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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJuly 7, 2014 Agenda PacketAGENDA COLUMBIA HEIGHTS TRAFFIC COMMISSION CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS MONDAY, JULY 7,2014; 5:30 P.M. Move to appoint Kathy Young as Secretary Pro -Tem. L ROLL CALL II. APPROVAL OF APRIL 7, 2014 MINUTES III. OLD BUSINESS None. IV. OTHER OLD BUSINESS V. NEW BUSINESS A. REQUEST TO REMOVE YIELD SIGN AND INSTALL STOP SIGN ON UPLAND CREST AT HEIGHTS DRIVE Ms. Bonita Entsminger is requesting the YIELD sign on Upland Crest be changed to a STOP sign at the intersection with Heights Drive. The concern is that drivers are running the yield sign and presenting a danger to vehicles on Heights Drive. A letter from Ms. Entsminger is included in the packet. Staff was not able to identify when the sign was installed. There was discussion about the intersection in Traffic Commission minutes from the 1960s. Heights Drive is curved south of the intersection and straight north of the intersection. Upland Crest intersects Heights Drive at an angle. An aerial photo is attached. Visibility for both streets north of the intersection is good. Visibility south of the intersection is limited somewhat with the combination of the curve in Heights Drive, the angle of Upland Crest and area landscaping. Each leg has a yellow PLAYGROUND sign with 20 MPH plaques (advisory). The Police Department reviewed accident records and found no reported accidents in the last five years. A memo from Captain Austin is attached. Staff recommends denying the request based on MUTCD guideline of using a yield sign at intersections where a full stop is not necessary at all times. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to deny the request to remove the yield sign and install a stop sign on Upland Crest at the intersection with Heights Drive. Traffic Commission Agenda July 7, 2014 Page 2 VI. OTHER NEW BUSINESS VII. REPORTS A. CITY ENGINEER B. POLICE CHIEF C. COMMISSIONERS VIII. ADJOURNMENT The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Columbia Heights' services, programs, and activities. Auxiliary aids for handicapped persons are available upon request when the request is made at least 96 hours in advance. Please call the City Council Secretary at 763/706 -3611 to make arrangements. (TDD /763- 706 -3692 for deaf only.) UNAPPROVED OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS COLUMBIA HEIGHTS TRAFFIC COMMISSION MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Carlson at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present: Carlson, Clerkin, Doty, Olson, Tyler Staff present: Kathy Young, Assistant City Engineer Lenny Austin, Police Captain Sue Schmidtbauer, Public Works Secretary Council Liaison: Donna Schmitt APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Tyler, seconded by Doty, to approve the minutes of June 3, 2013, as presented. Motion carried unanimously. OLD BUSINESS A. REQUEST TO REMOVE YIELD SIGNS AND INSTALL STOP SIGNS ON 6TH STREET AT 48TH AVENUE The City received a request on behalf of Mr. Joe Berzak to change the YIELD signs to STOP signs, stopping traffic on 6'' Street. The concern is that drivers are running the yield signs and presenting a danger to the kids and vehicles on 481h Avenue. A letter was sent to Mr. Berzak with background information regarding installation of YIELD signs at this intersection. In a subsequent telephone conversation, Mr. Berzak requested the item be placed on the agenda He suggested one option may be swapping the yield/stop signs from this intersection with the intersection at 6u' Street and 47th Avenue. Staff recommends denying the request based on MUTCD guidelines of using a yield sign at intersections where a full stop is not necessary at all times. The property owner has trimmed the hedge on the northwest corner of the intersection in compliance with the City's visibility ordinance. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to deny the request to replace YIELD signs with STOP signs at the intersection of 6th Street and 48th Avenue. OTHER OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS A. REQUEST TO INSTALL YIELD OR STOP SIGNS AT 7' STREET AND 42ND AVENUE The City received two e -mails requesting YIELD or STOP signs at the intersection of 7th Street and 42 °d Avenue NE. The concern is the recent number of accidents at the intersection. Traffic Commission Minutes — April 7, 2014 Page 2 On 7th Street, traffic yields at 41" Avenue and stops at 44th Avenue. On 42 °d Avenue, traffic stops at 5th Street and Jefferson Street. Visibility at the intersection is good. Westbound vehicles must approach with caution because of a fence near the northwest corner. The Police Department reviewed accident records for the past five years. There were two accidents in 2010, one accident in 2013, and four accidents in 2014 (two in January and two in February). Extremely cold conditions this past winter resulted in many days of snow and ice covered streets and higher than normal snow banks. Captain Austin stated that the large amount of snow and