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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10B - Traffic Safety Committee MEETING DATE: AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: REVIEWED BY: AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION: 16200 Eagle Creek Avenue S.E. Prior Lake, MN 55372-1714 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT FEBRUARY 2, 2004 lOB MAKENZIE MCCORMICK, PUBLIC WORKS COORDINATOR BUD OSMUNDSON, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CREATION OF A TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND REPORT FOR THE CITY OF PRIOR LAKE. History This council agenda recommends creating a Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) for the City. This would provide the residents, City Council, and City Staff a mutual understanding of the policies and procedures for addressing traffic concerns on streets within the city. The committee would provide a systematic process to respond to requests/concerns in a consistent fashion, ultimately providing better customer satisfaction. Current Circumstances Curr~ntly, there is no forum to hear the traffic concerns that staff receive throughout the year. At the present time, engineering responds to speed complaints, sign requests are forwarded to the public works department and miscellaneous calls are received by city staff with no clear direction on who should respond. Staff feels creating the TSC would help reduce any confusion and is therefore in the best interest of the City. Attached to this agenda item, you will find a copy of the proposed policies and procedures for the TSC, including an explanation of the purpose of the committee, why we feel a committee is necessary, and the types of issues we will review along with numerous examples from surrounding communities. To begin this process, staff researched other communities' for information. Some local cities already have committees formed to deal with these requests. Several others have written policies and procedures in place to outline how to respond to common requests. The TSC plans to incorporate the ideas from other communities into policies and handouts specifically for Prior Lake. The report has been reviewed by its committee members for its content and completeness. Due to the increasing number of requests for safety concerns, the committee decided to limit the scope to only requests pertaining to streets. The types of issues most commonly associated with streets include: };- Stop sign requests };- Parking issues };- Speed issues >- "Children at Play" sign requests 'r "Specially Challenged/Handicap" sign requests };- Crosswalks C:\Documents and Settings\KellyM\LocaJ Settings\Temporary 11WWW.~W~.rnpm agenda 2-2-04.DOC Phone 952.447.4230 / Fax 952.447.4245 FISCAL IMPACT: AL TERNA TIVES: RECOMMENDED MOTION: REVIEWED BY: By limiting the types of requests the TSC is responsible for, it more clearly defines the responsibility of the committee and provides the opportunity for faster response times. Issues Given that the TSC will be completely new, if approved by the City Council, its members may find that several policy and/or procedural modifications may be necessary over time. The committee will continue to refine its processes and procedures and will request Council endorsement of such changes. Extra effort is required initially to create the TSC report. However, as the new procedures are implemented, city staff, council and its residents should find better response to their safety concerns. Conclusion Staff is requesting that Council approve the attached resolution and report so that the TSC can be created and start responding to traffic issues. This committee and report will be reviewed and updated as the committee determines the appropriate measures for each type of request. Councilmembers Blomberg and Petersen may wish to share their views with the Council. The addition of the committee and report does involve staff time for regular meetings, but does not change any fiscal demands. The alternatives are as follows: 1. Approve a Resolution approving and creating the Traffic Safety Committee and report. 2. Table this item for a specific reason. 3. Deny this agenda item for a specific reason and provide staff with direction. Staff recommends alternative number 1. C:\Oocuments and Settings\KellyM\LocaJ Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK187\TSC report agenda 2-2-04.00C 16200 Eagle Creek Avenue S.E. Prior Lake, MN 55372-1714 RESOLUTION 04-xx A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CREATION OF A TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND REPORT FOR THE CITY OF PRIOR LAKE MOTION BY: SECOND BY: WHEREAS, The Traffic Safety Committee and report has been developed and recommended by City staff and councilmembers; and WHEREAS, This report would help define the City's role and responsibility for safety issues concerning streets within the City of Prior Lake; and WHEREAS, Creation of the TSC will provide a systematic process to respond and address safety issues in a consistent fashion. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, Minnesota, that the following are hereby adopted: 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein. 2. The City Council approves the creation of the Traffic Safety Committee and report. Passed this 2nd day of February 2004. YES NO Haugen Haugen Petersen Petersen Zieska Zieska LeMair LeMair Blomberg Blomberg { Seal } Frank Boyles, City Manager C:\Oocuments and Settings\KellyM\Local Settings\Temporary lMlll1iW.~mpdm7take.fl!j)m agenda 2-2-04.00C Phone 952.447.4230 / Fax 952.447.4245 CREATED: February 2nd, 2004 II TABLE OF CONTENTS: ~ Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Purpose of Committee. ............................... ................................2 Composition of Committee. ....................................................... ..3 Meeting Dates....................................................................... ..3 General Procedures of Committee............................................. ...4-5 Types of Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 1. "Stop" Sign Requests. