Changes in Diamond St. 2-way conversion plan unveiled to Mansfield City Council – Richland Source

MANSFIELD -- Public input has resulted in several changes in the plan to convert Diamond Street to two-way traffic through the downtown.

City engineer Bob Bianchi went over the changes Tuesday during a Mansfield City Council streets committee meeting.

Bianchi said the new ideas all came from a Feb. 11 public meetingabout the conversion.

"It was a great meeting and we had a lot of great input," Bianchi said. "We looked at every comment at what we could possibly incorporate, considering costs. Most of them we can incorporate into this plan."

The conversion proposal, first presented to City Council on Jan. 21, is another part of the Mansfield Rising downtown reinvestment plan, which suggested the city adopt and implement a complete streets policy in the downtown area.

It would be similar to Mulberry Street, one-way southbound for many years, which was was converted to two-way traffic in August 2019.

The changes Bianchi outlined Tuesday were:

-- creating a right-in-right-out driveway at the gas station at the corner of Diamond and First streets. Bianchi said he spoke to the owner of the property who said it would be difficult to turn left out of the driveway closest to First Street. "'Right-in-right-out' features are great for access management and managing how vehicles enter public right of way," Bianchi said.

-- installing an ADA-compliant curb ramp at the corner Diamond and First.

-- installing a concrete "bump-out" for sight distance improvement along the east side of Diamond Street, north of Second Street.

-- prohibiting turning right on red from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for southbound Diamond Street traffic at Second Street.

-- creating a dedicated left-turn "split-phase signal" for traffic northbound on Diamond Street at Third, Fourth and Fifth streets.

-- moving four planned on-street parking spaces into the Municipal Parking Lot due to a utility conflict just before Fourth Street.

-- constructing four on-street parking spaces along the east side of Diamond Street, just north of Fourth Street.

-- constructing three on-street parking spaces along the east side of Diamond Street, just north of Fifth Street.

-- widening the northeast intersection radius for truck turning movements at the Diamond/Fifth street intersection.

Bianchi said the cost of the project, first estimated at about $360,000, will rise by $40,000 to $60,000, depending on the quantities of asphalt, concrete and curb are needed.

The engineer said the city has the funds to pay for the project. Mayor Tim Theaker has said no general funds will be used. Instead, funds for the project would come from four sources -- the permissive sales tax, the street fund, road resurfacing fund and the Downtown Improvement Fund, which began when City Council approveda $5 increase inmotor vehicle registration feesin May of 2018.

That increase generates about $220,000 annually and was used in 2019 to help fund a downtown beautification effort, the Mulberry Street conversion and the addition of amid-block, brick crosswalk on Fourth Streetbetween Main and Diamond streets.

The Downtown Improvement Advisory Board recommended on Feb. 20 that City Council spend $50,000 from the downtown improvement fund on the conversion.

City Council is expected to have three readings on the proposal -- March 18, April 7 and April 21. A vote on the conversion is expected April 21.

Bianchi has said concrete work could begin in May, followed by paving in July and in signal installation in August, if the signal poles are available.

Also on Tuesday, City Council:

-- gave second reading to an ordinance that would require council approval for any multi-vendor projects exceeding $50,000. Bidding will not be required except if an individual contract exceeds $50,000. The change will also require the city's board of control to approve all multi-vendor projects totaling more than $25,000.

-- approved a resolution honoring detectiveRonald Packer Sr., who recently retiredafter more than 31 years with the Mansfield Police Department.

-- approved the appointment of Russ White to fill an unexpired term on the city's utility appeals board.

-- approved a $1,200 payment to Michael Connolly for damage caused by sewer backups at his 48 N. Brookwood Way property in June and July of 2019.

-- approved demolition of dilapidated properties at 91 Lind Ave., 148 Willow St., 195 Sycamore St., 249 W. Fifth St., 345 Cedar St., 648 W. Fourth St. and 720 Burns St.

-- voted to accept $3,600 in donations for Cyclops Field, including $3,000 from Warren Rupp Inc., $500 from Larry Abrams and $100 from Skybox Packaging, LLC.

-- discussed in caucus the city's proposed 2020 final budget, which was the focus of a lengthy finance committee meeting on Monday night.Under state law, the budget must be adopted by the end of March.

-- heard an update from Public Works Director David Remy on the city-wide water meter replacement program. Remy said the mass replacement process should begin by mid-May. City residents will receive a booklet about the conversion later this month.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, Council heard from:

-- Kathleen Boyle, who repeated her request that the city construct a pavilion at Liberty Park that would allow senior citizens an indoor facility for events and gatherings.

--Jodie Perry,president & CEO ofRichland Area Chamber & Economic Development, who updated council on the countywide-branding campaign effort.

-- former 4th Ward CouncilmanWalden "Butch" Jefferson, who said he was concerned council members were losing losing their authority as an oversight group in allowing the mayor's administration to announce the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center would be closing.

-- Geron Tate, president and CEO of G. Tate and Associates, an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment organization that has an office in Ocie Hill, who again expressed an interest in keeping the facility open. He invited council members to attend a public art event at Ocie Hill April 23 to 25 to learn more about what is going on at the center. He also urged city officials to talk to residents in the neighborhood to discuss what kind of programming they would like to see at the facility.

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Changes in Diamond St. 2-way conversion plan unveiled to Mansfield City Council - Richland Source