Agenda - Council - 05/09/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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lour 1111.1siion: To work together to reiposihty grow our community, and to provide quality, coat -effective, and efficient government ierrlcas. CC Regular Session 7. 7. Meeting Date: 05/09/2017 By: Bruce Westby, Engineering/Public Works Information Title: Adopt Resolution #17-05-105 Ordering Plans and Specifications for Improvement Project #17-08, Flashing Yellow Arrow Improvements at Sunwood Drive & Armstrong Boulevard Purpose/Background: Purpose: The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #17-05-105 ordering plans and specifications for Improvement Project #17-08, Flashing Yellow Arrow Improvements at Sunwood Drive/147th Avenue NW & Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83. Background: Flashing yellow arrows (FYA's) are gaining momentum as an alternative to a simple green ball light for left -turning motorists. They signal to the motorist that it is safe to turn left so long as they yield to oncoming vehicles, which have the right of way. These permitted left turns are unlike protected left turns, where the left -turning motorist does not need to consider opposing traffic because those vehicles have a red light. The Anoka County Highway Department constructed FYA modifications to signal systems at eight different intersections across Anoka County this spring. Three of the signal systems are located within the City of Ramsey along Bunker Lake Boulevard/CSAH 116 where it intersects with Dysprosium Street/Thurston Avenue, Sunfish Lake Boulevard/CSAH 57, and Ramsey Boulevard/CSAH 56. These FYA's are operational during different times of the day at different intersections. Anoka County annually budgets approximately $100,000 to convert 4 to 10 of their 200 signal systems to FYA operations each year. Typical costs to convert signal systems to incorporate FYA's run between $0 and $28,500 per signal system, with higher end costs being $50,000 or more. Anoka County utilizes SEH, Inc. to study their signal systems for FYA conversions. The County requested that the City also use SEH to study the signal system at the intersection of Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 & Sunwood Drive/147th Avenue for potential FYA modifications when City staff contacted County staff to discuss public requests for adding FYA operations to this signal system. Anoka County uses SEH solely to help ensure that evaluations are performed consistently County -wide for safety and liability purposes. In November of 2016, the Public Works Committee authorized City staff to employ SEH to analyze the signal system at Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 & Sunwood Drive/147th Avenue for potential FYA improvements. This analysis was recently completed and a copy of the SEH Study is attached. In summary, SEH's Study shows that FYA's should be able to be considered for nearly all times of a typical weekday, as well as the entire weekend. However, initially they recommend that FYA operations not be used on weekdays between the hours of 6 and 9 am, and again between 3 and 7 pm, due to higher posted speeds and higher traffic volumes. However, in the future this