City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission Agenda
February 5, 2007-7:30 PM
City Commission Room-City Hall
MEMBERS: David Hamby, Chair, Carol Bowen, Vice-Chair, Caroljean Brune, Paul Graves, Robert Hagen, Richard Heckler, Ken Miller, Jim Woods and John Ziegelmeyer Jr.
ITEM NO. 1: Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, November 6, 2006 and December 4, 2006.
ITEM NO. 2: Consider request to establish a STOP sign at the intersection of Harvard Road and Sunset Drive.
Facts:
1. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices provides criteria for the use of STOP signs; none of the criteria in the manual is met at this intersection.
2. The 85th percentile speed of all traffic approaching the intersection is below the statutory speed limit of 30 mph.
3. There have not been any reported crashes at the intersection during the past three years.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 3: Consider request to establish a MULTI-WAY STOP at the intersection of Arrowhead Drive and Peterson Road.
Facts:
1. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices provides criteria for a MULTI-WAY STOP installation; none of the criteria in the manual is met at this intersection.
2. The side street carries 57% of the minimum required volume to justify a MULTI-WAY STOP.
3. There has been one reported crash at this intersection during the past three years that was susceptible to correction by a MULTI-WAY STOP installation.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 4: Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING devices along Trail Road between Lawrence Avenue and Kasold Drive.
Facts:
1. Trail Road is classified as a COLLECTOR street.
2. The speed limit on Trail Road is 30 mph.
3. The city’s Traffic Calming Policy permits traffic calming devices on collector streets under specific conditions; two conditions are met: the 85th percentile speed is 5mph or greater over the speed limit; and, more than 50% of the frontage of the roadway consists of residential lots with houses facing the roadway in question.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 5: Consider request to establish NO PARKING along the east side of Sunset Drive between 9th Street and Broadview Drive.
Facts:
1. Sunset Drive is classified as a LOCAL street in a residential area and is paved 25 feet wide.
2. Parking has been restricted on streets of this type when supported by the area residents.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 6: Consider request to rescind DISABLED PARKING in front of 714 Alabama Street.
Facts:
1. DISABLED PARKING was established at this location at the request of the resident in August 2005.
2. The person with the disability no longer lives at this home.
3. The signs have been removed; the city ordinance needs to be changed.
ACTION: Provide recommendation to the City Commission.
ITEM NO. 7: Public Comment.
ITEM NO. 8: Commission Items.
Commissioner Bowen: City Planning practices.
ITEM NO. 9: Miscellaneous.
Receive letter from Mary Lou Wright concerning traffic calming devices in the University Place Neighborhood.
Receive Attendance Report for the period February 2006-January 2007.
City Commission action on previous recommendations:
Concurred with the recommendation to deny the request for a MULTI-WAY STOP at the intersection of 25th Terrace, Hampton Street and Kensington Road;
Concurred with the recommendation to construct TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES along 9th Street/8th Street between Lawrence Avenue and Kasold Drive;
Concurred with the recommendation to deny the request to establish NO PARKING along the south side of Ash Street between 7th Street and 8th Street;
Did not concur with the recommendation to establish NO LEFT TURN 7-9AM and 4:30-6PM MON-FRI on Iowa Street at Orchard Lane, Oxford Road, Stratford Road and University Drive;
Concurred with the recommendation to establish 30 MINUTE PARKING along the north side of 9th Street adjacent to 616 & 620 W. 9th Street and 846 Indiana Street;
And, concurred with the recommendation to construct a MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN-ACTIVATED TRAFFIC SIGNAL on 11th Street between New Jersey Street and New York Street.
City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission
February 5, 2007 Minutes
MEMBERS PRESENT: David Hamby, Chair; Caroljean Brune; Paul Graves; Robert Hagen; Richard Heckler; Jim Woods; and John Ziegelmeyer Jr.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Carol Bowen; Ken Miller
STAFF PRESENT: David Woosley, Public Works Department
Chair David Hamby called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room at City Hall.
Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, November 6, 2006 and December 4, 2006.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, NOVEMBER 6, 2006; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, DECEMBER 4, 2006; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1(Ziegelmeyer).
