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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-08-02 Traffic Commission MinutesCaldwell Traffic Commission Minutes August 2, 2023 @ 2:00 Present: Robb MacDonald (RM), Robin Collins (RC), Jake Clinger (CPD) August Medellin (AM), Bob Nelson Secretary: Tammy Frans (TF) *MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) *ROW (Right -of -Way) *TC (Traffic Commission) *MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) *ITD (Idaho Transportation Department) Old Business — No Items New Business — I. Speeding on Belmont leading to Veterans Garden -- Kristina Perez Drivers speeding down the dirt section of Belmont to the Veterans Garden at all hours of the day are raising a lot of dust. She requested speed limit signs or something to slow traffic down. TC discussion noted speeding is an enforcement issue. An overabundance of signage can numb drivers' attention to signage and the speed limit within city limits is 20 mph unless otherwise posted. Property is purchased and a new road is planned between Chicago and Belmont and will run behind the current Water Dept. at 305 W. Chicago. The new road will provide direct access to the Veterans Garden from Chicago and is expected to be complete in the next year or so. The Street department will continue to maintain the dirt section of Belmont as it has in the past. Action: Tammy will contact Ms. Perez with the determination of the TC 2. Request diagonal parking at Boone Memorial Church — Paul Mann Boone Memorial Presbyterian Church of Caldwell is partnering with Bright Stars Childcare and would like to install diagonal parking in the lawn area between the sidewalk and S. I4th Ave. For safety reasons perpendicular or diagonal parking is only located in the downtown area. It is the obligation of the property owner to provide onsite parking for day care. The property owner does own additional property available to expand parking for Daycare and ADA. For these reasons, the motion was made and TC agreed unanimously that diagonal parking is not appropriate in this instance. Action: Tammy will contact Paul Mann with the determination of the TC and provide Robb MacDonalds's contact information as requested by Mr. Mann. 3. Road needs on Skyway Street — Merilie We live in the Saddleback subdivision near to Middleton Road and Linden. We travel on Skyway Street to get to Linden and Ward, which is a very dangerous spot. In order to see well enough to enter the road you have to come out almost into oncoming traffic, and with a school right there, it gets quite congested- there is generally a steady flow anyway. That spot needs a light or something before a bad accident occurs. To the first part of the request a motion was made and TC agreed unanimously to contact Merilie and get more specifics on the lighting needs and locations. Cont. - On the other side of our subdivision, Middleton and Skyway, it's basically a makeshift dirt road that people use simply because it makes sense to have a road there and GPS even acknowledges it as a road. There's no way to 'ease' into Middleton, so it's a hazard as well. To the second part of the request, a motion was made and TC agreed unanimously to ask Engineering to look at the location and determine if the developer should be responsible for closing the "make -shift" road off or pushing it through and making the connection to Middleton Rd. Actions: Tammy will request more specific information regarding lighting needs and locations. Robb will ask Engineering to look into the "make -shift" road and determine if it should be pushed through to Middleton Rd. or closed off. 4. Stop sign at Main & Ph — Tammy Dittenber Cast week 1 am certain 1 ran the stop sign at 7th on Main. I do not know when it was placed and I felt just horrid when I noticed it, afterward. Tonight I parked behind Mi Tierra and walked to the Plaza and saw five cars run it going west. One of them when a woman and her son were stepping into the crosswalk near Golden Palace. if it's been there for a year, yikes. But if it's relatively new, I wonder if an Orange HEY NEW TRAFFIC PATTERN flag could be placed? The Stop sign at Main & 711 was placed a little over a year ago with advanced warning signs and flags in place. There is new construction fencing at that corner that may be distracting to drivers. A motion was made and TC agreed unanimously to have the Street department verify advance warning signs and flags are still in place and closely monitor that intersection until the fencing comes down. Tammy Dittenber was contacted the day after this request was initially received. In addition, she was contacted directly after the meeting with the above information. Action: The Street department will verify advance warning signs and flags are still in place and closely monitor that intersection until the fencing comes down. 5. Request