Agenda - Public Works Committee - 11/17/2020

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Public Works Committee 5.2. Meeting Date: 11/17/2020 By: Bruce Westby, Engineering/Public Works Title: Consider Recommendation to City Council Authorizing Flashing Yellow Arrow Studies at Select Intersections Purpose/Background: Purpose: The purpose of this case is to consider a recommendation to the City Council to hire SEH, Inc. to analyze the feasibility of modifying one or more signal systems in the City of Ramsey to add flashing yellow arrow operations. Background: Flashing yellow arrows (FYA's) are gaining momentum as an alternative to a standard 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. In 2017, the City paid to modify the signal system at the intersection of Armstrong Boulevard/CSAH 83 & Sunwood Drive/147th Avenue to include FYA improvements. At the request of Anoka County, the City hired SEH, Inc. to analyze the signal system for potential FYA improvements. A copy of this analysis is attached. The cost for this analysis was about $1,700, which was funded by the Public Improvement Revolving Fund. Anoka County annually budgets approximately $100,000 to convert 4 to 10 of their 200 signal systems to FYA operations. Anoka County solely utilizes SEH, Inc. to study their signal systems for FYA conversions, and requests that the City also utilize SEH to study signal systems for potential FYA modifications if/when the City is interested in doing so. This helps to ensure that the evaluations are performed consistently County -wide for safety and liability purposes. During the regular City Council meeting on September 22, 2020, Planning Commission Chair Randy Bauer requested that the City consider adding FYA operations to the signal system at the intersection of Sunwood Drive & CSAH 56/Ramsey Boulevard. In addition, he requested that the City look into whether the operating hours for current FYA operations could be expanded to include the morning and afternoon rush hours. Chair Bauer feels these restrictions are not needed. According to Anoka County, all costs associated with adding FYA operations to the signal system at Sunwood Drive & CSAH 56/Ramsey Boulevard would be 100-percent a City cost. That said, it is Staff's understanding that Anoka County would support this request. Regarding process and costs, the City would need to hire SEH, Inc. to analyze the existing signal system(s), including crash histories, traffic volumes and turning movements, to ensure that a FYA installation is warranted, to estimate costs for revising the signal system to include FYA operations, and to determine allowable hours of operation, among other things. When FYA improvements are first operational, SEH, Inc. recommends that FYA's not be used weekdays from 6 - 9 am or from 3 - 7 pm due to higher traffic volumes. But after FYA's are in service for a year or more, the time of operation can be increased if there are no safety issues or significant increases in traffic volumes. Staff was also recently questioned as to whether FYA operations could/should be added to the signal systems at