Consider request to establish a STOP sign at the intersection of Harvard Road and Sunset Drive.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment: None.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF HARVARD ROAD AND SUNSET DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider request to establish a MULTI-WAY STOP sign at the intersection of Arrowhead Drive and Peterson Road.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment: None.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WOODS, TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A MULTI-WAY STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF ARROWHEAD DRIVE AND PETERSON ROAD; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING devices along Trail Road between Lawrence Avenue and Kasold Drive.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report and noted that an e-mail and letter concerning this item had been forwarded to the commission.
Public comment:
Ken MacKenzie, 502 Millstone Drive: I am against having speed bumps; they break springs, they cause accidents and they slow down emergency vehicles; they are energy polluting causing vehicles to slow-down and speed-up which increase air pollution; they are unsightly; they are a problem for bicycles; a lot of kids play on them; I don’t think there is any evidence that they reduce accidents; I have never heard of a pedestrian accident on that road.
Amy McCarragher, 416 Settlers Drive: I have two small children that ride their bikes in our driveway; there is not a continuous sidewalk along the street; our mailbox was recently hit; I would really appreciate sidewalks or speed bumps or a circle, whatever you can give us for traffic calming; there are people in our neighborhood that jog early in the morning and kids walk home every day from Deerfield School.
Gerry Bukaty, 3117 Trail Road: Traffic has increased incredibly in the thirteen years I have lived here; the speed has gone up incredibly; there are only sidewalks part of the way; I’ve almost been run over getting my mail; it’s important that we do something there; there’s a lot of cut-through traffic since Free State High School opened; it happens all day long, but rush-hour is the worst; any thing you can do we would appreciate.
Greg Robinson, 3116 Trail Road: I can’t play outside with my dog, we have to stay in the backyard; I don’t know if I’m for or against the proposal, I want the traffic to be calmed, I just don’t know how we’d get there; if we’re going to do this, let’s do it right; my car has been hit three times while parked on the street; I support any thing that can be done, but let’s do it in a professional manner.
Darlene Henning, 3420 Trail Road: I have seen people almost get hit; speed is too high; any thing you can do would be great.
Commissioners:
Commissioner Brune: I feel the preponderance of the sentiment here tonight is in favor of doing something.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAVES, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES ALONG TRAIL ROAD BETWEEN LAWRENCE AVENUE AND KASOLD DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-1(Woods: I don’t see the need in such a short span).
Consider request to establish NO PARKING along the east side of Sunset Drive between 9th Street and Broadview Drive.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
Stan Rolfe, 821 Sunset Drive: The entire neighborhood above 9th Street is served by two entrances, however most of the residents use Sunset; there is only enough room for three cars to park on the east side between 9th and Broadview; when cars are parked on both sides and one person is trying to come out and someone is trying to turn in, there is no way to turn in, they have to stop in the middle of 9th Street; south of 9th Street parking is restricted on one side; the person who lives on the east side always parks around the corner and is not opposed to the request; the only people who really park there live on the corner of 9th and Sunset in a rental house; there are two students who live there, but it continually changes and there are large groups of visitors.
Commissioners:
Commissioner Woods asked if it would be beneficial to extend the restriction another block to the north; Rolfe indicated that wasn’t necessary.
Commissioner Brune: I travel the street a lot; I would certainly be in favor of the restriction.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING NO PARKING ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF SUNSET DRIVE BETWEEN 9TH STREET AND BROADVIEW DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Consider request to rescind DISABLED PARKING in front of 714 Alabama Street.
Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment: None.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WOODS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND RESCINDING DISABLED PARKING IN FRONT OF 714 ALABAMA STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
Public Comment:
None.
Commission Items:
Commissioner Woods asked what the status was of 27th Street & Sawgrass Drive; Woosley advised that he had met with the president of the homeowners association and they did not feel there was a problem; Woods asked that this item be placed on the next agenda.
Commissioner Woods asked about the status of the review of the need for left-turn signals on 23rd Street at Ousdahl Road; Woosley advised that the study had been completed, left-turn signals are now warranted and staff is in the process of determining what the cost will be.
Miscellaneous:
The commission acknowledged receipt of the letter from May Lou Wright and the latest Attendance Summary.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 P.M.
The next scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is Monday, March 5, 2007.
Respectfully submitted,
David E. Woosley
Transportation/Traffic Engineer