AGENDA #5c

 

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

SUBJECT:       Response to a Petition Requesting Removal of Traffic Calming Devices on Lonebrook Drive

DATE:             June 9, 2003

The following report is in response to a petition from Mr. Eric Plow requesting that the Town remove the stop signs recently installed on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle and not proceed with the installation of a speed hump recently approved for installation on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwood V neighborhood.

The Manager recommends taking no action on this petition and proceeding with the currently approved traffic calming plan for Lonebrook Drive.

If the Council wishes to modify the currently approved traffic calming plan to remove the recently installed stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle and to eliminate one speed hump proposed for installation on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwood V neighborhood, as requested by the petitioner, adoption of the attached resolution and enactment of the attached ordinance would do so. These two actions would retain only the recently installed stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Glenmore Road and the proposed installation of two speed humps on Lonebrook Drive in the Parkside neighborhood.

BACKGROUND

At its January 27, 2003 meeting, the Council received a staff report in response to a petition submitted by Mr. Larry Nobles, a Parkside neighborhood resident, requesting the installation of traffic calming measures on Lonebrook Drive that passes through both the Parkside and Northwood V neighborhoods (a map of the area is included with Attachment #2).   Subsequently, the Council approved the installation of the following traffic calming devices:

 

·        Three speed humps on Lonebrook Drive

·        Multi-way stop signs at:

§         Lonebrook Drive and Tremont Circle

§         Lonebrook Drive and Glenmore Road

The Council authorized the Manager to install the above traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive at a cost not to exceed $9,000.  A copy of the January 27, 2003 agenda packet is presented in Attachment #2.  The approved stop signs were installed in April 2003. The installation of the speed humps has been delayed in response to Mr. Plow’s petition discussed below.

 

At its April 28, 2003 meeting, the Council received a petition from Mr. Eric Plow, a Northwood V resident, requesting removal of the recently installed stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at Tremont Circle in the Northwood V neighborhood.  The petition also requested that the speed hump approved on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwood V neighborhood not be installed.

 Mr. Plow subsequently obtained the signatures of twelve residents of Northwood V who expressed the following concerns about the installation of traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwood V neighborhood (see Attachment #1):

·        All residents of the Northwood V neighborhood were not contacted regarding the installation of stop signs and speed humps on Lonebrook Drive.

·        The petitioners believe that stop signs and speed humps are not necessary on Lonebrook Drive, and they recommend periodic Police radar enforcement instead.

·        The Parkside Homeowners’ Association is not authorized to speak on behalf of the Northwood V neighborhood.

The Town Council received and referred the petition to the Manager for further study and a response that would include the results of a comprehensive survey of both neighborhoods to determine the level of support for the currently approved stop sign and speed hump installations on Lonebrook Drive.

On May 6, 2003 Mr. Larry Nobles (the Parkside neighborhood representative who originally submitted the petition for traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive) submitted a second petition  signed by the owners of eight properties in the Northwood V neighborhood supporting traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive as currently approved by the Council (see Attachment #3).  Both Mr. Plow and Mr. Nobles have advised us that they would accept the majority opinion of their neighborhood residents regarding traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Neighborhood Survey:

 

Town staff mailed a survey form (Attachment #4) to the residents of both the Parkside and Northwood V neighborhoods requesting their opinion regarding the traffic calming devices currently approved for installation on Lonebrook Drive (stop signs at two intersections and three speed humps).  We mailed 177 survey forms and 119 were returned. A summary of the survey results is provided in the following table:

NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY RESULTS

 

Several residents included additional comments on the survey forms and some sent e-mails expressing their opinion.  We have attached copies of the e-mails we received (Attachment #5). Copies of the survey forms and comments received from residents are available for review in the Engineering Department. 

The survey results indicate that a majority of the residents who responded to the survey (93 out of 119; or 78%) support some type of traffic calming on Lonebrook Drive.  Of the 22 residents with property fronting on Lonebrook Drive and who responded to the survey 17 out of 18; or 94%, supported some type of traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive.  The opinion of residents varied as to the specific “type” of traffic calming devices they preferred, as presented in the above table.

