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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/08/1997 SC MinutesDirector Chairman Water/Sewer Superintendent Glen R. Andler MAINTAIN Roderick T O'Donovan Deputy Director Fire Department Streets/Buildings s Su Superintendent g p Sean P. Dorsey : _ Paul C. Bures Village Engineer Forestry/Grounds Superintendent Jeffrey A. Wulbecker ore w "«s O0 Sandra M. Clark w Administrative Aide i. - %r Q Vehicle/Equipment Superintendent Dawn L. Wucki 0 �h James E. Guenther Solid Waste Coordinator CQ M. Lisa Angell Mount Prospect Public Works Department 1700 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056-2229 Phone 847/870-5640 Fax 847/253-9377 TDD 847/392-1235 MINUTES OF THE MOUNT PROSPECT SAFETY COMMISSION CALL TO ORDER The Regular Meeting of the Mount Prospect Safety Commission was called to order at 7:33 P.M. on Monday, September 8, 1997. ROLL CALL Upon roll call, each Safety Commission Member introduced themselves to the audience. Present upon roll call: Lee Beening Chairman Paul Bures Public Works Joe Kolanowski Police Department Buz Livingston Fire Department Chuck Bencic Commissioner Sean Won Public Works, Engineering Division Absent: Joan Bjork Nancy Bobikewicz Andy Mitchell Phyllis Moliere Others in Attendance: APPROVAL OF MINUTES Paul Bures requested to amend page 6 to read: "Ted Adamczyk, Buz Livingston..." instead of Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner See Attached List. "Ted Adamczyk, Paul Bures, Buz Livingston..." Paul Bures, seconded by Commissioner Bencic, moved to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Safety Commission held on August 11, 1997. The Minutes were approved as revised by a vote of 5-0. 1 Recycled Paper - Printed with Soy Ink IV. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD Mr. Steve Polet, 601 Wilshire, thanked for the Village's prompt action to replace a no -left -turn sign with a right -turn -only sign on Highland Ave at Rand Road after the August Safety Commission meeting. He said that 1) too many stop signs are requested and approved, 2) the Village has stop signs more than the Police Department can enforce, 3) a false sense of security is created at the intersection when not -warranted stop signs are installed, 4) residents will ask for more police enforcement, if stop signs are installed and drivers do not stop at the intersection, 5) the number of stop signs should be reduced to the number that the Police Department can enforce, 6) the Police Department should enforce these stop signs vigorously, and 7) motorists are making fast turns (over 40 mph) at T -intersections in his neighborhood. Mr. Polet also said that he will bring this issue to the Village Board later for their consideration. V. OLD BUSINESS A) 4 -WAY STOP SIGN REQUEST AT THE INTERSECTION OF SEEGWUN/SHABONEE a) Background Information This 4 -way stop sign request was originally requested by Mr. John Fox, 516 S. Seegwun Avenue and discussed in September, 1995. At that time, the Safety Commission recommended to deny the request. The Village Board concurred with the Commission's recommendation. At the meeting, Chairman Beening recommended the Village implement the following four steps and bring this issue back at a future meeting to discuss the effectiveness of the steps implemented: 1) Stepped-up police speed enforcement 2) Install more speed limit signs 3) Install Caution Club Entrance Signs 4) Contact Mt. Prospect Park District to install stop signs on their parking lot driveways. The Public Works Department completed the above recommendations 2), 3), and 4) and the Police Department increased speed enforcement at this area. To review the effect of the recommendations, new traffic counts were to be performed during May and June to include the impact of golf traffic. Because of malfunctioning of the traffic counters and then one of the counters being stolen from the site, the counts taken in 1996 were invalid. Therefore, new traffic counts were again performed from Wednesday, May 28 to Monday, June 2, 1997. The 1995 & 1997 traffic counts are compared as follows: 85th Percentile Speed on Seegwun Ave: May, 1995: 30 mph (North/Southbound) May, 1997: 30 - 31 mph (North/Southbound) 2 The 85th percentile speeds on Seegwun Ave have not changed. There is a concern about the vehicle speed on Seegwun Ave. Note that the speed limit of Seegwun Ave is 25 mph. Traffic Volumes (Peak 8 Hour Period): May, 1995: 1412 