Meeting Minutes for July 3, 2007

• Beth Varcho – Mount Carmel West
• Alan Papa – Mount Carmel West
• Barry Peel – City of Columbus Economic Development
• Lee Brown – Franklin County Economic Development
• James Schimmer – Franklin County Economic Development

• Nick Shultz - EMH&T
• Larry Creed - EMH&T
• Dilip Karpoor - MORPC
• Bernice Cage - MORPC
• Terry Stewart - City of Columbus

Terry Stewart welcomed everyone to the meeting at 11:45 AM.

Mr. Stewart explained that the City of Columbus is planning a traffic calming, community mobility, multi-modal traffic project for Franklinton. He stated that implementation may start as early as next year and introduced the project team consisting of the City of Columbus, EMH&T, Inc., MORPC, McKenna Associates, Inc. and Walkable Communities, Inc. from Florida.

Mr. Stewart briefly discussed the project goals including:

1. A balanced transportation infrastructure
2. Reduce traffic violations, speeding, and failure to yield to pedestrians
3. Strengthening connection between land uses and the transportation system
4. Promoting distinct and vibrant neighborhoods
5. Satisfying “Safe Routes to School” criteria

Mr. Stewart introduced Larry Creed, Project Manager for the Franklinton Project from EMH&T.

Mr. Creed briefly discussed the project steps including:

• Developing a plan to improve mobility and related livability issues in Franklinton by:
  • Balancing transportation infrastructure
    • Reducing traffic violations, ticketed and non-ticketed (speeding, failure to yield)
    • Strengthening connection between land users and the transportation system
    • Promoting distinct and vibrant neighborhoods
    • Satisfying “Safe Routes to School” criteria
• Encourage public involvement
  • Meeting with stakeholders
  • Public open houses
  • Charrettes
  • Walk audits
  • Overview to mayor, council, and service director
  • Internet website: www.columbusmobility.info
    • Meeting notifications
• Data Collection – (Currently in process)
  • Obtain existing data
    • Traffic counts
    • Pedestrian crash data
    • Land planning documents
    • Perform traffic counts (volume, speed, and classification)
    • Inventory of existing area characteristics, including, but not limited to:
      • Sidewalk, curb, curb ramps, pedestrian features, traffic calming measures
      • Intersection traffic control devices, lane control, turn restrictions, ped controls
      • One-way operations, designated parking areas, bus stops, speed limits
• Analysis and Recommendations
  • Identify problems and develop solutions
  • Review constructability feasibility
  • Prepare cost estimates and prioritize
  • Present recommendations to public, stakeholders, and city departments
• Final Reporting
  • Prepare report describing purpose, methodology, findings and recommendations
  • Provide typical drawings of recommended improvements

Mr. Creed provided upcoming events including:

• Friday, July 13, 2007 – Opening Charrette
• Saturday, July 14, 2007 – Walk Audit
• Thursday, July 26, 2007 – Closing Charrette

Mr. Papa and Ms. Varcho provided the overall master facility plan for Mount Carmel West Hospital

• Souder Avenue will be converted to one-way southbound from West Broad Street to Town Street
• Souder Avenue will serve as the main entrance where valet service will be provided
• Entrance/Exit points to the hospital will be reduced for security purposes
• Homeownership Program was established to purchase houses with the intent to rehabilitate and resell, usually at a loss
• The medical center is expected to grow upwards rather than outwards
• There is no intent to expand west of Hartford Avenue
• The vision is to be considered a “neighborhood hospital” with parking kept east of the grounds
• Visual improvements, such as decorative lighting, ladder style crosswalks, handicap curb ramps, and countdown pedestrian signals are desired

Mr. Papa and Ms. Varcho provided information pertaining to accessibility

• No known issues navigating the neighborhood for EMS vehicles
• Great highway access and transit service
• Patient surveys indicate no issues accessing the hospital
• A large number of clinical customers walk to the hospital
• Employees/Visitors have difficult time crossing West Broad Street to reach restaurants at lunch

Open discussion with Mount Carmel staff concluded at 12:40 PM and the meeting was moved to a separate room for open discussion with Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department staff.

• Currently early in discussions; however, intent is to sell to private owner, but remain as a public assembly facility
• Cooper Area Plan 2005
• Includes possible future uses
• Motor sales facility with motorcycle museum, showroom, and race track most popular as it will keep much of existing infrastructure in place
• Central Ohio CIC is clearing house for proposals
• Not available online
• Similar travel patterns are expected
• North-south connection to area neighborhoods is not good
• Primary traffic flow is east-west
• Access will likely remain as is; however, it will be desirable to align with I-70 ramps
• Will be desirable to have eastbound I-70 exit ramp and westbound I-70 entrance ramp constructed
• Plenty of parking is available
• Annexation into Columbus is being considered
• Redevelopment of existing A.D. Farrow site on West Broad Street and McDowell Street will need to be considered if they move to Cooper