Title
REVIEW OF LAKES PARKWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL
Background
The City Council has received questions/concerns from residents over the years on Lakes Parkway. The Council has directed the Traffic Commission to review the existing corridor traffic control features on Lakes Parkway and report back to City Council with any recommendations.
Lakes Parkway extends from Radisson Road to Rendova Street. It is a Municipal State Aid route that will eventually connect to Lexington Avenue with future development. It serves as a collector route for residents of The Lakes development to access the County Road system to the west, north, and eventually to the east. The roadway was designed in 2002 as part of the master plan for the one thousand acre development of The Lakes. Lakes Parkway has no driveway access, sidewalk/trail on both sides, one roundabout at Harpers Street, and a landscaped median. Maintenance of the landscaped median is the responsibility of The Lakes Association. The speed limit set by the Commissioner of Transportation for Lakes Parkway is 35 mph.
The City has received resident complaints and has addressed them as they were received. The following is a summary of previous actions and studies:
• Intersection of Lakes Parkway and North/South Lake Boulevards - A resident complained that cars on North Lake Boulevard and South Lake Boulevard were not stopping at the stop signs at the intersection with Lakes Parkway. The City reviewed the intersection and installed “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs on the existing stop signs on North Lake Boulevard and South Lake Boulevard.
• Complaints on the need to trim median plantings - The City reminds The Lakes Association of their responsibility to keep their median plantings trimmed to not impede visibility at all intersections with Lakes Parkway.
• Concerns with pedestrians crossing just east of the bridge before the beach park - The City reviewed the site visibility of vehicles going east bound over the bridge and pedestrians crossing Lakes Parkway just east of the bridge. The City removed the trail crossing just east of the bridge and redirected pedestrians to the intersection of North Marina Circle and Lakes Parkway. There is better visibility for vehicles and pedestrians at the intersection.
• Requests for multi way stops on Lakes Parkway at North/South Lake Boulevards and at West Lake Boulevard - Traffic studies were prepared in 2014 for both intersections and are attached to this report. Warrants were not met for installation of multi-way stops. Staff recommendations were to continue to work with The Lakes Association to keep the median landscaping trimmed to maintain sight visibility at the intersections, to continue to monitor the traffic at the intersections to check if warrants are met for multi-way stops, and review the request for a signed and striped crosswalk on Lakes Parkway at West Lake Boulevard.
• Request for painted crosswalks on Lakes Parkway - A painted crosswalk and pedestrian signage was added in 2015 at the trail crossing of Lakes Parkway at West Lake Boulevard. The City painted a crosswalk at Lakes Parkway and North Marina Circle in 2016. “Stop for Pedestrians” in-street signage was also placed in 2016 in both directions at the intersections with North Marina Circle and West Lake Boulevard. In 2017, a painted crosswalk will be added with advanced notice signage at Lakes Parkway and South Lake Boulevard.
• Council directed the Police Department to perform six weeks of high visibility traffic enforcement and Lakes Parkway was one of four streets identified to be part of this initiative. Twenty-four hours were worked by the Police Department on Lakes Parkway between May 16 and June 23, 2017. As reported at the July 12, 2017 Traffic Commission meeting, sixty-seven stops were made, nineteen citations were issued and fifty-one warnings were given.
• Staff will be performing vehicle traffic and speed counts in 2017 and will recheck if multi-way stop warrants are met on the previously studied intersections with Lakes Parkway.
Recommendation
Review the corridor traffic studies and work performed to date. The Traffic Commission can invite area residents to the September 5, 2017 Traffic Commission meeting to take public comment before sending any recommendations back to the City Council.