which is tomorrow at 4:30 pm and they are making their own recommendations on aesthetics, fencing, maintenance, etc and ranking issues like crossings for bikes and pedestrians and vehicles.
– Recommendations will go to WISDOT.
– There are 4 meetings of the focus group this fall and spring corridor.
– After the recommendations are in, there will be a corridor management plan written.
– Then WISDOT and Federal Railroad Administration and the Office of Railroad Commissioners will decide how that plays out.
ALDER QUESTIONS
Verveer asks about future public meetings, he notes that on Monday, September 20th he and Alder Rummel will be having a meeting at 7:00 at the Overture Center for people interested in these issues.
Klein and Petykowski determine they don’t know when the next meeting is. Its on the station, there is no meeting on the corridor yet.
Rummel says don’t announce meetings until 6 days in advance, she is having a hard time with the short notice with her busy schedule and she wants people to know we said need to plan more into the future – DOT needs to hear that their timeline doesn’t always work. She pointed out that they were holding a meeting on Rosh Hashana, she tried to tell them that was not ok, but they didn’t listen.
And that was that. Time for the council meeting.