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7 Informational Flyer-Illustration A 2. Parking Issues...............................................................8 Parking Restriction Map-Dewitte Access-Illustration B Parking Restriction Map-Sand Point Beach Access-Illustration C 3. Speeding Issues......................................................... ....9 Informational Flyer-Illustration D 4. "Children at Play" Sign Requests.. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. ....10 Samp'le Letter-Illustration E Informational Flyers-Illustration F 5. "Specially Challenged" Sign Requests.. . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. ..... . .. . . .11 Sample Letter-Illustration G 6. Crosswalk Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 7. General Traffic Safety Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Appendix ............................................................................ 14 - 1 - PURPOSE OF COMMITTEE: ~ Since the City is part of the 8th fastest growing county in the nation, we believe the number of requests/concerns about speeding traffic, parking issues and sign requests will increase. To respond quickly and give thorough consideration for each request, the City wanted to create a committee to serve as a forum to specifically address these concerns which cannot adequately be resolved with city staff. ~ To provide a systematic process to respond and address traffic safety issues/requests in a consistent fashion ~ Promote safe conditions for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists on neighborhood streets ~ Develop citywide traffic education and communication programs ~ Improve neighborhood traffic safety and reduce concerns throughout the City ~ To perform any other traffic related tasks as may be assigned by the City Council. - 2 - I~ COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE: 1. City Manager 2. City Engineer/Public Works Director 3. Police Chief 4. Public Works Coordinator 5-6. Two City Council members appointed by the City Council at the annual meeting, usually the first meeting in January of each year. 7. Scott County Traffic Engineer [I COMMITTEE. MEETING DATES: The Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) will meet as petitions are received and no less than quarterly, meeting on the first Thursday of March, June, September, and December. Special meetings may be called as needed. - 3 - ~I II ~ ~ GENERAL PROCEDURES: The TSC will review requests for residential neighborhood roads. The committee does review requests for County or State owned roadways, but can only suggest recommendations, not implement modifications. For all locally owned roads, the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD) warrants must be followed. County and City staff will be responsible for reviewing signal justification requests. Initial Request/Co.nsultation Any interested party who feels there is a traffic problem in their neighborhood or on their street should submit their concerns to the Public Works Coordinator at 952.440.9675 or stop by the Maintenance Center located at 17073 Adelmann Street SE or email tsc@cityofpriorlake.com. Application/Petition Process After receiving an initial request from an interested party, staff will discuss the issue with the resident to determine what options may be appropriate. If the resident's issue cannot be resolved during the initial consultation, city staff will then send a letter (including expected time line) and application form with instructions to the concerned resident. Under certain circumstances, the TSC may require a petition. If a petition is required, a petition form along with the designated "affected area" required for the petition will be sent to the interested party. The "affected area" will be determined on a case by case basis for each request. For the petition to be considered, at least 51 % of ALL households within the affected area must have signed the petition. Please note: the petition process is for study consideration only, not to approve the device requested by the petitioner. Data Collection/Analysis If the TSC determines more analysis is needed, city staff will complete a site survey. Conditions that are evaluated may include vehicle speed, traffic volume, sight distance, pedestrian activity and traffic accident history, dependant on each request. City staff will make every effort to determine the recommendations for the request by following the established guidelines found in the following pages. The report prepared by staff will include the data collection and any recommendations for the project site. The TSC and petitioner will receive a copy of the report to review. Finally, the petitioner and TSC would schedule a meeting to provide a chance for the neighborhood to discuss their concerns and supply any further information if necessary with the TSC. This will also provide an opportunity for the committee to review the results of the data collection with the petitioner. The discussion will be -4- able to provide alternative actions and items for possible further investigation to best address any concerns. The TSC will make the final recommendation for each request. Appeal If the request is not recommended for approval by the committee and the interested party would like to continue to pursue their concern, the next step would be to appeal to the City Council at a regularly scheduled council meeting. Council meetings are held the 1 st and 3rd Mondays of each month beginning at 7pm located at the Fire Station, 16776 Fish Point Road. Presentation to Council If the request is recommended by the TSC, staff will prepare an agenda report for an upcoming council meeting. The City Council will conduct a public hearing to determine whether or not to implement the project. At this hearing, the estimated cost of the project and any proposed special assessments will be presented. If any special assessments are part of the project, the City Council will be in accordance with MS429 requirements for public hearings. In certain cases, the neighborhood may have to fund all or part of the improvements. