Public Works Dept.

Memo

To:                  Mike Wildgen

cc:                 David Corliss, Debbie Van Saun, Terese Gorman, David Woosley 

From:             Chuck Soules

Date:               June 8, 2004            

Re:                             Kentucky Street – No Parking             

The City Commission requested additional information with respect to the request to establish no parking along the east side of Kentucky Street from 15^th Street south 200 ft.  The Traffic Safety Commission’s recommendation was to approve the request by a motion that carried on a 6 (approval) to 2 (deny) vote.  This was presented to the City Commission on May 18, 2004.  Attached is a photo showing the line of site from a driver’s perspective of a vehicle facing west on 15^th Street and looking south onto Kentucky.   Distances to the vehicles that are parked on the east side of Kentucky were measured and are listed on the bottom of the photograph.

Also attached is an aerial showing a vehicle’s line of site from W. 15^th Street looking south on Kentucky.  The posted speed limit (SL) is 30 mph.  The 85^th percentile speed, the speed that 85% of the vehicles are actually traveling at or below, was measured at 35 mph.  The safe stopping sight distance (SSD) for a vehicle traveling on Kentucky at 30 mph is 200 feet, and 250 feet for a vehicle traveling at 35 mph.  The safe stopping sight distance is how long it would take for a vehicle traveling at an identified speed to come to a complete stop safely.  This distance takes into account the driver’s reaction time to identify an object, react, slow down, and stop.

A distance of 290 feet would be needed for a driver, turning north onto Kentucky from a complete stop on 15^th Street, to get up to speed with oncoming traffic traveling at 30 mph. This distance would leave a safe separation between the two vehicles (335 feet is needed for 35 mph).

As far as parking issues, the City Code (which incorporates the Standard Traffic Ordinance) would not prohibit parking up to the corner of 15^th Street on Kentucky.  Parking is also allowed up to the edge of a driveway.  There are three spaces available between 15^th Street and the first driveway south on Kentucky (in front of 1500); three spaces available between the first and second drives on Kentucky (in front of 1510), virtually only one space available at 200’ south of 15^th Street (in front of 1512-1516),  and potentially one space available in front of 1516 Kentucky.

Please let me know if I can answer any questions.

Action Requested:  Provide staff direction regarding the TSC recommendation to prohibit parking on the east side of Kentucky from 15^th Street south 200 feet.  Adopt Ordinance 7790,  if appropriate,  or provide direction.

Respectfully submitted,

Charles F. Soules, P.E.

Director of Public Works