[0:00] All right, good morning. We'll get [0:01] started. Vernon Avenue, Highway 100 [0:03] interchange project. Uh my name is Chad [0:06] Milner, engineering director. Update [0:08] meeting number 16. So we have one more [0:12] scheduled for November 13th in two weeks [0:16] for this year and then we'll figure out [0:18] what we're going to do next year related [0:21] to the Vernon Avenue Bridge over the [0:23] railway. So one more meeting in two [0:25] weeks. We are recording. Uh just be [0:29] aware of that. [0:32] Uh thank you for your patience. [0:34] Businesses are open, accessible. Uh the [0:37] construction related stuff is is less [0:39] and less every day. They're starting to [0:42] do cleanup and do some of those last [0:46] construction items that you see on many [0:48] street reconstruction projects. And [0:50] again, be courteous of the pedestrians [0:52] walking around the district in the [0:54] crosswalks and those fellow drivers as [0:57] we continue to detour traffic, a big [1:00] part of the traffic on Eden Avenue. [1:04] Our project goals improve the safety and [1:06] mobility of all users, create new [1:08] separated pedestrian routes, improve [1:10] traffic operations, and consolidate [1:12] those access points to name a few. [1:15] What is the project? It goes from just [1:17] west of Interlockan Boulevard at Vernon [1:20] Avenue. The Vernon Avenue bridge over [1:23] the railway is the one that will not be [1:25] complete this year. Uh we'll talk about [1:28] that. Then we have the Highway 100 [1:31] bridge that supports Vernon Avenue and [1:33] 50th Street with the new aligned on and [1:36] off ramps. And the project ends just [1:39] west of Graange Road. Ties into the city [1:43] project that was completed last year. [1:47] We've been doing lots and lots of [1:49] communications on this project. Again, [1:51] we have the best place to get [1:53] information is the better together.org [1:57] website. Uh we do updates and maps and [2:00] stuff like that. We'll be creating a [2:01] stage 4 traffic map pretty quick here [2:05] and that'll be posted and information [2:08] put out. But again, look for the website [2:10] for the most up-to-date information. And [2:13] again, we have one more bi-weekly [2:15] meeting this year and then we'll think [2:18] about what we're doing next year for a [2:20] communication plan. [2:23] So, this has been the biggest impacts, [2:25] right? Mid November or mid September, [2:28] September 15th, we closed all the on [2:31] andoff ramps to Highway 100. that's [2:34] created uh lots of issues, challenges [2:37] driving through the district. Eden [2:39] Avenue during the school pickup [2:42] and drop off times has been very [2:44] challenging and Benton Avenue has seen a [2:47] lot more traffic uh there specifically [2:50] during those pickup and drop off times [2:52] around the schools. So since the 15th of [2:56] September, we've had some challenging [2:58] routes through the district and on those [2:59] frontended roads south of the district. [3:03] In mid November, it it's all on track [3:06] here to open a big portion of the [3:09] project. So you can see a little tough [3:12] to see with the colors, but mid- [3:13] November, we would open the Highway 100 [3:16] bridge and the on andoff ramps. [3:19] And we would start it with stop signs. [3:24] So there'll be stop signs or to start [3:27] and then we may adjust to temporary [3:29] signals. We'll see how it goes. I put [3:31] the arrows on because showing kind of [3:33] the movements. You can go either way [3:34] across the bridge. You'll take the exit [3:37] of northbound 100 and be able to go left [3:40] or right. Get back on the highway going [3:42] there. Get off. Uh the only movement [3:45] that's going to be not like the finished [3:47] product is when you're coming southbound [3:49] 100. We're going to have you go straight [3:51] through to the on and off ramp like we [3:54] did for most of the summer. You'll loop [3:57] around [3:58] by the Hilltop restaurant and access [4:01] Arcadia from there. With the median [4:04] installed, there's not a good way to [4:06] take a right and then come down Arcadia. [4:08] So that movement will use the off-ramp [4:12] around Hilltop. [4:14] The big X is the area that's not going [4:16] to be done, not to be opened. That's [4:17] where the Vernon bridge is. And then [4:20] we're going to reinforce the barriers on [4:23] the east leg of the interlockan and [4:27] Vernon Gus Young in intersection. [4:30] When the contractor stops working for [4:33] the winter, we'll put a temporary