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Council will determine whether or not to order the implementation of the project. - 5 - General Procedures Flow Chart Consult with staff Approved request Staff brings appurtenant information to TSC Data collection ordered (may include but not limited to): Petition Speed survey Traffic counts Meeting w/TSC & petitioner Recommend approval by TSC Not recommend approval by TSC Public forum/public hearing Agenda to City Council meeting Approved by City Council Not recommended by City Council Solution implemented II TYPES OF ISSUES: The TSC will be responsible for providing guidance on the following street issues: ~ "Stop" sign requests ~ Parking issues ~ Speed issues ~ "Children at Play" sign requests ~ "Specially Challenged" sign requests ~ Crosswalk issues ~ General traffic safety issues ~ Review existing ordinances - 6 - II "STOP" SIGNS REQUESTS: II The City routinely receives requests for stop sign control at neighborhood intersections. Upon receiving requests, staffwill follow the procedures outlined on page 4. In addition, the City will send an informational flyer describing the policies and procedures for stop sign control. Data Collection will include a site survey with traffic volume counts on all intersection legs and an approach speed survey on the uncontrolled approaches. A review of the sight distance, pedestrian use and traffic accident history for the past 12 months will also be completed. While the TSC will take each request on an individual basis, the committee does utilize the MMUTCD warrants as a resource. The warrants for stop sign control according to the 2003 Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices can be found on the following pages. Stop signs will not be installed for speed control. Problems of placing unnecessary stop signs include: speeds on other segments of the corridor (midblock) may actually increase as motorists become frustrated with stopping at an intersection with very little cross traffic and increasing their speeds as they leave the intersection, breeds disrespect for all signs, high violation rates and provides a false sense of security for pedestrians. - 7 - PARKING ISSUES: Public Access Parking Each year, staff receives several requests for "No parking w/ trailers" signs along streets near public accesses. The City has two public access points, one at Dewitte Access and the second at Sand Point Beach. The City Code states, "The City Council may, by resolution, designate certain Streets or portions of Streets as no parking or no stopping zones within 2500 feet of public launch sites in the City of Prior Lake." Therefore, if staff receives a request for "No Parking" signs within the 2500 foot radius of either access, they will follow the procedures outlined on page 4. Staff may also take requests outside of the 2500 foot radius, but will need to address each request on a case by case basis. Removing "No Parking" signs The committee may also receive requests to remove "No Parking" signs that are currently in place. If staff receives such a request, the procedures on page 4 will apply. Additional Parking issues Any other parking issues will be acknowledged upon receipt of request and will be considered on a case by case basis. Only public parking issues will be considered. - 8 - SPEED ISSUES: The City routinely receives concerns of speeding traffic in residential neighborhoods. City staff and the TSC will follow the procedures outlined on page 4 for all speed issues. In addition, the City can provide the speed wagon in the area of concern for a few days. Police will also provide increased police patrol to help reduce the traffic speeds and increase awareness. Typically when a speed study is conducted, the majority of the motorists speeding through the neighborhood'are found to be visitors of, or residents currently living in the neighborhood. It is important to realize that the City does not set the speed limits on city streets. MnDOT determines the statutory speeds for each type of road. 30 mph is the designated speed for residential roads in urban districts. The City may request a speed study be completed by MnDOT to determine if the regulated speed is accurate for the area. The 85th percentile is the important factor in speed limit studies. Ifthe majority, (85%) ofvehic1es, is traveling at or below the speed limit, the road is set correctly. If the 85th percentile speed is significantly above the limit, further evaluation of the area is necessary. - 9 - II "CHILDREN A.T PLAY" SIGN REQUESTS: . The City of Prior Lake does not install these signs because they are not recognized by the State of Minnesota as official traffic control devices. Research has found that installing "Children at Play" or "SLOW -Children" signs in residential areas does not effectively change the behavior of motorists. Once staff has received a request for this sign, staff will send a letter along with three flyers that helps to explain the reasoning why the City has chosen not to install these signs throughout Prior Lake. - 10- I] PECIALL Y CHALLENGED" SIGN REQUESTS: City staff periodically receives requests to have signs installed alerting a neighborhood of the presence of a handicapped or specially challenged person(s) in the neighborhood, such as "Deaf Child in Area" or similar signs. The City of Prior Lake realizes the special safety concerns with handicapped persons and understands the need to provide warning signs near the residence. Therefore, it is the City's policy to install two (2) appropriate signs in suitable locations when they are available on either side of the residence of the special person. Staff does request that the Public Works department is notified when that special person moves out ofthe neighborhood so that the sign can be removed. It is the City's policy to verify the residency periodically. Staff does request verification of disability in the form of a medical certificate or doctor's note. - 11 - OSSW ALK ISSUES: Crosswalks need to be located where both vertical and horizontal sight lines meet the MMUTCD guidelines for sight distances. Zebra crosswalks are recommended for all crosswalk areas. Pedestrian crossing signs should also be placed 250 feet prior to each crossing and crossing signs with arrows at the crossing pointing to the designated crosswalk area. - 12 - It GENERAL TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUES: All other traffic safety issues will be acknowledged upon receipt of request and will be considered on a case by case basis. - 13 - II II l~ APPENDIX - 14-