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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-03-10 TAC MINUTES• City of Englewood, Colorado ENGLEWOOD TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING Minutes of March 10, 2005 The regular monthly meeting of the Englewood Transportation Advisory Committee was called to order by Chair Christie at 6:35 p.m. in the Community Room at the City of Englewood Civic Center. Secretary's Note: Regular meetings of ETAC are normally scheduled for 7:00 p.m., however, this evening's meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to conduct Committee business prior to the Oxford Avenue Traffic Calming Open House, which is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Members Present: David Anderson Joe Christie Betty Goosman Daryl Kinton Ray Tomasso, Council Liaison Rick Kahm, Director of Public Works, ex officio Members Absent: Regi Maclaren A quorum was present. Also Present: Ladd Vostry, Traffic Engineer Linda Wilks, Recording Secretary Lt. Jeff Sanchez • Approval of Minutes • Chair Christie asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes of January 13, 2005. There being none, a motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes as presented. With Members Anderson, Christie, and Goosman voting aye, the motion passed. Mr. Christie noted that a quorum was not present at the February 10, 2005 meeting. Therefore, as an unofficial meeting, approval of those minutes was not necessary. Public Comment There were no visitors in attendance for the regular meeting. Old Business • In preparation of the Open House scheduled for 7:00 p.m. this evening, Director Kahm briefly reviewed the process he expects will take place as visitors arrive . To Chair Christie 's inquiry, Mr. Kahm stated he expected representation at the meeting from the Fire Division to verify that the proposed Oxford Ave. pilot program would not hinder movement of emergency vehicles, block alleyways, etc. Mr. Kahm reiterated that these issues have been addressed by staff and Muller Engineering. Vice-chair Anderson asked for clarification regarding the timeline for t he pilot program. Mr. Kahm stated that, with results of previous speed and volume counts, and the ou t come of continued monitoring, the success or failure of the pilot program will be determined by ETAC Members at a time of their choosing. 1 Traffic Engineer Vostry added that the industry standard timeline is, typically, anywhere from several months to one year. Discussion ensued regarding drivers' initial reaction to the addition of traffic calming devices vs. reactions to the same devices after a period of time. Mr. Kahm stated that, in the case of the variable speed message sign installed on Logan St. approximately two years ago, speed studies conducted just prior to installation, and studies conducted soon after and again 1112 years after installation, support that an 85th percentile speed of 30 mph is still practiced today, down from 37-38 mph prior to posting of the speed sign. • Committee briefly discussed Member and Officer term limits, as well as increasing membership from five to seven. Committee agreed to postpone further discussion until the April meeting. New Business There was no New Business. Director's Choice • Director Kahm reported that the street light, to be installed on Navajo St. just south of Oxford Ave., has been ordered, with installation expected in the near future. • Mr. Kahm noted that a number of positive comments have been received from Dartmouth Ave. residents regarding the City's traffic calming efforts between Downing St. and University Blvd. Mr. Kahm stated that the speed message signs should be installed on Dartmouth within the next 3-4 weeks. Mr. Vostry added that staff is currently conducting a speed study along that stretch of Dartmouth Ave. Committee Member Kinton entered the meeting at 6:48 p.m. Prior to Chairperson's Choice, Chair Christie welcomed everyone in the audience and inquired if anyone was present to address Committee with concerns other than the Oxford Ave. traffic calming pilot program. There were no comments from the audience. Mr. Christie said thank you, the Open House will begin at 7:00 p.m. Chairperson's Choice Chair Christie had no concerns to bring before Committee. Committee Members' Choice Committee Members had no comments or concerns to bring forward. Prior to adjournment, Director Kahm presented Committee Member Kinton with his Certificate of Appointment and City lapel pin for his recent re-appointment to ETAC. Adjournment There being no further business, the regular meeting was adjourned at 6:52 p.m., allowing a brief intermission prior to the Open House. Linda Wilks, Recording Secretary Secretary's Note: Attached is an outline of the comments and questions received from citizens at the Oxford Avenue Traffic Calming Open House on March 10, 2005. 