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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-17 TPC PacketAgenda Transportation Commission City Of Edina, Minnesota Think Mutual Bank Community Room 3655 Hazelton Rd Thursday, September 17, 2015 6:00 PM I.Call To Order II.Roll Call III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda IV.Adoption Of Consent Agenda A.Approval of Minutes - Regular Meeting of August 20, 2015 V.Special Recognitions And Presentations A.Discussion with Edina Public Works Director VI.Community Comment During "Community Comment," the Board/Commission will invite residents to share relevant issues or concerns. Individuals must limit their comments to three minutes. The Chair may limit the number of speakers on the same issue in the interest of time and topic. Generally speaking, items that are elsewhere on tonight's agenda may not be addressed during Community Comment. Individuals should not expect the Chair or Board/Commission Members to respond to their comments tonight. Instead, the Board/Commission might refer the matter to staff for consideration at a future meeting. VII.Reports/Recommendations A.2016 Work Plan B.Traffic Safety Report of September 2, 2015 VIII.Correspondence And Petition IX.Chair And Member Comments A.Participation in Open Streets on 50th Event X.Staff Comments A.Staff Comments for September 2015 XI.Calendar Of Events A.Schedule of Upcoming Meetings/Dates/Events XII.Adjournment The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Date: September 17, 2015 Agenda Item #: IV.A. To:Transportation Commission Item Type: Minutes From:Sharon Allison - Engineering Specialist Item Activity: Subject:Approval of Minutes - Regular Meeting of August 20, 2015 Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Approve the meeting minutes of the regular Edina Transportation Commission meeting of August 20, 2015. INTRODUCTION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Meeting Minutes for Regular ETC Meeting of August 20, 2015 1 MINUTES OF CITY OF EDINA, MINNESOTA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION COMMUNITY ROOM August 20, 2015 6:00 P.M. ROLL CALL Answering roll call were members Bass, Boettge, LaForce, Loeffelholz, Nelson, and Olson. ABSENT Iyer, Janovy, Rummel and Spanhake APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Chair Bass requested to add the May 21 minutes to the agenda for discussion. Motion was made by member Olson and seconded by member LaForce to approve the amended meeting agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 16, 2015 Motion was made by member LaForce and seconded by member Boettge to approve the amended minutes of July 16, 2015. All voted aye. Motion carried. REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 21, 2015 Under ‘Chair and Commission Member Comments’ where the Cornelia Drive sidewalk was mentioned, Chair Bass said the reference to the school district lacks context because they worked with the ETC on Safe Routes to School. Motion was made by member Boettge and seconded by member Olson to reconsider the May 21 minutes. All voted aye. Motion carried. The minutes were revised as follow: Member Boettge asked why the Cornelia Drive sidewalk Safe Routes to School grant application was not approved and planner Nolan said the committee felt other projects demonstrated greater safety risks and although the school district offered a letter of support, other applicants demonstrated greater support. Motion was made by member Loeffelholz and seconded by member LaForce to approve the amended minutes of May 21, 2015. All voted aye. Motion carried. COMMUNITY COMMENT – None. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS Tracy Avenue/Valley View Road/Valley Lane Roundabout Update Planner Nolan said staff is seeking feedback from the ETC. Mr. Toby Muse and Mr. Mike Kotila from SEH presented the update. Mr. Kotila said they are evaluating existing conditions of the intersection, as well as forecasting out 20 years. Based on traffic counts, he said the afternoon is the most critical when the high school gets out and from 5-6 p.m. Other critical factors are speed (38 mph) and seven crashes from 2010-14 which is double the rate for similar intersections. With the addition of the Nine Mile Trail at this intersection, Mr. Kotila said reducing speed is important because pedestrian survivability increases if hit by a vehicle at a lower speed. Mr. Kotila showed two alternate designs. Alternate 1 would perform at service level B with a potential for the northbound traffic to back-up pass 66th Street as they queue to get into the single lane roundabout. Forecasting out 20 years, the service level would drop to D. Alternate 2 considers the back-up and would include room for a future by-pass lane which would be added when needed. Alternate 1A would include flashers at all pedestrian crossings. 