TIC 2018-09-10 Item 2H - Discussion - Traffic Calming / Residential Safety Improvements Priorities

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ity of Tu wila Public Works Department - Henry Hash, Director INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Transportation and Infrastructure Committee FROM: Henry Hash, Public Works Director / Jt BY: Cyndy Knighton, Senior Program Manager CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: September 7, 2018 SUBJECT: Traffic CalminglResidential Safety Improvements Priorities Allan Ekberg, Mayor ISSUE Update the Committee on current requests for traffic calming treatments and other safety improvement projects. BACKGROUND Safety of both residential and commercial roadways is a priority for the City, residents, and businesses. The City monitors accident occurrences, typically occurring with some frequency on higher volume commercial streets. Engineering solutions or police enforcement is applied to address the identified needs. If a capital project is warranted to correct a deficiency, engineering analysis and design is completed, and a project is built. If the cause of the safety concern is related to low compliance with existing laws, enforcement and education can be applied to improve safety and increase compliance. The Public Works department and the Police department work closely together to address issues. Generally, however, engineering, enforcement, and education are all required to improve safety and improve or maintain compliance. When it comes to perceived safety issues on smaller, low -volume, and residential streets, the concerns are more typically raised by concerned residents. To help prioritize and address safety concerns on residential streets, staff developed a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (NTCP) in 2005, but no funding or staffing was made available. A pilot project on S 130th St was studied, resulting in the conversion of 35th Ave S between Tukwila International Blvd and S 130th St into a one-way northbound street. In 2017, a second pilot project on S 160th St installed speed cushions. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee discussed the NTCP in October 2017 and again in June 2018. DISCUSSION During the most recent discussion at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, staff was directed to compile a list of all current requests for traffic calming treatments, along with any data collection that had been completed. Additionally, staff was asked to list commercial locations that are also identified for safety improvements. Seven specific locations and one citywide program for commercial streets were identified. Thirteen specific locations, with more being added on a regular basis, have had traffic calming or other safety -related requests made by residents. Most of the residential streets have data for volume, speed, and accident history but only on Southcenter Boulevard has speed data been collected on the commercial streets. The primary purpose for collecting such data to determine if a safety issue exists and if it does, to aid the City in prioritizing locations for any improvements. When speeding is a primary factor in determining safety of a road section, engineers look to the 85th percentile speed and across the country, those speeds typically range from 5-7 mph over the posted speed limit. In Tukwila's case, all the speed data available today shows the 85th percentile speed in all locations counted to date is no more than 5 mph over the posted speed limit. This does not imply that there aren't violators travelling at higher speeds, but rather they are the exception to the vast majority of drivers using the roadway. FISCAL IMPACT Public Works realized the importance of this issue. As a result, a new CIP project has been proposed for 2019, Traffic Calming/Residential Safety Improvements, with $400,000 budgeted each year. This replaces the previously budgeted $750k for residential streets. Additional funding is needed to complete identified improvements on commercial streets and any other improvements would need to identify a budget and appropriate solution. RECOMMENDATION Information Only. After ranking priority list and rough cost estimates, staff will return to Committee and C.O.W. Attachments: Priority List page 8, Proposed 2019-2024 CIP W:IPW EngIPROJECTSIA- RW & RS Projects\Traffic CalminglINFO MEMO Traffic Calming Priorities 090718gI.docx 57