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Developer asks school committee to allow traffic study and potential connection; trustees press for safety and limits on cut-throughs
Summary
Representatives for a proposed 534-unit Watercrest apartment project asked the committee to sign a memorandum expressing preliminary support for a traffic study and potential connection to WK Austin; trustees demanded clearer safety mitigations (turn lanes, traffic calming), assurances the link won't enable commercial cut-through, and a refined traffic study timed to school-year traffic counts.
Engineering representatives for the Watercrest Apartments project returned to the operations committee to request a memorandum of understanding that would let the developer commission a refined traffic study and explore a potential connection from the new development to W K Austin and Ambrose Run.
The presenters said a prior, more general traffic study indicated vehicle flows would likely reach WK Austin and that any intersection work or turn-lane improvements identified by the refined study would be completed by the developer as part of easement negotiations. "We would prefer not to spend that time and money until we had some buy-in from the school that that concept would be palatable," one presenter said.
Trustees expressed strong concerns about safety. Board members said WK Austin has blind spots and heavy school-generated traffic during arrival and dismissal; they asked that any study target peak bus and parent-drop-off times. Several trustees asked whether improvements could be limited to student-safety measures and whether the Ambrose Run extension could later be used as a commercial outlet to adjacent retail or the Walmart access. The developer said covenants and interconnectivity agreements currently prevent an unintended commercial outlet but acknowledged the language exists to allow connectivity in some configurations.
Trustees also discussed timing: the developer agreed to perform counts while school is in session so the consultant can model peak flows and mitigation options; staff and developer aimed to have a study before summer so results could be used in follow-up meetings.
What happens next: The developer will proceed with a refined traffic study if the district indicates preliminary support; the district and developer will coordinate study timing so counts reflect peak school activity and the developer will return with study results and proposed mitigations for board review.
