City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission Agenda
May 7, 2007-7:30 PM
City Commission Room-City Hall
MEMBERS: David Hamby, Chair, Paul Graves, Robert Hagen, Richard Heckler, Ken Miller, Jason Novotny, Robin Smith, Jim Woods and John Ziegelmeyer Jr.
Anyone who wishes to be notified when
their item will be heard by the City Commission must provide their name and
a telephone number or an e-mail address.
ITEM NO. 1: Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, April 2, 2007.
ITEM NO. 2: Consider request to establish NO PARKING along the south side of Jordan Lane.
Facts:
1. Jordan Lane is a “local” street paved 26 feet wide with parking permitted along both sides of the street.
2. City policy is to permit parking in such situations unless a restriction is requested by the public and supported by the affected residents/property owners.
3. The Fire & Medical Department has provided correspondence in support of the request.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 3: Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on 27th Terrace between Louisiana Street and Missouri Street.
Facts:
1. 27th Street is a “local” street in a residential area with a 30mph speed limit.
2. The city’s Traffic Calming Policy permits traffic calming devices on local streets if the 85th percentile speed of traffic is 5mph or greater over the speed limit or if the 24-hour two-way traffic volume is greater than 1000.
3. Traffic data collection show that the 24-hour two-way traffic volume ranges from 465 at the west end to 1150 on the east end; and 85th percentile speeds range from 30.3mph to 43.7mph.
4. Therefore, this roadway does meet the minimum requirements for consideration of traffic calming devices.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 4: Consider request to improve safety for pedestrians crossing 31st Street near Harrison Avenue.
Facts:
1. This commission and the city commission recently approved a signalized mid-block pedestrian signal for 11th Street between New York Street and New Jersey Street.
2. 11th Street is classified as a “minor arterial,” paved approximately 29 feet wide with one lane of traffic in each direction and parking permitted on one side of the street.
3. Traffic data collected found a volume of approximately 6580 vehicles per day and an 85th percentile speed of 31.3mph.
4. 31st Street is classified as a “principal arterial,” paved approximately 52 feet wide with two lanes of traffic in each direction and all parking restricted.
5. Traffic data collected found a volume of approximately 12,000 vehicles per day and an 85th percentile speed exceeding 50mph.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 5: Consider request to improve safety for pedestrians crossing 11th Street at New Hampshire Street.
Facts:
1. The existing crosswalk at this intersection is on the west leg and requires pedestrians to cross approximately 53 feet of pavement from curb to curb.
2. A safer crossing could be provided on the east leg by constructing a bulb-out on the south side of the street and removing the widening on the north side of the street.
3. In addition a painted or partially raised island (2-inches +/-) could be provided in the center of the street to give some protection for pedestrians; an island cannot be provided on the west leg of the intersection due to the presence of a left-turn lane. Signing could not be placed in the island due to the turning path of large delivery trucks in the downtown area.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 6: Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on Maine Street between 7th Street and 9th Street.
Facts:
1. Maine Street is a “collector” street in a residential area with a 20mph speed limit.
2. The city’s Traffic Calming Policy permits traffic calming devices on collector streets if the 85th percentile speed of traffic is 5mph or greater over the speed limit or if more than 50% of the frontage of the roadway consists of residential lots with the houses facing the roadway in question.
3. Traffic data collection show that the 85th percentile speeds range from 34.4mph to 36.6mph and over 90% of the roadway frontage consists of residential lots with the houses facing the roadway in question.
4. Therefore, this roadway does meet the minimum requirements for consideration of traffic calming devices.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 7: Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on 18th Street between New Hampshire Street and Barker Avenue.
Facts:
1. 18th Street is a “local” street in a residential area with a 30mph speed limit.
2. The city’s Traffic Calming Policy permits traffic calming devices on local streets if cut-through traffic comprises more than 50% of the traffic during the peak hour of the day.
3. Traffic data collection shows that during the period 4:40-5:30PM, 78% of the traffic is cut-through.
4. Therefore, this roadway does meet the minimum requirements for consideration of traffic calming devices.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 8: Consider establishing NO PARKING 3:30-4:00PM MTThF AND 2:00-2:30PM W ON SCHOOL DAYS along the west side of Oak Tree Drive from 175 feet north of Vantuyl Drive to 105 feet south of Vantuyl Drive.
