Agenda - Council - 05/10/2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

CASE #5 CONSIDER REQUEST FOR SPEED STUDY FOR RIVERDALE DRIVE BETWEEN RAMSEY BOULEVARD AND TUNGSTEN STREET Background: Staff received an Email request from Mr. Jerry Sherman, a resident of the Rivenxvick subdivision, to have a speed study performed between Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Dolomite Street. In telephone conversations with Mr. Sherman, staff learned that his intention is to cause the speed limit to be raised as it is his opinion that a realistic limit is higher than the current posted limit of 30 miles per hour. State Statues 169.01.59 permits local units of government to post a speed limit of 30 miles per hour in urban areas. All other speed limits are to be established by the Commissioner of Transportation following an engineering study which would, be performed by the Department of Transportation. This roadway has been constructed .in various segments between 1989 and 2003. City records shoTM no evidence that such a speed study has ever been performed on any segment of Riverdale Drive. The Police Department collected current traffic speed information during mid-week per/ods on three separate dates approximately two weeks apart in March and April. These studies show that the 50% speeds range between 31 and 34 miles per hour and that the 85th percentile speed, the measure which is heavily weighted in setting appropriate speed limits range between 37 and 39 miles per hour. Staff has a concern that the present land use along the road is undeveloped and that future safe speeds might be lower after development occurs and therefore it could be necessary to lower the limit in the future if it were to be raised following this speed stud. y. Still it is hard to dismiss the fact that the driving habits of motorists are telling us that speed limit is currently set too' low. It is the opinion of staff that a reasonable speed along this street segment would be 35 miles per hour. It has been staff's experience that there has been consultation between the local road authority and MnDOT before the Commissioner's order is issued. During such a consultation staff Will strongly pursue the position for holding the speed limit to 35 even if the data suggested that it might be higher citing the future development potential along this corridor. Staff recommends that the Committee recommend to the City Council that a resolution be passed requesting that a speed study be conducted along the length of Riverdale Drive from Ramsey Boulevard to Tungsten Street for the purpose of establishing appropriate speed limits through this segment of roadway. Staff further recommends that the limits of such a study be extended west to Ramsey Boulevard and eastward to Tungsten Street so that the entire contiguous length of tiffs roadway will be considered. It is possible that the Commissioner's final recommendation could have multiple speed limit zones along the length of the study section. One of the main factors the Department uses in setting appropriate speed is what people are driving, which is probably going to be between 35 and 40, so staff is confident they are going to come back with a recommendation fo raise the speed limit from 30 miles per hour -360-