HomeMy WebLinkAboutFS 2016-04-19 Item 2B - Discussion - Speed Reduction in Neighborhoods of Tukwila (SPRINT)City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Finance and Safety Committee
FROM: Mike Villa, Chief of Police
CC: Mayor Allan Ekberg
DATE: April 12, 2016
SUBJECT: Speed Reduction In Neighborhoods Of Tukwila (SPRINT)
ISSUE
Traffic issues and speeding vehicles in the residential neighborhoods are top concerns of many
of Tulkwila's residents.
BACKGROUND
Traffic issues and speeding vehicles, specifically those in residential areas, have been top
concerns of many Tukwila residents for many years, Focused collaboration between the
Mayor's Office, Public Works and the Police Department, have started the process of mitigating
the issue and its associated impacts, while simultaneously supporting the City's mission,
strategic plan and the 2015 — 2016 city priorities,
DISCUSSION
In order to address the issue of speeding in residential areas of Tukwila, a committee of
representatives from the Tukwila Mayor's Office, Public Works and the Police Department
collaborated to identify strategies focused on mitigating the issue and associated impacts.
During the work, the committee referenced empirical and other data collected from several
sources. In streamlining a strategy that would guide the process for the Tukwila residential
speeding problem, our framework focused on three of the strategies:
1) Education:
Public Information Campaign delivering a consistent public message indicating a very low
tolerance for speeding in the city of Tukwila, specifically in residential areas. Public
outreach for the city speed reduction initiative will focus on two target audiences:
a) Residents: The first audience is residents near targeted streets. The goal of
communicating with this group is to demonstrate the city's resolve in addressing
speeding and traffic safety in their neighborhood, with the goal that notification will help
with the city's traffic safety goals,
b) Commuters: Many of Tukwlia's streets in residential areas are used by commuters from
adjacent jurisdictions. The goal of communicating with this audience is to provide
notification of the city's speed reduction efforts, with the goal that notification will help
with the city's traffic safety goals.
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2) Engineering:
Research and specific data collection in. residential areas must be resourced to determine
engineering options, which involves:
a) City Engineer/Traffic Engineer evaluation of problem areas
b) Purchase and use of RADAR for speed measurement
c) Purchase and use of portable speed alert/monitoring equipment
d) Traffic calming measures if warranted
3) Enforcement:
The Police Department will target specific residential areas prone for speeding vehicles
using a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Campaign. This campaign will be supported by
the City's education and engineering strategies. It will entail:.
a) Re-classification of two existing patrol officers as traffic enforcement officers. They will
remain as part of patrol's minimum staffing and traffic enforcement will be an additional
duty. We expect that 30 — 50% of their time will be focused on HVE.
b) They will be equipped with the tools to conduct HVE (Motorcycles, LI DAR and RADAR)
and will focus on problem neighborhoods increasing enforcement in our neighborhoods
throughout the week.
c) The speed reduction campaign will be publicized as mentioned above.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Electronic speed data collection equipment will cost approximately $12,000 and come from the
Public Works' existing budget in 2016. Motorcycles and associated equipment will cost
approximately $122,000 in 2017 and is backed by revenue from infractions which will exceed
the cost of this program,
RECOMMENDATION
Information Only
ATTACHMENTS
None
28 W:QO16 Wo MemosNeighborhood speeding,dou