Council pauses Woodlane Drive 4-to-3 conversion amid business concerns over assessments and traffic

The council also heard a public improvement hearing on a proposed Woodlane Drive pavement rehabilitation and a 4‑to‑3 lane conversion for the north portion of the corridor, but tabled the proposal after business owners and council members raised assessment and traffic-operation concerns.

City staff described the project as a roadway rehabilitation with pavement removal and replacement, minor curb and utility repairs, a 4‑to‑3 lane conversion on the north segment to add a center two‑way left-turn lane (a so‑called “road diet”), pedestrian crossing improvements, and replacement of old cast‑iron water main installed in 1968. The total project estimate is about $7.9 million; special assessments are estimated at about $1.3 million (approximately 17 percent). The city said it had secured a $1.0 million Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant specifically tied to the 4‑to‑3 lane conversion portion of the project.

Tom Sedlak, who identified himself as property owner of a commercial site on Woodlane Drive, said the proposed assessment map placed a large share of the project cost onto commercial properties that represent roughly 20 percent of the frontage and argued that the corridor plan did not analyze the effect of dozens of individual driveway right turns into businesses. Sedlak and others asked the council to consider splitting the north and south segments for separate treatment, to revisit the distribution of assessment burden, and to consider using grant funds to offset commercial assessments where the conversion would remove a travel lane.

City staff said traffic modeling indicates Woodlane Drive’s average daily traffic (around 9,000 vehicles) is well within accepted volumes for a three‑lane section and that experience on Lake Road’s similar conversion showed reduced accidents and lower speeds. Staff also explained the city’s assessment policy: residential parcels are assessed only if driveway access is to the improved roadway and commercial parcels are assessed if they have frontage; assessments for water/service replacements may be imposed for service lateral replacement consistent with policy.

After discussion about fairness and calls for more transparent, address-level assessment materials, the council voted to table action on Woodlane Drive to the next meeting. The tabling motion passed 3–1 with Council member Wilson voting no and one seat absent. Staff said they will provide a clear assessment roll and additional analysis for council and for property owners before the council considers ordering the project to design and bid.