AGENDA #7
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on Proposed Process for Area-wide Traffic Management Study of the Glen Lenox, Little Creek, and Oaks I Neighborhoods.
DATE: February 14, 2000
The following report outlines a proposed process for conducting an area-wide traffic management study of the Glen Lenox, Little Creek, and Oaks I neighborhoods.
The attached resolution would establish a citizen work group comprised of four residents from each neighborhood, one representative each from the Town Transportation Board and the Town Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, and one at-large representative. The objective of the work group would be to identify and evaluate opportunities for managing vehicular traffic while maintaining reasonable mobility and access for residents and service providers.
The attached budget ordinance would transfer $6,000 from the Council’s contingency fund for the purchase of additional traffic counters.
At its November 22, 1999, meeting the Council received a report on the traffic diverters installed on Rogerson Drive and Oakwood Drive at their intersections with NC 54. During this meeting, citizens presented concerns and comments that both supported and opposed the installation of permanent traffic diverters at these locations. (Please refer to the attached November 22, 1999 Council agenda item #12.)
Subsequently, the Council voted not to install permanent traffic diverters and directed that we propose a process to study the area bounded by US 15-501/NC 54/Burning Tree Drive/Cleland Road. This area includes the Glen Lenox, the Little Creek, and the Oaks I neighborhoods. The Council also decided that the temporary traffic diverters should remain on Rogerson Drive and Oakwood Drive until further study was completed.
We believe that a process to study this area should include comprehensive traffic data for comparison purposes, to identifying current transportation problems, and to identify traffic management opportunities in the area. Therefore, we propose the following:
We recommend conducting a two-phase traffic study in the area bound by US 15-501/NC 54/Burning Tree Drive/Cleland Road. The first phase would consist of collecting traffic volume and speed data at the locations presented on the attached Map 1, with the temporary traffic diverters in place. We believe that this should be completed by mid-March. After completing the first phase and before the second phase would begin, the temporary traffic diverters would be removed. We estimate that it should take 30 to 45 days, at a minimum, for traffic patterns to adjust to conditions without the traffic diverters. After this period of adjustment, we would begin phase two of the traffic study, which would involve collecting data at the same locations without the diverters in place. This two-phase procedure would provide information regarding drivers’ behavior and traffic patterns with and without the diverters.
For both phases, the traffic data would represent a typical, consecutive 24-hour period during a weekday. After all data collection is completed, we would reinstall the temporary traffic diverters on Oakwood Drive and Rogerson Drive until a final report and recommendation is made to the Council by the proposed citizen work group.
We try to perform traffic counts while schools are in session and driver populations are at maximum levels. Our objective would be to complete all data collection before the end of the University’s spring semester. Part of the data required for phase one has already been collected. We believe that we can complete the first phase in a short period of time. However, if traffic patterns do not appear to have completely adjusted on the neighborhood streets with the diverters removed and before the end of the school year, we believe that it may be necessary to conduct phase two of the study during the fall of this year. Under this scenario, the traffic diverters would remain in place until the beginning of August. Traffic patterns would be permitted time to adjust to conditions without the traffic diverters. The second phase of traffic data collection would begin in mid-September, and we estimate that the data collection would be completed by mid-October.
After all data collection is completed, we would reinstall the temporary traffic diverters on Oakwood Drive and Rogerson Drive until a final report and recommendations is made to the Council by the proposed citizen work group. If it appears that the second part of the traffic study had to be delayed until this fall, we will advise the Council. However, it is our intent to complete both phases of this study by the first part of May.
To expedite completion of the necessary traffic counts, we request that the Council approve the attached budget ordinance for the purchase of additional traffic counters. The cost of the equipment would be approximately $6,000. The funds would be transferred from the Council’s contingency fund.
Considering the array of issues involved and potential impacts, we think that the study process should involve a work group of citizens from the Glen Lenox, the Little Creek, and the Oaks I neighborhoods to compile and evaluate traffic management ideas for this area. We propose establishing a citizens’ work group similar to the recent NC 54/Hamilton Road group. We believe that the same approach could be applied to this situation. The work group could compile and evaluate traffic management ideas, and make recommendations to the Council of those ideas that would be most feasible and effective. Town staff could provide technical support for the work group.
We suggest that the work group include four representatives from each neighborhood, one representative each from the Town Transportation Board and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, and one at-large representative. We also suggest that the Town provide a facilitator to assist the group with conducting meetings and to help maintain focus on objectives. We will arrange to have a facilitator available for this work group if the Council concurs with our suggestion. We estimate that the fee for this service should be $3,000 to $5,000, which would provide for 12 to 20 work group meetings. If the Council agrees, we would return for authorization to fund the cost of a facilitator, after a negotiated price was reached.
We believe that the work group could be established and begin work late in the spring of this year. A preliminary report could be made this fall, and we would expect to present a final report and recommendations by the end of this calendar year.
We do not think that performing a two-phase traffic study, as suggested, would hinder the discussions of a work group. We have traffic data that was collected in 1998 (corresponding to most of the locations indicated on Map 1), which was collected prior to the installation of the temporary traffic diverters. This data could be used for comparative purposes in work group discussions until the data collected from phase two of the study was completed and tabulated.
That the Council adopt the attached resolution establishing a citizen work group to identify and evaluate opportunities for managing vehicular traffic while maintaining reasonable mobility and access for residents and service providers in the Glen Lenox, Little Creek, and Oaks I neighborhoods; and that the Council adopt the attached budget ordinance for the purchase of additional traffic counters.
1.) Map 1(page 6)
2.) November 22, 1999 Council agenda item #12(begin new page 1)
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A
CITIZEN WORK GROUP TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANAGING
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC WHILE MAINTAINING REASONABLE MOBILITY AND ACCESS FOR
RESIDENTS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE GLEN LENOX, LITTLE CREEK, AND OAKS I
NEIGHBORHOODS (2000-02-28/R-7)
WHEREAS, the Chapel Hill Town Council is concerned about traffic management in the Glen Lenox, Little Creek, and Oaks I neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the Council realizes that such traffic management must consider neighborhood livability, reasonable mobility and access for all area residents, and practical access for provision of routine and emergency services;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby establishes a citizen work group to identify and evaluate opportunities for managing vehicular traffic while maintaining reasonable mobility and access for residents and service providers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the work group shall include four representatives from each of the affected neighborhoods (Glen Lenox, Little Creek, and Oaks I) in addition to one representative from the Town Transportation Board, one representative from the Town Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, and one at-large representative, for a total of 15 members.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council requests an interim progress report approximately four months after the group begins its work, with a target date for completion of work and presentation of a final report and recommendations by the end of the calendar year 2000.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Manager is directed to advertise the proposed work group, to solicit applications to serve on the group, and return applications to the Council for selection as quickly as possible so the group can begin its work.
This the 28th day of February, 2000.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE
RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1999 (2000-02-28/O-6)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 1999” as duly adopted on June 14, 1999, be and the same is hereby amended as follows:
ARTICLE I
Current Revised
APPROPRIATIONS Budget Increase Decrease Budget
GENERAL FUND
Non-Departmental
Contingency 8,867 6,000 2,867
Engineering 906,093 6,000 912,093
This the 28th day of February, 2000.
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