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Home My WebLink About2010-08-11 PACKET 04.J.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM# DATE 08/11/2010 Engineering ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT Jennifer Levitt STAFF AUTHOR COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST: Approve an exclusive pedestrian phase for the 80th Street crossing and adjust the time of day for a no right turn sign to reflect new hours of nearby schools. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommend the Council pursue an exclusive pedestrian phase for the 80 Street crossing and adjust the time of day for a no right turn sign to reflect new hours of nearby schools. ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS: ZMEMO/LETTER: Jennifer Levitt, August 4, 2010. ❑ RESOLUTION: F ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: F LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS: Date * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 * -k * * * * * * * . COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: S;r / APPROVED ❑ DENIED E]OTHER DATE REVIEWED APPROVED DENIED F PLANNING 1:1 ❑ F F PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ F F ❑ PUBLIC WORKS 06/14/2010 ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ F F ❑ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS ❑ F ❑ F ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ❑ F F 1:1 1:1 F F SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS: ZMEMO/LETTER: Jennifer Levitt, August 4, 2010. ❑ RESOLUTION: F ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: F LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS: Date * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1 * -k * * * * * * * . COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: S;r / APPROVED ❑ DENIED E]OTHER From: Jennifer Levitt, City Engineer Date: August 4, 2010 Subject: 80 Street & Hinton Avenue Pedestrian Crossing Background /Discussion Recently, a citizen was struck while crossing 80th Street at the Hinton Avenue intersection. The vehicle was traveling southbound on Hinton Avenue making a left turn on to 80 Street. This memo examines existing conditions, options for improvements, and the costs /benefits for each alternative. Existing conditions The intersection of 80th Street at Hinton Avenue is signalized. 80th Street is phased with protected /permitted left turns. Pedestrian crossings are striped on the north leg and east leg of the intersection. Pedestrian indications provide walk /don't walk phasing for pedestrians. Fluorescent yellow -green warning signs S1 -1 (School crossing) and W16 -9p (AHEAD) are located in advance of the pedestrian crossings. Black -on -white regulatory signs are pole - mounted at the intersection with the message "no right turn on red 7:30 — 8:30 AM, 2:30 -3:30 PM Mon - Fri ". Improvement alternatives Green Arrow One option would be to display a green left arrow during school hours, and displaying a green ball during non - school hours for the Hinton Avenue southbound approach. The existing signal is a three - section head with circular red, yellow, and green indications. The cost of removing the existing head and replacing with a four - section head (red, yellow, green, green arrow) would be approximately $1,100 per signal head. This installation also requires revising the existing phasing in the signal controller that functions only during school hours. It would also require new signal cable wiring from the new green arrow indication to the signal cabinet. The total estimated cost for this installation would be around $2,500. Operationally, the pedestrian phase would coincide with the green arrow phase during school hours. The Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MnMUTCD) states that left - turning vehicles shall yield the right -of -way to pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk whether the indication is a circular green or a green arrow. There would be very little difference between a circular green and a green arrow in terms of driver or pedestrian behavior. The costs of this alternative outweigh the benefits. Exclusive Pedestrian Phase This intersection is equipped with an Econolite ASC- 2/2100 traffic signal controller. This controller is able to provide an exclusive pedestrian phase. No new equipment or cabling would be required. An exclusive pedestrian phase would allow pedestrians to push the button and then cross 80th Street with all vehicular traffic stopped. This provides the maximum protection to pedestrians, and drivers would experience some additional delay only when pedestrians are present. The Hinton Avenue pedestrian crossing can remain attached to the 80th Street vehicular phase. At present, pedestrians cross concurrently with Hinton Avenue (phase 4). This alternative would create a separate phase 8 for the crossing. This would require rewiring the pedestrian phase 4 pushbutton and signal wiring to pedestrian phase 8 within the signal cabinet. An exclusive pedestrian phase 8 must be entered into the signal controller, using the existing crossing walk (7 seconds) and clearance time (18 seconds). No Right Turn Sign Modification The current black -on -white regulatory sign at the intersection of 80 Street and Hinton Avenue has a message "no right turn on red 7:30 — 8:30 AM, 2:30 -3:30 PM Mon - Fri ". This was to help reduce the amount of vehicles encroaching into the pedestrian crosswalk area. The schools near the intersection have a staggered start schedule, which indicates that to keep the sign accurate and pertinent to the situation, the sign times would need to change. The proposed time change on the sign would be "7:30 — 9:30 AM, 2:30 — 4:30 PM Mon - Fri ". Public Works Commission MOTION MADE BY GARY KJELLBERG, SECONDED BY JASON FIELD TO PURSUE AN EXCLUSIVE PEDESTRIAN PHASE FOR THE 80 STREET /HINTON CROSSING AND TO CHANGE THE "NO RIGHT TURN' SIGN TO REFLECT NEW HOURS OF NEARBY SCHOOLS. MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED. Recommendation It is recommended to pursue an exclusive pedestrian phase for the 80 Street crossing and adjust the time of day no right turn sign to reflect new hours of nearby schools.