Citizens Advisory Committee on Additional River Crossings

1. Citizens Advisory Committee on Additional River Crossings A Report of Considerations and Findings

2. Mission Statement To form a Citizens’ Committee to assist the Batavia City Council in the identification and discussion of the issues to be considered and addressed in the decision of where to site possible additional bridge locations in the Batavia area. The committee shall help ensure that the City Council makes an informed decision on this issue considering the traffic, community, financial, and economic development impacts of each of the identified bridge sites. City of Batavia City Council Meeting Minutes, September 17, 2007

3. Committee Members • Mary Andreas • Mike Bergeron • Mark Dyer • Rob Hollis (resigned October 16, 2008) • Charlene Johnsos • Donald Lindman • Kathleen Olesuk (resigned March 4, 2009) • Ronn Pittman • Susan Russo • Sharon Stran • James Thoresen

4. Facilitators • Greg Chismark, P.E. and Vice President of Engineering for Wills Burke Kelsey Associates Ltd. • Heidi Files, Senior Transportation Planner for Kane County Division of Transportation • Larry Maholland, Director of Local Government Management Services for Sikich LLP • Megan Pierce, Senior Management Consultant for Sikich LLP

5. Experts Consulted • Jeff Schielke, Mayor, City of Batavia • Bill McGrath, City Administrator, City of Batavia • Jerry Swanson, Community Development Director, City of Batavia • Noel Basquin, City Engineer, City of Batavia • Randy Recklaus, Assistant City Administrator, City of Batavia • Britta McKenna, Executive Director, Batavia Main Street • Terry Heffron, Business/Community Liaison, City of Batavia Donovan Bridge Reconstruction Project

6. Artifacts/Reference Material • City of Batavia Comprehensive Plan (as adopted by the City Council, 12/2007) • City of Batavia Crosstown Traffic Study: Existing Conditions Report • City of Batavia Crosstown Traffic Study: Bridge Alternative Report • City of Batavia Crosstown Traffic Study: Bridge Alternative Report (2) • City of Batavia Historic District Ordinance • City of Batavia Staff Impact Evaluation • The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Presentation • Traffic and Levels of Service Presentation

7. The “Matrix”

8. Organization of Final Report Mission Statement Citizen Committee Members Executive Summary Process Methodology Crossing and Corridor Maps Matrix Overall Rankings Evaluation of Crossings and Corridors Nonviable Crossings Further Considerations Appendix Guest Speaker and Presenter List Site Tour Notes Committee Meeting Schedule Evaluation Matrix Cost of Magnitude Summary Reference Material List

9. Report Sample: Evaluation of Crossings and Corridors

10. Crossing and Corridor Street Map

11. Evaluation Criteria Community: Enhances visual aesthetics Benefits the majority of residents Preserves businesses Preserves historic structures Preserves residences Minimizes neighborhood impact Minimizes noise/disruption Promotes parks/recreation Promotes pedestrian/cyclist safety, mobility and accessibility Facilitates emergency response Increases property values Ensures social justice and equity Enhances traffic flow Promotes positive neighborhood evolution Economic Development: Aligns with the City Comprehensive Plan Stimulates City development Stimulates downtown development Environment: Minimizes air/water pollution Minimizes noise pollution Minimizes visual pollution Minimizes light pollution Financial: Minimizes relative cost Transportation: Provides choke point relief Reduces truck traffic Improves traffic patterns.

12. Evaluation Summary • Crossings and Corridors • Category Total • 8 River Crossings • 16 Corridors • Evaluated 5 categories: • Community • Economic Development • Environment • Financial • Transportation • Many attributes within each category

13. Rankings

14. Worth Noting The total score presents an overall view. Some corridors scored higher in specific categories. It is understood that the final decision/choice may end up being based on one or two criteria rather than the total score. Two crossings (Reference C and D) have the top 6 scoring corridors.

15. Summary and Recommendations to City Council • The construction of a second bridge will have a significant impact on the future development of Batavia, as well as on the citizens themselves. • Determine if a second bridge is needed: • Define both the short-term and the long-term purposes of the bridge • Conduct the necessary analysis to support the need for a bridge • Determine the overall benefits to the community • Consider a bridge’s impact on the development of the city in future years • If a second crossing is needed, create a comprehensive vision of what the bridge would be used for and what benefits it would create for the citizens of Batavia. • There is no obvious choice for a second bridge. A number of viable options exist. Careful consideration should be given to the needs of the community as a whole when selecting a bridge site and its corridor.

16. Summary and Recommendations to City CouncilContinued • Should a decision be made to proceed with constructing a second bridge, a plan should be provided that includes a development timeline, including any short-term and long-term phasing of development. • Involve the community in the process from the beginning. Well-defined purposes based upon sound evidence will help gain the support of Batavia citizens for construction of a second bridge. • A site with flexibility is essential for meeting current and future community needs. • As cost and timing are always key considerations, it is the benefits that will have the longest lasting effects on the citizens of Batavia.