2 Discussion Regarding the route that bikers would use at the roundabout, Mr. Kotila said they can stay in the roundabout or get on the slip ramp and use the trail crossings. For bikers coming south on Tracy, adding a curb cut for access to the trail was suggested. Paying careful attention to signage was suggested keeping in mind that some will be ignored. Member Nelson said crossing the trail closer to TH-62 and Tracy has fewer conflicts compared to the current location. Mr. Muse said there were multiple alternatives and once the master plan was approved, Three Rivers immediately began the process of easement acquisition. Member Nelson said he is concerned with all the conflicts and that bikers and pedestrians will not use the crosswalks. Discussion with Edina Police Department Representative Sgt. Dan Conboy said he is the new liaison to boards and commissions. Chair Bass explained that meeting with the Police annually was added to their work plan to discuss how the ETC could use enforcement to meet their goals. She said the ETC’s goal is to support the City’s vision of more multi-modal transportation and as such they’ve created plans or policies such as Living Streets, Active Routes to School and a Sidewalk Map. She said his experience as a school liaison officer will be helpful as the ETC continue to work with the school district on initiatives. Chair Bass asked what has the Police done to support multi-modal transportation and Sgt. Conboy said in May, their focus was bike safety and the officers enjoyed doing this because they were able to make contact with both bikers and motorists. He said the traffic enforcement team makes a lot of contact and sometimes they educate instead of writing citations. He said the biggest challenge is educating people because they are strong advocates for what they believe and both drivers and bikers behave badly. He said some are unwilling to accept change. Member LaForce asked if they’ve seen any behavioral change since riding on sidewalk has been allowed and he said no. Chair Bass said the BETF hosted bike rodeos and maybe they could partner with the Police. Member Olson said the Police have participated in past rodeos and Sgt. Conboy added that they do an annual camp for students from a select grade. Member Loeffelholz asked who was responsible for educating drivers and planner Nolan said an education campaign is underway now and word is getting out because he’s been invited to two groups to talk about the campaign. Chair Bass asked how they will keep in touch and planner Nolan said Sgt. Conboy is on the Open Streets and Traffic Safety Committees so he is involved with what they are doing. 2016 Neighborhood Reconstruction Projects Planner Nolan said the project area maps and multi-modal surveys were handed out and staff is seeking feedback. He said the draft engineering studies will be available for the September meeting and the final reports in November. Golf Terrace B A sidewalk is planned for Concord Avenue. Chair Bass said based on the survey, she felt like residents wanted sidewalk on each street and she wanted them to know about the petition process. Member LaForce said the streets probably don’t have traffic to warrant sidewalks and planner Nolan confirmed that a sidewalk was eliminated from the map because of the low average daily traffic. Strachauer Park A Planner Nolan said some streets will be narrowed from 30-ft to 27-ft with parking on one side, except Beard Avenue which will be narrowed to 24-ft; Beard Avenue will have sidewalk and parking on one because parking demand is low; the intersection of Curve Avenue and Beard Place will be realigned. Morningside A & White Oaks C Staff expected the open house to be more focused on green environment but residents were more concerned with traffic. A traffic circle is being considered for Curve & Sunnyside but there are driveway impacts; the 85th percentile speed on 3 Sunnyside is 30 mph but because of the volume of traffic, staff is looking at different ways to slow the speed; bump-outs are being considered for Grimes and Curve to delineate parking because of the number of driveways. Member Loeffelholz asked what would happen to the data collected through the multi-modal survey and chair Bass suggested adding it to a future agenda for discussion. 2016 Transportation Commission Work Plan Planner Nolan said the work plan is due by Sept. 29. Suggested work plan topics were: 1. Seek funding for Bike Plan Update 2. Create a Walking Map 3. Top 20 issues in Edina 4. Evaluate Street Smart and Living Streets 5. Review advisory function and what improvements could be made 6. Review Edina To Go app and recommend organization/categories for reporting concerns related to streets/transportation 7. Review special assessment policy for neighborhood street reconstructions and recommend modifications (if that’s what review concludes) 8. Review clear view and vegetation maintenance standards from bike/pedestrian perspective 9. Review and update Transportation Impact Analysis policy (traffic studies associated with redevelopments) Traffic Safety Reports of August 5, 2015 A.1 & A.2 Sgt. Conboy is going to reach out to the school. Chair Bass suggested talking with the PTO to see if they could raise funds. A.3 Interlachen Blvd is not currently scheduled for reconstruction. B.2 Planner Nolan said this request was submitted by member Janovy and was denied a second time. Motion was made by member Nelson and seconded by member Olson to forward the August 5, 2015, TSC report to the City Council. All voted aye. Motion carried. Updates Student Members – None Bike Edina Working Group (not currently meeting) Communications Committee – None CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS – None CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS Member LaForce said he witnessed a pedestrian get hit at France and Parklawn. He wondered if they had improved this intersection if it would have made a difference. Member Nelson said he attended the “stroll and roll” and saw people in wheelchair on France Avenue. He mentioned the missing segment of sidewalk on France between 65th and the Crosstown because he saw someone biking in the grass and it was evident that others had done the same. Planner Nolan said the hospital has expressed favor of adding this piece so he will follow up with them. 4 STAFF COMMENTS • Planner Nolan gave an update on the 2015 reconstruction projects. • Interlachen Boulevard Sidewalk