AGENDA #5b

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                 Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Response to Petition Requesting Multi-way Stop Signs at the Intersection of Booker Creek Road and Foxwood Drive

 

DATE:             June 24, 2002

 

 

This report is in response to the attached petition requesting the installation of multi-way stop signs at the intersection of Booker Creek Road and Foxwood Drive. Please see the attached map.

 

We do not recommend the installation of additional stop signs at this time.  However, if the Council so desires, the attached ordinance would authorize installation of the stop signs as requested.

 

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

 

The Town Council, at its February 25, 2002 meeting received a petition from Ms. Cathy Weisbecker of 2518 Millwood Court requesting that additional stop signs be installed to create “all-stop” conditions at the above referenced intersection.  Please see the attached petition.

 

Booker Creek Road is a 33 foot wide paved road, back of curb to back of curb, with curb and gutter on hilly terrain with numerous curves. Booker Creek Road is designated as a “through” street at the subject location, and vehicles currently can continue through the intersection without being required to stop.  Booker Creek Road functions as a collector street which provides access to and from adjacent neighborhoods. Foxwood Drive is designated as the “stop” street, and vehicles are required to stop at the existing stop sign before continuing through the intersection. Foxwood Drive functions as a local street. The posted speed limit on both streets is 25 mph.

 

Town staff conducted a traffic study at this intersection on May 21 and 22, 2002 and the results indicated an average daily traffic volume of 1000 vehicles on Booker Creek Road and 500 vehicles on Foxwood Drive.  Study data for Booker Creek Road showed that the average speed is 29 mph and 15% of the surveyed vehicles were traveling at or above 35 mph.  The highest speed recorded during our study of Booker Creek Road was 55 mph.

 

Town staff visited the site and evaluated conditions on several occasions at different times of day.  We did not observe any obstructions or on-street parking at or near the intersection which would obstruct sight distances.  Speeding seems to be the fundamental problem.

 

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.  Please refer to the attached policy document for more specific information.

 

We considered the stop sign request at the Booker Creek Road/Foxwood Drive intersection in terms of the criteria outlined in our policy, and we do not think that the installation of additional stop signs would be appropriate.  The intersection does not have high accident statistics or unusually heavy pedestrian volumes.   We are concerned that the installation of stop signs on Booker Creek Road would result in the potential for rear-end accidents due to the hilly terrain and relatively short sight distances,  and the probability that drivers would not expect a stop sign on Booker Creek Road at the subject intersection.

 

Since vehicular speeding seems to be the main problem, we think that increased speed limit enforcement would be the most effective remedy.  We have directed the Police Department to increase speed enforcement in this area to the extent possible with available resources. 

 

MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION

 

We do not recommend the installation of additional stop signs at this time. 

 

However, if the Council so desires, adoption of the attached ordinance would authorize installation of the stop signs as requested.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.         Vicinity Map (p. 4).

2.         Petition (p. 5).

3.         Town’s Policy on Placement of Stop Signs (p. 8).

 

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE TOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING STOP REGULATIONS (2002-06-24/O-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

 

Booker Creek Road                             Foxwood Drive”

 

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)

           

Booker Creek Road and Foxwood Drive”

 

Section 3.  This ordinance shall become effective August 1, 2002.

 

 

This the 24th day of June, 2002.