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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2036RESOLUTION NO. 2036 A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, repealing Resolution No. 2012 and amending the neighborhood voting threshold of the Residential Traffic Calming Program. RECITALS A. Residential streets within the City of Kent have measurable safety and community character impacts due to the speed and volume of through traffic. Through Resolution No. 1546, adopted on July 6, 1999, the City has addressed these impacts through the Residential Traffic Calming Program (*RTCP'). The City has made adjustments to the RTCP at various times, most recently with the adoption of Resolution 1817 on October 20, 2009, and a complete program update by Resolution 2QI2 adopted on June 6,2Q20. B, Since its adoption on June 6,2020, the new program has been a success, receiving 58 resident requests and conducting 17 studies with neighborhood support. So far seven of those studies have met the initial threshold of the program with four of them confirmed and moving forward. C. Even though the new program has been successful, the City recognizes the need to revise how the neighborhood process is conducted, to achieve better outcomes that reflect what the majority of each neighborhood prefers. Residential Traffic Ca lmi ng Prog ram NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: RESOLUTION 9ECTION 7. - Repealer - Resolution No. 2072. Resolution No. 2OI2 is hereby repealed in its entirety. SECTION 2. - Proaram Adopted. The City Council hereby adopts the Residential Traffic Calming Program (RTCP) attached as Exhibit A. SECTION 3. - Public Works Director Authorized. The Public Works Director is hereby authorized to implement the RTCP and to adopt procedures and standard construction plans consistent with the principles set forth in this resolution and to deviate from specific standards when special circumstances so warrant. SECTION 4. - Availabilitv of Program Details. A copy of the RTCP shall be kept on file with the City Clerk and the Public Works Department' Brochures summarizing the RTCP will be made available to the public' SECTION 5. - Severability. If any one or more section, subsection, or sentence of this resolution is held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion of this resolution and the same shall remain in full force and effect' SECTION 6, - Ratification Any act consistent with the authority and prior to the effective date of this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed. SECTION 7. - Corrections by city clerk. Upon approval of the city Attorney, the City Clerk is authorized to make necessary corrections to this resolution, including the correction of clerical errors; resolution, section, or subsection numbering; or references to other local, state, or federal laws, codes, rules, or regulations. Residential Traffic Calming Prog ram SECTION 8. - Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its passage, t April5,2O22 Date ApprovedDANA RALPH, ATTEST: KIMB .4, ry KOMOTO, CITY CLERK D AS TO FORM: ACTING CITY ATTORNEY April5,2022 Date Adopted , Residential Traffic Calming Program EXHIBIT A RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM The City of Kent Residential Traffic Calming Program (RTCP) was first adopted in July of 1999. The program was established to guide City officials and inform residents about the processes for implementing traffic calming on residential streets. It was subsequently updated in 2009 (Resolution I8L7) and again in 2O2Q (Resolution 20L2). This update amends the neighborhood voting threshold to achieve better outcomes for each neighborhood, better reflecting what the majority prefers' Program Elements 1. Eligibility The RTCP is designed to address neighborhood traffic concerns on residential streets, both local streets and residential collector streets. Request for Action Residents may contact City staff via letter, phone, email, or an online form such as the Residential Traffic Calming Citizen Action Request Form to request the installation of traffic calming measures' Gathering Support Early neighborhood engagement is key. A minimum of five residents are required to initiate the process by filling out an online form or contacting City staff directlY. City Response to Request for Action City staff will follow-up with the residents that initiated the request for action, typically within 48 hours, to discuss next steps' Data Collection and Evaluation In consultation with the residents, the City Traffic Engineer will define the study area. The City will then conduct a traffic study to determine Residential Traffic Ca lming Progra m 2 3 4 5 if the minimum requirements are met to qualify for the installation of traffic calming devices. As part of the traffic study, points will be awarded based on characteristics of each street as outlined in Table 1, which assigns points based on the following factors: Traffic Speeds: The 8Sth-percentile of all vehicles in both directions over a 7-day minimum period, points awarded by the number of mph over the posted speed limit' Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Volumes: The average number of vehicles per day in both directions over a 7- day minimum period. Cut-Through Traffic: A measured imbalance where the ADT in one direction is 2.5 times greater than the other direction. Crash History: The most recent S-year crash data from the WSDOT Crash Data Portal; points