AGENDA #5a
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Multi-way Stop Signs at the Intersection of Hillsborough Street and North Street
DATE: March 25, 2002
The following report is in response to a request from a resident of 525 North Street that the Town install additional stop signs at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and North Street to create all-stop conditions. Please see the attached Map 1.
The Manager recommends no change at this intersection.
However, if the Council wishes to have the requested stop signs installed, adoption of the attached ordinance would authorize the installation.
Late last year, Town staff received a phone request from a resident of North Street that additional stop signs be installed to create all-stop conditions at the above referenced intersection.
Hillsborough Street is designated as a “through” street at the subject location, and vehicles currently continue through the intersection without being required to stop. Hillsborough Street functions as a minor thoroughfare connecting Franklin Street and Airport Road. North Street is designated as “stop” street, and vehicles are required to stop at the existing stop sign before continuing through the intersection. North Street functions as a local street serving the surrounding neighborhood. The posted speed limit is 25 mph on both Hillsborough Street and North Street.
Town staff conducted a traffic study at this intersection on February 13 and 14, 2002 and the results are presented in the following table:
|
Location |
Daily Volume |
Average Speed (mph) |
85% Speed (mph) |
|
1. North Street |
630 |
26 |
31 |
|
2. Hillsborough Street |
8300 |
29 |
34 |
We have also reviewed the accident history for this intersection. As presented by the Chapel Hill Police Department accident records, there have been six reported accidents on Hillsborough Street near this intersection over the past three years (1999 to 2001). All of these were rear-end type accidents, and none of them were directly related to traffic at the North Street/Hillsborough Street intersection. There have been no pedestrian accidents reported at this intersection in the past three years. The accident records do not suggest a specific traffic safety problem at the North Street/Hillsborough Street intersection.
Hillsborough Street is a two lane street and traffic turning left has to make the turn from the through lane. We believe that the lack of a left-turn lane and the existing terrain of Hillsborough Street may be contributing factors to some of the rear-end type accidents that have occurred at several locations on Hillsborough Street.
We are aware that sight distances for North Street motorists at the intersection are reduced by rock walls, two trees, and landscaping located on properties adjacent to the intersection. (Please refer to the attached Map 2.) We will try to improve intersection sight distances to the extent possible by working with adjacent property owners to adjust or modify the sight distance impediments. However, these impediments involve old rock walls and mature trees, and our past efforts to solicit cooperation and assistance from adjacent owners to improve sight distances at this location have not been successful.
Council Policy:
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 attached. 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 includes a variety of conditions and situations that 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 on a combination of generally accepted traffic engineering principals and our observations of stop sign installations in Chapel Hill and other communities in North Carolina.
According to the Policy, stop sign installation will normally not be recommended a) at locations where a stop would create a high likelihood of rear-end collisions and b) on major arterials or thoroughfares. We do not recommend installation of stop signs on Hillsborough Street at its intersection with North Street because accident records do not indicate that a problem exists that stop signs would mitigate. Also, we are concerned that the installation of stop signs on Hillsborough Street could result in an increase in the occurrence of rear-end type accidents, since stop signs would be unexpected by many drivers on a minor thoroughfare carrying relatively high volumes of traffic, as is the case with Hillsborough Street.
To heighten driver awareness of the Hillsborough Street and North Street intersection, advance warning signs were installed several years ago identifying the intersection on each of the Hillsborough Street approaches. However, in the staff field investigation, we found that the advance intersection sign on the north side of Hillsborough Street was missing. We have taken appropriate action to reinstall this sign. There is also an existing convex mirror installed at this intersection which allows both drivers and pedestrians on North Street to determine if traffic on Hillsborough Street is approaching the intersection.
1. Map 1 (p. 5).
2. Map 2 (p. 6).
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE TOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING STOP REGULATIONS (2002-03-25/0-4)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the 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
Hillsborough Street North
Street”
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)
Hillsborough Street and North Street”
Section 3. This ordinance shall become effective May 1, 2002.
This the 25th day of March, 2002.