Agenda - Public Works Committee - 07/17/2012

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Public Works Committee 5. 1. Meeting Date: 07/17/2012 Submitted For: Grant Riemer By: Grant Riemer, Engineering/Public Works Title: Consider Traffic Control Change for Sunwood Dr/Sapphire St Intersection Background: Traffic and pedestrian safety continue to be a challenge at the intersection of Sunwood Dr and Sapphire St. The angle of Sunwood Dr at the intersection, close proximity of the buildings, on street parking, and increased pedestrian use make for some challenges when entering the intersection from the Sapphire St. Traffic counts were taken at the intersection for a 48 hour period with the results as follows: Sapphire St north of Sunwood Dr-215 vehicles avg in a 24 hr period Sapphire St south of Sunwood Dr-898 vehicles avg in 24 hr period Sunwood Dr east of Sapphire St-3826 vehicles avg in 24 hr period Sunwood Dr west of Sapphire St-3280 vehicles avg in 24 hr period It should also be mentioned there is no accident history at this intersection Included in the options for consideration are a four way stop and a traffic signal. Following is excerpt from MUTCD concerning warrants needed to meet these conditions: 2B-5 Warrants for Stop Sign Because the STOP sign causes a substantial inconvenience to motorists, it should be used only where warranted. A STOP sign may be warranted at an intersection where one or more of the following conditions exist: 1. An intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of-way rule is unduly hazardous. 2. A street enters a through highway or street. 3. An unsignalized intersection in a signalized area. 4. Other intersections where a combination of high speed, restricted view, and serious accident records indicates a need for control by the STOP sign. Prior to the application of these warrants, consideration should be given to less restrictive measures, such as the YIELD sign, where a full stop is not necessary at all times. Periodic reviews of existing installations may be desirable to determine whether, because of changed conditions, the use of less restrictive control or no control could accommodate traffic demands safely and more effectively. STOP signs should never be used on the through roadways or expressways. Properly designed expressway interchanges provide for the continuous flow of traffic, making STOP signs unnecessary even on the entering roadways. Where at -grade intersections are temporarily justified for local traffic in sparsely populated areas, STOP signs should be used on the entering roadways to protect the through traffic. STOP signs may also be required at the end of diverging roadways at the intersection with other highways not designed as expressways. In most of these cases the speeds will not warrant any great increase in the sign sizes. Notification: Observations: Staff has compiled four options for the committees consideration: Option #1 Leave intersection as it is presently. At present the north and south bound legs of Sapphire St are under a stop condition with Sunwood Dr being the main through street. Option #2 Restrict on street parking on Sunwood Dr. By restricting on street parking the sight lines would be improved to AASHTO standards and would be the most economical solution, but would come at the cost of onstreet parking in front of the Municipal Center and Ramsey Office Plaza and Falls Cafe. To increase visibility to AASHTO standards, 10 parking spots would need to be eliminated in front of the municipal center on the south side