Introduction to Development of a city-wide traffic calming program Public SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING October 20, 2016

Traffic calming is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non- motorized street users. --I.M. Lockwood, “ITE Traffic Calming Definition,” ITE Journal, Vol. 67, July 1997, pp. 22–24.

The Three e’s of traffic calming Enforcement Education Engineering #4 - Evaluation

process Can be a few steps up to dozens of steps Many of the steps can be combined Each step can be simple or complicated

Elements of The Process Application form Preliminary investigation Initial recommendation OR Contact city traffic engineer Public engagement Funding established Maintenance agreement Installation Review Removal (if necessary)

Elements of the form Contact information Specific location/area of concern Map Details of concern What would you like to see happen? Would you be willing to serve on a committee to investigate? May include initial public engagement petition

Submitting THE FORM Is there an annual deadline to make a request or open? If all traffic calming funding is coming from the same source To coordinate construction/installation Online or paper only?

Used in the process to make sure that there is neighborhood support for traffic calming The step with the most amount of choices public engagement

Decisions for the Public Engagement Process Include: Schedule Type People Initial engagement to gauge support To present idea(s) To present design, schedule, cost, etc. After installation to gauge effectiveness Petitions and Surveys Mailed or door-to-door Neighborhood meeting Special meeting for location Meeting for all traffic calming concerns Included in other meetings (i.e. Ward meetings) Committees Within a certain radius of the location of concern Local institutions (schools, etc.) Local businesses Other residents City officials/staff Consultant

Other things to consider Minimum level of support (i.e. two-thirds of households within one block) May include initial public engagement survey or petition with the original form Does city staff only process/move forward forms for locations where there is a minimum level of initial support? Should be available to all residents within a radius of the area of concern Residents may not be able to make scheduled meetings One signature per household or one signature per adult?

Maintenance Landscaping agreement with residents Allows alternative designs if there is no budget or agreement for maintenance: Bollards instead of planters Hardscaping or painting instead of landscaping

Frequent Concerns are: Sight Lines at Intersections Intersection Congestion Pedestrian/ Child Safety Speeding High Volumes

Criteria for Street Eligibility Fn. Classification Lanes/width Volume Speed/85th percentile Speed limit

Preliminary Investigation Done by city staff or consultant? Site visit Pictures Intersection/location sketch List signs and note speed limit Request crash reports from police Review preapproved solution list

Next Steps There is a need for a traffic calming device, and the solution is in the established Brentwood Toolkit Further steps are handled by the Public Safety Committee and the city staff There is a need for a traffic calming device, but the solution is not in the established Brentwood Toolkit Contact the city traffic engineer There is not a need for a traffic calming device at this time

If no device is warranted: Request increased police presence Implement educational measures Evaluate traffic control signage and regulatory signage to ensure minimum requirements are met Time limit for re-evaluation (i.e. one year, five years for a second application)

Prioritization of Projects Considerations Ways to Prioritize Funding usually dictates which approved projects and how many can be done Some funding applies only to specific locations or situations It is best to have plans for when funding become available from others (grants) Dates of application may or may not affect which measures are installed – funding cycles, weather, etc. First come, first served Highest volumes Highest speeds Most public support Funding availability

Preapproved Solution List Low-cost solutions Easy implementation Designed to address the concern Do NOT include measures not recommended for traffic calming

Other Considerations Motorists may speed up between traffic calming devices to make up for lost time Causes acceleration and braking noises Measures need to be installed at intervals that don’t allow cars to get back up to speed Water drainage needs to be considered Maintenance Leaf and debris cleanup Snow plowing

FUNDING

COSTS INCLUDE Investigative City staff’s time Consultant fees (one location may be $1,500 to $5,000) Implementation Materials Installation Maintenance

INSTALLATION SCHEDULE Frequently dependent on season and temperature Usually between March and October Temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit Dry conditions Short-, mid-, and long-term measures Depends on funding

AFTER INSTALLATION Monitor the effectiveness of the device Solicit residents’ feedback (postcard survey) Allow for removal of device following a set process

Removal Process Resident petition with (two-thirds?) majority for removal Engineering considerations Maintenance considerations