the snowbanks contributed to accidents this winter. Doty stated the intersection seemed fairly flat and he did not see anything out of the ordinary. He suggested we do a traffic count now and then another in the summer, as there is a lot of summer traffic due to the church. Olson stated he went through the intersection today and visibility was good, however, snowbanks would make difficult. Tyler also went through the intersection and felt the visibility was good. Out of seven accidents this year, four of them were due to snow. He feels this is a contributing factor. Carlson stated he waited at the intersection for three minutes and no cars came through. Doty stated it was an icy winter. Currently the accident record at this intersection is inconclusive concerning the MUTCD guidelines for yield or stop signs ( MUTCD Section 213.4 "Right -of -Way at Intersections ", attached). Staff recommends monitoring the accident record at this intersection to see if a pattern of accidents is developing. Amber Bumette who lives at the intersection was present. She stated that three of four accidents were on all sides of intersection and from what she saw included buses, vans, etc. Last year a bus was over the curb and in someone's yard. She stated that accidents were the same this year and were not due to ice or snow. Captain Austin stated that the accident on January 25u' was a hit and run and the driver was cited. Carlson stated this is a wide open intersection and he does not feel a stop sign would help. Cars would just run through and ignore the stop sign, especially in a spot where it is not needed. Olson asked if this falls under state statute. Young replied that if you count accidents yes, it meets the number in the guidelines. However, this year was abnormal due to the weather. We can monitor intersection to see if a pattern is developing or if this is weather - related for 2014. Tyler feels it is due to the weather. Doty stated he is on an accident committee and there have been 3 -9 times more than the normal number of accidents this year with the highest number being in February states this is the highest number of accidents they've ever had. Clerkin likes the idea of keeping an eye on the intersection to see if a trend is developing. Carlson stated that of all the accidents, four were from this last winter. Monitoring the intersection sounds good but he feels now that weather is breaking this should handle most of problem. Tyler is concerned because we run across this a lot so we really need to look at this carefully to make sure it is warranted. Ms. Bumette stated she has lived here four years and this is the first place she's lived where there are no stop signs at all the intersections. She comes from a small town and stop signs make people stop. Olson stated that historically the more stop signs that are put up, the more people drive through them. Ms. Bumette asked about a yield sign so one has the right of way. Tyler stated there is a right of way via state statue. Carlson stated we will be looking at all four directions of the intersection. Schmitt asked where other stop and yield signs are located. Kathy provided this information. Doty motioned to monitor traffic at the intersection and when we receive the information we will review again. Will monitor it now and then again in summer. Kathy suggested that we wait until the end of the year and then request that police take a look at the accident record. Doty was thinking of traffic count when Traffic Commission Minutes — April 7, 2014 Page 3 he was there no traffic. Olson stated that based on what Doty said, he moves to deny a request at this time for yield or stop signs at that intersection. Motion by Olson, seconded by Doty to deny the request to install YIELD or STOP signs at the intersection of 7t' Street and 42 °d Avenue. OTHER NEW BUSINESS None REPORTS A. CITY ENGINEER REQUEST FOR DISABLED PARKING SIGNS Disabled parking signs have been requested by property owners at the locations listed below. Signs were installed last fall or will be installed this spring. A) 3702 Polk St NE, Permit Number D03082 B) 404 40th Avenue NE, Permit Number 378420 C) 3959 Quincy St NE, Permit Number B21977 B. POLICE None C. COMMISSIONERS None ADJOURNMENT Motion by Carlson, seconded by Doty to adjourn the meeting at 5:55 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Sue Schmidtbauer, Public Works Secretary RECEIVEDt JUN 05 2014 PUBLIC WORKS X c , ex e.Xe� Le jt Yle cc- ex- C--r, I CE--, MIN LC 3 7 ,7�F , CG�- .1. COLUMBIA HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT Ate= MEMORANDUM To: Columbia Heights Traffic Commission Members From: Lenny Austin, Captain Subject: Request for accident data for the intersection of Heights Drive and Upland Crest Date: July 1, 2014 I have researched the Anoka County Records Management System for any accidents that may have occurred at the intersection of Heights Drive and Upland Crest that may have occurred over the last five years. There have been no reported accidents at this intersection. cc: Scott Nadeau, Chief of Police Kathy Young, Assistant City Engineer