Facts:
1. At the March 2007 Traffic Safety Commission meeting, the commission recommended establishing NO PARKING SCHOOL DAYS ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF OAK TREE DRIVE ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL CROSSING AT VANTUYL DRIVE, 3:30-4:00PM MTThF AND 2:00-2:30PM W.
2. At the April 24th City Commission meeting, adjacent residents requested that if signs were installed, that they be installed on existing posts. This would require that the no parking zone be longer than originally proposed; therefore, the city commission sent the item back for consideration of the longer zone.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 9: Public Comment.
ITEM NO. 10: Commission Items.
ITEM NO. 11: Miscellaneous.
Receive Attendance Summary for the period May 2006-April 2007.
City Commission action on previous recommendations:
Concurred with the recommendation to change the School Crossing on 15th Street at Engel Road to a Pedestrian Crossing;
Concurred with the recommendation to deny the request for changes at the intersection of Sawgrass Drive and the recreational path;
Did not concur with the recommendation to establish NO PARKING along the west side of Tennessee Street adjacent to 21st Street;
Sent back the recommendation to establish NO PARKING 3:30-4:00PM MTThF and 2:00-2:30PM W ON SCHOOL DAYS along the west side of Oak Tree Drive adjacent to the school crossing at Vantuyl Drive, to expand the affected area.
City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission
May 7, 2007 Minutes
MEMBERS PRESENT: David Hamby, Chair; Paul Graves; Robert Hagen; Richard Heckler; Ken Miller; Jason Novotny; Robin Smith; and John Ziegelmeyer Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jim Woods
STAFF PRESENT: David Woosley, Public Works Department
Chair David Hamby called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room at City Hall.
Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, April 2, 2007.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, APRIL 2, 2007; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Commissioner Graves arrived.
Consider request to establish NO PARKING along the south side of Jordan Lane.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
None.
Commissioner Heckler: The Fire Department probably has a reason to support the request, so I will support the request.
Commissioner Hamby: Since we have a request and support from the Fire Department, I am not concerned about approving it.
Commissioner Miller: Does Chief Bradford support any and all requests? Woosley advised that the basis for their support is that the Fire Department needs 20ft. clear to operate; if vehicles are parked on both sides of a local street, they don’t have the room needed.
Commissioner Novotny: Are these duplexes? Woosley advised that they are.
Commissioner Hagen: I’d be in favor of approving this.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, TO RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING NO PARKING ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF JORDAN LANE; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on 27th Terrace between Louisiana Street and Missouri Street.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
Chris Bulgren, 2731 Alabama Street: This street runs straight up to South Junior High and Broken Arrow Elementary; there is a lot of speeding on the street and there are a lot of children in the area going to-and-from the schools; and I also have a two-year-old that I am concerned about; those are the major reasons I have put the time in to trying to get traffic slowed down on that street.
Commissioner Heckler asked how the neighbors feel: Bulgren replied that the ones he has talked to are concerned about the speed of traffic on the street and agree with him for the most part.
Commissioner Smith: If there were a stop sign on Louisiana at 27th Street it would divert more traffic over there, but in the mornings when Louisiana is busy, you almost have to go to someplace that has a stop sign to get out onto Louisiana and they’re doing it on 27th Terrace I guess.
Commissioner Smith asked what kind of traffic calming device is under consideration; Woosley advised that is determined in consultation with the neighborhood once funding is received.
Commissioner Hagen: This is my neighborhood; because of the stop sign on Louisiana, this road gets much more traffic than it would otherwise get; there is a general concern about the volume of traffic and speed on the street, especially with parents of small children who walk to school or would like to walk to school; I think there would be general support for this request.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ZIEGELMEYER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTING TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES ON 27TH TERRACE BETWEEN LOUISIANA STREET AND MISSOURI STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Consider request to improve safety for pedestrians crossing 31st Street near Harrison Avenue.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
None.
Commissioner Hamby asked if the street was four lanes or if there was a center turn-lane; Woosley advised that it was four lanes.
