AGENDA #4f
MEMORANDUM
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Catherine Lazorko, Town Information Officer |
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George Small, P.E., Engineering Director |
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Kumar Neppalli, Town Traffic Engineer |
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SUBJECT: |
Report on Developing Public Information Sign Program and Improving Street Name and Directional/Informational Signs |
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DATE: |
November 20, 2006 |
This report responds to the following petitions:
The attached resolution authorizes the Town Manager to:
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution enact the attached ordinance.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
At its January 10, 2005 meeting, the Town Council received and referred a petition from the Transportation Board requesting improving street name signs and directional/informational signs in the Town. Subsequently, the Transportation Board appointed two members to work with the Town staff to develop and implement a comprehensive street name and directional/informational sign program. The Transportation Board petition is provided in Attachment 1.
At its April 10, 2006 meeting, the Council received and referred a petition from the Council Committee on Communications requesting that the Town develop and implement a public information signage program for “District Delineation” and “Capital Improvement Projects.” The Committee petition is provided in Attachment 2.
The Council received a staff report at their June 26, 2006 meeting and referred it to the Council Committee on Communications. A copy of the June 26 Council report without attachments is provided in Attachment 3. The Council Committee on Communications met on October 27, 2006 and reviewed this item. The Committee suggested that District Delineation Signs contain more descriptive information than that which was originally proposed; and that “Capital Improvement Projects” include small plaques for new sidewalks, and signs or plaques for already constructed Town facilities. These changes are included under the section titled “Public Information Signage Program.”
Public Information Signage Program
The Town Public Information Officer and the Engineering Department staff developed several sign designs for the “District Delineation” and “Capital Improvement Projects.” Some examples of the sign designs are provided in Attachment 4. We will work with the relevant departments to finalize the exact design details of the signs, location, and number of signs.
Proposed District Delineation signs, with more descriptive information suggested by the Council Committee on Communications, include Watershed Protection District, Rural Buffer, Chapel Hill Extraterritorial Zoning District, Northside Neighborhood Conservation District, Greenwood Neighborhood Conservation District, Pine Knolls and Kings Mill-Morgan Creek Neighborhood Conservation District, and Chapel Hill Town Limits.
Capital Improvement Program project signs include projects related to major building construction or renovation, greenways, streetscape, sidewalk construction, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, and traffic calming measures. The size of signs will vary based on location and purpose. In some cases, markers (for example, embedded in sidewalks) may function to inform passersby of project funding and completion dates. Signs or plaques placed at existing Town facilities would tell the public when facilities were constructed and how they were funded.
Street Name Signs and Directional Signs
The Engineering staff worked closely with the Transportation Board members and the Chamber of Commerce to develop a plan for improving the street name and directional/informational signs.
The plan includes the following elements:
1. Street Name Signs:
The Town’s current street name sign program consists of different standards based on the street “type,” such as residential streets, and arterials. Examples of the current standards of the street name signs are provided in Attachment 5. We recommend that the Town continue the current standards for street name signs with the exception of adding the Town logo to the sign. We have started installing street name signs with the Town logo as presented in Attachment 5.
2. Advance Street Name Signs:
We recommend that advance street name signs be installed at signalized intersections on major arterials such as US 15/501, NC 54, and NC 86. We recently received State approval for installing these signs, and if approved by the Council, the Town will install and maintain the signs. These signs are currently installed on major arterials in Cary and Raleigh and have proven to be valuable in providing information to visitors. Examples of the advance street name signs are provided in Attachment 6.
3. Directional and Informational Signs:
The Town recently installed “downtown and visitors center” signs on several key locations on major arterials and in downtown.
We met with several representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and discussed directional and informational signs in the downtown. The Town staff is currently working on developing a comprehensive directional/informational/tourist sign plan specifically concentrated on the downtown. The signs will cover a wide range of locations in the downtown including parking lots and tourist destinations.
Funding
In 2005-06, the Traffic Division underspent the division budget because of staff turnover. The funds became a part of fund balance. We would recommend using $35,000 in fund balance to pay for the proposed signage.
Implementation Schedule
We recommend the following implementation schedule:
December 2006: Develop designs and identify the locations for signs
January-March 2007: Purchase the Signs
April 2007 – June 2007: Install the Signs
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution that would authorize the Town Manager to:
We recommend that the Council adopt the attached ordinance to use $35,000 in fund balance for the signage program.