awarded for each crash. Pedestrian Facilities: The typical presence of sidewalks or separated shoulder walkwaYs. Park, School (K-I2), or Transit Stop: The presence or proximity of these features or presence of a school walking route on the study street. Use the highest scoring criteria from this section, a a a a a consideration of traffic calmino measures. If the total score is less than 50 points, the City will work with the neighborhood to identify appropriate education and enforcement strategies. Residential Traffic Calming Program Validation of Traffic Study Results If the minimum point threshold is met, a minimum of two speed studies, conducted at least 8 weeks apart, are required before moving forward with engineering recommendations. Traffic speeds and volumes in the second study must be within 10 percent of the original study to validate the results. If the speeds and volumes of the second study are not within 10 percent, a final third study will be conducted. Reconsideration of Requests for Action Requests for action that were not successfully implemented in previous attempts will only be reconsidered in the following instances: a a a The proposal was not implemented due to budget constraints and the minimum points required continue to be met. Traffic conditions have changed due to roadway improvements or land use changes, as determined by the City Traffic Engineer. At least 36 months have passed since the previous request for action that failed to meet the minimum points required. Residentia I Traffic Ca lming Program Table 1: Residential Traffic Calming Program (RTCP) Scoring Criteria Criteria Possible Points Traffic Speedsl Lower than the posted speed 0 - 0.9 over 1.0 - 1.9 over 2.0 - 2.9 over 3.0 - 3.9 over 4.0 - 4.9 over 5.0 - 5.9 over 6.0 - 6.9 over 7.O - 7.9 over 8.0 - 8.9 over 9.0 - 9.9 over 10.0+ over 0 0 2 5 9 15 23 31 37 42 46 50 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Volumes Local Street 0-400 ADT 401-600 ADT 601-800 ADT 801-1,000 ADT 1,001+ ADT Residential Collector Street 0-1,000 ADT 1,001-1,500 ADT 1,501-2,000 ADT 2,001-2,500 ADT 2,501+ ADT 1 5 10 15 20 1 5 10 15 20 Cut-Through Traffic Average Daily Traffic in one direction is 2.5 times the other d irection 15 Crash History2 Property Damage Only/No Apparent Injury Possible Injury Minor Injury Serious Injury Fatality 3 6 9 15 30 Pedestrian Facilities No sidewalks Sidewalks only on one side of the street Sidewalks on both sides of the street 5 3 0 Park, School (K-L2)t or Transit Stop3 Street borders or features one of these Street is on a designated school walk route Not on a walk route,but within Vq milea of these 5 3 1 1 B5th percentile of all vehicles in both directions, over a 7 day period. The number of mph over the posted speed., WSDOT Crash Data Portal most recent 5 year range. Points awarded for each crash. 3 Take the highest scoring criteria from this section. 4 Distance to a park property, school property, or transit stop; measured along the street centerline. Residential Traffic Calming Prog ram 6, Implementation Staff will share the results of the traffic study with the residents and discuss strategies and next steps. Strategies include a combination of education, enforcement, and engineering. If the request for action meets the minimum points requirement and qualifies for traffic calming measures, the City will hold a neighborhood meeting to help determine the preferred types of traffic calming devices and their approximate location. Education and Enforcement . Neighborhood Speed Watch Program r Radar Speed Trailer o Traffic Enforcement . Vegetation Code Enforcement (trim or remove) . Chicanes/Slow Points o Closure (full or paftial) . Curb Extensions . Diverters . Lane Striping . Medians o Mini roundabout r Neighborhood Entrance Treatments . Paftial Closure . Raised Crosswalks . Blue Residential Area Signs s Must meet the requirements of Resolution 1931 - Adopting A Policy For Addressing Installation And Maintenance Of Crosswalk Markings Throughout The City Of Kent. Engineering Residential Traffic Calming Prog ram 7 . Slow Points Chokers . Speed Dots o Speed Cushions . Speed Limit Pavement Markings o Stationary Radar Sign . Traffic Circles o Turn/Access Restrictions . General Parking Modifications All traffic calming measures are subject to approval by the City Traffic Engineer, School District Transportation Depaftment, Kent Police Department, and the Fire Marshall. The Public Works Director has the discretion to move an application forward or to address safety issues discovered outside of the RTCP process. Neighborhood Voting and Notification After the meeting, the City will mail a ballot to affected residents within the study area, allowing those residents to vote on the traffic calming measures the City recommends be installed. The City requires a 33o/o ballot return rate and a 55o/o majority approval of the returned ballots before any traffic calming measures will be installed. Residents will be notified of the ballot results and, if applicable, the approximate construction timeline. Installation City engineering staff will design the traffic calming measures and develop a plan to install them. I Residential Traffic Calming Program 9 Evaluation and Follow-up A follow-up study should occur at least 6 months after installation. Traffic speed and volume data should be collected and any change in traffic volumes and speeds on the treated streets documented. Residential Traffic Ca Iming Program