Vehicles/Peak 8 Hour Period May, 1997: 1185 Vehicles/Peak 8 Hour Period The traffic volume at this intersection was reduced approximately 16% and does not meet the minimum traffic volume for the multi -way stop sign warrant (500 x 8 = 4000 cars/8 hrs). Accidents: No accidents occurred between 1993 and 1995. One accident has occurred since 1995. The number of accidents still does not meet the stop sign warrant (minimum five accidents per year) for the Multi -Way Stop Warrants. Recommendation: The 1997 traffic study indicates insignificant changes in speed and accidents at this intersection and approximate 16% reduction of the traffic volume. Because this intersection still does not meet any of the multi -way stop sign warrants. The Village Traffic Engineer recommends: No change in the traffic control at this intersection. b) Discussion Sean Won said that 1) the Village completed the Safety Commission's recommendations, 2) new traffic counts were performed in 1997 to review the effectiveness of the recommendations, 3) the 1995 & 1997 traffic counts were compared, and 4) this intersection still does not meet the stop sign warrants. Commissioner Bencic asked whether Mt. Prospect Park District installed stop signs on their parking lot driveways. Chairman Beening said that Mt. Prospect Park District installed stop signs on their parking lot driveways within a month after the Village requested. Commissioner Bencic, seconded by Buz Livingston, moved to concur with the previous action of the Safety Commission & the Village Board to deny 4 -way stop signs at Seegwun and Shabonee. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0. 3 VI. NEW BUSINESS A) 4 -WAY STOP SIGN REQUEST AT THE INTERSECTION OF MEMORY LN AND MAPLE ST a) Background Information Ms. Mary Jane Meyers, 503 North Maple Street, requested 4 -way stop signs at Memory Ln and Maple St because she is concerned about the safety of many pre-school or school age children near this intersection. The Engineering Staff performed a stop sign study. The findings are as follows: a) Accidents A search of the accident reports indicated: Year 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Number of Accidents 0 0 0 1 1 The above accident records do not meet the stop sign warrant (minimum five accidents per year) for the Multi -Way Stop Warrants. b) Speeding Study Representative speed surveys were performed on Maple St north of Memory Ln. The 85th percentile speeds are as follows: Southbound Maple 23-24 mph Northbound Maple 25-26 mph The speed limits of Memory Ln and Maple St are 25 mph. There is not a speeding problem at this intersection. C) Traffic Volume The minimum traffic volume for the multi -way stop sign warrant is 500 vehicles/hour for an eight hour period (500 x 8 = 4000 cars/8 hrs). The traffic volume at this intersection (325 cars/8 hrs) is approximately 8% of the stop sign warrant. d) Sight Obstruction A number of parkway trees are located at the intersection. However, these parkway trees do not present sight obstruction problems. 4 e) Survey Results A total of 26 surveys were sent out in July, 1997 to collect and analyze the resident's opinion. 15 surveys were returned to the Village. 14 residents favored and one resident was against 4 -way stop signs at Memory/Maple. Recommendation: Because the intersection of Memory Ln and Maple St does not meet any of the multi -way stop sign warrants, The Village Traffic Engineer recommends: 4 -way stop signs at the intersection of Memory Ln and Maple St not be installed. b) Discussion Sean Won said that Ms. Meyers of 503 North Maple St requested 4 -way stop signs at Maple/Memory and summarized the multi -way stop sign study performed by the Engineering Staff. Ms. Meyers asked that, if there are no stop/yield signs at an intersection, who has the right-of-way. Chairman Beening said that a driver on right has the right- of-way. Ms. Meyers was concerned that the traffic count was done at the end of June and the effect of school traffic was not represented. Sean Won responded that the traffic volume was only 8% of the minimum for stop sign warrants and the school traffic will not increase the volume from the measured 325 cars to the minimum warrant amount of 4000 cars per 8 hour period. Ms. Meyers was also concerned that the speed study was not completed and the the SMART trailer has not been used at this location. She cited the following observated problems. Northbound cars, including school buses