bids were opened today and staff will recommend approval; dynamic speed signs were added to the project. • A grand opening is being planned for the Promenade for September. • The street lights on France Avenue are set to Edina green but it can be programmed for special events; staff is putting together a policy that would allow the public to make requests. • The plants in the medians on France Avenue are being replaced because approximately 75% of them did not survive the winter (lack of snow). • City Council approved the variance requests for Tracy Avenue and Parklawn Avenue (both 2016 projects). • The request for proposal (RFP) is out for the Grandview area; a meeting is scheduled for tomorrow with the prospective consultants; a volunteer is needed from the ETC to review the RFPs. • The missing gap of sidewalk on Xerxes Avenue (W. 56th to W. 60th) received approximately 25% funding from Hennepin County for construction in 2016 (this is the only gap between Southdale and Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis). • Hennepin County continues to meet with residents on Xerxes Avenue because some are still unhappy with the bump-outs (even after several modifications). • Two new student members will begin next month. • City Council approved changes to boards and commissions’ bylaws – annual meeting will be in February starting in 2016. • A grand opening for France Avenue is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at 70th & France; if available, commissioners are to meet there, followed by the ETC meeting at 6 p.m. at Think Bank, 3655 Hazelton Road. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned. ATTENDANCE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE J F M A M J* J A S O N D SM SM WS # of Mtgs Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 NAME TERM (Enter Date) (Enter Date) 6/17 Bass, Katherine 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 89% Boettge, Emily 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 100% Iyer, Surya 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 67% LaForce, Tom 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 89% Loeffelholz, Ralf 3/1/2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 86% Janovy, Jennifer 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 89% Nelson, Paul 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 100% Olson, Larry 3/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 89% Whited, Courtney 2/1/2015 1 1 100% Spanhake, Dawn 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 89% Rummel, Anna 9/1/2015 1 1 1 3 33% Campbell, Jack 9/1/2015 1 1 1 1 4 44% Date: September 17, 2015 Agenda Item #: V.A. To:Transportation Commission Item Type: Other From:Mark K. Nolan, AICP, Transportation Planner Item Activity: Subject:Discussion with Edina Public Works Director Discussion CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: None. INTRODUCTION: The Edina Transportation Commission’s (ETC) 2015 Work Plan includes the Ongoing Responsibility to “meet with Police Department and Public Works annually to discuss shared interests.” Edina Public Works Director Brian Olson will be present to discuss these items with the ETC. Please come prepared to discuss shared transportation-related interests (e.g. street and trail maintenance activities) with Director Olson. Date: September 17, 2015 Agenda Item #: VII.A. To:Transportation Commission Item Type: Report and Recommendation From:Mark K. Nolan, AICP, Transportation Planner Item Activity: Subject:2016 Work Plan Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Approve 2016 work plan. INTRODUCTION: Work plan proposals are due September 29. City Council will review them with the board and commission chairs at the October 6 work session. ATTACHMENTS: Description Draft 2016 ETC Work Plan Board/Commission: Transportation Commission 2016 Annual Work Plan DRAFT *Complete each section with a white background & designate it initiative is new or a continuation from the previous year *Return to MJ Lamon by September 29 Initiative ☐ New Initiative ☒ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Greater Southdale Area Circulator Study Yes Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Organize and host a transportation-themed event with speaker(s). Yes Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Create a walking map of the City, indicating routes and areas of interest. No Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Seek funding for update to Comprehensive Bicycle Plan. No Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Review Edina To Go app and recommend organization/categories for reporting concerns related to streets/transportation. No Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Review special assessment policy for neighborhood street reconstructions and recommend modifications, if necessary. Click here to enter text. No Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Review and update Transportation Impact Analysis policy (traffic studies associated with redevelopment projects). Click here to enter text. No Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Study and identify the top 15 transportation gaps/issues in the city. Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Evaluate the Living Streets and Streets Smarts outreach campaigns and make recommendations for future similar campaigns. Click here to enter text. No Yes Progress Report: Click here to enter text. Ongoing Responsibilities Living Streets Policy/Plan: Active Routes to School Comprehensive Plan – continue to look at opportunities for funding. Sidewalk Plan – prioritize sidewalk (PACS Fund) projects annually Way-finding Signage for bikeways and pedestrians Review/revise City Code for Plan implementation Meet with Police Department and Public Works annually to discuss shared interests. Education and outreach activities around pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist safety Review transportation projects in the proposed Capital Improvement Program, including annual neighborhood street reconstruction projects Review monthly traffic safety committee reports Review Public Works street mill and overlays and seal coat projects as to opportunities for remarking for bicycle facilities Review transportation items in the Comprehensive Plan and make recommendations for study/implementation Other Work Plan Ideas Considered for Current Year or Future Years Proposed Month for Joint Work Session: Staff Comments: Council Comments: Date: September 17, 2015 Agenda Item #: VII.B. To:Transportation Commission Item Type: Report and Recommendation From:Joseph Totten, Traffic Safety Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Traffic Safety Report of September 2, 2015 Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Review and recommend the Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) Report of Wednesday September 2, 2015 be forwarded to City Council for approval. INTRODUCTION: It is not anticipated that residents will be in attendance at the meeting. An overview of the comments from the Edina Transportation Commission (ETC) will be included in the staff report provided to Council for their October 20, 2015 meeting. ATTACHMENTS: Description Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 1 of 11 Photo : Gleason Road and Dewey Hill Road, looking northeast Map :Gleason Road and Dewey Hill Road/Hillary Lane Traffic Safety Report Wednesday, August 05, 2015 The Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) review of traffic safety matters occurred on September 02. The Transportation Planner, Traffic Safety Coordinator, Sign Coordinator, Assistant City Planner, and City Engineer were in attendance for this meeting. The Police Department and Public Works Director have been contacted with the report and asked for their input. From these reviews, the recommendations below are provided. On each of the items, persons involved have been contacted and staff recommendation has been discussed with them. They were informed that if they disagree with the recommendation or have additional facts to present, these can be included on the September 17 Edina Transportation Commission and the October 20 City Council agenda. Section A : Items on which staff recommends action A1. Request for crosswalks to be painted at the intersection of Gleason Road and Dewey Hill Road, and increase safety of the intersection This request concerns the intersection of Gleason Road and Dewey Hill Road. The requestor believes this intersection is dangerous, as many people run the stop signs and the pedestrian movements are not highlighted by crosswalks. A video study was performed for about thirty hours, during the work week, and the crossings were both well used. The southern crosswalk across Gleason Road had a maximum of 34 crossings in a two hour period, and five distinct peaks above the warranted 20 crossings in a two hour period. The western crosswalk across Dewey Hill had only one peak exceeding 20 crossings in a two hour period, which had 29 crossings. This intersection is next to a public park. When analyzing the video, very few people came to a full and complete stop when not forced to by traffic, and some drivers (right turns in particular) seemed to go through the intersection with a minimal reduction in speed. The camera does not record speeds, and these were not separately collected. Crosswalk warrants may be found in Appendix A. After review, staff recommends that these crosswalks be placed to provide a highlighting of the pedestrian movements at the intersection. In addition, stop bars will be placed prior to the crosswalks in an effort to reduce speeds of drivers traveling through the intersection. Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 2 of 11 Photo : 2 dead end signs as seen from Xerxes Avenue Map : 54th Street gravel portion A2. Request for a “No Outlet” sign to be placed on 54th Street, west of Xerxes Avenue This request comes from a resident whose driveway is at the end of the dead end of 54th Street west of Xerxes Avenue. The requestor states that people use their driveway as a turnaround, and are driving down 54th Street unaware that it is a dead end street, this is an unsuitable action for private property and has caused damage. Currently, two signs reading, “Dead End” are placed on 54th Street facing Xerxes Avenue, one at Xerxes Avenue itself, and another at the alley between Xerxes Avenue and York Avenue. Traditionally the City of Edina has placed “No Outlet” signs where the end of a roadway is not visible from the turn, and “Dead End” when the geometry would allow a turning vehicle to see the end of the roadway from the intersection. Further, on the second “Dead End” sign, there is a speed limit sign which establishes a ten (10) mph speed limit, which indicates that this area is an alleyway, as speed limits may not be lowered below 30 mph on city streets without bike lanes. This is complicated by the fact that all plats and maps seen by staff do not distinguish this area as an alleyway, but a street, with properties addressed off of it, and 65 feet of right of way. After review, staff recommends adding a small plaque reading “No Turnaround” beneath the second “Dead End” sign. Staff does not recommend placing a “No Outlet” sign at this location, because the end of the roadway is