AGENDA #4r
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 Meadowmont Lane and Sprunt Street/Cedar Club Circle
DATE: November 21, 2005
This memorandum responds to a petition requesting installation of a traffic signal with pedestrian amenities at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Sprunt Street/Cedar Club Circle. Please see the area map provided in Attachment 1.
The Town Manager recommends installation of a traffic signal at this intersection, and provides the following options for the Council’s consideration regarding funding for the design and installation of the traffic signal:
1) Design and install the requested traffic signal with pedestrian amenities at no direct cost to the Town of Chapel Hill, and at such time that sufficient funds are made available by the Cedars of Chapel Hill Retirement Community for all design and installation costs (estimated to be $65,000).
2) Accept $50,000 offered by the Cedars of Chapel Hill Retirement Community for the design and installation of the requested traffic signal with pedestrian amenities; and use Town funds for the remaining costs (estimated to be $15,000). Sufficient reserves are available in the Town’s current Capital Improvements Program, if the Council wishes to proceed with this option.
3) Accept $50,000 offered by the Cedars of Chapel Hill Retirement Community for the design and installation of the requested traffic signal with pedestrian amenities; and include the project for partial funding consideration (estimated to be $15,000) in a future Town Capital Improvements Program.
4) Do not accept $50,000 offered by the Cedars of Chapel Hill Retirement Community for the design and installation of the requested traffic signal with pedestrian amenities; and include the project for total funding consideration (estimated to be $65,000) in a future Town Capital Improvements Program.
We recommend Option #1described above, and adoption of the attached resolution would authorize the Manager to proceed with design and installation of the requested traffic signal with pedestrian amenities at no direct cost to the Town of Chapel Hill, and at such time that sufficient funds are made available by the Cedars of Chapel Hill Retirement Community for all design and installation costs (estimated to be $65,000).
Alternatively, the Town Council may consider one of other options as provided above.
BACKGROUND
At its October 27, 2004 meeting, the Town Council received a report from the Manager in response to a petition from the Transportation Board requesting installation of stop signs on Meadowmont Lane at its intersection with Cedar Club Circle and Sprunt Street. In his report, the Manager recommended against installation of the requested stop signs at the time. Town staff was directed to monitor traffic conditions at this intersection as the surrounding areas of Meadowmont further developed, and to report back at such time that conditions warranted installation of additional traffic control measures.
At its January 10, 2005 meeting, the Council received a petition from the Cedars at Chapel Hill Retirement Community (Cedars) requesting installation of a traffic signal on Meadowmont Lane at Sprunt Street/Cedar Club Circle. The petition was signed by 234 citizens and the Council referred the petition to the Manager for a response. A copy of the petition is provided in Attachment 2. In the petition, Cedars residents indicated that the traffic volume has and continues to increase as the Cedars and surrounding area of Meadowmont are developed and occupied. Several residents of the Cedars have expressed concern that exiting Cedar Club Circle onto Meadowmont Lane is difficult without the benefit of a traffic signal at the intersection.
Meadowmont Lane is a multi-lane facility with striped bike lanes on both sides, two through-lanes in each direction and left-turn lanes at its intersection with Cedar Club Circle and Sprunt Lane. The width of Meadowmont Lane at this intersection is 79 feet, including the median. Meadowmont Lane is classified as a collector street under the current Town street classification system. The posted speed limit is 25 mph. A diagram of the intersection is provided in Attachment 3. Under current conditions, traffic on Cedar Club Circle and Sprunt Street must stop at existing stop signs before entering Meadowmont Lane.
Currently, the following intersections are signalized on Meadowmont Lane:
· Meadowmont Lane and Barbee Chapel Road
· Meadowmont Lane and Shopping Center Drive
· Meadowmont Lane/Friday Center Drive and Raleigh Road (NC 54)
DISCUSSION
The installation and operation of traffic control devices on public streets in Chapel Hill are in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) which is published and updated by the Federal Highway Administration. The Town Council adopted the MUCTD standards and guidelines for design, placement, operation, maintenance, and uniformity of traffic control devices throughout Chapel Hill.
An engineering study of traffic conditions, pedestrian characteristics, and physical characteristics of the intersection was performed to determine whether installation of a traffic signal is justified based on one or more of the warrants described in the MUTCD, and other factors relating to intersection operation and safety.
Traffic Volumes: A 16-hour turning movement count was conducted in April 2005 at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane and Sprunt Street/Cedars Club Circle. A summary of turning movements are provided in the following table:
|
Street |
Left |
Thru |
Right |
Total |
|
Meadowmont Lane Northbound Southbound |
777 38 |
1100 1174 |
305 112 |
2182 1324 |
|
Sprunt Street |
98 |
100 |
749 |
947 |
|
Cedar Club Circle |
322 |
104 |
44 |
470 |
Meadowmont Lane functions as a primary collector street serving the Meadowmont development, and also provides access to the school located at the end of the street. Daily traffic volume on Meadowmont Lane is currently approximately 5,000 vehicles at this intersection location, and we believe that traffic volume will increase along with further growth of Meadowmont. Specifically related to completion of the Cedars, we expect traffic volume on Cedar Club Circle to double when all the units are built and occupied.
Accident History: We identified two accidents at the subject intersection within the past three year period. Neither accident type would be correctable by installation of a traffic signal.
Warrant Analysis: Current intersection traffic volume (counted in April 2005) does not meet MUTCD warrants for installation of a traffic signal. However, projected traffic volumes associated with the completion of planned development in Meadowmont would meet the peak hour warrant for signalizing the subject intersection.
In addition to specific warrant analyses, the MUTCD recommends further engineering analyses relating to pedestrian activity, intersection geometry, and driver characteristics in the area. Based on our analyses, we believe that installation of a traffic signal at this intersection is justified for the following reasons:
We met with representatives of The Cedars and discussed the results of our traffic signal investigation and analyses. We informed them that the Town does not have funding available for design and construction of a traffic signal at this intersection.
The approximate cost of the traffic signal, including pedestrian amenities, is $65,000. We have received the attached e-mail letter (Attachment 4) from Ms. Marie Eldridge, representing The Cedars, advising the Town that The Cedars will provide $50,000 for costs associated with the design and construction of a traffic signal at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane at Sprunt Street/Cedar Club Circle, if the Council approves the installation.
The funding of recently installed traffic signal on Weaver Dairy Road at Carol Woods Retirement Center was shared by the State and Carol Woods Retirement Center.
CONCLUSION
We think that the installation of a traffic signal on Meadowmont Lane at Sprunt Street/Cedar Club Circle would improve the traffic conditions for both vehicles and pedestrians.
RECOMMENDATION
The Manager recommends adoption of the attached resolution that would authorize the design and installation of a traffic signal, with pedestrian amenities, at the intersection of Meadowmont Lane with Sprunt Street/Cedar Club Circle at such time as funds necessary to cover the costs of design and construction of the requested traffic signal are provided by The Cedars of Chapel Hill Retirement Community and others, at no direct cost to the Town of Chapel Hill.
1. Area Map (p. 6).
2. Petition (p. 7).
3. Geometric Conditions of the Intersection (p. 18).
4. E-mail from the Cedars (p. 19).
