City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission Agenda
December 5, 2005-7:30 PM
City Commission Room-City Hall
MEMBERS: John Ziegelmeyer Jr., Chair, David Hamby, Vice-Chair, Carol Bowen, Caroljean Brune, Danny Drungilas, Paul Graves, Robert Hagen, Richard Heckler and Caleb Morse.
ITEM NO. 1: Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, November 7, 2005.
ITEM NO. 2: Consider request for TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on 13th Street between Connecticut Street and Haskell Avenue.
Facts:
1. 13th Street is a “local” street paved 30 feet wide with a 30mph speed limit.
2. The City’s Traffic Calming Policy permits traffic calming devices on local streets when the 24-hour volume of traffic exceeds 1000 or when the 85th percentile speed of the traffic exceeds the speed limit by 5mph or more.
3. Traffic data collected 28 October 2005 found 24-hour volumes ranging from 1975 to 2170 and 85th percentile speeds ranging from 34.7 to 49.3mph; therefore, this data meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for consideration of traffic calming devices.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 3: Consider request for an ALL-WAY STOP or TRAFFIC SIGNAL at the intersection of 10th Street & Vermont Street.
Facts:
1. Traffic data was collected at this intersection on 23 September 2005.
2. The data show that none of the traffic signal warrants are currently met.
3. The data show that the major street volume meets the minimum requirement for an ALL-WAY STOP; however the minor street volume does not.
4. Crash data show that there were six crashes in 2004 of a type that may be prevented by an ALL-WAY STOP, including one injury crash; therefore, an ALL-WAY STOP is warranted based on crash history.
Note: Parking may have to be restricted adjacent to the intersection in order to insure visibility of the stop signs.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 4: Consider request to establish a mid-block pedestrian crossing on New Hampshire Street between 6th Street & 7th Street.
Facts:
It appears that a mid-block crosswalk is feasible at this location subject to the following:
1. The street should be re-striped in order to provide a two-way left-turn lane and a place to install a YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS sign in the center of the roadway; this can also provide some refuge for pedestrians and allow them to cross one direction of traffic at a time;
2. Bulb-outs should be provided on each side of the street to shorten the distance that pedestrians must cross as well as provide better visibility of the pedestrians (this may require storm sewer provisions depending upon the exact location;
3. Street lighting should be provided at the crosswalk; and
4. The crossing should also be constructed as a raised crosswalk which would slow the traffic on New Hampshire Street.
5. Location No. 1 would require the removal of two on-street parking space.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 5: Consider establishing a mid-block pedestrian crossing on New Hampshire Street between 8th Street & 9th Street.
Facts:
1. Next year, the Farmer’s Market will be re-locating to the parking lot on the west side of the 800 block of New Hampshire Street and it is anticipated that most patrons will park in the parking lot on the east side of the street.
2. It is also anticipated that most patrons would not walk to 8th Street or 9th Street to cross New Hampshire, but would cross mid-block.
3. It appears that a mid-block crosswalk is feasible at this location; however, bulb-outs should be provided to shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians and provide better visibility and street lighting should be provided at the crossing; in addition, several on-street parking spaces would have to be removed.
4. A raised crosswalk would be desirable; however, it would require storm sewer inlets and the nearest storm sewer is at 9th Street.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 6: Consider establishing a TRAIN HORN QUIET ZONE in Lawrence.
Facts:
1. On June 24, 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration’s Train Horn Rule became effective, allowing for the establishment of quiet zones where sounding of the train horn is not required.
2. In order to qualify, the average risk level in a zone must be below a specific threshold; that threshold can be met in Lawrence by eliminating the 4th Street pedestrian crossing and by adding non-traversable medians on 3rd Street and 7th Street.
3. The North Lawrence Improvement Association supports the implementation of a QUIET ZONE.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 7: Public Comment.
ITEM NO. 8: Commission Items.
ITEM NO. 9: Miscellaneous.
City Commission action on previous recommendations:
Concurred with the recommendation to add Flashing Beacons to the school crossing on Peterson Road at Arrowhead Drive.
Concurred with the recommendation to modify the bus loading zoneS on 15th Street between Burdick Drive & Naismith Drive.
Did not concur with the recommendation to deny the request for an ALL-WAY STOP at the intersection of Becker Drive & Constant Avenue.
City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission
December 5, 2005 Minutes
MEMBERS PRESENT: John Ziegelmeyer, Jr., Chair, Caroljean Brune, Carol Bowen, Danny Drungilas, Paul Graves, Richard Heckler and Caleb Morse.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Robert Hagen, David Hamby.
STAFF PRESENT: David Woosley, Public Works Department.
Chair John Ziegelmeyer, Jr. called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room in City Hall.
Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, November 7, 2005.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 7, 2005, TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider request for TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on 13th Street between Connecticut Street and Haskell Avenue.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report and distributed copies of correspondence received from the public.
Commissioner Morse asked if the neighborhood association had commented on the request; Woosley advised that they had not.
Commissioner Morse: I suggest we table this item until we can get some input from the neighborhood association.
Commissioner Heckler: We need to include both East Lawrence and Brookcreek neighborhoods.
Commissioner Brune: The data shows that there is a problem; I think we should do something about it.
