AGENDA #4h
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
SUBJECT: 2006 Annual Traffic Calming Report and Recommendations
DATE: September 11, 2006
Adoption of the attached resolution would authorize use of up to $31,500 of 2003 Sidewalk and Street Improvement Bond funds for the installation of traffic calming measures at the following locations for which we have received valid petitions:
We recommend adoption of the attached resolution.
BACKGROUND
At its June 30, 2004 meeting, the Town Council adopted the “Policy and Procedures for Traffic Calming Measures” on Town streets. A copy of the policy is provided in Attachment 1. Key points of the policy are provided below:
1) Service Area: The policy requires designation of a “service area” (area of influence) surrounding the requested traffic calming project site(s). Citizen(s) submitting the request are provided with petition forms to be signed by interested property owners within the service area. The size and extent of the service area is based upon the type of traffic calming project being proposed, the layout and type of properties in the vicinity, and the characteristics of the street network surrounding the proposed project site(s). Depending on the circumstances, the service area could include:
2) Valid Petition: A valid petition for traffic calming measures must be signed by two-thirds of the property owners within the service area surrounding the requested traffic calming site(s).
3) Ranking System: Traffic calming projects are prioritized using a ranking system described in the policy documents. (This procedure for establishing project priorities is similar to the process used by the Town to rank sidewalk and bicycle improvement projects.)
4) Annual Report: The Town Manager will present a report each year for the Council’s consideration including:
At its January 9, 2006 meeting, the Council received the annual traffic calming report and recommendations for calendar year 2005, and subsequently approved installation of traffic calming measures on seven different streets. In June 2006, the Council also approved traffic calming measures to be paid for and installed by the University on several streets adjacent to the University Campus. We expect that construction of all of the above referenced traffic calming measures will be completed within the next two or three months.
DISCUSSION
We have received several petitions that comply with the Town’s Policy and that request the installation of traffic calming measures on the following streets and in the following neighborhood:
The Meadowmont Neighborhood association and Town staff are currently working on developing a traffic calming plan which will be presented for approval by the Council in December of this year.
Traffic Studies:
Town staff conducted traffic speed and volume studies on all of the streets proposed for traffic calming installations. Our studies indicated that speeding is a moderate problem at all locations, and that cut-through traffic is a specific problem on Mallette Street. The 85th percentile speed varied from 29 to 30 mph and average speed varied from 24 to 30 mph. Existing conditions and related study results for each area are provided in Attachment 2.
Recommended Traffic Calming Measures:
We developed traffic calming plans for each petition area based on the procedures set forth in the Town’s Policy, including consideration of input from affected residents received via neighborhood meetings and surveys. In developing a proposed plan for each area, we considered a variety of possible traffic calming measures including traffic circles, narrowing streets, diverters, speed tables, speed humps, etc.
Recommended traffic calming measures for each area, with location maps, are provided in Attachment 3. The exact field placement of traffic calming measures, if approved by the Council, would be coordinated with the neighborhood residents.
We have ranked and prioritized each petition based on the procedures set forth in the policy. The following table lists the streets/areas identified for installation of traffic calming measures, their numerical ranking, priority, recommended traffic calming measures, and the estimated project costs.
2006 PRORITY LIST OF TRAFFIC CALMING AREAS
|
Street/Area |
Ranking Points |
Priority List |
Proposed Traffic Calming |
Approximate Cost |
|
1) Mallette Street |
70 |
1 |
2-Speed Tables |
$7,000 |
|
2) Lancaster Drive |
60 |
3 |
3-Speed Tables |
$10,500 |
|
3) Palafox Drive |
51 |
5 |
4-Speed Tables |
$14,000 |
|
|
|
|
Total Cost |
$31,500 |
Please see Attachment 4 for details of the ranking system used for prioritizing projects. Because of the size and number of pages of the actual petitions for each area, we have not included them with this agenda item. The actual petition documents for each project area are available for review in the Town Engineering Department.
Funding:
The 2003 Sidewalk and Street Improvements Bonds include $650,000 for neighborhood, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements including installation of traffic calming measures, signing, lighting, and pedestrian/bicycle safety improvements. The Council issued $300,000 of the bonds in fiscal year 2004-05 of which approximately $162,000 has been spent to date. We recommend that a portion of the remaining bond funds be used for installing the traffic calming measures discussed above.
Transportation Board Recommendation: The Transportation Board voted 6-0 supporting our recommendations for traffic calming devices at various locations as listed in the table above. The Board also recommended that neighborhoods be allowed to pay for the installation of textured pavement, if desired, on traffic calming measures in their neighborhood. The Board’s recommendation is provided in Attachment 5.
CONCLUSION
We believe that the recommended traffic calming measures for the identified locations would help to mitigate existing speeding problems. The proposed traffic calming plans were developed in accordance with the adopted Town Policy and Procedures for Traffic Calming Measures. The measures proposed for each area have been approved by a majority of residents/property owners in each service area, as signified by the valid petitions on file in the Town Engineering Department.
NEXT STEPS
If approved by the Council, the Engineering Department would prepare construction plans and specifications and an updated cost estimate for each project. When the final project drawings are complete, the Engineering Department would schedule neighborhood meetings to discuss the plans, estimated costs, and construction schedules. We expect to contract out for the construction of approved projects.
Town staff would monitor the performance of completed projects, and would report to the Council and Transportation Board regarding the operation and effectiveness of the traffic calming measures within 12-18 months following installation. This follow-up report could result in Council action to revise or remove a previously approved traffic calming measure. Citizen requests for removal of traffic calming devices would be required to follow the same procedure as the initial request for installation of the devices.
We plan to provide another traffic calming report for the Council’s consideration in December 2006. This report would include information and recommendations regarding additional traffic calming projects for which we have received valid petitions.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopt the attached resolution that would authorize use of up to $31,500 of 2003 Sidewalk and Street Improvement Bond funds for the installation of traffic calming measures at the following locations for which we have received valid petitions:
