City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission Agenda
October 4, 2004-7:30 PM
City Commission Room-City Hall
MEMBERS: Caroljean Brune, Chair, John Ziegelmeyer Jr., Vice-Chair, Carol Bowen, Danny Drungilas, Paul Graves, Robert Hagen, David Hamby, Matt Jordan, and Caleb Morse.
ITEM NO. 1: Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, September 13, 2004.
ITEM NO. 2: Consider request from Beverly Kuester to establish NO PARKING along both sides of Perry Street between 4th Street and 5th Street.
Report:
1. Perry Street is classified as a “local” street paved with asphalt approximately 20 feet wide without shoulders or curb & gutter.
2. Parking is currently permitted along both sides of the street.
3. When parking occurs on a street of this type, it tends to damage the edge of the pavement and eventually works its way into the traveled area.
4. In similar situations, the city has established NO PARKING if supported by the area residents.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 3: Consider proposal to move the NO PARKING restriction on 24th Terrace east of Kasold Drive from the south side of the street to the north side.
Report:
1. 24th Terrace is classified as a “local” street and is paved 26 feet wide.
2. Parking is currently permitted along the north side of the street and prohibited along the south side of the street.
3. At the September Traffic Safety Commission meeting, area residents suggested that the permitted parking be moved from the north side of the street to the south side instead of establishing NO PARKING along the north side for 200 feet east of Kasold Drive.
4. In similar situations, the city has established NO PARKING if supported by the area residents.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 4: Consider TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT PRIORITY RANKING SYSTEM.
Report:
1. Earlier this year, the City Commission requested that staff prepare a ranking system for traffic calming projects in order to determine which project to construct first when funding becomes available.
2. Staff reviewed policies developed by several other organizations and prepared a recommended procedure for Lawrence.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 5: Review pedestrian and vehicle safety at 19th Street & Barker Avenue.
ITEM NO. 6: Public Comment.
ITEM NO. 7: Commission Items.
ITEM NO. 8: Miscellaneous
City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission
October 4, 2004 minutes
MEMBERS PRESENT: John Ziegelmeyer, Jr. Vice-Chair, Carol Bowen, Danny Drungilas, Paul Graves, David Hamby and Matt Jordan.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Caroljean Brune, Robert Hagen and Caleb Morse.
STAFF PRESENT: David Woosley, Public Works Department.
Vice-Chair John Ziegelmeyer called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room in City Hall.
ITEM NO. 1:
Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, September 13, 2004.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOWEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DRUNGILAS, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 13, 2004, TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
Consider request from Beverly Kuester to establish NO PARKING along both sides of Perry Street between 4th Street and 5th Street.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report and distributed copies of an additional letter from Beverly Kuester and an email from Red Herrell, 447 Perry Street, supporting parking on one side of Perry Street.
Coye Baker, 419 Perry Street: Presented petitions with 18 signatures opposed to restricting parking.
Megan Morris, 401 Perry Street: I park my truck and trailer on 4th Street between Perry and Lincoln; I do not park it on Perry Street because it would cause a traffic problem and there is not enough room there. I try to park it on 4th Street because it is a bit wider.
Commissioner Jordan asked if there was a concern about emergency vehicles getting up-and-down the street. Residents in attendance indicated that emergency access was not a problem.
Commissioner Hamby noted that all properties along the street also have alley access for emergency vehicles.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JORDAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HAMBY, TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO ESTABLISH NO PARKING ALONG BOTH SIDES OF PERRY STREET BETWEEN 4TH STREET AND 5TH STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
Consider proposal to move the NO PARKING restriction on 24th Terrace east of Kasold Drive from the south side of the street to the north side.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report and distributed an email from Keith Bowsher, 3308 W. 24th Terrace, opposing the proposal.
Mike Watkins, 3212 W. 24th Terrace: I am a homeowner at 3212 W. 24th Terrace and I oppose this proposal; it will make the area less safe than it is now, it would be more hazardous to turn off Kasold.
Sandy Summers, 3300 W. 24th Terrace: I am opposed to changing the parking; there would be less parking available and it would be more dangerous.
Sam Smith, 3201 W 21st Terrace: There will be less parking spaces; it will be more dangerous; it’s just a bad idea.
Bruce Sauer, 3205 W. 24th Terrace: If vehicles are parked on the south side it will be difficult to see vehicles coming out of the cul-de-sac.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BOWEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DRUNGILAS, TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE PROPOSAL TO MOVE THE NO PARKING RESTRICTION ON 24TH TERRACE EAST OF KASOLD DRIVE FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET TO THE NORTH SIDE; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
Review pedestrian and vehicle safety at 19th Street & Barker Avenue.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer asked when the intersection reopened. Woosley advised that it had been approximately 1-1/2 to 2 months.
Commissioner Graves asked if any after studies had been conducted. Woosley advised that they had not.
Patricia Sinclair, 331 Johnson Avenue: Provided a computer disc with several pictures of the intersection for viewing. My main concerns are pedestrian and vehicular safety; I’m also concerned about a future roundabout at 15th & Haskell. I would also request some type of signing and marking for pedestrians at the traffic circle at 17th & New Hampshire and restriction of parking on the southeast corner. I don’t believe the islands on Barker are calming anybody. The crosswalks at Barker are closer to the circle than at other roundabouts; the pedestrian islands aren’t as high. There are lots of drivers not yielding to pedestrians.
Commissioner Drungilas: I use that intersection a half dozen times a day and I think it is an improvement. However, some people still do not know how to drive them.
Commissioner Bowen: I was impressed with the flow of traffic, but as a pedestrian I would not get out of my car; I think it needs some work for pedestrians.
Public Comment.
Dawn Hawkins, 1219 New York Street, presented a request from the New York School PTO that traffic safety issues surrounding New York School be considered by the Traffic Safety Commission as soon as possible, at a special meeting if possible.
The Commission decided that a special meeting would be difficult to convene, but the item will be considered at the next regular meeting which will be held October 25 or November 8, depending on when facilities are available.
Consider TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT PRIORITY RANKING SYTSTEM.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report and an email from Commission Hagen.
Commissioner Ziegelmeyer: I like the idea of including crash history.
Commissioner Hamby: I like the idea of determining how this system would rank existing approved projects.
Commissioner Bowen: I think the definition of pedestrian generators is too narrow and needs to be expanded.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAMBY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAVES TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL A REPORT CAN BE PROVIDED SHOWING HOW IT WOULD AFFECT PROJECTS ALREADY APPROVED; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
Commission Items.
Commissioner Drungilas requested that copies of the agenda be made available to the public at future Traffic Safety Commission meetings.
Miscellaneous.
None.
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
The next scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is Monday, November 8, 2004.
Respectfully submitted,
David E. Woosley, P.E.
Transportation/Traffic Engineer