ADMINISTRATION - Jean M. Keely, City Engineer
Title
AUTHORIZE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAFFIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 121ST AVENUE WEST OF SUNSET AVENUE
Background
Continued from the September 21, 2017 Council Meeting
The City Council reviewed the following data and recommendations from the Traffic Commission for 121st Avenue west of Sunset Avenue at their September 21, 2017 Council meeting. The Council voted to postpone action on this item to their November 16, 2017 Council meeting to allow more time for Ward 3 Councilmembers to discuss this with the residents.
The Traffic Commission reviewed the following information at their July 12, 2017 meeting and took public comment at their August 9 and September 5, 2017 meetings.
On 121st Avenue just west of Sunset Avenue and adjacent to the rural residential lots, the speed limit is 55 MPH by Minnesota Statute. When you travel west, just before Opal Street, you encounter urban sized residential lots where the speed limit drops to 30 MPH. The traffic counts in 2007 were 155 vehicles per day and as development has increased in the area, the traffic counts have increased to 872 in 2017. The 85th percentile speed has been between 39 to 42 MPH just west of Sunset Avenue and in 2017, the 85th percentile speed was 36 MPH in front of 4813 121st Avenue, the first house in the 30 MPH zone. (85% of vehicles are at or below this speed).
In February of 2016, the Police Department monitored this area for two afternoons and did not issue any tickets. In June of 2017, the Police Department set up the speed trailer for a week at 4813 121st Avenue. This is part of the neighborhood education program of reminding drivers of the transition to the 30 MPH speed limit. The 85th percentile speed in front of this house was 36 MPH. The Patrol Unit also conducted seventeen hours of traffic enforcement since June, making twenty-seven traffic stops, including five citations issued for speeding.
Traffic Commission asked staff to research the rural residential speed limit in Minnesota Statutes. Attached is portions of Statute that relate to regulatory speed limits discussed in this report. It appears that this area will meet statutory requirements for the City Council to establish the area between Sunset Avenue and the 30 MPH speed limit on 121st Avenue as a rural residential district in order to post the first quarter mile off Sunset Avenue as 35 MPH.
121st Avenue was extended to Woodland Parkway in 2013. 121st Avenue from Sunset Avenue to Woodland Parkway is a Municipal State Aid (MSA) route that connects the surrounding residential area to the adjacent County Road system.
Some of the concerns/requests raised by residents on 121st Avenue at the August 9th meeting were construction dumpsters in the road, request for solar powered speed monitoring sign, poor visibility with the bend in the road in Woodland Village, need for a lower speed limit, speeders on 121st Avenue, vehicles not yielding to pedestrians at intersections, high density traffic, speed humps, painted crosswalks, three way stop at Lever Street or Opal Street and 121st Avenue, school bus stop at Opal Street and 121st Avenue, and additional plantings along the boulevards.
As stated in the background information, the first quarter mile of 121st Avenue west of Sunset Avenue may qualify for a 35 MPH designation if approved by City Council. The 30 MPH speed designation for the remainder of the route to Woodland Parkway cannot be lowered as this speed limit is set by Minnesota Statutes for residential streets throughout the entire state.
The City has a crosswalk policy for determining where to install marked crosswalks. The location that could be considered for a marked crosswalk would be the north side of the 121st Avenue and Woodland Parkway intersection since it is where the sidewalk connects to Lexington Athletic Complex. When crossing 121st Avenue at Opal Street or Lever Street, pedestrians should not enter the intersection if vehicles are approaching. Pedestrians are urged to cross with caution at any street crossing, marked or unmarked.
With 121st Avenue designated as a MSA route, the State of Minnesota does not permit installation of speed humps. The City will be re-examining all of our MSA designated routes this year with our 2040 Comprehensive Plan update. 121st Avenue does serve as a collector route to connect the residential area to the County Road system, so the current MSA designation does fit into the City’s overall street network.
Before a three way stop can be installed, it must meet the criteria listed in the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The criteria includes five or more reported crashes in a 12-month period, traffic volumes of at least 300 vehicles per hour on the major street for any 8 hours of an average day, combined vehicular/pedestrian/bicycle volume entering the intersection from the minor street of at least 200 units per hour for the same 8 hours. The Manual states that stop signs should not be used for speed control. (This analysis has been completed for Lever Street and 121st Avenue and the intersection does not meet the criteria for a three way stop.)
Staff checked in with the Planning Department on trees planted with the Woodland Village plats. Trees were required to be planted on each residential lot, but not in the boulevard due to buried private utilities of electric, telephone, gas and cable.
One solution to help slow traffic on the roadway would be to install a white edge stripe on both sides of the street and double yellow centerline stripes to narrow the drive lanes to eleven feet. Traffic enforcement will continue to be utilized to help slow traffic in this area.
Additional information is attached to this item from the 2015 MNDOT Traffic Safety Fundamentals Handbook. Pages C38 - C46 provide information on pedestrian safety, neighborhood traffic control measures, speed zones and speed reduction efforts.
At the September 5, 2017 Traffic Commission meeting, the following recommendations were approved for City Council consideration:
1. Establish a rural residential district for the first quarter mile of 121st Avenue west of Sunset Avenue and post as 35 mph.
2. Add a 30 mph speed limit sign on 121st Avenue east of Woodland Parkway.
3. Continue traffic enforcement.
4. Add a marked crosswalk on the north side of the intersection of 121st Avenue and Woodland Parkway. (This would be included in the 2018 striping contract.)
5. Install a white edge stripe on both sides of 121st Avenue and a double yellow centerline stripe to narrow the drive lanes to eleven feet from Sunset Avenue to Woodland Parkway. (This would be included in the 2018 striping contract.)
6. Analyze the intersection of Lever Street and 121st Avenue for warrants for a three way stop. (This analysis has been completed and this intersection does not meet the criteria for a three way stop.)
Recommendation
By motion, adopt the Resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, the City Council is cognizant of providing regulation of vehicular traffic in a safe and responsible manner; and
WHEREAS, the Traffic Commission recommended that the City Council consider authorization of the following:
1. Establish a rural residential district for the first quarter mile of 121st Avenue west of Sunset Avenue and post as 35 mph.
2. Add a 30 mph speed limit sign on 121st Avenue east of Woodland Parkway.
3. Continue traffic enforcement.
4. Add a marked crosswalk on the north side of the intersection of 121st Avenue and Woodland Parkway. (This will be included in the 2018 striping contract.)
5. Install a white edge stripe on both sides of 121st Avenue and a double yellow centerline stripe to narrow the drive lanes to eleven feet from Sunset Avenue to Woodland Parkway. (This will be included in the 2018 striping contract.)
6. Analyze the intersection of Lever Street and 121st Avenue for warrants for a three way stop (This analysis has been completed and this intersection does not meet the criteria for a three way stop.); and
WHEREAS, City Ordinance requires a Council Resolution specifying the placement of regulatory signs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Blaine that the Traffic Commission recommendations be implemented and that a rural residential district be established for the first quarter mile of 121st Avenue west of Sunset Avenue and be posted with 35mph speed limit signs.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 16th day of November, 2017.