clearly visible. Further, staff recognizes this area as a road, and not an alley, such that this signage would be appropriate. A3. Request for increased safety on Brookview Avenue and 64th Street This request comes in response to what it seen as a dangerous curve in a residential roadway. Brookview Avenue, traveling south at TH 62, turns left 90-degrees and becomes 64th Street, as if there was an intersection instead of a curve. This restricts sight distance and without a centerline, was seen by the requestor as a cause of a recent bicycle crash. Brookview Avenue is 29 feet wide with an ADT of 115 and an 85th- percentile speed of 27.9 mph. Overgrown vegetation on the inside of the curve was observed and the area was sent to the city’s clearview officer and the city forester for enforcement. After review, staff believes that brush clearing from the inside of the curve will have the desired effect of increasing sight distance and safety in this location. This clearing will be tracked by the Traffic Safety Coordinator to ensure its completion. Photo : Looking south on Brookview Avenue towards 64th Street, the heavy vegetation on the left blocks sight lines Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 3 of 11 Section B : Items on which staff does not recommend action B1. Request for a stop sign on Lynmar Lane at Hazelton Road This request comes from a resident living near the intersection. The requestor states; vehicles dangerously turn onto Hazelton Road from Lynmar Lane at unsafe speeds. The requestor would like for a stop sign to be installed on Lynmar Lane. Currently this is an uncontrolled 3 way intersection which also has a driveway to an apartment complex on the north side. Westbound Hazelton Road, curves to the north immediately after the intersection. Hazelton road is approximately 29 feet wide, with parking on both sides of the street. There is a sidewalk on the south side of Hazelton Road. Lynmar Lane is approximately 28 feet wide, with no parking on the west side of the street. There have been no reported crashes at this location susceptible to correction by a stop sign. A 2014 24 hour video study was performed at the intersection. During the study a combined total of 703 vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians entered the intersection from all approaches. The entering traffic from Hazelton Road and Lynmar Lane were approximately equal with, 359 and 344 respectively. Warrants for a stop sign can be found in Appendix B. Lynmar Lane has no other uncontrolled intersections along its entire length and is typically controlled by one or two way stop signs. Hazelton Road is controlled by a traffic signal at France Avenue, a roundabout between France Avenue and York Avenue, and a traffic signal at York Avenue, this is the terminus of Hazelton Road. This request has been previously denied due to lack of volume and lack of accident history. After review, staff recommends that this intersection be left uncontrolled. This is due to a lack of accident history, and not meeting other warrants. The fact that this is the only uncontrolled intersection on both of these streets was seen as not enough reasoning to control the intersection, but as an extra consideration if the intersection nearly met warrants. Because the intersection does not have volumes or accidents approaching warranted levels, this was seen as not applying in this case. In addition, the Traffic Safety Committee is requesting that traffic safety requests considered by Edina Transportation Commission and City Council will last as a recommendation for four years. Similar requests made in the area will have the previous recommendation unless development, construction or other major changes result in conditions which would clearly differ from previous investigation. Map: Hazelton Road and Lynmar Lane Picture: Hazelton Rd and Lynmar Lane from the east Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 4 of 11 Map : West Shore Drive and Upper Terrace Photo : Northern parking lot of the Grandview Library B2. Request for removal of 3-way stop at West Shore Drive and Upper Terrace This request comes from a resident who feels that the stop signs at the intersection of West Shore Drive and Upper Terrace are ugly, create vehicle noise from acceleration, are not respected, do not slow down traffic, nor discourage cut through traffic, and create a more dangerous intersection. The requestor feels that Edina is supposed to have a rural feel, and having residential stop signs like West Shore Drive and Upper Terrace leads to an urban feeling. The stop sign was placed as a result of the May 5th, 1998 Traffic Safety Staff Review, as an attempt to control speeds and volume of cut through traffic. No accidents have been reported in the last five years which are attributable to the stop signs. In 1998 and before installation, West Shore Drive had an ADT of 1037 vehicles per day, and an 85th-percentile speed of 34.5 mph, after installation an ADT of 1325 vehicles and an 85th- percentile speed of 34.0 mph. The intersection was reconstructed in 2007 and the intersection was realigned such that a through movement on West Shore Drive is unnatural. In 2012, 2 counts on West Shore Drive found an ADT of 894 and 969 and an 85th-percentile speed of 24.0 and 25.5 mph. Full warrants for stop signs may be found in Appendix B. After review, staff found that, although the volumes do not currently support the placement of an all-way stop, the low speeds and volumes do not warrant its removal. The changes to the intersection geometry also were considered as a reason to maintain the current traffic control. B3. Request for a redesign of the