 

Analysis of the Approved Traffic Calming Plan:

 

The currently approved traffic calming plan includes a combination of multi-way stop signs and speed humps on Lonebrook Drive.  The plan was developed by Town Engineering staff based on the results of traffic studies and field observations on Lonebrook Drive. Results of the traffic studies are presented below:

 

TRAFFIC STUDIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

The posted speed limit on Lonebrook Drive is 25 mph. Although traffic volumes are well below the capacity of Lonebrook Drive, speeding is an apparent problem. More than 50 percent of the vehicles were traveling at or above 30 mph on Lonebrook Drive; and 20 to 25 percent of the vehicles were traveling at or above 35 mph.  Recorded speed data on Lonebrook Drive indicates that vehicles traveling above 30 mph are distributed evenly between 7 am and 7 pm.

Based on our field observations, and study data showing that 85% of the vehicles counted were traveling 7 to 8mph above the posted speed limit of 25 mph and approximately 25% of the vehicles were traveling more than 10 mph above the posted speed limit, we recommended a traffic calming plan that includes a combination of multi-way stop signs and speed humps.

A majority of the responding residents from both the Northwoods V and the Parkside Neighborhoods support traffic calming devices on Lonebrook Drive.  Also, a majority of the residents on Lonebrook Drive supports traffic calming devices. Therefore, we continue to believe that a combination of multi-way stop signs and speed humps could mitigate the speeding problem on Lonebrook Drive.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A significant majority of survey respondents support some type of traffic calming measures on Lonebrook Drive. We believe that the approved traffic control plan including a combination of stop signs and speed humps is appropriate and could mitigate the speeding problem on Lonebrook Drive.

 

MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION

The Manager recommends that the Council take no action on Mr. Plow’s petition and proceed with the currently approved traffic calming plan for Lonebrook Drive.

If the Council wishes to modify the currently approved traffic calming plan to remove the recently installed stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle and to eliminate one speed hump proposed for installation on Lonebrook Drive in the Northwood V neighborhood, as requested by the petitioner, adoption of the attached resolution and enactment of the attached ordinance would do so. These two actions would retain only the recently installed stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Glenmore Road and the proposed installation of two speed humps on Lonebrook Drive in the Parkside neighborhood.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1. Petition by Mr. Eric Plow (p. 8).

2. January 27, 2003 Agenda Item (p. 20).

3. Petition by Mr. Larry Nobles (p. 37).

4. Survey Form (p. 48).

5. E-mails from Several Residences (p.50).

 

A RESOLUTION REVISING THE CURRENTLY APPROVED TRAFFIC CALMING PLAN FOR LONEBROOK DRIVE (2003-06-09/R-9)

 

WHEREAS, the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill is concerned about vehicular and non-vehicular safety and mobility on Town streets; and

 

WHEREAS, on January 27, 2003 the Council approved a traffic calming plan for Lonebrook Drive, a Town street that passes through the Parkside and Northwood V neighborhoods; and

 

WHEREAS, the Council has received a petition opposing the traffic calming measures approved for Lonebrook Drive  in Northwoods V Neighborhood; and

 

WHEREAS, the Council received a staff report on June 9, 2003 that included survey results from area residents suggesting that some residents believe that periodic speed limit enforcement by the Police, rather that the installation of traffic calming devices, would be preferable in the Northwood V neighborhood;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council directs the Manager to remove the stop signs on Lonebrook Drive at its intersection with Tremont Circle and eliminating the installation of a speed hump on Lonebrook Drive in Northwoods V neighborhood.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council directs the Manager to increase speed limit enforcement on Lonebrook Drive to the extent possible with available resources.

  

This the 9^th day of June, 2003.

 

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21 OF THE TOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES REGARDING STOP REGULATIONS (2003-06-09/O-3)

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:

Section 1. Section 21-13(c) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations.” is hereby amended by deleting the following:

“Intersection(s)

            Lonebrook Drive and Tremont Circle”           

Section 2.  Section 21-13(a) of the Town Code of Ordinances, “Right-of-way and stop regulations.” is hereby amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

“Through Streets                                Stop Streets

Lonebrook Drive                           Tremont Circle”

 

Section 3.  This ordinance shall become effective upon adoption.

This the 9^th day of June, 2003.