Redwood Place to be abandoned as part of Mill Street widening; council hearing set for May 20

Angela Footh, assistant director for development services, told the board the Redwood Place roadway-abandonment is tied to the RTC Mill Street widening and capacity project. Footh said this abandonment is unusual because it is the RTC project, not an adjacent property owner, prompting removal of the roadway; after council approval the right-of-way would be split between adjacent property owners.

Footh described project timing as near completion of key construction elements (undergrounding utilities and paving) with the overall Mill Street project expected to finish in the spring; she said the council hearing on the abandonment is scheduled for May 20. Footh also invited board questions about ownership outcomes when a road is abandoned.

Kim Diegel, RTC project manager joining via Zoom, said the Mill Street work includes wider sidewalks, undergrounding overhead utility lines and installing a new traffic signal at Golden Lane and Mill Street. "The goal is to definitely, coordinate all of the lights along Mill Street there," Diegel said, adding the project will use interconnection to ensure signal coordination and will improve pedestrian crossings near schools.

Board members asked whether the lights will be coordinated with downstream signals and expressed interest in pedestrian safety improvements. Footh and Diegel said the project aims to reduce congestion and improve safety; Footh noted state law governs the formal abandonment process and adjacent-ownership allocation.

Ending: Footh said the abandonment requires city-council approval on May 20; no formal action by the NAB was taken.