Commissioner Heckler: We can go ahead with this tonight and request that the neighborhood associations advise staff of what type devices they would like.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORSE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DRUNGILAS, TO TABLE FOR TWO MONTHS AND SOLICIT INPUT FROM THE EAST LAWRENCE AND BROOKCREEK NEIGHBORHOODS; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-1(Heckler; felt the item could be handled at this meeting.)
Consider request for an ALL-WAY STOP or TRAFFIC SIGNAL at the intersection of 10th Street & Vermont Street.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report and distributed copies of correspondence received from the public.
Commissioner Morse asked if restricting parking adjacent to the corners would improve the situation; Woosley advised that that is possible.
Commissioner Heckler: I support the all-way stop based on the data we received.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, RECOMMENDING THAT AN ALL-WAY STOP BE ESTABLISHED AT THE INTERSECTION OF 10TH STREET & VERMONT STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider request to establish a mid-block pedestrian crossing on New Hampshire Street between 6th Street & 7th Street.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report.
Ralph Gage, Lawrence Journal-World: When we first started looking at this, it was the result of one of our employees being struck while crossing the street; this request now comes due to the concerns of Journal-World employees.
Commissioner Morse asked if employees were crossing to get to parking; Gage advised that their parking lots were on the east side of the street and most of the work facilities are on the west side of New Hampshire.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer asked if Location 1 was preferred; Gage advised that it was.
Commissioner Brune: The more pedestrian crossings we have, the better off we are.
Commissioner Heckler: This would also help support a walkable Lawrence.
Commissioner Drungilas: We would be caving-in to pedestrians who don’t want to walk a couple hundred yards to a corner.
Commissioner Morse: This location would only serve a small number of people.
Commissioner Bowen: I do not think we provide enough direct access for pedestrians; the crosswalk is a logical thing to do.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer: Location No. 1 is the logical location for a crosswalk.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, RECOMMENDING CONSTRUCTION OF A MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON NEW HAMPSHIRE STREET AT LOCATION NO. 1 BETWEEN 6TH STREET & 7TH STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider establishing a MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING on New Hampshire Street between 8th Street & 9th Street.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report.
Commissioner Morse asked if the crosswalk could be of a different texture since it can’t be raised; Woosley advised that may be possible.
Commissioner Bowen: This will expand the walkability of the downtown area.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORSE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DRUNGILAS, RECOMMENDING CONSTRUCTION OF A MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON NEW HAMPSHIRE STREET BETWEEN 8TH STREET & 9TH STREET WITH BULB-OUTS AND TEXTURING; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider establishing a TRAIN HORN QUIET ZONE in Lawrence.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report.
Randy Ortiz, 406 N. 7th Street: I support the quiet zone 24 hours/day with side whistles; something needs to be done to keep traffic from cutting through my property (make Maple Street a one-way eastbound).
Don Shepard, 513 Elm Street: As a bus driver, we are trained to listen for train horns before crossing railroad tracks; some sort of whistle, horn or bell should sound while buses are running.
Ted Boyle, North Lawrence Improvement Association: Some of our new residents in North Lawrence would like something done about the train horns; we understand the concerns with school buses, but we believe the medians would be a safe alternative to the horns; even in a quiet zone, the train engineer has the option to blow the horn if necessary; Maple Street should be made a one-way eastbound; a quiet zone would be an improvement to all of North Lawrence. 10pm-7am would be acceptable.
Commissioner Morse asked if the neighborhood association had a problem with closing the 4th Street pedestrian crossing; Boyle advised that that is a dangerous crossing and we would rather have them cross at 3rd Street.
Wayne Zachary, Laidlaw Transit: We do train our drivers to stop, look and listen for a train; we have an average of 15 school buses that cross the tracks twice a day; the concern here is safety; with a 40ft long school bus with 40 or 50 children on it, you need all the warning you can get; we are not opposed to a quiet zone from 10pm to 7am.
Commissioner Morse: Regardless of the quiet zone, the safety improvements are valuable.
Commissioner Bowen: I would not feel safe without the whistle.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORSE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, RECOMMENDING CONSTRUCTION OF MEDIANS ON 3RD STREET AND 7TH STREET AT THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND REMOVAL OF THE 4TH STREET PEDESTRIAN CROSSING; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Commissioner Bowen: I understand the railroad is not in favor of this; I think it is a very serious matter we are voting on and I am not in favor of it at this time.
Commissioner Morse asked what the calculator number means; Woosley advised that it is a formula that the Federal Railroad Administration developed to measure risk at railroad crossings.
Commissioner Brune: I’m reassured that we are not throwing North Lawrence into extreme danger by passing this, in fact, with the improvements, it will be safer.
Commissioner Graves: I’m under the impression that the train engineer has the discretion to blow the horn if a dangerous situation is encountered regardless of the time of day.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, RECOMMENDING ESTABLISHING A TRAIN HORN QUIET ZONE 10PM TO 7AM IN LAWRENCE; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Public Comment.
None.
Commission items:
Pedestrian Advisory Sub-committee will review all pedestrian related TSC items and provide input to the TSC.
Commissioner Bowen asked what the city policy is on the operation of city vehicles; Woosley advised that if there is one, it will be provided to the commission for review.
There will not be a meeting in January unless a request is received that cannot wait until February.
Miscellaneous.
None.
The next scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is Monday, February 6, 2006.
Respectfully submitted,
David E. Woosley, P.E.
Transportation/Traffic Engineer