Traffic Commission Meeting

URBANA TRAFFIC COMMISSION Approved August 8, 2017 Tuesday, June 13, 2017 MEMBERS PRESENT: Craig Shonkwiler, Assistant City Engineer Sylvia Morgan, Chief of Police MEMBERS ABSENT: Harold “Dean” Hazen, City Council Member, Ward 6, Chair OTHERS PRESENT: Ota Dossett, Urbana School District #116 John Collins, Operations Manager, City of Urbana Chris Manrique Brian Anderson, Urbana School District #116 Beth Beatty, Administrative Services Manager The meeting began at 4:09 p.m. Chief Morgan assumed the chair. Approval of Minutes: Craig Shonkwiler moved to approve the minutes of the April 11, 2017 meeting. Sylvia Morgan seconded the motion. The Commission voted 2-0 to approve the minutes of the April meeting. Additions to the agenda: There were no additions to the agenda. Public Input Those wishing to provide input did so as items were discussed. Unfinished Business There was no unfinished business. New Business The Commission approved moving items on the agenda to address issues represented by those in attendance first. Item #1- Discussion of parking on Thompson Street at Division Avenue. Chris Manrique submitted the Traffic Issues/Concerns Request Form after he and Mrs. Manrique attended the September 2016 meeting of the Urbana Traffic Commission to express concern about accessing the intersection of Thompson Street and Division Avenue.  Traffic Commission Minutes June 2017 Page 2 Mr. Shonkwiler said that the item was reviewed by staff and the findings were brought to the Traffic Commission for discussion. Chris Manrique said that the situation had improved since he and his wife attended the meeting last fall. Before attending the September 2016 meeting, Mr. Manrique said that there had been times when access to Thompson Street had been totally blocked by cars parked at the intersection of Thompson Street and Division Avenue. Craig Shonkwiler stated that a church once occupied the southeast corner of the Thompson Street and Division Avenue intersection. He said that the property was the location for two Habitat for Humanity homes. He mentioned that prior to the time when the two homes were built, parking was prohibited on the south side of Thompson Street, but that there were no restrictions on Division Avenue. He noted that currently there were no parking restrictions posted in front of the two Habitat for Humanity properties even though parking was restricted at those locations. He informed the Commission that no crashes had been reported within the last five years. He noted that when observing the intersection in May 2017, there were cars illegally parking within the southeast corner of Thompson Street and Division Avenue. Beth Beaty asked if there were restrictions on Division Avenue. Craig Shonkwiler said that Division Avenue had no restrictions. Mr. Manrique mentioned that he had several occasions where he could not pass through the intersection and had to contact the Police Department to have vehicles moved. Beth Beaty stated that Parking Enforcement had been consciously enforcing parking restrictions at the intersection in recent months. Mr. Manrique stated that he had asked for parking restrictions on the south side of Thompson Street a few years ago when an apartment building on the north side of Thompson Street was annexed into the City. Sylvia Morgan asked when the parking restrictions were approved by City Council. It was noted that the parking restrictions on the south side of Thompson Street were approved in 2011. John Collins said that the parking restriction signs were removed when the church was demolished. He was concerned that some vehicles were parked in the yards of the properties on the south side of Thompson Street. Craig Shonkwiler observed no traffic control at the intersection and expressed concern about the visibility for motorists approaching the intersection when cars were parked blocking the view of traffic entering the intersection. He said that City staff had performed a visibility study at that intersection and observed vehicles parked on a gravel surface that was not approved for parking. He recommended a No Parking Here to Corner sign be installed on Thompson Street near the  Traffic Commission Minutes June 2017 Page 3 intersection of Division Avenue. He said that the study showed that there was a zone about 90 feet south of Thompson Street on Division Street where visibility of oncoming traffic would be blocked when cars parked there. Mr. Shonkwiler asked that parking be removed within that zone. Beth Beaty said that Parking Enforcement would send a letter to the property owners on record at 301 and 303 Thompson Street asking them to remove the vehicles which were currently parking on unapproved surfaces and to contact the Zoning Division to discuss where vehicles could be parked. Ms. Beaty added that if vehicle owners continued to park on the unapproved surfaces after a week from the mailing of the letter, Parking Enforcement would begin ticketing vehicles. It was mentioned that parking restrictions were already passed by City Council which prohibited parking on the south side of Thompson Street in 2011. Staff was directed to install the signage where the restrictions were approved by Council in 2011. Mr. Shonkwiler stated that 301 and 303 Thompson Street were within the City limits and agreed that parking restrictions be enforced on the south side of the street after a letter had been sent to them. If parking continued on the unapproved surface, he recommended that the City ask the property owners to remove the gravel from their yards. Craig Shonkwiler moved to remove parking on the east side of Division Avenue from the centerline of Thompson Street to 90 feet south of the centerline of Thompson Street. Sylvia Morgan seconded the motion. The motion was approved 2-0. This item will go the City Council for consideration. Beth Beaty asked if parking was restricted on Thompson Street west of Division Avenue. Craig Shonkwiler indicated there were no restrictions on Thompson Street to the west of Division Avenue. Craig Shonkwiler moved to restrict parking on the south side of Thompson Street from the center line of Division Avenue to the eastern terminus of Thompson Street. Sylvia Morgan seconded the motion. The motion was approved 2-0. The motion will go to City Council for consideration. It was determined after the meeting that the Urbana City Council had prohibited parking on the south side of Thompson Street from the centerline of Division Avenue to the eastern terminus of Thompson Street in 2011.  