Minutes 11/06/1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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TItURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1997 '. in the project area, as described by Mr. Jack Mundy of Florence & Hutcheson. Mr. Tom Hamed, Assistant to the City Manager for Community Development, emphasized the need to keep rail traffic open during the project work, due to local business needs. Mr. Mundy stated that he anticipated a possible new grade crossing, to which City Manager Earl Reynolds added that they could expect little help from the railroad company. Mr. Hollis stated that the City' s share of State funds might be accessed more rapidly for this purpose, and Mr. Reynolds asked for a copy of preliminary design work to pursue this, which Mr. Tart promised to provide. Mr. Reynolds went on to state that the City would, indeed, assist in the right of way acquisition, as well as other design work, if more design information was provided. Mr. Harned then mentioned that the City' s design work on the drainage problem further upstream of the project area was available and might be of use to ,VDOT. Councilmember Teague then asked if there might be any flexibility in the regulations regarding the Industrial Access Road Grant, Mr. Hollis and others from VDOT expressed serious doubt of any allowance of extension on the time frame for this grant award. Mr. Hamed stated that the schedule clock on these funds had already started, and Councilmember Teague stated that this might be an area in which legislative assistance might be of help. There then followed discussion about the unlikely prospect of a business deciding to locate in the new Clearview Business Park if the road work had not been finished, and that the Grant funds could not likely be secured by these means. There was also no desire to have VDOT "de-allocate" the grant and re-apply. The consensus was that the best approach was to approach the Legislature on special action to secure the grant funds, as soon as possible. Mr. Reeves then asked Mr. Tart what VDOT's perception of the scope of the project was at this time. Mr. Tart replied that the current scope was improvement of the Clearview/Liberty intersection, with provision for widening of Liberty Street. Vice-Mayor Crabtree then stated the need to be sure to set the priority for this widening effort in the City' s 6- year Transportation Plan, and also noted the need to look to future improvements to Barrows Mill Road. Mr. Hamed added that the new industrial park that Henry County has just acquired the land for would also create traffic that would impact the area. Councilmember Haskell then asked the business men present if they had further questions, and Mr. Reynolds assured them that the City would do its best to keep them informed of