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It governs city projects from road reconstruction to bike lanes to drainage improvements, and now the 10-year Capital Improvements Program has the planning and zoning commission’s approval.
At its meeting Tuesday night, P&Z made a recommendation to the City Council to approve the 10-year CIP with a handful of amendments. City engineering chief Laurie Moyer answered questions that commissioners had brought up in a previous discussion of the program as well as new questions regarding transportation.
Moyer specifically talked about a question that Commissioner Travis Kelsey had asked about moving up work on Ranch Road 12. She said that during the reconstruction of Hopkins Street, a detour route would take drivers from Old Ranch Road 12 to Craddock to the Wonder World Extension and/or the interstate.
“We’re going to try to avoid sending people down city streets,” she said. “... If we were going to move forward with the Ranch Road 12 project quickly, we could end up not having that as a detour route.”
She also noted that commissioners had voiced concerns about the intersection of North Street and Hopkins by Zelicks and State Highway 123 at Whataburger, where there is no turn lane but many vehicles turning left. She said those intersections will be studied further for safety improvements.
The commission also brought up issues with the intersection at State Highway 80 and Interstate Highway 35 – the “diverging diamond” intersection which Moyer said has increased capacity but is confusing for some drivers. She said she had not heard if the number of accidents at that intersection had increased.
“The only issue that I’ve heard is that if the light goes out it takes a lot more police manpower to direct traffic,” she said.
Commissioner Mark Gleason noted traffic still backs up at the intersection. Gleason said most of his complaints about it are related to the Texas Department of Transportation, not the city.
Specifically, he noted traffic on the northbound access road turning right onto State Highway 80 has increased.
“That is backed up significantly, and it’s gotten much worse the last couple of years,” he said.
Commissioner Travis Kelsey made the motion to recommend the CIP with an amendment to move up the funding for downtown improvement projects. Commissioner Betseygail Rand made an amendment to include a shade structure at the City Park playground, and Commissioner Maxfield Baker made an amendment to include consideration of wayfinding via online applications and intersection optimization. All of those amendments were approved with little to no discussion.
The amendment that did garner discussion was one made by Gabrielle Moore to ask council to consider some recommendations made by Move San Marcos, a civic group with the intention of making transportation safer and more sustainable in San Marcos. A representative from the group had spoken during public comments and delivered a handout to the P&Z commissioners outlining some of the group’s recommendations, such as the creation of an alternative transportation advisory board, a re-evaluation of all roadway-related CIP projects with an eye to safety, the adoption of a Vision Zero safety policy (which would reduce the number of traffic-related deaths to zero) and the elimination of roadway projects that induce demand and increase congestion.
“Have you met with Move San Marcos?” Commissioner Kate McCarty asked Moyer.
Moyer said she had not but she had received the letter the group had presented to P&Z but had not spoken to the group.
“I think the points they made were very valid points and things we should consider,” she said.
Some commissioners were reluctant to vote on an amendment recommending that council consider Move San Marcos’ suggestions.
“I haven’t had time to digest this,” commission chair Jim Garber said.
“Me, either,” McCarty said.
Garber also questioned whether the commission could vote on the recommendations and stay within its agenda.
“If you think it’s something that’s a factor that relates to the CIP, I don’t have tremendous heartburn if the council hears that it’s something you’d like them to look at as part of your recommendation,” City Attorney Michael Cosentino said.
After more discussion, including a suggestion to have staff put Move San Marcos’ recommendations on a future agenda, the amendment asking City Council to consider the suggestions passed 5-2. The overall CIP plan passed unanimously.
