HomeMy WebLinkAboutTIC 2018-12-10 Item 2A - Resolution - Neighborhood Traffic Calming ProgramAllan Ekberg, Mayor
Public Works Department - Henry Hash, Director
INFORMATIONAL E ORANDU
TO: Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
FROM: Henry Hash, Public Works Director rfi.f/
BY: Cyndy Knighton, Senior Program Manager
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: November 9, 2018 (Revised December 7, 2018)
SUBJECT: Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
Resolution for Adoption
ISSUE
Resolution to adopt the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (NTCP).
BACKGROUND
In June 2005, the Transportation Committee approved a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
(NTCP). At that time, no budget was established nor was staffing provided for managing the
program so there was no progress. Recently, interest in the City providing a robust traffic calming
program has increased significantly. In 2018, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
has discussed and expressed the desire for a fair, equitable, and objective program. We are
pleased that a program has been developed by Public Works and the draft has been discussed
at the recent Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Committee of the Whole meetings.
DISCUSSION
Staff is presenting an updated NTCP which has been for formatted to allow for ease of
implementation with minimum hurdles, especially for Level I improvements. Level I improvements
are passive traffic control treatments that can be implemented quickly and inexpensively and are
often all that is needed to address neighborhood complaints. Level II treatments are physical
devices, often permanently installed, which require more extensive design efforts and are costlier.
Additionally, Level II treatments require coordination and concurrence with the Police and Fire
departments and approval from the Council. Emergency services are included as Level II devices
as they can negatively impact response times. The attached document includes changes to the
draft plan as directed during the November 26, 2018 Committee of the Whole meeting.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recently adopted biennial budget includes a $400,000 annual budget for the Traffic
Calming/Residential Safety Improvement Program. The budget will be shared between traffic
calming efforts and other safety improvements in residential areas. Design of the improvements,
purchasing of equipment, and construction and installation costs will all be funded through these
budgeted capital funds.
RECOMMENDATION
Council is being asked to approve the Resolution adopting the Neighborhood Traffic Calming
Program and consider this item at the December 10, 2018 Committee of the Whole and the
Special Meeting on the same evening.
ATTACHMENT
• Draft Resolution
• Draft Neighborhood Traffic Control Program
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A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, ADOPTING THE "CITY OF TUKWILA
NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM."
WHEREAS, one of the top concerns of Tukwila community members is speeding and other
dangers associated with motor vehicles; and
WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila desires to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use,
alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for non -motorized street users; and
WHEREAS, the adopted Tukwila Comprehensive Plan recommends implementation of a
neighborhood traffic calming program in both the Transportation Element and the Residential
Neighborhoods Element; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to document a transparent, predictable and equitable
process for implementing effective traffic calming measures in neighborhoods throughout the City;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON,
HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
The "City of Tukwila Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program," as evidenced in Exhibit A, is
adopted.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a
Regular Meeting thereof this day of , 2018.
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
Christy O'Flaherty, MMC, City Clerk Verna Seal, Council President
APPROVED AS TO FORM BY:
Filed with the City Clerk:
Passed by the City Council:
Resolution Number:
Rachel B. Turpin, City Attorney
Attachment: Exhibit A — City of Tukwila Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
W:\Word Processing\Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program 10-19-18
LH:bjs
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CITY OF TUKWILA
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC
CALMING PROGRAM
Adopted December 3, 2018
By Resolution No. xxxx
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Table of Contents
OBJECTIVES
PROCESS STEPS 1
INITIATING A REQUEST
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION 2
SOLUTION ALTERNATIVES 2
No Action
Level I 3
Level Il 3
PROCESS FOR QUALIFYING FOR LEVEL II TREATMENTS 3
PLAN DEVELOPMENT 443
PROJECT FUNDING 4
PROJECT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 554
EVALUATION 5
REMOVAL 5
RE -ENROLLMENT 5
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: DEFINITIONS OF TYPES OF STREETS
APPENDIX B: LEVEL I POSSIBLE TREATMENTS
APPENDIX CB: PRIORITY RANKING WORKSHEET
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Introduction
Traffic conditions on residential streets greatly affect neighborhood livability. Speeding and
unnecessary through -traffic in neighborhoods create safety hazards on residential streets. The City
of Tukwila Public Works Department has developed a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
(NTCP) to guide City staff and inform residents about the procedures for implementing traffic
calming on residential streets and collector streets.
The NTCP is designed for local residential streets and collector arterials only. The NTCP does
not apply to local or arterial streets in commercial areas or to streets classified as principal or minor
arterials.
As defined by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), traffic calming is the application of
measures which can be taken which reduces the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alters driver
behavior and improves conditions for non -motorized street users. The City's NTCP outlines a
process for staff and residents to carry out a traffic calming program. It provides a way to
objectively prioritize traffic calming requests. These procedures incorporate prioritization,
planning, evaluation, implementation, and maintenance of the traffic -calming devices in
residential areas. It also combines the four E's — Education, Engineering, Enforcement and
Emergency Services.