Commissioner Miller asked how far west this was from the commercial area; Woosley advised it was about half-way between Four Wheel Drive and Kasold Drive.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer asked if this was the preferred location; Woosley advised that the location could be adjusted, but it should be near Cottonwood since it is a pedestrian generator.
Commissioner Hamby asked if we knew how many pedestrians are crossing; Woosley advised that Cottonwood estimated 15-20 on a daily basis, but more would be crossing if it was safer.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SMITH, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTING A MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON 31ST STREET NEAR HARRISON AVENUE; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Consider request to improve safety for pedestrians crossing 11th Street at New Hampshire Street.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
None.
Commissioner Smith: The existing crossing is very visible, but with parking right up to the crossing, pedestrians are hard to see.
Commissioner Smith asked if the bulb-out could be painted; Woosley advised that it could, but wouldn’t provide as much protection for pedestrians.
Commissioner Heckler: As a frequent user of this intersection, I can appreciate what is being requested.
Commissioner Hagen: I like this idea; it will slow traffic and help pedestrians.
Commissioner Hamby: I have a concern with the 2-inch raised islands and vehicles hitting it.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTING PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF 11TH STREET AND NEW HAMPSHIRE STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on Maine Street between 7th Street and 9th Street.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
Kelly Barth, 825 Maine Street: I was excited to see this as an item on your agenda for several reasons; there have been several bad accidents with parked cars late at night; this is an area with increasing numbers of young children; it is used as a speed way to the university; it’s a real prime area that needs to have some attention given to it; we’ve also been concerned with some construction vehicles traveling at fairly high rates of speed, and they’re big trucks; we realize this is a route for ambulances to the hospital so we don’t want anything drastic, but anything you can do to discourage excessive speed would be helpful.
Mari Aubuchen, 746 Maine Street: The police are nabbing people all the time; there is definitely an excessive rate of speed going on.
Shane Lopez, 817 Maine Street: The police patrol every afternoon, and even with that assistance, we still have a ton of speeders; most folks go 35 but we have an occasional one going 50-60mph; it’s a ton of traffic for our neighborhood; things are only getting worse, despite the efforts of the police force; some help is definitely needed.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer: I think this happens to be one of those streets, that from the stadium north, it’s very convenient street to get to 6th Street and all the way to the hospital, and I think it is a street that warrants some consideration for traffic calming.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ZIEGELMEYER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTING TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES ON MAINE STREET BETWEEN 7TH STREET AND 9TH STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES on 18th Street between New Hampshire Street and Barker Avenue.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
Bob Gent, 1801 Barker Avenue: It is a problem that I have noticed as long as I’ve lived there, 17 years; they are using the street as a cut-through; the island in front of my house on Barker has done a lot of good to slow down some of the big trucks; I’ve talked to half the people on the street and none of them would be really upset if you just closed the street altogether; any traffic calming that could be done would be really welcomed by our neighborhood.
Commissioner Hamby: Perhaps the street could be partially closed like Schwarz Road.
Commissioner Smith: You might have to do the same thing one block north on 17th Terrace.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer: I think they’re cutting-through because they get a better shot getting on 19th Street at the roundabout on Barker.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAMBY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTING TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES (PERHAPS A TEMPORARY PARTIAL DIVERTER) ON 18th STREET BETWEEN NEW HAMPSHIRE STREET AND BARKER AVENUE; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Consider request to establish NO PARKING SCHOOL DAYS ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF OAK TREE DRIVE ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL CROSSING AT VANTUYL DRIVE, 3:30-4:00PM M-T-Th-F AND 2:00-2:30PM W.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
None.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER NOVOTNY, TO RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING NO PARKING SCHOOL DAYS ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF OAK TREE DRIVE ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL CROSSING AT VANTUYL DRIVE, 3:30-4:00PM M-T-Th-F AND 2:00-2:30PM W; THE MOTION CARRIED 8-0.
Public Comment:
None.
Commission Items:
None.
Miscellaneous:
The commission acknowledged receipt of the Attendance Summary for the period May 2006-April 2007.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 P.M.
The next scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is Monday, June 4, 2007.
Respectfully submitted,
David E. Woosley
Transportation/Traffic Engineer