signal [4:36] at that intersection. So, we'll be able [4:38] to reopen three legs of that [4:40] intersection. So, east, west, north, [4:43] south. If you're on interlock and you'll [4:45] be able to get right to Gus Young Lane, [4:48] use Gus Young Arcadia. [4:50] Take a left and a right. You can get on [4:52] southbound 100 at the new ramp in that [4:55] location. So, that intersection will be [4:57] reopened except for [5:00] the east leg towards the Verdon Avenue [5:03] bridge. [5:06] Uh we are looking at that early [5:09] December. So mid November for the high [5:11] 100 ramps reopening early December [5:15] depending on weather [5:17] the full 3/4 intersection at interlock [5:20] and Gus Young and Vernon would be open. [5:22] So that dates are still tenative for the [5:24] opening that very western intersection [5:28] and we'll be publishing maps on this [5:33] layout for stage 4 traffic operations. [5:38] Specific construction schedule stuff. [5:40] The Vernon Avenue bridge work has [5:42] started. They poured the footing last [5:45] week and you can see here they're [5:46] starting to form the abupment. Uh [5:48] they'll continue to work as long as [5:50] weather allows. operations will then [5:52] stop and they'll come back approximately [5:55] April pending weather. Really depends on [5:57] the winter. Gus Young, like I mentioned, [6:00] we will reopen that over the winter with [6:02] a temporary traffic signal. We're [6:04] estimating a new bridge mid midsummer [6:07] next year. Really don't know how far are [6:09] they going to get this year. What's the [6:11] weather here for the next uh six to [6:14] eight weeks? kind of winter are we going [6:16] to have is really going to dictate when [6:19] they can come back and finish this [6:22] portion of the project. [6:24] Cost impacts are still unknown and we'll [6:26] continue to work with the contractor and [6:29] our partner agencies on that. Probably [6:32] not be determined until next year at [6:34] some point. [6:36] Other schedule details, the noise wall [6:38] planks are starting soon at multiple [6:40] locations. Final layer of asphalt paving [6:43] is scheduled for next week. Railings on [6:46] Highway 100 bridge for next week. Light [6:49] poles continue. We also found some [6:51] locations to plant a few trees that [6:54] those were not in the original plans. We [6:57] have room for three on 50th Street and [7:00] 10 on Vernon Avenue. So, some of those [7:03] will be done this year, some will be [7:04] done next spring, and then you could [7:06] start to see that they're just doing [7:08] overall site cleanup. Uh and that's [7:11] going to continue. [7:14] Then some construction pictures. So this [7:16] intersection hasn't changed. This is the [7:18] interlock in Vernon interchange [7:21] uh intersection. Nothing here has [7:23] changed. [7:25] Uh picture on the left is looking west [7:28] towards Hawthorne Apartments there on [7:30] the right. So you see the initial layers [7:33] of asphalt paving. A few more cranes as [7:36] they work on the noise wall and then the [7:38] big crane in the back for the abupment [7:40] for the bridge. Picture on the right is [7:43] standing near grain road looking to the [7:48] west. You can see again the uh pavements [7:51] been in the first few layers. See the [7:54] openings in the concrete for trees uh in [7:57] that median. [8:00] Graange road now has a wide sidewalk [8:02] connecting to the historical properties [8:04] from 50th. So that's been completed. [8:06] They're starting to do the restoration. [8:08] Sod's coming soon in a few locations and [8:11] seed will also be coming in other [8:13] locations. [8:16] And this is a picture from the Eden [8:18] Avenue bridge looking north. You'd see [8:20] that new [8:22] off-ramp for northbound high 100 used to [8:25] wrap around and go to Graange. Now it [8:27] goes straight up to 50th [8:30] where as a user you'll decide if you're [8:32] going left on the Vernon Avenue or right [8:35] on 50th Street. You can see the new curb [8:38] guard rails paving and they're starting [8:40] to clean up that huge stockpile [8:42] location. [8:45] And then the renderings, we're getting [8:46] real close to the project looking like [8:49] uh these renderings like the one on the [8:50] left is up on the deck of the Highway [8:52] 100 bridge. One on the right is driving [8:55] northbound on Highway 100. [8:58] Again, I'm available for questions by [9:00] email or phone and if you got questions [9:03] right now, [9:06] we will take questions via the chat. [9:12] So, any question? Let me get the