Grandview area library and Edina Senior Center parking lot This request comes from a user of the Edina Senior Center and Hennepin County Library in the Grandview area. The concern relates to the design of the parking lot, which uses perpendicular parking (90-degrees to the curb). In this parking situation, a backing car may not be able to see approaching vehicles with enough sight distance, due to other cars parked in nearby spaces. The proposed solution involved using diagonal parking and one-way traffic to minimize sight distance obstructions. Diagonal parking would decrease the capacity of the lot. No accidents have been reported in the parking lot within the past five years, Photo : West Shore Drive at Upper Terrace Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 5 of 11 Map : Grandview Library and Senior Center however the requestor noted one accident in the last week. When investigating this issue, on two of three visits to the site, the parking lots were over capacity. The parking lot is 59 feet wide, with a 24 foot aisle, and 17.5 foot deep stalls on either side. After review, staff recommends denial of the request, due to high utilization of parking at this location, the lack of an accident history, and the design of this parking lot being fairly common. B4. Request for a Crosswalk across 66th Street at Warren Avenue This request came from several neighbors in the Brookview Heights neighborhood, who noted that high speeds on 66th Street and the lack of pedestrian infrastructure made the area unwelcoming to pedestrians, and made getting to the park an unwanted experience. Video was gathered of the area on May 8th-May 10th of 2015 and was evaluated. A maximum of 15 people crossed in the maximum two-hour period on Friday May 8th in the afternoon. The weather was mixed, with temperatures in the sixties, and rain on Sunday, May 10th. There are no sidewalks currently in the area, but one along 66th Street is planned. This crossing connects a neighborhood to a public park. Crosswalk warrants are attached in Appendix A. After review, staff recommends this request for denial. This decision was made by considering volume of crossings that a crosswalk would support. The placement of the crosswalk to connect the neighborhoods south of 66th Street to the park north of 66th Street was seen as a laudable goal, however the warrant for crosswalks addressing locations adjacent to public parks was not seen as alone reducing the needed number of crossings for placement by five (5) or twenty-five percent. Map : 66th Street and Warran Avenue Photo: A group of pedestrians, as seen from the video camera Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 6 of 11 Map : 50th Street and Maple Road is circled, the assumed cut-through traffic route is shown with the arrow. B5. Request for traffic calming on Maple Road from 50th Street to 49th Street This request comes from a resident who believes that Maple Road has a high amount of traffic using it as a bypass to 50th Street and France Avenue. While the road had an ADT of 1210 vehicles per day, the 85th-percentile speeds were seen to be 28 mph. Sidewalks are present on both sides of this street. There have been no reported accidents due to this condition in the last five years. The road is 29.5 feet wide from face of curb to face of curb, Further discussions with the requestor revealed that the volume of vehicles, while seen as a nuisance, was not the focus of the request, but the short block means that the acceleration of vehicles to get up to 28 miles per hour would make it harder to break within a normal perception-reaction time, as well as the speed of turns from 50th Street to Maple, as is necessitated by the few and small gaps in 50th Street traffic. These turning vehicles do not look for pedestrians and thus make jaywalking in the middle of the block safer than crossing at the legal crosswalk at the corner, or diverting pedestrian traffic up to 49th Street to cross Maple Road. Other further concerns include aggressive driving in general by what is seen by the requestor as non-local traffic. Graph : The crossing volume of the proposed crosswalk Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 7 of 11 After previous review, staff decided that a rush hour specific left turn restriction was the best option for dealing with these concerns in a timely, and cost- effective manner. A letter was sent to residents in the area who would be most strongly affected by the restrictions, and 12 residents returned with comments supportive of the restrictions, 13 residents returned with comments opposed to the restrictions, and four (4) residents wrote that they had reservations but were neither supportive, nor opposed to the plan. The White Oaks Neighborhood Association also sent out an email about the proposed restrictions, which gathered five (5) additional comments, with four (4) opposed and one (1) concerned but neither opposed nor supportive of placement of the restrictions. General comments in support of the restriction noted that the route was used for cut-through traffic, and drivers often did not seem to alter t heir driving behavior in the presence of pedestrians. Opposed comments focused more highly on the inconvenience to the residents themselves, and possibly externalities to Arden, Bruce, Wooddale, and Townes Road, as people found different routes home but still avoided the 50th and France business district. Many residents also wanted further police enforcement at the all-way stop at 49th Street and Maple Road. After review, it was seen that the neighborhood did not support such a measure. As this measure would affect the entire area this was seen as not being a viable solution for the neighborhood. Section C : Items which staff recommends for further study C1. Request for removal of crosswalk at 50th Street and Eden Avenue This request comes from a resident, who lives in the Grandview Area. The requestor states that the crosswalk that is present in this location is inadequate for safety of pedestrians. The crosswalk is marked with special, brick style, pavement markings and static signs. 