Fiscal Note
Estimated Cost: $275,000.
Funds are available in Acct. No. CS53 58545 810375 00 53W1245 "Bikeways".
Title
Approving plans and specifications for public improvements necessary for the project known as Southwest Path Lighting. (5th, 10th, 11th, and 13th AD)
Body
Whereas the City of Madison's original design for the Southwest Path included continuous path lighting only for the portion south of Beltline Highway, with lighting only in certain critical locations north of the Beltline; and
Whereas the original project included continuous conduit for lighting north of the Beltline for the purpose of evaluating at a future date based on path usage and community input; and
Whereas the path has become one of the most heavily-used paths in the City for transportation (as well as recreation) purposes, with over 3,000 users per day in the segment under consideration; and
Whereas the City and City elected officials have received numerous requests over the intervening years since construction of the path in 2001 for path lighting to support the safety and the perception of security from bicyclists and pedestrians currently using the path as well as potential path users; and
Whereas City Engineering and Traffic Engineering have conducted an extensive process of public information and consultation on the proposed lighting which included: installation of test fixtures for public information in Summer 2011; a well-publicized and attended public information meeting sponsored by the 10th District Alder in December of 2011; creation of a special City website in 2011 to provide information to the public and to receive and share comments from the public; an opinion survey of path users conducted by Traffic Engineering in the summer of 2012; and a second well-attended public information meeting in July of 2012, again sponsored by the Alder; and
Whereas Traffic Engineering responded to community concerns by developing a custom lighting fixture specific for this project, which does a superior job of cutting off undesired lighting behind the fixtures where it could affect private property, and which has a warmer color and lower overall intensity than the original test fixtures; and
Whereas numerous comments have been received during and following the public meetings, including several hundred comments to date received on the website, including many in support and many in opposition; and
Whereas after careful consideration of all the comments received and after consideration of the feasibility of possible alternate ideas, City Engineering and Traffic Engineering have concluded that additional lighting of the path is desirable to enhance safety and promote path usage, and that there are no practical alternatives to the proposed lighting plan which would significantly address the remaining concerns of opponents; and
Whereas the City of Madison proposes to install lighting along the Southwest Path from north of the West Beltline Highway to Breese Terrace in accordance with plans and details developed by Traffic Engineering;
BE IT RESOLVED,
1) That the plans and specifications for Southwest Path Lighting be and are hereby approved, and
2) That such specifications, per community request, include the test fixtures fitted with louvers, warm high-efficiency LEDs, be dark sky compliant (full cut-off), and provide focused, direct lighting, and
3) That hours of operation, per community request, will be evaluated over time but the lights will initially not burn throughout the night, and
4) That City forces are hereby authorized to undertake the work.