Traffic Commission Minutes June 2017 Page 4 Item #2- Discussion of temporary one-way traffic northbound on Anderson Street between Eliot Drive and Mumford Drive. Craig Shonkwiler explained that the Urbana School District #116 had contacted City staff to request temporary traffic control during the renovation of Yankee Ridge Elementary School. Brian Anderson, Principal at Yankee Ridge Elementary School, discussed the plan to direct traffic, other than school buses, to travel one-way northbound on Anderson Street during the morning drop- off and afternoon pick-up of students to reduce conflict between vehicles and students. He said that buses would be directed to Anderson Street for drop-off and pick-up of students. Mr. Anderson said that there would not be access for students on foot on the Anderson Street side of the school during the construction. He stated that the restrictions would be for one year and that school staff would direct traffic during the time when the one-way restrictions were in effect. Ota Dossett said that a similar plan was used at Dr. Williams Elementary School during the renovation of that facility. Craig Shonkwiler felt that the plan was good for the short-term while Yankee Ridge Elementary School was undergoing renovations. Chief Morgan said that the area was not heavily travelled at other times of the day so the altered traffic plan would not create a major problem. Mr. Shonkwiler asked what time periods would be preferred for the restrictions. Mr. Anderson said that the time frame would be from August 1, 2017, until August 1, 2018, with the times for the restrictions being 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Craig Shonkwiler moved to temporarily designate Anderson Street from Mumford Drive to Eliot Drive as a one-way street for northbound traffic from August 1, 2017, to August 1, 2018, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Sylvia Morgan seconded the motion. The motion was approved 2-0. This item will go to Council for consideration. The Recording Secretary will notify the Urbana School District #116 when the item goes to the Committee of the Whole meeting. Mr. Shonkwiler said it was not necessary to have school district staff at the meeting, but their attendance would be helpful in case the Council members had specific questions about the traffic plan.  Traffic Commission Minutes June 2017 Page 5 Item #3- Discussion of traffic on Broadway Avenue between Oakland Avenue and Country Club Road. Craig Shonkwiler stated that a Traffic Issues/Concerns Request form had been submitted by Ms. Elisabeth Simpson regarding concerns about visibility and speeds of vehicles travelling northbound on Broadway Avenue. Ms. Simpson had indicated that vehicle speeds seemed to increase after the brick street was converted to concrete. Craig Shonkwiler conducted a visibility study and noted that visibility was restricted at the top of the hill near the 1200 block of North Broadway Avenue. He recommended that staff paint lane striping to indicate that passing would not be allowed at that section of Broadway Avenue. He noted that there were no accidents at that section of Broadway Avenue. Mr. Shonkwiler said that a speed study was conducted that showed 76% of northbound traffic on Broadway Avenue exceeded the posted 30-mile-per-hour speed limit and 67% of southbound traffic exceeded the speed limit. He noted that the 85th percentile speed, the speed at which 85% of the motorists travel, was 37.6 miles per hour for northbound traffic and was 37.1 miles per hour for southbound traffic. He mentioned that one motorist was travelling close to 75 miles per hour. He recommended that STEP be scheduled in that location between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to enforce the speed limit. Chief Morgan stated that there did seem to be a peak time for speeding during those hours. She agreed to assign STEP enforcement to the area during those times probably in the month of July. John Collins stated that the Operations Division could install signage for traffic indicating that traffic was approaching a hill. Craig Shonkwiler stated that the Engineering Division would research the appropriate warning signage for this location and that the signage could be installed under the direction of the Public Works Director. Item #4- Discussion of on-street parking at 901 East Main Street. Craig Shonkwiler reviewed a Traffic Issues/Concerns Request Form that was submitted by the owners of Second Hand Rose, located at 901 East Main Street. Mr. Shonkwiler relayed the owners’ concern that the current parking configuration made it difficult for customers to know where they could legally park when visiting the shop with the bicycle lane located nearby. He said that the owners had requested two-hour parking restrictions from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Main Street near the front of 901 East Main Street. John Collins was not in favor of providing parking specifically for customers, but he could add two- hour parking restrictions. Mr. Shonkwiler mentioned that the parking restrictions on Main Street would impact the homeowners to the east of the business. He added that there were two parking spaces available on Lynn Street that customers could use while visiting the shop. He mentioned that the spaces were metered parking at one time. It was mentioned that the meters did not generate revenue so the meters were removed. He said that he looked at a similar location at Springfield Avenue and Birch Street where two-hour restrictions were in effect during the day. Mr. Shonkwiler suggested that a  Traffic Commission Minutes June 2017 Page 6 configuration similar to that could be considered, but he recommended that no action be taken until the issue was discussed with the residents. He asked that the residents and business owners be notified that the item would be discussed at the next meeting. Specifically, Mr. Shonkwiler asked that the occupants of the two properties to the east of 901 East Main Street and the business owners be notified. Chief Morgan suggested contacting the homeowners and business owners, letting them know that there were some questions that needed clarification, and asking that they attend the next meeting. With no other business at hand, the meeting was adjourned at 5:10 p.m. The next regularly scheduled Traffic Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. at the Urbana Public Works Department, 706 Glover Avenue, second floor conference room. Respectfully submitted, Barbara Stiehl Recording Secretary  KEYED STRIPING AND SIGNAGE NOTES MUMFORD DRIVE STREET STREET LYNN ELIOT STREET ELIOT STREET ANDERSON ISSUED FOR CONSTRUCTION igw FILE: REVISIONS DRAWN APPR STRIPING AND SIGNAGE PLAN DATE: NO. DATE REMARKS ISAKSEN GLER UM WA CH TER , LLC 114 WEST MAIN STREET T / 217 32 8 13 91 CHECK APPR SIGNED LIC. 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