Agenda - Council - 02/08/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Background: coNsIDER ~LACEMENT OF All WAY STOP ATRADI~M~' : ~ STREET AND 144TM LANE By: S}~Ve &JankOwski, City Engineer PW CASE: A request has been received:from Mr. Gerald Bentler and four additional area residents for the placement of an all way stop Condition at the intersection of RadiumStreet and 144th Lane. Mr. Bentler's letter Which i~s attached suggests that the purpose of the signage is to control speedi.n.g. The location. Of this intersection is illustrated on the attached figure. Staff has reviewed the intersection and Offers the following information as babkground in Considering this reqUest;: · Accident history A revieW of the police department records dating back to 1993 show no reported accidents at {his intersection.. · Traffic' Traffic counts were taken between tl{e 48 hour period betWeen Monday, November 15, 2004 and Wed~iesday, November 17, 2004. The results of this traffic volume studyare/jlustrated on the attached figure which show: 203 vehicles per day on the west leg; 1211 vehicles per day on the east leg; and 112 vehicles per day on the south leg. · Sight Distance There is an adequate sight distance in all directions. However, there are sever,al sma!l· spruce ~trees Which are located within the sight distance triangle o~i the southwest corn,er on,the intersection. These trees are a minimal obstruction at this time but will become a sig-nificant problem as they mature. Discussion: The request was made for the posting of an all way stop at this intersection. The Minnesota Manual On Uniform Traffic' Control Devices (MMUTCD), which provides guidance on the placement of traffic ContrOl devices including StOp signs, requires minimum traffic volumes far exceeding the existing traffic volumes at the intersection under study. The :traffic volume?for an a!l way stop requires an average of 300 vehicles per hour £or eight hours per, daY on the major street, and an average traffic volume of 200 vehicles per hour on the minor street for eight hour per day. A tenfold increase in traffic would not generate sufficient votumeto meet the manual guidance criteria at this location. It might be noted that all way stop signs have been placed at several other intersections within this same neighborhood. :Tl~eSe locations include the intersections of Potassium & 145th Lane; Tungsten Way & 1:4-4th Lane, Tungsten & 142nd Lane, Potassium & i4Y'd Lane, and Neon & 142"'l Avenue. These all way stop locations were posted as a result of Council direction to study and make recommendations On an overall plan to cahn traffic through this neigllborhood. Although these all stop locations tnay also fail short of the MMUTCD traffic volulne guidance, theY haVe been placed 0n the higher volume neighborhood streets and haVe been somewhat uniformly spaced throughout the ] [ :