AGENDA #5f
to:Mayor and Town Council
from:W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
subject:Response to a Petition Regarding Safety Issues on South Estes Drive
at its Intersection with Fordham Boulevard
date:September 12, 2005
This report is in response to a petition from residents of the South Estes
Drive Public Housing Community requesting several improvements to improve
pedestrian safety at the intersection of South Estes Drive and Fordham Boulevard.
At its February 28, 2005 meeting, the Council received and referred a petition from residents of the South Estes Drive Public Housing Community requesting the following improvements that the residents believe would improve safety for pedestrians crossing Fordham Boulevard at its intersection with South Estes Drive:
1)Install a “Yield to Pedestrians” sign on the eastbound approach of South Estes Drive
2)Repair the street light located in the northeast corner of the intersection
3)Change the traffic signal phasing on the westbound approach of Estes Drive to provide a green arrow for vehicles turning left onto Fordham Boulevard
At its April 5, 2005 meeting, the Council received a status report regarding the petition. The report stated that items #1 and #2 listed above had been completed by the Town, and that item #3 was forwarded to the State for review and evaluation.
At its June 27, 2005 meeting, the Council received a follow-up report including a response from the State denying the requested changes in signal phasing at this intersection as described in item #3 above. A copy of the June 27, 2005 Council report is provided in Attachment 1.
The Council noted that the State response was not clear and provided no justification for its denial of the requested changes. The Council also directed Town staff to compile and submit recent accident history at the subject intersection to the State for review and reconsideration of its decision to deny the requested changes. Subsequently, Town staff provided the past five year accident history to the State and requested review of the data and reconsideration of the requested changes in signal phasing at the intersection of Fordham Boulevard and South Estes Drive. Town staff also met with the State staff in the field and reviewed the intersection operations.
Following review of the data and intersection operations, the State advised us (Attachment 2) that they approved the requested signal phasing changes at the intersection of Fordham Boulevard and South Estes Drive. In conjunction with this request, Town staff requested similar signal phasing changes at the Willow Drive/Fordham Boulevard intersection. Those changes were also approved by the State.
Upon receiving the revised traffic signal plans and the material from the State, the Town staff will implement the changes at the above two intersections. We expect to complete the revisions during fall of this year.