Objectives
The primary goal of the City's NTCP is to improve the livability of the local streets and residential
collectors. The City has identified the following objectives:
• Provide alternative solutions to reduce vehicular speeds and accidents on residential streets.
• Endorse safe and pleasant conditions for motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and residents of
neighborhood streets.
• Provide a means for a collaborative working relationship between City staff and
neighborhood residents in development of traffic calming measures.
• Discourage use of residential streets for cut -through vehicular traffic.
Process Steps
Initiating a Request
Request for traffic calming assistance can come from a resident's association or from concerned
individuals. Requests can be made in writing by clearly stating the problem and location,
accompanied with completed application which is provided by the City. The request can be made
by either mailing or emailing the request to the Public Works Department. The request must
include a contact name, address, phone number and email.
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Staff will then acknowledge the completed application in writing to the resident's association or
to the contact person listed in the application. An application fee could be implemented in the
future to offset some of the costs involved.
Preliminary Evaluation
Each street in the community is a part of the larger roadway network that connects residents to
each other, work, schools, goods, services and the countless destinations to which drivers and
pedestrians travel daily. Common issues within neighborhoods include speeding, traffic volumes,
and the utilization of neighborhood streets as a cut -through route, among others. In order to ensure
that traffic calming concerns are addressed in an equitable manner, staff must assess the situation
by reviewing the request and determining if the area qualifies for treatment using set criteria. The
primary purpose of a preliminary evaluation is to determine whether the speeding or accident
situation is significant enough to warrant further study. At this stage, staff collects data to analyze
it to determine whether:
• The roadway is eligible for traffic calming treatment.
o Only residential streets classified as collector arterial or local access are eligible.
• City recorded data supports the problem identified in the application.
o Speeding: Traffic counts are taken to determine if 15% of the motorists travel at 5
mph or more above the posted speed limit. This is also referred to as the 85th
percentile speed being at or above 5 mph over the speed limit.
o Volume: Traffic counts also collect the number of daily vehicles on a street. This
information is used to determine the best type of solution and is used to rank project
priorities.
o Traffic Accidents: The number of accidents for over a three-year period is collected
and studied.
The Public Works Director may electhas the
outside of the NTCP process.
:o address an safety_issues discovered
If the analysis confirms that a traffic problem exists based upon the above criteria, the Public
Works Department will conduct a traffic calming study as explained in the following sections and
staff calculates the priority score for the street segment using the Priority Worksheet in Appendix
C.
A written response back to the contact person with the findings of the preliminary evaluation is
generally provided within 60 calendar days of the request.
Solution Alternatives
The solution alternatives are defined into three levels.
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No Action
After data collection and analysis is complete, any location not meeting the above criteria will be
determined to not be eligible for any NTCP assistance. Staff will infolrii the applicant in writing
that their request does not meet the City criteria for action and the request will be closed.
Level I
The first level improvement for traffic calming that should be considered are passive traffic control
treatments, known as Level I. Level I improvements are less restrictive measures, and do not
require a 1 borl cad vote of the affected property ownels. The improvements used in Level I
include: trimming bushes to allow better sight distance; pavement markings and striping; increased
police enforcement; traffic speed display signs; neighborhood awareness campaigns; and
education. This reduces the need for installing physical devices on every local street.
If a marked crosswalk is recommended for installation where ADA-compliant ramps do not
currently exist, the improvement will be automatically treated as a Level II solution.
Level II
Level II improvements should be considered only after Level I treatments have been in place for
a minimum of 6 months and data collection and analysis indicate the problem(s) has not been
resolved, or as determined by the Public Works Director. Level II improvements focus on physical
devices such as speed cushions, traffic circles, and chicanes to calm traffic. These solution
alternatives are much costlier than Level I and are generally peiinanent. Therefore, a more detailed
evaluation is required and approval by key departments and impacted area residents is required
before the implementation. The detailed evaluation includes as follows:
• The speed, volume and accident history collected during the preliminary evaluation.
• Collect new traffic speed and volume data and accident history for the past three
consecutive years.
• Other factors such as proximity to schools, parks and other pedestrian generators, lack of
sidewalks, accessibility, presence of bicycle facilities, and other roadway characteristics.
• Identify users of the affected streets.
• Identify traffic and major pedestrian generators, such as schools, parks and shopping
centers.
• Analyze street use with respect to street classification.
• Document any other relative factors.
Process for Qualifying for Level II Treatments
If the traffic problem(s) has not resolved with Level I treatments, an impact area is established by
staff tltet u�i�nbpdyu? :usets oi" the 'affected strc.JN;,......IdtntilYirg intuor traffic generators such as
schools wild h°r:5, ���vzi. n the icitittl street use with respect to roadway
.QasslitrN. ition and any
other The impact area includes the location requesting treatment as well as other
streets in the immediate area that could be impacted by Level II treatment installation.
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7
Plan Development
Once an area has been selected for a traffic -calming project, steps need to be taken to determine
solutions. The applications are prioritized based on the scores. The highest-ranking applications
will be given priority in moving forward into Plan Development, as funding allows.