2 • • • • • • City of ·Englewood Englewood Transportation Advisory Committee OPEN HOUSE Oxford Avenue Traffic Calming Pilot Program 7:00 p.m., March 10, 2005 The following is an outline of comments received at the Open House scheduled at 7:00 p.m. in the City of Englewood Community Room, following the regular monthly meeting of the Englewood Transportation Advisory Committee. The Oxford Avenue Traffic Calming Open House began at 7:00 p.m. Chair Christie introduced himself, and thanked everyone for attending. Mr. Chr istie asked that everyone, not having done so, to please sign the visitors' sign -u p sheet located near the Community Room entrance, and noted also that comment sheets are available for anyone wishing to offer their thoughts in writing. 19 residents in attendance. (Visitor Sign-up Sheet attached.) Mr. Christie introduced Bob Fearns, from Muller Engineering, who designed the proposed traffic calming plan for Oxford Ave. Mr. Fearns provided a brief overview of the plan. AUDIENCE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS INCLUDED: Why is Oxford considered a truck route? Trucks from recycling plant west of Santa Fe use Oxford residential roadway. Speed as well as trucks on Oxford need to be addressed . Meeting wasn't posted on web site. Meeting flyers should have been mailed to residents further north and south of Oxford. (Meeting was, in fact, posted on web page Calendar of Events as well as on the ETAC agenda posted under Boards and Commissions.) Why can't speed limit be lowered? Windermere was supposed to be a truck route. Why can't the pedestrian light between Inca and Jason be a cycled light, which allows vehicles to cross Oxford when the light turns red? Or add a couple more stop lights on Oxford? Can you install truck weight limit signs on Oxford? Trucks could use Belleview or Hampden instead of Oxford, which are state highways. When Oxford speed limit is aggressively enforced, the semi's stop tearing down the street in the middle of the night. How w ill snow removal be affected by the pilot program? I noticed a change in traffic on Broadway when the City entered into an agreement with DRCOG to retime the traffic lights on Broadway from Denver to Highlands Ranch . Why do we have to let the world use our town as a trash pit, so to speak? Has the roundabout concept, similar to Holly St. in Greenwood Village, been considered in Englewood? Will the devices stop the left turning traffic from Oxford into the Rec. Center? Its very dangerous at that spot. Meadow Gold trucks in turn lane in front of Rec. Center cause resident a delay in entering his driveway on Oxford. Who will be paying for the pilot program, the residents or the City? Will this project include line painting? I appreciate that you've done some research and are looking into slowing traffic on Oxford. What is the cost of this project and what is the timeline? Is Englewood PD going to continue aggressively enforcing the speed limit like they are now? Meadow Gold drives Oxford east to Kalamath and around to their entrance in the back. Why can't they turn left onto Windermere? When you talk to the recycling company in Sheridan, when they turn northbound onto Santa Fe they regularly blow the light, its not yellow. We don 't mind the cars and pick ups on Oxford, it's the semi 's. Hampden and Belleview Avenues are more commercial streets than Oxford, we lose that residential feel with all the concrete and asphalt trucks roaring through. On Oxford, can you prohibit trucks from 10:00 p.m. t ill 6:00 a.m.? One problem with the paving company in Sheridan is that all drivers are contract drivers, it don't work, if it's a mile closer to go east on Oxford and south on Broadway as opposed to back tracking on Santa Fe, they're going to go Oxford if it's a legal street. I appreciate you guys doing something, let's hope it works. Thank you for thinki ng of us. STAFF RESPONSES: Mr. Kahm addressed truck traffic; origination of truck routes; the City's grid system; history of Oxford Ave .; • traffic characteristics caused by the width of Oxford; change, over the years, in the industries in Sheridan that use • Oxford; highway user's ta x funds; purpose of ETAC; collector streets; 30 mph speed limits in Englewood; the 85th percentile concept; Speed Pledge Program; Transportation Study conducted in 2002 -2003; stop lights caus ing the creation of more collector streets; effectiveness of radar speed limit signs. Further, Mr. Kahm discussed t he Oxford pilot program, snow removal; suggested staff could ask for cooperation from the recycl ing plant and other industries west of Santa Fe to use Santa Fe instead of Oxford; (Mr. Vostry) addressed back up of