RESOLUTION NO.  6602

 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS ESTABLISHING CITY POLICIES REGARDING TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES AND A PRIORITY RANKING SYSTEM FOR EVALUATION THEREOF.

 

Whereas,  on May 13, 2003, the Governing Body of the City of Lawrence adopted Resolution No. 6469 establishing a City policy on speed humps and speed cushions; and

 

Whereas,  on August 19, 2003, the Governing Body of the City of Lawrence adopted Resolution No. 6482, amending Resolution 6469 regarding City policy on speed humps and speed cushions; and

 

Whereas,  on May 2, 2005, the Traffic Safety Commission recommended to the City Commission certain revisions to the established policies of the City regarding traffic calming devices.

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS:

 

 

Section 1.    The Governing Body of the City of Lawrence, Kansas hereby establishes this policy guideline for traffic calming devices.

 

Nothing in this policy establishes a duty upon the City to provide traffic calming devices or any other devices to calm traffic within the City.  The guidelines established in this policy resolution shall be discretionary with the City of Lawrence, Kansas and the Governing Body of the City and nothing herein shall be construed to establish a duty upon the City to install, establish or maintain the devices.  The interpretation of this policy resolution shall provide for the complete discretion of the Governing Body in determining the appropriateness of installing and maintaining traffic calming devices.  The existence of areas without traffic calming devices when such devices are suggested as appropriate by the policy guidelines of this resolution shall not create a duty or burden upon the City to provide such devices.

 

The Governing Body may install devices as it solely determines appropriate taking into account such factors as it deems appropriate including, but not limited to the recommendation of professional staff, available funds and future monetary resources, the burden on the traveling public, and the guidelines established in this policy resolution.

 

 

Section 2.    Traffic calming devices may include, but are not limited to Traffic Calming Circles, Speed Humps, and Speed Cushions, Speed Tables, Partial Diverters, Full Diverters, Center Island Narrowing, Chokers, and Road Closures; however, roundabouts are traffic management devices and are not subject to this policy. 

 

Section 3.    Traffic Calming Device Policy

 

A.                 Traffic Calming Devices may be permitted on “local” streets as designated by the City’s Major Thoroughfares Map, and under any one of the following conditions:

(1)              The 85th percentile speed of traffic is 5 mph or greater over the speed limit, or

(2)              The 24 hour two-way traffic volume is greater than 1000, or

(3)              Cut-through traffic comprises more than 50% of the traffic during the peak hour of the day, or

(4)              Where no single condition is satisfied, but where any two of 1, 2 or 3 above are satisfied to the extent of 80 percent or more of the stated values.

 

B.                 Traffic Calming Devices (except Speed Humps) may be permitted on “collector” streets as designated by the City’s Major Thoroughfares Map, under any one of the following conditions:

(1)              The 85th percentile speed of traffic is 5 mph or greater over the speed limit, or

(2)              The 24 hour two-way traffic volume is greater than 3000, or

(3)              Cut-through traffic comprises more than 50% of the traffic during the peak hour of the day, or

(4)              More than 50% of the frontage of the roadway consists of residential lots with the houses facing the roadway in question, or

(5)              Where no single condition is satisfied, but where any two of 1, 2, 3 or 4 above are satisfied to the extent of 80 percent or more of the stated values.

 

C.       Traffic data will be collected with city personnel using city equipment only.  In the event that a requested location does not meet the minimum requirements as stated in A or B above, subsequent requests will not be considered for a minimum of one year.

 

D.                 The Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical Department, the Police Department, the Public Works Department and the Traffic Safety Commission must review all requests for traffic calming devices before being presented to the City Commission

 

E.       If a project is approved by the City Commission, the City Commission will determine financing of the construction.  The City Commission may require 0%-100% of the costs to be paid by the group or neighborhood making the request.

 

F.       After a project is approved and funded by the City Commission, traffic calming devices will only be constructed at a location if 70% or more of the property owners within 300 feet measured along the centerline of the street in each direction approve of the installation or if directed by the City Commission.  The individual, group or neighborhood making the request shall be responsible for obtaining the property owners’ and residents’ approval in writing and submitting it to the City.

 

 

G.       Once installed, traffic calming devices may only be removed at a location if more than 70% of the property owners and residents within 300 feet measured along the centerline of the street in each direction approve of the removal or if directed by the City Commission.  The individual, group or neighborhood making the request shall be responsible for obtaining the property owners’ and residents’ approval in writing and submitting it to the City.

 

H.       Traffic calming devices may initially be landscaped (if appropriate) by the City, provided that the group or neighborhood making the request agrees in writing to maintain the landscaping or pursuant to the payment of a landscape maintenance fee.  No privately installed landscaping is permitted unless approved by the City in writing.

 

Section 4.    Ranking of Traffic Calming Projects.

 

TRAFFIC-CALMING PROJECTS will be ranked using the following point system to determine which projects will be constructed first with available funding:

 

SPEED – 5 points will be assigned for each mile per hour that the 85th percentile speed exceeds the lawful speed limit.

 

VOLUME – 1 point will be assigned for every 100 vehicles per day on local streets; 1 point will be assigned for every 300 vehicles per day on collector streets.  Points will not be assigned for volume on arterial streets.

 

CRASHES – 1 point will be assigned for each reported property damage crash along the project corridor(s) during the previous 3 years; 2 points will be assigned for each reported injury crash along the project corridor(s) during the previous 3 years; 5 points will be assigned for each reported fatal crash along the project corridor(s) during the previous 3 years.

 

SIDEWALKS – 5 points will be assigned if there is not a continuous sidewalk along both sides of the project corridor(s); 10 points will be assigned if there is not a continuous sidewalk along either side of the project corridor(s).

 

SCHOOL CROSSWALKS – 10 points will be assigned for each unprotected official school crosswalk that crosses the project corridor(s).

 

PEDESTRIAN GENERATORS – 5 points will be assigned for each pedestrian generator such as a park, school or recreation center adjacent to the project corridor (s).

 

Projects will be prioritized based on the total number of points and may be added to the priority list at any time.

 

Section 5.    Resolution No. 6469 and Resolution No. 6482 are hereby repealed.

 

                    ADOPTED by the Governing Body of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, this ___ day of August, 2005.

 

 

 

                                                          APPROVED

 

 

 

___________________________________

Dennis Highberger, Mayor

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

________________________________________

Frank S. Reeb, City Clerk