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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 3, 2015 Minutes OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS COLUMBIA HEIGHTS TRAFFIC COMMISSION MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2015 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Ed Carlson at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present: Commissioners Ed Carlson, Leonard Olson, and Kevin Doty Members absent: Commissioners Brian Clerkin and Charles Tyler Staff Present: Kathy Young, Assistant City Engineer Lenny Austin, Police Captain Sue Schmidtbauer, Public Works Secretary Council Liaison: Donna Schmitt (absent) APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Doty, seconded by Olson, to approve the minutes of July 6, 2015, as presented. Motion passed. OLD 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. Heights Drive is curved south of the intersection and straight north of the intersection. Upland Crest intersects Heights Drive at an angle. 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). There were two accidents in May. In both accidents southbound drivers did not slow down at the intersection, failed to negotiate the curve, and one hit a vehicle parked on Heights Drive and one hit a tree. Prior to that there were no accidents. However, Ms. Entsminger stated that over the past 10 years there have been three cars that ended up in her yard. These accidents were not reported. The Police Department monitored the volume of speed and traffic at this intersection for several days. The average speed was below 25 mph. The existing YIELD sign is 30”. Young stated one option is to install a larger yield sign. The next largest sign is 36” but she doesn’t know if there would be much of a difference once it is installed and up in the air. She also suggested installing a red reflective strip in the post to draw more attention to the yield sign; we do have this on some stop signs. Ms. Entsminger asked if the reflective strips could also be placed on the three playground signs. Young stated we do have yellow posts that could be used for the playground signs. Carlson and Doty feel a larger yield sign with a reflective post should be installed as well as yellow reflective posts on the playground signs. Doty asked about the results of the speed trailer. Austin stated that only 4% of vehicles exceeded the 30 mph speed limit and by only 1-2 miles. The 20 mph is the recommended speed; the actual posted speed is 30 mph. Mrs. Entsminger stated she is baffled that drivers can approach a playground and not care. Carlson likes the idea of the bigger sign and reflective red post. Motion by Olson, seconded by Doty to deny the request to remove the YIELD sign and install a STOP sign on Upland Crest at Heights Drive based on the low traffic volume and infrequent accidents, but do recommend a larger YIELD sign and reflective post be installed. Motion carried. B. REQUEST FOR STOP SIGN AT LINCOLN TERRACE AND PIERCE TERRACE Ms. Layla Rismoen has requested stop signs be installed at the intersection of Lincoln Terrace and Pierce Terrace. The concern is the speed of vehicles and the number of children in the area. Pierce and Lincoln is a “T” intersection with through traffic on Pierce Terrace. Visibility at the intersection is good. The Police Department monitored the volume of speed and traffic at intersections of Lincoln Terrace/Johnson Street and Pierce Terrace/Lincoln Terrace for several days. The average speed was below 20 mph. Ms. Rismoen is unable to be here tonight but is hoping we will put in a stop sign. Olson stated that again, based on traffic volume and speed trailer information, this is a sporadic issue. The accident records for the last five years at Lincoln Terrace and Pierce Terrace, and Lincoln Terrace and Johnson Street showed only one accident, which occurred last February. Olson feels there is nothing to substantiate an issue at this intersection. Motion by Olson, seconded by Doty to deny the request to install any type of signage at that intersection of Lincoln Terrace and Pierce Terrace based on data from the Police Department and the fact that there has been only one accident. Motion carried. OTHER OLD BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS None OTHER NEW BUSINESS th Captain Austin has been meeting with the school district about parking on 49 Avenue in regards to the middle school and Valley View. He stated parking is always an issue; there are a huge number of parents that drop off their children along with bus traffic—the police are there in the a.m. and p.m. directing traffic. School start and finish times have changed over the years but the signs have not been updated. The school district is asking if we can change the no parking sign times to read 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. vs. 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This should help with pickup and drop off for parents and with traffic control. School lets out at 2:20. At 2:01 and after parents would be able to get in line to pick up their kids without being in violation. Young questioned if we even need no parking signs if the intent is for the parents to be able to park and pick up their kids. Austin thinks the concern is staff parking on the street. Olson suggested loading or unloading only signs vs. no parking signs. Carlson feels that sign will be greatly violated. He feels if we take the no parking signs out people will be parking all day long. Doty and Olson feel we should leave the no parking signs and add loading/unloading only. The signs currently read no parking or stopping 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on school days. Two houses on the north side are affected by the no parking. The consensus with the school district was to change the no parking time on both sides of the street so they are the same, but Austin feels we can do the loading/unloading only. Doty is okay with no parking on the north side so kids can’t cross the street—Austin stated parents are going to violate that anyway. However, parent can currently park along the north side of the street except for about 50 feet where no parking is posted in front of the two houses. Young suggested having the sign say no parking and removing the no stopping. Austin feels the sign needs to be clearer so will need loading/unloading only or child drop off but if we do 8:30 to 2:00 p.m. we would not need drop off only. Motion by Olson, th seconded by Carlson to change the time on the no parking sign located on the south side of 49 Avenue to read from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Doty abstained. The parking sign on the north side will be left as is until we find out more. thth Young received a telephone call regarding the intersection of 45 Avenue and 5 Street. Traffic currently th th stops on 5Street; the resident would like to switch it so traffic stops on 45Avenue. Accident records show there have only been two accidents in the last five years. Olson would like to leave this alone. The phone call was an inquiry only; the resident did not want to make a formal request. Young told the resident she would check the accident records and let her know. REPORTS A.CITY ENGINEER rd Kathy has been in communication with MnDOT regarding 53 and Central Avenues. Currently MnDOT only has peak hour information from 2009 and 2012 and there has not been much change in that three year time period as far as turning movements. If they count it again in 2015 we will not have that information for a while. Olson stated Starbucks is going in where the gas station used to be plus Embers is still there as well as Tires Plus. Once the other new businesses go in traffic will be a mess. Kathy is hoping that most people going to the old blockbuster site will turn right onto Central Avenue but concurs Starbucks will be a mess, especially with Embers and Target. Kathy will call the City of Fridley to see if they have done any type of traffic study. Olson stated currently the eastbound green light to go to the freeway is way too short so drivers constantly run the red light. One minute more on the green turn signal would be good or traffic sensors would help. B.POLICE None C.COMMISSIONERS Doty questioned the three accidents in Ms. Entsminger’s yard. Austin stated he would have to check it out, but it is over a 10 year period so may not recorded. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Olson, seconded by Doty, to adjourn the meeting at 6:10 p.m. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Sue Schmidtbauer Public Works Secretary