To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Daniel Sailer, PE, Director of Public Works
Title
Resolution Amending the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
This item requests Town Council approval to formally amend the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program. This program update incorporates Town Council direction to include the following:
• Allow for residential collector roadways to be eligible to receive traffic calming treatments, and
• Allow for private funding to construct treatments on residential streets that don’t meet eligibility thresholds
The program has been updated to include both elements. For residential collector roadways, maps have been included that show which collectors are eligible, and provides for administrative changes should new residential collectors be added to the Town’s network through construction of new developments. To ensure that a representative sample of impacted residents desires to have treatments installed, a formal procedure with a minimum number of support (20 residents, or 25% of impacted area, whichever is less) has been developed. Town staff including Public Works, Police, and Fire departments would develop a conceptual plan and obtain public input. Town Council would then review the concept and all public input and take action on the project.
Adjustments have also been included that provide for private funding to implement treatments on residential streets in cases where speed and volume thresholds to utilize public funds are not met. In these cases, the procedures to develop the plan concept and obtain formal plan approval are the same as if public funds are to be utilized. If resident support exists in the future to remove these treatments, private funds must also be utilized.
Discussion
These amendments allow for a larger portion of the Town’s street network to be eligible to receive traffic calming treatments. While this will provide another tool to assist with addressing speeding and cut-through concerns, it may raise new concerns. Emergency response times are reduced on streets that have traffic calming devices. Snow management operations are also reduced. With vertical elements like speed humps increased noise occurs with larger vehicles like pickups towing trailers, and delivery and trash trucks. The development of a recommended concept along residential collector roadways by Town staff for Council action can assist with trying to minimize these negative impacts. Additional financial resources and staff time will also be necessary for new project development and construction.
Staff Recommendation
This item is scheduled to be reviewed by the Public Works Commission at their April 3 meeting. Their formal recommendation to Town Council will be provided at the April 4 Town Council meeting. Town staff is recommending Town Council approval of these amendments.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title”
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title, with the following conditions: (list conditions)”
“I move to continue this item to the Town Council meeting on (date) to allow additional time to (List information needed)”
Attachments
Attachment A: Resolution
Exhibit 1: Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program as amended
Attachment B: Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program (with highlighted changes)