chat [9:14] open here. [9:17] Is any of the 2026 work anticipated to [9:21] close [9:23] the highway on and off ramps? [9:26] No, not that I'm aware of at this point. [9:30] Will the north side of Vernon between [9:32] the high 100 bridge and rail road bridge [9:36] be paved with sidewalk before winter? [9:43] Uh I don't know. We're going to stop [9:46] short of the bridge because we got to do [9:48] the bridge. So most of that side we [9:49] don't want people walking the route for [9:52] people if they do want to rock walk on [9:54] 50th. They could cross the bridge on [9:55] either side. There's a crosswalk [9:58] immediately west of the southbound [10:01] off-ramp that people are going to be [10:03] directed to go on the south side of [10:04] Vernon heading towards Deanis. [10:08] So whether or not they've finished that [10:10] sidewalk on the north side, they got to [10:11] do sidewalks on the north side adjacent [10:13] to Holiday next year anyway. So I don't [10:16] know I don't know whether they're going [10:19] to finish and how far on that side. [10:23] Good question. Thank you. [10:29] Other questions? [10:35] Just type it in the chat. [10:38] um or email me or call me directly. [10:42] Buy stop signs instead of stop lights [10:46] because it takes a long time to get the [10:48] iron and the steel for traffic signals. [10:51] It's it's been a long process and [10:53] they're not going to be here on the 15th [10:55] to be installed. The permanent stop [10:58] lights. Now, we're going to start with [11:00] stop signs co operations go. Uh the big [11:04] thing is not impacting MDOT highway [11:07] operations. [11:09] Uh if it gets too backed up and we see [11:12] impacts to either Highway 100 or 50th [11:15] Street, then we may install temporary [11:17] signals [11:19] afterwards. But there's we're just going [11:21] to see how it goes with stop signs like [11:22] we did for the majority of the summer [11:25] when we first open those on and off [11:27] ramps. [11:30] But the stop lights will be coming. We [11:31] don't have a schedule on when those [11:33] permanent stop lightss are going to be [11:35] delivered and installed. [11:39] Will Eden Avenue ramp to 100 be closed [11:42] in the future? That is the plan. I don't [11:45] have a date on when that's going to [11:46] happen. We are not going to close that [11:48] until this project [11:50] is complete. So, it could occur fall of [11:54] 26 or 27. [11:57] and we'll see how the new system is [12:00] working before we close that [12:03] on ramp. [12:06] Will Mindot Highway cameras for highway [12:08] 100 be reinstalled by no mid November? [12:14] I don't know the answer to that. I can [12:16] check on that. [12:20] I'm less worried about Mindot cameras [12:22] and more worried about getting ramps on [12:24] and off uh opened. Oh, Derek answered. [12:27] Yes, they will. There you go. Highway [12:29] cameras will be opened or uh [12:32] operational. [12:34] Thanks, Derek. [12:39] Other questions? [12:51] There any way to reconsider closing the [12:53] Eden Avenue ramp? [12:55] closing it will significantly impact [12:57] people living between Highway 62 and [12:59] Vernon. [13:01] Uh like I said, when this new facility [13:03] is open, we're going to see how traffic [13:05] operations are. We tested closing it a [13:08] few years ago with even the old [13:10] intersection and it worked just fine. [13:12] This ramp is one of the most dangerous [13:14] in town. Having cars coming at 50 plus [13:17] from one leg and cars going 20 is not a [13:22] good scenario. and there's lots of [13:25] crashes at that uh merge point. So, it [13:29] is a safety concern, but we will see [13:31] what operations are going after the [13:34] entire project, including the Vernon [13:36] Bridge is complete. [13:40] Thanks for the question. [13:46] Other questions? [13:52] Check out the website. send me an email, [13:54] give me a call. [13:56] We'll continue to update website over [13:58] the next as long as the contractor is [14:00] working. I mentioned, we'll get the [14:03] stage 4 traffic maps created and posted. [14:07] And once we have some dates, hard dates [14:09] from the contractor, we'll start [14:12] notifying people of that. [14:23] Not seeing any other questions in the [14:27] chat. [14:30] I'll give it just a second here. [14:37] If there's nothing else, like I said, [14:39] I'm available if people got additional [14:40] questions. Thanks for coming to the [14:42] meetings and we'll host one more in two [14:45] weeks and then see where we're at. [14:47] Thanks everybody. Appreciate it.