Agenda - Public Works Committee - 04/21/2009

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3.0 REFINING OEFINITIONS FOUND IN SPEED LIMIT STATurES , ' Detinitions relative to speed Hmits, as well as to other traffic regulations, are found in Minnesota Statute169.01DEFINITIONS, As part of the Task Force work, all applicable definitions were reviewed. Where the need for clarification or improvement was noted, the committee worked to develop revised definitions. Presented below are three definitions which were studied in detail; changes were recommended for all three of them. ,3.1 Urban District 3.1.1 Urban District Discussion The task force studied the definition that is used for "Urban District.1I In Minnesota statute the Urban District definition is based exactly on the definition as expressed in the UniformVehicle Code (UVC). This definition has been in use in the uve since 1934 and is used by many other states besides Minnesota. Those factors provided a baseline level of support for its use. The task force identified deficiencies in the definition as detailed below, but did not believe that these deficiencies detracted sufficiently from the definition to warrant its being substantially changed. The identified possible deficiencies included the following: . Although the general concept of an "Urban District" is understandable, the wording in the definition is vague. . The definition may be considered outdated for current development patterns. . The definition relies on spacing between stnlctures for defining the distance; there are no distinctions madefor other factors which influence the safety) throughput and safe travel speed of a road (e.g., width of road or boulevard, frequency of driveways or cross streets, number of lanes, access control, parking, road curvature and alignment, etc.). . Similarly, the. definition does not address other area conditions that can influence the perception of appropriate speed (e. g., nearby large commercial development, setback of buildings, pedestrian activity and pedestrian paths). . The definition does not make a distinction relative to a roadway function or surrounding land use (e.g., residentiaLor business). . The use oithe word "street" within the definition (rather than "street or highway") causes confusion amOl'1gst agencies over which roadways are covered by this definition (e.g., are "highways" covered?) Regarding the lack of distinction regarding the surrounding land use, the Task Force explored the possibility of creating two classifications within the urban category (e.g., an IIUrban Business Roadway" and an "Urban Residential Roadway"). However, after considerable discussion within the Task Force, it was determined that a substantial change in the "Urban District" application may be difficult for drivers to understal1d. Drivers can clearly understand when they are operating in an Urban District; howevel', it may be difficult to notice the change from an Urban Business Page 13 40