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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/10/2008 04A Draft Minutes 04-08-2008 Adjourned Meeting - Study Session;k,A ADJOURNED MEETING /STUDY SESSION APRIL 8, 2008 8:00 - 9:30 A.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS - YAKIMA CITY HALL Roll Call Present: Council: Mayor Dave Edler, presiding, Assistant Mayor Micah Cawley, Council Members, Rick Ensey, Norm Johnson, and Neil McClure Staff: City Manager Zais, and Deputy City Clerk Watkins Absent: Council Member Kathy Coffey 2. Arterial Speed Limit Study Joan Davenport, Supervising Traffic Engineer, opened the session and advised that they had worked closely with the Police Control Unit on both the Speed Limit Study and the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. She also advised that there will be an open house in Council Chambers on April 17`h to answer citizen questions and ® take recommendations on speed limits. Following that, they will prepare and submit an ordinance for Council approval to update the speed limits. This is something that has not been done for at least thirty years. The main reason for doing it now is to include the annexed areas. RCWs dictate that speed limits within cities are 25 mph unless otherwise posted. Cities have the authority to change speed limits on municipal streets after a traffic study has been done. The speed limit study summary recommendations were submitted to Council with their packets. Mrs. Davenport described the study material and collection methods used. No speed limit would be changed more than 5 mph. The cost of changing the speed signs will need to be considered. A rough estimate, with the City sign crew manufacturing and installing the signs, is $16,000. This is not in the 2008 budget. After reviewing the document, Council Member McClure suggested increasing Summitview Avenue, heading west to 72nd Avenue, to 40 mph to coincide with Tieton Drive. Assistant Mayor Cawley asked about reduced speed zone notifications, and Council Member Lover asked if the new signs would be coated with the anti - graffiti finish. Council Member McClure also asked about using the larger numbers like Oregon has on their speed signs. • ADJOURNED MEETING — STUDY SESSION APRIL 8, 2008 - 3. Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program Mrs. Davenport gave background information on the Traffic Calming program. It became an issue in the 1990s with the Scenic Drive speed bumps. After they were in for less than a year, another group of citizens demanded they be removed. At that time, Council directed staff to develop a policy on how to review traffic calming requests. There are over 100 locations that have submitted requests for traffic calming. Goals and objectives to modify the existing program were part of the transportation plan update. The biggest change is for an education and enforcement phase before installing any physical device. Studies have shown that when enforcement begins, nearly all of the people speeding in the neighborhood, live in the neighborhood. In late 2007, City Council allocated $50,000 for traffic calming and asked staff for demonstration projects. The City spent $38,000 in education and enforcement. They also purchased radar speed signs and purchased Your Speed Is" trailers for the Police Department. Another purchase with the funds was sample high- contrast crosswalk material that is being tested on two crosswalks. Discussion then covered Public Safety input on traffic calming measures. Although the Fire Department does not want to be a reason to not pursue the measures, they asked that no physical barriers impede their routes. The Barge /Chestnut Association's request covers a large area and is an ambitious project involving a request to install nineteen speed bumps, seven traffic circles and eight semi - diverters. Data collection was done on the request over the winter. Cost estimates for.outside engineering analysis ranged from $9,000 to $51,000. City staff has • accomplished most of what the $9,000 estimate would cover. What remains to be done is a very technical evaluation of the devices with recommendations. In February, the Council subcommittee recommended contracting with the engineering company to study the project because of the magnitude and the need for expertise. A very rough estimate of installation of the requested devices would be about $205,000. As to who would pay for it, one idea would be an LID; but, funding questions would need to follow an engineering study. The Transportation Committee has recommended moving forward with the new program for future traffic. 4. Audience comments Ralph Call, a Board member of the Barge /Chestnut Association, explained that they started their traffic calming program in 2006 to deal with "cut- through" traffic. He described the work they have done to date and discussions held with Memorial Hospital related to their future plans and traffic mitigation. The neighborhood strongly supports (93 % -94 %) dealing with the total area, not just portions of the neighborhood. They have always been under the assumption that they would pay for the actual installation, although they do expect the City to pay for the study. Rick Forest, Chairman of the Association, spoke about how they developed their traffic calming proposal. • 1 10 • ADJOURNED MEETING — STUDY SESSION APRIL 8, 2008 William Woodcock, President of Advanced Life Systems, said that all calming 9 devices are obstacles that they have to get over when in route to the hospital with a potentially critical patient. He would prefer other remedies than those that make the road rougher. Council Member Johnson suggested the Transportation Committee continue discussion on this subject, include Mr. Woodcock and other concerned citizens, and then bring a proposal forward to the Council. Council Member McClure, a member of the Transportation Committee, said they would explore what kind of an engineering study they can get with the available funds and then will bring a recommendation back to the Council. 5. Adjournment CAWLEY MOVED AND McCLURE SECONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 10:31 a.m READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY ATTEST: CITY CLERK COUNCIL MEMBER DATE COUNCIL MEMBER DATE DAVID EDLER, MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. A CD of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's Office 3