rev their engine to get.over the incline, most speeding drivers are teenagers who live on Highland Street, speeding is the worst between 3 pm and 6 pm, many children wait school buses at this intersection, and she personally has witnessed one accident. Sean Won responded that the speed study was done at the same time as the traffic volume counts. Joe Kolannowski responded that the SMART trailer will be used as soon as the schedule allows. Ms. Meyers asked that, if stop signs are not warranted, maybe yield signs could be installed. Sean Won said that while yield signs could be considered at this intersection, they would be installed on the street with less traffic. Joe Kolanowski recommended that yield signs not be considered because the traffic volumes on Maple & Memory are too low (Maple Street has 309 vehicles per day (vpd) and Memory Lane has 190 vpd). Chairman Beening said that 1) the 85th percentile speeds are approximately 25 mph, 2) there is no speeding problem at this intersection based on the speed study, 3) throughout the Village, young families are moving in and empty nesters are moving out, 4) there would be more children on streets, and 5) he witnessed a 2 -year old crossing a street B) alone. Chairman Beening emphasized that residents have to take responsibilities for their children's safety. Paul Bures said that there are no stop signs in his neighborhood even though 19 children live there. Mr. Steve Polet recommended some kind of public awareness campaign to remind speeding drivers. Commissioner Bencic, seconded by Paul Bures, moved to deny 4 -way stop signs at Memory lane and Maple Street. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0. 4 -WAY STOP SIGN REQUEST AT THE INTERSECTION OF TANO LN & LAMA LN a) Background Information Ms. Eileen Smith, 2001 E. Tano Lane, requested 4 -way stop signs at Tano Ln and Lama Lane because drivers are speeding at the intersection and she is concerned about the safety of children at the intersection. The Engineering Staff performed a stop sign study. The findings are as follows: a) Accidents NO ACCIDENTS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS The above accident records do not meet the stop sign warrant (minimum five accidents per year) for the Multi -Way Stop Warrants. b) Speeding Study Representative speed surveys were performed on Lama Ln north of Tano Ln and on Tano Ln east of Lama Ln. The 85th percentile speeds are as follows: Northbound Lama 25-26 mph Southbound Lama under 20 mph Eastbound Tano 31-32 mph Westbound Tano 29-30 mph The speed limits of Tano and Lama are 25 mph. There is a concern about the speeds of the east/westbound traffic on Tano. C) Traffic Volume The minimum traffic volume for the multi -way stop sign warrant is 500 vehicles/hour for an eight hour period (500 x 8 = 4000 cars/8 hrs). The traffic volume at this intersection (665 cars/8 hrs) is approximately 17% of the stop sign warrant. H. d) Sight Obstruction A number of parkway trees are located at the intersection. However, these parkway trees do not present sight obstruction problems. e) Survey Results A total of 20 surveys were sent out in July, 1997 to collect and analyze the resident's opinion. 17 surveys were returned to the Village. 14 residents favored and 2 residents were against the 4 -way stop sign at Tano/Lama. One resident did not provide an opinion. 0 Existing Traffic Control Signs There are 2 -way yield signs on Lama Ln at Tano Ln. Recommendation: Because the intersection of Tano Ln and Lama Ln does not meet any of the multi -way stop sign warrants, The Village Traffic Engineer recommends: 4 -way stop signs at the intersection of Tano Ln and Lama Ln not be installed. b) Discussion Chairman Beening said that 1) Tano Lane is a straight shot street between River Road and Burning Bush Lane, 2) Tano Lane is not a cut through route, and 3) the 85th percentile speeds on Tano Lane are higher than those on Lama Lane. Sean Won said that there are existing yield signs on Lama Lane at Tano Lane to help motorists determine who has the right-of-way. Commissioner Bencic, seconded by Joe Kolanowski, moved to deny 4 -way stop signs at Tano Lane and Lama Lane. The motion was approved by a vote of 5-0. VII. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to discuss, the Safety Commission voted 5-0 to adjourn at 8:23 P.M., upon the motion of Commissioner Bencic. Joe Kolanowski seconded the motion. Respectfully submitted, Sean Won Project Engineer