City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission Agenda
October 3, 2005-7:30 PM
City Commission Room-City Hall
MEMBERS: John Ziegelmeyer Jr., Chair, David Hamby, Vice-Chair, Carol Bowen, Caroljean Brune, Danny Drungilas, Paul Graves, Robert Hagen, Richard Heckler and Caleb Morse.
ITEM NO. 1: Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, September 12, 2005.
ITEM NO. 2: Consider request to add FLASHING BEACONS to the school crossing reduced speed zone on Peterson Road at Arrowhead Drive.
Facts:
1. The speed limit along Peterson Road is 40mph with signs in place reducing the speed limit to 20mph at the school crossing on school days when children are present.
2. This school crossing currently has an adult guard in place.
3. The requirement for flashing beacons is less than the requirements for an adult guard.
4. The School Crossing Control Policy was recently changed to permit flashing beacons with adult guards if the intersection is not controlled by an all-way stop or traffic signal.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 3: Consider an ordinance prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving within the city limits.
Facts:
1. Attached are two recently published articles from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; there are numerous articles available on the internet.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 4: Consider request to permit parking on the Clinton Parkway Frontage Road in front of 3705 Clinton Parkway on Sunday mornings 8:00AM-12:30PM.
Facts:
1. The frontage road is constructed approximately 28 feet wide.
2. The frontage road was constructed as a part of Clinton Parkway by an agreement in 1977 utilizing Federal Funds which required the city “to prohibit the parking of vehicles on the local road or street improvement throughout the length of the project.”
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 5: Public Comment.
ITEM NO. 6: Commission Items.
ITEM NO. 7: Miscellaneous.
City Commission action on previous recommendations:
Concurred with the recommendation to construct speed humps on Lawrence Avenue between 9th Street and Harvard Road;
Concurred with the recommendation to amend the School Crossing Control Policy;
Concurred with the recommendation to move the school beacons on Kentucky Street adjacent to Cordley School to 19th Street;
Concurred with the recommendation to permanently establish the No Left Turn 4-6PM Mon-Fri restriction on 23rd Street; and
Concurred with the recommendation to test a No Left Turn 7-9AM Mon-Fri restriction on 23rd Street.
City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission
October 3, 2005 Minutes
MEMBERS PRESENT: John Ziegelmeyer, Jr., Chair, David Hamby, Vice-Chair, Carol Bowen, Paul Graves, Robert Hagen, Richard Heckler and Caleb Morse.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Caroljean Brune, Danny Drungilas
STAFF PRESENT: David Woosley, Public Works Department; Tracy Russell, Police Department
Chair John Ziegelmeyer, Jr. called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room in City Hall.
Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, September 12, 2005.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAMBY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 12, 2005, TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING; THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0-2 (Bowen, Graves).
Consider request to add FLASHING BEACONS to the school crossing reduced speed zone on Peterson Road at Arrowhead Drive.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report.
Commissioner Hagen asked if the city had received any response from the school district; Woosley advised that no response had been received.
Commissioner asked staff’s opinion of adding beacons in addition to an adult guard or in lieu of an adult guard; Woosley advised that there is a lower threshold for beacons than adult guards, so beacons are usually installed first; in this case, the adult guard criteria was satisfied at the initial request for traffic control.
Commissioner Hagen stated he felt this was a critically dangerous crossing and anything that helps to alert drivers would be helpful.
Commissioner Morse noted that the speed limit on Peterson Road is 40mph and there is a hill nearby.
Commissioner Graves stated he was completely in favor of the request.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GRAVES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MORSE, TO RECOMMEND INSTALLATION OF FLASHING BEACONS AT THE SCHOOL REDUCED SPEED ZONE ON PETERSON ROAD AT ARROWHEAD DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider an ordinance prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving within the city limits.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report and recommended that if the Commission desired to pursue the request, that it be referred to the City’s Legal Department for appropriate review, research and preparation of an appropriate ordinance.
Bob Lewis, W 22nd Terrace: On the day I contacted city staff, I downloaded an AP bulletin on the 21st of September and it indicated that the National Transportation Safety Board had voted to add to the list of most wanted safety recommendations “a ban on novice drivers using any wireless communication device.” I don’t know how it would be enforced, but I urge you to consider forwarding this suggestion to the city commission.
Commissioner Hamby asked if Lewis was requesting a ban on novice drivers or a ban on cell phone use in general; Lewis suggested starting with novice drivers.
Commissioner Hagen asked Lewis if he had contacted his state legislator; Lewis advised that he had not.
Commissioner Hagen stated this might be more appropriate at a state level than at the local level.
David Beust, 14th Street & Kentucky Street: I personally would like to see this brought to the city commission or appropriate legal authorities. As an avid bicyclist, I’ve had numerous close calls with drivers talking on cell phones.
Commissioner Morse asked Beust if he would support prohibiting bicyclists from using cell phones while riding; Beust advised that he would be in favor of that.
Commissioner Hagen stated he thought the primary benefit would be make people aware of the fact that this is dangerous.
Commissioner Bowen stated that it appeared that cell phone use while driving is increasing; an ordinance should be considered, but only if it is enforceable.
Commissioner Hagen noted that one of the difficulties of a city ordinance is that it would be legal as soon as you got out of town. My view is that this should be considered at the state level.
Commissioner Graves stated he didn’t see a problem with the city having an ordinance like this even if the state didn’t address the issue.
Commissioner Heckler stated he was willing to support a city-wide ban if the legal department finds it appropriate.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MORSE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAVES, REQUESTING THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE USE OF CELL PHONES BY PERSONS WHILE OPERATING VEHICLES; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider request to permit parking on the Clinton Parkway Frontage Road in front of 3705 Clinton Parkway on Sunday mornings 8:00AM-12:30PM.
David Woosley reviewed the information provided in the staff report.
Commissioner Bowen asked how many spaces would there be; Woosley advised that it looked like approximately 12 spaces in front of their property.
Commissioner Heckler stated the church should look at expanding the parking on their own property.
Commissioner Morse stated that the roadway should be able to be used unless there is a legal reason not to.
Commissioner Morse noted that you can park on Massachusetts Street on Sundays.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAMBY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAVES, TO RECOMMEND PERMITTING PARKING ON THE CLINTON PARKWAY FRONTAGE ROAD IN FRONT OF 3705 CLINTON PARKWAY ON SUNDAYS 8:00AM-12:30PM, SUBJECT TO LEGAL REVIEW.
Public Comment.
None.
Commission items.
Commissioner Bowen advised she had noticed a bicyclist having difficulty near storm inlets when it was raining.
Commissioner Graves noted that it looked like inadequate sight distance at St. Margaret’s Church access to 6th Street.
Miscellaneous.
None.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM.
The next scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is Monday, November 7, 2005.
Respectfully submitted,
David E. Woosley, P.E.
Transportation/Traffic Engineer