HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-11-01-2010 TRAFFIC COMMISSION MINUTES � � �� L� Y �� v '
Caldwell Traffic Commission (TC) Minutes �....��r.�w�=�_�
November O1, 2010 10:30 a.m.
Present: Brent Orton, Brian Billingsley, Dave Garcia for Gordon Reed, Chief Allgood, Chief Wendelsdorf
Secretary: Tamera Frans
Old Business
1. Rural Site Triangles (Gordon Reed)
Not ready for P&Z Commission. Need to change drawings to reflect City vs. rural. Main problem
is vegetation; not maintained. No examples were drawn out by Engineering for today's meeting.
A motion was made and the Traffic Commission agreed unanimously to have P&Z Commission
postpone the item until their following meeting. Brent will have Engineering draw out examples
and will ask ACHD if they are using the same design for urban as well as for rural.
10-04-2010 Item continued to November when Gordon Reed can be present to speak for the
Street department.
11-01-2010 Gordon Reed was not present for the November meeting and his input is important to
this decision. Therefore the item will be continued to December the meeting. Engineering
preformed an analysis and is preparing figures to work with P&Z to establish the correct stopping
distance and placement of the Stop Bar.
Action: Bren# Or#on = Request Engineering draw out some examples at various
intersections for TC to review. Brent to contact ACHD on urban vs. rural.
2. Request "4-Way Stop Signs" at Canyon Springs School (Mr. Quarrel's, Caldwell school
district)
Brent Orton asked Jared Hale of the Engineering department to investigate Canyon Springs
traffic flow. The following is Jared's report:
Brent Orton was approached by Canyon Springs Alternative High School with concerns
of the safety of the intersections of 11 t '' and Denver and 1 1 t �' and Elgin during school
hours. Brent asked me to do a traffic study and to create a proposal for traffic
commission.
I made sure all of the speed limit signs were in place at the correct locations. All of them
were in place and only one was blocked by tree branches. I e-mailed David with the
street department about that issue. I observed the traffic and counted the turn movements
for both intersections.� Denver and 1 l is the busiest intersection, but there is not enough
traffic during the peak hours to warrant a four-way stop at that intersection. However,
during the peak hours there are some dangerous driving practices and pedestrian
movements in the Denver and 1 l��' area. There are a lot of cars that speed through the
intersection. Most of the cars during the peak hours are dropping off or picking up
students. A lot of those vehicles stop in the middle of the street or at an intersection to
drop-off or pick-up the students. The school doesn't have a designated drop-off or pick- I
up area. More students jaywalk than cross the street at the crosswalks, mostly because
they were dropped off in the middle of the street. '
I have put together a few options to help make the Denver and 1 l intersection safer:
1. The cheapest and easiest solution is to have the school designate a student drop-
off and pick-up area next to the school for their rides. Then have the police
monitor the speed in the area during the peak morning hour between 7:l 5 am-
8:15 am.
2. Along with having the student drop-off and pick-up area, smalls medians could
be placed in front of the crosswalks with cross walk signs in order to narrow the
road to slow down traffic. The roads are only 39 feet wide and would not
provide a full 20 foot wide drive isle for emergency vehicles. The drive isle
would be clos�er to 18 feet wide if there isn't parking allowed adjacent to the
median.
3. Along with having the student drop-off and pick-up area, chicanes could be put
on the right-hand side of all four streets at the intersection before the crosswalks.
This would narrow the streets and help slow down traffic. This would allow for a
wider drive isle for emergency vehicles because it doesn't divide the street in
half, but they would cost mare to construct.
In addition to the above remarks by Jared, Chief Allgood made an additional suggestion of
vacating the section of 11 street between Denver and Elgin.
A motion was made and the Traffic Commission agreed unanimously to table the issue until Chief
Wendelsdorf could be present to add remarks on behalf of the Fire department.
11-01-2010 Canyon Springs is still reviewing alternative drop-off areas and have not replied to
the City.
Acfiian: Robb— Jared will follow-up with the school and look at stripping alternatives.
New Business
1. Request for Crosswalk on Crookham Street (Mick Cowger, Crookham Seed)
Mr. Cowger is Plant Superintendent for Crookham Seed Company. He requested a crosswalk mid-
block on Crookham Street. Mr. Cowger feels this crosswalk is necessary for the safety of Crookham
employees needing to cross between the Maintenance shop and the Plant. The maintenance shop is
located directly across Crookham Street from the plant.
The Traffic Commission deems that installing cross-walks at uncontrolled intersections creates a
sense of false safety in pedestrians, and that crosswalks generally should not be installed until
signalization or controlled direction is implemented.
The Traffic Commission is willing to work with Crookham Seed by way of the following solution:
• Crookham provides and installs an actuated crossing device that has been approved by the
City Engineering department
• Once the actuation device is installed and functional, the City will paint the crosswalk
Engineering will research actuated device possibilities and make themselves available to assist
Crookham Seed in selecting an appropriate one.
A motion was made and the Traffic Commission agreed unanimously to communicate to Crookham
Seed the above proposed solution and to also let them know that City Engineering will be happy to
assist them in selecting an appropriate actuated device.
2. Request from Hazel Park Apartments to reverse previous request for "loading Zone" parking
(Dee 454-2387)
In November of 2009 Dee, manager of the Hazel Park Apartments requested a loading zone be
designated in front of the Hazel Park apartments. She is now asking that the loading zone be
removed and the parking be returned to its previous state which was Public on street parking. A
motion was made and the Traffic Commission agreed unanimously to revert the parking to its original
state but that it would be necessary to receive the request in writing first.
Action: Chief Allgood.— Communicate the Commission's decision to Dee 454-2387