50th Street in this location has an ADT of approximately 26,500 and an 85th percentile speed of 35 mph, from previous studies. A video study was performed for a full week and found that there was a maximum of 13 crossings in a two hour window. The crosswalk does not meet the Crosswalk Policy, as the policy states that crosswalks will not be placed on arterial roads unless in conjunction with signalization, and the 2008 Comprehensive Plan for the city has 50th St. labeled as an Augmenter Arterial (A-minor arterial). There are two crashes in this location within the last five years, but neither was an accident type that would indicate a pedestrian was involved. The city’s crosswalk policy is located in Appendix A. Photo : 50th Street at its intersection with Maple Road Map : Crosswalk at 50th and Eden, city hall is shown in the lower left corner of the map. Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 8 of 11 After review, staff recommends delaying a decision on this crosswalk until the Grandview Area transportation study is complete. Reasons for delay, as opposed to denial include warrant E, which states that locations adjacent to public uses should be considered for crosswalks; warrant A, which states that crosswalks shall be placed at locations that are unusually hazardous or at locations no readily apparent as having pedestrian movement; the distance between crossings on 50th Street reaching from TH 100 to Wooddale Avenue; the discomfort of crossing in an unmarked crosswalk on 50th Street; a lack of warrants for the removal of a crosswalk, as opposed to the clear warrants for the placement of a crosswalk; and a coming transportation study which will include this crosswalk. This item will be considered again in 2016, at the conclusion of the Grandview Transportation study. Section D : Other items handled by traffic safety D1. A requestor asked for the Do Not Enter sign on the TH 100 southbound exit ramp, to its intersection with Edina Industrial Boulevard and 77th Street, to be skewed 45-degrees from parallel. This was investigated and the sign was found to already be skewed by 45-degrees, the requestor was then emailed back with a phone number for the MnDOT employee who would be able to further the request. D2. A requestor asked for looking at the timing of 66th Street’s lights between France Avenue and York Avenue, as delays seemed greater than usual. 66th Street is a county road in this location, and the request was forwarded to the county. (The light at Southdale Mall’s exit was stuck in pedestrian recall, and has since been fixed). D3. A requestor had speed concerns for Maloney Avenue close to the intersection of Monroe Avenue. A counter was placed in this location and a speed report was forwarded to the police department. 85th- percentile speeds were seen to be 35.7 mph and up to 22 percent of all drivers exceeded the speed limit by at least 5 mph. D4. A requestor asked for an in-street pedestrian sign to be placed at Warden Avenue and Tracy Avenue, to highlight the crosswalk as school started in Edina. This was forwarded to the sign shop, and discussed with the sign shop supervisor. D5. A requestor wanted to know if parking on 58th Street in Edina, from France Avenue to Xerxes Avenue was legal. The street is signed no parking, the requestor was informed of this. Further, the requestor wished to inform city staff that the neighborhood traffic study on the area should not be the only investigation done into a neighborhood traffic circle’s placement at Beard Avenue and 58th Street. D6. A requestor asked that more attention and safety considerations be given to the 55th Street crosswalk across Xerxes Avenue. The requestor noted that vehicles rarely observe state law at this crossing, and a recent incident involving verbal harassment of her daughter and herself by a motorist who was over a block away when they started their crossing. The requestor was emailed and informed that this crossing is in the City of Edina’s rotation for in-street pedestrian signs, and that further signage must be done through Hennepin County. The contact information for the Hennepin County sign shop was forwarded to the requestor. D7. A request for temporary “Resident Parking Only” signs was received from the Olde Vernon Homeowners Association. The requestor said that the construction in the Countryside neighborhood had diverted parking onto Vernon Lane, which is a private road. No maintenance agreement was known Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 9 of 11 for the area. It was discussed that the residents may have to talk to neighbors and inform them that legally they were trespassing on the association’s property. Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 10 of 11 Appendix A: Crosswalk Warrants A. Marked crosswalks are placed at locations that are unusually hazardous or at locations not readily apparent as having pedestrian movement. B. Marked crosswalks will only be placed in an area that has 20 or more pedestrian crossings in a two-hour period. C. Marking for crosswalks will be established by measuring the “Vehicle Gap Time”. This is the total number of gaps between vehicular traffic recorded during the average five minute period in the peak hour. Criteria for markings are: 1) More than five gaps – pavement marking and signage only. 2) Less than five gaps – add actuated pedestrian signals. D. Crosswalks will not be placed on arterial roads or roads with a speed limit greater than 30 mph unless in conjunction with signalization. E. Other conditions that warrant crosswalks: 1) Routes to schools 2) Locations adjacent to libraries, community centers, and other high use public facilities. 