Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1804Resolution No. 1804 {Amending or Repealing Resolutions) CFN = 171-Traffic Control Passed -4/7/2009 Residential Traffic Calming Program Repeal Resolution No. 1546 RESOLUTION NO. _/_;?:....__O_f.___ A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, repealing Resolution No. 1546 and adoptmg a new Res1dent1al Traffic Calmmg Program to better respond to residential area traffic problems and authorizing the public works director to Implement the new program. RECITALS A. Residential streets w1thin the City of Kent have measurable safety and commumty character impacts due to the speed and volume of through traffic. Such 1mpacts have been addressed by the Neighborhood Traffic Control Program, previously adopted on July 6, 1999, Resolution No. 1546. B. The Mayor and City Council recognize the need to update and otherw1se revise the means by wh1ch residential traffic Impacts are addressed, and have d1rected the City's Public Works Department to consider proven solutions that include res1dent mvolvement. In response, the Department conducted research on residential traffic calming efforts throughout the Un1ted States and developed a new program to be called the "Res1dent1al Traffic Calmmg Program (RTCP)." A copy of the RTCP is appended hereto as Exhibit "A." 1 Residential Traffic Calming Program C. On December 15, 2008, the Public Works Committee heard a presentation by the Public Works Engineering Department regarding the RTCP. On March 16, 2009, the Public Works Committee reviewed the RTCP in final form and recommended its adoption by resolution. The City Council has had the opportumty to review the RTCP and the public was g1ven the opportunity to comment on the RTCP at the regularly scheduled Council Meetmg on April 7, 2009. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: RESOLUTION SECTION 1. -Repealer. Resolution No. 1564 which adopted the City's Neighborhood Traff1c Control Program is hereby repealed in its entirety. SECTION 2. Program Adopted. -There is hereby adopted the Residential Traffic Calming Program (RTCP) attached and Incorporated as EXHIBIT A. The RTCP 1s general m nature, establishing overall policies and approaches, but leaves the specific deta1ls of Implementation to the public works director, in order to adapt program Implementation to meet ne1ghboorhood needs on a more flexible case-by-case bas1s. Th1s program is des1gned to focus on traffic speeds and volumes to the extent that they negat1vely impact residential environments. Th1s 1s a phased program that w1ll allow residents to identify problems and solut1ons spec1f1c to thew neighborhoods. Initially, problems w1ll be addressed by education efforts, dnver alerts, and City notification to 1dent1f1ed speeders. If necessary, potent1al solutions may mvolve traffic calmmg devices, wh1ch could 1nclude the construction of physical structures to reduce volumes and speeds. Installation of phys1cal structures will be cons1dered after less intrus1ve means fail to yield acceptable results and shall be based upon sound 2 Residential Traffic Calming Program engineering and transportation planning principles and with regard to neighborhood aesthetics. The RTCP Will provide for penodic evaluation of the solutions as implemented and Will include follow-up surveys to determine the resident satisfaction. SECTION 3. -Public Works Director Authorized. The Public Works Director IS hereby authonzed to Implement the RTCP and to adopt procedures and standard construction plans consistent w1th the pnnc1ples set forth 1n this resolut1on. SECTION 4. -Availability of Program Details. A copy of the Res1dent1al Traffic Calming Program IS appended to this resolution and shall be kept on file with the City Clerk and the Public Works Department. Brochures summanzmg the RTCP will be made available to the public. SECTION 5. -Severability. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolut1on is declared unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such dec1s1on shall not affect the validity of the remaining port1ons of this resolution. SECTION 6. -Ratification. Any act consistent with the authonty and prior to the effective date of this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed. SECTION 7. -Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in force Immediately upon 1ts passage. 