AGENDA #5e

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Town Council

FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT: Follow-up Report in Response to a Petition Requesting Removal of Traffic Calming Devices on Lonebrook Drive

DATE: April 26, 2004

This is a follow-up report in response to a petition from Mr. Eric Plow requesting that the Town remove stop signs that were installed last year on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle; and not install one of three speed humps that were approved for installation on Lonebrook Drive. The stop signs and speed hump referred to by the petitioner are included in a traffic calming plan approved by the Council in January 2003.

Attachment 1 is a map of the area in question, and Attachment 2 is a copy of the Council’s January 27, 2003 resolution approving the Lonebrook Drive traffic calming plan.

We recommend that the stop signs remain in place, and that three speed humps be installed on Lonebrook Drive in accordance with the approved traffic calming plan.

If the Council wishes to modify the approved traffic calming plan for Lonebrook Drive to remove the stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle and to eliminate one speed hump proposed for installation on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwoods V neighborhood, adoption of the attached resolution and enactment of the attached ordinance would do so. Under the modified traffic calming plan, the stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at Glenmore Road would remain in place, and two speed humps on Lonebrook Drive in the Parkside neighborhood would be installed.

BACKGROUND

At its January 27, 2003 meeting, the Council approved installation of the following traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive, as shown on the attached map (Attachment 1):

· Three speed humps

· Stop signs at the Tremont Circle and Glenmore Road intersections

The stop signs were installed in April 2003, and the speed humps were scheduled for installation during the summer of 2003.

In April 2003, the Council received and referred a petition from Mr. Eric Plow, a Northwoods V resident, requesting removal of the recently installed stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at Tremont Circle and that the northernmost speed hump not be installed on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwoods V neighborhood. At its June 9, 2003 meeting, the Council received a staff report in response to Mr. Plow’s petition. The Council deferred action on the petition, and directed the Manager to delay the installation of speed humps on Lonebrook Drive, to study the effects of the stop signs alone, and to report back with recommendations on the petitioner’s requests.

A copy of the June 9, 2003, staff report is provided in Attachment 3. A summary of the minutes of the June 9, 2003, Council meeting regarding Lonebrook Drive is presented in Attachment 4.

DISCUSSION

Analysis of the Traffic Studies:

Town staff conducted traffic studies on Lonebrook Drive in December 2002 (before installation of stop signs) and in September 2003 (after installation of stop signs). The following table presents the comparison of data from the two traffic studies.

Location

Daily

Traffic Volume

Average Speed (mph)

85% Speed*

(mph)

Highest Speed (mph)

Recorded

1. Between Glenmore Road and

Tremont Circle

a) Without stop signs

b) With stop signs

578

530

2. Between Glenmore Road and New Parkside Drive

a) Without stop signs

b) With stop signs

365

363

*The 85^th Percentile Speed is the speed at or above which 15% of vehicles are traveling in the study area.

The posted speed limit on Lonebrook Drive is 25 mph. Traffic volumes noted in both studies are well below the capacity of Lonebrook Drive. Based on our field observations and results of before and after speed studies, it appears that the installation of stop signs alone have not provided a statistically significant reduction in vehicular volumes or speeds on Lonebrook Drive.

The primary function of stop signs is to assign right-of-way at an intersection. Stop signs alone are not a particularly effective means of controlling vehicle speeding other than in the immediate vicinity of the sign. Drivers tend to increase speed between stop sign controlled intersections.

From our research into the effectiveness of traffic calming measures, we have learned that a combination of stop signs in addition to traffic calming devices such as speed humps can most effectively mitigate speeding and cut-through traffic problems in residential areas.

Neighborhood Survey:

As presented in the June 9, 2003 staff report, neighborhood survey results indicate that a majority of the residents who responded to the survey (93 out of 119; or 78%) supported some type of traffic calming on Lonebrook Drive. A majority of the 22 residents with property fronting on Lonebrook Drive and who responded to the survey (17 out of 18; or 94%) supported some type of traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive. The opinion of residents varied as to the specific type of traffic calming device(s) they preferred. Please see Attachment 2 for the results of the neighborhood survey.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the residents surveyed in both the Northwoods V and the Parkside neighborhoods favor the installation of traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive. Also, the majority of residents with property fronting on Lonebrook Drive favor the installation of traffic calming devices.

Based on our field observations and study data, it appears that the installation of stop signs alone have not provided a statistically significant reduction in vehicular volumes or speeds on Lonebrook Drive. We continue to believe that a combination of multi-way stop signs and speed humps would be most effective in reducing vehicular speeds and traffic volumes on Lonebrook Drive.

MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the existing stop signs remain in place on Lonebrook Drive, and that speed humps be installed at three locations on Lonebrook Drive in accordance with the traffic calming plan approved by the Council in January 2003.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Area Map showing locations of approved traffic calming devices (p. 6).

2. January 27, 2003 Council Resolution (p. 7).

3. June 9, 2004 Agenda Item (p. 8).

4. Minutes of the June 9, 2003 Council Meeting regarding Lonebrook Drive (p. 63).

A RESOLUTION REMOVING EXISTING STOP SIGNS AND DELETING INSTALLATION OF A SPEED HUMP APPROVED FOR INSTALLATION ON LONEBROOK DRIVE IN THE NORTHWOODS V NEIGHBORHOOD (2004-04-26/R-10)

WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill is concerned about vehicular and non-vehicular safety and mobility on Town streets; and

WHEREAS, the Council has received a petition opposing some elements of the traffic calming plan approved by the Council on January 27, 2003, involving Lonebrook Drive; and

WHEREAS, the Council directed the Manager to conduct follow-up traffic studies on Lonebrook Drive and to submit a report including analysis of the results of the traffic studies and recommendations for further action on the approved traffic calming plan; and

WHEREAS, Town staff conducted follow-up studies and the Manager presented a report and recommendations to the Council on April 26, 2004;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council desires to have the existing stop signs removed on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle in the Northwoods V neighborhood.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council desires to delete the northernmost speed hump (between Tremont Circle and Tremont Court) from the approved traffic calming plan for Lonebrook Drive.

This the 26^th day of April, 2004.

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE TOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING STOP REGULATIONS (2004-04-26/O-5)

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:

Section 1. Section 21-13(c) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations.” is hereby amended by deleting the following:

“Intersection(s)

~~Lonebrook Drive~~ ~~and~~ ~~Tremont Circle~~”

Section 2. Section 21-13(a) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations.” is hereby amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

“Through Streets Stop Streets

Lonebrook Drive Tremont Circle”

Section 3. This ordinance shall become effective upon adoption.

This the 26^th day of April, 2004.