City considering comprehensive traffic study
Drivers could see less congestion and better traffic flow around Mountain Brook in 2015. At a city council pre-meeting on Tuesday, May 27, council members discussed a proposed citywide traffic study that would provide low-cost solutions for some of Mountain Brook’s high-traffic areas.
Deputy Chief Greg Hagood said the proposed study would focus on areas with heavy resident complaint. From the study results, the city would then choose priority locations to receive improvements. Possible improvement areas include the Montevallo Road and Church Street intersection, as well as the intersection of Cahaba Road, Lane Park Road, Culver Road and U.S. 280.
If approved, the study would be carried out by Skipper Consulting Inc. as part of the city’s budget for the 2015 fiscal year. Richard Caudle, a traffic engineer at Skipper Consulting, said the city is working on obtaining an APPLE (Advanced Planning, Programming and Logical Engineering) grant for the project from the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham. The grant would pay 80 percent of the project cost, and the city would fund the remaining 20 percent.
Caudle said a final decision on the traffic study will be made in the next four weeks, after the city knows its APPLE grant status and the project’s scope and expense.
Other business discussed during the pre-meeting included:
- A new state law allowing the expungement of certain criminal charges from an individual’s records. The law will go into effect on July 7.
- Dedication a new right-of-way for the Manning condominium project on Cahaba Road.
- Building a new restroom facility for the Brookwood Forest Elementary playing field to replace the current portable restrooms.
- A presentation by Emmet O’Neal Library Director Susan Debrecht on a new library card for children. The card will allow a child to check out three items from the library, and it is intended to serve as a temporary card until the child’s parent can apply for a regular library card. Debrecht said the library has given out nine of these cards so far, and believes it will be especially helpful for children who walk to the library or come in on field trips.
During the regular meeting, other council business included:
- A resolution for a public hearing on Monday, June 23. The hearing will include consideration of an amendment to the master development plan for the Park at Overton Residential Infill District. The amendment would allow consolidation of two lots into one and limit the development to 18 lots or fewer.
- Addition of a new agenda item for the June 23 hearing. The new item will be consideration of an amendment to the International Residential Code’s standards for new windows and doors. If passed, the building inspections superintendent will be able to grant waivers exempting homeowners from the standards.
- Approval of a request to vacate an alleyway at the Manning condominium project.
The next city council meeting will be Monday, June 9 at 7 p.m. in the City Hall council chamber.