AGENDA #4d
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to a Petition Requesting Installation of a Traffic Signal at the Intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road
DATE: March 22, 2004
The following report is in response to a petition from Ms. Alice C. De Bellis requesting the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road.
Adoption of the attached resolution would request that the State consider installing a traffic signal at this intersection in advance of the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project that will connect Weaver Dairy Road to Sage Road at this location.
The Manager recommends adoption of the attached resolution.
At its November 24, 2003 meeting, the Town Council received and referred a petition (Attachment 1) from Ms. De Bellis, 104 Saddle Ridge Road, requesting that a traffic signal be installed at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road. In her petition, Ms. De Bellis expressed concerns about traffic safety for drivers making left turns from Sage Road onto Erwin Road. Town staff has also received complaints from other citizens regarding safety concerns at this intersection, and the lengthy delay often encountered by drivers making left turns from Sage Road onto Erwin Road.
Erwin Road is a State road and the posted speed limit is 35 mph. Sage Road is a Town-maintained street and the posted speed limit is 35 mph. Erwin Road is designated as a “through” street, and traffic on Sage Road must stop at a stop sign before continuing onto Erwin Road. Attachment #2 is a map of the road system at this location.
The existing State project to extend Weaver Dairy Road to connect to Sage Road includes the installation of a traffic signal at this intersection. However, construction of the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project is not expected to begin until the spring of 2006, and the traffic signal installation at Sage and Erwin would likely not be completed until sometime in 2008.
Recently, as a part of a development application in this area, the Town’s traffic impact analysis consultant conducted a traffic signal warrant analysis at this intersection. The analysis results are provided in Attachment 3.
The results indicate that the “Peak Hour Warrant” (MUTCD Warrant 3B) is met at this intersection under current traffic conditions. Warrant 1A (8-Hour Minimum Volume Warrant) is also met. Warrant 7 (Crash Experience) is not fully met at this location, but we believe that the four angle-type accidents that occurred at this intersection in 2003 indicate the need for a traffic signal. We believe that the installation of a traffic signal at this intersection could improve the intersection Level of Service as shown in the table provided in Attachment 4.
Consideration of the expected increase in traffic that would result from proposed development in this area, including the Residence Inn, indicates that additional traffic signal warrants will be met in the future at this intersection.
CONCLUSION
Based on these findings, we think it would be reasonable to request that the State install a temporary two-phase traffic signal now at the Sage Road/Erwin Road intersection to improve the overall safety and efficiency of the intersection. This temporary traffic signal would serve until it is replaced by a permanent signal during construction of the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project. It is not uncommon for the State to install a temporary traffic signal in this type of situation, and it would be possible for the State to fund the interim signal installation from the Weaver Dairy Road Improvement Project budget.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
That the Council adopt the attached resolution requesting that the State install a traffic signal at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road.
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORATION INSTALL A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF SAGE ROAD AND ERWIN ROAD (2004-03-22/R-6)
WHEREAS, the Council received a petition from a citizen requesting the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road; and
WHEREAS, the Town conducted a traffic signal warrants analysis at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road in conjunction with development applications proposed in the area; and
WHEREAS, the Manager has reviewed the analysis data and believes that a traffic signal is warranted and necessary at this intersection; and
WHEREAS, the Council concurs with the Manager’s recommendation and believes that a traffic signal should be installed as soon as possible at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road to improve the safety and efficiency of the intersection;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council requests that the North Carolina Department of Transportation install a traffic signal as soon as possible at the intersection of Sage Road and Erwin Road.
This the 22nd day of March, 2004.