3) Locations adjacent to public parks. 4) Locations where significant numbers of handicapped persons cross a street. 5) Locations where significant numbers of senior citizens cross a street. F. Crosswalks will only be placed at intersections. Traffic Safety Committee Report of September 2, 2015 Page 11 of 11 Appendix B: Stop Sign Warrants When it is determined that a full stop is always required on an approach to an intersection a STOP (R1-1) sign shall be used. At intersections where a full stop is not necessary at all times, consideration should first be given to using less restrictive measures such as YIELD signs. The use of STOP signs on the minor-street approaches should be considered if engineering judgment indicates that a stop is always required because of one or more of the following conditions: A. The vehicular traffic volumes on the through street or highway exceed 6,000 vehicles per day; B. A restricted view exists that requires road users to stop in order to adequately observe conflicting traffic on the through street or highway. C. Crash records indicate that three or more crashes that are susceptible to correction with the installation of a STOP sign have been reported within a 12-month period, or that five or more such crashes have been reported within a 2-year period. Such crashes include right-angle collisions involving road users from the minor street failing to yield the right-of-way to traffic on the through street or highway. Additional warrants which do not specify the type of control are as follows; A. An intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal right-of way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law; B. A street entering a designated through highway or street; and/or C. An un-signalized intersection in a signalized area. In addition, the use of YIELD or STOP signs should be considered at the intersection of two minor streets or local roads where the intersection has more than three approaches and where one or more of the following conditions exist: A. The combined vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian volume entering the intersection from all approaches averages more the 2,000 units per day; B. The ability to see conflicting traffic on an approach is not sufficient to allow a road user to stop or yield in compliance with the normal right-of-way rule if such stopping or yielding is necessary; and/or C. Crash records indicate that five or more crashes that involve the failure to yield the right-of-way rule have been reported within a 3-year period, or that three or more such crashes have been reported within a 2-year period. Additional warrants from the city of Edina list that: 1. If an intersection experiences five (5) or more right angle accidents in a three (3) year period, stop signs should be considered. 2. If the presence of a sight obstruction is contributing to accidents at an intersection, removal of the sight obstruction should be sought before considering a stop sign. 3. If the 85th percentile speed on any leg of an intersection is more than five (5) MPH over the posted speed limit, a stop sign should be considered for the intersecting street. 4. If traffic volumes exceed 1,000 vehicles per day on each of the intersecting streets, stop signs should be considered. 5. Residential stop signs shall not be installed in an attempt to control speed. 6. Residential stop signs shall not be installed in an attempt to control volume. Date: September 17, 2015 Agenda Item #: X.A. To:Transportation Commission Item Type: Other From:Mark K. Nolan, AICP, Transportation Planner Item Activity: Subject:Staff Comments for September 2015 Information CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: None. INTRODUCTION: Staff will update the ETC on the following topics: Construction status of 2015 Neighborhood Street Reconstruction Projects Draft Engineering Studies for 2016 Neighborhood Street Reconstruction Projects Status of other current construction projects Grandview District Transportation Study Consultant Selection Process Date: September 17, 2015 Agenda Item #: XI.A. To:Transportation Commission Item Type: Other From:Mark K. Nolan, AICP, Transportation Planner Item Activity: Subject:Schedule of Upcoming Meetings/Dates/Events Information CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: None. INTRODUCTION: Thursday September 17: France Avenue Grand Opening - 6:00 PM, FRANCE AVE & W 70TH ST Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, THINK MUTUAL BANK Sunday September 27: Open Streets on 50th - 1:00-5:00 PM, W 50TH ST Thursday October 22: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS Thursday November 19: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COMMUNITY ROOM Thursday December 17: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COMMUNITY ROOM Thursday January 21: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS Thursday February 18: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COMMUNITY ROOM Thursday March 17: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COMMUNITY ROOM Thursday April 21: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS Thursday May 19: Regular ETC Meeting - 6:00 PM, COMMUNITY ROOM