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APPENDIX 7: 2019 PUBLIC COMMENTS AND RESPONSES APPENDIX 7: SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING – RESPONSES TO COMMENTS MAPLE/KING NEIGHBORHOOD Date Method Name Address Comment Response Received 10/7 Email Andrew Saver Pine Street As a resident of Pine St for more than 16 years I sincerely hope that the project can be completed in its Your support for the Project is noted. This LS DSEIS is limited in scope to only current iteration. It would bring much needed traffic relief to our neighborhood and facilitate a more assess environmental justice impacts to low-income and minority populations direct route into and out of downtown Burlington for commuters. I fully support the project and know and to address a limited portion of the Project along Pine Street between Maple that most of my neighbors on the surrounding blocks do as well. Street and Main Street. Accordingly, only comments pertaining to environmental justice or the Maple and King Street Neighborhood will be Thank you for your consideration. addressed in this document. Andrew Saver Pine St 9/28 Email James Lockridge 56 King St September 28, 2019 The proposed shared use path along the western side of Pine Street cannot extend 56 King Street further north due to design constraints and available width within the public Burlington, VT 05401 right-of-way limits. The shared use path is designed in accordance with state and federal standards which indicated required offsets from the roadway and other Wayne L Davis obstructions such as trees, signs, and utility poles. Vermont Agency of Transportation One National Life Drive The Project includes on-road buffered bike lanes between Kilburn Street and Montpelier, VT 05633 Maple Street, and shared lanes with a buffered parking lane between Maple Street and Main Street. The on-street parking on the east side of Pine Street and between Maple Street and Main Street will be maintained for residents in the Maple and King Street Neighborhood. In addition, it would not be feasible to Mr. Kenneth R. Sikora, Jr. provide a shared use path or cycle tracks between Maple Street and Main Street Federal Highway Safety Administration due to the frequency of driveway openings and the potential for conflict. 87 State Street Montpelier, VT 05602 In consideration of the application of roundabouts for the Pine Street/Maple Street and Pine Street/King Street intersections, it was identified that a single- I’d like to offer a public comment to the Champlain Parkway project in Burlington as a resident of lower lane roundabout is not feasible to be constructed at either of these two King Street. intersections because of the physical constraints and existing built environment. Although mini roundabouts might be able to fit physically; they are not I’m disappointed that the protected bike/pedestrian path ends at Kilburn Street and does not extend into recommended for the intersections of Pine Street/Maple Street or Pine the King/Maple neighborhood. I was told at the public meeting that this design decision was made to Street/King Street because of considerations related to the arterial function of preserve on-street parking. I feel that this prioritizes a taxpayer-funded entitlement of free parking for Pine Street, truck/bus accommodation, traffic performance, vehicle safety and people who can afford cars over the basic safety of all neighborhood children on bicycles. I perceive this pedestrian/bicyclist safety. as a shallow politically motivated decision rather than one built on values of improving the safety of transportation for all. In regard to air quality, the traffic changes described in the LS DSEIS will reduce the impacts to air quality as stated in the 2009 FSEIS. A microscale analysis was I also wish there were roundabout-style intersections at King and Maple Streets, which keep polluting previously performed and concluded that the project intersections will be below vehicles moving past homes rather than idling in front of them, and are known to be safer than traffic Vermont and NAAQS thresholds. The project will not result in an adverse impact lights for pedestrians. If any kind of roundabout fit into those intersections, it would be closer to best to air quality for adjacent sensitive receptors. practices for transportation safety and neighborhood wellbeing than old fashioned traffic lights would be. Thank you for accepting these comments into the record. Sincerely, James Lockridge (802) 373-2890 9/26 Spoken Susi Taylor Maple Street My name is Susi Taylor and I live on Lower Maple Street. I have a hard time with this because I really The Champlain Parkway plans have been prepared by the City of Burlington’s Comment do respect people’s hard work and I am not a traffic person, I am not an engineer. I am a biker, a walker, design consultants and reviewed by the Department of Public Works, VTrans, a dog owner, and a long time Burlington resident and I do find it sort of curious that it never really has FHWA, and various environmental permitting agencies. Residents have had been made clear to me why this meeting is focusing on Maple and King Street. My opinion is that it’s multiple opportunities to attend public meetings and the City has made additional Page 1 of 96 Date Method Name Address Comment Response Received focusing on Maple and King Street because we are the lowest income neighborhood around. effort to provide alternative avenues to provide input and comment. In addition, Understanding that, I come from a place I’m educated, I’m privileged, and I can’t figure this stuff out. I a public hearing will be held at the conclusion of a public comment period during go to the website and I come away with a headache. If Chapin weren’t patient enough to answer some of the present NEPA process. my questions, I probably wouldn’t even have the patience to be here tonight. But, having said that, my neighbors don’t have time or ability. They are feeding their children, they are cooking their dinner, they An analysis of traffic safety has been prepared as part of this LS DSEIS. Please are trying to just live their lives. What I hear from many of my neighbors who do not have cars, the refer to the corresponding sections of the document. children who wait for the school buses in the morning, the parents who try to protect their kids is you take your life in your hands because cars don’t stop. They don’t pay attention. People are on The Record of Decision issued by FHWA in 2010 has been rescinded in order to their cellphones. We sit on our porch at night when the traffic is backed up on Pine Street down to reassess environmental justice concerns. South Champlain Street and yes, they’re not going fast, but they’re all on their cell phones. Nobody is paying attention to the pedestrians and what the answer is to fix that, I don’t know. I do have a The proposed curb extensions have been designed to accommodate the largest couple of questions and I really can’t get the information. Some of them is the traffic numbers. It vehicles expected at each intersection. The objective of the curb extensions is to looked like roughly 3,000 increase. Where do those numbers come from? The EIS, hey come on. provide better sight distance, visibility and shorter crossing distances for It’s outdated, in my opinion. I don’t understand. I think if we did an EIS currently it would look pedestrians and to promote speed management through a more compact design. very different from what you all are working with and I would really. I think we should have a new Considering the vehicle composition of traffic flow on Pine Street and side EIS. You mentioned curb bump outs. Interesting, we just had an experience with curb bump outs at streets, and the City’s policy for promoting Complete Streets concepts, curb the corner of St. Paul Street and Maple. They had to take them out because it doesn’t work for extensions have been proposed where appropriate. One purpose of the traffic. I respect again you want green streets, you want I’ve forgotten the right term, but we want Champlain Parkway is to remove truck traffic from local roads such as King people walking and biking. We want people driving, but we want them all to do it safely. So, where Street. are the curb bump outs? Where does the sidewalk end when you go down Pine Street on the West side? The railroad crossing at the bottom of Maple Street, the sidewalk stops there now. There’s not a sidewalk to get across to the lake and Perkins Pier. Trucks now can’t make a left hand turn from Pine on to Maple. I’ve seen traffic back up. I’ve seen accidents with cars, children, bicycles, walkers. I understand that left-hand turns are still going to be allowed from Pine Street and King Street and there will be no dedicated lane. I just want to say it’s a nightmare and there can’t be any restriction of or any increase in sidewalks or reduction of the lane there because trucks can’t do it now. Thank you. 9/26 Spoken Donna Walters Maple Street My name is Donna Walters and I live at the intersection of Maple Street and South Champlain. I live in The proposed shared use path was designed in accordance with state and federal Comment Pine Street a Burlington Housing Authority building called Wharf Lane Apartments and I am speaking tonight on standards to safely accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians.

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