Crosswalks in Heritage Meadows Subdivision — Rose Summers Ms. Summers is requesting crosswalks in the Heritage Subdivision. The crosswalks are mid -block and connect two pathways over a roadway • Customary policy is not to stripe cross -walks in subdivisions. • The speed limit in subdivisions is 20 mph • The crosswalk requested is mid -block. Mid -block crosswalks are problematic, They create a false sense of security in pedestrians and are not a common expectaton to drivers. • Crosswalks need to have ADA ramps where installed to meet ADA Compliance These locations have rolled curbs, no ADA ramps Traffic should be going slow enough and people should be mindful when crossing the streets. A motion was made and TC agreed unanimously to deny the request for a crosswalk for reasons provided above. Pathways are becoming more common in subdivisions. The pathways do not always include ADA compliant ramps. Per the MUTCD, a crosswalk must have ADA compliant ramps on both sides. Further discussion took place and another motion was made and agreed to unanimously for Engineering and P&Z to meet and take a closer look at established pathways internal to subdivisions. Particularly when they are connecting over a roadway. Possibly coordinate with Parks and Rec regarding their Master Plan. Action: Tammy will send correspondence to Rose Summers relaying the determination of TC regarding the requested crosswalks. Engineering and P&Z will meet to discuss future pathways internal to subdivisions. 6. Request right turn lane at Montana and Hwy 55 — Michelle Stanovich Michelle Stanovich requests a right turn lane be installed at the intersection of Montana leading onto Karcher Rd, located in front of the Gem State Academy. Phase #1 of the ITD improvement plan on highway 55 makes this intersection a right in/ right out intersection. Phase #1 is scheduled to begin next year and encompasses the section of highway 55 from Farmway Rd.to Montana. This request will be a moot point when the ITD project starts. Action: Tammy shared information on ETD's Highway 55 improvement plan with Michelle Stanovich 7. Dangerous U-turns on Kimball between Blaine and the railroad tracks —Tammy Dittenber Tammy Dittenberg requested No U-turns signs on Kimball between Blaine and the RR tracks. The request focused on the area at Kimball and Arthur. Legal clarification regarding U-turns was needed by the Traffic Commission. Officer Clinger researched the legality of U-turns as well as crossing a double yellow line to park. Following are his findings. U-turns in intersections: Looking at state traffic codes as well as talking to other officers, I don't believe there are any state traffic codes being broken. A vehicle can do a U-turn in an intersection unless there is a sign posted saying otherwise. Crossing double yellow lines to park: Also, looking at state traffic codes, there is a code saying you cannot cross a double yellow line however, there are exceptions to this. You can legally cross a double yellow line to enter an alley, driveway, or parking lot. Speaking to other officers about this, we would interpret this to include parking in a parking stall as being allowed. This item will go back to the next Traffic Commission meeting with the above information and be discussed further. It may require a city code being added/changed in order to post No U-turn signs in that area. Action: Tammy Dittenberg was notified of the outcome of the August meeting and the continuation of this item to the next TC meeting. 8. Request to dissolve speed limit sign policy — August Subdivisions and HOA's are increasingly requesting additional speed limit signs within their subdivisions. The present sign policy allows the requestor to purchase signs at a cost of $97.81.. The requestor must pay for the signs, provide a map showing designated location of the sign(s) and obtain written concurrence of the property owner on whose frontage the signs will be posted. The speed limit in all subdivisions is 20 mph. The Street department is requesting to dissolve the sign policy for the following reasons: • The cost of signs has increased to an estimated $250 per signs plus the cost of city labor to install the signs 0 Additional signs increase the already high on -going maintenance for the Street department • The statute establishes the speed limit as 20 mph • An overabundance of signage can numb drivers attention to signage. The Street department suggests an alternative solution of requiring development to place speed limit signage at all entrances of a subdivision. TC decided to table this issue until Engineering and P&Z can discuss. Resource/ weather Pending Business: 1. A signal is planned at 24" Avenue and Blaine Street in front of the Simplot Stadium. The signal currently installed at Santa Anna and Ustick Road midblock will be repurposed for this project once the Ustick/Santa Anna RAB is complete.