Photo by Lexi Coon.
Jennifer Brown with Sain Associates discusses the Canterbury Road closure with Mountain Brook City Council members.
After hosting the sidewalk project information session, Jennifer Brown with Sain Associates said they have since reviewed several citizens requests and input for possible sidewalks on other streets.
Residents requested Sharpsburg Road, Harpers Ferry Road and Wilderness Road be added to the project, but Sain rejected the request.
“Our recommendation was to not include those in the plan because those roadways are already neighborhood-type streets,” with low speed limits and wide roadways, Brown said.
However, Brown added that Sain has since extended the project along Pine Crest Road from Balmoral Road to Montevallo Road as well as a portion of Hagood Street to Greenbriar Circle after correcting the city limits that were originally used.
Phases two and three have been switched as well, which now puts the two previously mentioned extensions — along Pine Crest Road and Hagood Street — in the second phase of the project in addition to other roads.
Brown also discussed the next step for the Canterbury Road closure for the roundabout project.
Sain will be performing traffic counts before the closure, immediately after the closure, two weeks after the closure and again once school traffic has normalized to see how the closure affects immediate and surrounding intersections. Counts will be taken at peak hours and for 24 hours.
Intersections to be included during peak hours are: Montevallo Road at Culver Road and Petticoat Lane; Montevallo Road at Overhill Road; Canterbury Road at Culver Road; Cahaba Road at Heathermoor Road; Cahaba Road at Hollywood Boulevard and Montevallo Road; and Cahaba Road at Culver Road (south).
Twenty-four hour machines will be placed on Montevallo Road east of Overhill Road; Montevallo Road west of Overhill Road; Overhill Road south of Montevallo Road; Canterbury Road east of Culver Road; and Watkins Road east of Cahaba Road.
Brown said by using both sets of data, officials will be able to determine both traffic counts as well as traffic movement. The study will cost about $21,000, which is due to the number of intersections in the study and the degree to which they are being looked at.
Council president Virginia Smith said that given the community input at the special session on July 18, it was important to include the listed intersections in the study.
“Since it’s so critical on downstream with roundabouts … there’s a lot of really important stuff going off this information that we need to collect so we can defend it,” said councilman Phil Black.
Council accepted a resolution for contract work with Sain Associates for this project. They also approved an additional resolution placing a stop sign at Canterbury Road and Village Circle for the duration of the Canterbury Road closure.
Also during the meeting, council members:
- Approved the minutes of the July 10 regular meeting, the July 12 city council and planning commission work session and the July 18 city council special meeting.
- Approved a moratorium on new short-term rentals and new short-term rental reservations in the city with the possibility of extension while determining the best course of action regarding short-term rentals.
- Declined the RSA $2 a month one-time pension benefit.
- Approved a resolution declaring personal property surplus and authorizing its sale at public internet auction.
- Approved a resolution authorizing the execution of a professional services agreement with Kelly Landscape Architects, LLC for the design of the field improvements at the athletic complex.
- Approved a resolution reappointing Richard F. Simonton to the Board of Zoning Adjustment to serve without compensation until July 25, 2020.
- Approved a resolution appointing Lindsay Smith Puckett to the Board of Landscape Design of the City of Mountain Brook to fill the unexpired term of Kelly Hulsey and serve without compensation until Sept. 12, 2019.
- Discussed placing a street light for English Village Lane at Cahaba Road, during which the council agreed to notify nearby residents for feedback and to put the request on the next council agenda.
- Approved an ordinance amending the fiscal 2017 budget, leaving $130,000 in the general operations fund.
- Approved a resolution accepting and authorizing the execution of a work authorization submitted by Sain Associates, representing an addendum to the project previously authorized upon the adoption of Resolution No. 2016-189, with respect to the Cahaba Road/U. S. 280 ramps/Lane Park Road/Culver Road roundabout project. This resolution allows the city to continue moving forward on the roundabouts project.
- Approved an ordinance providing for a stop on Delmar Terrace Circle at Sheridan Drive; on Beech Court at Beech Circle; on Sheridan Drive at Greenbriar Lane; and on Cold Harbor Circle at Cold Harbor Drive.
The next city council meeting will be on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m.