traffic i n Littleton at Powers and at Littleton Blvd. and advised that Littleton plans to retime Broadway at these locations; Mr. Kahm noted that, years ago, the City initiated DRCOG working with Denver, Englewood, Littleton on retiming of Broadway signals to create a heavier volume on Broadway while actually reducing traffic by 15% on residential Logan, Downing, and other collector streets; traffic affects of Englewood be ing located in the middle of a metropol is; (Mr. Vestry) Greenwood Village spent approximately $1.5 million for traffic calming on Holly, Greenwood Village reports they would not use this method of traffic calming in the future; composition of median devices used for traffic calming; addressed left turn into Rec. Center; (Mr. Vestry) explained that pedestrian signal was removed from cycle mode because nearby residents complained they could not get in and out of their driveways with traffic stopped at red light. Mr. Kahm explained that residents directly affected by pilot program were personally contacted by Mr. Vestry, receiving favorable comments; flyers of the open house were mailed to 500 residences along Oxford and V2 block north and south of Oxford; engineer consultant, staff and ETAC took special care that driveway and alley accesses were not blocked. Mr. Kahm provided information on the formation of ETAC; asserted that $50,000 has been set aside to fund this and other 2005 traffic calming projects through the Public Improvement Fund, that citizens will not be billed for the 2 • • • • Oxford project; briefed the audienc€ on traffic calming taking place on Dartmouth Ave. as a result of citizen concerns; lines currently painted on Oxford will be maintained; staff will continue to look into ways to deal with truck traffic, talk with businesses in Sheridan to encourage them to redirect their truck traffic; explained the need to change driver behavior; realignment of Santa Fe caused the closures of Kenyon, Quincy and Union Avenues through Englewood, causing redirection of traffic to Oxford. Cost of the project was discussed, approximately $14,000 for the median devices, plus two radar speed signs at $6,500 each and installation costs; estimated timeline is 30-45 days for plans to go to bid, with work completion by mid-June; Mr. Kahm reported that Englewood PD is committed to traffic enforcement in this community; drivers drive unintentionally at a "comfort level" and radar speed signs get their attention and remind them of their speed. Mr . Kahm reiterated that staff will look at the access to the Rec. Center, and will come up with a strategy for approaching the businesses in Sheridan to reroute their truck traffic as well as truck traffic from Meadow Gold Dairy; Mr. Kahm surmised that Meadow Gold takes Kalamath to allow better access for drivers to back into their lot. Mr. Kahm explained that the State controls all signals on Santa Fe, their interest lies in how many cars they can move in so many minutes from point A to point B, City staff calls State routinely to readjust signals back along Santa Fe to allow some traffic movement at Oxford and at Dartmouth; explained Englewood's goal is to make traffic flow better through Englewood, not worse; reiterated a timeline of approximately one year to determine the effectiveness of the pilot program; (Mr. Vostry) invited everyone to give their input on the effectiveness of the program, Mr. Christie concurred. Mr. Tomasso invited citizens to apply for appointment to the alternate position on ETAC; Mr. Kahm extended appreciation for everyone attending the open house, distributed his business cards, asked anyone to call him or Mr . Vostry; brief discussion regarding response time for emergency vehicles maneuvering around traffic calming devices; Mr . Kahm strongly commended Safety Services for their response times. Mr. Kahm noted that if, after two months of implementing the pilot program, it becomes obvious its not working, staff will go back and plan something else; hopes the pilot program will produce something that can also be used on other collector streets as well; discussion of effectiveness of Speed Pledge Program, effectively managing the resources of the Police Department; advised the audience of the CDOT nighttime paving project on Hampden that will begin in April through Englewood, and related noise restrictions that the City is implementing. Mr. Kahm stated that staff will pursue limiting the hours of truck traffic on Oxford; noted good working relationship with Brannan and Kiewit and believes something can be worked out with them to reroute their trucks from Oxford; staff will monitor effectiveness of "choker" devices, perhaps more chokers will need to be added where the road opens up. 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