3 Residential Traffic Calming Program PASSED at a regular open public meeting by the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, this 7 day of ~ , 2009. CONCURRED in by the Mayor of the City of Kent this 1 day of ~ ,2009. ATTEST: ~ .t2-~· <> a~A/ BRENDAJACOBER,C LERK -- ..: .:.. --- APPROVED AS TO FORM: : .... I hereby certify that th1s IS a true and correct copy of Resolution No. /f oLj passed by the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, the 7 day of ~ , 2009. P \Ctvd\Resolutoon\ReSlden!IaiTrafficCalmmg docx 4 Residential Traffic Calming Program EXHIBIT "A" RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM The Residential Traffic Calming Program (RTCP) deals with problems common to many c1ties; cut-through and speedmg traffic on res1dent1al streets. Sometimes, the problems are related. Dnvers attempting to save time may cut-through a residential area to avo1d congestion on certain arterials or to avoid inconvenient traff1c control dev1ces. They may also drive at speeds that exceed the posted l1m1ts in order to make 1t through the res1dent1al area qu1ckly. Consequently, some of the traffic control devices employed to address volume control are very similar to those that address speed control. They are des1gned to e1ther force dnvers to slow down (thereby eliminating the t1me savmg Incentive for us1ng the street as a cut-through), or to prevent them from entering a particular street section altogether. Much of the time, the greatest single cause of neighborhood speeding problems rests w1th the ne1ghbors themselves. As dnvers become comfortable with the1r everyday driving routes, speeds tend to increase. This is particularly true of the roadways nearest the home, wh1ch are travelled most often. Part of the RTCP IS to educate drivers about their own practices to ensure the neighbors are doing their part to keep neighborhood speeds down. The RTCP is comprised of two phases: • Phase I employs a variety of passive control devices. • Phase II involves phys1cal alterations to the street sect1on. Criteria have been developed to delineate the threshold conditions that warrant the use of vanous traffic calming devices. The cnteria were des1gned to support and maintain safety for pedestrians, bicycles and automobiles travelmg on res1dent1al streets as determined by the transportation element of the City's comprehensive plan. Typically, speed limits are determmed by the des1gn of the roadway, the behav1or of reasonable and prudent drivers on that roadway, and statutory requirements. The speed lim1ts for Washington state roadways are determined by RCW 46.61.400. They are 25 miles per hour on city and town streets, 50 m1les per hour on county roads, and 60 miles per hour on state highways. RCW 46.61.415 gives local junsd1ctions the authority to increase or decrease the speed limit based on an engineering and traffic investigation wh1ch determmes that it is reasonable to do so. Local JUrisdictions cannot increase the speed limit to more than 60 m1les per hour, or decrease 1t to less than 20 m1les per hour. Speed limit enforcement can be an effective traffic calming measure; however, it is ne1ther realistic nor pract1cal to rely on the constant presence of law enforcement off1cers to ensure that dnvers ng1dly adhere to speed lim1ts. Problem areas m neighborhoods are to be 1dent1f1ed through a combmation of traffic speed studies conducted by neighborhood volunteers and City staff. If a speeding problem is confirmed by these traffic studies, Phase 1 traffic calm1ng measures w1ll be discussed w1th the neighborhood. Once a consensus has been reached with the neighborhood, Phase 1 measures w1ll be Implemented. Speeds will be assessed followmg placement of these measures and after sufficient time has elapsed for behav1or modification to occur. If speeds contmue to exceed the followmg levels, the neighborhood w1ll be eligible to move to Phase 2 of the program: Speed Limit: 25 mph 30 mph 85% Speed: 35 mph or greater 40 mph or greater If neighborhood speeds do not exceed these levels, City staff is available to contmue 1mplementmg Phase 1 measures, but Phase 2 measures w1ll not be implemented. Phase 2 of the RTCP involves format1on of a Res1dent1al Traff1c Committee and select1on of traff1c calmmg dev1ces to be constructed within the neighborhood to reduce traffic speeds and volumes. The Residential Traffic Comm1ttee Will work w1th City staff to select the preferred measures and locat1ons that will most effectively lower traffic speeds and volumes. The attached flow chart descnbes the process.