Since Level I solutions are simpler in scope, the solution formulation process can usually be
handled by staff. Public meetings are not usually required, although some type of public
communication is beneficial and recommended.
Level II improvements require a more comprehensive plan development due to the higher cost and
impact of the actions taken. A public meeting with all affected property owners may be held, as
determined by the Public Works Director. The initial public meeting will:
• Discuss the steps to develop a traffic -calming plan.
• Gather additional information regarding traffic problems and related neighborhood needs.
A ballot may \Noll be sent pi [(led to each property owner eirso n c virjo4a1
to vote to indicate support of the NTCP plan. The
implementation plan must receive at least 02/ approval of all property owners on the impacted
street in order to proceed. In addition to the community support, the approval of the following
public officials is required:
• City Police and Fire Departments
• City Council
Once the necessary level of support is documented, projects may be funded and constructed
according to their prioritization and as available staffing and budget permits.
In cases where a Level II request does not receive sufficient support, the project is dropped from
the list and the next highest ranked project can go through the same process. Residents in an area
where a project has been dropped are able to resubmit their request for the following program year.
Project Funding
The number of traffic -calming projects undertaken each year depends on the City's budget and
staffing availability. W he Citv 'o unicnl �.... << n�sj1. and Intl n finny tnt - �nr successor)
Cot will be kLpb o'the status of -. NI (P's progress and LrxpL ditur bou_ut
OTl e3 la ulaI basis
In some cases, landscaping, maintenance and necessary easement dedication may be the
responsibility of the residents or the homeowner's association. If this is the case, an agreement
must be signed between the City and residents before the project is implemented.
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Project Design and Construction
Once traffic -calming treatments have been determined, the City's staff or a consultant develops
the detailed plan, based on the study and the residents' input. The traffic calming device will be
installed.
In some situations, a test installation may be warranted to assure that the device is both effective
and truly desired by the community. In this case, within three to twelve months after installation,
staff evaluates how well the test installation performed in terms of the defined problems.
Evaluation
An evaluation shall be conducted between six months to one year after the implementation of any
permanent traffic calming devices. Speed, volume and collision data is collected and compared
with the data collected before the installation of the traffic -calming device. The data collection
should be done at approximately the same time of year as the original data collection.
may be submitted to m : ' or remove the traffic
the traffic calming device(s), they must also pay the cost of removal and fixing the roadway to the
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Appendices
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Appendix A: Definitions of types of streets
The City's Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan defines the street functional
classifications. For the sake of this program, only residential local streets and collector arterials
are eligible for NTCP treatments. Streets in commercial areas or which are classified as principal
or minor arterials are not eligible for treatments under this program. Traffic calming on principal
and minor arterials is very different than on residential streets, requiring substantial design,
permitting, environmental approval, and budget in order to construct. These calming projects are
developed into standalone capital improvement projects.
Local streets (typical speed limit 25 mph) serve local circulation needs for motor vehicles,
bicycles, and pedestrian traffic and provide access to residences and some businesses. Local
streets are not intended to carry significant volumes of through traffic. Sixty to 80 percent of
the roadway network is considered local streets.
Collector arterials (typical speed limit 30-35 mph) are typically streets that provide access
between local service streets or from local streets to thorough -fares. Collectors often carry
some through traffic. Collectors in residential areas are eligible for NTCP treatments whereas
collectors in commercial areas are not. Five to 10 percent of the roadway network is classified
as collector arterials.
Minor arterials (typical speed limit 30-40 mph) are streets which are typically wider and
may have more lanes than collectors which connect the smaller arterial streets to destinations
or to the regional roadway network. Minor arterials carry a large percentage of through traffic
as well as traffic from the local area. Ten to 20 percent of the streets in network are minor
arterials.
Principal arterials (typical speed limit 35-50 mph) are major streets and highways that
provide regional connections between major destinations. Speeds are higher, access and
traffic control favors providing fast and smooth movement on the arterial over the lower
classified streets. Five to 10 percent of a roadway network is classified as principal arterials.
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Roadway Classification
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Principal
Miner
Collector
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NOT TO SCALE
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION
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_Appendix B: Level I Possible Treatments
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Appendix CB: Priority Ranking Worksheet
Location:
Date:
Staff Name:
egt)ry
Accidents:
Five points for each recorded accident over the past three years. Three
additional points will be added for each accident with a recorded injury.
Data
Score
Volume:
Average weekday traffic volume divided by 100, rounded up to the
nearest whole number. Maximum of 7 points possible.
Speed:
Five points for every mph greater than 5mph above the posted speed or
(85th percentile speed - posted speed limit - 5) x 5 points.
Sidewalks:
Five points if there is not a continuous sidewalk on one side of
residential streets or both sides of collectors.
Pedestrian Generators:
Five points for every K-12 school on and 2 points for school property
within 500 ft of the subject street. Three points for other major
pedestrian generator on the subject street. Major pedestrian generators
may include parks, community centers, senior housing, or other uses
with significant pedestrian traffic.
Total Points:
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