AGENDA #4e
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to a Petition Requesting Installation of Stop Signs on Greenwood Road at its Intersection with Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road
DATE: June 30, 2004
The following report responds to a petition from Mr. Ken Bollen requesting the installation of stop signs on Greenwood Road at its intersection with Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road.
Enactment of the attached ordinance would install stop signs on Greenwood Road at the subject intersection.
The Manager recommends enactment of the attached ordinance.
At its May 24, 2004 meeting, the Council received a petition from Mr. Ken Bollen, 223 Stagecoach Road, requesting the installation of stop signs on Greenwood Road at its intersection with Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road. Please see Attachment 1 for an area map and Attachment 2 for the petition.
In his petition, Mr. Bollen indicated that the objective of the requested stop sign installation is to improve safety conditions at and in the vicinity of the intersection, and to help in reducing speeding on Greenwood Road. In his petition, Mr. Bollen included results of a web survey conducted in the Greenwood Road neighborhood and surrounding areas. The web survey results indicated that over 85% of the respondents favored the installation of stop signs on Greenwood Road at its intersection with Sandy Creek Road/Old Mill Road. Please see Attachment 2 for more details of the web survey results.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Greenwood Road is a paved street, 33 feet wide with curb and gutter, serving as a collector street for the Greenwood neighborhood. No sidewalks exist on Greenwood Road and pedestrians use the paved portion of the street for walking purposes. Greenwood Road is designated as a “through” street, and traffic on Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road must stop at a stop sign before continuing onto Greenwood Road. The posted speed limit is 25 mph on all streets in the area.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
Town staff conducted a traffic study on Greenwood Road in 2002 and found an average daily traffic volume of 780 vehicles. The study determined that the average speed was 31 mph and that 15% of the surveyed vehicles were traveling at or above 38 mph. Highest speed recorded was 50 mph.
Town staff revisited the site and evaluated conditions on several occasions at different times of day. We observed that some drivers on Greenwood Road partially stopped before entering the intersection despite the fact that it is the “through” street, with no stop signs. We attribute this behavior to apparent confusion on the part of drivers as to whether or not they should stop, regardless of whether stop signs were present.
In 1989, the Town Council adopted a policy for the placement of stop signs and assignment of speed limits. A copy of the policy is provided in Attachment 3. The policy was adopted to provide guidance and consistency in responding to requests for the installation of stop signs and the assignment of speed limits on public streets.
The policy provides a variety of conditions and situations which could warrant the installation of stop signs and/or changes in speed limits. It also includes situations in which stop sign installations or speed limit changes would not be recommended. These criteria are based upon a combination of generally accepted traffic engineering principles and our observations of stop sign installations in Chapel Hill and in other communities in North Carolina. Please refer to the attached policy document (Attachment 3) for more specific information.
TOWN SURVEY
We prepared the attached survey form (Attachment 4) describing the request for stop signs on Greenwood Road at the subject intersection, and solicited comments from area residents. We distributed 136 survey forms and 81 forms were returned, of which 55 supported and 15 opposed the stop signs, and 11 expressed no preference.
We considered the stop signs requested on Greenwood Road in terms of Town policy and practice, and with regard to conditions at the site. We think that the request for installation of additional stop signs at this location is reasonable, and would help to eliminate the apparent driver confusion we observed regarding traffic movement through this intersection. If the additional stop signs are authorized by the Council, we would include “stop ahead” warning signs and “stop bars” on the approaches to the intersection.
MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
That the Council enact the attached ordinance authorizing installation of stop signs on Greenwood Road at Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 21-13 OF THE TOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING RIGHT-OF-WAY AND STOP REGULATIONS (2004-06-30/O-1)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of Town of Chapel Hill as follows:
Section 1. Section 21-13(a) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations.” is hereby amended by deleting the following:
“Through Streets Stop Streets
Greenwood Road Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road”
Section 2. Section 21-13(c) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations.” is hereby amended by inserting the following, in appropriate alphabetical order:
“Intersection(s)
Greenwood Road and Sandy Creek Trail/Old Mill Road”
Section 3. This Ordinance shall become effective July 10, 2004.
This the 30th day of June, 2004.